California & South West USA

sven

sven

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LA to Yucca Valley
After arriving in LAX on Tuesday evening, we stopped overnight in the Radisson LAX before picking up a slightly battered R1200RT from Eaglerider the following morning.
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After quickly heading out of LA, we headed up onto the spectacular Los Angeles Crest Highway; 50 odd miles of twisty mountain road which we had all to ourselves on a Wednesday morning.
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The next item on the agenda was a visit to Planes of Fame in Chino. Not quite Duxford, but they had some pretty interesting stuff there anyway, including an airworthy P38 Lightning.
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Overnight was in the one horse town of Yucca Valley.....and the horse had obviously died some time ago.
 
Yucca Valley to Williams
The main reason for stopping in Yucca Valley was the Joshua Tree National Park, which was very pretty (although this doesn’t come across too well in the photos).
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Pg3eIW_VRdobJSMNd8woZej5eLC3bo00c8tvX8iiYhY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-IDGqYSNw-z0/T93_UC2w8WI/AAAAAAAAAcg/mHvTPppDjPI/s800/IMG_0564.JPG" height="533" width="800" /></a>
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/fSJ62rIVeyVuaEv3jcQDr-j5eLC3bo00c8tvX8iiYhY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lwQISYogkfY/T94AixcBr0I/AAAAAAAAAdw/zpmylyBaLoI/s800/P1020553.jpg" height="600" width="800" /></a>
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/SjIWd0X1Ampjrel9bhFm8-j5eLC3bo00c8tvX8iiYhY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-6KPPDyq0vmM/T94Ahs7vs3I/AAAAAAAAAd4/K_NkNTkxPVY/s800/P1020571.jpg" height="600" width="800" /></a>
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The day went quickly downhill after that as the Mojave Desert and Route 66 in 113F temperatures was tortuous and tedious to say the least, except for a twisty section north of Oatman.
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Ak46bbh4TRfw6pa3mQuhbuj5eLC3bo00c8tvX8iiYhY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Tn1m3c2jcig/T94Ag4AfsGI/AAAAAAAAAdo/-UyO-Uj2IkU/s800/P1020624.jpg" height="600" width="800" /></a>
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/USsFACTCOAQg8ju341jnKuj5eLC3bo00c8tvX8iiYhY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-sC3gz2w0a8k/T94AvLuzWwI/AAAAAAAAAeM/wmy_HfuaoFo/s800/P1020655.jpg" height="600" width="800" /></a>
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Thankfully the day ended on a high as we climbed out of the desert and into the lovely little town of Williams for thenight.
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9CXuztg_K8hlewImQdeE6ej5eLC3bo00c8tvX8iiYhY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-hhXIFrVxKks/T94BltItkmI/AAAAAAAAAeo/tKEjHI2KaEI/s800/IMG_2081.JPG" height="533" width="800" /></a>
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/iVgnyaG8l7KItl1E0FM3K-j5eLC3bo00c8tvX8iiYhY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-C8dbmBUsUXU/T94BlBOVhaI/AAAAAAAAAek/YYf1AaTBpgs/s800/IMG_2079.JPG" height="533" width="800" /></a>
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A cracking Thai meal followed by a bloody expensive glass of wine rounded off the night ready for the Grand Canyon the next morning.
 
Williams to Kayenta
The Grand Canyon lies 50 miles north of Williams and is actually surround by a forest on the south rim, rather than the desert as expected. We’d booked a helicopter trip and it was well worth the £250 or so it cost as the GC lived up to the hype.
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/7QCoC-KJ_kA_lojhhmt7Muj5eLC3bo00c8tvX8iiYhY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-5Z0_mF7KOTw/T94I38h3B9I/AAAAAAAAAgs/3Z_A0eDVAX8/s800/IMG_2196.JPG" height="533" width="800" /></a>
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8Yc_ePGejJBHt2Q-j0ONZ-j5eLC3bo00c8tvX8iiYhY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-oFI_rsa2sF8/T94IPYpPHcI/AAAAAAAAAgA/7tS19QChcSQ/s800/IMG_2143.JPG" height="533" width="800" /></a>
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/A8jt7B97us5mgwUa1oY92-j5eLC3bo00c8tvX8iiYhY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-VboC1lmLlp0/T94ILGHGpVI/AAAAAAAAAf4/RMhhUQjEPEE/s800/IMG_2146.JPG" height="533" width="800" /></a>
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/9Y6j7f-4MJBxkJVnVyp7ZOj5eLC3bo00c8tvX8iiYhY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-7EoTE_KT1v0/T94JWPHqdEI/AAAAAAAAAhM/8pzjz8aRyc4/s800/IMG_2252.JPG" height="533" width="800" /></a>
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After the GC it was another slog across the desert to Kayenta whose only redeeming feature is its proximity to Monument Valley. Being in the Navajo Nation there was no booze available and the staff in the Hampton Inn were surly and miserable too. After a swim in the pool and an average green chilli stew, there was nothing else to do but have an early night.
 
Grand Canyon Pics are amazing, not sure I'd ahve the bottle to stump up for the helicopter though.

:eek:
 
Oatman, Burro's, carrots and Sitgreaves Pass all looks good fun to me :thumb

if you have a tracklog of your trip I'd be interested, would be useful to know how long I can expect section take to ride
 
Last edited:
I have spent a bit of time in the 80's in Yucca valley, Joshua Tree and twenty nine Palms, bet its changed a alot since then. Was a great place with some interesting characters, seemed to be large gaps in my memory about that time :D I took a camera with me so I know I was there!!!
 
Kayenta to Cortez
Monument Valley provided the big vistas portrayed on Westerns and was promptly followed by the Goosenecks State Park and the Moki Dugway, a 1000ft climb in three miles over a graded gravel road. The Natural Bridges NP was slightly underwhelming, but we made it to Cortez in good time for a few beers and an excellent burrito at Blondies Pub & Grub.
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/HcEhsmJHnwPgdlimnpPKw5smzJpNWgkDnfgeqFs0Ick?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-AnjPc3C3Gfs/T94qb3UPPsI/AAAAAAAAAik/Use0_xvMPig/s800/IMG_0637.JPG" height="533" width="800" /></a>
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/4EPGy6UK0TaeA7MdZsa0dej5eLC3bo00c8tvX8iiYhY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-sufKqZjBT1k/T94nLzqAGEI/AAAAAAAAAhs/wMCUh72WxzY/s800/IMG_2293.JPG" height="533" width="800" /></a>
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/sbfhbjq3bLIGvgZ01m4rSpsmzJpNWgkDnfgeqFs0Ick?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-Cmr4WZf0Img/T94qYT4K3DI/AAAAAAAAAiU/QpcTkj8fYG0/s800/IMG_0648.JPG" height="533" width="800" /></a>
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<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/xq50w274VzXIGX0Rwc09f-j5eLC3bo00c8tvX8iiYhY?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-dPAsl2_I2q8/T94nP0aJaHI/AAAAAAAAAh8/CMxo9apsJUU/s800/IMG_2298.JPG" height="533" width="800" /></a>
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/LSlmyf9x20dE5atsQNIUupsmzJpNWgkDnfgeqFs0Ick?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-upH48F5uLTM/T94qjkdqBpI/AAAAAAAAAi4/ZPom8RZa0KM/s800/IMG_0657.JPG" height="533" width="800" /></a>
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/gDBnqffuPTROwXxugf9HWJsmzJpNWgkDnfgeqFs0Ick?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-j6sdEMPs6AA/T94qf6RGPlI/AAAAAAAAAis/M0oLhxCYQZk/s800/IMG_0663.JPG" height="533" width="800" /></a>
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/-yEaFkszuvitBzFL1k2M3ZsmzJpNWgkDnfgeqFs0Ick?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-PXXG9xd1LJU/T94qpx0uLgI/AAAAAAAAAjI/cDgu5_rJyWM/s800/IMG_0666.JPG" height="533" width="800" /></a>
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/hHYT-w3CzTQP5bT8F-L8JJsmzJpNWgkDnfgeqFs0Ick?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-wJFR69B5_EA/T94qm8gFqQI/AAAAAAAAAjA/P9LYM3jFuZk/s800/IMG_0671.JPG" height="533" width="800" /></a>
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/8k0EFXaOQNjQvUT5NzjIm5smzJpNWgkDnfgeqFs0Ick?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-o3EI-fKvBXY/T94qrjUQP7I/AAAAAAAAAjQ/ds3z_8Q_HsI/s800/IMG_0676.JPG" height="533" width="800" /></a>
<a href="https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/VxdW-WGThumrmXpQ-Ytvy5smzJpNWgkDnfgeqFs0Ick?feat=embedwebsite"><img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-4c33FC5oB2o/T94qtsXpr3I/AAAAAAAAAjY/F0_9KUW7ofA/s800/IMG_0682.JPG" height="533" width="800" /></a>
 
Thank you, thank you, Sven, it looks a great trip. Could you give us a breakdown of the costs, perhaps, this is something I'd love to do myself.
 
Nice report:beerjug: Your wife looks like she's enjoying it too:thumb
 
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