Out And About.

[MadImmortalMan]

More Death Valley.

[MadImmortalMan]

Counterstrike tournament at CES. Canada stomped the Poles.

[MadImmortalMan]

I've been in six different national parks in the last 12 months. Yosemite, Devil's Postpile, Crater Lake, Yellowstone, Grand Teton and Death Valley. I know I've been a bit negative on them.

The only one I'm planning to return to in 2016 is going to be Death Valley. That place is way bigger than it seems, and there's a ton to do. Plus it costs 30% less than the average national park, and there's no crowds of retards in your way. Bringing the FJ, naturally. So many awesome offroad trails.

[Tonitrus]

Canyonlands is another great park to take an FJ to.

[Zanza]

Nice pics. Are you allowed to go off road in Death Valley?

[MadImmortalMan]

Yeah you are in most places. There are particular roads where you need it. Like to get to that place where the rocks race across the ground (the racetrack).

[MadImmortalMan]

HELIOS Two. AKA Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project. Tonopah.

[grumbler]

HELIOS Two. AKA Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project. Tonopah.

Check if there are some broken reflectors there.  You'll need them later.

[mongers]

Managed to get out on Friday for a longish ride, furthest North I've been on a bike in three months. 

Now I've convinced myself Spring is just around the corner, the plan is to gradually go a bit further each time to all points of the compass, well N-S-E-W and by that gradual improve my bike trips out, a bit at a time; stretching my geographical muscles if you will. 

[mongers]

Right I'm off out on a little 'expedition', what shall it be East or West?

I guess it depends on which direction the wind's blowing. 

Wish me luck. 

[Liep]

Right I'm off out on a little 'expedition', what shall it be East or West?

I guess it depends on which direction the wind's blowing. 

Wish me luck. 

How will you come back though? I always favour head wind going out and tail wind coming back.

[PDH]

How will you come back though? I always favour head wind going out and tail wind coming back.

Damn straight.  Feel like hell until the turnaround, then it is smooth sailing for the second half.

[mongers]

Right I'm off out on a little 'expedition', what shall it be East or West?

I guess it depends on which direction the wind's blowing. 

Wish me luck. 

How will you come back though? I always favour head wind going out and tail wind coming back.

In the end didn't go East or West, as there was a cold stiff NWesterly, just ended up going to a local used book shop in the nearby town instead. 

If I'm going out for a purpose and I'll face a wind, it doesn't seem to matter to me which way, I think it's because I take ages, like 1-1 1/2 hours to get into my stride and I'm always rushing due to light, traffic or exuberance on my way home. All of which oddly means I tend to take similar times out and back, no matter what the wind is doing. 

 

[mongers]

Anyway I did manage to get out on a little expedition late this afternoon, did 52-53km on a shallow triangular route out to one of my favourite hill forts, Badbury Rings.

Glad I did it as I ended up doing more than I planned which is a nice feeling, plus I checked out the condition for a fair few off-roads bits there and back.
The not so good thing is I had to go via a couple of local towns, some main roads and I don't think those are really usable now, due to traffic levels and congestion in the early evenings.
I think in future I'll have to go there on largely rural roads and take the longest way, rather than dicing again with idiots in those two towns 

But the good news for me at least and my little four points of the compass challenge, is that's the furthest West on a bike I've been this year; it was the village of Shapwich (viking landing place??) at 2 degrees 5 minutes West, which is a whole 18 minutes of longitude further West than here. :gasp:
Though I've not been that far West in over 4 months. 

[mongers]

Not going far this weekend in the blustery weather. 

Think I'll try and get out into the New Forest tomorrow, if there's a weather window.