route

On May 15, 2009, having spent a few days contemplating the most advantageous path for me to follow towards my goal in Death Valley, I came up with the following route. This was my intended itinerary at that time, and it appears here as it did in my Microsoft Word document that was created on that date. As you read along about the tale on this blog, it will become apparent that changes occurred here and there for various reasons. Comparing my original route, mileages, and plans with the actual outcome may prove interesting.

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DEATH VALLEY TRICYCLE EXPEDITION

(the route)

To Death Valley’s Badwater Basin (from central Oregon coast) 902 miles:

1)    Begin central coast, Oregon (leave Thursday, October 01, 2009 @ 7:00 AM)

2)    South on Oregon Coast Highway 101

3)    East (L) at Reedsport, onto Hwy 38, towards Elkton

4)    South (R) at Elkton, onto Hwy 138, towards Sutherlin

5)    South (R) at Sutherlin, paralleling Interstate 5 on the east side, towards Roseburg

6)    East (L, just south of Wilbur) onto Road 200 (North Bank Rd), towards Hwy 138

7)    East (L) onto Hwy 138, through Glide, towards Diamond and Crater Lakes

8)  South (R) at Snopark, through Crater Lake National Park on Crater Lake Road

9)    Southeast onto Hwy 62, towards Chiloquin (draw map for item 10)

10)  South near Fort Klamath on Hwy 34 towards Rocky Point (NW end of Upper Klamath Lake)

11)  Southeast on Hwy 140 (just south of Rocky Point), towards Klamath Falls

12)  East to Altamont , which is east of Klamath Falls

13)  South on Hwy 39 (Klamath Falls Main Hwy)

14)  Southeast on Hwy 139 (Hatfield Hwy) just east of Merrill 2 miles, towards California border

14)  Cross border at Hatfield, and continue south on Hwy 139, towards Tulelake and Canby

15)  East/Northeast (L) at Canby, onto Hwy 299, towards Alturas

16)  Northeast (L) at Alturas on Hwy 395/299 (acquire much water!)

17)  East (R) on Hwy 299 (6 miles north of Alturas) towards Cedarville

18)  South (R) at Cedarville onto Hwy 1, past Middle Alkali Lake, Eagleville, and Lower Alkali Lake

19)  Cross into Nevada, heading towards Gerlach (82 remote miles from Cedarville) on Hwy 447

20)  Continue on Hwy 447, through Empire and Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation, to Nixon

21)  South at Wadsworth and Fernley (under I-80) on Hwy 95 ALT, through Silver Springs and Wabuska

22)  East (L) at Yerrington on Hwy 95 ALT, towards Schurz, through Walker River Indian Reservation

23)  South (R) at Schurz, onto Hwy 95, past Walker Lake, towards Hawthorne

24)  Continue on Hwy 95 at Hawthorne (acquire much water!), through Luning and Mina

25)  Southwest onto Hwy 360 (about 7 miles south of Mina)

26)  East (L) at Basalt, onto Hwy 6/264

27)  Southeast (R) on Hwy 264, 5 miles out from Basalt, towards Dyer

28)  Cross border into California, 6 miles south of Dyer (Hwy becomes 266/168)

29)  South (R) onto Hwy 168, (at Hwy 168/266 intersection), traveling about 1 mile to next entry

30)  East (L) at Eureka Valley dirt road (Oasis Road), towards DVNP

31)  South (R), not far south of windmill, on the Eureka Valley Road

32)  Southwest (R) on Eureka Valley Road at Cucomungo Canyon intersection (7 miles to BP/DV Road)

33)  Southeast (L) onto Big Pine/Death Valley Road,  through Hanging Rock Canyon

34)  Southeast (R) at Crankshaft Crossing, towards Ubehebe Crater and Mesquite Springs Campground

35)  South on the Scotty’s Castle road, through Furnace Creek, and on to Badwater Basin

TOUR DEATH VALLEY AS TIME AND RESOURCES ALLOW

200-500 miles

(Author’s Breakfast: Stovepipe Wells on Friday, November 6, 2009 @ 8:00 AM)

To Oregon Coast (from Death Valley) 940 miles:

Reverse route on return trip, except for potential modifications to circumvent any early mountain pass snow conditions (may avoid Crater Lake by using Highway 97 as a work-around). Anticipated return date: November 30, 2009. By expedition’s end, more than 2,000 miles will have been traveled during this journey without the use of petroleum fuel products.