Death Valley Encounter - Day 3

December 30 2015

Because, what else are you going to do 2 days before a new year, besides ride!

I again rode the 50 miler my pal Jose (with The Raven of course!), with Steph on Smokey, Gretchen on Coquette.

Never known a horse to appreciate scenery more than Jose!

Steph and Smokey climbing, up and up the Slate Range, with the Panamints in the background

I'm fascinated by the Panamint Range

Climbing back down down down the Slate Range. A gnarly trail that everybody got off to walk and lead their horses

You can see a couple of horses descending the steep hill above Jose

The trail beckons

Jose gawking at the scenery again. He poses nice when he does this!

Shadow and rocks

A selfie of me videoing a selfie

And top photo by Steve Bradley, one of the best spots ever for ride photos!

Day 1 is here.

A full recap and many more photos are here:

http://www.endurance.net/international/USA/2015DVE/

Death Valley Encounter - Day 1

December 28 2015

It's been some 9 years since I rode the Death Valley Encounter endurance ride. It was good to be back on some of these old rugged, challenging trails.

Though the ride no longer actually goes inside the park, the scenery is still exceptional, particularly of the Panamint Range. The old history of the area is fascinating, and the Slate Range and the Panamints (indeed the whole area around here) are dotted with abandoned gold and silver mines.

I was terrifically grateful to be riding in the winter and not the summer! We actually had cold enough morning temperatures (21* to 31*) to wake up to a couple of inches of ice on the water buckets. Days were sunny and cold, horses were fresh and strong. We rode the 50 milers on Days 1 and 3.

I rode my pal Jose, with Steph on Smokey, Gretchen on Coquette, and Peggy on Zane.

Here's a taste of some photos from Day 1:

Starting out with long shadows on a 21* morning

Climbing the Slate Range, with the Panamint Valley below and Panamint Mountains beyond

In the Panamint Valley, looking toward the Panamint Mountains

Riding along the ancient Lake Panamint, now a dry lake bed, with the fascinating Panamint Mountains beyond. 

Climbing back up the Slate Range out of Panamint Valley

Steve Bradley took this fabulous photo of us cresting the Slate Range in the morning.

Day 2 coming soon, and more photos and story at:

http://www.endurance.net/international/USA/2015DVE