Meetup at Chaparral

I planned for three weeks on the road. I'm retired and have retired riding buddies, so I asked several of them if they wanted to join me for some or all of the trip. I got a few takers....4 to be exact.

First was Doug who rides an ST1100, a man I've known since High school. Another High school buddy, Arnold rides another V65 Sabre like mine, and Mike Daugherty on another V65, and the last was 'Nip' Morgan on a Harley.

We planned a meetup at Chaparral Motorcycles in San Bernadino Ca as that was central to the first four riders, then we would meet Nip at Tecopa Hot Springs as he'd be coming from Lone Pine, Ca.

I've had good memories of Tecopa from rides there over the last 10 years. The Hot springs there used to be free and camping across the street was inexpensive.

We made the connection in Tecopa after a nice run from Chaparral. The weather was 90 degrees at the worst...as good as could be expected for early June.
The boys in the shade at Tecopa...

...and Me

From Riding SM4C, Sabmag

From Riding SM4C, Sabmag

Arnold left, Doug right...

From Riding SM4C, Sabmag

They even had a horseshoe pit with Horseshoes there under that tree. Mike taught me that it's a younger mans game...:freaky

From Riding SM4C, Sabmag

This is Tecopa vibrant down town today :rofl

From Riding SM4C, Sabmag

Post office next door...

From Riding SM4C, Sabmag

Some of the building burned a few years ago...and the rest was abandoned to go to oblivion.

From Riding SM4C, Sabmag

Nip showed up with info that the inexpensive camp ground was $16 per person and the free hot springs was now $7.50 each. Nothing good lasts forever. Nip had also stopped a few miles away in Shoshone and found us a campsite for 30 bucks total that included a swimming pool with warm water. We went for that.
But before we went to The Shoshone campground we tooka 10 mile ride out to China Ranch.
A bit of dirt road was involved...sort of an adventure ride....about 3 miles of dirt, but good dirt.

From Riding SM4C, Sabmag

China Ranch started in the days of the early mines in Death Valley supplying geen foods to the miners as there was fresh water. Today it's a tourist destination owned by one of Nevada's political families. The story goes that the chinaman who started the place just vanished one day, and then the Nevada boys owned it.
They have a museum there and gift shop as well as an ice cream counter where Date Shakes are their specialty.

From Riding SM4C, Sabmag

I don't know why I don't have a picture of the Gift shop and relics around the place.

From Riding SM4C, Sabmag

The original ranch house is in those trees

From Riding SM4C, Sabmag

Arnold got himself in some soft sand at one point, and made a 5 mph drop of his Faired Sabre. It's a rat bike so the loss of a turn signal didn't phase him. No picture....
After the Date Shake we went to the campsite in Shoshone. Pretty nice and with grass to camp on. There were no tents as the air was clean and no rain in sight. That's my finger in the picture.

From Riding SM4C, Sabmag