Fart Bikes

I completed my triple double with the Death Valley Spring Double.  It was a nice weekend out at Furnace Creek, with warm nights and mild breezes.  I met my friend Greg at the start and we rode at a pace of nearly 20 MPH (according to my Garmin) to Ashford Mill before stopping long enough for a water refill before tackling the wonderful Jubilee-Salsbury passes to Shoshone.  Greg had wanted to do 13 hours - I was looking for more like 14 so we parted company and he began to ride away.  Back to the Salsbury climb I caught up again with Greg and we rode together again to Ashford Mill.  I had to take a nature break so Greg was again on his own through Badwater and the evening run out to the Stovepipe Wells turn-around.  We passed again on opposite sides of the road not far from the turn-around, so I was not doing too bad.  Finished at Furnace Creek with a time of 13:35 so I was pleased.

I love the Death Valley rides because of the fresh air and minimal traffic.  For the ride we were treated to a group of motorcyclists on big V-twins, riding in a column between stops like they were part of the double century.  Now I have no room to complain, since I own a loud, nasty polluting muscle car as a hobby, but these flatulent V-twin bikes just rattle my brain when they pass. Which they did way too often.  Is there any regulation on the emissions on these bikes?  Man, they stink up the place, even passing by on the open road at speed.  On the return visit at the Badwater stop, there they were, forming up their column next to the bike stop.  Their idling engines were putting out such a putrid cloud that all our fellow riders were holding their noses and fanning the air with their hands.  Share the road, not your stank!