To the Valley of Death

We had a big hump to Parhump, NV that gradually got us up to 5,000 feet and then a downhill that pretty much mirrored the uphill. It wasn't the worst uphill ever, and I went at it alone so I could take my time. We were supposed to have home stays with different community members once we arrived but due to a critter infestation, I stayed at the laundromat with the leaders for an extended period of time to eradicate the problem and cleaned all 29 rider's clothing thoroughly. We didn't get to bed until after midnight and were up at 3:30 sorting out everyone's belonging and mentally prepared for our ride into Death Valley.

Our first Death Valley ride was into Furnace Creek where it topped 117 degrees upon our arrival. We were camping and our only escape from the heat was at the visitor's center. Luckily I killed two birds with one stone and as I waited I became a Death Valley Junior Park Ranger. It felt like the heat just followed you everywhere but I did get the chance to run errands in the van in the afternoon and snag some real A/C. Camping was beautiful, we didn't even need tents and slept under the stars- hands down the brightest I've ever seen.

Death Valley day two was the new hardest day of the trip- we started the morning at 3:30am and around 200 feet below sea level. By 11:00am we were 4,956 feet up and in 100+ heat. The van planned water stops very regularly but because riding through the park is new for Bike and Build, we didn't know what to expect until we got out there. It was no easy task climbing almost 5,000 feet in 17 miles but (as always) we got it done. We ended in Panamont Springs (camping under the stars again) and had our own mini air show put on by an Air Force fighter jet at sunset.