Round and Round

We started our last day in Pahrump, NV with friends, fellow Elks and biker buddies, Kirk and Nancy.  Breakfast at the Elks was followed by a visit to

The Moving Wall, a half-acre replica of the Washington, DC Vietnam Veterans Memorial.  The Wall has been touring the country for thirty+ years.  The Wall first went on display in Tyler, Texas in October of 1984.  Two structures of “The Moving Wall” now travel the USA from April through November, spending about a week at each site.

Each person whose name is preceded with  a diamond has been found.  Each name with a cross is mia.  If that person is found, then the cross is filled into a diamond.

After we left the memorial we were 10 miles down the road before I stopped weeping.

The desert worked its magic and for the rest of the day we enjoyed our freedom and our beautiful country.  As usual our ride took us in a large circle, this one around the Spring Mountains.  NV 160 took us north through the Pahrump Valley where we connected with US 95

past Creech AFB.

At Indian Springs, I explained to Nancy and Kirk that I called our bike the Screamin’ Eagle after its fender ornament.  I asked if they had a name for their bike.

Kirk said no but showed me this figure on his HD Road King.  The figure looks like a ship’s figurehead.  I told him that I wouldn’t blog that he rode the naked lady.

NV 156 and 157 let us explore the Spring Mountain National Recreation Area in the Humbolt/Toiyabe National Forest.

As we started to climb, the air got cooler.  We were still in the desert, but the higher altitude allowed more plants to grow.

Valley Overlook with views of the Pahrump Valley and surrounding mountains.  The info below describes the AFB.

Looking down into the Pahrump Valley is Creech AFB with its testing grounds beyond

Part of this area is privately owned.  These are the “haves”.

The Lodge offered a spot for lunch before we started down the mountain.  Our highest altitude—8400’.

Awesome hoodoos

I 215 took us west around Las Vegas.

NV 159 led us to a rest stop with a view of the Red Rock Canyon before 

we connected with NV 160 again, this time south of Pahrump.  In spite of two long straight stretches, the roads we rode were pretty good bike riding with some ups and downs and long sweeping curves.  All in all a most enjoyable 200 miles.

We spent the rest of the day with our friends at their house, before we headed home.  Of course riding in the dark in an unfamiliar area, we took a few wrong turns and made a few loop de loops before we found our way back, but, hey, that’s the way we roll.

Later,

Louise and Duane