There are 447 photographs currently on this Badwater or Bust weblog. They are accessible under the 19 tabs at the top of the pages, and a number of them are also embedded in the 75 posts that have been appearing here chronologically since the end of September. For those of you just tuning in for the first time to this blog, here is a small sampling of what has been happening on the Death Valley Tricycle Expedition:
- Blurry eyed by the end of this difficult day, photographer Jack Freer captures the struggle with this creative vision of triking up Towne Pass. This is the final hour of Steve’s 37-day expedition, as he passes from twilight into darkness, about 30 minutes before reaching the summit.
This guy is going so slow that his sister easily walks along behind. Of course, his gross weight exceeds 300 pounds, while she only carries a water bottle.
Steve pulls into the Emigrant Springs rest stop to bring himself back to life after three hours of non-stop ascent from sea level, as he leaves Death Valley behind.
The huge Conway truck fights to keep speed down, while the little trike struggles to keep speed up! Notice the elevation differential between here and the northern region of the 140-mile long Death Valley wash below.
The tiny triker and his trailer begin the daunting ascent of the Panamint Range, via Towne Pass. This ride ascends 4,956 feet in less than 18 miles.
Near the top of the steepest portion of Artist Drive, with Telescope Peak across the valley, the ICE Q tricycle patiently waits while the weary pilot physically recovers from the severe altitude gain during the past three miles. Steve climbed the 11,049 foot Telescope Peak a few years ago, and had a great view of Badwater from the other extreme.
This is but a small portion of the extreme grade out of Death Valley on the way to Artist's Palette ... over 1100 vertical feet in only 3 miles! But wait! There is more to come Steve. Alluvial fans are a trike pilot's friend.
On the Badwater road, heading north towards the ultra-challenging Artist's Drive alluvial fan incline, Steve happily speeds down a moderate quarter-mile hill.
A salty pool of water reflects the Black Mountains at Badwater Basin.
Steve's camp of two weeks at Furnace Creek quietly rests in the shade of tamarisk and mesquite trees ... before thousands of motorhomes and house trailers swarmed into the area, forcing the Wilderness Rogue to sneak away one night by the light of the full moon.
Down into America's low point plunges Steve and his Q.
A bed of soft pine needles makes for the perfect door mat at a roadside camp, north of Klamath Falls, Oregon
The Wilbur United Methodist Church parking lot provided a protected location for a nice rest. Wilbur, Oregon is just off Interstate 5, on the road that heads up into the Cascade Range. This peaceful spot was used until about 12:30 AM the next morning, when the full moon beckoned for a night ride to Glide, Oregon, and then on to Susan Creek campground.
The next overnight after Wilbur was Susan Creek campground, on the western slope of the Cascade Range. This is the rainy morning of the 20-hour ascent of the Cascades, up to the Diamond Lake Lodge, which was reached at 4:00 AM the next morning. From rain, to snow, to ice, to sub-freezing temperatures, this was to be the most threatening portion of the journey.
