Nevada’s Loneliest Highways — RoadPic

[Somewhere in the middle of Nevada] — Nothing beats riding in Nevada’s high desert country, mountains in the distance, miles and miles of open road unwinding before you, with almost no traffic. On roads like these, you appreciate being on a big touring bike with a 6-gallon gas tank.

There is a downside, however, and here is a little confession, something no biker likes to admit. If you look closely at the gravel next to the bike, you can see where I dropped it and tried to pick it up (and couldn’t!). When I see signs like “Next Gas 80 Miles,” I can’t resist stopping to take a picture; I think it helps tell the story (in this case, I was writing  about riding Nevada’s “loneliest roads,” with a jaunt through Death Valley, CA thrown in for good measure. The article will come out in Harley-Davidson’s HOG summer issue).

In any case, as I attempted to position the bike the way I wanted it for the photo (still sitting in the seat), somehow my boots slipped on the gravel, and down it went! There is a proper way to pick up a fallen bike, which involves facing away from it and grasping the handlebar and under the seat and lifting with your legs, not your back (here’s a YouTube video I found which describes the process). Two things worked against me, however: the bike had fallen on a downhill incline, and my feet couldn’t get traction in the gravel when I tried to lift it (you can see the “skid marks” from my feet in the sand).

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Defeated, I sat down on the fallen bike and waited for a passing car to stop. Two things worked against me here, also: first, passing traffic was very infrequent — maybe one car every ten minutes or so — and second, being a guy and a “tough” biker (hahaha), I was too embarrassed to wave anyone down — so I just sat and looked miserable, waiting for someone to stop. After a few cars passed, finally someone stopped to ask if I needed help, then another car pulled over at the same time, and both drivers helped me pick up the 900-pound bike. I was extremely grateful, highly embarrassed, and before riding off, I took the photo I’d wanted, after vowing to myself to think twice about stopping on any more soft shoulders!

 

31 comments

  1. Dropped my bike avoiding a guy stepping between gas pumps on a 4,822 mile westward swing a couple weeks ago. Do you have a ride plan on the ride in HOG? How many miles is the loop from Vegas to Vegas? Contemplating trying your route in September beginning in Georgia.

    1. Hi Nathaniel, I rode from LA to Vegas, and started from there. I don’t know how long the loop was just Vegas to Vegas, but starting in ending in LA it was 2,200 miles total, so if you subtract out the distance from LA to Vegas and the return, it should give you the approximate mileage of the Vegas-Vegas loop. Have a great trip!

  2. Just got through reading your story in HOG, would love to do a fly and ride how many miles did you do and did you have any problems finding hotels.

    1. Hi Charlie, I rode about 2,200 miles total, starting and ending in LA. But if you’re doing a fly and ride, i’d recommend starting and ending in Las Vegas. I didn’t have any problem with hotels, but I planned them out in advance since I knew there wouldn’t be a lot of choices where I was going. Good luck with your ride!

  3. Great story! I have seen plenty of pictures of signs like the one in your photo but I can’t imagine what goes through one’s head when they see that sign in person.

  4. I have never traveled on those kinds of roads. I live in the congested north east quadrant of the country and travel the mid atlantic region. Those big touring bikes sure are a handful. For now I feel more comfortable with the Dyna line. At least I can pick them up when they tip over. I tipped mine twice. Once while adjusting myeself in a parking lot and second forgetting to put the kick stand down. I really like the post. Thanks for sharing.

    1. My personal bike is a Road King, not as heavy as the big touring bikes, but almost! Before the Road King, I had a Dyna Wide Glide – you’re right, it was a lot easier to pick up if I dropped it!

  5. Great post and story! Definitely would want to go there and experience something new and worthwhile. Thanks for sharing this one! I really find it cool and amazing.

  6. I am glad that everything went well. And it is nice for the strangers to help you in that situation. I also hope that your bike is okay after the fall.

  7. I have 3 brothers and they all have motorcycles, but none of them will ever admit to dropping a bike. Scratches just “magically” appear every now and then… :)

  8. 900 pounds — are you mad?
    I bet you looked as forlorn as a dog in the rain, sitting there waiting for help. I am imagining it and the picture is utterly utterly pathetic.
    Were you tempted to smooth over the gravel before taking your pic?

    1. No photos of the bike tipped over because if I’d tried to open the TourPak where the camera was, everything would’ve spilled out!
      There were a couple of small scratches in the fairing and a saddlebag (both are fiberglass) — the bike was from Harley’s press fleet in LA, so I was pretty embarrassed returning it. The mgr. told me they’d take the bike out of service and replace the scratched parts (the press bikes have to be basically flawless because they’re often photographed by motojournalists). I got an email after that from the magazine editor scheduled to ride it after me, teasing me about it, but telling me the same thing had happened to him before!

  9. Been waiting for your next post and here it is. Lucky you that these people stopped to help. I can’t imagina trying to life a 900 pound bike, but we#ll do anything to get our shot, won’t we? And thanks for so constantly following me and the many RTs.

    1. Desolate roads, yes, but some of the most fun and relaxing riding ever (aside from dropping the bike). Really helps you realize what a big (and beautiful) country we have.

  10. But, you got a great story and a great picture! I like how the blue sign matches the blue bike and the blue mountains in the background. Glad you are ok. Could have been a lot worse.

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