1966 Death Valley Tour Motorcycle Run - 3-Page Vintage Article

Description

1966 Death Valley Tour Motorcycle Run - 3-Page Vintage Article
Original, Vintage Magazine article.
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) each page
Condition: Good
Our report last year on the 10th Anniversary Death
Valley Run stated, "What will it be like next year? Who
knows? . . . One thing we can be pretty sure of, though
— it will be bigger than this year." That confident pre-
diction easily came true. Compared to 1964’s 2,400
registered riders, 3,000 plus perhaps a couple of
thousand other, nonregistered participants descended
upon Death Valley National Monument in Southern
California to make the 11th annual Death Valley tour
the greatest in history. This tour has become the
largest event of its kind in the world.
Traveling on the roads never gave evidence of
many cyclists, as they rode individually or with friends,
but at every check point and gas station near and in
the Valley, before and after the event, there was al-
ways a sizeable congregation of bike riders.
For the sheer sport of riding across long stretches
of desert and mountain, and for the thrill of meeting
old friends and making new ones in an atmosphere
of western hospitality, it has no equal.
Death Valley is mild in the late fall, and more and
more visitors are discovering its below sea-level eleva-
tion to be ideal for fall and winter travel and camping.
During the run, weather was ideal with little wind,
highlands were cool with no snow, and valleys were
warm but not uncomfortably so. But this was late fall.
HEATED HISTORY
Its summer climate has earned the place the dis-
tinction of being the consistently hottest place on
earth. At one time, it held the world’s heat record
of 134 degrees. One spot there — 282 feet below sea
level — is the lowest point in altitude in the United
States.
The Valley gained fame by some 1849 gold rush
wagon trains stumbling into that desert one winter.
After spending several weeks of hardship there, the
gold seekers left. Upon climbing out of the place, one
of them remarked, "Good-by, death valley." And so
it was named. Yet, only one Forty-Niner died there,
when he set out alone to leave the Valley, perishing
in the attempt.
Attention has also been focused on the area due
to the colorful 20-mule teams which used to haul 2
wagons of Borax and 1 of water about 160 miles in
a 3-week trip to rail transportation.
To partake in the Run, a rider sent in three dollars,
then was mailed a detailed map, showing the three
check points at which the map was to be stamped
during certain hours on Saturday as proof of partici-
pation. There were several routes to choose from,
depending on where the rider originated his trip. The
BEAUTIFUL GLENDA STEEL of Los Angeles was
chosen as 1965 Death Valley Tour Queen. Later,
she and husband, Charles, won first place for best-
looking couple with their twin Triumphs.
exhibited with antique motorcycles
aZD
Coasters Motor-
o received the trophy for best
POINT 1
trona
w/e 7oae 1
THE SMARTLY ATTIRED Pacific
cycle Club of San Diego receive- t
looking club at Death Valley.
LEN RUS-
SELL, at the
piano, and
Charles
Murphy, with
his banjo,
play old-time
jazz for
motorcyclists
at Furnace
Creek Ranch
headquarters.
16534