Mountains and desert collide in eastern California to create stunning scenery best viewed from the seat of a motorcycle .
ONCE MORE , UNTO THE BREACH
Two years ago , I rode a Yamaha MT-10 naked bike from Ventura , California , to Las Vegas , Nevada , for the AIMExpo tradeshow . My extended return trip included a stop in St . George , Utah , to visit family and the Extraterrestrial Highway ( Nevada Route 375 ). The roundtrip journey proved to be challenging in more ways than one . I got caught in a sandstorm in Death Valley , I endured temperatures in the low 20s in Utah , and accelerated wear on the rear tire – with the cords showing after just 2,600 miles – necessitated a trailer rescue
Just west of Las Vegas is the Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area , which has a 13-mile one-way scenic drive . To supplement the 51.4 liters of storage in the Suzuki ’ s side cases , I added Nelson-Rigg soft luggage : a 35-liter Traveler Lite Trunk Bag and a 7-liter Journey Magnetic Tank Bag .
16 / APRIL 2025 / RIDERMAGAZINE . COM