If you've been following my trip since the beginning, you may recall that I said I was going to leave Yosemite, Bodie, and then turn south to travel through Death Valley and onto Vegas.  For a couple of reasons I decided to go the other way.  The Death Valley thing has kind of freaked me out since I started thinking about the trip.  I know it's not that long a ride - distance-wise - but the name really got me thinking.  I suppose if they called it "Motorcycle Valley" or "Happy Valley" or "You're not gonna get stuck and die a hot lonely death in the desert Valley," I'd probably be less apprehensive about it.  But... Dan being Dan, I decided to head north through known territory.  I know I probably crossed just as much desert going this way... it was just that little voice telling me to turn right instead of left.  I'm looking pretty smart now because there were actually flash floods in Desert Valley yesterday - a couple of people are still missing.  No kidding.