Dusty Desert Trails - E4 - Surprise Canyon

[@chrisvonhuber55]

So sorry for the loss of your Dad. I love panamint valley and your father's knowledge for the history of what took place there is awesome. I really enjoyed all the video's with him. RIP Ed.

[@waynemcarthur9091]

Your father was a great guide and historian. I am so sorry for your loss.

[@wesjones8116]

I'm grateful for being able to ride the trail breaker and have an awesome fire poker. Truly the most genuine person iv ever met .miss our conversations. I'll think about ed every time I'm in Johnson valley

[@trinketsmusings]

I am so grateful that you have posted these videos and so grateful for the chance to get to know a little of your dad through them. What a great man. I'm sorry for your loss.

[@judizzstuff]

What a shame he passed. One of the best tour guides of this area I have ever seen he would have made a very cool utube channel . R.i.p. ed.

[@macalvarezLA]

What happened to him?

[@atb1325]

I really enjoyed this video series and listening to your father's wealth of knowledge about the history of this area. He was a great story teller and had the right personality to draw you in. So sad for your loss. Thankfully this well made documentary is here for people to see, and enjoy in the future.

[@billbucher3177]

So sorry for your loss... What a great man. RIP sir, thank you for the wonderful videos and for sharing your knowledge of this beautiful area...

[@mobiltec]

OH dang. So sorry for the loss of Ed. I just started watching the videos. I've spent over 20 years running around Panamint and Death Valleys myself. Love these vids. RIP Ed.

[@rshep5786]

Thoroughly enjoyed the videos. RIP. A world of knowledge.

[@stardreamer5008]

So sorry for your fathers passing, he seemed like a really wonderful guy! Glad you had him show you so much history and thank you for sharing with us too! May he rest in peace!!

[@cheycasters]

I seen Manson and the bunch up in panamint City at thr very end of the road as far as you could go.. that was on a Sunday and they wee busted 4 days laters.... I was 13 then and we drove all the way up there in my cousins jeep he bought from China Lake auction.. I looked into his eyes waaaaay up there.. I should mention we did not know who it was when we ran into him up there that day. I discovered who it was when I seen the Evening news after they caught them. I recognized the "boon docker" he was driving..

[@KatWoman_]

I could have listened to him, his love of the local history and his wisdom forever. How blessed you were to have him as a Dad.

[@ishenichole7340]

Another brilliant video glad I found you.... Just relised this guy has passed away RIP Ed flowers for you 🌹🌷🌸🌼🌷🌸

[@mojavedesertsonorandesert9531]

One of the greatest videos ever!... RIP you will be missed!✌️🏜️⚙️🏚️⛏️⚒️🦾

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

I just wanted to say I enjoyed all 4 of the videos Rest In Paradise Ed

[@timcantrell9673]

Excellent tour

[@zacjust752]

Amazing video! Thank you so much for posting this and saving the history for all of us to enjoy.

[@mojavered.]

Great video! Its always nice to have information on these spots out in the desert. I have a group of friends that we go and explore that area once a year. Always finding new things to see. Haven't been up Surprise canyon yet.

[@SueGirling68]

I loved this video, your Dad was an awesome character, I'm so sorry for your loss. xx

[@reedsartofadventure]

Like my grandfather always said. Wiskie is for drinkin, water is for fighting over 👍🤠👍

[@MrEbug68]

Satisfactory and he will be missed.

[@Breathofachild]

Wow enjoy your videos, love your knowledge TY.

[@deaddocreallydeaddoc5244]

I was part of a group of trail riders that crossed the Sierras on trail bikes in 1967. (Foresthill to Tahoe) I was 15 years old.

[@StarkRavingBrad17]

This is great. Just finally hiked up to P.C. last week, so it's rad to get all this background on the area. It's a really fantastic and beautiful hike, all 6.5 miles of it. Highly recommended.

[@garyg5000]

Man I want more of these videos! I'm sure you do too. What a loss that is surely felt by so many.

[@tallballer09]

I have been going to Chris Witcht camp since 1970 and I met George Novak many times. I used to visit and camp at this site since 1970 before George made this his home. The road to Panamint Valley was closed in 1984. We used to drive up Suprise Valley road in a 57 Chevy and have been to Panamint City many times. George used to tell stories about hearing the noise from water being so loud that he had to leave the area and he lost a 51 Pontiac due to the flood many years ago. By the way in pronounced Ballarat not Ball a Rat.

[@deaddocreallydeaddoc5244]

I learned how to ride a motorcycle on the Rubicon Trail in 1966 (Hodaka). I agree that this looks worse. I am guessing that you were on Rokon Trailblazers. They were two-wheeled, but not true motorcycles. They were more like huge Totegoats - minibikes. They used a centrifugal clutch and the brakes were on the handlebars. So if you rode those for a while and then got on a motorcycle, you'd dump over and over until you learned that the clutch lever was not the front brake! I had a friend who worked at a big service station in the early 70s that sold them. I just described my friend when I took him trail riding on motorcycles. He figured it out, though. Those Rokon Trailblazers were something, though. They were supposed to be able to float across rivers because of their huge tires and waterproofed works. They were set up for seriously remote places like Alaska.

[@joshuajohnson3296]

Very well explained!

[@deaddocreallydeaddoc5244]

A modern-day trials rider would have little trouble getting up that waterfall face and standing on the pegs. One secret is to deflate the tires for better traction. After a little experience, I could ride on the pegs up the Rubicon trail on a normal trail bike as in one case, a DKW 125 which was a good trail bike but also a good MX bike. I'm sort of surprised the forest service allowed vehicles to go up there so late. The Jeeps on the Rubicon Trail would go slower than you could walk. A trail bike could just pick its way along and make good time. The jeepers used to hate us for the noise, they said, but we were a lot lighter on the land.

[@rshutterbug47]

Was that two wheeled motorcycle a rokon? Great video!!!!! I have one just like it!!!!!

[@nikreikalas6886]

Great video. Nik R.

[@garthmiller6932]

He is one of the biggest clampers we've ever known blesses so. From the fire starter.

[@jackkhach]

just awesome

[@stephenpoe2037]

Dang ! those old Videos !

[@mannyaldama2450]

cool stuff

[@davedennis6042]

Wow He had an amazing knowledge of that area. Sorry for your great loss. Pardon my glaring ignorance, but why would anyone want to take a Rokon up that waterfall??

[@EdwardCzajka]

To get to Panamint City, which was extremely difficult for Jeeps to do without excessive equipment (74 winch operations before it washed out again around 97-98). We did one last trip before the canyon was closed to Hikers Only (the last motor vehicles to make the trip), and the waterfalls were a lot worse, but we made it to the city. A lot of history up there is difficult to reach but fascinating and for the most part, left alone.

[@macalvarezLA]

RIP Ed 🙏

[@chrisstaylor8377]

The dump truck is a bit later than the 1940s

[@chrisstaylor8377]

The mule powered crusher would have been caste iron trough

[@salvadoravila8688]

Muy boneto jente

[@Gypsy839]

A guy I Alaska did the same thing a tolll To use their road!

[@lbj4993]

I do love the Death Valley areas and history and it's fantastic to get some more insight into the places I've visited so many times, but I wish the person in charge of the camera/video recordings, would show us some of the surroundings and the things pointed out during the video, instead of always being glued to the story teller although he's obviously very knowledgeable. Wherever he is and whatever he mentions surrounding him, is hardly ever shown and it's hugely annoying and such a shame. Sorry to hear about the passing of this interesting guy, he obviously knew the local history very well.

[@chrisstaylor8377]

Why the gun ?

[@Regina0964]

In case he needs to use it, I have mine on me all the time .. it's called the 2 Amendment to bare arm.. I'm a carry and conceal.. what do you have??

[@Chris11111]

If you have to ask you must be a liberal.

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

Simple…. Because he can

[@ronniedudley2697]

CONESTOGA WAGON... NOT COBCORD 😝🤪😜😂🤣😎

[@canibalector]

you don't need a gun or spurs. thanks for the content though

[@KatWoman_]

I liked it. I live near Tombstone though. I’m used to everyone having a gun in AZ. Smart in rural areas and near the border.

[@Regina0964]

I think he was showing the time period. He would of made an ACE tour guide and I'm sure he was . R.I.P Ed you knew a lot about the History of these locations.

[@carolynfurin3579]

Rattle snakes and human snakes, but spurs, really?

[@KatWoman_]

My friend wears a cowboy hat, kerchief, bolo, western shirt, gun belt with two ivory handled guns, cowboy boots every day. No spurs usually. It’s a thing in some areas. More common here are cowboy hats, guns and cowboy boots.

[@Johnny-jr2lq]

Good thing we have god giving rights to ensure if a man wants to pack a gun and where spurs no one can tell him not to