I've just returned from the HU Silverton meet in Silverton, CO, USA, (7-9 to 7-13) Grant ran a good show in Silverton. The town is set in Rocky Mountain paradise up at around 3200 mtrs. Attendees were offered even more good info on doing RTW travel, great guest travelers in person with slide shows, how-to classes from tire repair to photo technique..... and of course an ice cold Keg of Beer every evening.

S.America travel Wild Man Jim Stanley was there with his Dad, a great guy, very laid back cat. Jim's slide show was shown late, so late that most of the 140 members missed Jim's great and wild slide show. The presentation was a fun and funny show depicting his amazing trek all over and back again in S. America. If you get the chance see Jim's show .... or order a copy! Worth it! Find Jim here on HU.

Good Doctor and multi 20 year RTW travel veteran Greg Frazier was there and gave a nice show. Very down to earth, basic smart travel, low tech, great sense of humor without the pretentious heroics. Greg is working on a new SE Asia media project, (Book? DVD? Both?) and asks for feed back on how to bring riders and fans more of what they want in terms of learning more about travel in the region. The HU fans got a sneak preview of the piece. This rough cut version will end up with narration, a good edit and music to make the pics dance. Should be good, showing Greg's unique perspective on world travel.

Dave Peterson did his RTW show. I wish he'd had more time. Dave is a laid back guy, very unassuming, super smart. He did some amazing things on the trip but never went for the Hero roll. Kudos Dave!

Lots more I've missed, including my half assed slide show that wouldn't go. I'm still learning just how far apart Mac and PC are. My little Mac based presentation flopped because the pics were all out of order (PC incompatible) and music not in sync. All my fault, never trust a computer .... Mac or PC!! Next time I'll fine tune this and get it right....before the meet!

Some of the local Colorado boys offered to lead a little trek into the Rockies,
I think i was the only guy NOT from Colorado and not on a KLR!
KLR Guru Scott Melton from KLR.net and a handful of his buddies ran us through some very fun and challenging jeep roads. Scott, with his confident Southern drawl, said, "Ah, this is just a little dirt road ride, nothing too hard". Ha!

The route was near perfect for the slightly over weight KLR's and my DR. But this ride was no walk in the park and Scott took us near 14,000 ft. and into snow, mud and some super scary steep ups and down. At that altitude my bike would barely run! The Colorado guys were fine as there bikes were mostly jetted way lean. A loaded RTW bike would have trouble here. GS's and even big KTM's would be at risk with non expert pilots.

My other problem was I was running street tires, everyone else had knobbies. On the really steep off camber downhills, going down really loose slag, my bike would just lock up and slide (or CRASH!)Thanks to all the young guys who leant a hand keeping me from flying down the hill out of control! A few new scratches were added to my Caballo Azul! Several of the KLR guys broke levers (no bark buster!!) but leader Scott had a major stash of not only levers but lots of other stuff. The guy knows how to adventure travel! Right On Scott! Glad someone is the adult here!

Lots more to say but the pics say it best. Check it out. Comments and more pics welcome!


Miles of this stuff, all up and over 13,000 ft.


Lots of water crossings, some deep and slippery.


Steep and seriously off camber. Loose scree makes it tricky.


Bit of mud and snow up high.


Imogene pass ..... these young guys tried to kick my butt!


Some to the down hills were best done in Bull Dog mode. Can't imagine this
if my bike was fully loaded!


Ride leader Scott!


Another breathtaking view passing Imogene pass.


Lots of tunnels and Jeeps to dodge.


Don't go over here! Just a bit of a drop!

Patrick

__________________
Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

Great road!


The Rockies! All we missed was Sun!


Bit of perspective. We are so small!


Yet another High Pass. Very rocky/rough climb up this one!


The only other non KLR, a new and rare KTM 690 Dual Sport. It was properly initiated
after this ride .... but no worse for wear .... but there was some wear!

Thanks to everyone I met at the Meeting. Some asked Baja questions (trust me, I'm no expert), feel free to PM me. Lots of great riders everywhere all with amazing tales of travel. What a great group of companions. Grant shot a video of Markus, a young American traveler heading to Russia. He'd already done S.A. A young guy wise for his years with some consumate skills. We will hear more about this guy!

Sorry if I forget some names but post here with your own comments about the Silverton Meeting. Photos are a plus.

Oh, Almost forgot these of the camp site.


Notice Caballo Azul on the right.

Cheers,
Patrick

__________________
Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

Glad you enjoyed it! Great pics! Next years will be even better!

__________________
Overland Journey
Long Range, Vehicle Dependent, Overland Travel E-zine

see if this will work.

Hey! More Silverton pics

I'm hoping one of these days we get a few more. This part of the HUBB is pretty slow. Only about a half dozen threads in two years

Here are a few pics of my trip to and from Silverton.
Coming out from the SF Bay Area I shot across Nevada, down into Utah and up to CO. Going home I headed from Silverton down to Durango then out 160 over to AZ, then through Vegas and into Death Valley, up 395, cut over the Sierra to Placerville and home to San Rafael. Just a few of my favorite pics.
The movies I shot are good too but I haven't looked into how to show them here on HU. I could U tube them I guess. But they need editing. My first movies with this new camera. (Panasonic Lumix TZ-5 )

Mostly Southern Utah.


Burr Trail area, Utah




Burr Trail


Burr trail area

__________________
Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

Mollydog, see the FAQ for details on embedding youtube video here!

__________________
Grant Johnson
Seek, and ye shall find.
------------------------
Inspiring, Informing and Connecting travellers since 1997!
www.HorizonsUnlimited.com

Getting out to Colorado was fairly straight forward. Shooting up Interstate 80 I was in Truckee for breakfast at my favorite spot, "Wild Cheeries" where good coffee & grub are served by the "cutest young things" cafe staff in the west. I was Solo the whole way, which is my favorite way to travel. With gas pushing up on $5 a gallon, I kept my DJ/Jesse modded DR650 at a moderate pace. Mostly 70 mph indicated. (about 65 mph actual) Gas mileage from sea level to about 3000 or 4000 ft. ranged from 44 to 47 mpg. Winnemuca was not too far and It didn't seem like I'd done 400 miles, but I had. Couldn't find the old KOA so hit a red dot motel.
Heading south/east across Nevada I find the costly reality is that nearly this whole ride will be at altitude. Even through Nevada I was topping 7000 ft. constantly. Fuel economy dropped off to around 42 mpg. I carried camping gear and used it plenty this trip. Wild camping in Nevada, Utah, Colorado and California on the way home.








Thanks to my Corbin seat I was able to pull down big miles coming and going. One the way East I did four, 400 mile days in a row to reach Silverton, CO. I just somehow got into a groove and just rode it. Were talking Vstrom territory here, very impressive for a DR650. I was tired but not ruined. (and I ain't no Iron Butt machoist ;-)

It was hot nearly the whole trip. Mostly 90's. On the way home through Arizona it got real hot. Cruising 160 south into Nevada and into Las Vegas it was about 95f. Not too bad I thought. What happened?

I had acclimated at this point. I abide by the old adage that the best place for water is inside. I wore my SPIDI enduro jacket the whole time. It has some venting but I learned that TOO much venting made the heat worse and caused more dehydration. Sweating some is a good thing. Most important .... I kept my face shield shut. Helmet vents open but shield down. Opening it only gave your face the "blast furnace" treatment. I can only feel sorry for the HD knuckleheads riding in vests and beanies. Thousands of them everywhere out there. Stubborn as Hell these guys. Severe dehydration/exhaustion will get them bad.

I did wet down some but after so many days I found I needed it less and less. I just relaxed in the heat and didn't fight it. Sweating is a good thing and as soon as I got moving, I cooled right down.I do like to stop in shade but I don't run for the AC interior at every stop either.

I sipped my 2 liter Camel Back about every 5 to 10 minutes and refilled it at every gas stop. Eating light seems to help but you must eat something to do big miles. Stretching and walking a bit at stops is good too.

To save a detour I decided to ride through Death Valley in the heat of the afternoon. At 4pm it was 117f at Furnace Creek. Some idiots were doing an "Extreme Marathon". And I thought I was crazy for riding through it! About 200 runners (crawlers?). Each runner had his/her own Mini-Van support vehicle, complete with huge two man coolers and "pit crew".

This group essentially took over 25 miles of public road with NO Police traffic control. Some of the runners seemed delirious and wandered in the road, darting unpredictably back and forth across the road. Lucky for them, there was almost NO traffic other than the 200 mini vans. Nice delicate Carbon Footprint, eh? I eased my way along and enjoyed the utter ferocity of the blast furnace I was riding through. Awesome.

I stopped at a check point near Stovepipe Wells where several mini vans, runners and organizers waited. I asked for water. (just to see what they would do).

They actually looked at each other before responding ..... and I could tell they were thinking about saying something like ... "oh sorry, we need all this water for the runners". Each of these huge coolers had GALLONS and GALLONS of ice cold water in them. But they nodded and gave me a cold bottle of water ... and walked away.

Of course I had plenty of water. Just checking them out.
They never said a word to me. Not a hello, good bye, have a safe trip, a "your welcome", I mean NOTHING. I have never, ever seen a more self centered, self absorbed group of A - ho les in my life. They must have thought they owned Death Valley and I was an intruder .....

Climbing out of the valley and up onto 395 produced dramatically cooler temps, like 40F cooler. Every town along 395 was like little Germany. Loaded with Euro tourists, mostly German and French who have no doubt inspired the greedy local hoteliers and shopkeepers to new heights despicable behavior. I was quoted $120 for a rather common $40 motel room in Bridgeport. I decided to camp. The local Hot Springs made a great camping spot for the night. Free. Gratis.

More later.

Patrick

__________________
Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

It was a great time, just a tip whent grants ask for help be very carefull how you answer it. It my turn out that he helps and you get all the work
It was awesome to get to me new people who share the passion, and learn tips from the pros. I have takem alot away from this rally that will forever affect my riding. The photos will improve thanks to Grant and his class. Ron thanks for being the host and a very helpful person. He even loaned out his tent to a guy at the rally, great guy.

Thats the mile marker 87. Did a run there at night lots of deer and tight swich backs much more fun in the day.
Camped most the way to silverton and back did some wild camping and camping in natonal forest then hitting a cheap hotel when I need to. Got kicked out of my camping spot above Napa. Someone must have seen me. It was midnight and to late to find another good spot with the cops tailing me so i spent a night in hotel the price was more then the rest camping on the trip nasty smelly little room. after years of camping most any place I get booted from a unused road side park for rich people. Dont think the cop waned to kick me out but he still did.

Crossing most of Utah in a day and then the "loneliest highway" 50 in Nevada the next day I just waned to take some time to ride the Pacific. Loneliest highway my foot people all over road work all over. Pull over to get a pic of an old pony express hut drop the bike before i get the camera out there are people there trying to get my bike up ruend the shot, nice people but still blows the "your out here all alone" I had going in my head. Was going to try to get a shot me passing my camera while its in the middle of the road but people all over. Hit Carson and Tahoe and it cools off ride the Sieras for a day stopping off in fracking Napa at 1 am or so for the night after be told I cant camp in a park (I was camping just fine)

Riding up 1 was grate. I made the mistake of looking some place other than the rode and had to slam on the brakes and scrape a peg on a vary hard turn. Not the first time I have done that on this turn the area vary cool looking and I want pic of it but no place to stop. That road is rather unforgiving unlike most I was on during the trip. Ran around the lost coast camping on one the few place you can legallyride up and camp on a pacific beach any more. Not a vary good campground but its cheap and on the beach. Spent 2 nights there and can now say camping on the beach is not as fun as you think, sand in every thing non stop wind its on a hiking trail so hikers walking threw your camp sight and no showers. Still as transplant SOCIAL man a sand beach will always hold some place in my little cold black hart. Riding 101 home I spent 3 days doing it camping here and there trying to find good inexpensive sea food in Oregon but never finding any. seems If you want something other than fish and chips or clam chowder from a can you make it your self or go a real restaurant(days of no shower realy not so good for that). Even got a flat pluged it and off I went.

I made a passable seafood stew from trip to the store not a true bouillabaisse but better than most. I think I will start to cook more on my trips not that it will be cheaper but I getting tired of "chefs" opening cans of food salting it down even more shaking on some old dry spice on top
and calling it cuisine and adding 300% to there price.

Like on my trip home I go to "sea food" restaurant recommend by locals and a guide book, I got poor food. The crack heads that staff is trying to run the place in the ground make me sit there for 45 minutes before taking my order. Then who knows when order was placed in the kichen but when the over payed fry cook pulls my over cooked under seasond fish out of the fry vat and grabs a handfull of cold french fries toss them on a plate im good to go. No not so much I get to see my food sit there and sit and sit think some one was pulling fish off my plate onto someone else's. A hour after I put the order in I get whats left of my food. Its soggy cool to the touch and a fork full cold slaw is same temp as my chips. I dam hungry by now ate a power bar at 6am and its 7pm now. I gag down my food trying to ignore some odd taste from the chips. The batter on the fish is a bit soggy and bland but the fish inside is a bit over done even for fish and chips. I think the cold slaw was ok but I only got a fork full so its hard to tell. Then I sit thinking Im going to get a check nope they see me siting there and look away I get up and go for the cash register after about 10 mins. I have tipped most every restaurant I have been sence I was 16 in If I sit down and the food comes to me or I go to buffet I tip I can't remember a place save McDonalds I did not tip at I was not going to tip here. The crack head was not plesed with no tip but I was was even less pleased with poor service (no service is better than this) After 2 hours and $20 I go away mad and still hungry. I get to camp and eat another food bar.


Yah I think im done with restaurants while on the road. At fast food places you get may get poor food but your getting what you pay for. For under $20 I made much better food much faster, a pound shellfish half a pound of fish a can of chopped tomatoes a small bead some odds and ends even a bottle of wine.

All and all a fun time and better than some trips I have done. One day I will get online photo storage and post more pics.
Oh and the little stove I found works fine!

More Silverton pics and report from Scott and others over on KLR.net.

Starts on this page:

Horizons Unlimited, Silverton, Colorado 2008 - Page 4 - KLR650.NET - Your Kawasaki KLR650 Resource!

__________________
Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

It's taken me a while to get to this thread.

This was my first HU meeting and i had a blast. without sounding cliche it was soooo much fun. The ride there, the ride home (got caught in a hail storm in southern Utah), the presentations, the other riders, the scenery, the chit chat at meal time, the how-to seminars, the road to Ouray, where can i sign up for next year?

Good to meet you Patrick

Best regards, Peter

the chef with the yellow Tiger

Hey Pete!
Welcome to the HUBB!
Man, I thought you'd disappeared
Maybe Aliens got you .... and you didn't even get to
eat breakfast!

Great meeting you at the rally.

Sounds like you had an interesting ride home. I had a good
ride too. Helped two broke down Beemer guys, met some interesting
Native Americans on the Res along highway 160 in AZ and rode
in the hottest temps I've ever done in Death Valley ... 117F. Through
it all the DR650 never missed a beat. Knocked off a 750 mile day on my next to last day.... even discovered a good pastry/coffee cafe .... and ate some
really bad food too.

I will be coming through LA in a week or so but not sure if I'll have any time
to have a since I'll be hitching a ride with buddies. We're going to Baja, south of San Felipe, where a friend has a house. Maybe catch you on the return trip the week after?

I think I told you but I'm saving up for a Tiger! After a couple test rides on the 1050 I am ready. I just sold one of my DR's and have been parting out another DR as well to raise cash.

Hope all is smooth sailing in the kitchen (ah, er, yer office... )
I hope you will post a few pics from Silverton on this thread. I can help you post 'em if you haven't done it. If you get up this way, we can put you up and feed you.

Ride safe!

Patrick

__________________
Patrick passed Dec 2018. RIP Patrick!

Patrick,

I rode up to Moab and saw Arches National Park and Canyonland National Park after the rally ended, they were pretty amazing.

Riding through Utah towards Bryce Canyon it started to rain, and a guy at the gas station suggested a short cut tothe 15 fwy that went over 9,000ft, that's were it hailed and the road turned white for a mile or so.

It would be good to catch up over a or two so if you can spare the time going to or coming from Mexico please give a call. 213 356 4074 wk or 818 720 5752 cell.

I do have some pictures from the rally but I'm not sure how to post them.

I just bought an off road/street legal sidecar outfit, an 82 honda 750 twin cam with a russian sputnick sidecar on a custom chassis. It used to belong to a racer and has seen action in the Barstow to Vegas and Adelanto GP. I'm going to take it for a ride up to Lake Isabella this week end and see how it shakes out.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards

Peter

Patrick,

I rode up to Moab and saw Arches National Park and Canyonland National Park after the rally ended, they were pretty amazing.

Riding through Utah towards Bryce Canyon it started to rain, and a guy at the gas station suggested a short cut tothe 15 fwy that went over 9,000ft, that's were it hailed and the road turned white for a mile or so.

It would be good to catch up over a or two so if you can spare the time going to or coming from Mexico please give a call. 213 356 4074 wk or 818 720 5752 cell.

I do have some pictures from the rally but I'm not sure how to post them.

I just bought an off road/street legal sidecar outfit, an 82 honda 750 twin cam with a russian sputnick sidecar on a custom chassis. It used to belong to a racer and has seen action in the Barstow to Vegas and Adelanto GP. I'm going to take it for a ride up to Lake Isabella this week end and see how it shakes out.

Look forward to hearing from you.

Best regards

Peter

You can get the big loaded mules up and over Imogene pass, you just have to hang on:


Taken a few days after West Fest '08, would have been more fun with others.
Great riding up in the moutains. I'm looking forward to attending HU meeting in CO for 2009, if its happening.

__________________
www.throttlemeister.net