Day 3: Wednesday 16th May: just putzing around in Las Vegas getting my cush-drive sorted.


Day 4: Thursday 17th May: Las Vegas NV to Flagstaff AZ: Overland Expo West 2018

252 miles

So along with new cush-rubbers (which didn't seem to be that much better if I'm honest - see later), I also took the opportunity to nip up the steering-head bearings before heading off to Arizona.

Today was basically a highway road-trip... crossing the Colorado River by the Hoover Dam, and shadowing the old Route 66 that runs alongside I40 for the most part en route for Flagstaff. I've ridden through here a good few times before (not least barely a week before on my way back to California), and while it's fun to take some dirt-road alternatives, today was all about getting to Overland Expo in good time to secure a decent camping spot for the weekend.


photo. The SnowCap cafe in Seligman AZ


photo. the owner is a complete practical joker and pun meister extraordinaire - asking if you want a straw (and hands you a small bundle of hay), mounting the door handles on the wrong side (that I admit caught me out initially, I went around to the other door before I realised that had two handles too!), and a mustard bottle that squirts a yellow coloured string over customer's shirts - much to their initial horror! Oh how we laughed.


photo. and the comedy continues outside. Presumably this Kazi is for shit-heads...

I have to say the little Beemer dispatched the day without fuss, at highway speeds drinking at around 58mpg (so pretty much the same as my twin-cylinder CB at similar speeds and on the same size tyres), and quietly comfortable with the stock screen and my open-face helmet.

I finally joined the British (and mainly BMW) contingent in the moto-camping area after queuing up for nearly an hour to get in the public gate. This year traffic was directed around the park in an effort to save it backing up on the main highway (which I understand had been a major headache at last year's event once they had moved the new venue), and not being an exhibitor or presenter this year, I had to slum it with the endless parade of 4x4s and campers in a single line waiting to present their pre-paid tickets at the gate. I was just grateful I'd elected to arrive on the Thursday (set-up day) afternoon, as the following morning the increased popularity of this event meant that it took some day-visitors over two hours to get in. Tedious.



Day 5 & 6: Friday 18th/Saturday 19th May: Overland Expo.

Having scoped out the venue the evening before (and found a most excellent vendor selling wood-fired pizza from a converted trailer), it was actually a surprisingly long walk (over half a mile) from the camping area to the main exhibition village - although I soon realised I could actually ride my bike around the perimeter road to the far-side of the venue where the moto-village was located, park up, and spend the day perusing the various two-wheeled, four-wheeled and in some instances even 6-wheeled overland vehicle displays:


photo. beautifully nut-and-bolt restored Toyota FJ40 Land Cruiser (this one started at $100,000!) - they can even install a modern V6 and auto transmission while retaining all the period detailing.


photo. there were a lot of Jeeps as you might imagine, although surprisingly, modern Toyota Tacoma/Tundra and 4Runners seemed to be the most popular camping/overland conversions at this event.


photo. These guys were busy all day and all night - great tucker!


photo. 2WD, electrically powered, and now fully street legal (including California) - shame they didn't have any demos available!

I have to say, the Moto-village was actually a little disappointing this year (compared to two years ago at Mormon Lake when Harold, Juan and I attended as part of the CBXpo ride) - very few stands of any real substance or innovation (other than the two electric bike retailers), although at least KTM showed up with their demo fleet, and Alpinestars had a huge tent and some good discounts (minimum 20%) on various riding gear.

I did the rounds then wondered off to eat some more pizza, and ultimately met up with Rob and Shaun from ADVpulse magazine to discuss the plan for our photo-shoot and (off) road test scheduled for the following day...

cont.

cont.

It's a quote I've paraphrased before - when PJO'Rourke said: "The fastest car is a hired car", I concluded the best vehicle to use off-road is probably someone else's too...

Certainly the guys from ADVpulse appeared to have a ball on-board my baby GS the following morning:


photo. Shaun doing techie stuff before the onslaught...











note. the above are my 'behind the scenes' pictures of the guys at work. You can expect to see their pictures (and video) on the ADVpulse web-magazine soon - and I'll do my best to match up the official shots with my candid snaps then.

EDIT: full-length video review from ADVpulse now on YouTube:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=MRqXT_Xakco


I have to say it was a lot of fun watching Rob (and Shaun) really start to put the bike though it's paces - until now I'd been a little wary of really hammering the thing off-road myself - not least as I didn't want to have to start fixing the results of any clumsiness on my part, but clearly once the bike was not so hampered with luggage, there was no doubt the thing could really fly - both literally and metaphorically.

I resolved to head off early the next day for Moab, and grab me some similar fun for myself!

More soon!

Jenny x

"Piglet - wake up! We've got to get to Moab and meet Juan..."


Day 7: Sunday 20th May: Flagstaff AZ to Blanding UT

295 miles

"Some Reservations..."

Although I'd initially had my reservations about the size and scale of what the Overland Expo West has become, I have to say it had been a very enjoyable few days - not least meeting up with some old friends (from the UK and US), making some great new acquaintances (both BMW related and in general), and punctuated with eating plenty of wood-fired pizza.

Oh, and perhaps best of all I got the keys to a proper shower-block to clean up after the past two days lick-spit and wet-wipe washing, something that was really essential after that dusty session with the guys from ADVpulse - Re-vitalised, Re-sult!

With the best intentions of being packed and ready to roll by 9am, inevitably after a few goodbyes (plus a friend dropping in on the show just as I was about to leave), I didn't actually get on the road much before midday, and dipped off the highway near Flagstaff to juice up the bike, plus for this [more] remote leg particularly - take the precaution of carrying a little extra fuel with me, at least for the next hour/60 miles or so:


photo. Giant Loop Gas-Bag - a product that those less than kind suggest was apparently named after me ;o)

I wasn't due to meet up with Juan until the following evening (Monday) at the earliest, but I had arranged to get a new rear tyre fitted once I arrived in Moab (at the TAT staple that is Arrowhead Motorsports south of town), so wanted to make plenty of headway this afternoon so that I wasn't rushing, and fundamentally, would have the opportunity to ride some new [to me] trail sections en route.

So rather than shlep up the main highway 89 and 160 via Monument Valley, I plotted an alternative route diagonally northwards through the Hopi Reservation - a mix of minor paved highway and dirt/gravel roads:





...and at one point, picked up a two-track trail that deteriorated into an awesome single-track and even off-pieste adventure!


photo. You can see my tyre track once the 'road' had run out - even though I was still loosely following the GPS at this point.

Apparently the actual 'trail' was on the far side of a fence that was ominously marked 'US Federal Property', so I picked my own way though the rocky outcrops and even a small sections of dunes to rejoin an established dirt road a little further on. I also have to admit that I actually rolled into a family's front yard after descending those dunes, much to their initial bewilderment!

I juiced up again Kayenta (the 'gateway to Monument Valley' - with all the overpriced hotels that title implies, yep, I've had no choice but to stay there once before and I won't be making that $180 mistake again thank you!), and plotted the next leg north while imbibing a Sonic Drive-in burger and shake.

My aim was to get as far as either Blanding or Montecello across the boarder in Utah this evening - that way I'd be set up with only around 100 miles to Moab the follow day, which would mean I could hopefully explore more of the OHV routes* through the Abajo Mountains (the range just south of Canyonlands NP for anyone having trouble with their geography) on my way north.

*Those of you who followed my Northern eXposure trip last summer may recall that once I'd left the 3-Step Hideaway heading west, I rode up into and around the Abajo range on the main 'through route' - which if I'm honest is pretty much accessible to a regular car/truck, at least one with reasonable ground clearance - although the scenery and the view is no less spectacular up there of course. During that traverse, I'd seen some signs for alternative and dedicated OHV trails, and had vowed to return and explore when heading in a more appropriate direction. Now was that time...

Having ridden past Monument Valley in the distance back in 2015 (during the initial Trans-Am 500 ride), I had no burning desire to retrace those particular steps, especially when once again I'd have to forfeit actually stopping and exploring at close quarters due to time constraints - so instead headed due east on highway 160 a little further, before picking up a dirt road through the Navajo Reservation which turned out to be the highlight of the day for me:


photo. My GPS was initially sending me due north along this particular section, although a more established road had also been cut that circumnavigated this soft sand field of dunes that was engulfing the original trail.


photo. The 'big reveal' came as the sun was starting to set - the little seen 'opposite' side of Monument Valley.



After the initial glimpse, the road appeared to be heading directly towards the huge monoliths for mile upon mile, before ultimately heading north and away towards Mexican Hat. It was now almost dusk, and in an open face helmet and sunglasses, I considered I'd had my fill of dirt for the day, forfeit the final planned trail section and instead pressed on up highway 191 for Blanding to finally find a bed for the night.

Those of you who've followed my exploits before will recall I currently have a penchant for the Super 8 motel chain - primarily for their DIY waffle machine breakfast, and the impressive Blanding establishment also included a laundry service (now necessary after the last five days on the road, with only five sets of underwear... ahem) - however, despite offering everything I desired at this juncture, I was simply not prepared to pay the $109 room rate - after all, this is Blanding FFS - it's still a hundred miles to Moab where the actual action is!

Instead I elected to distribute slightly less of my wealth towards an independently owned and run motel in the centre of town (the Gateway Inn) - no waffles, and no laundry - although rest assured I did end up hand-washing my smalls and drying them on the fan heater overnight... which meant it was like a sodding sauna in there by morning!

More soon...

Jenny x

Day 8: Monday 21st May: Blanding UT to Moab UT

105 miles

Although these days I navigate almost exclusively using my GPS (Garmin Montana, with NA City Navigator and TOPO maps installed), I still like to plot my initial route using good old fashioned paper maps, and certainly once you get to a region where there are a myriad of OHV trails, then some of the clearest I've found are the National Geographic series - a handful of which cover the area north south and around Moab, and which I'd made sure to pack for this leg of the adventure.

Sure enough, while my GPS showed dozens of spur trails (some motorised, some not - in the TOPO maps at least) - a quick glance at the paper map showed me the route I ought to be taking, and sure enough, once on the ground the trail status' were well marked with the usual fingerposts and general signage:


photo. Heading in to the Abajos, it was barely 9am and I was already up at 9000ft!


photo. Well marked trailheads - this one is rated 'more difficult' - just what the doctor ordered!


photo. Camp Jackson Trail started easily enough - interestingly the OHV trails in these mountains are only for motorcycles and ATVs - and for good reason, they get very narrow and rocky!


photo. Things started out easily enough (although I was glad someone had been down here with a chainsaw at some point!)


photo. Before taking a turn for the worse - both literally and metaphorically - as the trail suddenly climbed steeply through a series of switchbacks.

So far, the GS had been making short work of the off-road terrain I'd been riding. For example, while the Escape Trail and Mengal Pass [in Death Valley last week] have the odd tricky section, I know both of those trails very well these days, so they hold no real surprises - and so I'm well prepared to ride around any limitations a bike may have...

However, this trail was completely new to me - and was not only steep and loose and rocky, but I was rapidly approaching 10,000ft altitude too - so any manhandling and other general exertion would be correspondingly harder on me and that little 313cc heart beating away between my thighs.

I freely admit I started cursing the bike at this point - I think I've mentioned already that the general lack of capacity, coupled with being a reasonably high compression single cylinder engine tuned more for mid and upper range performance (ie. a corresponding lack of bottom-end torque) meant the lil' bastard would typically cough-stall on me at the most inopportune moments... at one point dumping me against the bank on a particularly snarly step.

In some instances you could ride around this shortcoming - but loaded with luggage, and trying to gain traction on the loose shaley surface while running the stock [street] gearing was proving to be hard work. Damn hard work! That said, a little more aggression on the throttle (more than I'm used to/like to use in such circumstances) eventually saw me to the summit, but I had to concede that this particular climb had been almost too much for the bike - or at least me on this bike... I felt I'd abused both the clutch and the rear tyre, and that on the current gearing at least, the bike really needs to be rolling along at 10-12mph or more before you're in the meat of the power in 1st gear. If you can get it up to that speed in such terrain (ie. let the suspension soak up any nasties while you keep the engine on the boil), then all is well enough - but certainly I was now concerned how it might handle the far more technical terrain I'd got planned once we arrived in Moab.


photo. It was easier on the way back down...


photo. another ATV/Motorcycle gate on north end of Camp Jackson Trail - good job I fitted that R&G side-stand shoe eh?!


The next trail on my list was the one I particularly had wanted to explore last time I was here (July 2017) - Shay Ridge Trail - which cuts right through the middle of the Abajo range, and climbs to well over 10,000ft... and although it had been a relatively mild winter followed by a warm spring, there was a chance there would still be snow in the shadier parts up here.


photo. the view south from the feeder 4x4 trail to the Shay Ridge trailhead.

Once again, Shay Ridge is a Motorcycle/OHV trail only (no side-by-sides or larger 4x4 vehicles), together with hiking, horses and mountain-bikes too:




photo. The fence/gate is only 50" wide... which is usually the promise of something good!


photo. You can see why this trail is not really appropriate for anything wider than a traditional ATV.


As the trail climbed beyond 10,000ft, sure enough snow spits were soon to be found under the trees on the shadier parts of the trail.


photo. This was actually pretty sketchy to get around - having thawed and re-frozen countless times in recent weeks, the snow was now like a block of ice, so you had no choice but to ride right on the edge of the trail.


photo. Starting down from the summit, the trail itself was totally blocked with frozen snow. Fortunately in this instance there was room to get around...


photo. ... while others only required a bit of brut force!


photo. My rear tyre was now pretty worn out - not ideal for digging in to try and find traction.

cont.

cont.

Once again, the technicality of the trail eased off a little as the altitude decreased and the terrain started to level out - although progress was occasionally hampered by fallen trees:







I have to say, it was refreshing to see that someone had been though and cleared the majority of the hazards already - especially as these trails had only been open for the season since the end of the previous week (15th May - 1st October) for motorised travel. I was also encouraged by the fact there was a faint tyre-track of a motorcycle that had apparently already ridden the trail this year - so unless I met them coming back the other way shortly, was confident this was indeed now an open/through-route.

I stopped for a brief chat with some mountain-bikers who were riding uphill in the opposite direction, before coasting downhill some more, considering whether or not to 'do the triple' with the final trail on my list, when:


photo. I think this must me the most embarrassing crash I have ever had! Honestly, I could see NOTHING on this trail that might have caused this!

Yep, a moment's inattention led to many minutes inspecting and straightening everything - I went down surprisingly hard! It's also worth noting that despite the bike being comprehensively on it's side, the engine continued to run and needed the kill-switch to stop it.


photo. a slightly dented can... fortunately my Giant Loop Coyote protected it from the brunt of the fall.


photo. Rally-Raid engine guard did it's job.


photo. Arrrrgh! my lovely custom paintwork!


photo. The scars don't lie.

Whatever was the cause, in an instant I felt the front end wash out on the soil, and just wasn't able to catch it before I hit the deck. I feely admit this was not a 'drop' - this was a proper crash. I was so ashamed!

Now I'm not looking to make any excuses, but it might well have been that my front tyre pressure was a little high (although I don't think so) - since I had already noticed that on occasion the front end did like to run wide/wash out a little than I am used to on my CB on the same size wheels and tyres - combined with the off-camber downhill corner and loose soil surface... but whatever the reason, I took a certain solace in the fact I had finally dropped this bike on both sides now, and particularly before Juan and his video camera were around ;o)


Taking an enforced break to tweak things just before the end of this trail meant I was able to flip a metaphorical coin with regard to the final trail on my list for this morning - Lower Indian Creek, which rather ominously is 'motorcycle only' (together with bicycles, hikers and horses) - which would imply it is not even wide enough for an ATV.

Ah heck, let's do it!

Sure enough, it started out much like the others, although it wasn't long at all until this became very much a proper single-track... in places I'm not sure a horse would actually be comfortable navigating it!


photo. The trail loosely follows the creek, and regularly climbs up and down the steep bank on the west side.


photo. This is looking back up one steep section I'd just ridden down - and I considered it would be tough [if not impossible on my own] to try and get back up this way if the route turned out to be blocked further on...


photo. "Ah, just leave the rest of it there..."


photo. another sketchy section - you can see why it really isn't ATV suitable. I loved it!

I stopped to speak to another couple on mountain-bikes heading in the opposite direction, and hoped this wouldn't be a similar omen to before (ie. another crash soon after!), and they assured me the rest of trail was open, and there was nothing too technical.

Maybe not for a bicycle, but there were a couple more gnarly single track climbs (which they had been going down of course), including this one where the trail had crumbled away 30 or 40 feet into the creek below!


photo. Commitment was needed here - I did not need the little fekker coughing-out on me at this point for sure!

I have to say, it was with some relief that I rolled though the final wire-fence gate at the end of this trail, and parked up in the shade on the edge of highway 212 (near Newspaper Rock) to set about straightening my now banana-shaped gear lever which apparently I'd caught at some point on the trail earlier (I don't quite recall when, since most of it was 1st gear stuff anyway!)


photo. At least it's made of steel, and could be bent back into place quite easily using the ring-end of a MotionPro tyre lever.

It was now after 1pm, and while the start of Lockhart Basin* [Trail] is not far from here at all, I conceded that I really ought to head straight to Moab now (about an hour or so away by road), to give me plenty of time to get the new rear tyre fitted before end of day today.

*particularly since I had already ridden that one as part of the Trans-Am 500 ride - some photos: here.

More soon...

Jenny x

Day 9: Tuesday 22nd May: Moab (Kane Creek Canyon)

some miles (I'd say about 70 in total...)

"Fresh Meat"

Juan had been in touch en route to confirm he didn't expect to arrive much before lunchtime today (Tuesday), which meant there had been no rush to get my new tyre fitted the previous afternoon after all. Instead Fred [from Arrowhead Motorsports] had arranged a quick interview with the local paper Link Here, and in return offered to buy me a burger and at the Moab Brewery, which of course I found impossible to refuse.

I'd also been very fortunate to meet a local [Rally-Raided] CB500X owner a few days early at Overland Expo, who had subsequently invited me to stay at their house located a few miles south of town, rather than have to find a camping spot somewhere - in what was due to be 90+°F temperatures this coming week...

To round off this trio of good-fortune, the previous afternoon I had happened on a new restaurant 'Hidden Cuisine' located nearby, which offered an interesting breakfast and lunch menu with a Mediterranean flair...

So after a leisurely breakfast of crêpes and coffee, I headed down to Arrowhead Motorsports again the following morning to get that fresh rear tyre fitted:


photo. Arrowhead Motorsports is a small independent shop south of Moab. Proprietor Fred Hink still primarily specialises in KLR parts, but at the same time can pretty much help out anyone either scheduled to stop or who is simply in a hole as they pass through town - typically on the Trans-America Trail.

To be honest, while I'd rolled over the 6000 mile mark on my way into Moab yesterday (which typically for a Continental TKC80 on the rear of most bikes means it's well worn out), this particular example had not seemed to wear appreciably further than it had been already back in California - so it actually felt a bit extravagant and even wasteful to replace now - although it was only fair as I'd pre-arranged with Fred to purchase a tyre from him, and I was also keen to try the slightly narrower profile 140/80x17 version that he'd ordered in especially for me.

note. I'd also been rather disappointed with the new cush-drive rubbers that the dealer in Las Vegas had fitted [under warranty at least], as already they seemed to have a lot of play in them again after what had only been around 700 miles this time (in fact I did wonder if they'd actually fitted the worn ones back in by mistake!) - so took this wheel-off opportunity to once again pack out the spaces with a series of folded pieces of thinner inner-tube, which has now made everything properly snug again.


By mid-afternoon Juan had finally rolled into town with his Toyota camper-combo (complete with bike carrier and this time, his KTM350EXC-F mounted on the back), and we headed out for a nice 'warm up' for the week on one of my favourite trails "Kane Creek Canyon":








photo. Juan had chosen to bring his KTM to Moab this time, as although he's ridden in this area before (typically on his CB500X), he'd not ridden many of the more challenging trails that I'd pencilled in for our proving test of the G310GS, so felt the smaller/lighter (albeit much taller) dedicated dirt-bike would make thing a little easier for him to navigate, especially while setting up for drone and GoPro filming...


photo. Juan had also brought along his Mavic Pro drone - exceptional [HD/broadcast] quality footage from such a compact device that can be folded up and carried in a back-pack on a bike!


photo. this week we aimed to put the baby GS through it's paces, much as you might when riding with your buddies who own more dedicated dual-sport and trail/enduro machines, and see how they compared - certainly in more open and faster going, in places they turned out to be very comparable I might add ;o)


photo. Ahem. someone took the wrong line here! Over the years, Kane Creek Canyon (which tends to be heavily traffic'd during the Easter Jeep Safari each year) has deteriorated in places, creating far more extreme challenges than in offered the past - certainly there are now two or three steep step sections that really mean you need to head downhill (ie. north, back towards Moab) to enjoy them on a two-wheeled machine.

Once the trail levels out again after the steep canyon section, and criss-crosses through the creek once more, we could really start to pick up the pace (again, you'll need to see Juan's video footage of this), and we enjoyed a spirited tussle all the way back to Moab - both of us impressed how well the BMW handled proper dual-sport riding conditions, particularly now it was unladen with luggage.

cont.

cont.

Day 10: Wednesday 23rd May: Moab (Gold Bar Rim, Golden Spike, Poison Spider)

some more miles... (maybe 60 today?)

'The Triple'

For our main filming day, I'd elected to ride a series of interconnecting trails that I affectionally refer to as 'The Triple' - and which run along the top and back of the rim that overlooks highway 191 and Arches National Park.

The story goes that originally the two end trails: Gold Bar Rim and Poison Spider were eventually connected together in the middle by some pioneering Jeep owners - the resulting trail named 'Golden Spike' - after the ceremonial staple that was used to finally connect the trans-continental railroad together [in 1869] at Promontory Summit, which is located further north in Utah above the Great Salt Lake. note. Train nerds might like to check out the particular entry Here in my Trans-Am 500 ride report, since the current TAT route now goes right past Promontory Summit.

I've only ridden the three consecutively once before (and only on my XT225 which is like a trials-bike in comparison) but recall that while there were indeed some substantial rock step hazards to navigate, as with Kane Creek Canyon we'd be able to mitigate some of the worse [and by that I mean impossible] steps and climbs by starting north at Gold Bar Rim, and heading back towards Moab. This would also mean that if we were running short of time or indeed energy towards the end of the day, we could simply miss out the loop section of Poison Spider - although I'd encourage anyone not to, as it really is the best part of that particular trail.


photo. Trail-head access to Gold Bar Rim is off Gemini Bridges Road (trail), which in turn is part of the official TAT route. Everyone who rides the TAT north out of Moab takes this picture. Everyone.


photo. See what I mean - this is my CB500X in 2015 during the Trans-Am 500 ride... and I bet if you look at any other ride report of the TAT west of Moab here on ADVrider, they've also taken a photo at this same spot too ;o)


photo. Today would be all about how this 170Kg ADV bike would handle technical trails, far more suited to a 115Kg dirt-bike.


photo. Juan chasing me down - close to Gooney Bird Rock.


photo. No going back now - well technically you can go back from this point, but not long after you have a 'gate keeper' of a rock step which means the only realistic way out on a bike this size and weight is to then keep heading south...


photo. This is the step I mean... 'The Waterfall'







I know that photos don't always show the severity/steepness of a step, but trust me when I say the only real way down here (without a real danger of going over the bars) on a bike is to wedge it into the crack at the far end, and walk it down...

In that regard, trying to get back up it would almost seem impossible - the step immediately to the right is essentially vertical (and with soft sand at the base too), while a little further right the slope is at 45° or more (so very easy to loop-out a bike), and has loose rocks at the base - which again is no good for traction on a one-wheel-drive machine.


photo. interestingly, since I was up here last (three or four years ago) they have added another official side/loop trail: "Where Eagles Dare" along with the existing 'Rusty Nail" which is billed as an extreme (modified vehicle) crawling trail only.


photo. another gratuitous bike shot - you'll notice I have removed my DoubleTake ADV mirrors and RAM arms here - after all, it's almost inevitable the bike is going to go down at some point I fear...


photo. the view west from the rim is spectacular - that is the Colorado River in the distance... You can also see the trail route is marked with white dashes across the open slick-rock sections.

One of the most famous Hazard sections on Golden Spike is the appropriately named 'Golden Crack' (stop sniggering at the back there!) - a typical cross-axle crossing for 4x4s that can stretch a stock suspension to the max and beyond, and even some modified vehicles can still struggle, and many are rewarded with a bent rear bumper for their efforts:


photo. Old skool short-wheelbase leafer walking the crack...


photo. Coil-springs and a longer wheel-base helps...


photo. as do axle diff-lockers...


photo. ...even then, you can still end up kissing your ass!


photo. Ahhh, the wonder of the GoPro frame-grab!





photo. on a bike, this useful rock pile makes things a bit easier - well, going in this direction at least...


photo. Juan fully-compressed - again, perhaps this photo doesn't really do the scenario justice.

cont.

cont.


photo. The three interconnecting trails all skirt close to the rim from time, offering fantastic views... in this instance, looking north up hwy 191.


photo. Juan's ambition overtakes his talent for a moment...

So you might be wondering how the GS was handling all this rocky terrain - and particularly in comparison to the dedicated dual-sport enduro that Juan was riding...

One thing was for sure, I was starting to find the limitations of the 'standard' specification elements of this bike - and while the Rally-Raid suspension had dramatically improved the general dynamics of the bike - especially yesterday as I was ragging along the faster open trails with Juan in hot pursuit - it was here, in much more technical and slow-speed 'trials' type terrain, that a couple of fundamental issues came to the fore.

Firstly, the stock gearing (which I'd elected not to change since collecting the bike) of 15/41 was far too high for creeping around - I'd already come to this conclusion whilst traversing the Abajo mountains a couple of days before (where the relative lack of torque off the bottom end exacerbated the need to slip the clutch and get a bit brutal from time to time), but increasingly on this particular terrain it was starting to become downright tedious - especially coupled with the engine's propensity to cough-stall at the most inopportune moments too. A couple of times I freely admit to asking Juan to help hold/push the back end of the bike while I walked and clutched it up a series of rock steps - to try and make sure I didn't either loop-out or cough-stall, and either way end up potentially dumping it on the ground...

The other thing that started to become apparent was the relative vulnerability of the foot controls and now also the side-stand - it was a good job I'd removed that plastic cut-out switch [back in California], as there would have been nothing left of it by the end of this afternoon!

note. for those unfamiliar with the bike - the main issue with the side stand is the location of it's pivot point, which hangs down a good two inches directly under the left-hand foot-peg, and is effectively the lowest point on the bike.

While the Rally-Raid engine guard was designed specifically to protect the sump and side cases of the engine, it did not make any sense to try and encase the side-stand pivot too, as that would dramatically reduce the otherwise excellent standard ground clearance of this bike (measured at 10 inches under the engine guard with the standard-travel LEVEL 1 suspension and TKC80 tyres fitted), but conversely it does mean you have effectively a small anchor hanging down under your left foot - which you constantly need to be aware of when navigating really rough and rocky terrain.

Fortunately, although there seems to have been a number of reported incidents of the side-stand pivot on these bikes potentially cracking/snapping recently, mine appears to be extremely strong, as the scratches and gouges can now attest.


photo. however, my R&G side-stand shoe was an eventual casualty.

The other limitation I found, which again has already been mentioned, is the narrow standard foot-pegs - even with their rubbers removed, they provide little grip, and their overall size means they offer very little proper support too - although in this kind of going, I simply had to grin and bare it as standing up was a regular necessity today.

The gear and brake pedals actually survived these trails pretty much unscathed (we'd have to wait until tomorrow to properly destroy those ;o), but again as I have already illustrated previously, while the fact they are made [cheaply] of steel can actually prove to be a benefit with regard to repeated bending and straightening, it would be nice for it to not happen quite so much in the first place! Fortunately I understand John at Rally-Raid is working on some far more substantial replacement pedals, together with some proper billet platform foot-pegs too. And they can't come soon enough!

Otherwise, the bike seemed to handle these tough conditions surprisingly well... yes there were a couple of instances where the longer travel of Juan's KTM allowed him to plough into/up a series of rock steps that might have had my bike bottoming out (and potentially catapulting me off), but on the whole, if you picked your line carefully, it was surprising just how well the GS could cope - especially if you showed the commitment the lack of bottom-end torque required to ensure you made it up first time.


photo. a view of the Colorado River from the Poison Spider overlook. Just south of this point there is a bicycle/hiking only trail [The Portal Trail] down the side of the cliff to the river.




photo. Little Arch is perfectly placed for a view of the parking-lot/trail-head for Moab Rim.

I have to say, we were both getting pretty tired by the time we reached the left turn for the loop section of Poison Spider, but it really is a highlight of not only this trio, but all of the trail network close to Moab - so Juan and I elected to ride it in a clock-wise direction, through the deep sand first and then up onto the slickrock; before our final decent across the Masa and down to the highway which runs along the north bank of the Colorado River.


photo. Poison Spider has it's own series of hazards on the way down to the river, although most are relatively easy to navigate on a bike in either direction. The view of Behind the Rocks in the distance, and the La Sal Mountains beyond is one of the unique treasures of navigating this particular trail.

On reaching the tarmac, I hammed it up for Juan's camera (see the end of the video above) - quipping that the pavement was perhaps the GS's natural habitat after all...

However that would be a little unfair - as fundamentally, while I'd of course taken steps and precautions to try and avoid unnecessary damage, it turns out I'd been able to pilot this little BMW through three of the tougher trails in Moab, without dropping the bike at all, nor it suffering any serious damage. I considered that tiny triumph deserved at least one beer at the Moab Brewery!

More soon...

Jenny x

Ok then, I think it's time to see how many times I can bend my brake pedal like a banana in one day... (three is the answer btw.)


Day 11: Thursday 24th May: Moab (Onion Creek, Thompson Canyon, Geyser Pass, La Sal Pass)

even more miles (over 100 today...)

It was forecast to be well into the 90°s today down in the Valley, and having given ourselves and our bikes a thorough work-out yesterday up on the rim, Juan and I decided the best plan would be to head for some more scenic riding at higher elevation, in an effort to avoid the worst of the heat and to flesh out his filming with some of the more epic views towards and from the La Sal Mountains.

It would also mean that Joe (on his LEVEL 2 Rally-Raid CB500X) would also be able to join us for the day, as he knew this area well and was looking forward to riding rather than potentially have to drag his bike over the more gnarly stuff we'd elected to ride the day before!

It's a fair old schlep up highway 128 alongside the Colorado River to Onion Creek, but a beautiful scenic ride (one of those Gold roads on the Butler maps of course), and certainly on the little GS and slightly larger CB500X, both Joe and I ragged along very nicely thank you - illustrating how an 'adventure' bike is a far more comfortable companion on the highway compared to Juan's enduro based bike.





Onion Creek is a gentle meander through a narrow canyon, on an easy (for the most part) dirt road that criss-crosses the creek countless times, before climbing out onto higher ground in the valley directly below the "Top of the World" trail and overlook (see this post in the Trans-Am 500 ride report for that little doozy).




I've ridden this trail numerous times now, but still the various rock formations always amuse and entertain:


photo. Baldrick had a thingy shaped exactly like a turnip... (Ed March would be so pleased with this one ;o)

And it was the perfect opportunity for Juan to get not only some dramatic footage of Joe and I riding our respective Rally-Raided bikes together - but also to see the canyon from a proper bird's eye view (again, see the Video teaser here):


photo. Juan is more used to piloting things from inside of course!


photo. the 'bird' in question - a Mavic Pro drone - awesome!

After bagging what we hoped was more than enough canyon footage, it was time to press on and head for higher elevations - as the weather was already getting hot...


photo. Joe and his LEVEL 2 (+2" suspension and 17/19" spoked wheels) CB500X - a bike both Juan and I also own and ride of course.


photo. again, being familiar with this route, I already knew of a few key locations that I felt would work well on camera...


photo. Juan's drone doing it's thing again...


While Juan and I were messing about setting up the title shots for the video, Joe had noticed a potentially tedious hitchhiker in the KTM's rear tyre:




photo. Miraculously though, it had only penetrated the sidewall and not actually the tube at all - result!


photo. You goof!


Once the trail joins the Castleton-Gateway road (which is part of the long-distance hiking and primarily mountain-biking Kokopelli Trail), it passes by a recently dedicated visitor site where a series of Dinosaur footprints can be clearly seen embedded in the rock:





With that, it was time to head for the hills proper (ie. 10,000+ft) at last!


photo. Heading up Geyser Pass Rd - this route is part of the Trans-America Trail (usually heading downhill in the opposite direction) and this corner is traditionally the first glimpse many people get of the striking Moab Rim in the distance...

We had a lot of fun messing around on the original TAT route (which I still have logged in my GPS) and some associated OHV side trails, before heading back over the mountains again on La Sal Pass - a slightly more technical challenge, albeit excellent alternative route into Moab if you're riding the TAT.


photo. Juan and I waited like vultures for Joe to appear and navigate this mud-hole. He passed without incident.

It was here, on the particularly rocky tailing slope section of the La Sal Pass that I first bent my brake pedal right back on itself.

I then did it again. And again.


photo. I'm amazed it didn't eventually just snap off like a soda-can tag!

Other than being a rather loose and rough rocky decent, our eventual return to Moab was uneventful - and we rolled back to Joe's house with the film in the can (well almost, bar the interview tomorrow morning) and a hunger in our bellies - which was suitably sated at a Thai restaurant in town.


photo. Juan on the three-fiddy EXC...


photo. Joe on the CB500X with Rally-Raid LEVEL 2 wheels and suspension...

Job done!

Jenny x

Day 12: Friday 25th May: Moab UT to Lehi UT

209 miles

Planes, trains and automobiles...*

*not in that exact order, admittedly.

With a long journey back to California for both of us, Juan and I decided to leave Moab after a leisurely breakfast and quick piece to camera to finish off the filming, and head north in convoy.

EDIT: the full-length video review/interview from Juan Browne [Blancolirio] is here on YouTube:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ng7oFzQ9QHU

Since I was due to fly back to the UK early the following week from San Francisco, I'd arranged to leave my bike en route south of Salt Lake City (where it would be easy enough to fly back into and continue my journey east the following month), and hitch a ride back west with Juan in the camper...


photo. tucked up tight in a friend's barn (I left most of my camping/luggage there too to save me hauling it back and forth during my return in a few weeks' time)...


photo. Goodnight for now...


photo. Juan and I made it as far as Elko NV that evening, before finding a wild-camp spot in the desert, and setting fire to stuff.

The next day we took it in turns to drive the Toyota back to [his] base in the western Sierras, before Juan dropped me to the train station the following morning - en route for him flying to London for his regular job!


photo. ADV reprobates!

It's been a lot of fun so far... stay tuned for part 2 of chapter 2 as I pick up the bike again next week and continue my journey back east to Toronto for the Overland Adventure Rally/Tour (6-8th July), followed by presenting again at the annual BMW MOA rally - this year held in Des Moines Iowa (12-15th July) just a few days later... yep, I fear I'm going to need new tyres again!

More soon!

Jenny xx

Ch.2 pt.2...


Day 13: Friday 29th June 2018: Lehi UT to Moab UT

283 miles

“Back on black”

Yes, I know its a rather obvious title, but I’m delirious having ridden a 300cc bike 1600+ miles in the last three days...

So, let’s pick this up where we left off - that is in a shed in Lehi UT while I flew back to the UK last month.

The good news is the bike fired straight up after a few weeks’ inactivity, plus I’d managed to purchase a 43T rear sprocket to trial over the next few days/weeks through Colorado and beyond.


photo. JT sprockets #JTS05/43 - listed for an Aprilia Pegasso 600 (1993 model!), and which has the same 6-bolt 160mm PCD as an F650GS for info, although stock that has a 47T rear.

As you can see, 3 teeth larger than stock is likely to mean the standard chain will no longer fit - and it doesn’t, so I had to buy a new one of those too:


photo. Natty gold chain (you can see it is a clip-link version too, easier to change in the field, or a barn, with my MotionPro trail chain press tool).

I didn’t get the chance to test the new gearing before I left on Friday morning, and having put a fair few miles on the bike now (over 2300 at the time of writing) I have mixed feelings about it...

The good news is the speedo would appear to be driven off the ABS sensor, so changing the final-drive gearing does not affect the speedo - it’s still within a mph or two of the GPS reading - nice.

However, on road particularly, you really do notice the difference with what is really only a modest change - basically in top gear, you’ve lost about 5mph for the same rpm, ie. you’re now doing 65mph at 7000rpm rather than 70mph.

If you rag the bike you can still see 80+ mph (I hit 81.4 the other day, officer), but fundamentally you are now revving the engine around 500rpm higher and using correspondingly more fuel when cruising... not ideal with such a big [highway] journey ahead of me.

Off-road, pulling away does seem to require a little less clutch-slipping/revs, but the lack of torque right off the bottom end still limits the ‘chugability’ of this bike in really technical terrain.

Indeed, while I’m no physicist, it is quite possible that the 16T front sprocket is exacerbating the problem - in that the engine still struggles to initially spin up the transmission, whereas one tooth off the front (ie. 15T) would give a similar overall reduction in final drive, but allow the output shaft to spin up quicker with what modest torque is available? - it is certainly something I intend to try as an alternative as soon as I can find a source for a replacement front sprocket.

note. Dropping one tooth from the front (rather than adding 3 to the rear) would mean you could still use the original chain too. Unfortunately with the 43T rear, the stock chain length means the tyre is now too close/actually touching the swing-arm.

Still, in the meantime it does seem a touch more lively in the mid range/gears (you find yourself changing up to 3rd or even 4th earlier than before), and 2nd gear is now very usable as long as the going isn’t really technical and rocky (where 1st can help prevent it cough-stalling), so I think the overall ratio is about right - at the expense of higher speed cruising of course, certainly you can appreciate why BMW specced the gearing they did to get impressive top speed and economy figures on-road from such a small engine.


If I sound a bit down on it, I don’t mean to - it’s just compared to the silky smooth and [significantly more] torquey twin in my Honda CB500X, I find the benefit of the 50+lbs lighter weight of the GS is hampered slightly by the more revvy nature of this particular single-cylinder engine... don’t get me wrong, in open going the GS is a joy to rag along like a dual-sport enduro (which is kind of where Rally-Raid wanted to pitch this bike to compliment the CB in their ‘Adventure’ bike range), it’s just the Honda engine (and gearing) makes finding traction in tricky terrain easier, and as I always say about that bike - it’s only heavy when you have to pick it up, and it you don’t stall [and potentially drop it] in the first place, then you won’t need to pick it up!

Anyway, that’s enough tech nerdage for now - what was my plan for the next stage of this adventure then?

cont.

cont.



My plan was to break back into this trip relatively easily - by picking up the Utah BDR (Backcountry Discovery Route) where it passed by Lehi, and head south towards Moab, where I’d meet up with Jo and his Rally-Raid CB500X again, and enjoy riding with some company for a change.

I only made a few notes as I was on a bit of a mission to arrive in good time for dinner (and typically didn’t leave Lehi until way after I’d planned to), but it is worth nothing that highway 92 due east of Lehi is a wonderful paved ‘Alpine’ loop road, barely one lane wide in places, and mercifully free of traffic - recommended!


photo. Just one view from the middle section of the Utah BDR - beautiful!

Initially the UTBDR south of Heber City was just fast gravel roads, but soon it started to climb along a fantastic ridge line road for miles and miles (see above) - Timber Creek (left fork), Reservation Ridge and Indian Head Rd - what a fantastic way to spend the afternoon avoiding highway 6 when heading south east for Price and Green River!

As I rolled down highway 191 towards Moab with a convoy of weekender traffic (this would be a holiday weekend too, being just prior to July 4th of course) I could feel the heat getting more and more oppressive. There had been a seasonal high in Moab of 105F earlier in the week, and it was certainly still in the mid/high 90s now...


Day 14: Fork service and taking it easy in Moab…

As it turned out, neither Jo nor I much fancied trail-riding in that kind of heat the following day, so we took it easy around town, before I embarked on some minor maintenance and set-up tweaking of the front end* of the GS in the shade of his garage.

*I’d noticed that there was a little play in the head bearings when braking to a complete stop, plus I wanted to drop the forks through the triple clamps a little more (relaxing the steering head angle) from the 10mm protruding John had suggested - I now barely have a couple of mm gold showing below the Rally-Raid fork caps, and have to say, I feel much more confident the front end is not going to wash-out now (in the way it felt when I first took the bike off-road in Virginia), and would certainly suggest it is an improvement.

Jobs done and over a bucket sized portion of ice cream, Jo and I hatched a plan for the following day (Sunday) - I really had to start making my way directly east now since I needed to be in Toronto by Thursday evening at the latest (still 1800+ miles away by the shortest/fastest Interstate route), but at the same time, I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to ride one of two of the high passes in Colorado on my way - especially as Jo had never ridden over the highest of them all: Imogene.

That was settled then!

Jx

Day 15: Sunday 1st July 2018: Moab UT to Beaver Lake CO

220 miles

“Pinch punch”

What a way to welcome in the summer - by heading as high as possible off-road in an effort to escape the desert heat...

Jo and I togged up and rolled out of Moab after a leisurely breakfast, and were soon riding some wonderfully scenic roads east of town - Sand Flats Rd (the current TAT route entry into Moab), Kokopelli’s Trail (part of the Whole Enchilda MTB route), La Sal Loop Rd (freshly paved - awesome!) before picking up the Castleton-Gateway road (dirt/easy gravel) that crosses the state-line into Colorado.


photo. Once back on the pavement south of Gateway CO, highway141 south shadows the Delores River and passes by the Hanging Flume overlook.

Jo knew a good spot for lunch in Telluride, and soon after we were immediately heading uphill at quite the rate (Telluride itself is already around 8500ft above sea level):


photo. Black Bear Pass switchbacks (one-way, downhill) from the initial climb to Imogene Pass.


photo. Looking back towards Telluride - the most expensive town in all Colorado!


photo. Rally-Raid (LEVEL 2) CB500X vs. their G310GS alternative...two smaller and less expensive ADV bikes - made much better!


photo. The iPhone makes it all so easy - a dramatic panorama of the whole Telluride valley.

Those of you who followed my Northern eXposure ride last summer will recall I rode Imogene on my CB500X, albeit in the opposite direction, and on the whole did not recall any particularly tricky spots... however, I may have underestimated how loose the terrain would be when trying to climb up it from the west side. I was certainly glad I’d fitted the lower gearing, as the bike began to really struggle once over 12,000ft (lack of power in anything but first gear on a steep gradient), and it needed a fair degree of commitment to fire it up the loose shale sections in an effort to avoid the ever-present threat of a cough-stall on a steep incline.

Jo [on the CB] was doing well, right up until he wasn’t... not so much the bike or rider’s fault, as simply too much air in the rear tyre, causing it to spin out on the loose shale with no chance of picking up any momentum again, without rolling back downhill for another try. -10psi later and he sailed up with no problem!

cont.

cont.


photo. Almost at the top... you can see the Telluride airport runway in the far distance - it was the perfect weather to ride this pass!


photo. Jo about to embark on the final ascent - personally speaking, I would recommend you include Imogene Pass as part of your TAT ride, it is a truly spectacular way to leave the Colorado Rockies behind.


photo. Imogene Pass is one of the highlights of the area, and a great alternative to the official TAT route over Ophir Pass, if you're feeling slightly more adventurous!


photo. And that my friends is 'a wrap' as they say - the highest motorable pass in Colorado.

note. While the Pass itself is purportedly 13,114ft, you can actually go a little higher if you take the spur road to the overlook towards Corkscrew Pass (see below).


photo. A rare picture of the author at work, well, posing for a silly photo having posted a few stickers on behalf of Giant Loop and the TSW (Tequila Swilling Whores) - note. That mug was empty, honest ;o)


photo. Jo contemplating that he now has to ride the fekker back down the other side!

Before starting downhill towards Ouray (the second most expensive town in all of Colorado), we headed up to the overlook - primarily so that I could post a photo on Facebook with the hashtag #BrianGriffinWee* - yes, there is 3G at the top of Imogene Pass (such is selfie-culture these days!)

*You know the episode ;o)


photo. This is the very very top...


photo. Apparently 70-86ft higher than the pass itself, allowing for GPS inaccuracy of course.

So a funny thing happened while we were up there... as we’d finished photographing at the Pass, a guy rolls up on a 1200GSA - yes, he’d just ridden it up from Telluride the way we had come. He commented on how impressed he was to see a 310 at the top (and in return I paid him a similar complement regarding the behemoth he was astride), and we said our goodbyes...

A short while later he joined us at the overlook too:


photo. Don’t tell me how inappropriate any of these are up here ;o)

And he was clearly keen to check out the Rally-Raid kitted G310GS some more:



We exchanged a few more pleasantries, when he revealed he’d just got back from riding in Mongolia... yes, this was none other than Thomas Thompson who had just competed in the GS Trophy as part of Team USA, with a very creditable 2nd overall result! No wonder he’d had no trouble piloting his huge bus to the top of this mountain!



We felt it only prudent to let him go on ahead, before working our own way down the east slopes at a more leisurely pace:


photo. Only a very few patches of snow were left on the sides of the trail, and the surrounding mountain tops essentially bare. It will be another dry summer.


photo. The east slopes are equally stunning.

As the steep slopes gave way to more level ground, the trail got progressively easier until we finally hit the smooth dirt road that dovetails with the Million Dollar Highway (550) just outside Ouray. I knew a whoopie spot (where the ice cream’s cold, and the coffee hot) for us to take a short break, before ultimately we would head our separate ways - Jo back home to Moab (now around three hours away by road), while I pressed on east alone again once more.

I’ve said it before, but I always like riding in the early evening - the soft light and long shadows helping to highlight the scenery, and winding my way over Owl Creek Pass was a beautiful way to end what had been an intense day of all-round adventure riding...







It was still a lovely warm evening, so rather than press on into what would have soon been the dark (to try and find a hotel), I elected to stop at a quite USFS campground a few miles south of highway 50, break-out the tent once more, and savour the moment of a life on (and off) the road.

More soon...

Jenny x

Day 16: Monday 2nd July: Beaver Lake CO to Big Springs NE

466 miles

So where did we leave off? - oh yes, that's right - I'd had a great day riding from Moab UT to the very middle of Colorado (Beaver Creek Campsite, a few miles south of hwy 50 west of Gunnison), with my good friend and fellow Rally-Raid CB500X owner Jo:


photo. I promise this is the first and last selfie of this trip!

This had included an epic ride over Imogene Pass (heading east towards Ouray), as although I had commitments in Toronto towards the end of this week, I was not going to simply blast through Colorado, especially at this time of year when all the high passes were open and free of snow.

Yesterday had proven that the reduction in gearing (replacing the 40T rear sprocket with a 43T version, which needed a longer chain too) had already proven it's worth in more technical and extreme off-road conditions (13,000+ft - the little GS needed all the help it could get!) and certainly there was now less propensity for the engine to cough-stall in first, and 2nd gear was genuinely useable off-road in rougher terrain too.

With this new-found ability, I was keep to see how the 310 would handle an even tougher trail en route for the flat east side of the state, and over my Starbucks Via and Oatmeal Clif bar (a modest but satisfying campsite breakfast), plotted a route though the heart of the Gunnison National Forest that would take in what has become one of the most gnarly trails in the locale - Hancock Pass.

As a bit of background: In the good old days, both Hancock and Tomichi Passes used to be part of the original TAT (Trans-America Trail) route; however, in recent years Tomichi has been devoid of county maintenance (and often suffers from landslides each spring as the snow melts), while Hancock has suffered further deterioration too due to the increase in 4x4 and especially rental SXS vehicles using that trial as part of a loop from St. Elmo to Pitkin and back via Tincup.

Now of course all sorts of OHV vehicles ought be allowed on suitable trails, and in general, regular use helps to keep the routes clear, and if you're on a bike at least, most hazards can still be navigated - and the [increased] challenge usually welcomed for more adventurous and experienced riders. However, commercial use inevitably increases traffic and wear, and the responsibility for trail maintenance ought to fall at least in part to those users and not just the local authority/county - who's financial resources are increasingly limited. Certainly if you've ridden Hancock and Tomichi in the past couple of years (as I have, on my CB500X last summer), you can see why Sam Correro (originator of the TAT) no longer recommends or promotes those two passes as part of the official route - they are simply too much like hard work (and potentially dangerous in places) for the average rider on the typical luggage-laden ADV bike.

But I wasn't on the typical ADV bike was I? - and my luggage load was about as compact as can be, at under 30lbs in a single Giant Loop bag. I was confident I could get the little GS over Hancock, and the route I had plotted also took in the old railway bed trail* from Pitkin.

*this railway used to cut through the mountains here via the Alpine Tunnel, which has been closed for a good while now due to a landslide - you can still visit each end of it (by foot), but it is no longer a through passage, which is kind of a shame really...


photo. It's a good job I elected to take the railway bed trail and not Tomichi to reach the base of Hancock - looks like Tomichi has suffered another harsh winter, and is now unlikely to be a legal through-route for the foreseeable future.

What was also slightly humbling is that on stopping for fuel (and snacks!) at the Pitkin General Store, the lady behind the counter informed me that there had been a [motorcycle] accident on Hancock the previous day, and the female rider in question quite badly hurt.

Certainly the climb up to the pass from the west side is seriously tricky now - lots of loose rock and gravel, and therefore very little traction on the steep upward slope. I freely admit to royally f*cking-up a couple of times - cursing the still too high gearing and lack of low-end/bottom end torque from the puny little engine (it's not that bad, I'm just trying to impart my frustration at the time ;o) - coupled with the fact I'm having to manhandle this loaded bike at 11,000ft or so.

Ultimately I resorted to dumping my luggage off the back of the bike, and clutching the bastard up the first few steep sections until I was confident I'd be able to ride the rest of the switchbacks (with my luggage reattached) to the pass. I have to say, it took my breath away - and not in a good way!


photo. it took a lot of effort and some bad words to reach this point.

The ride down the far side was easy enough to pick a line across the worst of the rocks (albeit they'd be a bitch in places coming up the other way), and as I mention above, sadly this really isn't an 'adventure' bike route anymore. Fun though, in a masochistic kind of way.

I admit it was actually a relief to hit the pavement once again, and I was conscious that it was now well after noon on Monday, and I had to be in Toronto by Thursday night - still the best part of 1300 miles away.


photo. I witnessed the start of the huge wildfire north east of Buena Vista CO at the beginning of June.

Once on the highway heading north and east, I was diverted from my intended route (hwy 285) by an ominous looking roadblock... coinciding with a sizeable lunchtime hunger-pang, I punched 'find food' into the GPS and dropped into the small town of Hartsel that was just off the official diversion route, and which in turn led me to a series of wonderful gravel roads that cut across the plains towards Denver later that afternoon - lemonade out of lemons and all that.

note. As I was leaving the restaurant, two cyclists who were currently in the middle of riding the Continental Divide trail north from New Mexico to Canada, informed me that the fire I'd witnessed had already quadrupled in size since this morning - from 8000, to 16,000 to now 32,000 acres, and had actually breached the highway while we'd been eating. A humbling thought - especially when you consider all those campers who'd had to evacuate, having planned a relaxing July 4th holiday that week.

With the bike thoroughly jet-washed, refuelled and generally checked and fettled, it was time to get the hammer down now and try and dispatch as much of the mid-west as I could, without driving myself half insane*.

*The downside of lowering the final drive gearing on the bike [in an effort to improve the off-road ability] was that it is now about 5mph slower in top gear for the same amount of revs - ie. while it would originally sit quite happily on the freeway at 70-75mph (at around 7000rpm), it now felt rather stressed at 70+mph, being far more relaxed cruising at 65mph. That's fine of course, unless you had over 1200 miles of Interstate to cover in the next two days...

Fortunately I managed to navigate the worst of the Denver rush-hour around the west side of the city, and ploughed on into the evening - managing to reach I80 across the Nebraska border before I'd finally had enough. Tomorrow would be inevitably tedious, so I was going to need a good night's sleep and a laundry re-fresh courtesy of Motel 6.


photo. Charging my phone en-route - the slot under the headlight turns out to be the perfect size for the iPhone 5! - although I was worried it might fall out at speed, so ultimately put it in my jacket pocket instead. I can't believe I haven't fitted a USB socket to the cockpit of my Honda already, it's a revelation I tell you - I've charged my phone, my iPod and even my GoPro during this trip - duh, welcome to the 21st century Jenny!

cont.