Day 29: Tuesday 11th July - Sweet Springs MO to Colorado Springs CO (754 miles)

"Fan-assisted oven"

I had rolled into the Super-8 parking lot just after 10pm the evening before, factoring in that they ought to have laundry (which they did) and would almost certainly have a waffle machine for breakfast too - so that would save time and provide some reasonable sustenance in the morning. Best of all, this turned out to be another $50 joint too!

I set my alarm for 5.45am, was eating waffles by 6.15, and on the road again by 6.45am - fuel tank brimmed at an exceptional $1.88 a gallon!!!

I did need to negotiate the morning rush-hour around Kansas City which was a little tedious (but hey, the diversion all added miles to the total), and as I recall I clicked over the thousand mile mark once back on I70, just short of Salina KS.



As the odometer continued to increase, so did the ambient temperature - by the time I reached Colby in western Kanas mid-afternoon, it was 97°F and getting hotter!



I'd calculated that by staying on the I70 until the outskirts of Denver, then taking the ring-road south to avoid the worst of any evening rush-hour traffic, I should roll into Colorado Springs just after the 1500 mile mark...



My final fuel receipt was a stones-throw from the Moto Minded HQ - 1516 miles, in just under 34 hours (which included stopping for 8 hours overnight)...


photo. Honestly, I really don't need to do that again now - although breaking the journey in half meant I was not actually as tired as after riding 1000 miles straight in 2015.


photo. I thought I could do with a new rear tyre once I'd arrived at the Overland Adventure Rally, but it turns out it wasn't quite dead after all... It certainly is now though - 8960 miles on a rear TKC80, that is definitely a record for me!

Ultimately I had no choice but to book into the cheapest hotel I could find (and that wasn't cheap, nowhere is in this town) a few further miles up the road, and finally decompress after the past couple of days... I'd already lined up a fresh set of tyres to be fitted at a local dealer in the morning, plus the bike really was over-due for an oil change now - so the plan was to catch up with Chris at Moto Minded to discuss, amongst other things, an high-power headlight upgrade for the CB500X; and avail myself of his workshop facilities to ensure the CB was back up to full strength again, in preparation for the homeward stretch.

More soon...

Jenny x

Day 30: Wednesday 12th July - Colorado Springs CO (7 miles)

"Fresh meat"

It wasn't cheap getting a pair of TKC80s fitted at a dealer, but if I'm honest I didn't much relish the prospect of changing them myself, and it was the perfect excuse to grab some breakfast at a nearby diner with Chris Vestal from Moto Minded.


photo. the Kings Chef Diner is a bit of an institution in Colorado City - this is actually the smaller of their two venues, although [having eaten the following morning at their larger more traditional establishment in town], I actually preferred the quaintness of this tiny kitsch castle!

Chris not only runs the LED headlight company Moto Minded, but he is also the founder of the Pikes Peak Makerspace - a community resource for independent engineers and designers to prototype and small-run produce high tech products, with [machine] training available as required.





He also has his own personal studio and workshop in the building, which meant I had plenty of space to service the CB, and also the opportunity to use a proper computer keyboard and finally catch up on this ride report...


photo. This is where it all happens!

As I was writing about my experience in Montana (and how I'd effectively ended up piecing together a 'Trans-Montana Trail' on the fly), it got me thinking about what I might do for the remainder of this trip...

For the last nine days (and over 3000 miles) now, I'd been riding almost exclusively on tarmac - save for a hundred miles of trail-riding during the Overland Adventure Rally, plus that ill-conceived excursion onto the beach back in Minnesota ;o) - and I was itching to get back on the dirt.

The fact I'd been able to string together a significant number of dirt-roads and trails in Montana as a continuous journey prompted me to dig out my GTR maps* of Colorado and Utah which I'd had the forethought to stow away in the bottom of my luggage.

*I mention and highlight these specifically, since I personally feel they are an excellent resource for route planning on unpaved roads and trails in their respective States - pretty much anything on that map is a guaranteed public/through route, and navigable by a bike like my CB500X at least...

I still had more than a week left before I wanted/needed to be back in California, so with a few strokes of a highlighter pen, I sketched out what I was confident would be a cross-country route almost entirely on dirt roads and trails - from effectively the highest 'motorable' road in the USA (Pikes Peak) to the lowest (West Side Road - Badwater Basin, Death Valley).

It was a rather grand notion perhaps, but I considered this "High to Low" ride would effectively be a more southerly alternative to the Trans-America Trail west of here... I would use my previous experience and knowledge of the regions I would be pass through to incorporate what I felt were some 'must ride' and 'must see' highlights, and over the next few days would to try and thread a 'definitive' route together with the minimum of wrong turns, dead ends and potentially wasted time*...

So it looks like I had a new challenge after all!

*Key to the success of this route would be an entertaining and challenging series of trails, but nothing that couldn't be ridden carefully on a loaded Adventure bike... well, as long as it was no bigger or heavier than the CB500X with a Giant Loop Coyote of course ;o)


More soon... I bet you can't wait eh? - I know I couldn't!


Jx

Day 31: Thursday 13th July - Colorado Springs to Poncha Creek CO (174 miles)

"Trail Bonanza!"

Before leaving town, I indulged in another helping of French toast and proper chunky bacon (not this silly streaky stuff you usually get in the USA) at the larger of the Kings Chef Diners, finally paid in my left-over Canadian dollars into my US account, and bought a new pair of jeans to replace my current ones that had got covered in oil when servicing the bike yesterday (yes, I actually only had one pair of pants with me this trip, plus the lightweight waterproof over pants stowed in my jacket rear pocket).

I wasn't in any particular hurry today - I'd arranged to stay over with some friends in Salida (less than two hours away directly by road) the following evening, and see them play at a local music venue in town - so the next 36 hours would be about riding and reccying a few trails between here (effectively the bottom of Pikes Peak Highway) and Salida itself - which is a hub for any number of the high mountain passes nearby, and of course also directly on the Trans-America Trail route too.


photo. So far this trip, this had proved to be the case - and I hoped it would remain so for the rest of the journey...


photo. Colorado Springs in the distance, from the start of Old Stage Road to Cripple Creek.

In 2015 when I detoured from the TAT to Colorado Springs to ride Pikes Peak, I'd wanted to continue my journey west via the Old Stage/Gold Camp roads up to Victor and Cripple Creek (if you followed that journey you may recall that on my way east the roads from the other side were closed too due to bad weather), so it was a delight to finally get to ride them in dry and warm weather...


photo. Gold Camp Road is an easy graded dirt road (you could drive a car along it if you wanted), but nonetheless a both scenic and spectacular route through the mountains, climbing to around 10,000ft.


photo. Grassy Valley Gold Mine is vast - the operation so impressive that they even built a public viewing platform!


photo. Just on the other side of the hill, how it used to be done...

I stopped off at the tourist town of Cripple Creek for a coffee and bun, then headed south for Canon City down the CR-88/CR-9 dirt road - the one that I'd had to turn round on in 2015 due to a torrential flood across the concrete ford.


photo. The dedication of some people - building a three story house literally on the side of a cliff!


photo. You can see why though - Shelf Road (CR-88 & 9) is another stunning route through the mountains...


photo. The flooded ford from 2015 - dry as a bone now!


photo. Similarly this gate was locked last time - Country Road F25 through the Red Rock Park is excellent, with a few technical spots making it a proper 'trail' in places!

I hit highway 50 just west of Canon City, and elected to take a minor paved road to join the official TAT route a few miles south west, where it crosses hwy 69 just south of Cotopaxi (a traditional food and fuel stop on the TAT). Gulch Road is a delight - remote, twisty and almost traffic free, and passes close to the Royal Gorge Suspension Bridge and Park - should you wish to be relieved of quite a few dollars to cross one of the highest suspension bridges in the world!

Of course it turns out I'd also chosen to dovetail with one of the few sections of the TAT in Colorado that is actually paved, and rolled into Cotopaxi hungry for a bite to eat - fortunately their deli didn't disappoint!


photo. As I sat outside in the sun, eating my sandwich, I noticed dozens of eyes staring at me... bug eyes!

From Cotopaxi, the TAT actually continues north, but I had spied an alternative route south of highway 50 that looked promising... and like the sandwich earlier, ultimately it didn't disappoint either!


photo. Hayden Pass that crosses the Sangre De Christo Ridge is often overlooked, but a great alternative [to the TAT] if you don't plan to stop over in Salida...


photo. Just be aware that compared to the reasonably gentle climb up from the east, the west side is a lot steeper, rocky and straight down for a good distance - a little nerve-wracking on a loaded ADV bike for sure!


Having hit the highway (285) at Villa Grove late in the afternoon, I could now either head north on pavement and find a hotel in Salida (expensive), or else continue my exploration and elect to camp at some point along the trail instead - especially as I intended to ride some of the high passes to the west of Salida tomorrow anyway, before my rendezvous with Duke & Tami.


photo. Continuing on a minor paved road that soon turned to gravel at Bonanza, the wiggly trail ahead on my GPS screen looked very promising indeed - despite the odd hazard to be negotiated.


photo. Just over 11,000 ft here on the Toll Road Gulch trail.




photo. This is one of the best trails in the area; and even with the odd patch of mud, creek-crossings, rocks and roots, it's still perfect as a big[ger] bike route.

The trail once again dove-tailed with the [new/current] TAT route at Poncha Creek, and as it was getting dark now, again I considered heading for Salida and a warm bed somewhere. But hell, I'd had such a good day today, I really wanted to crown it off with a proper wild-camp somewhere - and knew there would be plenty of opportunity for dispersed camping along the creek...


photo. Crossing over Poncha Creek on the TAT route - it was nice to see my marker from 2015 was still here ;o)

However, I soon realised that at this time of year a lot of other people had had exactly the same idea, and nearly every established spot was full of a camper, or SUV and tent/s...

I continued along the creek (the TAT route actually follows the water course for a short distance here) and eventually found a quiet and remote spot up a short side trail, complete with a babbling brook nearby (for washing in), a fire-ring of stones, and a suitably level spot for my small tent.


photo. With the tent erected (got to get your priorities right), as the daylight started to fade I returned to the main trail and gathered some firewood.


photo. I also sacrificed a strip of my old oily jeans (yes, I couldn't bare to throw them away earlier that morning) as kindling for the campfire.


photo. My first wild-camp of this trip, and at over 9000ft no less!


photo. I brewed a cup of coffee, ate half another Clif bar, and finally fell into a deep and peaceful sleep.

More soon!

Jenny x

Day 32: Friday 14th July - Poncha Creek to Salida CO (104 miles)

"Old Friends"

If you are paying any attention to the headers of each diary post, then you'll probably think 104 miles today sounds a bit lame? - however, this is because I had previously arranged to stay overnight with friends in Salida this evening, so today was going to be all about having some fun in the mountains!

I'd slept surprisingly well (probably the thin air ;o), and perhaps most surprising of all was how warm it had been last night, out here in the forest at over 9000ft elevation -perhaps I could get into this summer camping lark after all?!

Typically I'd woken at sunrise (around 5.45am here at this time of year) - pottered about a bit, made coffee using the last of my Camelbak water, and eaten the other half of my last remaining Clif bar - planning on a proper breakfast once I'd cross over Marshall Pass and down into Sargents (again, another TAT stop on hwy 50) at the Tomichi Creek Trading Post. Despite this relatively leisurely start and the increasingly warm sunshine, my tent fly was still damp as I broke camp, so elected to strap it to the top of my luggage bag - hopefully to dry it out a little more as I rode along.

The run up to Marshall Pass was uneventful, and much as I remembered from my TAT ride two years previously. However, in not paying proper attention where a number of trails diverge at the summit, I started off in another direction before realising I wasn't actually on the TAT route anymore:


photo. Turns out my wrong turn was part of the Continental Divide trail, which is open to hikers, horses, bicycles and most importantly motorcycles too (just not those pesky ATVs and larger 4x4s)...

Now I was aware that my primary intention this week was to thread together a continuous trail from Colorado to California, but at the same time, this would be a great opportunity to poke around and see if there was a more 'technical' alternative to the main TAT route...


photo. Sure enough, the trail started to show signs of less regular use [by powered vehicles at least] although fortunately someone had cut suitable bike-sized slots in a series of fallen trees that otherwise blocked one particular section.

Despite my GPS hinting there might be an alternative trail that would rejoin the main TAT route further down the mountain, the reality was that after a few miles, it was clear that the only obvious trail [that was open] now led almost due south, in essentially the opposite direction to that which I really wanted to be heading - ie. breakfast.

The trail opened up across a huge alpine pasture, and climbed steeply to over 11,500ft, before dropping back into more forest:


photo. It was here that I finally elected to turn around and retrace my steps... ahead of me was a hundred yards or more of wet, muddy, rooty single-track - that led who knows where...

I don't like to give up, but a little voice was saying pancakes "Know when to quit...", and I have to say at this elevation, on a bike with almost a full tank of fuel and loaded with luggage, I didn't much fancy getting properly stuck I can tell you - especially when it was clear by now that this trail would not join up with the actual direction I wanted to be heading...


Back on the TAT, I remembered that the sign for Marshall Pass is actually a little further on from the summit coming up from Poncha Creek (it's actually where the easier Marshall Pass Road converges), and once again Piglet emerged from his papoose for a photograph:


photo. We've been here before Mama!

The downhill from the Pass is smooth and wide gravel and dirt, and you can bop along at a fair old lick here, so we did! Rolling into Sargents (more food and fuel is available here), I was keen to indulge in what would now be effectively Brunch - although ultimately I had to make do with vending machine hot chocolate and a restock of energy bars, as it turned out the restaurant chef had not turned up for work today... Denied!


The current TAT route crosses over the main highway here, and starts up the wide valley either side of Tomichi Creek, before crossing west over Black Sage Pass. However, I had other plans - not only did I want to add Old Monarch Pass to my tick-list, but I also wanted to revisit Tomichi Pass and Hancock Pass, which I first rode back in 2008 on my Yamaha XT660Z Tenere, when they were still part of the original TAT route.

note. In recent years, Sam Correro has essentially abandoned Hancock and Tomichi - they were usually ridden in that order, heading west from Salida - since they are not county maintained roads [and therefore not ploughed]; and coupled with the fact that there has also been a huge increase in 4x4 and SSV traffic, parts of both these trails are really quite chewed up and technical now - especially for TAT bikes with luggage.

I factored that if my CB500X (with luggage) could be ridden over Tomichi and Hancock without too much trouble, then it would categorically prove [to me at least] that what John and I had developed with the LEVEL 3 kit, effectively matched or even surpassed the off-road ability of the Tenere... well that was my motivation anyway!


photo. They are not kidding - Tomichi Pass has a number of sections that are strewn with baby-head rocks, a number of creek crossings and loose rocky sections that can easily catch out the unwary two-wheeler - especially heading in this direction [north/uphill].


photo. This gravestone at the tiny Tomichi Cemetery was particularly poignant - cause of death: killed by explosion.


photo. My first snow - just before the summit of Tomichi Pass (11,985ft).


photo. The view from the top, north east across the valley towards Hancock Pass.


photo. The scree slope on the north side of Tomichi Pass... not a lot of room for a Jeep these days...


photo. It had actually started to rain here (in fact it rained the last time I was here too as I recall), and I did pause to consider the initial climb up to Hancock... it is pretty steep, with more wet, loose, rocks.


photo. But I aired down, bit my lip, and the CB made it up of course!

The Far side of Hancock Pass was actually a LOT more chewed up than I recall from 2008 - a couple of sections actually reminded me of such hard-core trails in Moab like Pritchett Canyon and Top of the World. I was certainly glad to be heading downhill now, especially in all this rain.


photo. Heading out from Hancock to St. Elmo - I'm pretty sure everyone takes a photo of this old collapsing building!

It was a little after lunchtime and the rain was really coming down now - so much that I had no choice but to stop and put my waterproof over-trousers on again, even though my jeans and gloves were already soaking... I paused briefly outside St. Elmo to mark a GPS waypoint at the turn for Tincup Pass (I'd be coming back this way tomorrow to continue my 'High to Low' route track-logging), and fortunately it was only about 30 or so miles into Salida from here.

I arrived to a warm welcome at chez Sheppard, showered, laundered, and later that evening followed them downtown to the Boathouse Bar & restaurant - a regular venue for the Country-Americana duo:


photo. It was fantastic to finally see these guys playing live - especially after regularly listening to their latest album on my iPod this trip.

Pint & a Half are Duke & Tami Sheppard... (their names listed in size order ;o) Long-standing ADVrider inmates will be aware that Duke is actually the forum moderator Hayduke on there, and that his company Fat-Tees have supported a number of privateer Dakar racers over the years, most usually with the moto: Safety Third!

Rock and roll!

Jenny x

Day 33: Saturday 15th July - Salida CO to Lake City CO (184 miles)

"Divide - conquered"

Having only ever been through this part of Colorado slightly out of season, I was keen to ride as many [more] of the high passes as I could this time - especially as despite the harsh and prolonged winter, the past couple of weeks had seen a huge thaw in this region, and I was confident that even the highest crossing would now be free of snow...

I returned to my GPS mark from yesterday, so that I might thread a few more of these passes together as part of my ongoing route west. It's a steady climb from St. Elmo towards the historic goldmine town of Tincup, although the trail does deteriorate into rocky sections either side of the pass itself.


photo. It's easier on this east side, rougher on the far side - but at least I was heading downhill then...


photo. Aha - you see what I did there?


photo. Mirror Lake (on the way down towards Tincup) is at 11,000ft still... a popular fishing spot, with a campground nearby too.

Although the trail was rough in spots, on the whole going via Tincup is a far more pleasant option for ADV size motorcycles (compared to the Hancock/Tomichi pairing) if you're heading west - if anything the scenery is even more spectacular, while the town itself seems to have found a new lease of life these days as a rental ATV/SSV destination, with a number of bars and restaurants serving a good selection to hungry off-roaders...


photo. It's worth remembering that people actually live in Tincup too...


photo. Frenchy's looked like the best of the bunch... and I'm a sucker for a wooden bridge.


Photo. I ordered an al fresco lunch and watched the world go by - my 'Packmule' Sandwich a mountain of different meats and cheese in fried bread.

I wrapped the other half of my huge sandwich in some tin-foil and stuffed it into my backpack - as there would be little opportunity for food or fuel now until I reached Lake City - still a good distance away...

Tip-tapping on the GPS screen, it appeared I had two* options directly south of Tincup. According to my Garmin maps, Napoleon Pass was a through-route, and being appreciably higher that neighbouring (and far more popular being well-maintained) Cumberland Pass, I factored it was also likely to be the more challenging option - so started up there, perhaps a tad optimistically...

*actually three as it turned out!


photo. Initially the trail passes the old Tincup cemetery, then wiggles around an abandoned mine...

The trail started out easily enough - there had been a couple of entertaining creek crossings already, but as the trail started to climb into the forest, sections were now a little deeper underwater, and in general the surface became a lot more rocky...

photo. Most of the time there was a suitable 'bike line', but it soon became tedious...


photo. To be honest the trail would not be especially difficult on four-wheels, but on a bike it was tricky to maintain momentum in places.

After a couple more miles of this [apparently] not getting any better, I elected to call it quits... Not only was I way too full of fatty meat and melted cheese to want to battle the baby-heads; but the altitude (again over 11,000ft at this point) was compounding the amount of exertion required, and doubly so should I have the misfortune to actually have to pick my pick up.

Fundamentally though, since my goal was to plot an entertaining through-route all the way to Death Valley, I had to concede that this particular pass in this direction was not something most* people on an ADV size bike (especially one loaded with luggage) would actually enjoy...

*from a personal perspective, it is my intention to come back this way and try it in the other direction instead ;o)



Return to zero (the trip meter)...

Bumping back down the trail towards Tincup, Cumberland Pass was now the obvious route south towards Pitkin (and subsequently Waunita Hot Springs, where I planned to rejoin the TAT route again) - something I didn't particularly relish as the dirt road is like a highway here, with a lot of four-wheeled traffic that consequently kicks up a fair amount of dust.

Fortunately, Garmin came up with the goods again - initially directing me up what appeared to be minor side trail, but which turned out to be an excellent OHV route all the way up 'Tincup Gulch' that climbed sharply but steadily through the forest, and ultimately joined Cumberland Pass Road just before the summit. Definitely one to add to my list!


photo. The general store at Pitkin (for food and fuel) - complete with a trio of genuine good ol' boys!

Compared to the majestic passes I'd been riding these past couple of days, Waunita Pass (10,266ft) is blink and you'll miss it - I blinked and I did. The trail here is a well-graded gravel/dirt road through the forest, and I was breezing along and not paying all that much attention - so I can only imagine if there was a sign, it was masked by a parked vehicle at the side of the trail.

A few miles further south I dove-tailed with the current TAT route (coming down from Black Sage Pass), and before long I was crossing over hwy 50 at Doyleville and making good time on the wide open gravel road. Not far ahead was an entertaining alternative trail that I'd found during the Trans-Am 500 ride, and wanted to incorporate into this current itinerary, so selected my previous track-log in the GPS to use as a guide....


photo. The official TAT route just west of here is a wide gravel road - however, this side trail is an excellent alternative... If you're ever planning on passing by, don't pass - take it!

I'd forgotten just how good the Razor Dome route [CR 3120] is - a twisty winding two-track that follows a creek, climbs through woodland and then descends back towards the TAT across open meadows, and offers plenty of places to wild-camp should you wish.

This detour had buoyed my sense of adventure, and as I crossed over hwy 114, zoomed into the GPS screen to see what other treasures might also lie in store nearby... again, I was amazed how much dirt-road detail is included in the Garmin City Navigator maps in this area (and all over the US to be honest), and I was soon diverting once again up into the hills away from the main gravel through-route...

However, what I was confident ought to have been another simple detour loop off the main TAT route actually turned into a proper mini adventure... 'Poison Gulch' sounded promising, and climbed steadily into a dense forest. However once amongst the trees, the obvious/shortest route in the GPS back to the TAT was fenced over - and clearly had been for some time... The alternative (still in the Garmin I'd add) ended up being a convoluted and seemingly never-ending two-track through the forest, and at one point there was no option but to cross a huge peat-bog, that fortunately [having got off in good time and walked it first] was dry enough to support the weight of the CB - although it was still touch and go in places!

The weather was also looking pretty ominous - the wind had picked up now, there were dark clouds directly ahead, and it then began to drizzle once I'd emerged from the trees. Fortunately my GPS route eventually coincided with a wide forestry road, which doubled back and down towards the main TAT route, away from the worst of the storm ahead.


photo. Back on the TAT - I thought I was going to get properly wet at some point this afternoon, but fortunately the wind kept the storm moving away from my chosen route.

It had been a fun hour and a half or so, but also the perfect illustration of why Sam [Correro] chooses the trails that he does to make up the official TAT route. Ultimately there has to be a balance to keep you moving forward, while also trying to incorporate as much entertaining [trail] riding as you can, and on the whole I think the Trans-America Trail does a pretty good job of that. Certainly there are any number of alternative [and potentially more challenging] trails that could be incorporated all along the official route, but conversely that would mean you end up spending forever trying to cross the country, and most people simply don't have the time of course. Indeed, while some people feel they ought to stick resolutely to the official route instructions, even Sam himself suggests that the purpose of the TAT is more as a guide, and that there is nothing to stop you adding to or taking away certain sections to create your own personal adventure.


Certainly that is what I was doing on this particular section, and even though I've ridden across Los Pinos Pass a number of times now (in both directions), I never remember it being quite so scenic and dramatic as it was this early evening - the sun starting to slip down behind the San Juan Mountains ahead of me, the long shadows and recent rain bringing all the colours vividly to life.

I rolled into Lake City really rather later than ideal to find a hotel - and ultimately (this being a Saturday night) everywhere that wasn't already full was terribly expensive for what little it looked like you were getting... At least Lake City seemed to be a lot more busy than the last time I was here - admittedly in mid-October, 2008 - when everything had effectively shut down for the winter. Nowadays, Lake City is another bustling hub of tourist activity - with many more bars and restaurants (and hotels!) than I recall; and at this time of year the streets are overflowing with bikes, 4x4s, side-by-sides and other OHV vehicles.

I fuelled up, and decided to forfeit the opportunity of a warm bed, and instead continue a little further on my chosen route:


photo. Engineer Pass is part of the 'Alpine Loop' that links Lake City to Animas Forks/Silverton further west - Cinnamon Pass being the southern return.

There is a huge network of trails in the San Juan Mountains between Lake City in the east, Ouray and Telluride to the west, together with Silverton a little further south down the Million Dollar Highway (hwy 550) - another of those 'Gold roads' on the Butler maps of course, although riding those had not been on my mind particularly during these past fews days almost exclusively on dirt.

The official Trans-America Trail heads west on Cinnamon Pass, via Animas Forks and then over California Pass, Hurricane Pass and CorkScrew Pass all of which are in the region of 13,000ft. Those of you who followed my Trans-Am 500 ride may recall that while Cinnamon was open (the Alpine Loop tends to be ploughed early in the season, as it is so popular with tourists), I couldn't get through California (or subsequently Hurricane and Corkscrew) due to snow:


photo. mid-June 2015. California Pass (12,960ft) was still blocked... and I had to route north down Engineer Mountain Rd to Ouray as an alternative.

Being here almost a month later, I was confident I'd finally be able to ride that particular trio, along with Engineer Pass - another that had so far eluded me.

But first, I had to find somewhere to sleep tonight. The road to Engineer Pass leads due west straight out of Lake City, and all along it's length in any suitable camping spot were parked vehicles. I continued a good way up the valley, and eventually found a side trail that led to a clearing in the forest, complete with a series of make-shift fire-rings and some suitably level ground. This would do - far enough away from the road, but close enough to those others camping that hopefully any bears would be discouraged from visiting in the night. I had no food anyway to be honest - that mouldy left-over sandwich from lunchtime having long been devoured earlier in the afternoon.

More soon!

Jenny x

Day 34: Sunday 16th July - Lake City CO to 3-Step Hideaway UT (181 miles)

"Saving the best 'til last..."


photo. Another coffee and crunch-bar campsite breakfast.

I'd slept well and was packed and ready to leave by 7.45am, with the intention of making it as far as the Utah border this evening all being well... this early in the morning I pretty much had the trail to myself, and bopped along, taking in the scenery as the road deteriorated into trail, and wound higher and higher up the valley...


photo. What a stunning location for a holiday house!

Engineer Pass is not especially technical, not on this east side anyway - just a few sharp switchbacks with some loose rock a mile or so before the summit to contend with... however, this guys was not having so much luck:


photo. It might be 4wd, but 'high clearance' is actually more important on this particular trail...

As I came over a crest just before the summit, I could see a the rear end of a car - seemingly stuck, engine revving, going nowhere. An old gent was behind the wheel, while his two younger companions offered a series of increasingly desperate instructions, before doing their best to manhandle the vehicle backwards (and even forwards at one point I recall) in an effort to free it from the mire.

Of course it didn't work. Not only was the engine and transmission comprehensively bellied out, but the tyres had no purchase whatsoever, spinning all available power away (not sure if these have an axle diff-lock, if so, it was not engaged or they didn't know where it was.

Clearly there was nothing I could really do with a bike, other than to ride back down the mountain to that cabin I'd seen, and see if the owners would come up in their Jeep with a tow-rope... so off I went on my mission of mercy!


photo. The gate to the house was locked, but fortunately the occupants were on the terrace drinking coffee...

I have to say, it actually took quite a bit of convincing - this was a rental property (it's on AirB&B apparently!) and the occupants had also rented the Jeep, and clearly they were not particular experienced in either four-wheeling, or even towing a stricken vehicle. I assured them that all that was required would be a tug with a rope/strap on their respective tow-hitches to free the Subaru, and eventually the husband got behind the wheel and followed me back up the trail...

As it turned out, by the time we both arrived back at the scene, a Suzuki 4x4 had eventually come over the Pass in the opposite direction, and was in the process of effecting a recovery just as I had envisaged above. Before we all departed our separate ways, the owner of the Suzuki gave me a wink, and explained he'd recommended the Subaru crew not try and drive that particular vehicle any further west - as the Pass on the far side was more rough and rocky, with some tight switchbacks and serious drop offs. Of course from my perspective, I couldn't wait!


photo. apparently the highest point on the trail is actually 100' higher than the Engineer Pass sign itself, but the photo opportunity is better here ;o)


photo. This was the highest I'd been all week... and so far this trip!


The west side of Engineer Pass is barren and windswept - very dramatic, with panoramic views across the surround ranges and into the valley below...


photo. California Pass in the summer - hardly any snow at all by this time of year!

I breezed through Animas Forks and up California Pass in no time, pausing for the obligatory photo with Piglet of course:


photo. Just shy of 13,000ft, and the perfect weather to ride these high passes...

It was now mid-morning, and there was a steady stream of OHV traffic heading in the opposite direction - Jeeps and other 4x4s, ATVs and dozens of side-by-sides, plus a few dirt bikes...


photo. Halfway down the far side of Hurricane Pass - the uphill [four-wheeled] traffic was pretty busy here, although being on a bike there tended to be enough room to pass.


photo. This made me laugh - a crapper in the middle of nowhere... but what a location eh?


photo. Ha ha - sure enough they'd put a window in the far side so you could look at the view while you're doing the do!


photo. Corkscrew Pass didn't appear to have a sign, and again was busy with uphill traffic...


photo. ...including this little kid following a grown-up group up the trail - in fine style on a tiny smoker... ring a ding ding!

Corkscrew Pass spits you out at a huge OHV staging area on hwy 550, just a few miles south of Ouray. The TAT route heads uphill here, over Red Mountain Pass via a particularly epic section of the twisty Million Dollar Highway, where you continue west of Ophir Pass. An alternative is to take the infamous Black Bear Pass (and it's numerous switchbacks) downhill into Telluride, and pick up the TAT again west of Ophir.

First thing this morning I was all set to include Black Bear in today's itinerary - it's the most obvious route west from here (via Telluride) towards Utah, without heading unnecessarily south on the TAT first, but something was nagging me...

Subconsciously I must have been aware that on this sunny Sunday lunchtime, it was likely to be choc-full of 4x4s by now - and any resultant traffic jam would be compounded by the fact the trail was steep and narrow, and that 'lane-splitting' would probably be frowned upon by the frustrated four-wheelers. The fact it is also one-way (downhill towards Telluride) was also likely to limit any chance of passing slower traffic, and I didn't come all this way just to stare and the blacked-out arse-end of a frikkin' four-by - no offence fellas ;o)

If my subconscious would ultimately be doing my nerves a favour, then equally, my conscious was doing it's best to placate my grumbling stomach... It had been hours since that meagre breakfast-bar, and I knew of a great cafe in Ouray ('Roast & Toast' - which had just opened during my Trans-Am trip) that did a mean scrambled-egg and avocado sandwich - decision made!


photo. heading north down hwy 550 into Ouray - plenty of twisty turns in this direction too, and the promise of a decent meal!

Having succumb to the sense of foreboding about Black Bear Pass, I felt the alternative route into Telluride from Ouray would be equally impressive, if not actually moreso - since the mild weather in recent weeks meant that Imogene Pass - the highest in the region at 13,114ft - was also now open for the season. This had to be done!


photo. Starting from the Ouray end, Imogene Pass Rd (CR-26A) is a proper trail - with rocks, roots and a number of creek and river crossings... nice!


photo. As the trail started to climb more steeply, on the north side of the Pass there was still snow at the side of the trail...




photo. the view back down is magnificent!


photo. Finally over 13,000ft! You do start to get a little short of breath up here!


photo. The red scree slopes in the background are the other side of those facing Corkscrew Pass. note. I cannot confirm or deny that I may have had a Brian Griffin wee up here, but I'm sure I could hear CB500X owners from all four corners howl in deference ;o)


photo. At the official sign... Imogene had already exceeded my expectations - it was epic in every respect!


photo. If you're ever up here yourself, you might spot a Trans-Am 500 sticker...


photo. Sometimes you just have to play with the camera settings...


photo. Imogene offers an impressive view of the ski-town of Telluride in the valley below.


photo. There were still snow banks either side of the summit.


photo. As you descend the western side of Imogene Pass, you can see the switchbacks of Black Bear Pass across the valley.. sure enough, zooming in I could see a procession of 4x4s nose-to-tail along the terraces... Imogene good call Piglet.


photo. If you had the time, then coming down Black Bear (it's one-way downhill towards Telluride) and going back over the mountains via Imogene would be an exceptional day out!

To be honest, I didn't even stop for breath in Telluride - it was a busy tourist town on a Sunday afternoon... I did top off my fuel on the outskirts however, and took that opportunity to inhale an ice-cream as I plotted a series of intermediate waypoints that would take me back onto the dirt while heading pretty much due west for Utah. Without a doubt, that had to have been the best $4 I've ever spent on fuel - Engineer, California, Hurricane, Corkscrew and now Imogene Pass, all in one day!

cont.

cont.

Heading west for a short distance on hwy 145, initially I feared my luck had run out - as I turned south along Fall Creek towards the Lizard Head Wilderness, the rain came down with a vengeance - goodness it hadn't been this bad since Canada! - it was like hail in it's ferocity, and I was soon drenched, although I had managed to stop and don my waterproof over-pants at least. Fortunately it was reasonably warm rain - my main concern was more that the forest trails I was planning on riding would be soaked and undoubtably slimy by now...

However, by what can only be described as miraculous good fortune, as I climbed higher into the forest it appeared that the thunder storm had concentrated solely on the valley itself, and up here on Little Cone Rd everything was almost dry still - result!


photo. The La Sal mountains (UT) in the distance.

The transition from ten-thousand feet to desert was as seamless as I remembered from the TAT route someway further south, and I made good time once back on fast gravel roads towards hwy 141 which leads to Slick Rock, and just beyond, my destination for this evening - the 3-Step Hideaway, which is in the middle of nowhere, just over the State line in Utah.

In an effort to remain off paved roads as I had managed to do pretty much all day so far, I pressed 'shortest route' and picked up an interesting sandy two-track that according to my GPS offered a back-way into Utah across the Delores River, all the while heading in the general direction of the 3-Step Hideaway...


photo. 'Bald Eagle Rd' [CR-22] in the GPS also has a county road sign, but on the ground it appeared little used to be honest...

This was essentially my first time in the desert this trip, and it felt like the Honda was home again! Unfortunately, the joy was somewhat short-lived as after only a couple of miles, the trail faded to almost nothing before entering posted Private Property on the far side of a wire-gate fence. I'd come this far so took the gamble, particularly since I could see a similar exit gate only a couple of hundred yards away - and sure enough on the other side of the boundary was another county road sign, so considered I probably had a right of way here after all.

This two-track eventually T-boned with Gypsum Valley Rd (which also leads off hwy 141), and sure enough, the Garmin was encouraging me to stay on the dirt and follow my original plan to cross the Delores River a few miles further north... I just hoped there would actually be a bridge!


photo. And thank goodness there was!

Had I not already had an exceptional day trail riding, what followed was in my mind one of the best dirt road/trails in Utah (and I trust you appreciate I've already ridden a few ;o) - Island Mesa Rd could easily be considered as a pukka Rally Stage - fast and open (complete with African style scrubby bushes on either side of the trail), then sandy washes, rocky climbs and descents, all the while twisting and turning, complete with an appreciable elevation gain and associated stunning views back across the desert floor.



I took a moment to soak it all in, and honestly felt there would be no need to visit Moab this trip after-all - I had well and truly had my fill today!


More soon!

Jenny xx

Day 35: Monday 17th July - 3-Step Hideaway UT to Boulder UT (268 miles)

"Manic Monday"

I think I must have been the only person to ride the TAT in recent years that hasn't stopped off at the 3-Step Hideaway en route for Moab - and this was something I finally readdressed the previous evening:


photo. I have to admit, somewhat sheepishly that I have blasted past this sign at least once, and never realised it was here!

The 3-Step Hideaway's reputation as a 'must stop' on the TAT is well deserved - a renovated rancher's homestead that now features a series of cabins, tee-pees and camping facilities just a short way off the main TAT route south of the La Sal mountains, which is run by husband and wife team Julie & Scott who are both keen outdoor and trail-riding enthusiasts.


photo. The bathhouse building is beautifully appointed, with wonderfully warm showers, and features a wood-fired hot-tub!

The facilities are first-rate albeit simple - which I'm sure is the key attraction of the place. The whole homestead is completely self-sufficent - utilising solar power and their own water well (backed up by propane for the furnaces), and, well that is pretty much it! No phone signal, and only very modest internet (note. I didn't even ask at the time and it didn't seem appropriate somehow... but for info. I notice it is mentioned on their website). After such an intense day of riding, I was utterly content to just sit on a log stool outside my little cabin, airing out my tent and riding gear, marking up my maps by battery lantern and finally watching the sunset throw long shadows across the desert floor.

The next morning, mug of coffee in hand, Julie offered me an extended tour of the facilities - explaining how they are able to manage their limited [electrical power] resources successfully, including their refrigerated store room/s, laundry and even a full workshop - and how the homestead had evolved over the years. I have to say, such was the simplicity and serenity of the place it would have been so very easy to have just kicked back for another day or two... and I certainly intend to return next year for an extended stay!

But Piglet and I had a job in hand now - not least as we really wanted to be back on the California coast by Friday evening at the latest - and ahead of us lay many hundreds of miles of prime desert riding!


photo. this is the TAT route (in reverse) heading towards Monticello - that's the Abajo mountains on the left, and the La Sal mountains to the right.

I knew Monticello has a Subway and fuel (and a Wells Fargo bank/ATM if you're making notes) so was able to properly restock my supplies for the day ahead...


photo. Heading up into the Abajo mountains from Monticello - it's an easy graded dirt route right around the south side of the range...

I have ridden in this region on a couple of occasions before, but never been all the way through the mountains - since typically as with my forays into neighbouring Colorado I've always been a little out of season - and here too the roads and trails are typically blocked with snow, or at least way too wet and muddy to be any kind of fun on a motorcycle.

This time of year was perfect though - the elevation (up to 10,000ft again) meant it was cool[er] compared to the surrounding desert, and the views across southern Utah as impressive as ever:




photo. Initially I thought this girl loves her chubby guy... but then it could also be Melania finally throttling the Donald! ;o)


photo. I have a very similar photo from 2009 when I rode my Tenere along this same trail...

edit. found it!


I'd already ridden 120 miles of dirt by the time I rolled into the marina (gas station and store) at Hite at the head of Lake Powell. In the past fuel availability in this area has always been a bit sketchy, but now the pumps here are 24h, which is good news for anyone not wanting to divert too far off the main through route... Mind you, despite ragging the CB along on the fast dirt trails all morning, I only managed to squeeze a miserly 1.3 gallons into the tank before I set off again!




photo. Lake Powell is finally filling up again after many years of low water...

I don't have a copy of the G1 Butler Map for Utah (only their BDR map - hint hint ;o), but I imagine the section of highway 95 just north of Lake Powell is another of those Gold sections - twisty and remote, with minimal traffic and stunning views both up and back down the Devil River canyon.

My plan for the rest of the afternoon was to ride an alternative dirt/trail route to that which I've taken when heading west before in this area, and once again I found myself climbing to much higher elevation over Bear Creek Pass (10,500ft) in the Henry Mountains...




photo. Wickiup Pass (9200ft) is at the intersection of another trail running north - a great option if you wanted to loop back north past Goblin Valley State Park and Temple Mountain, and pick up the official TAT route west of Green River for example? Either way, the level ground around this pass would make a lovely camping spot too!


photo. The view back north and east from Bear Creek Pass (10,500ft) - I was lucky to dodge that rainstorm!


photo. Still at high elevation, at one point a herd of buffalo thundered across the trail ahead of me... I hope I caught it on my GoPro!

While the ride up to the summit was not especially taxing and you could even begin to admire the view, once I descended the west side of the range, it was back into the desert and some very deep sandy sections that immediately re-concentrated the mind - and required full-commitment if you weren't to end up unceremoniously dumped into the soft powdered fesh fesh.


photo. Another strange Utah rock formation - this looked like a sleeping lion to me?


photo. I love riding in the desert in early evening...


photo. My route rejoined the Burr Trail at the base of the switchbacks... note. that's the Henry Mountains (that I'd crossed earlier) in the distance.

The race was now on to reach Boulder (the nearest town with the possibility of any accommodation) before nightfall, and fortunately the Burr Trail turns to single-lane pavement a few miles further west of here...


photo. I've also got a photo of my Tenere at pretty much this exact spot too!

Ultimately, I decided to forfeit the last few miles into town and the risk of hunting for an [potentially overpriced] motel in the dark, and dipped into a BLM campground at the side of the road instead. It was small, but an excellent facility - a vault toilet and just seven small secluded sites, each complete with a bench, a fire-pit, and raised sand bed on which to pitch your tent. Perfect!

More soon...

Jx

Day 36: Tuesday 18th July - Boulder UT to Mesquite NV (279 miles)

"Casino Royale"

I fumbled around camp feeling particularly pleased with myself this morning... not just the fact that I'd probably saved myself at least $80 be electing to camp last night (vitally important by this stage of the trip, as I'd been hemorraging money on hotels all the way along this time - sadly prices ain't what they used to be... even as recently as 2015), but that it was a really nice location, shady and peaceful and right on the trail too. I also considered that this was probably going to the be the last time I camped during this trip, so wanted to make the most of it!


photo. These sand-boxes are a great idea - it's like sleeping on a beach!

Having finally packed my [dry!] things away, I then utilised the rockery to clean and oil my chain again:


photo. Fred Flintstone centre-stand...


photo. Look after your chain and it will look after you!

Despite this somewhat leisurely morning, I was back on the road in plenty of time to find somewhere for breakfast - dipped into Boulder (6 miles up the road) to check out the facilities (food, fuel and a couple of motels after all), but ultimately elected to continue further west on a particularly scenic section of hwy 12 that traverses the Grand Staircase National Monument, en route for a coffee shop in Escalante with which I'd been previously acquainted...


photo. This particular section of Utah's 'All American Road' (hwy 12) is fantastic at any time of day...




photo. Undoubtably another Butler 'Gold road' for sure!

I was all set to stop at my previous coffee spot, when I spied a colourful chalk-board sign outside 'The Merc' organic grocery store, advertising smoothies and coffee... well that was all the incentive I needed to try somewhere new!


photo. Front of house it was all hand-made soaps and other smelly stuff; and out back, a well-stocked store full of yummy treats and wholesome produce!

I presumed I must have arrived just moments after opening, as I was told somewhat curtly to make myself at home before the owner promptly disappeared, with no hint of when they might actually return. Initially I wandered through the store, ogled longingly at the cabinet full of fresh pastries, then sat at the table twiddling my thumbs for what ended up being about ten minutes with no hint of activity anywhere!

Eventually, when I'd all but decided to gather up my things and quietly leave, she finally burst back in with my coffee, swiftly followed by an assistant carrying a huge berry smoothie... this was more like it! She then proceeded to fuss all around the store with her brow-beaten assistant in tow, and I couldn't help but smirk to myself when some minutes later, a young couple walked in the door - having been similarly swayed by the chalk-board outside - and asked the see the smoothie menu: "Watch my mouth very closely" the owner replied rather sternly - before proceeding to list the various ingredients they had on offer today... I'm still not sure they actually appreciated this bizarre brand of sarcasm!


Escalante is the jumping off point for a number of fantastic long-distance dirt roads and trails in the area. To the south east there is the famous Hole-in-the-Rock Road that stretches for fifty-five miles to the top of Lake Powell, and is where there used to be a wagon train crossing of the Colorado River, before Glen Canyon was flooded to form part of Lake Powell.

To the north is the Hell's Backbone Road (those of you who followed the CBXpo ride report last year may recall Harold, Juan and myself rode this, before almost freezing to death camping in Brice Canyon!) - on the whole an easy going gravel road through the forest that runs a ring around the "Box Death Hollow Wilderness" (that name conjures up all manner of images doesn't it?!), the highlight of which is a narrow bridge crossing over 'Hell's Backbone' itself - a knife edge ridge with fifteen hundred feet straight down the cliffs on either side!

Meanwhile, due south of Escalante is one of my favourite roads/trails in the whole of Utah (again, Harold, Juan and I rode this last year heading north towards Escalante - see the link above) Smoky Mountain Road - and as such would be more that worthy of inclusion in my 'High to Low' through-route this year, were it not for the fact that it would take around half a day to ride the 80 miles of dirt south towards Page AZ before having to work my way back north again over a similar distance on Cottonwood Canyon Rd, before I could pick up my intended [more direct] south-westerly route today...

So I continued west for a few more miles on scenic hwy 12 (still a beautiful ride in itself of course) to Cannonville, and picked up the dirt again there...


photo. The trail actually crosses Bull Valley Gorge on a narrow [unfenced] dirt 'bridge'... it doesn't look so deep here does it? - look again at the photo and see the size of the people in the background!


photo. Lunchtime, so it must be pie time!

Mt Carmel Junction is the intersection for Zion National Park - and hwy 9 here (and other 'Gold road' for sure) is a fantastic paved route west - although being a National Park of course there is an entry fee, even if passing straight through.

Since I intended to stay on dirt as much as possible now, I elected to head south for the Arizona border, and then pick up the network of dirt roads and trails that criss-cross the desert north of the Grand Canyon. It is a region I've passed through before, so kind of knew what to expect - but none the less, it would still be a remote and potentially challenging series of sandy desert dirt roads, particularly if the surface was at all wet.

Mind you, right about now some rain would actually have been a welcome relief... It was in the high 90°s here in south west Utah, and I'd spotted a sandy two-track just south of Mt. Carmel Junction that looked enticing to say the least - especially as it appeared to link to my intended route across the State-line a few miles further south...


photo. Initially a fun series of creek crossings and soft sandy two-track, following the course of the East Fork Virgin River...


photo. This is where it started to get a lot less fun - just through the trees here was a steep 100yd climb of soft sand, already chewed up by ATVs and SSVs - impossible.

I looked at the sand bank ahead of me - a hundred yards of soft loose sand, at a good 20% grade... I don't know why I even bothered to be honest, I was already sweating profusely after manhandling the bike up a previous shorter sandy climb where the rear wheel had started to dig in.

I unclipped my Coyote bag, and also discarded my jacket nearby. Aired down my rear tyre, wheeled the bike back to the edge of the river crossing, then jumped back on and attacked the slope at full throttle in 2nd gear... nope, still not a chance. Less than half the way up the initial climb bike started to dig down, and before long I was paddling along in a vain attempt to try and maintain some sort of grip and momentum, and perhaps pop back out of this trench I was digging...

As the trail got steeper, inevitably I ground to a halt - although at least I'd had the sense to let off the throttle before the bike totally buried itself. Since I'd managed to make it this far, I figured I might as well walk up the hill a little further just to see if trying again would be worth the associated effort, and to my dismay realised that this was just the first ascent - there was actually a 90° corner followed by an even steeper section of sand to navigate.

It wasn't even worth having another attempt. I dragged the bike around on the soft sandy slope, and picked a haphazard line back down the hill to where I'd left my gear. Somewhat dejected, I marked this waypoint with the skull & crossbones symbol in my GPS, and the name "Know when to quit #2" - although similar to my abandonment of Napoleon Pass in Colorado a few days earlier, I would like to come back this way one day and perhaps try it in the other direction - ie. downhill!

So it was back to my original plan after all. I returned to Mt. Carmel Junction, reset my trip meter, topped off my fuel and drinking water, and embarked on a necessary sugar influx before setting off again for Arizona, and would see how far I could get now - having wasted what had been a good hour & a half messing around in that damn sandy canyon!


photo. Having crossed over hwy 389 near Colorado City AZ, I'd plotted a route in my GPS using a series of intermediate waypoints on the network of country roads that cross the desert. This mile-marker was a good indication of just how far I'd have to ride before seeing tarmac and civilisation again!


photo. I love these smooth winding desert dirt roads...

I was making good time - despite heading due west now in the late afternoon, the sun was still high enough in the sky not to be too dazzling, and the GPS guided me through each trail intersection just as if these were paved roads. After a while I passed through a burn area that I recalled from almost ten years ago, although at least there were hints of new growth in this harsh and barren landscape.

Certainly the trails here seemed little used - barely any trace of vehicles at all to be honest, although as the trail got more sandy, I noticed what looked like a recent pair of four-wheeled tyre tracks in the softer surface. This was encouraging, as it suggested this was currently a through-route at least...


photo. Although this is desert, rainstorms and flash-floods can happen at any time, and certainly this section had seen some recent bad weather...




photo. The single set of tyre tracks gave me confidence that this particular vehicle had not needed to turn around at least...

I continued to pick my way gingerly around the worst of the wash-outs and avoid the darker softer quick-sand sections, only to find that the vehicle (and trailer) that had been making these tracks all along, was now parked at the side of the road just before a huge flooded section that spanned the entire width of the trail...

There seemed to be no sign of life, and as I approached, noticed a second set of tyre tracks, more narrow than the first - and sure enough, it appeared the truck owner had abandoned his pick-up and continued on an ATV - at this particular point picking a line through the scrub alongside the main trail... so I too hopped up the bank and followed his lead around the flooded trail.


photo. Back on the main road, the ATV tracks continued to give me hope of a successful passage!


photo. Joshua trees - how I've missed you this trip!

Although the ATV tracks eventually disappeared (I can only presume they turned off on a side trail for hunting or camping), the trail itself continued to improve, and as the sun began to drop behind the mountains ahead, my route turned more northwards and headed for Mesquite - a shabby casino town on I15, just over the State-line in Nevada.


photo. As I crossed over the final pass, the trail improved into a graded gravel road... just what I needed at this late hour.




photo. As I got closer and closer to Mesquite, so the sunset became more and more magnificent...



Having stopped time and again to capture this series of images, it was now pitch black when I finally rolled into the outskirts of town - but grateful that what I'd originally dismissed as having wasted time earlier in the afternoon meant I was now able to witness one of the most spectacular sunsets I think I have ever seen!

This elation was even enough to carry me through a tedious wait amongst the hordes in McDonalds (I know, but needs must - 3G was sketchy here so I wanted their wifi) - and in what would turn out to be the perfect end to the day, I managed to land a luxury room in a brand new resort hotel situated on the other side of town, for just $40!!!

One thing is for sure, I was going to sleep well tonight!

More soon...

Jenny x

Day 37: Wednesday 19th July - Mesquite NV to Las Vegas NV (157 miles)

"Mormon on and on..."


Today would be a short day in comparison to the past week - I'd arranged to stop over in Las Vegas and see some friends this evening, so this morning all I really had to do was pick a slightly more interesting route than simply shlepping down the I15 for an hour or so to make my way south.

I had two options, and with hindsight, I probably chose the wrong one...

The first was to head down the highway and turn off through the Valley of Fire State Park, then take the Bitter Springs Backcountry Byway - which I'd only ever ridden once before, back in 2007 (in fact if you skip back to the beginning of this thread, you'll see a photo of the Tarantula I spied on the trail there), but recall was a lot of fun. The only downside was the need to pay to enter the Valley of Fire, and most likely again to exit the Lake Mead National Recreation Area on my way into Vegas; and cheapskate that I am, so far I'd managed to avoid all areas with park fees while compiling this 'High to Low' route...

So the alternative, and arguably more appropriate route to take if heading [directly] west towards Death Valley, was the Mormon Well Rd - which cuts through the mountains directly north of Las Vegas and spits you out almost opposite the road to Wheeler Pass, which in turn leads on to Pahrump NV.

Either way I was going to have to endure a few miles of the Interstate first, and ultimately elected to keep my money from The Man, and to maximise the amount of dirt riding instead...

Mormon Well Rd is a very remote rocky road that links hwy 93 to hwy 95 - neatly avoiding the bun-fight that is every major route in and out of the Las Vegas basin. Once you're on it, you pretty much follow your nose for sixty miles or so - there are a few camping spots along the way, and the odd fun technical section where you cross through a dry wash or two; but on the whole, it is just a long and rough rocky road. I have to admit, for the first time since leaving Colorado Springs, I actually began to feel I was riding [this particular section of] dirt just for the sake of it... it was definitely time to take a break.


photo. The end of the road (or the beginning of course) - Mormon Wells Road is a great way to continue west over Wheeler Pass to Pahrump (and Death Valley) while avoiding Las Vegas completely, should you wish...

I rolled into north Las Vegas on autopilot, and dropped by a familiar dealer to pick up some fresh rear brake pads:


photo. I'm pretty sure they would have got me home, but it made sense to change them now since I had the opportunity.

The rest of the afternoon and most of the night was spent catching up with some good friends at their new home south of the city, where once again I was able to recharge my batteries both literally and metaphorically.

As my head hit the pillow, I realised that this trip was all but over now - after all, technically it was only a day's ride [on the highway] to San Jose from here - although personally I needed to complete my dirt route to Death Valley first of course, and had also penciled-in a new to me alternative route for my ongoing journey across the southern Sierras.

Jx

Day 38: Thursday 20th July - Las Vegas NV to Ridgecrest CA (225 miles)

"Into the valley of Death!"

There would be little chance of making it the whole way home this evening, especially if I stuck to my tentative plan to actually continue my ride through Butte Valley and Mengal Pass once I'd arrived in Death Valley, rather than stick to the paved [and much longer] road option. So this was all the excuse I needed to have a leisurely breakfast, sort the brakes on my bike, and pack my gear that save my toothbrush and a fresh set of underwear, would be for the final time this trip.

I rolled out of town along Blue Diamond Rd (a huge multi-lane highway these days) - which leads over the Spring Mountains to Pahrump, although I of course had a slightly different route in mind - soon picking up a familiar rocky trail south towards Goodsprings, then west on faster gravel to Sandy Valley, before ultimately embarking on a faint sandy two-track across the desert towards Tecopa Hot Springs.


photo. Heading north from Tecopa towards Shoshone, in search of a late lunch...


photo. ...and I found it right here, at the Crowbar Saloon - a tasty burger and a huge iced Coke.

It was mid-afternoon now, and the heat was intense - it was 110° in Shoshone. I'd long since removed and strapped my jacket to the top of my luggage, so the air-conditioning inside the restaurant an utter relief to my now sun-baked skin. I stretched out my second glass of cola for as long as I could, really not wanting to go back outside into the searing heat of the afternoon...

Eventually I had no choice, climbed back on board in my short-sleeves, and finally dipped below sea-level at bang-on 4pm. It was still hellishly hot, perhaps even moreso here - certainly as I descended into Badwater Basin from the relative cool of Jubilee Pass, you could feel the temperature climb right back up again with every few feet drop in elevation...


photo. My elected 'finish' point would be the southern end of West Side Rd that runs up the middle of Badwater Basin, and where you can ride/drive at around 250ft below sea-level.


photo. I considered this junction the official 'Highest* to Lowest' finish point: -224ft below sea level... Rather handily it is also the start of Warm Springs [Canyon] Rd that leads to Mengal Pass.

*This is probably as good a point as any to reveal my geographical ignorance - it turns out that Pikes Peak is NOT the highest 'motorable' road in the USA after all - that honour actually goes to the Mt Evans Rd (Scenic Byway) just west of Denver Colorado... and therefore technically this whole undertaking has now been utterly in vain... ;o)

So with this particular challenge completed, what was I going to do now? Ripping up West Side Rd is always fun, and the paved-road ride from Furnace Creek past Stovepipe Wells and over the pass into Panamint Valley is wonderfully scenic. However, this was also an awfully long way round, especially when my goal was to reach Trona and hopefully continue on to Ridgecrest before dark.

Of course, I was going to carry on due west on the dirt wasn't I... ;o) Fortunately I have become pretty familiar with this trail over the years, so factored there would be no nasty surprises, and the only potentially challenging section would be navigating my loaded bike up the rocky side of Mengal Pass itself...


photo. Striped Butte in the afternoon sun... You may recall from the CBXpo ride report that Harold, Juan and I spent a night in the Geologist's Cabin just up the trail from here - a stunning location!


photo. Heading up the east (nasty) side of Mengal Pass...


photo. It's easier than herding cats... and I was especially pleased they eventually lined up in the correct size order too!


photo. The exit of Golar Wash into Panamint Valley beyond.

Although I'd made great time though the pass itself, there was still sixty or so miles to go until Ridgecrest, and if I'm honest I thought my luck might start to run out if I attempted to continue on the Fish Canyon/Escape Trail directly across the valley from here. Certainly it's worth noting that while the Escape Trail is not especially difficult, there is one steep and very loose and rocky section of about 100 yards that I would need to climb when heading in this direction - and that a failed attempt would at the very least require a lot of physical exertion to recover from. I'll admit I didn't much fancy that after everything else I'd endured today.

Instead I headed north on the wide and dusty Wingate Rd to the ghost-town of Ballerat (pop. 3) - there was no sign of anyone, despite the store door being wide open (no air-conditioning here!), and while I would have left at least a couple of bucks on the counter for a cold can of pop, the ancient refrigerator was also propped open and the meagre contents room-temperature at best, so I left empty-handed... denied!

Back on the highway, it was a lovely run down the valley to Trona - the sun slipping away over my right shoulder, and the Honda just humming along. A quick stop for fuel and ice cream, then on again into the night. We're nearly home Piglet.

More soon...

Jenny x

Day 39: Friday 21st July - Ridgecrest CA to San Jose CA (382 miles)

"Home fried"

By hook or by crook, I was going to make it home this evening - but I was also going to do my best to have one last hurrah on both the dirt and some minor paved roads in between!

Despite a penchant for waffles (particularly ones I've poured myself into a flip-flop machine) it is actually French Toast that has been my cooked breakfast of choice this trip. Fortunately there is a reasonable restaurant just across the road from the Motel-6 in Ridgecrest, so other than a couple more gas-stops today, I'd figured I use up the last of my budget and go out in fine fluffy sugar-coated style!

My plan was to pick up the dirt again a few miles south west of town, using the network of dirt-roads and trails that pass through the huge Jawbone OHV area just off hwy 14 (which cuts across the Mojave desert north of the Edwards Airforce Base) and eventually connects to hwy 178 around Lake Isabella.

Jawbone Canyon Rd is fast and wide, and sometimes sandy - with plenty of OHV options to each side should you feel so inclined.


photo. Warning, nerdy photographer alert: The windmills were actually rotating, and I was particularly pleased that I eventually managed to catch them all in the same position!

Once past Kelso Valley (note. there is an alternative dirt road north from here to Weldon at the east end of Lake Issabella), the road becomes much more narrow and trail-like as it climbs quickly via a series of tight sandy switchbacks to over 8000ft at the summit, before morphing in to Saddle Springs Rd for the final decent towards the western end of the lake - a smooth, easy, twisty and scenic way to end on a high!


photo. Lake Isabella in the distance - the fug in the air is actually smoke from a series of forest fires to the north, in the Sequoia National Forest.

While the dirt may have been over, there was still another treat or two in store - just a few miles north of Lake Isabella is a whole host of red and gold routes on the Butler map for Southern California (yep, I'd remembered to bring that one with me, just in case!). I elected to play it safe and head west away from the burn-zone, and happened on the utterly epic hwy 155 (Butler mark it Red, personally speaking I think they sell it short!), which reminded me very much of the Tail of the Dragon (hwy 129) between North Carolina and Tennessee.

Even the minor roads they don't highlight in this area are fantastic - I let the GPS direct me diagonally on some twisty rural back-roads to Porterville, where I eventually picked up a series of increasingly major highways, before the inevitable shlep with the herd up hwy 99 - an interstate in all but name.


photo. Cutting across the Central Valley on hwy 152.

Rolling into the south Bay Area at going home time, I was eternally grateful to be heading in the opposite direction to the sea of commuter traffic on the other side of the road - the perfect metaphor for anyone who likes to take the road less travelled perhaps...

As I unlocked the garage door and rolled my bike inside, I noticed the odometer was now just shy of 11,000 miles since it was last parked here.

Five and a half weeks doesn't sound all that long in the grand scheme of things, but just looking back at all the photos in my camera (and that I'd already started to post here on this thread of course) it was almost like a whole other time now - riding the BDR with the guys in Washington felt like a lifetime ago... visiting Twin Peaks, followed by that incessant rain in Canada... embarking on my 'Trans-Montana Trail' project, then riding the best of the Black Hills... Spending July the 4th on the shore of Lake Superior... Meeting all those fantasic people at the Overland Adventure Rally... Nailing another Iron-Butt (and more) just because the Honda meant I could... Then perhaps the most ambitious and rewarding element of all - riding more than dozen high passes in Colorado as part of my ongoing dual-sport journey west all the way to Death Valley.

It had been so intense, I'd seen so much, and so much had happened day after day in between - this trip had invigorated me once again.

I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did riding it!

Toot toot for now...

Jenny xx

Jenny, great trip report, a noce pictorial way to spend a couple of lunch breaks adventuring from the desk.

The route looks amazing and it seems the bike is fully sorted for this kind of travel.

I will be intersted to see what you think of the GS310 and how it compares, I loved my tenere but always found it a bit wide and top heavy as I am of short leg.

Good to see you are traveling light just goes to show how much extra unescesarry kit people haul around hampering theor off road excursions

She mentions the CB a bit in her RR of the TAT she just completed this week over on ADVr. Seems the CB is just as capable on that same trip and and would have been much more comfortable.

To clarify, I have only been riding the eastern end of the TAT so far this trip, followed by a huge highway shlep across the country to meet commitments in Arizona last weekend, and am currently back home in California planning the next stage of my assault on the countryside on this side of the continent...

In that context, the CB500X is more comfortable as a long-distance multi-day cross-country machine (as you might expect, having a more powerful twin-cylinder engine), but I've yet to really put the GS through it's paces in more serious and technical off-road terrain to be able to make a full comparison.

In that regard I'll be heading back east again next week, via Death Valley en route to Overland Expo West in Arizona, then the following week heading to Moab UT to ride some more demanding off-road terrain there.

You'd all be welcome to follow my progress via the running ride-report "Beemer Beemer chicken deener" over on ADVrider of course ;o)

Jenny x