2012 UT/ID/OR 2300mi 11d Outback Ride via UTBDR, T2, OBDR

[dvwalker]

Pre-log
As a long time forum RR lurker, this will be my first attempt at a ride report. As will be obvious, I’m not a professional blogger or vendor sponsored rider, just a normal working stiff that loves to ride dirt and has been inspired by several inmates on this forum.

During winter of 2011, I learned about Touratech’s plan to conceive a 800 mile Utah Backcountry Discovery Route, known as the UTBDR. The red rock formations of southern Utah have always held a special place in my heart growing up watching the old american westerns. Following a Washington Backcountry Discovery (WABDR) ride the previous fall, I was immediately interested and began spending spare winter hours in Garmin Basecamp and Google Earth drafting out an interesting one-way off road route from southern Utah back to Portland, OR.

The primary planned route segments would be comprised of available tracks from Touratech’s UTBDR and Martin’s Tour of Idaho’s T2 and ORBDR. I also wanted to include visits to the B-24 crash site near Denio Jct NV (inspired by Hodakaguy), and various hotspring's in OR. Now, I just needed to join the segments with interesting connectors, side trips, gas, camping, etc

The Plan:

• Sept 10th 2012 start (after the kids are back in school, desert heat has cooled, and bugs are less plenty)
• 11 days
• 2300 + miles (Mexican Hat Utah to Portland OR)
• 2 bikes
• Possible tire change in Pocatello ID
• split camping and hoteling

The Route Map: (GPS file download instructions in post #5)