Utalorado 2014 – The Over-Ambitious Loop (3 Wr250R’s vs. a KTM 500XCW)

In reading other ride reports the adventure became Epic when the people faced a struggle and pressed on despite the odds. This is how I felt on both day 2 and part of 3. We were like a band of brothers overcoming one obstacle after another and no one was going to leave the other behind. Despite the nausea and exhaustion I was feeling awesome. This trip had become Epic for me.

I was also having the opportunity to put the ktm 500 to the test. It never coughed, hesitated, or struggled despite the steep climbs at high elevation. For me (which is extremely relative) it is the perfect adventure bike for those who want to spend most of there days far off the beaten path.

Hey man, for coming up and doing one trip a year, you do it right! I live and breath the Utah desert as well as the high altitudes and in my opinion, you guys are on the right track for what I consider a good ride. Don't be afraid to ditch the tents and sleep under the stars. I think you'll find it quite liberating.

I don't spend all that much time here on ADVtalker but SUBSCRIBED

Cool RR! Very much my style, so I appreciate the "shoot from the hip" mentality. The teamwork is great to see as well. I'm hooked!

Around midnight I remember waking up to the sound of Richard hacking up a lung. It was one of those super deep, ragged coughs where you sorta expected to hear some vomiting going on with it . I asked him if he was dying, and he said he was feeling pretty queasy – that made me feel better… It’s best not to have to suffer alone . I could hear Lawson snoring occasionally, so I knew he was still alive, and Terry… well he’s a stallion, and I figured he was being kept well by the aura of the mighty KTM. Well, that and the P90x that he claims to do …

Anyhow… I tossed endlessly, biting off maybe 30 minutes of the night at a time – one of the longest nights I can remember. By the time 5am rolled around, I had to get out of the tent. I was having a sort of claustrophobic/vertigo sensation thing going on, so I sat outside against a rock for an hour or so while taking some pictures and video, and trying to not puke while eating a breakfast bar .



I had figured that everyone would be up pretty much at first light, and ready to get off the Mesa, but even though they were not sleeping well, they were still giving it the ol’ college try .




I also just kept thinking about how much further behind schedule we were getting. We had only made 90 miles yesterday, and I knew it was gonna take several hours to get off the Mesa – we needed to be moving .




I go ahead and start tearing town my stuff and packing up. I got over to start my bike, and it’s got barely enough juice to cycle the fuel pump – no starty . Great, pretty much exactly what I wanted to do first thing – pop start the bike. So, with all the reserve energy that I had accrued overnight spent, I got the bike pop-started and kept it running on the second attempt. My concern now was if the battery would charge, so that I would be able to restart it when I stalled it half a million times trying to get up the final climb – I guess we’ll see.

So, by the time I got through struggling with that mess, the guys were up and milling around. And by about 10:15 we were finally ready to start the final climb – an agonizingly slow start (especially if you’d been up since 5am).




Of course, we sent Terry up first – if he or his bike can’t make it, then we might as well give up now. But in about 28 seconds he has reached the top. Richard followed behind, needing on a push here or there. Lawson’s next. I remind him to just commit, and stay in it… He makes it a decent way up the first section before getting bounced off the trail, and with some lifting and pushing; we eventually get his bike to the top. I’m last, which sometimes isn’t a bad thing. You get to see which lines work, and whatnot, but for me, on this trail, at this elevation it was counterproductive.


My WR250r is completely stock engine wise. I have 14/50 gearing which helps a ton, but you can only do so much when your bike is starving for air and having trouble making any power. Richard and Lawson’s WR’s have the airbox mod, fuel programmer, and pipe. If I watch their bikes struggle to climb, then it just leaves me with a feeble attitude, and a damning sense on the outcome of my attempt .

The only thing that helps is momentum - a running start.




And since it worked so well last time (it didn’t)… I thought I’d try it again.

I get bounced off to the left of the trail…




And ramp off a rock on my back onto the trail…



Which ended like so many of you figured…



Looking ahead at the trail, Terry points out a couple of crux spots.



This guy is getting worn out "riding" with us !



I continue up with Terry and Lawson staged at specific points where I might need a push .



And it was right after I cleared the rock garden,




And thought I was home free…




When I officially reached the limit of what a stock WR250R is capable of (with 40 pounds of camping stuff).

It’s somewhere between 12,000’-12,500’ elevation on a trail with about a 30 degree slope .

At wide open throttle the little thumper was gradually slowing down as I continued to climb, until all forward motion was stopped, and a little backwards action started to happen.

Richard runs down to help stop the bike, as it’s starting to slip backwards with both breaks locked.




And with plenty of help, and slipping of the clutch, I eventually make it to the top of the trail.




We made it .

It wasn’t pretty, but it didn’t need to be. The views from up here more than made up for our ugly ascent.





Next up.... Our ride across the Mesa -- And they say... "what goes up, eventually must come back down" .


More Day 3 coming up...




Jordan

This is the sheeeeeeeeet!! All In

jglow

Would 13/50 have done the trick?

I run 14/50 as well, but figured if I was going to be riding up high for a long period I would use a 13/50.

Big Dog has a saying along the lines of "It takes 12 HP to go around the world. Any more is just wheel spin."

It looks like you're validating his saying - a stock WR has about 15 HP at 12,000 ft.

Ian

Big Dog is now riding a Ktm 690 so he may have changed his mind.

Wow, this ride looks like a fun afternoon ride with time to rest before and after. But you had to find out how much is really left in your (energy) tank after you thought it was empty.

My hat is off to you gents. Thanks for sharing it.

Great job on the RR !

I laughed when I saw this. I think half of the WR250R sales are because of him and his awesome RR's

Yup only 2 bikes to own, a WRR or a 950/990.

Thanks to Big Dog on the WRR and The Wans for the 990.

Have to give Paul and Jglow an atta boy also for there riding achievements!

Lovin the pictures and videos are supa-sweet! Keep it coming fellas.

I've read your Ride Reports over the last few years, and I think about your minimalist traveling every time I'm loading down the bike with too much stuff I "need" . Every year I do pack less and lighter, and if we keep on riding hard and harder trails, it may be necessary to dump the camping gear and just throw down under the starts .



Jordan

Another great ride report from you guys! After borrowing tracks from your Ultimate Utah Adventure ride and looping Utah and Colorado (KLR 650), I decided I'd follow your tracks anywhere! You guys know how to put a super fun route together!

The single track across the Mesa was incredible …



Pretty easy-peasy riding across here ,





But I still managed to almost endo when I caught the front wheel in a hole through a water crossing .




And just to add insult to injury, I ran myself over while pushing the bike out of the creek, and fell flat on my face again (I will stick that part in the Video Wrap for Day 3 – it’s a pretty good laugh) -- I think it speaks to how worn out I was.


So we took it easy while we soaked up the view .



Terry is pumped (for now) to be tearing across the Mesa.



I felt like we were riding across the Mongolian Steppe .







What else can I say? The pictures tell it better :




And before not very long at all (3 miles or so) we were at the end of the Mesa. Terry was in lead, and told us over the intercom that he had lost the trail – said it just disappeared at the edge of the Mesa :huh.

When I catch up to him, I break the news that the trail goes straight down this boulder field, “Can’t you see it? It’s right there.” :eek1




Terry, in a bit of disbelief, searched around the perimeter of the Mesa to ensure we didn’t get off track or miss the trail - I guess he hadn't forgotten about my navigational error the day before . It seemed we had found Terry’s kryptonite. Terry will climb up the loosest, steepest, most sketch trail, but when it comes to going down loose, big rocky stuff – he’s not so stoked anymore .




But I knew for certain we were in the right spot – I had seen pictures while I was doing my homework. And, I for one would rather be going down something like this… Remember – momentum! And it’s easy to achieve while running downhill .

So, we scout the trail down a bit, and find the line we want to take. Richard heads down first, then Terry, Lawson, and I bring up the rear.



It’s pretty gnarly, but we all make it down to the first flat section in one piece...




Get collected, and continue the slow rock crawl out of the scree field.







Slow and methodical… Trying not to create more work for ourselves by having to pick up dropped bikes (too many times).





And about an hour after we first dropped off the Mesa, we were out of the scree field, and back down to an elevation where some trees (and we) could breath ,




Oh, wait... Me too, Me too... I wanna be in the pic -- the photographer never gets photographed...



We press on after a break on some pretty sweet single track.




We got hailed on for a quick second…




While we continued to work our way off the mountain.




Less than a mile or so til we junction back with the hwy.




We meet an older fellow on the trail . And he approves (or does he?)…




Almost there…




Success. We made it, and we are alive – could you ask for more?






Finishing up Day 3 in a bit...



Jordan

Eagerly awaiting your next words.

Unbelievable pics. I don't ride off road but now I'm thinking I need to learn. Really incredible report.

Maybe it isn't so much a case of changing his mind as coming to the conclusion that wheel spin can be fun, (says the guy that follows that Oso philosophy on motorcycle selection)