rolling out west with the camper and bikes in tow

MooseBuilt · 08-06-2011, 07:03 AM

Hi all,
the wif and I are roooolling out west for a few weeks of vacation and were wondering where to go. She is an absolute novice rider and i've been riding for 30 years. She has a cute little DRZ200 dual sport and i have a katoom 950SE, so, i'm looking for some long dirt roads, like canyonlands and north of Moab. I think she should be able to navigate the dirt roads in like, second gear without crashing much and I want this trip to be awesome for her. know i'll have to do a couple of low alititude runs to get it out of my system, but i really NEED to reeelax. Stressful job with a hard winter's worth of stress ahead means i need to get it out now....
Last years trip lasted 6 weeks and covered 12,000 miles, this year i'd like to roll west and spend more time having fun and less time sightseeing. we visited

glacier nat park
moab
minuteman missle site
grand tetons
yellowstone
denver
colorado springs(awesome i want to live there...)
lousianna,
florida (relatives,,, plugged up to thier house to get back some of the money they owe me....)
Cray horse monument
and one of my unexpected favorites Mount rushmore
Ouray Colorado, the people there are awesome
durango CO
Black canyons... cool, wish i could have stayed longer...
Painted Desert
Grand Canyon
Pocatello Idaho cause i use to live there,,, still sucks, pricks were setting off fireworks and doing donuts in the middle of the campers at walmart,,, yeah i know i asked for it parking there, but still... trying to sleep a little

Us.....

If there's anone with suggestions, or had time to show us some trails please lets hook up. If you have a wife that rides, it would really help my wife cause i totally don't know how to teach someone other than just doing it......
http://moosebuilt.smugmug.com/Holida...14309470_S3Q5M

thanks!
Moose

jbcaddy · 08-06-2011, 01:55 PM

Mesa Verde is a must visit IMO. I love the whole southern Colorado- northern New Mexico area.
Calif coast and the Oregon coast. Crater Lake. Yosemite, the water falls are great this year!

Mista Vern · 08-06-2011, 02:41 PM

If you are considering Washington state check out the Columbia Gorge area. Nice town, nice weather, world-class scenery and riding, especially in eastern Oregon, south of the Columbia Gorge.

Lovely wife!

machinebuilder · 08-06-2011, 03:46 PM

check out the northwest corner of Colorado. (there is a great ride report by Dockingpilot "forever west..." and there was one by Geek "dinosaur....")

I went there july 4th and it was the pinnicle of a 3 week trip through CO Springs, Durango, Dinasaur.

I want to go back there sometime, Yampa Bench road is an awesome dirt road (until it rains), but it would be a long day ride. Camping at Echo park was pretty good, forget about getting your camper there, the switchbacks are a no go.
I haven't done a ride report or finished going through pictures yet.

Durango is really nice, I think I would base out of silverton next time.
the Salida, Co area is another really nice place.

I don't think you can go wrong in the Rockys. my problem is its a long way there and limited vacation time.

MooseBuilt · 08-07-2011, 06:09 AM

I work outside back east here and i've been cooking my nuts off welding in the 100 degree days with 90% HUMIDITY can anyone tell me what the temps are in mid to late september in ouray vs. moab?

looked at columbia gorge, it looks awesome....

hugemoth · 08-08-2011, 01:51 PM

Moab is usually too hot for me in September, I prefer it in October, and I'll be there with my daughter, camper, and trail bikes. We're going to start on the Oregon coast the 2nd week of Sept, then move up the Columbia Gorge, Hells Canyon, Leslie Gulch, Bodie area and eastern Sierras, Alabama Hills (not in Alabama), White Mtns, Death Valley, into Utah to Moab area in October. The idea is to follow the best possible riding weather.

MooseBuilt · 08-13-2011, 05:23 PM

Anyone going to be there in september...? i need a riding partner/ guide, i'll get lost and die... it's fact. I've only been there in the truck with camper in tow, so riding it will be a first for us....

eakins · 08-15-2011, 01:54 AM

i voted for ouray.

both of you will like this place for a night time excusion.
10 min. from ouray and much better than the pool in ouray.
http://www.orvishotsprings.com/

sept. weather is great in both place...ideal in ouray, still a little hot in moab.
moab is best in oct. but too cold in ouray and snow.

View Results: Where TU?
Moab again.... Wife not inthused	0	0%
Yellowstone	1	10.00%
High Desert somewhere... long straight trails	0	0%
Ouray	6	60.00%
Canada EEHHH!	4	40.00%
Washing state... who knows where	2	20.00%
Multiple Choice Poll. Voters: 10. You may not vote on this poll

08-06-2011, 07:03 AM	#1
MooseBuilt ^OP MoooooooooOOSE! Joined: Nov 2009 Location: Sutck in the republic of maryland Oddometer: 114	rolling out west with the camper and bikes in tow Hi all, the wif and I are roooolling out west for a few weeks of vacation and were wondering where to go. She is an absolute novice rider and i've been riding for 30 years. She has a cute little DRZ200 dual sport and i have a katoom 950SE, so, i'm looking for some long dirt roads, like canyonlands and north of Moab. I think she should be able to navigate the dirt roads in like, second gear without crashing much and I want this trip to be awesome for her. know i'll have to do a couple of low alititude runs to get it out of my system, but i really NEED to reeelax. Stressful job with a hard winter's worth of stress ahead means i need to get it out now.... Last years trip lasted 6 weeks and covered 12,000 miles, this year i'd like to roll west and spend more time having fun and less time sightseeing. we visited glacier nat park moab minuteman missle site grand tetons yellowstone denver colorado springs(awesome i want to live there...) lousianna, florida (relatives,,, plugged up to thier house to get back some of the money they owe me....) Cray horse monument and one of my unexpected favorites Mount rushmore Ouray Colorado, the people there are awesome durango CO Black canyons... cool, wish i could have stayed longer... Painted Desert Grand Canyon Pocatello Idaho cause i use to live there,,, still sucks, pricks were setting off fireworks and doing donuts in the middle of the campers at walmart,,, yeah i know i asked for it parking there, but still... trying to sleep a little Us..... If there's anone with suggestions, or had time to show us some trails please lets hook up. If you have a wife that rides, it would really help my wife cause i totally don't know how to teach someone other than just doing it...... http://moosebuilt.smugmug.com/Holida...14309470_S3Q5M thanks! Moose __________________ KTM950SE you Crotch Rocket Weenies!! lets see you do 120 in the median ! Retired CRF450X TRX450ER Superhawk 996(3) XR650L(2) XR650R(2) CBR900 XR650R Motarded ZX600 MooseBuilt screwed with this post 08-06-2011 at 07:17 AM

08-06-2011, 02:41 PM	#3
Mista Vern Knows all - tells some. Joined: Dec 2005 Location: McMinnville, Oregon Oddometer: 12,889	If you are considering Washington state check out the Columbia Gorge area. Nice town, nice weather, world-class scenery and riding, especially in eastern Oregon, south of the Columbia Gorge. Lovely wife! __________________ Remodeling. Please check again later.

08-06-2011, 03:46 PM	#4
machinebuilder Studly Adventurer Joined: Jun 2008 Location: East Tennessee Oddometer: 692	check out the northwest corner of Colorado. (there is a great ride report by Dockingpilot "forever west..." and there was one by Geek "dinosaur....") I went there july 4th and it was the pinnicle of a 3 week trip through CO Springs, Durango, Dinasaur. I want to go back there sometime, Yampa Bench road is an awesome dirt road (until it rains), but it would be a long day ride. Camping at Echo park was pretty good, forget about getting your camper there, the switchbacks are a no go. I haven't done a ride report or finished going through pictures yet. Durango is really nice, I think I would base out of silverton next time. the Salida, Co area is another really nice place. I don't think you can go wrong in the Rockys. my problem is its a long way there and limited vacation time. __________________ 2009 BMW F800GS NON ABS the best thing to buy for your bike is gas.....Neduro Remote is not found on the coffee table.......seen on a T Shirt

08-07-2011, 06:09 AM	#5
MooseBuilt ^OP MoooooooooOOSE! Joined: Nov 2009 Location: Sutck in the republic of maryland Oddometer: 114	so far ouray wins I work outside back east here and i've been cooking my nuts off welding in the 100 degree days with 90% HUMIDITY can anyone tell me what the temps are in mid to late september in ouray vs. moab? looked at columbia gorge, it looks awesome.... __________________ KTM950SE you Crotch Rocket Weenies!! lets see you do 120 in the median ! Retired CRF450X TRX450ER Superhawk 996(3) XR650L(2) XR650R(2) CBR900 XR650R Motarded ZX600

08-06-2011, 01:55 PM	#2
jbcaddy Studly Adventurer Joined: Jan 2010 Location: Oroville & Placerville, California U.S.ofA. Oddometer: 941	Mesa Verde is a must visit IMO. I love the whole southern Colorado- northern New Mexico area. Calif coast and the Oregon coast. Crater Lake. Yosemite, the water falls are great this year!

08-08-2011, 01:51 PM	#6
hugemoth Banned Joined: Sep 2007 Location: Bend, Oregon summer, Snowbird in winter Oddometer: 2,078	Moab is usually too hot for me in September, I prefer it in October, and I'll be there with my daughter, camper, and trail bikes. We're going to start on the Oregon coast the 2nd week of Sept, then move up the Columbia Gorge, Hells Canyon, Leslie Gulch, Bodie area and eastern Sierras, Alabama Hills (not in Alabama), White Mtns, Death Valley, into Utah to Moab area in October. The idea is to follow the best possible riding weather.

08-13-2011, 05:23 PM	#7
MooseBuilt ^OP MoooooooooOOSE! Joined: Nov 2009 Location: Sutck in the republic of maryland Oddometer: 114	Moab Anyone going to be there in september...? i need a riding partner/ guide, i'll get lost and die... it's fact. I've only been there in the truck with camper in tow, so riding it will be a first for us.... __________________ KTM950SE you Crotch Rocket Weenies!! lets see you do 120 in the median ! Retired CRF450X TRX450ER Superhawk 996(3) XR650L(2) XR650R(2) CBR900 XR650R Motarded ZX600

08-15-2011, 01:54 AM	#8
eakins Butler Maps Joined: May 2002 Location: Colorado - Fort Collins Oddometer: 14,458	i voted for ouray. both of you will like this place for a night time excusion. 10 min. from ouray and much better than the pool in ouray. http://www.orvishotsprings.com/ sept. weather is great in both place...ideal in ouray, still a little hot in moab. moab is best in oct. but too cold in ouray and snow. __________________ Butler Maps - motorcycle maps for riders by riders - Ozarks , Nor Cal , COBDR shipping, AZBDR scouting http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=598717 Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/butlermaps

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