Just Exploring

Rode up to Anvil point above Rifle, CO. Haven’t been up here in a couple of years. Easy ride up JQS Rd. Nice to be out and about.

Got a little riding in today. Tuned the bike this winter getting ready for summer!! Got a chance to get out and hit some dirt. The pictures are from a tower site above Silt, CO. In the background is Rifle Airport and Battlement Mesa. Lots of riders out - its above 70 today for central Colorado in mid April that’s a heatwave. Next week will be rain. and snow. Looking forward to start using my old GSA to commute to work.





Hope everyone is enjoying the weekend.

Took 4 days off and Headed out to Utah to explore the Maze District. I've always passed thru the area linking up other rides or trips. This time I trailered my bike down and camped at Temple Mtn.
I planned to do the following roads & Trailes.

Flint Trail
Poison Springs > Sunset Pass > Doll House
Behind the Rocks > Behind the Reef

I arrived early enough on Friday to do a couple of short rides.

Around Temple Mountain.















Then Muddy Creek out to Moonscape Overlook, Factory Butte Road.



















Back at Camp.



I was amazed at how many Mountain Bikers that were bike packing the Factory Butte / Muddy Creek road. Seems like a lot of people might be coming here instead of Moab, last time I was in Moab is was a circus.

I'll post day 2 a little later.

So day 2 - Flint Trail, I didn't know until I finished that motorcycles were not allowed on the part of the Flint trail from the Doll House turn off to the Ranger Station. Just happened to look around and saw the signage at the top, when I passed the lower signage I only paid attention to the No OHV signs since I'm not one of those I didn't look at any of the others. ( I did look when I rode out to Doll House)

Also if you notice my pictures above you'll see a fender bag, that contains a tube and levers - that I lost somewhere along the Muddy Creek Rd. So staying with the"not paying attention" theme I did the whole Flint Trail loop - 190 miles with out a spare tube!!

Fun ride, I had great weather. The switchbacks were tight, steep, and gnarly. Once you get to the Ranger Station its open road until you hit the highway.

This is from the Hite Overlook, the start of the trail is over by the lone mesa in front of my bike.


































Ended up being about an 8 hour day on the bike. Only passed 2 jeeps coming down from the switchbacks. Some cars parked at trailheads, but no lines of SUV's, SxS. I stopped a few times and just sat there, it was so quiet that my ears hurt.

Day 3, Poison Springs to Sunset Pass then on to Doll House.

Sourced a tube from Rabbitbrush repair & storage. Really thankful the he was open on a Sunday. I had brought my long tire levers and had them in my tool bag at my car.

Was really looking forward to this ride 75 miles out to Doll House, about 100 back turning onto Flint Trail to exit.

Little bit of everything, even a good water crossing. Dirty Devil River crossing was a little over a foot deep. Poison Springs was fun to ride thru the canyon at the start.

Doll House was epic the trail gets technical and the scenery wowed at every turn. Was hard not to ride off the trail I was rubbernecking so hard.

Poison Springs Road





















Sunset Pass







After the easy part of Doll House Road



















The Doll House - My favorite picture from the weekend.







Ooops too may pictures uploaded.

And a few more

Trailhead to Spanish Bottom.





Stopped at Stan's in Hanksville had a huge double bacon cheese burger and road back to camp. Tired and happy!!

Day 4

Behind the Rocks Road then to Behind the Reef Trail. This takes you out to Hidden Splendor Mine.



















Cool plateau to ride across, then it turns 180 degrees and climbes the 2 track you see in the background 2 pictures up. Fun fun fun.






From here i rode the Hidden Splendor Mine Rd around to Temple Mountain Rd and back to camp. Smooth dirt roads nice easy way to end a great weekend.

Definitely was on the right bike. There were a few times I was thinking that maybe I should be getting a 501, maybe in a couple of years. Nice to have the power the 701 puts down.

Hope you enjoyed the pictures.

great pictures. thank you for sharing! I am heading into that neck of the woods here in a few weeks. cannot wait to see it in person.

Enjoy, definitely not crowded really nice not competing with 2x2 everywhere. I would get “The Maze” and San Rafael Swell maps.

Had a nice Lunch Loop today rode the New Castle to Buford road to Meeker then had lunch and returned on Flag Creek Rd nice easy 3 hour ride.



This place was awesome for lunch



Looking forward to tackling some of the higher passes as the snow melts.

Had an overnighter with some friends. We camped on the North Rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. I had made a frame so could use soft bags on my BMW. I wanted to try out using my Giantloop Siskiyou panniers - this will be the setup I’ll use when I do the NMBDR this fall. Easy riding was nice to catch up with some friends.














We got caught on the Highway 50 bridge closure, had to wait about 1 1/2 hours for the Follow me truck. There is no short cut the other 2 roads you can take to Lake City are shut down - they cross private land. And to go around takes about 3 hours. We wanted to have lunch in Lake City and then head up to Crested Butte where we would split up. I would head home over Keebler pass, and they had a camp site reserved. We ended up just heading to the Butte. Had a nice lunch.

Was nice to ride and camp with Jeff & Sal. Next time a little longer ride.

Need to get out my 701 and do some exploring. Thanks for following along.

Decided to take my GSA out for a lunch loop. After riding the New Castle to Buford road and turning West to Meeker. This time I would head East over Ripple Creek Pass and then over Dunkley Pass and have lunch in Oak Creek, CO.

I’ve also been playing with the idea of taking off the GSA’s windscreen. I dose cause some buffeting around my helmet.

The route:



GSA without the windscreen and just my 10L Moskow Moto tool panniers


Not any hard riding all easy gravel roads - my tires are at best 80/20 so they floated thru a few corners!!
Just gonna dump the pictures - nice day out - but wow was it hot lower in the valleys.

















And Lunch in Oak Creek - Very Good Burrito - with Colorado Pork!!




And the River Road down to Dotzero






I did like having the windscreen off but honestly is looks stupid. I’m using the GSA for my NMBDR trip and I’m using my Giant Loop Panniers. So for that trip I will also leave the screen off.

I ordered one of these and I’ll try an mount it using the silver mini windscreen as an adapter plate.



Anyway it was nice to have a nice day out and about on the big girl.

Had an enjoyable overnighter to St. Elmo this past weekend. Riding Tincup, Hagerman, Tomichi passes.

First I had to replace my sprockets and chain, they were shot. Easy job to do I went back to a 15 on the front, which was fine but I'm going to order a 14. For ride steep passes and difficult terrain it just works better, lets the bike chug up stuff with out fanning the clutch or feeling like its on the edge of stalling.

First I had to get over to Taylor park.

A few pictures of Colbran Cutoff, Keebler Pass, and Jacks Cabin Cutoff.




Had lunch in Tincup Taylor park was busy, and the small restaurant in Tincup was packed. Sat on the deck and just watched people drive by. Funny didn't take any pictures of Tincup?? Not sure why.

So first up was the water crossing at the bottom of Tincup pass that goes around Mirror Lake. I walked a trail up on the hillside thinking I could ride it - no luck. 2 riders showed up on the other side waded in and then rode the far side crossing. I had at this point walked the first water crossing and then watched the other riders cross the second. So fuck it get on with it. The longer you look at it the worse it gets!!

Rode the first section, not too bad definitely paddle footed most of it. The second section I hit a rock and hopped off the bike and walked it until it got shallower. That was definitely a pucker moment!!





And the rest of Tincup Pass. Fun and engaging.









Got a camp site in St Elmo. I wanted to set up camp and then ride up Mt. Antero.



I'll post more of the ride later on.

Mt Antero was challenging lots of rock some of it really loose, and cobble.















Almost to the top, but I couldn’t get to the first switchback going to the upper plateau ran out of talent but really happy to get as far as i did. This climb is where I wanted a 14 tooth front sprocket. Had to turn around 3 times as I bobbled and lost momentum and dug in. But if I stayed on the gas an hung on the 701 would churn thru it.

Got back to camp made dinner and crashed - this old man was beat!!.

So the plan I had for Saturday was to ride Hancock pass then to Cumberland pass and ride up to Alpine tunnel to check that out. Well Cumberland pass was closed for construction. So did Tomichi and rode to Gunnison had lunch got gas went home Via Ohio and Keebler pass.

St Elmo



And Hancock , Tomichi pass















And what my bike is sitting on is Cobble!!

















And that’s it challenging overnighter but in a good way. Really impressed with the 701, even with being bounce off my lines and trying to recover I just hung on. and she just knocked it out.

Thanks for following along

Took my GSA out for a ride. Been trying to ride my big bike more off-road so I used to it by the time I do the NMBDR. Today I rode from Vega Reservoir to Cedaredge.

Turn out to be more technical than I thought it would be. Bike did great even though I had the totally wrong tires on.

Vega Res. Dam



Some shots along the trail.











Those tires in the mud sucked, every time I dropped the bike was due sliding out or no traction in a puddle. So it was a skill building day. I do like the new windscreen less buffeting around my helmet, seems to end at my shoulders. Plus it kinda matches the rest of the bike.

And I had a first today - a puncture of my rear tire, I had a tubeless repair kit and a mini battery powered pump, 15 min. and I was back on the road - nice.

Came across this as I was riding one of my loops, kinda cool





Worked on my GSA for the NMBDR. This will be the 4th I’ve done and the first on this bike. Doesn’t she look good all dressed up and ready to go!! I leave Friday morning and I’ve given myself 10 days to complete. Looking forward to it.
And it looks like I might get good weather

One of the better threads, great pictures. Some of the loose rock trails would have had me wishing I was on a 125cc 2 stroke KTM though. Loved the Doll House

Just finished the NMBDR. My GSA ran well and the weather was perfect. Thought I would share.

Day 1 & 2

Had to get down to Dell City, and since I got there around lunch time I started the first section.

My route down.



A few pictures from the first day. Looking at Google Earth I found a place I could camp outside Vaughn, NM. Ended up being not so bad.

Collegiate Peaks



No pictures after that, just knocking out miles. Stopped to get gas in Saguache, CO. and talked with another rider that was doing the COBDR.

Camp site outside Vaughn



The next morning, changing of the Engineers? on the train. Train was all wings / blades for the wind turbines.



Coming around the Southern end of the Guadalupe Mountain Range was beautiful and the road was fun to ride.
Got to Dell City had lunch at Rositas got gas and since it was only 1:30 decided to start the first section. The GSA just ate this up 4th gear / 3500 rpm just cruising along at 40 to 50 enjoying not being on the highway.



Riding along the Guadalupe Rim. Nothing difficult the road would get rough but not bad.







Got to Weed a little late and had to look for a campsite, lots of private property, was getting as little worried but found a spot and set up for the night.
I have a single walled tent and the dew in the morning had the inside of the tent really wet.

NMBDR section 2

Fun twisties in the mountains above Alamogordo.





Had lunch at this place and got gas in Cloudcroft



More pictures along the way.





Got a campsite at Valley of Fire State park - $7 with free showers!! Camped next to a guy that was riding around on a Kawasaki Versys 300. After 3 days is was nice to have a picnic table and a shower.



Section 3

I was a little worried about section 3. The map has a warning about deep sand, old man - old bike - loaded up, mediocre skill set, yea this could be a skill building day.
Well with all the rain from the pervious week the roads were packed and fast!! A few short sand sections and some rocky areas but nothing to worry about. There were a few deep rough washes to go thru at the beginning of road A153 but about 20 miles in it was all hard packed. Sitting at 50mph the big girl is not straining.

Lots of this.











Stopped for lunch in Truth or Consequences at this place. Had a nice patio and good food.



Section 4

Since it was still early, I wanted to do the first harder section and then camp. So on to Chloride Canyon.
Cool canyon, a little technical nothing difficult just some short rock gardens to get thru.










And the hill, stopped and checked it out, got on the bike and just rode it - no hype or drama had more of a issue at the top where you do a tight turn into some cobble but just stayed one the gas and the big girl knocked it out.









Got to Aeroplane Mesa Campground and called it a day.