Carrizo Plains trip over Veteran's Day Weekend
- Thread starter Leo_jb
- Start date
two wheel tramp
exploring!
:applause
Gorgeous, I gotta get there.
Gorgeous, I gotta get there.
Leo_jb
City boy
Our first camp. We were traveling in the dark Friday night hoping to get to Selby Campground. My GPS said we could get there via Hwy 166, but when we got to the turnoff we found a locked gate. Instead we headed a little further east, then south of 166 to Bates Canyon campground. Had the whole place to ourselves, though the pit toilets were pretty disgusting. Fire ban was also in effect.
Eldrick at Bates Canyon
Back on the road Saturday morning
Gas and breakfast in New Cuyama
New Cuyama
My favorite shot: the double dirt nap. We were having a great time exploring a dry riverbed along Quatal Canyon. Pretty deep sand, but manageable on the loaded KTMs as long as we kept our speed up. However, slowing down for a sharp right turn in combination with a section of really deep sand was our undoing. I thought Eldrick did it on purpose so I wouldn't feel as bad about dumping the bike.
Eldrick cresting a short rise to nowhere. Dead end on the back side and lots of effort to turn around.
Eldrick
Leo
Leo_jb
City boy
There are a lot of trails off the two main roads through Carrizo, but most of them have been closed. We explored as many of the remaining open ones as we could, but they were all out-and-back.
Q: How do you keep beer cold when its 40 miles back to camp? A:10 lb bag of ice in a backpack. Yeah, my butt was wet by the time we got back, but it was totally worth it. Ice cold beer.
Sunset
On the way home. Shot this after we had just come down the road in the background. Whoops.
Solar-thermal tower in Bakersfield. I would love to see this in operation.
Fin
two wheel tramp
exploring!
I just helped. 
You take great photos Leo! I love the dirt nap photos. I'm going to remember that you like carrying the beer for everyone if we ever go exploring.
youtu.be/IQkzpUw_244
You take great photos Leo! I love the dirt nap photos. I'm going to remember that you like carrying the beer for everyone if we ever go exploring.
youtu.be/IQkzpUw_244
SRAD600
Well-known member
You take great photos Leo! I love the dirt nap photos. I'm going to remember that you like carrying the beer for everyone if we ever go exploring.
What she said. :thumbup Seriously, you put my photos to shame, but i'll try and get some more posted up tomorrow. Here's a few of day one.
Our second stop on day one to take a break.
Nice overlook of the pacific.
Returning for an exploratory run which dead-ended in a grove of trees.
BTW if any of you get the chance to ride with this guy, just do it. We managed a little of 1,100 miles that weekend, and it was all pretty awesome. :ride Unlike yours truly, one should never follow behind a faster rider in the dirt while wearing shades at dusk. The whole time I was clearing my sunglasses and wondering why I still couldn't see. Then, I removed the shades....ahhh, the dirt was on the INSIDE of the lens...:rofl
Last edited:
Leo_jb
City boy
No false modesty Eldrick - you were great to ride with and I thought we matched up perfectly. Actually it was kind of weird how we independently had our bikes set up almost exactly the same way, right down to the sucky MEFO explorers. When/where do we go next? Did you mention something about Baja?
two wheel tramp
exploring!
Leo IS fun to ride with and excellent at finding fun detours. He truly is an adventurer. I'm impressed with 1100 miles, sounds like a weekend well spent.
WoodsChick
I Don't Do GPS
Aha! Now I remember where I saw Bates CG! Couldn't place the name but knew I'd seen it at some point in the past.
Thanks for the report and photos, Eldrick and Leo_jb!
Nice to see one of my favorite places again. There's a ton of fun stuff out there.
We'll probably head down that way in the spring when it's green and luscious
WoodsChick