More dirt from Torrey Utah

[boney]

We left off having arrived in Torry, Utah after 5 days of riding across the desert. See the report here:
http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=204823

This weekend is a huge gathering in Torrey from another internet bulliten board. A BMW one, where I've been a member for many years. I brought a dual sport here once, for one day a few years back, but now I've got a chance to spend a couple of days exploring- and this time I've got a dual sport proper.

Bob tells us of Pleasant Creek Road. It takes off from the end of the Scenic Drive in Capitol Reef NP and heads south-ish to Highway 12. He says he'd like us to scout it since some folks on larger bikes are thinking of riding it tomorrow.

Capitol Reef National Park sits on the waterpocket fold and has an amazing diversity of rock formations, colors, washes, creeks, goosenecks and other various geologic wonders. It's worth taking the time to go there on a vacation to see the sights and put in some hiking...

Today we'll see it from the saddle.

The terrain the Pleasant Creek Road traverses is diverse. Soft dirt tracks lead to riding in a clay creekbed, to rocky red climbs and finally some slickrock with loose scree and 6 inch steps.

I'd say a bit more tire pressure was needed? No? It was difficult to not bash up the steps because of the loose layer on the slickrock, and it eventually caught up with Luke. When you get a pinch flat, look for two holes. We didn't and ended up spending a lot more time out on the trail fixing the tire than we should have.

The trail goes up there.

Over the top and in a meadow, Luke, riding out front again is surprised by a 3 foot drop/washout in the meadow and it takes a bit of time to get him out. Proper knobbies would have helped- but again, hind sight is 20/20.

Here's a 24 minute video of about 1/3 of the ride:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=4044581835245981827&hl=en


Later that afternoon, we go exploring again. This time into the Fishlake National Forsest to the north of Torrey. Again, no plan, minimal instructions from Bob, and wanerlust.

 

[boney]

We randomly ride around following some quad trails looking for and OHV trail that will take up up the mountain. Eventually we find a hard pack road with loads of loose rock in all sizes strewn randomly across the path.

The easy part.

Periodically we'd cross rocky sections of red outcroppings then get right back into the loose rocks.

Not knowing exactly where we were going, having left the marked parts of the GPSs street and topo maps, we were left to explore. We opened ourselves up to a bunch of u-turns, false starts, and one incredibly steep OHV trail which we were unsuccesful in riding. After having ridden many switchbacks to get up the hill, the construction crews must have gotten tired, and cut the road straight up a 45 degree incline. The quality of the road was even worse than that we'd already ridden, and Luke was only able to get about 1/4 of the way up before completely loosing traction and getting forced to turn around.

The view from up there was fantastic though:

As the sun threatened to drop out of the sky, the clouds loomed- tossing lightning aground with regularity, and the general stores' bewitching hour creeped ever closer, we retreated in favor of Pesto Pasta and Arrogant Bastard Ale.

 

[boney]

A memorial to a good friend who was lost earlier this year begins the morning of our secod day in Torrey. This was on the summit on his favorite road- a place where he could run his Gixxer out and still put his knees down well into the triple digits. Sadly, he was taken out while riding the speed limit in traffic by a left turning cage.

Afterward, there was a small group that would ride into Cathedral Valley. It consisted of 2 KTM 640A's, a 950A, a couple of 650GS's, a KLR, a DL1000 'Strom and a Wee-Strom with the DR650 front end and taller rear shock (a worthy upgrade for dual-sporting the bike.) Oh, and let's not forget the massive R1150GS and R1200GS, led by our man Bob, on a plated XR400. This ride as potential.

We roll up the road and stop and the crappers. There, one person find a very small oil leak, and the DL1000 heads back with the 1200GS. Luke and I go scouting again, heading up the mountain for Round Lake, which we're not sure we ever reached. It was cold, a bit rainy, and we found some leftover winter.

We kept it up for long time, intending to get a little behind the group, then catch up. Only again, we didn't have the full story. Instead of turning down windy ridge (where the sign was missing) we ended up riding all the way around Cathedral Valley to the north, the back into the middle of it, where we turned back up the road we should have come down.

Good scenery:

In the meantime, mayhem ensued. Everyone excpet the R1150GS and our fearless leader had turned around. A couple of dropped bikes, some "not ready for the weather," and in the case of the Wee Strom, too much Bentonite mud between the fender and the front tire.

Bentonite, you must know, sticks to all tires and builds up until it is scraped off by something or flung off by very fast rotation. It is also horribly slippery and unpredictable.

Somehow, Jonathan managed to wrangle his pig of a bike through it all, and down the hill into Cathedral Valley. We were now 4.

Taking our time, we toured through the valley taking in the sights.

 

[boney]

Then out the south end and back to Bob's place.

We spent the next 2 days suffering Highway 50 all the way home. After about 10 minutes I began to eyeball every pole-line and fence-line road I saw. As tempting as they were, we had to be home, so they were out.

Thanks for reading.

 

[NoGall]

:applause Thanks for sharing, man!

 

[wazzuFreddo]

nice :cool

 

[veefereefer]

Great pic and nice write up Boney!!!!

 

[slydrite]

:cool :cool :cool

damn Bone, you're the fackin coolest!!!!

you're really getting use out of the new katoom, ya?

me=mega jealous!!!!











ps,.....I hate you and everybody who enjoys their motos they way they were meant to be enjoyed!!!
:x

 

[budman]

Awesome stuf Boney the adventurer! :thumbup ort

Noted for the best of barf collection :teeth

:smoking

 

[J-Boat]

Awesome stuf Boney the adventurer! :thumbup ort

Noted for the best of barf collection :teeth

:smoking

+1...:cool :applause

 

[slydrite]

Bone, what kinda tires are those?

 

[a1scoot]

Boney.....
Nice pics and write up of Utah.
Would that friend you lost happen to be Gleno?
I used to ride with the BMW crowd back several years ago until I was banned from the BMW website...(long story)
I did Torrey...Gunnison and a tech day with Gleno and T Roe(fast mofo)
You mighta met me .
My handle with the Beemer crowd was Roadkill.
Anyhow...great story. (and I miss Gleno as well)
a1scoot:ride

 

[Blind_Io]

It's nice to see photos from my backyard. (I'm from Salt Lake and we vacationed in many of these areas)

 

[magyarbetyar]

That is some beautiful scenery :cool

 

[Beemerchef]

Boney.....
Nice pics and write up of Utah.
Would that friend you lost happen to be Gleno?
I used to ride with the BMW crowd back several years ago until I was banned from the BMW website...(long story)
I did Torrey...Gunnison and a tech day with Gleno and T Roe(fast mofo)
You mighta met me .
My handle with the Beemer crowd was Roadkill.
Anyhow...great story. (and I miss Gleno as well)
a1scoot:ride

Gtreat report... it is about a day ride for us right now... will try to find some (not all!!!) route you have taken...

Hey Roadkill... I think I remember you... have no clue of the story however... as long as you are healthy... that is the main thing!

Be well... Ara & Spirit

 

[OzD]

Great pics thanks for sharin' :applause

So Utah is so kick ass!

 

[Blacknblue]

Wow. Cool pics. You've been practicing with that camera.