Gathering of Nissan Owners Explores Moab Off-Road Trails
"GoneMOAB" is an annual off-road fest that encourages Nissan owners to explore the off-road mecca of Moab, Utah. May 17 to 22, 2015 marked the 14th annual gathering of off-road enthusiasts.
GoneMOAB brings together rookie and experienced off-road drivers. The five day event includes trail rides that are classified easy, moderate, and difficult. Drivers can choose their level of challenge and drive a different trail every day.
2015 was the first year that my wife, Laurie, and I attended goneMOAB, and we thoroughly enjoyed it! Here are some photos from each day: (For the first year we chose the easy - and most scenic - "green" trails.)
Monday, Secret Spire This series of easy trails SW of Moab included some challenging ledges. The "Secret Spire" was found at the end of one trail, and was flanked by massive canyons with swirling rock formations and water-eroded features.
Tuesday, Cameo Cliffs A large section of off-road trails south of Moab climbed to the top of mesas with great views of canyons and Wilson's Arch.
Wednesday, Chicken Corner and Hurrah Pass Hurrah Pass is the high point overlooking the Colorado River south of Moab. The trail continues to Chicken Corner, named for passengers who chose to walk around a narrow ledge rather than ride with old-time Moab guides. Today the trail is plenty wide for Jeeps and trucks. The view includes looking across the river to "Thelma & Louise Point" from the movie of the same name.
Thursday, Shaffer Switchbacks and Lathrop Canyon This series of trails descended into Canyonlands National Park via impressive switchbacks. The trail included a stop at Musselman Arch. Then it descended again down Lathrop Canyon to the Colorado River.
Friday, Dome Plateau This section of trails climbs the mesa northwest of Moab and also overlooks the Colorado River. Old mining roads and wind caves dominate the landscape.
A good time was had by all participants! We are already looking forward to our next trip to goneMOAB!
Can The U.S. Make The Same Mistakes Of Past Cultures And Obtain Different Outcomes?
Is the U.S. doomed to follow the decline of the Roman empire?
Here is something to think about...
I have been reading a great book by Rabbi Daniel Lapin, "America's Real War". The subtitle of the book is: An Orthodox Rabbi Insists That Judeo-Christian Values Are Vital For Our Nation's Survival.
Rabbi Lapin says, "Our country is in a tug-of-war. At one end of the rope are those who believe in a secular nation. At the other end are those who stand for a spiritual America. I believe the basic question is whether America is a secular or a religious nation. Whichever view people hold, they do so with utter conviction."
Rabbi Lapin makes the following distinctions between the two opinions, or worldviews:
One end of the rope is anchored by people who believe that the Judeo-Christian tradition represents primitive tribalism and intolerance. These people are joined by many in the "middle ground" who are not committed to every nuance of secularism (that is, anti-religion) but still feel that religious America poses a real threat. They favor a secular America as the lesser of two evils.
On the other end are Americans who feel increasingly alienated by this "enlightened" perspective which denies and attempts to rewrite America's history and then redefine the culture.
The book makes the argument that America is a religious nation in both its history and dominant culture. Not only that, America is has undeniable Judeo-Christian foundational ethics.
Rabbi Lapin then argues in subsequent chapters that "Almost every social pathology and nearly every sign of civic disarray can be traced to one thing: the extirpation of religion from American life during the past three and a half decades."
He concludes, and then provides evidence that, "A culture's prospects for success and durability are best revealed by examining what it considers the purpose of life, what is death, how sex should be treated, and similar questions that most of us answer in one of only two ways. Either we consult the the traditions of our faith, or rejecting faith, we seek emotionally satisfying answers."
The Rabbi makes an uncomfortable analogy between the unsinkable Titanic and America. The impending doom of the "unsinkable" ship was sealed when it struck an iceberg. However, aboard the Titanic, many people did not even know about the collision, nor the timing of the inevitable disaster. Many passengers scoffed at the notion that the collision could imperil the unsinkable ship, much less on the maiden voyage of the engineering marvel.
Rabbi Lapin feels that America "hit the iceberg" in the early 1960's. Only a few people knew it at the time. Fewer people cared. Imperceptibly at first, America began to change gradually. But those of us who have lived long enough to be able to look back to the 1960's can testify that the country looks very, very different. And many of us - especially those of us on the religious end of the rope - do not think the changes that resulted from the opposition of traditional religious values have been for the better of American society.
One chapter compares the changes in America over the past few decades to the decline and fall of the once great and seemingly invincible Roman Empire. In the chapter, Rabbi Lapin refers to "A History of Roman Civilization" by historian, Will Durant.
He relates that towards the end of its fall into oblivion, the Roman Empire was briefly propped up by a return to enduring values. In the third century, emperor Marcus Aurelius Severus Alexander made the Empire flourish by recommending that the people embrace and live by the morals of the Jews and Christians. He opposed secularism and reduced taxes.
He didn't last long. But the point is that although Rome became a footnote to history after the fourth century, it is not yet too late for America to step back from the brink and endure.
What ultimately caused the downfall of the Roman Empire?
The government issued decrees that attempted to replace sound economic laws, including wage and price controls.
The mismanaged economy sank under its own weight. The required government bureaucracy was estimated to equal half of the population.
The cost of government and welfare programs required more and more taxation. The state created a special force of revenue police to examine all property and income and exact severe penalties for tax evasion.
Larger government spawned yet more regulation, intrusion, and abusive taxation. The government became the enemy of the productive sector of society.
At the same time, moral and aesthetic standards disappeared, spurred on by unlimited immigration and clashes of hundreds of cultural norms.
Sound anything like the United States today? Why has "liberating" us from all objective standards, allowing every person to determine morality for himself, failed to deliver the nirvana that was promised?
Need another example. Rabbi Lapin points out that the U.S. is the only country in the world to place "In God We Trust" upon our currency. He argues that this faith-based motto has been intrinsic in the American economic model and the unprecedented strength of the American capitalist system.
On the other hand, secularism demands that this motto be removed from our currency to "protect" us from religion. Do you agree? Have our Judeo-Christian values enabled the success of the American "experiment"? Will the elimination of these values result in the failure of this experiment?
The Correct Way To Use QR Codes For Online Marketing
Avoid Three BIG Mistakes for Maximum Mobile Marketing Results
Did you know that over 50% of web visitors are using NOW using mobile devices, including smart phones?
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Online marketing MUST now be optimized for mobile devices. More
than half of ALL Internet searches are now made using mobile devices,
including “smart phones”!
It is NO LONGER sufficient to just have a website. Your website MUST be configured to take advantage of this mobile traffic.
Following are THREE essential concepts that MUST be included in ALL of your marketing efforts:
Number 1. Do NOT advertise the home page of your website.
Your web visitors are EXTREMELY impatient. Internet “surfers” have attention spans measured in ONLY seconds!
The days are GONE when it is sufficient to advertise a product or service and include your website home page web address. IF ad viewers take EXTRA effort and actually visit your website, they
DO NOT want to navigate from page to page looking for specific
information on the ONE product (or service) that interests them.
In other words, web visitors are TURNED OFF by fancy landing pages
with auto run videos, flash graphics, and dazzling images of models
using your products. In fact, most large graphics and animations are NOT
even visible on smart phone browsers! These fancy visuals are DESIGNED
for desktop computers.
(Did you know that super fast “4G” mobile Internet is ONLY ONE-FOURTH as fast as old-fashioned dial-up connections?)
To repeat: do NOT advertise the home page of your website. Instead, display a link to a SPECIFIC page on your website for the product advertised.
You need to be promoting specific products and services, NOT your
company as a whole. People are interested in solving problems and NOT
learning about your company history. So don’t send prospects who are interested in one specific product to
your boring generic home page. Don’t force them to navigate multiple
pages to find more information.
If you DON’T, you will lose over 50% of your visitors who want
INSTANT access to information. You will also lose visitors who are
unable to view the desired information with their mobile devices.
Remember – it MUCH easier for the visitor to click “BACK” and search
for another source for similar products than click from page to page on
your cumbersome website.
For example, a realtor should provide links to the specific listing for EACH property – NOT their personal home page.
Why force the interested prospect to navigate multiple pages when
they are only interested in one product or service (or property listing,
in this example.) You will just lose the visitor to a competitor that
values their time!
Number 2. Do NOT print the home page of your website on flyers or brochures – or business cards or stationery.
Printed literature needs to link to one exact web page for your
specialty (product or service.) A brochure for one product should
include a link to the web page for the EXACT product.
Likewise, your business cards and stationery need to link directly to the “Contact Us” page of your website.
For the same reasons listed above, don’t force Internet visitors to
take multiple steps to navigate from your business home page through
multiple other pages to reach the ONE page that they are interested in.
If you offer multiple categories of products you MUST provide multiple links.
If you provide multiple services you MUST provide multiple links – or
use multiple business cards for widely different specialties.
Unfortunately, these individual webpages are typically “sub-domains”
on your website, which means that each web address is often long, hard
to remember and even harder to type on a tiny phone screen. (For
example,
www.myrealeastatebusiness.com/listings/singlefamily/waterfront/htm…)
Number 3. Do NOT print email addresses or phone numbers.
You must NOT expect your customer to take any extra effort to contact
you. Remember, more than half of web visitors are using mobile devices.
They probably don’t have a pen and paper handy!
Don’t take a chance that the prospect will write down your phone
number or email address incorrectly. Even worse, don’t expect them to
type in long strings of characters into their phones. If they make a
mistake and get just ONE number or letter wrong they will have their
email or phone call rejected.
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You need to make it VERY easy for the prospect to contact you. You
may not get a second chance! If frustrated, your prospect will just
contact another competitor – with a single click that is LOTS easier
than searching for your correct email or phone number. Frustration
equals a lost sale, and maybe negative reviews and Internet publicity.
You MUST make contacting you as easy (and fool-proof) as touching a button on their phone!
How can you accomplish all these goals?
How can you avoid all these pitfalls?
The best and easiest way to do ALL of this is with QR codes – the little black and white graphics with embedded links.
1. Your prospect does not need to write down or type a complicated web address.
2. They don’t need to type your email address.
3. They don’t need to enter your contact info in their phones!
All they need to do is scan the QR code with their phone and they are
connected directly to a specific page on your website. Or add your
contact info to their phone. Or place a phone call by just tapping a
button!
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Would you like a FREE report that outlines how to use QR codes effectively? Just send me a messagefor your FREE, no obligation copy of “FIVE Ways to Use QR Codes in Marketing”
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The Trans-America Trail (AKA: the “TAT”) is a west bound dual-sport motorcycle ride across America.
The Trail starts in southeastern Tennessee, and ends at the
Pacific Ocean in southwestern Oregon – nearly 5,000 miles of mostly
off-pavement riding.
Trans-America Trail TAT
If you have ever dreamed of traveling cross-country on your
motorcycle, seeing sights you’d never see from a car, and meeting great
people along the way, then the TAT is for you! Sam Correro
had that dream and made it a reality by creating the Trans-America
Trail. Now any dual-sport motorcyclist can make this amazing adventure,
thanks to Sam’s meticulous mapping of the nearly 5,000-mile route across
America.
This motorcycle adventure across America on the Trans-America Trail
is NOT a single-track tight woods ride. The TAT is a route using dirt
roads, gravel roads, Jeep roads, forest roads and farm roads. The TAT
drops down into dried-up creek beds and crosses running water. You will
ride atop abandoned railroad grades and levees. There are sections of
mud, sand, snow and rocks. There are also inevitable sections of paved
roads connecting the separate sections of unpaved roads and trails –
especially on the eastern half of the TAT route.
The Trans-America Trail is ALL of the above, and the TAT is specifically laid out to please the the Dual-Sport Motorcycle rider.
Sam Correro maintains the Trans-America Trail web site to provide
helpful resources for planning this off-road cross-country trip on the
“Trans-America Trail”. At TransAmTrail.com you will find all you need to
plan and navigate your journey cross-country, including detailed roll
charts and supporting maps. All of the TAT sections now have GPS
way-points that have been added to the new and improved roll charts.
Also there is an diagram of intersections on the new and improved roll
charts.
(Note: Navigation direction by the roll charts is East-to-West only.
However, the GPS tracks and maps can be used for travel in either
direction.)
Sam Correro states that the Trans-Am Trail is NOT for everyone. He
cautions that it takes a rider with a “quest for adventure” and a
special love for a motorcycle. You need to be able to find your own
way using maps and GPS. You need to be self-supporting as there are
MILES of trail with NO other traffic and no likelihood of timely help.
The route is planned with an average daily riding distance of about 200
miles from motel to motel. This distance also means that camping is not
recommended as setting up, cooking and repacking will add hours to your
daily schedule.
In 2013 I completed a 1,795 mile loop that took me by highway to
eastern Tennessee, and then back home to central Arkansas via the TAT.
For this route (that included about 50% paved roads on the TAT) I rode
my Suzuki V-Strom DL650. The full eastern TAT Ride Report can be found in another section here on my blog.
My Yamaha WR250R Ready For The TAT!
By reading the many ride reports on the Trans-America Trail site
and other locations on the web, I determined that the best bike for the
western sections of the TAT would be something lighter and more off-road
capable that the mid-weight 650cc V-Strom. So my 2014 Trans-America Trail
adventure started with the preparation of my 2013 Yamaha WR250R. To the
base bike I added the following:
LED turn signals and rear tail light from Solo Racer (eliminates the huge rear fender and lights)
IMS 3.1 gallon gas tank (replaces the stock 2 gallon tank and allows use of the stock trim)
Cycra Racing hand guards
Flatland Racing skid plate
Flatland Racing radiator guard
Freedom Case Saver front sprocket guard
IMMX Rear cargo rack
Billet foot pegs
Rear pannier racks from BRMoto
Wolfman Luggage Enduro tank bag
Wolfman Monarch Pass rear panniers, along with fuel bottle carriers
Waterproof duffel bag for camping gear
Tank panniers for maps and misc
Fender bag for spare front inner tube, patch kit and tire irons
Garmin 78s GPS on RAM mount, hardwired to battery
TCI windscreen and headlight guard
Shok Sox fork guards
Pirelli MT21 front and Dunlop 606 on/off road tires
I also fabricated a larger pad for the kickstand to hold up the loaded bike.
Finally, I added my sheepskin seat cover!
The western sections of the Trans-America Trail, beginning in the
Ozark Mountains of NW Arkansas, are known to be rougher and include
fewer stretches of paved roads. In addition, there are sandy and muddy
sections of the TAT heading through Oklahoma and father west that would
be a handful for a heavy bike with a full camping load. While my V-Strom
performed perfectly on the less-demanding eastern sections, I looked
forward to riding the nimble WR250R heading west.
My other motive for all these modifications to the stock WR250R
was to make the bike bullet-proof for other demanding off-road trips on
the Back Country Discovery Routes across Arizona, Utah, and Colorado. See my ride report on the AZBDR here!
After many short trips around my home area here in the Ouachita
Mountains, I took a “shakedown ride” north to the Ozarks. I rode
off-road north and intersected the Trans-America Trail where I concluded my ride
in 2013. The route from my home to where the Trans-America Trail crosses
Highway 9 was 117 miles. I continued north 4 miles on Highway 9 to
Choctaw, AR and refueled. I was happy to have used only 2 gallons of 91
octane gas!
Cut-Off Road and Hwy 9 on the TAT Route
Crossing Highway 9, the TAT rises into the Ozark Mountains of NW
Arkansas. The route is fast and well-graded. Most of the route overlooks
wooded valleys. There are no facilities along this section of trail,
unless you take short side trips into adjacent towns.
My goal for the day was to reach the “TAT Shack“,
and spend the night in advance of the thunderstorms that were
forecasted. Pete, the owner of the Shack is a dual-sport riding
enthusiast. He makes the Shack available for overnight stays for a
voluntary donation. And he has a sign on the road that is a replica of
the TAT logo! In total, my mileage for the day was 190 and I arrived at
the Shack by 4:30 pm – which was fortunate because I needed to replace a
burned-out headlight bulb. I cooked supper with my camp stove and
flopped in my sleeping bag – listening to the thunder build in the
distance.
TAT-Shak
The next day I rode down to Russellville, AR and across the
Arkansas River. I stopped to top off the tank having traveled another 95
miles since the last stop. Again, I averaged about 60 mpg and needed
only 1.55 gallons of gas!
I continued to work my way south on the forest roads over the Ouachita Mountains and through the Flatside Wilderness area.
The photo above is the “hanging tree” that is decorated with shoes,
bottles, and other junk at the intersection of Forest Roads 86 and 207.
Along the way I took what I thought was a shortcut through the
industrial forest only to run into 2-foot deep clay gumbo.
My shake-down ended back home by noon and totaled 290 miles.
All my equipment worked perfectly, The bike ran great on the trails and
highway sections. With just over 1,000 on the odometer, I changed the
stock Bridgestone tires for the more aggressive Pirelli and Dunlop
off-road tires. The modifications to the WR250R have been proven successful. I am
ready for the Trans-America Trail in July!
Trans-America Trail and Colorado Back Country Discovery Route Ride Report
6/24/14
Leaving for a 2,000 Mile Ride!
The day was heating up as I left home about 11:30 am and rode to the
“TAT Shack” to meet rest of group. I checked the odometer on my WR250R
before I left and it registered 1626 miles. (My tires had about 600
miles from the previous ride on the AZBDR.) I took the “long way” over
the Ouachita Mountains to avoid some usually muddy sections as I
retraced my previous trip to Russellville and the Shack. (See the
details above.) As a result, I ended up riding to Hollis on Hwy 7 before
heading east and north to Russellville. I arrived about 4:00 pm with a
total of 134 miles.
All the riders had assembled: Gene Smitley from NC rode the
highways 945 miles to the Shack! Randy Feiner rode over 800 miles by
highway from Spring Green, WI. Rich Bergstrom and Ron Van Dell had
ridden the TAT from the beginning in Tellico Plains, TN. (Rich had
ridden down from CT; Ron had trailered his bike from TX!) In addition,
Dale Warren had ridden the TAT to Arkansas, then peeled off to ride the
highway home to TN.
The plan included adding one more rider who would join the pack in
Oklahoma. Bob Lovell was riding down from Kansas City to meet the group
in Moodys, OK at the end of the first full day.
6/25/14
We agreed to get an early start at 7:00 am, finish the Arkansas
section of the TAT and enter into Oklahoma. We made the “mandatory” stop
at the Oark General Store. Several of the group had a full breakfast. I
had a piece of blueberry pie!
Oark General Store
We all topped off our tanks with gas and rode toward the Arkansas/Oklahoma line. We enjoyed the impressive Ozark scenery.
I agreed to bring up the end of the line of five cycles. It didn’t
take long for the group to get separated. Gene and Randy were faster
than the others. Then they made a wrong turn and were gone! The other
three of us decided to continue on the official TAT route and hoped they
would catch up – which they did just before we hit the rough and rocky
War Loop Road. (It appeared that we had several conflicting versions of
TAT maps and roll charts?)
Regrouped, we stopped for ice cream and gas in Mountainburg on Hwy
71, then headed northwest. As we approached Lincoln, storm clouds with
lightning gathered ahead of the group. We rode into Lincoln, AR about
3:30 pm and there was a difference of opinion. Randy Feiner filled up
with gas. Rich wondered if we should look for a campsite. Gene looked
for a restaurant. But I insisted that it was too early to quit for the
day – before we had even logged 200 miles and before 4:00 pm!
As we headed out of town, our group fell apart. Again, I brought up
the rear. My goal was to reach Moodys, OK and meet up with Bob Lovell. Gene
and Randy soon left the rest of us in the dust. I rode past Ron and Rich
and then waited at a turn a few miles later. When they didn’t show up, I
rode a few more miles west down a long, straight road where I could
watch my rear view mirror. I called ahead to Bob to tell him that we
were running late. While I was calling, Rich and Ron showed up at the
intersection from a different direction?! Gene and Randy were long gone
with at least a 20 minute lead. I told Ron and Rich that I was headed to
Moodys for gas, about 25 miles up the road, and would see them there.
That was the last I saw the other four bikes!
It took only one day for our "group" to fall apart and divide into three pairs of riders.
I pulled into the gas station in Moodys, OK about 7:00 pm, having
ridden 214 miles on Day 2. I met Bob (and his wife, Dottie who had
driven him down from Kansas City and had waited for several hours!) I
called the other Randy to learn that they were camped along the river
somewhere east of town. So Bob climbed on his Husqvarna 615 and we
headed backwards to find them – but we never did. It turns out that Gene
and Randy had stopped at a campsite about 15 miles short of Moodys.
Rich and Ron had stopped at a motel 20 miles earlier.
While Bob and Dottie had been waiting for me to show up, several
people stopped to offer him help. One person suggested that it was fine
to camp alongside the volunteer fire department building next to the gas
station. So we headed back there and pitched our camp. Total miles for
Day 2: 229
6/26/14
Bob and I packed slowly, expecting some of the other riders to show
up for gas in Moodys. About 7:30 we decided to head west and hope that
the others would catch up. It wasn’t going to happen. We enjoyed the
rolling hills and creeks of NE Oklahoma.
The TAT in Eastern Oklahoma
One low water crossing caught me off-guard and dumped me on the slick algae-covered concrete.
Scene of my First crash on the TAT
Bob and I had similar riding styles. Bob had much more riding
experience, including motocross. By lunch time we made it to Dewey, OK,
just north of Bartlesville. Turning west again we hit the wide open
Oklahoma prairie. Our speed picked up as we blasted down the good gravel
roads. We saw a coyote, and then a road runner a half mile later! Of
course, we shared the ranch roads with lots of cattle.
One of HUNDREDS of cattle guards in Oklahoma
We made it to Braman on I-35 by supper time, then we blasted west all
the way to Manchester, OK. The roads were generally good and fast, with
just enough sand and mud to keep us on our toes! A message from Randy
confirmed that they were over 50 miles behind (having stopped for
Bar-B-Q at 10:00 am…) We enjoyed the hospitality of the Manchester Bar
& Social Club, then got permission to camp in the picnic shelter
across the road in the town park.
Manchester Bar & Social Club
6/27/14 Packing up, we headed generally west on fast roads. Storms loomed on the
horizon, but just before we reached the rain, the TAT would turn south
or north and then west again. The south wind was 30 to 40 mph, forcing
us to lean into the cross-wind. The riding was tiring, but the varied
terrain was interesting.
(Please also check out my You Tube channel for more TAT and COBDR videos!)
We stopped for lunch and gassed up in Buffalo, OK. While taking a
mid-day break, we were passed by two other ADV riders headed for
Colorado. They had caught us by having leap-frogged many of the TAT dirt
sections and elected to ride the highway to put the plains of Oklahoma behind them.
Bob and I committed to ride the prescribed TAT route and kept heading
west. We were enjoying the challenge and the changing landscape. Our
tentative goal was a soft bed at a motel in Liberal, Kansas. The
gravel roads were hard and we made fast progress at 50 to 60 mph!
When we reached Hwy 83 just south of Liberal at 4:30 pm, Bob and I
hesitated for only 5 seconds before blasting farther west towards
Elkhart. We finished Day 4 after having ridden 301 miles. We found a motel on the
Kansas/Oklahoma line. (By now we were about 50 miles ahead of my daily goal,
and about 150 miles ahead of Gene and Randy. A text confirmed that Ron
and Rich were going to ride the highway to try to catch up.
6/28/14
The goal for Day 5 was to ride through the New Mexico section of the
TAT and end up in Trinidad, CO. We road 91 miles to the Oklahoma and New
Mexico state line, arriving at 11:00 am. We had completed crossing
Oklahoma “the long way”, including the panhandle for 674 miles!
After crossing into New Mexico, the terrain changed almost immediately. The flat prairie turned into rolling hills. We started to see more
antelope. We even saw a cattle drive with cowboys on horseback.
NM cattle drive on the TAT
Bob had been leading through NM since I had not bought the GPS tracks
or maps. We hit the Colorado line about 1:00 pm (Central time), then
continued on toward Trinidad. We hadn’t stopped for gas all day. Both
Bob and I emptied our spare gas into the tanks. We coasted into Trinidad
after just over 200 miles. I had stopped checking my mileage – it was
consistently exceeding 65 mpg. Bob had a larger tank and was averaging
about 45 mpg. We learned that 200 miles was our maximum range!
We took a long lunch break, and then worked our way north and west.
We made it to La Veta, CO and after refilling our tanks, we both decided
that the loss of power we were experiencing as the altitude increased
was probably due to dirty air filters from sevral hundred miles of dusty roads. Taking advantage of the service
station facilities, we both cleaned our filters.
I checked my watch and
saw that it was already 7:30 pm. We hesitated to continue riding and
when we asked about motels and meals available, we learned that
“Sammie’s” just down the road was a restaurant, bar AND motel. Another
instant decision was made and we decided to quit for the day and rest up
– only to later realize that the correct local time was only 6:30. But a
shower and a good supper and breakfast sounded more appealing than
riding on and looking for a campsite. Total miles for Day 5: 290.
6/29/14
We headed north and west into the Sangre de Cristo Mountains towards Salida, CO.
The low brush of southern Colorado changed to pines and aspens. We
were steadily gaining elevation with every hill that we climbed. Lunch
and gas was found in Westcliff, CO. We had been following the river
valleys, but still climbing. Now we were within close proximity of
snow-capped mountains!
By late afternoon we made it to Salida. Bob knew of a watering hole
along the Arkansas River where we had an appetizer and watched kayaks,
tubes, and rafts drift by.
As the sun was starting to drop in the western sky, we followed the
TAT route on Hwy 50 to Hwy 17, and then Forest Road 32 towards Marshall
Pass.
TAT Climbing Marshall Pass in CO
As we climbed sharply higher, the “road” was more of a cow path.
We bumped up over our first pass in the Continental Divide at 10,846
feet, and then descended to find a campsite for the night. After what
seemed like many miles of descent and many, many switchbacks, Bob pulled
over at a grassy campsite with a mountain stream just across the road. I
was surprised when I checked my GPS that we were still over 9,000 feet!
But we built a camp fire and shared a freeze-dried supper. Even with
the fire, we felt the chilly air settling down the mountain. So we
crawled into our tents and got ready for a cold night. Day 6 miles: 207.
6/30/14
The next morning I crawled out after 7:00 am. I found a light frost on the Yamaha and my duffel bag
Marshall Pass Campsite
I heated up some water
and had instant oatmeal and coffee for breakfast. Bob crawled out about
30 minutes later. He also had some coffee, then began packing his bike
for the next section of the TAT. Try as he might, Bob just couldn’t get
in gear
He gathered and rearranged his gear, wondering how it had all fit the
days before? Finally, close to 10:00 am we started down the road. Bob
blamed the high altitude for his lethargy.
Next stop was Lake City, but first we had to negotiate some more high
passes. At Waunita Hot Springs the TAT joined the same route as
Colorado Back Country Discovery Route (COBDR). We traveled across high
open range lands and almost never dipped below 8,000 feet. We crossed
Los Pinos Pass at 10,541 feet and then Slumgullion Pass at 11,361 feet.
We rolled a few miles down the highway to Lake City for a late lunch and gas. Our rate of progress had slowed considerably as the passes got higher
and the roads rougher. It was after 3:00 pm before we left Lake City
for Telluride – and the high passes in between.
Cinnamon Pass Road
The first part of the route followed creeks and was fast and easy.
But after the route turned onto Cinnamon Pass Road, the going got
steeper and much rougher with loose rocks, abrupt ledges and wet
sections fed by still plentiful snow. We bumped along and made Cinnamon
Pass at 12,620 feet (below the summit at 13,328 feet).
Cinnamon Pass, Colorado
The trail clings to the sides of the mountain, and is comprised of
loose rock – and no guard rail – as it “descended” to Animas Forks at
about 11,000 feet.
We continued onward toward California Pass, topping out at 12,930
feet. The trail leading up the pass was bulldozed through snow that
exceeded 6 feet deep!
California Pass, Colorado
The trail was wet, loose, slippery rock. The route included many
tight 180-degree switchbacks – one of which was my downfall – literally.
I rounded the corner and was faced with an immediate climb at about a 33-degree angle. Going slow around the corner had robbed me of all
forward momentum and I spun out going up the hill. Grabbing the brake, I
found my bike sliding backwards as gravity overcame the grip of the
knobbies on the rock. In slow motion, I fell over sideways – down the
sloped inside corner of the turn and flopped in the mud and snow. Now my
bike was on its side, wheels uphill, and at the apex of a steep hill
with no room for a run up.
Thankfully, Bob came along and helped my right the bike, and back up
to the furthermost downward edge of the turn. I didn’t make it on my
first attempt, but with more throttle and determination I made it up the
slope on my second run. Then it was down the mountain one more time.
But there was no time to rest. We still had to cross Corkscrew Pass
and get off the mountain before we could think about stopping for the
day. Corkscrew was no easier at about 12,400 feet. But it was the
descent on the west side that was most memorable as the earth just drops
after you cross the pass. The “road” is loose rock cut into the side of
the mountain. Multiple switchbacks barely allow for a sharp turn to the
next stretch. Vertigo is a real danger as you dare to look over the
sheer edges.
Corkscrew Pass
After what seemed like an hour of downhill riding, we came out at the Highway 550 junction leading north to Ouray.
I was wore out! After a short discussion whether to camp, ride into
Ouray, or continue on to Telluride, we chose the latter and pressed on.
But this also meant we had one more pass to cross into Ophir. After a
few miles on Hwy 550, we turned on FR679 and then FR630 to Ophir Pass. I
was encouraged that this would be easier since we were following an SUV
with kids hanging out the rear windows! After a few miles, the SUV
slowed at a wet curve to let us go ahead. Soon we topped the pass at
11,790 feet and then began our descent on the loose rock road carved
into the side of the mountain.
Note that Ophir Pass is considered one of
the easiest in the region, but it still keeps you intensely focused as
you traverse the open slope on loose rock, held in place by only a few
inches of rubber on your two wheels!
Ophir Pass Road
Eventually, the pass connected with roads leading to the mountain
village of Ophir, and idyllic collection of rustic cabins. Joining Hwy
145, we turned north toward Telluride. Entering Telluride after 7:00 pm,
we quickly realized our planning error. This tourist town has NO chain
restaurants or motels and we needed food and a place to crash for the
night. Plus, this was the height of the summer season.
We were directed to Town Park at the east end of town. We cruised the
campground that was packed in these days just prior to July 4th. Just
as we were about to give up and move on a woman waved us over and asked
if we were just looking for a tent space for the night. She and her
husband had claimed two campsites and had moved in a camper and a few
tents to reserve the spaces for more friends until the weekend. While
there would be more people occupying the sites in the next few days, on
that Monday night there were only three people in their camp. We were
invited to set up our tents in the remaining openings and share their
site for the night!
We set up our tents and finished our freeze-dried suppers in the
dark. Then we crawled into our sleeping bags for some much needed rest. I
also nursed my toe which had been pinched in the tip-over on the pass.
It seems that the foot peg had landed right on my middle toe. The next
morning when I put my motocross boot the pain was intense. It was then
that I felt inside my boot and found a “dimple” that had been punched
inward into my boot, pressing directly down on my black and blue middle
toe! After pressing the boot back into shape, I was able to wear the
boot for the rest of the ride, with the swelling going down day by day.
Total miles for Day 7: 175.
7/1/14
We reloaded our bikes and said thanks to our campground hosts and
headed for Utah. Our goal was 3 Step Hideaway, a remote camp across the
border in Utah that I had read about in ADV ride reports. The camp is
owned by Scott Stevenson and his wife Julie. Scott is a proponent of the
Yamaha WR250R for light back country touring and was of the key
influences in my choice of this motorcycle. His 250 Yamaha has nearly 60,000
miles! Along with Mark Sampson, the “Big Dog”, Scott has traveled from
Mexico to Canada and back, plus to Prudhoe Bay and back, plus many other
trips!
The ride toward Utah took us down the highway from Telluride about 20
miles before turning onto the TAT route as it climbed between Wilson
Peak and Mt. Wilson, both topping out over 14,000 feet. The route was
easy to ride with a hard-packed road negotiating the climb with numerous
switchbacks. We crossed over Delores Peak, Dunn Peak and then dropped
down toward Groundhog Reservoir after about 50 miles of riding. There is
a small convenience store at the lake that provided coffee and a snack.
Groundhog Reservoir
Refreshed, we continued west. The route flattened as we dropped into
ranch lands. Slowly the terrain opened into farmland with plowed fields
bordering the roads. After about 120 miles we arrived in Dove Creek for
gas and lunch, only a few miles from the Utah line.
The temperature was rising now that we had dropped in elevation. We
pushed on. I had a few way points for 3 Step Hideaway, but only knew
general directions that lead north just after we crossed into Utah. We
continued to follow the TAT GPS tracks but saw no indication marking the
Utah/Colorado line. We were watching for the end of the Colorado track
when we soon realized we were on the outskirts of Monticello, UT, and
that the Colorado track had taken us about 15 miles too far!
The TAT and New Mexico line
Well, we took our state line pictures and burned back down the
highway east toward our route to 3 Step. Finally turning north, we
arrived at the camp late in the afternoon having logged about 20 more
miles than I had planned. Total miles for Day 8: 171.
3 Step Hideawy, Lasal, Utah
3 Step Hideaway was exactly what we needed after several days of
tough riding. We showed up unannounced. Our original group was spread
out over several states. The other group members had shipped new sets of
tires to 3 Step in preparation for their continued ride on the TAT all
the way to Oregon. Scott and Julie welcomed us warmly and showed us to a
rustic cabin with twin beds and sheets!
Cabin at 3 Step Hideaway
Then we were given a tour of the bath house with running hot water
and clean towels. We were added to the dinner list, along with Mike and
Jen who were staying at the camp awaiting parts to rebuild Mike’s KLR
that had blown a head outside of Monticello.
After a hot shower, we were ready for supper. Supper included a
grilled steak, fresh salad, and cherry crisp for dessert! Then we took
advantage of Scott’s shop to do some preventative maintenance on our
bikes.
While finishing our bike checks, another group of nine riders arrived
at 3 Step. This group had trailered to Trinidad and had ridden the
highways and passes to arrive at the camp. The camp was the middle of a
four day ride that was circling back to Trinidad. The group was also
served a steak supper and we all enjoyed some fresh cookies as we heard
their stories of crossing the mountain passes.
7/2/14
Our original plan was to backtrack on the TAT to Dove Creek to
refuel, and then continue on the CO Backcountry Discovery Route past
Groundhog Reservoir. But Scott offered to show us the “back door” overland
from his property into Colorado and Slick Rock, CO. Our plan to ride
back to Dove Creek was necessitated by gas, but Scott also has a reserve
of fuel on hand at his camp which was added to the tab we had generated
during our stay.
With full tanks, we headed east across high desert and
into the canyons. Scott led the way for five miles with his Honda
side-by-side UTV. He pointed out the Utah/Colorado line marked only by a
barbed wire fence and a USGS pipe. Then we followed a series of back
roads along gas pipelines and up and over mesas toward Highway 141.
Slick Rock, Colorado
Reaching the highway, we turned east and then south on the gravel
again at Road 190. This eventually led us back to Groundhog Reservoir.
Not only did we get to ride through some great country, we avoided
backtracking though some hot, boring farm land AND shaved off over 40
miles!
We had a snack and something to drink at the store and then
continued east. Our next stop was Telluride to refuel. While the COBDR
headed north from the lake, we elected to retrace the scenic TAT route
up over the mountains. By Telluride we were hot and thirsty and ready
for a break.
Refreshed, we turned west looking for Last Dollar Road that would
take us north toward Ridgeway, CO. This was a scenic road, although the
amount of traffic increased with numerous ranches and expensive vacation
homes along the route.
View along Last Dollar Road
When we came out on Hwy 62 we were in for a 20-mile downhill pavement
ride into Ridgeway. I kicked the Yamaha into 6th gear overdrive and
cruised downhill at 65 mph.
By Ridgeway, we were tired again. It was only 4:30 pm, but we needed a
break. We elected to stop for an early supper, and then ride for an
hour or so to several forest service campsites in the Uncompahgre
National Forest.
Leaving Ridgeway, once again we climbed into the mountains, crossing Owl Creek Pass at
10,111 feet and looking up into surrounding mountains topping over
14,000 feet. We wound down the mountain looking forward to a campsite
along a mountain stream. After a few more miles we found a perfect
campsite. We pitched our tents, built a fire, and enjoyed a relaxing
hour before hitting the sleeping bags. Total miles for Day 9: 181.
7/3/14
Our goal today was to rejoin the COBDR and continue along continental
divide toward Pitkin, CO. This required some highway riding into
Gunnison and then beyond to reconnect the TAT and COBDR routes near
Doylesville. We turned east onto the gravel road and then north headed
for Pitkin. We crossed over Waunita Pass at 10,265 feet and then dropped
into the cool town of Pitkin, CO.
We enjoyed an ice cream bar and
coffee on the porch at the Silver Plume General Store, then moved north
again.
Silver Plume General Store, Pitkin, CO
The road connecting Pitkin and Tin Cup crosses Cumberland Pass at
12,010 feet. Rain was threatening once again, but the sun reappeared as
we dropped down the mountain.
Cumberland Pass, CO 12,015 feet
We pulled into Tin Cup and took more pictures in this misnamed “ghost
town”. Next stop was Buena Vista, our original goal for the day.
Tin Cup, Colorado
The area around Tin Cup was full of trucks, ATV’s, and campers. We
took a series of logging roads to bypass Taylor Park due to the
increasing holiday traffic. Then we connected with Hwy 209 that would
take us over Cottonwood Pass and the Continental Divide at 12,126 feet.
Cottonwood Pass, Continental Divide
The parking lot at the pass was a zoo with people traveling into the
country for the weekend, and others just wanting a photo at the Divide.
Every sort of vehicle and camper and trailer was passed on the road. We
took one last look back at the mountains we had crossed and headed down
the mountain on the paved road into Buena Vista for supper.
Looking South from the Continental Divide
We had traveled about 140 miles so far. It was just after 5:00 pm and
we had a light supper and some refreshments. The original plan was to
ride the COBDR for a short section north of Buena Vista the next day,
and then ride the highway for the remaining miles into Denver to meet up
with family.
Looking at the COBDR map we realized that the next 20 miles or so of
“back country” would likely be overrun with holiday traffic generating
clouds of dust with their Jeeps, ATV’s and cycles. After all the remote
roads we had covered, we decided this was a bad way to end our ride.
Instead, we elected skip this last 20 miles of dusty roads and just take
Highway 285 directly into Denver. And since this was going to be the
plan, why wait for tomorrow when we could still ride these last miles
yet tonight?
So we mounted up and hit the highway. We agreed to stop after an hour
or so to refuel and stretch. We gassed up in Fairplay and then made it
to Bailey just as thunder and lightning surrounded us in the mountain
valley. A call to family in Denver assured us that the storms were
scattered and dissipating. So we watched the black clouds swirl around
us and after about 30 minutes we blasted down the mountain.
Our fears
of holiday traffic were confirmed as the two highway lanes heading up the mountain were
completely gridlocked as vacationers tried to leave
the city behind for the July 4th weekend
As we approached the outskirts of the Denver area, I turned north to
my son, Aaron’s house in Arvada. Bob continued east to the center of
Denver and his son, Robert’s home. After pulling in to the driveway, I
checked my odometer and found that the total miles for Day 10 equaled
284. I had ridden for 10 straight days. The last highway section had
cutoff a planned 11th day. This planned 11 days of travel had also allowed for
weather and/or mechanical delays - of which there were NONE!
I started at 1,626 miles and ended with 3,884 on the Yamaha WR250R. I
had ridden 2,258 miles overall, with 90% being on unpaved gravel, dirt
and rock roads and trails. Bob and I had experienced no mechanical
problems. Neither of us had had even one flat tire! I hadn’t even needed
to add oil to the WR250R! And after nearly 3,000 miles there was still
tread left on the knobbies, ready for some fall riding back home in the
Ouachita Mountains of Arkansas…
