ADV motivation pics: camp spots, hot springs, views, etc.

[SFMCjohn]

Inspiring posts. I'm waiting for the DMV to open back up so I can finish the written portion of my license, but stuff like this is why I decided to get into moto. Already got the bike and camping gear, can't wait to just let go and get lost somewhere.

slept well, and got up in the am and went to look for
Virginia Peak on Thursday ...

found it!

the thin white line on the rhs of the top pic is Reno,
and there's another glimpse of Pyramid Lake beyond the snow ...

from Virginia Peak, headed over Sand Pass to the
hot spring off Surprise Valley Road ...

think I’m going to try to camp up here on the way to two wheel tramp’s Cedarville Rally, maybe this year, or someday ... Microwave Road is GSA-worthy, I’d say ...

 

[paul cbr]

I rode part of the Utah BDR this weekend, wiped out in some muddy snow, blew both fork seals, and generally had a great time.

 

[89fj]

Utah, scenery is

https://www.nps.gov/glca/planyourvisit/driving-the-burr-trail.htm

 

[N4teTheGreat]

Utah, scenery is

https://www.nps.gov/glca/planyourvisit/driving-the-burr-trail.htm

Yeah, good views on road and off.

 

[norcalkid]

Definitely serious. I was planning with a friend of mine from out of state to ride to Banff, this was going to be a test ride to see if I can endure a longer trip to AK.

I had this loop planned: SF > Eureka/Lost Coast > Portland > Seattle > Vancouver (maybe cross to that island there) > Banff/Jasper > south to Yellowstone > Salt Lake City > back to SF

It was scheduled for this year. We didn't fully agree on the extent of the ride. I can do the entire loop on my Tiger, my friend would have to take one of my other rides, but none are as comfortable as the Tiger. So we agreed on trailering to Oregon, ride to Banff and then return back to Oregon.

Reason I ask how you get there is that many of these trips might involve lots of boring slabbing and I don't know if going to AK is worth riding all the way, or trailer to AK and be fresh to ride there. I often rather trailer and be fresh, especially if the place to ride is challenging.

The ultimate trip I want to do is Patagonia. I am from Argentina and my parents took me on vacation all over Patagonia and Chile when I was a kid. I have the best memories on those trips (on a car, of course). I've been planning a very large loop with a friend of mine to go from Buenos Aires through the east coast to Tierra del Fuego, then back up through the Andes, cross to Chile, then cut across back to Buenos Aires. Unfortunately neither of us had a month vacation available and now my friend has a kid, so this out for now...

Thanks for the imagery, this is getting me the motivation I need to get me thinking about a long trip as soon as this is over!

Was just looking at your route image.
IMO, your route is missing Glacier NP and Rising Sun road which is between Banff and Yellowstone. Though a lot of traffic and slow going this was one of the highlights of my trip.

If you added a day you could ride Rising Sun into Glacier, camp at Apgar Lake then head back out to your original route. Also I'd cross Nevada on 50 rather than 80 if not in a hurry.

 

[SFMCjohn]

Was just looking at your route image.
IMO, your route is missing Glacier NP and Rising Sun road which is between Banff and Yellowstone. Though a lot of traffic and slow going this was one of the highlights of my trip.

If you added a day you could ride Rising Sun into Glacier, camp at Apgar Lake then head back out to your original route. Also I'd cross Nevada on 50 rather than 80 if not in a hurry.

our trick with the Rising Sun Hwy is to be at the gate on the west side heading east as the sun comes up ... remember being at the overlook at the top around 9am and watching the lines of cars stacked up behind the tour buses laboring up the grade.

been locked out of the Rising Sun in June, too, due to snow. guess it opens pretty late in the spring, usually ... arty

on the way home did Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve and Hwy 51/225/Owyhee/Ruby Mtns/Austin/Hwy 50 one time ... that was fun way to get home from MT ...

 

[TwoWheelsRule]

Any tips recommendations for dual sport riding this weekend? My buddy and I were planning to take our 2 KLRs to Tahoe national forest and do some dispersed camping, but now looking at options further south to avoid the weather Sunday.

Road / areas to consider much appreciated!

Experience:
- Have ridden carrizo plain, knoxville, lost coast, dirt trails around french meadows, and baja

 

[Mario]

Was just looking at your route image.
IMO, your route is missing Glacier NP and Rising Sun road which is between Banff and Yellowstone. Though a lot of traffic and slow going this was one of the highlights of my trip.

If you added a day you could ride Rising Sun into Glacier, camp at Apgar Lake then head back out to your original route. Also I'd cross Nevada on 50 rather than 80 if not in a hurry.

Route updated! Thanks for the tips. I hope I can do this soon.

Any suggestion on when it is a good time to do this kind of trip? I can take vacation anytime, I like not freezing temperatures and no crowds

 

[norcalkid]

Route updated! Thanks for the tips. I hope I can do this soon.

Any suggestion on when it is a good time to do this kind of trip? I can take vacation anytime, I like not freezing temperatures and no crowds

I did it in late August. US kids were going back to school but Canadian kids go back in Sept. so Canadian parks were still at peak season. Weather was good for the most part but prepare for the cold and hot. IMO any time of the year you have to be prepared in those altitudes and that far north. Dress in layers and warm gloves(+ summer gloves) or Hippo Hands W heated grips. But you also gota be prepared for the heat getting there and back.

I cheated, I looked at Motoquest and Eagle riders and when they run trips in that area. Then used that as my weather window.

And please note, this was my first big trip on the bike. Not like I know what I'm doing. More like I froze my ass off the first night and had to buy more warm clothes to sleep in because I under estimated the mountain weather at night.

What I learned from this trip and preparing for Alaska. I bought a waterproof jacket. Stopping all the time to add/remove a rain layer sucks. Got a seat pad and a second set of warm/waterproof gloves(yes even with the heated grips and Hippo Hands my fingertips got cold in the mornings). My plan was to leave for Alaska May 5th, that obviously isn't happening now.

 

[TwoWheelsRule]

Any tips recommendations for dual sport riding this weekend? My buddy and I were planning to take our 2 KLRs to Tahoe national forest and do some dispersed camping, but now looking at options further south to avoid the weather Sunday.

Road / areas to consider much appreciated!

Experience:
- Have ridden carrizo plain, knoxville, lost coast, dirt trails around french meadows, and baja

Update: We ended up going to TNF around the french meadows area. Had wonderful time dispersed camping and 2 days of riding forest roads and camping. Hit snow ~ 7000 ft and had to turn back a couple times, but still a great trip.

 

[paul cbr]

Manti-La Sal National Forest

 

[HadesOmega]

I've been there before twice