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

[SFMCjohn]

been suggested to me that our BARF Adventure Riding sub-forum needs a post-C19 thread for those of us planning on where we’d like to ride to when we can ...

hoping to get some ideas from peeps who’ve ridden places like Utah, the Grand Canyon, Colorado, ID, MT and/or the TAT and BDRs, all things I’d like to do but have not done yet ...

here’s a pic of one of my “secret” camp spots: Bald Mtn, in Mendo, which I rode by for years until I figured out how to find my way to the top ...

On Tuesday it was on to Bald Mountain by the intersection
of M1 and M61 ...

It isn't particularly hard to get up there, just a couple of sharp,
rutted turns that are tough for me on a loaded KLR ...

You can see Mt. Hull, the Snow Mountain Wilderness (in the clouds), Mt. St. John and
Sheetiron Mountain in the distance ... so I guess
this is a view more or less to the east ...

My campsite and campfire ...
Leo_jb taught me the trick to take my campfire pic during the daylight ...
That's Covelo in the distance, to the west, maybe ...

where have you been, and where would you like to go back to ASAP?

 

[seldredg]

Crossing Mojave on CA BDR South. And I'd like to visit the pictures above.

 

[SFMCjohn]

Crossing Mojave on CA BDR South. And I'd like to visit the pictures above.

wonderful pic ...

thinking of doing the CA DBR South on my pre-gen KLR, starting in Benton in the fall and head south, and then slog back to SF from Yuma, or maybe after the Mojave section ...

did you do it south to north on your KLR?

 

[m0t0_ryder]

...where have you been, and where would you like to go back to ASAP?

I've been to Cedarville and from there into High Rock Canyon... but not to the canyon itself, nor the Soldier Meadows Hot Springs.
Also from there to Adel... but not to Hart Mtn Hot Springs (aka Antelope Hot Springs).

 

[SFMCjohn]

I've been to Cedarville and from there into High Rock Canyon... but not to the canyon itself, nor the Soldier Meadows Hot Springs.
Also from there to Adel... but not to Hart Mtn Hot Springs (aka Antelope Hot Springs).

Hart Mountain hot-springs is on my short list of places to find, soon ...

would like to find my way back to Jarbidge, NV, someday ... might take me a day or two from Hart Mountain ... was on my way to Alaska in this pic, maybe in 2008 ... may be snow capped 10,600’ Matterhorn Peak in the distance ...

 

[m0t0_ryder]

Great picture!

Haven't seen your KLR with hard bags before.

 

[SFMCjohn]

Great picture!

Haven't seen your KLR with hard bags before.

super-beautiful in that part of the world, as you know ...

the Jarbidge pic, above, was my first KLR, and the hard bags came with the bike ... made a heroic effort to make them work, and guess the Givi bags did work, but I smashed them up pretty good dropping the poor bike all the time, finally resorting to big straps to hold them to their huge racks ...

guess that KLR’s frame finally started to crack, and when I dealt with that I must have upgraded to soft Dirtbagz with their tiny racks.

for the kind of riding we can do out here in the west, turned out soft bags were by far the better solution ...

here’s the soft-bag set-up you’re used to seeing me with these days:

 

[norcalkid]

Do you all think Baja would be OK in June? Or you think it will be way too hot? (assuming everything opens up in May)

3 trips on my to do list. Alaska was what I actually planned May/June (but due to COVID19 I scheduled work in May). Baja and Monument valley are the alternates. I'm thinking Monument Valley too hot in June.

Ya'll think Baja will be OK in regards to weather in June? I do have a set of mesh gear.

IMG20190818125733 by Norcalkid, on Flickr

 

[seldredg]

wonderful pic ...

thinking of doing the CA DBR South on my pre-gen KLR, starting in Benton in the fall and head south, and then slog back to SF from Yuma, or maybe after the Mojave section ...

did you do it south to north on your KLR?

I did south to north, Starting in Mojave and intending to do Mojave and Death Valley and then home. I banged up my ribs going down in deep sand so I didn't do Death Valley because I was riding alone.

Wouldn't mind trying it again if you're up for company (as long as we ride 6 feet apart).

 

[SFMCjohn]

I did south to north, Starting in Mojave and intending to do Mojave and Death Valley and then home. I banged up my ribs going down in deep sand so I didn't do Death Valley because I was riding alone.

Wouldn't mind trying it again if you're up for company (as long as we ride 6 feet apart).

starting in Mojave and heading north to Benton sounds like a good idea, too. was it the deep sand in Ibex/Harry Wade Road by Tecopa? I’ve never ridden that, but hear the sand is deep ... not even sure the CA BDR South goes that way.

Would love some company, but don’t think I’ll have the KLR set up with new tires before it’ll be too hot this season ... when did you go? Did you have trouble with heat or snow?

 

[CDONA]

Monsoon season starts in June, monument valley could be good with rain in the afternoons.
Verga is gods answer to a swamp cooler

 

[boney]

Big Bikes in High Rock:

In Search of: Charcoal Kilns (I know of 8 sets)

Canyonlands!

 

[SFMCjohn]

cool pics!

Canyonlands pic is especially cool ... still want to do your NV-east-to-UT route, someday ...

 

[bikewanker]

cool pics!

Canyonlands pic is especially cool ... still want to do your NV-east-to-UT route, someday ...

This would be the “I don’t like asphalt” route?

 

[boney]

cool pics!

Canyonlands pic is especially cool ... still want to do your NV-east-to-UT route, someday ...

You can finish it off right there in Canyonlands. It's a natural extension. If the snow level is right (or you ride it a bit later in the year) then theres a lot of California dirt that can be added as well. But the CO river was something I didn't have a work around for. Maybe linking with the TAT....

 

[seldredg]

starting in Mojave and heading north to Benton sounds like a good idea, too. was it the deep sand in Ibex/Harry Wade Road by Tecopa? I’ve never ridden that, but hear the sand is deep ... not even sure the CA BDR South goes that way.

Would love some company, but don’t think I’ll have the KLR set up with new tires before it’ll be too hot this season ... when did you go? Did you have trouble with heat or snow?

I went in March last year. Days were good, nights were cold. Harry Wade rRd sounds familiar but not sure. There was some deep sand but not too much. My problem was a loose subframe that caused bike to drive like a slalom racer in sand. I had bolted my soft tail pack down using the four bolts that connect the rear rack side bars. Allowed a tiny amount of play, which translated to a huge am,ount of instability in sand.

 

[onto1wheel]

Great thread idea!
Wish I had something to add, but i'm just here to learn

 

[HadesOmega]

Thinking of doing the Idaho TAT and BDR, better get my bike ready.

 

[HadesOmega]

I went in March last year. Days were good, nights were cold. Harry Wade rRd sounds familiar but not sure. There was some deep sand but not too much. My problem was a loose subframe that caused bike to drive like a slalom racer in sand. I had bolted my soft tail pack down using the four bolts that connect the rear rack side bars. Allowed a tiny amount of play, which translated to a huge am,ount of instability in sand.

Harry Wade Road doesn't have much deep sand but you never know conditions change all the time. There are like maybe 2 water crossing depending on the time of the year. I wish I had an adventure quad then sand would be no problem =P

 

[Mario]

Here also to learn of new places and share my favorite.

I've been to Colorado twice. I like it so much I want to go every year. In fact, if this shit virus allows it, I'll take the days off this year and go again

I've been to two places: once to Breckenridge, twice to Silverton/Ouray/Lake City/Telluride. That place is heaven to me. Blue skies, amazing green scenery, great roads to ride. My first trip was a solo trip on a WR250R (stupid stupid stupid, but really worth it), second time on a KTM500, 50% solo, 50% with some friends from KY. I don't dare to do it on an ADV bike, I'm a tad small and it takes a lot of strength to pick up a heavy bike at 13,000ft elevation, though I have seen lots of people on big adventure bikes. I would consider it if I had a better ADV bike... (KTM 790 )

If anyone is interested, I got plenty of maps, GPS routes, some recommendations on where to stay. Can't wait to go there again

I try to make it to every peak, I think I have made it to almost all. Some of them are not accessible by bike, so a short hike is required

I always stay in Silverton, it is a very small town that is great starting point for all rides. Very friendly people and lots of great beer and food! Only thing to watch out is the storms, they come out of nowhere and I was told you MUST be below tree line to be safe. I got caught in a couple of T-storms and was pretty concerned... Other than that, I got the usual rain, snow and even hail. Part of the adventure!

The biggest challenge for me was to do Black Bear Pass. The time I went solo on the WR250R was the only time in my life I truly thought I was going to die on a motorcycle. I was told it was difficult, I didn't know what to expect, I didn't do much research, I just went and hoped for the best... It is a steep descent through some narrow rocky shelf, a big drop on the other side, blind turn right, no room for mistake. Constant pressure on the brakes, keep the bike rolling (you cannot stop there) and have faith that the road is still there

And, of course, plenty of naps to be had along the way. On my first day on the solo trip, I forgot to set the pressure on the tires, I was riding a bit too fast on 30+psi front/rear. Went down hard, cracked the visor of my helmet and bent the bars a good amount. No spare parts, no other helmet, finished the trip that way.