Cave Man Trip

[Number Two]

= cave man

[Number Two]

....well, it went something like this:

[Number Two]

My best friend Brad [entrepeneer?] was out in Albuquerque for some such of test firing of some whozit, and calls me up to hang out.  Originally planning to hit up a 14er or two in Colorado, it looked like the weather had other plans.  [*flashback* - I just bought a new-to-me bike two days earlier].  Being the present owner of two knobbie-tired motorcycles, it seemed that the only rational conclusion was to meet in Moab.  So that night after work, I packed up the bikes and drove to the Dewey Bridge area.  I arrived after 1 AM and we met up.  There was a little fire, some guitar, a few eats and we made camp.  It had snowed most of the way through Colorado and was still raining in UT.  In the morning, the rain had stopped.  We packed up, and then proceded to ride a good chunk of the Kokopeli trail, and others in the dome plateau area.

[Number Two]

The trails were amazing!  The sun came out and dried off most of the wetness, but there was still very little dust.  Tight two-track was common throughout the area with obstacles consisting of sand washes, mud, small rocks, big rocks, gardens of rocks, piles of rocks, and last but certainly not least, steep loose hillclimbs with ledges of rocks.  We easily had the biggest bikes there, and the TT600 was certainly the oldest by a decade and a half at least.  The weapon of choice was the 250 4-stroke.  

[Number Two]

We rode a tank of gas in the morning, came back, ate, and had fire number 3 of the trip before heading out for the afternoon.  We had a blast.  By 7PM we were back and packed everything up.  Brad wrestled his rental car back toward NM for his flight home with no less than one plugged tire and one bog-wallow under his belt, while I went north.  I made it home 2AM Sunday morning - just in time to catch a nap before church and some well deserved family time.  That was about it.

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Here's the rest of the pictures.  If you want to see great pictures of Moab, you're in the wrong thread.  We were way too excited to be out riding the area, that pictures just didn't really happen... that, and this camera had to ride in the tail-bag with some loose tools, some unused toilet paper, and a bag of sour skittles.

[Number Two]

more

[Number Two]

Probably my favorite picture of the trip is this cloud that I would have to drive through on my way back to Colorado.

[Number Two]

Some thoughts about the desert:

I've never ridden the desert before.  It's hot.  What it lacks in hotness, it makes up for in dryness.  It was only in the sixties.  I drank a gallon and a half over our 10 hour day, and I could have drank another.  Granted I was wearing a black waterproof riding jacket, there might have been some hard work involved, and my blood was still a bit thick from winter in Laramie.  A lot of the riding is standing up.  The best way to make the bike handle over the rocks is to stand.  Being 6'3, I'm going to need risers somewhere down the line, but you can really feel the bike working for you while on the pegs out there.  Finally, the dual-sport motorcycle is king in Moab.  OHV riding is somewhat limited, and a street bike would never get to many of the great adventures the area has to offer.  The enterprising dual sport rider can sample OHV, BLM, and two national parks!? 

DS bike = freedom.

If you haven't been to Moab, you must go.  I'm serious, tell your boss I said it's urgent.

[jacin theis]

i made a climbing trip to Moab a few years ago. didnt get to bring a bike, and was bummed the whole time. Moab is one of my favorite places in the county. Great little town with a lot to offer, and a ton of natural scenery. might have to get ou there this year for a ride. Anyone want to make a group trip?

[The Yeti]

Nice report and great pics!

I've never been to Moab, but it's definitely on my list.

[OOFDA]

Thanks for the great pictures. So how was your experience with "the cloud"?
I haven't been to Moab but several of our club members have. We are planning a dual sport ride in Colorado and then will visit Moab and Slick Rock.
Any suggestions??

OOFDA

[Number Two]

Group ride - yes     As long as someone brings a GPS.  We were doing things the cowboy way.  Success the cowboy way requires a   b i g    tank.

Yeti, Moab proper is only about 12 hrs from Rapid.  Been trying to talk Crazy Uncle Larry into it for over a year now.  If you think about it, it's really not that far for what you get. 

The cloud was intense, but brief; followed by the complete double rainbow sunset experience.  Route suggestions... hmmm.  Well the Kokopeli trail can be linked from Grand Junction, CO to Moab, so that's on my list [have you seen the thread on ADV with the trashed Toyota Yaris rental car?], along with the White Rim Trail [#1], porcupine rim, gold bar-poison spider-golden spike loop.  Some of these are pending the improvement of my motorcycle ninja skills. 

For you guys: 5 Miles of Hell.

[hayduke.klr07]

a lot of years back i road the slick rock trail on a mountain bike.  a few years ago went back with the klr's.  road some kokopelli, the white rim, and a couple of others that i cannot remember.  i don't think you would want anything bigger than a 250 on the "slick rock trail".  the 650 was great for the white rim.  about 120 miles round trip.  the place is great, but because of that it gets a whole lot of traffic.  i definitely want to go back.  next time i'm going to pack the bicycle and rent a 250 for a couple of days.

[fringefan]

Looks like a great time. Been there many times myself and as long as you don't make the trip in late June thru early Sept it is an outdoor playground for anyone that likes the outdoors and Moab is a great town to hang for those that want to kick back while others play.