Summer ride

[Nails]

I'm planning a ride, and this is a request for suggested routes/destinations. What I know now: I'll be leaving Santa Fe, NM for Wells, NV to arrive on June 19. Then I'll need to be in Spokane on June 21, via Boise. It's mostly a camping trip (I have the Fed Geezer Pass, so heavy on the Natl Parks &etc) on my XII. That's it.

I'm planning a route across southern UT -- I'm already pretty familiar with that country. I'm sure to loop east and come down the Rockies somehow.

I know it's a target-rich environment, so I'm asking about any little-known gems I should take in. Thanks in advance.

[cranky]

.... if Kanab, Ut is a stop, Parry Lodge is a must place.... past knowledge, they've
changed hands and I'll find out about mid July... hope they didn't ruin it...
It was the best of the best... I'm heading for Montrose, Co mid July will be on
the narrow gauge outta Durango for Silverton 7/5, spend a few days with
some VROC friends (Vulcan Riders and Owners Club - the other arm of
Kawasaki) for a great "family" visit and roll thru the hills.....

Got my shots and rarin' to go!!!! GBG

[Nails]

.... if Kanab, Ut is a stop, Parry Lodge is a must place....

Thx. I'll head north of there to get to Lehman Cave. But I'll sure look at this next time I'm going to SoCal -- likely to be every couple months going forward. I'll also get back to Bryce Canyon &etc on one of those trips.

But this time (after spending an hour with the maps), I need to get to NE Nevada -- via SE Utah. (I'll be taking the XII up the Moki Dugway.)

If camping, Coral Pink Sand Dunes state park is very nice ... if a tad expensive. Showers, tidy, and an armed guard up front.

I'm heading out in June, but might not get back until July.

will be on the narrow gauge outta Durango for Silverton

Decades ago, when I lived in Durango, I took this train with a beautiful young woman. Got off half-way to Silverton and hiked for a week. We were engaged before getting back on the train. Be careful out there!

[cranky]

... dang... maybe I better pack my "lead" pills just in case!!!! GBG

[GrandpaDenny]

Nails, it's about time you quit abusing that poor bike and take her out to play! Have a great and safe trip! I hope your trip turns out better than mine did!

[Nails]

I spent some quality time with our combined collection of road atlases. Here's my first-draft plan:

I’ll ride through Shiprock and up the Moki Dugway, to camp somewhere near Grand Gulch or along the White Canyon. Then through Hanksville and Capitol Reef, and sorta noodle over to Lehman Cave. Then a short day up to Wells, where I'll meet my wife and daughter. Then convoy to Boise and Spokane. The leg from Capitol Reef to GBNP is long and sucky, so I might bail to freeways and do a motel instead. Looking forward to a visit with Barry on the way up.

Coming back, I’d take I-90 to Bozeman, south through Yellowstone and down to Flaming Gorge. Then east through Dinosaur NM and Steamboat to Granby, and up through Rocky Mtn NP. Coming south, I’ll take the Peak-to-Peak Byway around Denver and then noodle down through Fairplay, Salida, and Alamosa into New Mexico and home.

The campgrounds at all the big NPs are slammed, meaning the parks will be too. So I'm probably going to zoom through the parks -- but I think I can avoid the weekends there. Lots of iOverlander wild-camping options, if I can keep from getting the XII stuck in sand. (I hate motels.)

So, a kinda quick trip, almost like "normal". I'm still looking for little side destinations that might make up for the throngs of tourists. In the meantime, I need to finish putting siding on my shop and build the barn doors. But it's already a nice place to do a bunch of overdue XII maintenance (abuse, indeed).

[cranky]

... enjoy!!! Was at a Torrey rally few years back and got to ride
the Hogsback / 12... I don't think I'm up to the Moki yet, or ever....
think I've read it's a tad on the rural side.... GBG

[Barry]

I know it's a target-rich environment, so I'm asking about any little-known gems I should take in. Thanks in advance.

Afton Wy periodic springs. It's a short hike. https://www.atlasobscura.com/places/intermittent-spring
Dubois Wy military museum. I've been told it's a must see and haven't been there yet. https://www.nmmv.org/
Fossil Butte visitors center (Kemmerer Wy) is interesting, but the surrounding area is flyover country.

I'm sure we're all looking forward to your pictures and stories from your adventure.

[Nails]

Thx, Barry. That spring especially looks interesting. Too bad Deanna isn't going with -- she's a geologist and already said "Cool!"

[Barry]

If you stop to see the spring, Aviat Aircraft is also in Afton Wy. https://aviataircraft.com/ All their stuff is way out of my price range. If I ever decide to fly, I'd probably get a kitfox. They are manufactured 20 miles from my place.

[GrandpaDenny]

Hey Nails, don't be a Denny and neglect to take pics. We want to see pics! Pics of the places you go, the places you see, hell why not even one of you and the wifey? Enjoy the ride, dude. Ain't too much in life better than hitting the road.

[cranky]

... maybe even a pic of that nice Moki Dougway "road".... GBG

[Barry]

Don't forget about Castle Valley hwy 128. I think it more fun riding from north to south as the northern end of the road isn't as advertised.

[Nails]

"Wifey" (she would castrate me for calling her that):

Dunno why it's sideways. Click on it to see it right side up.

And your nervous commentator, preparing for another zoomie:

[Nails]

Don't forget about Castle Valley hwy 128.

Oh yeah, very nice road indeed. But I'll need to run a bit south of there to make my date in NE Nevada. While there's lots of great riding in Utah, I don't think there's any route E-W across it that doesn't suck. The road through Price is pretty good, but it's a bit out of my way too.

Decades ago (warning: there he goes again), some nice people from New Jersey or so were broken down near Fischer Towers. I came through in a hippy van, Murcan flag draped behind the seats and all, with a dirt bike in back. Their ignition points were worn to nubbins (yep, it was THAT long ago). I set them a little closer together, and to everyone's amazement the little Datsun fired up. The hippy kid saved their life!

[Barry]

Don't forget about Castle Valley hwy 128.

Decades ago (warning: there he goes again), some nice people from New Jersey or so were broken down near Fischer Towers. I came through in a hippy van, Murcan flag draped behind the seats and all, with a dirt bike in back. Their ignition points were worn to nubbins (yep, it was THAT long ago). I set them a little closer together, and to everyone's amazement the little Datsun fired up. The hippy kid saved their life!

So I've been through Castle Valley twice now. Once on the MC, the other time in a car with my wife. Each time I saw the turn off for Fischer Towers. I just googled pictures and you've given us a place to revisit. Pretty incredible. Way back when my hippie van was a datsun pickup with canopy and a 3" thick piece of foam, covered with a very soft imitation fur. I couldn't afford to put gas in a real hippie van The orange county sheriffs didn't care for my appearance back then, nor where I chose to go exploring. They were kinda abusive and did quite a bit of damage to my rig looking for drugs. They were disappointed and their watch commander blew me off. Later that same year I joined the Air Force. Good times......

[Nails]

At that time I was just out of the Navy. But pretty soon, I couldn't afford gas for the van, either. I sold it for ... wait for it ... a '69 Datsun 520 pickup! With 235-75/15 tires, it would go just about anywhere. I had a really nice homemade camper; and I kept it many years. Finally, I needed the engine for a Datsun 510. I took the cab off and turned the rest of it into a trailer, and then sold the cab and whatever else was left over FOR EXACTLY WHAT I PAID FOR THE TRUCK IN THE FIRST PLACE! God Bless old Datsun pickups.
(I later saw that cab in the junk yard. I've often wondered how it went just after, "Honey, look what I bought.")

[GrandpaDenny]

Dunno why it's sideways.

Why, because of the next picture, of course!

[GrandpaDenny]

At that time I was just out of the Navy. But pretty soon, I couldn't afford gas for the van, either. I sold it for ... wait for it ... a '69 Datsun 520 pickup! With 235-75/15 tires, it would go just about anywhere. I had a really nice homemade camper; and I kept it many years. Finally, I needed the engine for a Datsun 510. I took the cab off and turned the rest of it into a trailer, and then sold the cab and whatever else was left over FOR EXACTLY WHAT I PAID FOR THE TRUCK IN THE FIRST PLACE! God Bless old Datsun pickups.
(I later saw that cab in the junk yard. I've often wondered how it went just after, "Honey, look what I bought.")

My father bought a '73 Datsun pickup (to me, the best looking of the Japanese trucks)(I can see the young-uns saying, "What's a Datsun?") in late '73, never did a speck of maintenance to it. Actually had the carb held on with duct tape and baling wire for years. Then after a couple of decades of this abuse he gave it to my brother, who killed it in weeks. Ah, the good old days. Nowadays the equivalent to holding the carb on with duct tape and baling wire would be holding the cup holders on with tie wraps I guess.

[Barry]

I know it's a target-rich environment, so I'm asking about any little-known gems I should take in. Thanks in advance.

I don't know about little-known, but Teton Pass between Victor & Wilson is a fun MC road. Not too many cars. Occasionally a stupid person in a motorhome trying to kill themselves.