http://picasaweb.google.com/kware1
Be sure to look at all 3 Moab albums.
I have a million more pics on disk
Well, here is my report from last week’s trip to Moab.
Group members,
Duane Davis, Grove, OK age 69 06 KLX 250
Larry Davis, Rapid City, SD age 64 02 Serpa 250
Fred Mays, Wichita, KS age 63 94 XR650L
Me, Smithville, MO age 46 00 XR650L
The Davis brothers have been to Moab several times, so they set the trip plans and guide Fred and I.
Sunday: We met in Grand Junction CO and arrive in Utah in the afternoon. Our first camp site is about 15 miles northwest of Moab off highway 313. We set up camp at the foot of Tombstone rock. We take a short 24 mile late afternoon ride out to Spring Canyon Point. This point overlooks the Green river canyon and we can see the Spring Canyon Bottom road below. Back at camp, the wind picks up and we lose two awnings and sand is blown everywhere.
Monday: We take a 50 mile ride down the Spring Canyon bottom rd. This trip takes us down the Spring Canyon to the banks of the Green river. This was a great easy ride down. Once on the river bottom, we rode along the east side of the Green River for about 10 miles to the end, where the abandon, “Hey Joe Mine” lies. This is a retrace back route. We get back early afternoon and a fierce wind storm is brewing and we again go through a bad afternoon and evening of sand storms. We decide to move camp Tuesday morning because of the wind and ride other areas in the region.
Tuesday: We pack up and make a major move 70 miles southwest of Moab. We camp at the, Needles Outpost campground, just outside the Southwest entrance of the Canyonlands NP. This move takes most of the day, so we take another short loop ride east of camp off of Highway 211. This 25 miles loop takes us north and back west to Lockhart rd and back to camp. Again, all very easy riding.
Wednesday: Todays route is going to be the toughest day of all. The plan is to enter Canyonlands NP at the southeast entrance and proceed west to Elephant hill. Once over Elephant Hill are going to the Confluence overlook. This is where the Colorado and Green rivers converge. From there we would take Beef Basin rd south out of the NP and back around to highway 211 east of camp. This route is about 85 miles.
The road to Elephant Hill is paved and easy gravel. Duane warns us that Elephant is steep rock with several switchbacks. He and Larry have been over it 3 years ago. We drive the eight miles to Elephant hill. Duane fails to stop at the bottom to give us new guys warning that this is where it gets tuff. Larry is following Duane and he loses control after the first switchback and goes down hard with an open face helmet and no chest protector. Fred is able to stop and help him up. He has several cuts on his face and possible cracked ribs. I am not prepared for all of this stoppage and I go down dropping my bike on the left side. Fred also helps me up. We get Larry all settled down and he makes his way up to the next switchback where Duane and Fred are now waiting. I go back to my bike for a second attempt only to find out that my shift lever has cracked the engine case and I am losing oil. We decide to go back to camp to regroup.
At camp, Larry is in too much pain to continue riding. We prep my engine case for some JB weld type material. This repair works so we decide to reverse our route. Duane warns us that we will have to come over the west side of Elephant Hill going this direction. He says it is not as bad from that side. We head east on 211 to Beef Basin road. We head south on beef basin road for a great ride up Elk mountain. We take one side trip out to one lookout point for lunch. We continue around the mountain area and head down to the, Beef Basin. There is one bad down hill section that again I go down on the left side, however no bike damage. I do get the handle bars in the chest from side of my chest protector. No big deal. Once through the Beef Basin, we re-enter the Canyaonlands NP from the south boundary. We go though about 10 miles of deep sand and we are all wearing out quick. I dump the pig once in the deep sand and had to dig and pick it up by myself, as Duane and Fred are far ahead of me now. We finally get to the Confluence turnoff. It is 3 more miles and a half mile walk to the Confluence Lookout. Duane has been there before and does not care to go again. Fred and I are too tried to try it. We proceed to the west side of Elephant hill. Duane’s memory is not very good, because the west side appears twice and rough as the east side. Duane and Fred make it up to the first switchback okay. I am beat from the sand and fall again on the way up to the first switchback. This time on the right side, no damage, just pride. I require Duane and Fred’s assistants to get the rest of the way up Elephant hill. We make quick work of the 8 miles back to camp once down the east side of Elephant hill. Total we rode 98 miles.
Thursday: Larry decides to head home. The three of us are worn out from yesterday so we decide to take an easy route north on Lockhart road to the Lockhart basin and Canyon. The Lockhart Canyon leads us to the banks of the Colorado River. An easy route, with 3 miles of deep sand at the end. We reverse the route back out and head back into the NP. From the Visitor’s center, we take a 7 mile route northwest to a Colorado River overlook. The route has a mile of rock at the end with about ¼ mile walk to the overlook. About 60 miles today.
Friday: We break camp and go into Moab for some shopping and info gathering for a return trip. Duane heads back to Denver and Fred and I leave Moab about noon and drive to Limon for the night. We drive the rest of the way home on Saturday.
All and all it was a great trip. The region is so large you could go there 10 times and not see it all. Fred and I agreed that the next time we would spend more time east of Moab and toward the Arches NP.
sprained his ankle and probably tore some ligaments in his shoulder. In his defense the knee brace he usually wears doesn't have a guard and prevents him from wearing one on THAT knee.
