More dirt from Torrey Utah - BARF

boney · 06-11-2007, 09:30 AM

We left off having arrived in Torry, Utah after 5 days of riding across the desert. See the report here:
http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/fo...hreadid=204823

This weekend is a huge gathering in Torrey from another internet bulliten board. A BMW one, where I've been a member for many years. I brought a dual sport here once, for one day a few years back, but now I've got a chance to spend a couple of days exploring- and this time I've got a dual sport proper.

Bob tells us of Pleasant Creek Road. It takes off from the end of the Scenic Drive in Capitol Reef NP and heads south-ish to Highway 12. He says he'd like us to scout it since some folks on larger bikes are thinking of riding it tomorrow.

Capitol Reef National Park sits on the waterpocket fold and has an amazing diversity of rock formations, colors, washes, creeks, goosenecks and other various geologic wonders. It's worth taking the time to go there on a vacation to see the sights and put in some hiking...

Today we'll see it from the saddle.

The terrain the Pleasant Creek Road traverses is diverse. Soft dirt tracks lead to riding in a clay creekbed, to rocky red climbs and finally some slickrock with loose scree and 6 inch steps.

I'd say a bit more tire pressure was needed? No? It was difficult to not bash up the steps because of the loose layer on the slickrock, and it eventually caught up with Luke. When you get a pinch flat, look for two holes. We didn't and ended up spending a lot more time out on the trail fixing the tire than we should have.

The trail goes up there.

Over the top and in a meadow, Luke, riding out front again is surprised by a 3 foot drop/washout in the meadow and it takes a bit of time to get him out. Proper knobbies would have helped- but again, hind sight is 20/20.

Here's a 24 minute video of about 1/3 of the ride:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...45981827&hl=en

Later that afternoon, we go exploring again. This time into the Fishlake National Forsest to the north of Torrey. Again, no plan, minimal instructions from Bob, and wanerlust.

boney · 06-11-2007, 09:46 AM

We randomly ride around following some quad trails looking for and OHV trail that will take up up the mountain. Eventually we find a hard pack road with loads of loose rock in all sizes strewn randomly across the path.

The easy part.

Periodically we'd cross rocky sections of red outcroppings then get right back into the loose rocks.

Not knowing exactly where we were going, having left the marked parts of the GPSs street and topo maps, we were left to explore. We opened ourselves up to a bunch of u-turns, false starts, and one incredibly steep OHV trail which we were unsuccesful in riding. After having ridden many switchbacks to get up the hill, the construction crews must have gotten tired, and cut the road straight up a 45 degree incline. The quality of the road was even worse than that we'd already ridden, and Luke was only able to get about 1/4 of the way up before completely loosing traction and getting forced to turn around.

The view from up there was fantastic though:

As the sun threatened to drop out of the sky, the clouds loomed- tossing lightning aground with regularity, and the general stores' bewitching hour creeped ever closer, we retreated in favor of Pesto Pasta and Arrogant Bastard Ale.

boney · 06-11-2007, 10:06 AM

A memorial to a good friend who was lost earlier this year begins the morning of our secod day in Torrey. This was on the summit on his favorite road- a place where he could run his Gixxer out and still put his knees down well into the triple digits. Sadly, he was taken out while riding the speed limit in traffic by a left turning cage.

Afterward, there was a small group that would ride into Cathedral Valley. It consisted of 2 KTM 640A's, a 950A, a couple of 650GS's, a KLR, a DL1000 'Strom and a Wee-Strom with the DR650 front end and taller rear shock (a worthy upgrade for dual-sporting the bike.) Oh, and let's not forget the massive R1150GS and R1200GS, led by our man Bob, on a plated XR400. This ride as potential.

We roll up the road and stop and the crappers. There, one person find a very small oil leak, and the DL1000 heads back with the 1200GS. Luke and I go scouting again, heading up the mountain for Round Lake, which we're not sure we ever reached. It was cold, a bit rainy, and we found some leftover winter.

We kept it up for long time, intending to get a little behind the group, then catch up. Only again, we didn't have the full story. Instead of turning down windy ridge (where the sign was missing) we ended up riding all the way around Cathedral Valley to the north, the back into the middle of it, where we turned back up the road we should have come down.

Good scenery:

In the meantime, mayhem ensued. Everyone excpet the R1150GS and our fearless leader had turned around. A couple of dropped bikes, some "not ready for the weather," and in the case of the Wee Strom, too much Bentonite mud between the fender and the front tire.

Bentonite, you must know, sticks to all tires and builds up until it is scraped off by something or flung off by very fast rotation. It is also horribly slippery and unpredictable.

Somehow, Jonathan managed to wrangle his pig of a bike through it all, and down the hill into Cathedral Valley. We were now 4.

Taking our time, we toured through the valley taking in the sights.

boney · 06-11-2007, 10:13 AM

Then out the south end and back to Bob's place.

We spent the next 2 days suffering Highway 50 all the way home. After about 10 minutes I began to eyeball every pole-line and fence-line road I saw. As tempting as they were, we had to be home, so they were out.

Thanks for reading.

NoGall · 06-11-2007, 11:00 AM

Thanks for sharing, man!

wazzuFreddo · 06-11-2007, 11:40 AM

nice

veefereefer · 06-11-2007, 08:06 PM

Great pic and nice write up Boney!!!!

slydrite · 06-12-2007, 01:08 PM

damn Bone, you're the fackin coolest!!!!

you're really getting use out of the new katoom, ya?

me=mega jealous!!!!

ps,.....I hate you and everybody who enjoys their motos they way they were meant to be enjoyed!!!

**budman** · 06-12-2007, 04:07 PM

Awesome stuf Boney the adventurer!

Noted for the best of barf collection

J-Boat · 06-12-2007, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by budman
Awesome stuf Boney the adventurer!

Noted for the best of barf collection

+1...

slydrite · 06-12-2007, 04:41 PM

Bone, what kinda tires are those?

a1scoot · 03-15-2008, 07:05 AM

Boney.....
Nice pics and write up of Utah.
Would that friend you lost happen to be Gleno?
I used to ride with the BMW crowd back several years ago until I was banned from the BMW website...(long story)
I did Torrey...Gunnison and a tech day with Gleno and T Roe(fast mofo)
You mighta met me .
My handle with the Beemer crowd was Roadkill.
Anyhow...great story. (and I miss Gleno as well)
a1scoot

Blind_Io · 03-15-2008, 11:56 PM

It's nice to see photos from my backyard. (I'm from Salt Lake and we vacationed in many of these areas)

magyarbetyar · 03-17-2008, 10:09 PM

That is some beautiful scenery

Beemerchef · 06-24-2008, 04:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by a1scoot

Boney.....
Nice pics and write up of Utah.
Would that friend you lost happen to be Gleno?
I used to ride with the BMW crowd back several years ago until I was banned from the BMW website...(long story)
I did Torrey...Gunnison and a tech day with Gleno and T Roe(fast mofo)
You mighta met me .
My handle with the Beemer crowd was Roadkill.
Anyhow...great story. (and I miss Gleno as well)
a1scoot

Gtreat report... it is about a day ride for us right now... will try to find some (not all!!!) route you have taken...

Hey Roadkill... I think I remember you... have no clue of the story however... as long as you are healthy... that is the main thing!

Be well... Ara & Spirit

06-11-2007, 09:30 AM	#1
boney Miles > Posts AMA #2942928 Barfie Winner 2017 Contributor Roadside Angel Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sonoma Motorcycles: Yes please! Name: Tom	More dirt from Torrey Utah We left off having arrived in Torry, Utah after 5 days of riding across the desert. See the report here: http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/fo...hreadid=204823 This weekend is a huge gathering in Torrey from another internet bulliten board. A BMW one, where I've been a member for many years. I brought a dual sport here once, for one day a few years back, but now I've got a chance to spend a couple of days exploring- and this time I've got a dual sport proper. Bob tells us of Pleasant Creek Road. It takes off from the end of the Scenic Drive in Capitol Reef NP and heads south-ish to Highway 12. He says he'd like us to scout it since some folks on larger bikes are thinking of riding it tomorrow. Capitol Reef National Park sits on the waterpocket fold and has an amazing diversity of rock formations, colors, washes, creeks, goosenecks and other various geologic wonders. It's worth taking the time to go there on a vacation to see the sights and put in some hiking... Today we'll see it from the saddle. The terrain the Pleasant Creek Road traverses is diverse. Soft dirt tracks lead to riding in a clay creekbed, to rocky red climbs and finally some slickrock with loose scree and 6 inch steps. I'd say a bit more tire pressure was needed? No? It was difficult to not bash up the steps because of the loose layer on the slickrock, and it eventually caught up with Luke. When you get a pinch flat, look for two holes. We didn't and ended up spending a lot more time out on the trail fixing the tire than we should have. The trail goes up there. Over the top and in a meadow, Luke, riding out front again is surprised by a 3 foot drop/washout in the meadow and it takes a bit of time to get him out. Proper knobbies would have helped- but again, hind sight is 20/20. Here's a 24 minute video of about 1/3 of the ride: http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...45981827&hl=en Later that afternoon, we go exploring again. This time into the Fishlake National Forsest to the north of Torrey. Again, no plan, minimal instructions from Bob, and wanerlust. __________________

06-11-2007, 09:46 AM	#2
boney Miles > Posts AMA #2942928 Barfie Winner 2017 Contributor Roadside Angel Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sonoma Motorcycles: Yes please! Name: Tom	We randomly ride around following some quad trails looking for and OHV trail that will take up up the mountain. Eventually we find a hard pack road with loads of loose rock in all sizes strewn randomly across the path. The easy part. Periodically we'd cross rocky sections of red outcroppings then get right back into the loose rocks. Not knowing exactly where we were going, having left the marked parts of the GPSs street and topo maps, we were left to explore. We opened ourselves up to a bunch of u-turns, false starts, and one incredibly steep OHV trail which we were unsuccesful in riding. After having ridden many switchbacks to get up the hill, the construction crews must have gotten tired, and cut the road straight up a 45 degree incline. The quality of the road was even worse than that we'd already ridden, and Luke was only able to get about 1/4 of the way up before completely loosing traction and getting forced to turn around. The view from up there was fantastic though: As the sun threatened to drop out of the sky, the clouds loomed- tossing lightning aground with regularity, and the general stores' bewitching hour creeped ever closer, we retreated in favor of Pesto Pasta and Arrogant Bastard Ale. __________________

06-11-2007, 10:06 AM	#3
boney Miles > Posts AMA #2942928 Barfie Winner 2017 Contributor Roadside Angel Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sonoma Motorcycles: Yes please! Name: Tom	A memorial to a good friend who was lost earlier this year begins the morning of our secod day in Torrey. This was on the summit on his favorite road- a place where he could run his Gixxer out and still put his knees down well into the triple digits. Sadly, he was taken out while riding the speed limit in traffic by a left turning cage. Afterward, there was a small group that would ride into Cathedral Valley. It consisted of 2 KTM 640A's, a 950A, a couple of 650GS's, a KLR, a DL1000 'Strom and a Wee-Strom with the DR650 front end and taller rear shock (a worthy upgrade for dual-sporting the bike.) Oh, and let's not forget the massive R1150GS and R1200GS, led by our man Bob, on a plated XR400. This ride as potential. We roll up the road and stop and the crappers. There, one person find a very small oil leak, and the DL1000 heads back with the 1200GS. Luke and I go scouting again, heading up the mountain for Round Lake, which we're not sure we ever reached. It was cold, a bit rainy, and we found some leftover winter. We kept it up for long time, intending to get a little behind the group, then catch up. Only again, we didn't have the full story. Instead of turning down windy ridge (where the sign was missing) we ended up riding all the way around Cathedral Valley to the north, the back into the middle of it, where we turned back up the road we should have come down. Good scenery: In the meantime, mayhem ensued. Everyone excpet the R1150GS and our fearless leader had turned around. A couple of dropped bikes, some "not ready for the weather," and in the case of the Wee Strom, too much Bentonite mud between the fender and the front tire. Bentonite, you must know, sticks to all tires and builds up until it is scraped off by something or flung off by very fast rotation. It is also horribly slippery and unpredictable. Somehow, Jonathan managed to wrangle his pig of a bike through it all, and down the hill into Cathedral Valley. We were now 4. Taking our time, we toured through the valley taking in the sights. __________________ Last edited by boney; 06-11-2007 at 10:13 AM..

06-11-2007, 10:13 AM	#4
boney Miles > Posts AMA #2942928 Barfie Winner 2017 Contributor Roadside Angel Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Sonoma Motorcycles: Yes please! Name: Tom	Then out the south end and back to Bob's place. We spent the next 2 days suffering Highway 50 all the way home. After about 10 minutes I began to eyeball every pole-line and fence-line road I saw. As tempting as they were, we had to be home, so they were out. Thanks for reading. __________________

06-11-2007, 11:00 AM	#5
NoGall .. AMA #: 690440 BARF Admin Founding Member BARFies '06, '08, '10, '14 Contributor ++++BB Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: East Bay Motorcycles: FJR1300 Name: Tom	Thanks for sharing, man! __________________ BARF TOS \| Be a BARF Contributor \| Join the AMA \| Berkeley Honda Yamaha \| Berkeley Performance \| CA Sport Touring \| Craig Hightower

06-11-2007, 11:40 AM	#6
wazzuFreddo WuTang is 4 the children Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: norte del Rio Bravo Motorcycles: antisocially distantanced Name: bobesponja	nice __________________ Don't Try Support bacteria, it’s the only culture some people have.

06-11-2007, 08:06 PM	#7
veefereefer Veteran Mod Alumni Founding Member Contributor Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: San Jose Motorcycles: 06 600rr, 91' VFR750F, 99 F4, 97 XR400R, 09 DRZSM, 08 WR250R/X Name: Dude	Great pic and nice write up Boney!!!! __________________ The mighty hand of vengeance sent to strike down the unroadworthy. Step right up folks and see the kid lay down a rubber road to freedom- Nightrider BARF TOS http://www.bayarearidersforum.com/info/tos.php

06-12-2007, 01:08 PM	#8
slydrite On a brake Contributor ++++ 2% Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: lost as usual Motorcycles: are why we're here, right? Name: Hey You	damn Bone, you're the fackin coolest!!!! you're really getting use out of the new katoom, ya? me=mega jealous!!!! ps,.....I hate you and everybody who enjoys their motos they way they were meant to be enjoyed!!! __________________ "The easiest person to fool, is yourself" - Richard Feynman *"Apexes - how the fk do they work?!?!"***

06-12-2007, 04:07 PM	#9
budman General Menace AMA Life Member #203453 Highway Aviator Founding Member Top Percent Poster Community Contributor + BB Moto Junkie Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Palo Alto, Ca. Motorcycles: Keep me rocking life Name: Budman	Awesome stuf Boney the adventurer! Noted for the best of barf collection __________________ Your friendly neighborhood.... Budman BARF Terms of Service Be a BARF Contributor! Support those that support Barf! BARF Sponsors 1Rider introduction on KFOG Bone heads and bikers podcasts Racism and RIP threads on Barf - FYI Barf is more than a dub dub dub dealio Godspeed Mom Pit Ho Godspeed Nicky #69 Hoho AMA #203453

06-12-2007, 04:41 PM	#11
slydrite On a brake Contributor ++++ 2% Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: lost as usual Motorcycles: are why we're here, right? Name: Hey You	Bone, what kinda tires are those? __________________ "The easiest person to fool, is yourself" - Richard Feynman *"Apexes - how the fk do they work?!?!"***

03-15-2008, 07:05 AM	#12
a1scoot Hardcore AMA Life Member #595906 Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: So. San Jose Motorcycles: Have hurt me Name: Al	Boney..... Nice pics and write up of Utah. Would that friend you lost happen to be Gleno? I used to ride with the BMW crowd back several years ago until I was banned from the BMW website...(long story) I did Torrey...Gunnison and a tech day with Gleno and T Roe(fast mofo) You mighta met me . My handle with the Beemer crowd was Roadkill. Anyhow...great story. (and I miss Gleno as well) a1scoot __________________ "Life is NOT a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside,thoroughly used up,totally worn out,and loudly proclaim:WOW....WHAT A RIDE!"

03-15-2008, 11:56 PM	#13
Blind_Io Exiled North of The Wall Contributor Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: The Land of Ice and Snow Motorcycles: '00 VFR, '07 ST1300, '11 Multistrada 1200 Name: Dave	It's nice to see photos from my backyard. (I'm from Salt Lake and we vacationed in many of these areas)

03-17-2008, 10:09 PM	#14
magyarbetyar Veteran Mod Alumni Founding Member Contributor Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: somewhere Motorcycles: 2001 929(yel/blk the faster color) 2016 BMW R1200 GSLC Name:	That is some beautiful scenery __________________ BARF Terms of Service The ability to destroy a planet is insignificant next to the powa of the FORCE "Use the forks Luke" - Obi Wan Gillespie "You don't have to go fast to enjoy riding....just enjoy riding...." - V4 "One of my pet-peeves is people on motorcycles who think they don't have to wait in traffic like everybody else... Nothing would make me happier than to watch somebody, and I've actually seen this happen, somebody open a door and take you out as you are trying to squeeze through..." - DJ Woody 01-12-06

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