Heading West. TX - NM - AZ - CA - UT - CO - NM - TX
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Alright boys and girls... I'm going to continue this story from Winslow, AZ.
I got in around late afternoon, limped my weary soul to the check in office... which was a little side door in a living room with 4 little kids watching cartoons in it. "Alright... this is a bit odd" I thought. The guy got some things settled, grabbed my key, and walked me to my room. He gave me the low down about the whole room, switches, outlets, TV, etc... I wonder if this is what it was like back in the old day. I've had really attentive bellstaff do that in slightly more upmarket joints, but never at a 10 room motel.
Anyway, water pressure was glorious, room was sparkling clean, TV even had Netflix. As much as I wanted to set up camp I was very glad to be able to just chill for the night. So I went about with getting a billion dust particles off of me, then walked over to downtown Winslow to find the brewery (after that selfie of course). Dinner was a couple of beers and a sip of High West Double Rye plus a gorgeous reuben sandwich. I'm a sucker for a good reuben. It was a nice ~40F on my walk back to the motel.
The morning was uneventful, a quick shower, made some camp coffee, packed up and got ready to roll. The ride to the Grand Canyon was direct, uneventful, and windy... albeit significantly less so compared to the preceding day. My national park pass expired the previous fall and I figured I'd just pick one up on the way in... how bad could it be on a Saturday afternoon........
Word of advice, pick one up at a gas station in Tusayan and you can use the "Already Paid" #1 lane and skip about half of the waiting.
Anyway, I did a bit of idling, a bit of bike pushing, for about 45 minutes I'd say. Good thing the weather was gorgeous, I never broke a sweat. I finally got in the park around 2 pm, headed straight to my campsite and started setting up my tent and hammock. Overkill I know... but I love having the hammock around. 100% better night sleep for me.
![Wheel Tire Plant Plant community Vehicle]()
The only pain about the hammock and tarp is that GCNP requires you to break down your hanging setups anytime you leave camp. Their animals have a tendency to get caught in them. Anyway once that was set up I had a good amount of space available in the bags and made moves for a beer/food/firewood run.
I'm telling you... if you have Rok straps you can haul almost anything.
![Wheel Car Tire Land vehicle Vehicle]()
Back to camp... fire, beers, dinner, and bedtime.
![Tree Tent Camping Fire Bonfire]()
I wish the bike was cleaner for this...
![Sky Plant Nature Natural environment Wheel]()
I had some high aspirations of waking up around 3 or 4 am to grab another similar shot but with the milky way in the background. Well it was ****ing FREEZING. I stayed warm most of the night, but my toes got quite a bit chilly. Didn't find out until later that it got down to 19F overnight.
I don't generally do morning campfires but I made an exception this time around. Also handy since my isobutane camp fuel isn't 100% great in below freezing temps. Once I warmed up a touch I started to get some water going for my coffee.
![Automotive tire Fluid Asphalt Ash Road surface]()
Once that was set... I was golden. Ready to take on the Canyon. Swapped transportation methods for a day, for this sexy beast.
![Bicycle Wheel Sky Bicycles--Equipment and supplies Land vehicle]()
Cycled around ~30 miles total that day. Something I've easily done in Houston before... which I always forget IS FLAT. I cycled for about 8 hours that day and picked a sweet spot for a great lunch on the rim.
![Sky Mountain Natural landscape Bedrock Formation]()
The picture below is the trail I hiked part of around mid 2020. A couple days after the GCNP reopened post lockdown. I probably saw about 20 people total on that visit. Just about a dozen of them on trail. This visit was a completely different experience, but I still had a ton of fun. I had been worrying about that quite a bit in the planning stages.
![Bedrock Natural landscape Plant Terrain Landscape]()
This was my first destination on the bike, about ~10ish miles one way with some ups and downs along the way.
![Sky Plant Bedrock Tree Formation]()
Hermits Rest was built around 1914 as a rest area for some rich people on tourist coaches. At least that's what I think it was... Nowadays it's a gift shop with souvenirs, sandwiches, and sodas. I opted for my own lunch on the way back to the village.
youtube.com
Post lunch, I rode around to the east side of the rim, didn't take nearly as many pictures there... It's a canyon and I'm not a geologist. It looks cool but at some point it all ends up looking the same to me. I headed back to camp, cracked open a beer and laid in the hammock. Ended up grabbing about 40 minutes of naptime. I was getting damn hungry at this point and I didn't feel like making food... so I walked on over to the Yavapai Lodge for some brews and a burger.
On my walk there though I spotted something I never thought about... I mean obviously they need to have the infrastructure for sewage but I never thought about them having their own department.
![Manhole cover Plant Sanitary sewer Manhole Automotive tire]()
After this point I didn't take a ton of pictures of the day. Beers and burger distracted me sufficiently. I also started filling out postcards to send to friends from here. They got stranger the more beers I had.
I got in around late afternoon, limped my weary soul to the check in office... which was a little side door in a living room with 4 little kids watching cartoons in it. "Alright... this is a bit odd" I thought. The guy got some things settled, grabbed my key, and walked me to my room. He gave me the low down about the whole room, switches, outlets, TV, etc... I wonder if this is what it was like back in the old day. I've had really attentive bellstaff do that in slightly more upmarket joints, but never at a 10 room motel.
Anyway, water pressure was glorious, room was sparkling clean, TV even had Netflix. As much as I wanted to set up camp I was very glad to be able to just chill for the night. So I went about with getting a billion dust particles off of me, then walked over to downtown Winslow to find the brewery (after that selfie of course). Dinner was a couple of beers and a sip of High West Double Rye plus a gorgeous reuben sandwich. I'm a sucker for a good reuben. It was a nice ~40F on my walk back to the motel.
The morning was uneventful, a quick shower, made some camp coffee, packed up and got ready to roll. The ride to the Grand Canyon was direct, uneventful, and windy... albeit significantly less so compared to the preceding day. My national park pass expired the previous fall and I figured I'd just pick one up on the way in... how bad could it be on a Saturday afternoon........
Word of advice, pick one up at a gas station in Tusayan and you can use the "Already Paid" #1 lane and skip about half of the waiting.
Anyway, I did a bit of idling, a bit of bike pushing, for about 45 minutes I'd say. Good thing the weather was gorgeous, I never broke a sweat. I finally got in the park around 2 pm, headed straight to my campsite and started setting up my tent and hammock. Overkill I know... but I love having the hammock around. 100% better night sleep for me.
The only pain about the hammock and tarp is that GCNP requires you to break down your hanging setups anytime you leave camp. Their animals have a tendency to get caught in them. Anyway once that was set up I had a good amount of space available in the bags and made moves for a beer/food/firewood run.
I'm telling you... if you have Rok straps you can haul almost anything.
Back to camp... fire, beers, dinner, and bedtime.
I wish the bike was cleaner for this...
I had some high aspirations of waking up around 3 or 4 am to grab another similar shot but with the milky way in the background. Well it was ****ing FREEZING. I stayed warm most of the night, but my toes got quite a bit chilly. Didn't find out until later that it got down to 19F overnight.
I don't generally do morning campfires but I made an exception this time around. Also handy since my isobutane camp fuel isn't 100% great in below freezing temps. Once I warmed up a touch I started to get some water going for my coffee.
Once that was set... I was golden. Ready to take on the Canyon. Swapped transportation methods for a day, for this sexy beast.
Cycled around ~30 miles total that day. Something I've easily done in Houston before... which I always forget IS FLAT. I cycled for about 8 hours that day and picked a sweet spot for a great lunch on the rim.
The picture below is the trail I hiked part of around mid 2020. A couple days after the GCNP reopened post lockdown. I probably saw about 20 people total on that visit. Just about a dozen of them on trail. This visit was a completely different experience, but I still had a ton of fun. I had been worrying about that quite a bit in the planning stages.
This was my first destination on the bike, about ~10ish miles one way with some ups and downs along the way.
Hermits Rest was built around 1914 as a rest area for some rich people on tourist coaches. At least that's what I think it was... Nowadays it's a gift shop with souvenirs, sandwiches, and sodas. I opted for my own lunch on the way back to the village.
Lunch and a view
youtube.com
Post lunch, I rode around to the east side of the rim, didn't take nearly as many pictures there... It's a canyon and I'm not a geologist. It looks cool but at some point it all ends up looking the same to me. I headed back to camp, cracked open a beer and laid in the hammock. Ended up grabbing about 40 minutes of naptime. I was getting damn hungry at this point and I didn't feel like making food... so I walked on over to the Yavapai Lodge for some brews and a burger.
On my walk there though I spotted something I never thought about... I mean obviously they need to have the infrastructure for sewage but I never thought about them having their own department.
After this point I didn't take a ton of pictures of the day. Beers and burger distracted me sufficiently. I also started filling out postcards to send to friends from here. They got stranger the more beers I had.
The next morning got down to 19F as well but the temps rose quite a bit quickly after that. No fire required... I was however reminded about how cold it was based on some clothes I tried to dry on my bags.
![Shoe Plant Leg People in nature Tree]()
On the planning stages I was determined to spend a "hard" day and a super chill day. Today is the super chill day... I slept in a bit longer, walked down to hiker services and grabbed a shower, sauntered over to the market for a hot sandwich and a beer, and finished up the postcards while I was at it. Dropped them off at the GCNP Post Office.
![Sky Flag Plant Tree Flag of the united states]()
Once that was done, I spent an hour just reading in a nice slightly shaded and slightly sunny spot. I'd rotate myself like a lazy rotisserie dude every so often when my shaded half got cold. It was about 3 pm when I decided to grab the bike and go for a ride to the Desert View side of the GCNP. The road was great but quite well patrolled... so speed limit corners it was for most of the ride.
![Tire Sky Wheel Plant Automotive tire]()
![Sky Cloud Mountain Natural landscape Bedrock]()
On the last night here I started the fire early, and started packing up most of the stuff (minus my tent + sleep system) before dark. A couple of hours of dark time campfire mood lighting and it's off to bed for me.
![Plant Tree Lighting Water Wood]()
I got dressed to leave the campsite around 7 am, and it was 35F, at 8 am it was 56F, and by the time I got to Congress, AZ around 12:30 it was 80F. I could feel my legs melting under my thermal undies, and winter pants liner. So I found a "secluded" spot at the corner of a Shell gas station and dropped trou.
![Plant Automotive tire Motor vehicle Tire Luggage and bags]()
Oh... before this point though, the ride down from GCNP to Congress, AZ routed me through Prescott, Iron Springs, Skull Valley, and through the White Spar Highway. WHOA dudes and ladies... that shit was smooooooth and fun.
From there though... it was a linear increase in temps until I saw ~100F on the A. Temp around Ocotillo, CA. Another highlight for this ride down though, was getting to stop over by the overlook near Imperial Sand Dunes. Like an alien land.
![Brown Cloud Sky Natural environment Natural landscape]()
and how can I forget... another tiny post office! One of my favorite things to see.
![Sky Cloud Wheel Tire Vehicle]()
From there I blasted down to SD, fought winds on the 8, and was greeted with a nice warm garage for my baby and a cold cold Pupil IPA by Societe.
The 6 days that followed was a blur of wedding prep, beer bar visits, wedding debauchery, etc... all of which I unfortunately do not have pictures of. HA...
Heading to Vegas tomorrow for a cushy night, hitting up Palomar mountain via 67, 78, 76, then up 79 heading towards Palm Springs area. The first ~100ish miles should be a sweet sweet ride. I'll try to remember and post up tomorrow night
On the planning stages I was determined to spend a "hard" day and a super chill day. Today is the super chill day... I slept in a bit longer, walked down to hiker services and grabbed a shower, sauntered over to the market for a hot sandwich and a beer, and finished up the postcards while I was at it. Dropped them off at the GCNP Post Office.
Once that was done, I spent an hour just reading in a nice slightly shaded and slightly sunny spot. I'd rotate myself like a lazy rotisserie dude every so often when my shaded half got cold. It was about 3 pm when I decided to grab the bike and go for a ride to the Desert View side of the GCNP. The road was great but quite well patrolled... so speed limit corners it was for most of the ride.
On the last night here I started the fire early, and started packing up most of the stuff (minus my tent + sleep system) before dark. A couple of hours of dark time campfire mood lighting and it's off to bed for me.
I got dressed to leave the campsite around 7 am, and it was 35F, at 8 am it was 56F, and by the time I got to Congress, AZ around 12:30 it was 80F. I could feel my legs melting under my thermal undies, and winter pants liner. So I found a "secluded" spot at the corner of a Shell gas station and dropped trou.
Oh... before this point though, the ride down from GCNP to Congress, AZ routed me through Prescott, Iron Springs, Skull Valley, and through the White Spar Highway. WHOA dudes and ladies... that shit was smooooooth and fun.
From there though... it was a linear increase in temps until I saw ~100F on the A. Temp around Ocotillo, CA. Another highlight for this ride down though, was getting to stop over by the overlook near Imperial Sand Dunes. Like an alien land.
and how can I forget... another tiny post office! One of my favorite things to see.
From there I blasted down to SD, fought winds on the 8, and was greeted with a nice warm garage for my baby and a cold cold Pupil IPA by Societe.
The 6 days that followed was a blur of wedding prep, beer bar visits, wedding debauchery, etc... all of which I unfortunately do not have pictures of. HA...
Heading to Vegas tomorrow for a cushy night, hitting up Palomar mountain via 67, 78, 76, then up 79 heading towards Palm Springs area. The first ~100ish miles should be a sweet sweet ride. I'll try to remember and post up tomorrow night
Joined
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Those are some of my go to roads. 89 south out of Prescott is spectacular.
We got some great riding around here and best part is, mostly light or no traffic during the weekdays.
Great ride report and incredible photos!
There's a cool looking coffee shop right as you ride in to Skull Valley. I really wished I stopped in there!
If you sleep in the hammock - what is the purpose of the tent?Alright boys and girls... I'm going to continue this story from Winslow, AZ.
I got in around late afternoon, limped my weary soul to the check in office... which was a little side door in a living room with 4 little kids watching cartoons in it. "Alright... this is a bit odd" I thought. The guy got some things settled, grabbed my key, and walked me to my room. He gave me the low down about the whole room, switches, outlets, TV, etc... I wonder if this is what it was like back in the old day. I've had really attentive bellstaff do that in slightly more upmarket joints, but never at a 10 room motel.
Anyway, water pressure was glorious, room was sparkling clean, TV even had Netflix. As much as I wanted to set up camp I was very glad to be able to just chill for the night. So I went about with getting a billion dust particles off of me, then walked over to downtown Winslow to find the brewery (after that selfie of course). Dinner was a couple of beers and a sip of High West Double Rye plus a gorgeous reuben sandwich. I'm a sucker for a good reuben. It was a nice ~40F on my walk back to the motel.
The morning was uneventful, a quick shower, made some camp coffee, packed up and got ready to roll. The ride to the Grand Canyon was direct, uneventful, and windy... albeit significantly less so compared to the preceding day. My national park pass expired the previous fall and I figured I'd just pick one up on the way in... how bad could it be on a Saturday afternoon........
Word of advice, pick one up at a gas station in Tusayan and you can use the "Already Paid" #1 lane and skip about half of the waiting.
Anyway, I did a bit of idling, a bit of bike pushing, for about 45 minutes I'd say. Good thing the weather was gorgeous, I never broke a sweat. I finally got in the park around 2 pm, headed straight to my campsite and started setting up my tent and hammock. Overkill I know... but I love having the hammock around. 100% better night sleep for me.
View attachment 170611
The only pain about the hammock and tarp is that GCNP requires you to break down your hanging setups anytime you leave camp. Their animals have a tendency to get caught in them. Anyway once that was set up I had a good amount of space available in the bags and made moves for a beer/food/firewood run.
I'm telling you... if you have Rok straps you can haul almost anything.
View attachment 170612
Back to camp... fire, beers, dinner, and bedtime.
View attachment 170613
I wish the bike was cleaner for this...
View attachment 170614
I had some high aspirations of waking up around 3 or 4 am to grab another similar shot but with the milky way in the background. Well it was ****ing FREEZING. I stayed warm most of the night, but my toes got quite a bit chilly. Didn't find out until later that it got down to 19F overnight.
I don't generally do morning campfires but I made an exception this time around. Also handy since my isobutane camp fuel isn't 100% great in below freezing temps. Once I warmed up a touch I started to get some water going for my coffee.
View attachment 170615
Once that was set... I was golden. Ready to take on the Canyon. Swapped transportation methods for a day, for this sexy beast.
View attachment 170616
Cycled around ~30 miles total that day. Something I've easily done in Houston before... which I always forget IS FLAT. I cycled for about 8 hours that day and picked a sweet spot for a great lunch on the rim.
View attachment 170617
The picture below is the trail I hiked part of around mid 2020. A couple days after the GCNP reopened post lockdown. I probably saw about 20 people total on that visit. Just about a dozen of them on trail. This visit was a completely different experience, but I still had a ton of fun. I had been worrying about that quite a bit in the planning stages.
View attachment 170618
This was my first destination on the bike, about ~10ish miles one way with some ups and downs along the way.
View attachment 170619
Hermits Rest was built around 1914 as a rest area for some rich people on tourist coaches. At least that's what I think it was... Nowadays it's a gift shop with souvenirs, sandwiches, and sodas. I opted for my own lunch on the way back to the village.
Lunch and a view
Post lunch, I rode around to the east side of the rim, didn't take nearly as many pictures there... It's a canyon and I'm not a geologist. It looks cool but at some point it all ends up looking the same to me. I headed back to camp, cracked open a beer and laid in the hammock. Ended up grabbing about 40 minutes of naptime. I was getting damn hungry at this point and I didn't feel like making food... so I walked on over to the Yavapai Lodge for some brews and a burger.
On my walk there though I spotted something I never thought about... I mean obviously they need to have the infrastructure for sewage but I never thought about them having their own department.
View attachment 170620
After this point I didn't take a ton of pictures of the day. Beers and burger distracted me sufficiently. I also started filling out postcards to send to friends from here. They got stranger the more beers I had.
I also prefer to 'hammock camp' when I'm solo traveling and a cold night is 'really cold' in a hammock. I've always wanted to get one with insullation on the outside/underside but don't cold-camp enough to justify the spend - I usually just end up sleeping with my boots and warm socks on - and possibly a blanket 'under' my regular sleeping bag.
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2,736 Posts
Typically, getting naked while changing. (Considering you're not in the backwoods, by rather in a public park!)
I too am an avid hammock camper.
The best investment for journeys like this one is an under-quilt.
I have an Eno brand underquit, but I also use a sleeping pad I put either inside the second bottom layer of my hammock or inside the sleeping bag so it doesn't move around at night when I sleep.
I quality balaclava and head covering is paramount, but cold weather hammocking is the best!
Joined
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97 Posts
------thread-jack-------
I really need to 'update' my hammock - I started hammock camping in '99 - and the only true 'camping hammock' I could find on teh market at the time was Hennessy - i suppose its a classic now. There is no '2nd layer' or provision for an under-quilt.
As for changing clothes if its too public to just change behind/under the rain fly of the hammock then there is usually a rest-room where I can change clothes. I wouldn't want to pack both a hammock and a tent on the bike -although that has also led to me using the hammock like a bivy sack on several occasions where there was nothing to hang from (not a lot of trees in some places out west).
There's a cool looking coffee shop right as you ride in to Skull Valley. I really wished I stopped in there!
I brought it as a backup. Still just getting into hanging and I wanted the option. Ended up shipping the hammock and tarp setup home to make packing up the bag easier. It got down to 19F for a solid 2-3 hours, and the only thing that ended up getting a bit chilly were my toes. I had planned on packing my old thick snowboard socks but forgot :/
I didn't rock an underquilt, went with a sleeping pad and quality sleeping bag instead.
Joined
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2,736 Posts
I have a Nemo 15°F bag I use for cold weather camping. It's a little expensive, but the best bag I've ever had.
One trick I've found for cold weather hammocking, is putting a sleeping pad INSIDE the sleeping bag. If it's a tight fit, and you have an inflatable pad, inflate it inside the bag.
Problem with sleeping pads in hammocks, is they don't stay put. But if you put it inside the bag, is stays with you all night.
Packed up a lot of my stuff the night before leaving SD, and had a relatively early morning accompanied by a Japanese breakfast... Natto anyone? It's a polarizing food substance, and my first time trying. I loved the flavor, and mostly enjoyed the texture. I also really enjoy the japanese style of breakfast where you build each bite with different components. A bit of natto mixed with rice, and eggs, and a touch of umeboshi (pickled salted plums) and a bit of pickled spicy yuzu... that's one bite. The next one you can change out the pickle element, or maybe add some sweeter pickles, etc...
![Food Tableware Ingredient Recipe White rice]()
After final packing up I said my goodbyes and geared up for the ride. Today's will be quite a fun one. Started off with heading to Santa Ysabel. From there I headed straight to Palomar Mountain. I went up from the E Grade Rd side and rode S6 north to the observatory (it was closed) then heading back south on S6, back to 76. S6 southbound of the general store is NUTS. Real tight corners with minimal margin for ****ing up. I kept it relatively calm but still managed to scrub off "most" of my new rear.
![Cloud Sky Plant Plant community Mountain]()
![Wheel Tire Land vehicle Plant Fuel tank]()
![Wheel Tire Plant Tree Motorcycle]()
![Wheel Tire Land vehicle Vehicle Car]()
My original route was to head to Temecula, then head east to Aguanga, Anza, and make my way to Palm Springs. But my GPS had other plans and I didn't notice I was on a different route until I hit Hemet, CA. That GPS detour did let me find this awesome vineyard though, that has a TON of classic motorcycles on the wall. Doffo is what it was called. I didn't partake but I'd like to stop in for a drink one day.
Moto Doffo Vid:
![Wheel Tire Motor vehicle Automotive tire Bicycle tire]()
![Tire Wheel Motor vehicle Vehicle Bicycle]()
![Flower Wheel Plant Sky Tire]()
![Sky Plant Tree Arecales Shade]()
After final packing up I said my goodbyes and geared up for the ride. Today's will be quite a fun one. Started off with heading to Santa Ysabel. From there I headed straight to Palomar Mountain. I went up from the E Grade Rd side and rode S6 north to the observatory (it was closed) then heading back south on S6, back to 76. S6 southbound of the general store is NUTS. Real tight corners with minimal margin for ****ing up. I kept it relatively calm but still managed to scrub off "most" of my new rear.
My original route was to head to Temecula, then head east to Aguanga, Anza, and make my way to Palm Springs. But my GPS had other plans and I didn't notice I was on a different route until I hit Hemet, CA. That GPS detour did let me find this awesome vineyard though, that has a TON of classic motorcycles on the wall. Doffo is what it was called. I didn't partake but I'd like to stop in for a drink one day.
Moto Doffo Vid:
Attachments
Anyway, once in Hemet... I spent about 20 minutes waiting on stop lights and traffic when I gave up and cut north to find I-10. I didn't want to give up on Palm Springs though, heard too much about the city to just skip it. Made a beeline for it, snapped a pic of City Hall and I was on my way to Vegas. Passed through some cool looking spots. Yucca Valley and Joshua Tree seems like a neat place to spend a weekend. This statue called "Foreign Body" was worthy of a quick roadside snap...
![Sky Wood Sculpture Travel Art]()
Stopped over at Amboy for a much needed bottle of gatorade, and the only place open was Roy's Cafe, right next to an old abandoned/disused? Roy's Motel. It was such a neat but sad scene to encounter.
![Sky Asphalt Real estate Landscape Road surface]()
The interior of the office was kept the same as it was.
![Sky Chair Shade Interior design Flowerpot]()
Right across the street, a cool tiny post office!
![Sky Flag Land lot Landscape Facade]()
Almost forgot to mention, around a dozen motorcycles came up to Roy's Cafe as I was about to head out. They're from Connecticut and riding back there from a CA trip. Most of them had significant others riding with them, although they do about 300 miles ish a day I think. They were fascinated with the homebrew fuel canister mounts and I stuck around chatting a bit. They took pics of me and the bike, I only wished I actually took pics of the group. It was a mix of Harleys and FJs, and a couple Ducati Multistradas.
I pushed on north, riding through the Mojave National Preserve. This was the second time I pretty much ran out of gas... not quite but I definitely needed my spare canister to get to the gas station. I opted to refill before getting to I-15... Can't imagine having to refill on the side of 15 with semis passing me... I'd have fuel spilling all over the bike.
![Tire Sky Wheel Vehicle Automotive tire]()
Anyway from here it was a straight shot to Vegas. I opted for a room on the strip at Bally's. It was cheap-ish and the experience reflected it. I took zero pictures of Vegas which I think kind of shows how I felt about the place. I don't think I'm a Vegas person... too many people just milling about looking a touch depressed. I thought that was just because I was in the cheaper hotel, but moving down the strip, and walking into the Bellagio I saw the same thing everywhere. Not a smiling face to be seen throughout the whole space. From my perspective it just radiated stress. I retired early to my room where I watched Ocean's Thirteen on cable...... and saw the view of Vegas that I myself could not find. Live and learn, now I know.
The next morning, I packed up and blasted out of town. Relatively uneventful except for the various construction related traffic on 15 going North. Fortunately, due to proximity to CA most of the folks are very familiar with lane splitting and I probably saved an hour of 2 mph traffic by doing so. I kept my speed to a moderate 15 mph max and made sure to wave a thanks to cars and trucks that moved aside to give me extra room. Tons of nice people out on the roads.
My first stop was in Beaver Dam, the city. The only reason I really stopped in was to look for gas, and my GPS led me to "The Dam Store." Which doesn't have gas it turns out, but had such an intriguing scene I decided to make this my early lunch stop. Ordered a BLT and some fries, grabbed a red bull and a spare bottle of water.
![Food Tableware Table Ingredient Staple food]()
Locals were just milling about this tiny dam store, grabbing beers from the dam bar... it was about 10:30 am haha. Also spot the dude getting his hair cut outside. In most small Texas towns I'm not sure I would have hung around much, but this had such a familial vibe to it that I loved. An older retired couple chatted me up and we had a nice convo. They live a bit north in Cedar City, UT, but come down here to buy lottery tickets. A LOT of people were buying lottery tickets there, must just be the thing.
![Plant Lighting Flowerpot Real estate Ceiling]()
Also found out that I'll be missing the Beaver Dam Jam
![World Motor vehicle Publication Font Technology]()
![Retail Door Gas Building Facade]()
Also just in writing this up am I realizing that I mistook Beaver Dam for Hoover Dam while I was there... I remember asking the locals if I'd be able to go see the dam and they're like, "nah it's not really a tourist thing." I was perplexed but didn't think much of it.
From here I head north for a few more miles before turning east to hit up ZION!
Stopped over at Amboy for a much needed bottle of gatorade, and the only place open was Roy's Cafe, right next to an old abandoned/disused? Roy's Motel. It was such a neat but sad scene to encounter.
The interior of the office was kept the same as it was.
Right across the street, a cool tiny post office!
Almost forgot to mention, around a dozen motorcycles came up to Roy's Cafe as I was about to head out. They're from Connecticut and riding back there from a CA trip. Most of them had significant others riding with them, although they do about 300 miles ish a day I think. They were fascinated with the homebrew fuel canister mounts and I stuck around chatting a bit. They took pics of me and the bike, I only wished I actually took pics of the group. It was a mix of Harleys and FJs, and a couple Ducati Multistradas.
I pushed on north, riding through the Mojave National Preserve. This was the second time I pretty much ran out of gas... not quite but I definitely needed my spare canister to get to the gas station. I opted to refill before getting to I-15... Can't imagine having to refill on the side of 15 with semis passing me... I'd have fuel spilling all over the bike.
Anyway from here it was a straight shot to Vegas. I opted for a room on the strip at Bally's. It was cheap-ish and the experience reflected it. I took zero pictures of Vegas which I think kind of shows how I felt about the place. I don't think I'm a Vegas person... too many people just milling about looking a touch depressed. I thought that was just because I was in the cheaper hotel, but moving down the strip, and walking into the Bellagio I saw the same thing everywhere. Not a smiling face to be seen throughout the whole space. From my perspective it just radiated stress. I retired early to my room where I watched Ocean's Thirteen on cable...... and saw the view of Vegas that I myself could not find. Live and learn, now I know.
The next morning, I packed up and blasted out of town. Relatively uneventful except for the various construction related traffic on 15 going North. Fortunately, due to proximity to CA most of the folks are very familiar with lane splitting and I probably saved an hour of 2 mph traffic by doing so. I kept my speed to a moderate 15 mph max and made sure to wave a thanks to cars and trucks that moved aside to give me extra room. Tons of nice people out on the roads.
My first stop was in Beaver Dam, the city. The only reason I really stopped in was to look for gas, and my GPS led me to "The Dam Store." Which doesn't have gas it turns out, but had such an intriguing scene I decided to make this my early lunch stop. Ordered a BLT and some fries, grabbed a red bull and a spare bottle of water.
Locals were just milling about this tiny dam store, grabbing beers from the dam bar... it was about 10:30 am haha. Also spot the dude getting his hair cut outside. In most small Texas towns I'm not sure I would have hung around much, but this had such a familial vibe to it that I loved. An older retired couple chatted me up and we had a nice convo. They live a bit north in Cedar City, UT, but come down here to buy lottery tickets. A LOT of people were buying lottery tickets there, must just be the thing.
Also found out that I'll be missing the Beaver Dam Jam
Also just in writing this up am I realizing that I mistook Beaver Dam for Hoover Dam while I was there... I remember asking the locals if I'd be able to go see the dam and they're like, "nah it's not really a tourist thing." I was perplexed but didn't think much of it.
From here I head north for a few more miles before turning east to hit up ZION!
A short stint on 15 north, and I peel of east to head to Zion. I stop at the NP entrance booth where I show my interagency pass card, and the attendant starts quizzing me on my bike.
How big is that engine? "it's 900cc"
Oh must be real fast... "it goes alright, a bit down on power on these elevations but still plenty"
*Cue lecture about not speeding in Zion.., "wasn't planning on it officer lol"
![Wheel Sky Mountain Land vehicle Tire]()
![Plant Sky Mountain Bedrock Natural landscape]()
The rest of my route out of Zion and into Bryce Canyon City was such a great and peaceful time that I took minimal pictures. I opted for a campground in an RV Park in Tropic, UT. Despite having to seek out a spot with minimal dog turds, I still found it a much preferable scene to Vegas... alright I'll stop complaining about Vegas!
![Plant Sky Tent Leaf Motorcycle]()
That building behind my tent is the restaurant, pictured below. I had a decent meal, the trout was delicious, the veggies were Birdseye and was less so.
![Table Tableware Building Wood Interior design]()
Forecast was about 34F overnight, so I chilled out by my tent with a fire.
![Light Nature Bonfire Lighting Tent]()
Ended up dousing it shortly after this. The winds picked up a bit too much and I was being cautious. Changed into my sleep clothes and climbed into bed. Here's a little tour of my tent.
youtube.com
I got up around 7:30 the next morning, made my way slowly through my routine, bathroom, brush, wash face, gear up, and break down tent. It was still in the low 40s so while wearing my motorcycle kit was slightly limiting... it also kept me warmer. I was on the road around 9, for about a minute... when I spotted a coffee shop.
I knew I had a ton of fun roads ahead of me today so I started it with a good breakfast
![Sky Automotive tire Automotive lighting Tree Motor vehicle]()
From Tropic I made my way to Escalante
![Sky Tire Plant community Automotive tire Wheel]()
From Escalante (which I can completely see myself retiring to, if I can ever afford to in 25 years), it's a series of twisty roads and overlooks. I'm in love with this area. Not sure if you can zoom in but you can see some of the nice sweepy bits of road in the picture below.
![Plant Sky Plant community Cloud Natural landscape]()
I ended up linking up with a couple of locals for a good bit. The lead rider was on a Speed Twin and keeping a good pace so I moved up behind him. His buddy trailed us a bit on an FJ-09. The next half hour felt like a symphony. I'm getting goosebumps typing this up, it feels silly. But once in a while you get to ride with someone that has the same comfortable pace and riding style that you do and it's such a joy. They ended up pulling over for some reason and I gave them a wave and carried on.
About a half hour later they stopped at the same gas station as I was about to head in for a red bull. We ended up chatting a bit, they're both retired and live in Escalante. One is Bob (an american on the speed twin) and I can't remember the other guy's name but he's a brit (I think) on a '15 FJ09. Naturally they asked about the MT09, how it is, etc... both were considering picking one up as another bike. I get the impression that they live well and have a stable of bikes. The dream. Another thing I regret... wish I took pics with them. Instead I took a picture of this other crazy guy's ride.
![Bicycle Tire Wheel Bicycle wheel Bicycle tire]()
How big is that engine? "it's 900cc"
Oh must be real fast... "it goes alright, a bit down on power on these elevations but still plenty"
*Cue lecture about not speeding in Zion.., "wasn't planning on it officer lol"
The rest of my route out of Zion and into Bryce Canyon City was such a great and peaceful time that I took minimal pictures. I opted for a campground in an RV Park in Tropic, UT. Despite having to seek out a spot with minimal dog turds, I still found it a much preferable scene to Vegas... alright I'll stop complaining about Vegas!
That building behind my tent is the restaurant, pictured below. I had a decent meal, the trout was delicious, the veggies were Birdseye and was less so.
Forecast was about 34F overnight, so I chilled out by my tent with a fire.
Ended up dousing it shortly after this. The winds picked up a bit too much and I was being cautious. Changed into my sleep clothes and climbed into bed. Here's a little tour of my tent.
Tent Vid
youtube.com
I got up around 7:30 the next morning, made my way slowly through my routine, bathroom, brush, wash face, gear up, and break down tent. It was still in the low 40s so while wearing my motorcycle kit was slightly limiting... it also kept me warmer. I was on the road around 9, for about a minute... when I spotted a coffee shop.
I knew I had a ton of fun roads ahead of me today so I started it with a good breakfast
From Tropic I made my way to Escalante
From Escalante (which I can completely see myself retiring to, if I can ever afford to in 25 years), it's a series of twisty roads and overlooks. I'm in love with this area. Not sure if you can zoom in but you can see some of the nice sweepy bits of road in the picture below.
I ended up linking up with a couple of locals for a good bit. The lead rider was on a Speed Twin and keeping a good pace so I moved up behind him. His buddy trailed us a bit on an FJ-09. The next half hour felt like a symphony. I'm getting goosebumps typing this up, it feels silly. But once in a while you get to ride with someone that has the same comfortable pace and riding style that you do and it's such a joy. They ended up pulling over for some reason and I gave them a wave and carried on.
About a half hour later they stopped at the same gas station as I was about to head in for a red bull. We ended up chatting a bit, they're both retired and live in Escalante. One is Bob (an american on the speed twin) and I can't remember the other guy's name but he's a brit (I think) on a '15 FJ09. Naturally they asked about the MT09, how it is, etc... both were considering picking one up as another bike. I get the impression that they live well and have a stable of bikes. The dream. Another thing I regret... wish I took pics with them. Instead I took a picture of this other crazy guy's ride.
I left the retired dynamic duo as they headed West on 24, and I went East. At Hanksville I cut north for a little I-70 shortcut, then exited 65 (Grand Mesa Scenic Byway). HOLY HELL it is scenic. In a matter of 6 hours I went from zooming through gorgeous reddish sandstone and limestone vistas, to climbing up a forested valley in CO. If I had to pick a favorite day of this trip so far... this would be it.
![Cloud Sky Plant Natural landscape Mountain]()
It was still a bit chilly up here
![Sky Cloud Tire Wheel Plant]()
If you look to the left there's a dude kiteboarding... although you can only see the kite
![Sky Cloud Natural landscape Horizon Landscape]()
I crossed over to the other side of Powderhorn and was greeted with slightly warmer temps and gnarly roads
![Sky Cloud Plant Ecoregion Natural landscape]()
Headed east on 92 towards the Black Canyons
![Cloud Sky Mountain Plant Highland]()
![Tire Cloud Wheel Sky Vehicle]()
![Cloud Sky Water Mountain Highland]()
Today is probably the most exhausting day, physically and mentally. I tackled a lot of mileage, with a lot of high speed twisties, and also saw a ton of sights. My brain was working overtime to process cornering speed and not go, "oooh look at that canyon."
I got to my hostel in Gunnison, showered, and grabbed a quick appetizer before heading out for dinner.
![Drink Alcoholic beverage Picture frame Houseplant Television]()
Dinner was delicious but uneventful, no pics there...
It was still a bit chilly up here
If you look to the left there's a dude kiteboarding... although you can only see the kite
I crossed over to the other side of Powderhorn and was greeted with slightly warmer temps and gnarly roads
Headed east on 92 towards the Black Canyons
Today is probably the most exhausting day, physically and mentally. I tackled a lot of mileage, with a lot of high speed twisties, and also saw a ton of sights. My brain was working overtime to process cornering speed and not go, "oooh look at that canyon."
I got to my hostel in Gunnison, showered, and grabbed a quick appetizer before heading out for dinner.
Dinner was delicious but uneventful, no pics there...
This catches us up to present time... Today I took it easy, cooked a light breakfast of 2 eggs and toast, watched a National Park show episode on Netflix, and spent about an hour stretching and rolling out my shoulders on the carpet. Unrelated, the hostel has a pretty neat TP holder
![Wood Metal Art Artifact Visual arts]()
Chill day for today, I rode about 90 min up to Buena Vista to visit a brewery that's been on my list for years. This is where I'm writing up all these updates.
![Tire Wheel Property Building Window]()
![Food Liquid Drinkware Recipe Tableware]()
![Food Table Tableware Netbook Drinkware]()
A note on drinking while riding... I do not advocate it at all. On tours like these, if I can get some time to chill out in between riding I'll allow myself to drink a beer as long as I have at least an hour or two, to recover fully. In today's case I had a small flight of beers, equivalent to 20 oz and I'm chilling in Buena Vista for about 3 hours. I'd sooner find a motel in town than ride back to my hostel under any kind of influence.
There's a reason I usually find campgrounds with good access to beer without having to ride to it
Chill day for today, I rode about 90 min up to Buena Vista to visit a brewery that's been on my list for years. This is where I'm writing up all these updates.
A note on drinking while riding... I do not advocate it at all. On tours like these, if I can get some time to chill out in between riding I'll allow myself to drink a beer as long as I have at least an hour or two, to recover fully. In today's case I had a small flight of beers, equivalent to 20 oz and I'm chilling in Buena Vista for about 3 hours. I'd sooner find a motel in town than ride back to my hostel under any kind of influence.
There's a reason I usually find campgrounds with good access to beer without having to ride to it
Thanks for the love everyone. I'm having a ball and enjoying sharing it with y'all at the same time.
Dude, sorry I missed this. I was in SD for 7 days but I didn't really get a chance to ride out and about much.
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