Arches and Canyonlands National Parks

[ShinyPartsUp]

I landed in Torrey, Utah the day before meeting the Stanley boys and FJR gang for the 3 day Utah tour. I made it a four day tour by riding to and into Canyonlands and Arches National Parks respectively before getting into Mexican Hat Utah for the first official tour day. I edited out many photos to try not to bore those spoiled on Old Michael RR's. None of the photos are retouched or enhanced or edited.

This was the view from my $60 a night (including tax) motel room:

Canyonlands National Park:

The following three photos are a triptych if you put them side by side, there would be a panorama:

Then on to Arches National Park, which was just down the road. After snaking up the side of a cliff, the road dips into a canyon. A nice compliment to the overview of the canyons of the former NP.:

At an overlook and rest stop a nice gentleman asked if I wanted my picture taken. I couldn't say no. (But I should have, lol):

I think they call this balancing rock:

This looks like a petrified forum member giving a TWN salute to me:

The rock formations seemed so alien to my experiences on the east and West coasts:

Then on to Mexican hat where the views from the Hotel were great. The first to show up after me was Don and Seth. Then as I was standing on the balcony, Mark (Marcusaurelius) and Duke rode in. Mark looked at me, and the first words he ever uttered to me in my life were: "You're fatter than I thought you'd be."

:blink:

The rest of the trip was a great joy. And I hope to ride with the Southwest Hombres again some day. The beauty and vastness of the landscape are impossible to capture well. Check out Mark's videos for a better RR than I could give of the three day adventure we all shared.

 

[Surly]

Mate, what scenery!

Hope the ride getting there was as much fun as it looks.

Best regards

Surly

h34r:

 

[FJRBluesman]

That was an awesome trip you took us on! :yahoo:

Thanks for sharing!

 

[LowAndSilent]

Awesome photos and report.

That's some really beautiful scenery.

 

[Tyler]

Nice pics, Mikey... I have some similar ones to share once I sort through the 1500+ pics I took on my Great Southwest Adventure! B)

Sorry we weren't able to meet up along the way...

 

[marcusorelius]

No, no , no I said dapper, your more dapper then I thought! Definition of DAPPER. 1. a: neat and trim in appearance. Well I might have said bigger

 

[wheatonFJR]

Great report!

Thanks for sharing! :clapping:

 

[canyonman]

One of my favorite places on planet earth and your right it is impossible to even begin to capture it with a camera.

Thanks for the ride along.

 

[marcusorelius]

Here's a cool pic ya might want to make a copy of

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

No, no , no I said dapper, your more dapper then I thought! Definition of DAPPER. 1. a: neat and trim in appearance. Well I might have said bigger

:lol2: :lol2: :lol2:

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

Sorry we weren't able to meet up along the way...

Me too babe.

To all, thanks for the kind comments.

 

[beemerdons]

Great report!

Thanks for sharing! :clapping:

+1, Gunny; Excellent Ride Report, Thank You!

 

[donaldb]

I'm considering a trip next year to both these parks for the first time. Can you see both of them in 1 day? or do you need more? Nice pics, sounds like you had a great trip.

 

[Panman]

Thanks for sharing, on my way to my first FJR event in Golden MCRIDER007 took us on a tour thru the Canyonlands.

It really is worth seeing.

 

[Tanker]

Thanks for the pictures and report. Very enjoyable.

 

[ahchiu]

Nice RR, I rode through there in June 08 on my way to Taos, NM, I wish the temps were a little cooler it was 100+ and we just wanted to get to our hotel a beer and the pool, I would like to ride through there and have more tome to sight see. Thanks for sharing

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

I'm considering a trip next year to both these parks for the first time. Can you see both of them in 1 day? or do you need more? Nice pics, sounds like you had a great trip.

There is actually an upper and lower Canyonlands Park. I only went to the upper. I started from Torrey which took a while to commute to the parks, even at a peak triple mph for a short stretch. And I wanted to be in Mexican Hat by 3-4pm to meet the guys. So yes, it can be done.

 

[marcusorelius]

Here's a few pics I took at Lower canyonlands (the needles) after swfog 2010

 

[SacramentoMike]

One of my favorite places on planet earth and your right it is impossible to even begin to capture it with a camera.

Nah, it's easy.

I'm considering a trip next year to both these parks for the first time. Can you see both of them in 1 day? or do you need more? Nice pics, sounds like you had a great trip.

They're only 15 or 20 miles apart, and I felt like what I could see from the bike and a few stops to take pics and be amazed gave me a real full experience. Hiking very far in the desert (and it was hot) is pretty low on my bucket list.

I thought Arches was by far the more scenic, btw. It's amazing. And the ride out of Torrey (east) along Utah 24 was also incredible; same with the road north to Moab (191). If you do that route from Moab south, you owe it to yourself to take Utah 12 west when you get to Torrey, too. Bryce Canyon is only 160 miles farther along one of the most incredible m/c roads anywhere, and you climb enough to get a nice altitude cool-down. Funny, you drive across Utah on I-80 a couple of times and you think you've got the whole state all figgered out . . .