Next 2015 Pants WITH REDFISH Adventure - Go West (not so) Young Man!

[hppants]

Reading Ross' thread has inspired me. The mind is a wonderful thing!

Since the steam bath is in full swing along the gulf coast, which basically limits my weekend riding to either a couple of hours VERY early in the morning, or take a realistic chance on heat stroke, I thought I would start a thread on my next adventure. I've got my brand new FJR just about farkled out and it needs MAJOR miles put on it. Although clearly I'm whistling through my arse, I'm actually hoping to take 2 (TWO!!) bike trips before the end of the year:

1. Leaving September 3 (give or take) - minimum 10 days, likely 12 days, hopefully 14 days.

2. Leaving October 20 (give or take) - minimum 6 days, likely 8 days, hopefully 10 days. This would be a leaf-peeping trip in the Appilacians.

I'll table #2 for a while. Work obligations and budget are not really set for that one. But #1 is a go and right now, I want to get into it - my first bike trip West of Texas!!!! I've dreamed about doing this for years and Lord willing, this is the time. Here's my "wanna see" list (so far):

Zion

Bryce

Arches

Million Dollar Highway

Monument Valley

Natural Bridges Monument (Utah)

Antelope Canyon (Page, AZ)

Horseshoe Bend

I've thought about things west of Utah (Yosemite would be the target), but I fear 14 days just isn't enough time as it basically takes 2 days to get to Amarilo, Tx and 2 days to get back. So I think Zion will be my Western limit. Also, I've been to the Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado Springs, Pikes Peak, and the ski slopes north of Denver many times in the cage. I'm not interested in spending time re-visiting this - I think I'll concentrate more on the southern and western side of Colorado.

Something I'm researching now is what to do when I get to Amarilo, Texas. I can head north by northwest through Raton Pass, NM (which is our traditional way to get to Colorado), then turn West on Hwy 160, which I hear is GREAT riding. Or I can head due East to Albuquerque (hopefully not all by slab), Petrified Forest, perhaps the north rim of the Grand Canyon (I've visited the south rim twice in a cage), then up to Monument Vally and into Utah. Thoughts on this?

Also really big on my list is to see the Aspen trees turn in Western Colorado. We don't have this tree down here (or even in the appilacian range) I hear that Durango and Silverton is a good area for this. Obviously I can ride the Million Dollar Highway while in this area as well.

So I'm thinking about creating a loop based in Amarilo. Think west to Arizona, then north into Utah, then East to Silverton/Durango, then East to Walsenburg, CO, then south back to Amarilo. I could run clockwise or counterclockwise - perhaps using the Aspen trees as the deciding factor (if they are turning early, counter clockwise, if not - visa versa)

I'll definitely be camping, but likley throw in a motel night or two (especially night 1 and night "done" - the heat in Texas will be brutal in early Sept.). Will the national parks generally have camping spots available at this time? Even on a weekend night (if that's how it falls)? What about that white frozen stuff? Is there any chance I'll get caught up in that for this trip? Pants will ride in freezing cold. He will ride in rain. But he doesn't ride in frozen rain.

Any thoughts you guys on the Western front have would surely be appreciated. Also as we get closer, I'd enjoy meeting and sharing some miles with ya'll as well.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Well, well, well. Mediocre minds think alike. It just so happens that this is one of my two options for this year's One Big Trip.

Here is where we (sort of) disagree.

1. Amarillo Texas. That is not two days away from you. You are closer than I am and I eat lunch there on my second day but I only run about 17 miles of Interstate before I get there. If you jump on I-49 North all the way to Shreveport you could get much closer. I take all back roads (Hwy 1 from the Mississippi River Bridge, 71, 84, then 1 again) to Shreveport and I easily make it to Sherman Texas with lots of daylight to spare the first day. You ride harder than I can with 3 bikes following me. I would say that you could easily spend your second night in Las Vegas New Mexico.

I have eaten breakfast in Tucumcari and supper at home that same day with my wife and son in the truck so the distance/time is not impossible.

2. If you are traveling this loop "clockwise" you will hit Monument Valley before you get to the North Rim. I would slip across the Colorado Utah border just north of the 4 Corners which will allow you to see Goosenecks State Park, Mexican Hat Utah, and then drop into Monument Valley from the north side. That will give you that picture that everyone takes, the one that shows where Forrest Gump stopped running.

Take a walk through Lower Antelope Canyon just outside of Page AZ, right next to the Power Plant. Then you can cut across West to The North Rim. Head West then North when you leave Jacob Lake and that will take you into Kanab Utah and then you have all of Utah at your feet.

3. If you are doing this loop "counter clockwise" leave I-40 at Tucumcari NM, take Hwy 104 to Las Vegas then cut through the mountains via 431 to Angel Fire. Cut west to Taos and use Hwy 64 across Northern New Mexico. You will enjoy all of that.

I have pics, I have maps, I have time. I will happily sit down at your house or mine and we can go over what I know and whatever wisdom this forum can turn up for us.

 

[DesignFlaw06]

I had a ride report on here from the trip we did. But apparently I can't find it. If I can find it, I'll post it in here.

I know it's over on NHF.

https://nighthawk-forums.com/index.php/topic,44.0.html

Here's a link to all of the pictures we took.

https://searles.no-ip.org/photo/#!Albums/album_5472697073/album_54726970732f536561726c657320536f7574687765737420546f75722032303132

Some interesting stops along the way.

North Rim of the Grand Canyon - I've not been to the South side, but I'm told the North side is better anyway.

Page, AZ - Glen Canyon Dam, Antelope Canyon.

Kanab, UT - Hollywood of the Old Westerns. Neat little town with a lot of history. They play movies that were filmed there in the barn they used to keep the horses in I believe on Wednesday nights. We watched an old John Wayne film.

Bryce Canyon - An absolute must. It was my favorite of the National Parks. We did all of them except Zion.

Escalante, UT - The Prospector Inn has pancakes that are at least a foot in diameter.

Burr Trail - Offroad adventure. 18 miles of dirt and the hardest terrain I've done on the bike.

Bullfrog / Halls Crossing - A ferry will take you across Lake Powell and save you some time.

Arches National Park - Very cool to see.

Silverton to Durango was my favorite stretch of road on the trip. Very picturesque .

You won't be disappointed with the scenery.

 

[hppants]

Wow - definitely added Antelope Canyon to the list. Thanks Gents! Tim - excellent RR on the NHF. You should do that more often.

R/H - we need to get together and share maps.

 

[Tyler]

Chicken...

So I think Zion will be my Western limit.

 

[hppants]

Distance from Santa Clara to Zion is about 620 miles.

Meet in the middle?

 

[Tyler]

Distance from Santa Clara to Zion is about 620 miles.
Meet in the middle?

Entirely possible... I'll be watching for your dates.

P.S. I've got this ride to Bridgeport in Sept if that might work with your schedule or there's FJRay's Ruben Run the following weekend.

 

[HotRodZilla]

FINALLY!! RFH said something smart. From your place to Albuquerque is barely two days. Hell, from your place to Red River where my brother lives would be a not-to-hard two day ride. Since my brother lives there, you could stay for free, and we could ride some great roads on the way out. That would also limit your east to west crossing of NM, which is about as fun as having a tooth pulled without any nitrous.

Of course, you could ride to Amarillo in one day, stay the night and check out Palo Duro Canyon just south and west of Amarillo the next morning, and then haul ass to Albuquerque. On day 3, we'd take the great roads north towards Chama.

From that far north, you would head to Pagosa and Durango. Then the Million Dollar Hwy is in your grasp. From there, you head east and grab all that Utah stuff you want.

 

[RossKean]

Hey 'Pants

Change your travel time and meet up with me next week. Ride and camp for a week or two - I'll be covering most of what you are planning to do. Longer daylight hours in July than in the fall.

 

[hppants]

HRZ - I was hoping you'd chime in here. Guess I am a glutton for punishment. I will be communicating with you as things get closer. Hope we can ride together, even for a short while.

Ross - sadly, the real world has got a hold of me now. However, good things will hopefully come to those that wait. At least that is what SWMBO keeps telling me.

 

[Tyler]

And I'll tell ya, don't wait until [fill in the blank]... tomorrow is not promised to any of us. I understand the real world as I live in it as well... but if you really want to do something, there will be a way to make it happen. Ya just gotta believe...

 

[James Burleigh]

Distance from Santa Clara to Zion is about 620 miles.
Meet in the middle?

When I Google Map that route, there IS no middle....

 

[Tyler]

Distance from Santa Clara to Zion is about 620 miles.
Meet in the middle?

When I Google Map that route, there IS no middle....

Once again, JB, you're not seeing the alternative...

 

[hppants]

Ms. T - message heard and most assuredly understood.

HRZ - I've got Red River at 1,037 miles from my house. Guess I could try to pick up an IBA sticker while I'm on vacation, but trying to cross Texas in early Sept. seems kind of futile. One or two days, I would really enjoy meeting you and your brother, however.

 

[HotRodZilla]

Well, Patch won't be in Red River when you're coming through. He is being promoted and moved to Tucumcari. He is going to live in Santa Rosa.

This means you could ride first day to Amarillo. We'd meet you in Tucumcari and run north towards Cimarron. The rides will be just as awesome, just from a different jump-off.

 

[Redfish Hunter]

Yuck! From Red River to Santa Rosa? That would have to be one huge jump in money to compensate. I hope he is taking his lovely friend along.

I know Hwy 104 out of Tucumcari is decent but not great, there does not seem to be much really good riding until you get back North of Las Vegas NM.

 

[hppants]

Regarding Utah - seeing Bryce, Zion, and Arches is non-negotiable for me at this time. These have been bucket list items for as long as the bucket has existed.

What about Moab? Is that "can't miss"? Can I "ride through" it and say I've seen it?

 

[HotRodZilla]

Moab, yes. Moab is only good if you're able to get off the road and into the dirt. There's not a lot to see from the highway. There's some pretty stuff, but that's typical of that area of Utah, Moab or not.

 

[James Burleigh]

Distance from Santa Clara to Zion is about 620 miles.
Meet in the middle?

When I Google Map that route, there IS no middle....

Once again, JB, you're not seeing the alternative...

What are you considering the "middle"--i.e., halfway between here and there?