Prelude to adventure

[Big Sky]

Thursday afternoon we leave for what will be our first camping adventure ride: the Magruder Corridor from Darby, Montana to Elk City, Idaho. This is about 110 miles of gravel, much of it unmaintained, though recent reports indicate it "can be done in a car." This route splits the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness and the Selway Bitterroot Wilderness, unique in that it is a motorized route between two wilderness areas. It crosses the mighty Bitterroot Range from the upper Bitterroot Valley (West Fork) in Montana to the South Fork of the Clearwater in Idaho. Wife and I will do it two-up on the DL-1000 V-Strom running Pirelli Scorpion Trails, an 80-20 tire I am told is sufficient. We are fortunate in that another pal will be along on his KTM 1190 Adventure, and another couple with a side-by-side who will haul some of our bulkier gear. We are all experienced outdoors people and motorcycle/ATV users (though I am relatively short on off-road experience) who should be able to handle just about any contingency involved in riding/camping in wilderness at elevation, including troublesome bears (we will be well armed and will have Spot Trackers). None of us have been through "the Magruder" before. If the going gets the slightest tricky or technical, wife will dismount and ride in the ATV. I'm excited and I think wife Marilyn is too. One thing she cannot stand is to be left behind if there is potential for fun.

 

[Niehart]

Now that sounds fun.

Are you going to make the spot tracker public?

I'm thinking this will be a good ride report.

 

[RPrice]

That's just "up the road" from here!! I would like to do that sometime, but I was thinking about taking my 4x4 truck!

Looking forward to the Ride Report, and have fun!

Bob

 

[wheatonFJR]

What you need are the spottrackers on the bears.

 

[Big Sky]

One of the companions is sleeping in a hammock/tent. The others and I are debating whether pouring bacon grease or honey in his hammock is more likely to attract the bears (and thereby give us warning they are in the area). It's funny: ask different riders about the Magruder and you get all kinds of different responses: "It's a piece of cake" or "Well there are some washouts that are bouldery with sand in the bottom" or "I did that in my truck, lot of four-wheel drive in first gear and low range"... Who knows? We'll find out. I suspect dust may be the most unpleasant aspect, though for awhile we feared it would be forest fires and smoke.

 

[rushes]

Not sure how rocky it is there but around here, big bikes and big rocks don't play well.

Plan for flats.

This is Chris_D repairing his fancy KTM Adventure bike.

 

[Tyler]

 

[escapefjrtist]

^^^^^^^

Yup, me too!

Looking forward to the ride report!

--G

 

[Goodman4]

Me three! Bookmarked for a future exciting read.

 

[Big Sky]

Now forecasting 80 percent precip Thursday, our launch day, though we don't really get into the main gravel until Friday. That could mean some mud and ponds in low spots with poor drainage. Damn, should have put those 50/50 Heidenau tires on! May still yet.

 

[RPrice]

It's getting really cloudy and windy down here around Salmon ........ Rain seems imminent. NWS says 70% tonight and 60% tomorrow, chances for heavy rain. Like you said earlier though, at least you probably won't have to deal with smoke!!

Good luck!

Bob

 

[Big Sky]

Here were the factors:

• 237 miles round-trip of gravel and unmaintained dirt bisecting two wilderness areas

• No direct experience with this route

• Reports rating the route range from easy to difficult and technical

• 80 percent chance of rain throughout the corridor the day before we ride in, meaning...

Streams running across the road?

Mud holes of unknown depth and uncertain bottoms?

Slick surfaces?

Washouts?

• A 530-lb. 1000 V-Strom mule

• 80 highway/20 off-road Pirelli Scorpion Trail tires

• A heavy load of gear (camping, food, water, etc.)

• A passenger (of average weight!)

• A driver with some experience on improved gravel, almost zero with true "trail" conditions

• Driver nearing 60 and not in the best physical condition, passenger is 64

Decision: borrow a friend's Suzuki ATV quad

I decided it would be preferable to regret not taking the bike, rather than regret taking it. Too much was unknown.

Was the driver (me) cowardly or prudent? My decision - and actions - would affect two of us.

At first, I was glad I had decided against doing it two-up; then, as surface conditions deteriorated, I was glad I had decided not to do it on the V-Strom with those tires; finally, I concluded if I ever did try it on a bike, it would be a 250 or 400 dual-sport with aggressive off-road tires. The previous day's heavy rains were not a factor.

I had zero experience running an ATV over any distances on chewed up roads, but I handled it, two-up and loaded, without incident, not even a close call. It made the adventure a wonderful experience, instead of one fraught with difficulty, anxiety and remorse, though I was plenty beat at 80 miles.

Can it be done on the biggest, fully loaded adventure bikes? Apparently. I saw plenty of them doing it, and piloted by some folks well into their 60s, maybe approaching 70. My 31-year-old pal on his KTM 1190 Adventure had no trouble. Experience and skill is what matters.

Nevertheless, the adventure tour was an awesome experience of the highest caliber.

Stunningly beautiful country and vistas, though much of the wilderness timberlands are burned over. The Bitterroot Mountains are a damned big, rugged range. The Magruder Road has many long and steep ascents and descents that may be washed out to a varying degree leaving a "chunky" rocky surface - billiard ball to soccer ball. In one ascent, you climb, relentlessly, from 3,700 feet to 8,200 feet over 12 miles of challenging (by my standards) road.

Would I recommend Forum members try this or something like it? Absolutely! Honestly assess your experience and skills, then make a good choice, even if that is your 4x4 pickup or SUV (with good, stout off-road rubber). An ATV or UTV (side-by-side) are perfect tools for this job, especially given their hauling capacity, stability and economy (25 MPG). Consider a smaller, lighter dual-sport or, if your are "competent" or "expert" with the big ADV machines, have at it (again, I'd recommend at least 50/50 treads).

It was an incredible three-day ride though enchanting country.

Now our small group is looking at another run through primitive country, this time the Lolo Wagon Road. We'll start watching the weather...

I am writing this adventure up in detail for publication elsewhere (2016) and can send anyone the long version with pics if they are interested. Just PM...

Now this weekend we're off to the Beartooth Highway/Chief Joseph Scenic Byway and the passes and alpine riding of the Big Horns...all on known pavement on an FJR!

 

[rushes]

PM sent...

 

[Goodman4]

Sounds like fun. Glad you made wise decisions. Enjoy Beartooth, my favorite road!

 

[Chiefblueman]

Just rode over Beartooth and Chief Joseph 3 weeks ago. Speck - tack - you - lar! Enjoy! Also just picked up a KTM 950 adv. Interested in your recent adventure. PM sent.

 

[Big Sky]

For me the chief factors in a bike choice for this road are weight and the right tires. I'd like something light enough to be able to throw around a bit (and pick up!). Suspension (travel and adjustability) would be all-important, and carrying capacity. It should have a good skid plate and crash bars. We had tire repair kits and compressor, some basic tools, spare chain links and chain tools, epoxy/JB Weld and so on.

We have done the Beartooth/Chief Joseph and Big Horns at least a dozen times and hope to be able to do it a dozen times more. It never gets old.

 

[Big Sky]

Well, the Beartooth, Chief Joseph and the Big Horns was fun. We appreciated the moderate temperatures at altitude - 70s - while the valleys and basins below were sweltering in the mid- to upper-90s. My bother's wife, a relative novice to this MC touring business, did manage to get herself pretty badly dehydrated. The rest of us were more diligent in staying on top of it.

This trip was different for Marilyn and I. Usually we are the instigators and organizers. This time brother-in-law Tim called and said he and brother Scott were thinking of the Beartooth/Chief Joseph and Big Horns. We said, let us know what time you're leaving, and give us no more than 350 miles home Sunday and we'll tag along. They planned the route and destinations, made the reservations, etc. That was very different! I only offered one suggestion: plan as much altitude as possible, given forecast high temps. I rode sweep or in the middle, only at point very briefly once or twice when we were hunting an obscure back road that we knew of. Well, mostly... On the ride out of Burgess Junction on the top of the Big Horns down the east slope to Dayton, I (ahem) sort of wound up in front and Marilyn and I got a very good, almost clean, run down to the bottom through some of my very favorite twisties, pushing it pretty hard, feeling the groove, nailing the corner entries, apexes and exits, minimal brakes, just getting it all right, the Pirelli Angel GTs sticking like glue and railing the lines with little effort at the bars. No chicken strips left. I love the groove, the zone!

Riding at the back presented me with re-learning a discipline: do not fixate on the bike ahead or you may make the same mistakes he/she could.

I always say, It was a great ride if there were no incidents. This was another great ride (other than a lost jacket liner).

Oh, and there were about 50,000 H-Ds on their way to Sturgis. All 100 percent identical individualists. Motels 150 miles away were sold out. I heard: 750,000 folks coming; 1 million; and 1.2 million. I'd believe 750,000.

I went to Sturgis last year, my third time there, fist time in 32 years. Long story... No, not going back. I realize the sound of an open-piped H-D is music to the ears of the baptized, but to some (most?) of us it is noise, plain and simple. The racket disturbs an otherwise serene ride. To each their own, eh? Besides, who actually enjoys waiting in line for everything - everything! - while you pay grossly inflated prices for everything - everything! For the faithful, Sturgis is Mecca, The Motor Classic is the haj, the rest of us are infidels who just don't get it.

 

[wheatonFJR]

...On the ride out of Burgess Junction on the top of the Big Horns down the east slop to Dayton, I (ahem) sort of wound up in front and Marilyn and I got a very good, almost clean, run down to the bottom through some of my very favorite twisties, pushing it pretty hard, feeling the groove, nailing the corner entries, apexes and exits, minimal brakes, just getting it all right, the Pirelli Angel GTs sticking like glue and railing the lines with little effort at the bars. No chicken strips left. I love the groove, the zone!

unk:

Sounds like it was a great time with family...

 

[Tyler]

Oh, and there were about 50,000 H-Ds on their way to Sturgis. All 100 percent identical individualists. Motels 150 miles away were sold out. I heard: 750,000 folks coming; 1 million; and 1.2 million. I'd believe 750,000.
I went to Sturgis last year, my third time there, fist time in 32 years. Long story... No, not going back.

And miss out on all of this fun??