Bob Palin Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 July 29th Rim Lake lies at the southern end of Boulder Mountain Top at an altitude of 10,853 feet, ever since I first discovered it a couple of years ago I've wanted to hike round it. Two weeks ago I set off to do that but took the wrong road and was then chased off the mountain by a thunderstorm. Since then pretty much every day has been stormy, this morning, while sitting listening to the cricket commentary on the internet, I noticed that there wasn't a cloud in the sky. I quickly martialed the camera gear, riding gear, hiking gear and some lunch and headed out on the KLR. The KLR is a better bike for this kind of expedition than the CRF, the roads are not technical, it has carrying capacity and is much more comfortable with it's soft seat and saggy suspension. OK, so the lights don't work... I blasted up the hill barely stopping, there were a few clouds forming but nothing threatening. Until I reached the lake, the only place on the whole Aquarias Plateau with a storm was Rim Lake. As soon as I arrive it started to rain, then hail, pretty soon the hail didn't melt when it hit the track. I took shelter under some trees, there were terrific thunderclaps and some impressive lightning. I know you're not supposed to hide under a tree in a storm but really, is it better to be surrounded by trees or exposed on the mountain top? It felt better under the trees, besides the hail hurt. It looked to me that the storm was moving off south but every time it stopped hailing for a few minutes the storm moved back overhead and it started again. I waited about an hour, ate my lunch and wandered around in the trees, eventually I concluded that the storm wasn't going to move off and in fact more clouds were forming to my north which was my exit route so I headed out. The road had become quite wet Looking back from Spectacle Lake to the storm over Rim Lake Clouds were forming fast so I headed down off the top but I didn't want to just go home (India were outplaying England in the Test Match) so I headed a little further west along some trails I hadn't taken before. Looking back at the Top from Dark Valley My nemesis, a loose slope with a turn, the KLR is lurking in the trees on the left. I got permission from the little man in my head to make an attempt at this hill, it wasn't too steep or loose, but first he wanted me to look over the top as we didn't know where we were or where the road went. On cresting the rise I found this Having had enough of that for the day I turned round without attempting the hill and wandered on in a friendlier direction for a bit, but all the while the clouds were surrounding me. After an hour or so I headed for home, mission not accomplished, but hey, any day on a bike... Link to comment
Calvin (no socks) Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Bob, nice pictures... thanks for rubbin it in....Need to post map and route as you usually do... got a KTM 520 EXC to practice on so I can come back and rough it next spring... if not sooner! We have to get the lights working on the KLR next visit... Link to comment
Bob Palin Posted July 30, 2007 Author Share Posted July 30, 2007 We have to get the lights working on the KLR next visit... I'll get it done before then I really should register it... p.s. it now has a fuel leak from somewhere around the filter, the hoses look fine but they are 10 years old, the filter probably is too. Link to comment
ghaverkamp Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 listening to the cricket commentary That'd spur me into action, too. I keep trying to figure out how many years in Torrey someone would need to explore all of the great things to see around Torrey. Link to comment
Bob Palin Posted July 30, 2007 Author Share Posted July 30, 2007 I keep trying to figure out how many years in Torrey someone would need to explore all of the great things to see around Torrey. I don't think I have enough time left, for instance I haven't even set foot on the Henry Mountains yet. Link to comment
texasaggie97 Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 Great pictures. I will have to get up there to check out that place. Must be nice to know that kind of country is close by. Link to comment
Dances_With_Wiener_Dogs Posted July 30, 2007 Share Posted July 30, 2007 How much fun was the wet road on the ride back to your house? Great pics as always Bob. Link to comment
Tony_K Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Bobby! As always great shots of the area. Though as I look at them I get a bit concerned for your safety. Big country and lone rider type of stuff kinda gives me the willies. I know you do this all the time and you aint no hack at it either... Rock on... safely. Link to comment
Charles Elms Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Killer, Great pictures. It's like I have a personal National Graphic Photographer in Utah. Nice to see the area in different seasons. Link to comment
BruceWA Posted August 1, 2007 Share Posted August 1, 2007 Nothing like an "opportunity" to increase you wet/mud riding skills. Link to comment
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