Westward Ho ! 2010 (Part 6 and final)

[big-t]

Damn,Kansas is a long state,but it gives you time to think and plan about the upcoming ride.

 

I started this ride in 2008 and continued on it again with my good friends in 2009 and now in 2010 hope to Git'er done.

 

 

Link to Prior years rides.

 

 

08 & 09 ride tale

 

 

 

Our goal ,barring any injury's or breakdowns,is to ride from Green River Ut,1600+ miles crosscountry to the Pacific ocean at Port Orford Ore.

 

 

To accomplish this goal we need to ride conservatively.No stupid stunts and keep a close eye on the fuel as gas will be hard to find where we are going.

 

 

KennyH riding his KTM 450

 

 

 

Big-t on the Yamaha WR250R

 

 

 

Strechmark MISSING

 

 

We felt bad Mark was unable to make the trip,but knew he would be looking over over our shoulder and following along on the Spottracker.

 

 

 

 

The Transamerica Trail Part 3

 

 

 

Day 1

 

Green River to Richfield UT.

 

 

Glad to be out of the truck and riding Kenny gives a big thumbs up.

 

 

 

 

The entrance to Black Dragon wash.We rode this last year,but from the other direction,so it was familiar territory.

 

 

 

Awesome place

 

 

 

 

Riding out of the canyon

 

 

 

and on to Jackass Flats

 

 

 

 

Time for some fun under the I-70 tunnels before heading on to Swazey Cabin.

 

 

 

 

 

Built on a hill at the foot of a bluff the owners had a great view

 

 

 

 

The view

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was off thru Eagle canyon

 

 

 

 

 

and a mandatory shot of the I-70 bridges

 

 

 

 

Moving along

 

 

 

 

OOPS,lost the road,had to go back and search for it

 

 

 

 

Then on to Cat Canyon and the first real challenge.....Deep sugar sand for a ½ mile or so.New experience for me so I was struggling,but even the experienced riders we talked to had problems. Seems like there are babyhead rocks under the sand or as someone said “thats just probably riders and bikes that never made it thru and still buried under the sand” lol

 

 

 

 

 

Then it was about another 15 miles of washed out canyon full of rock and loose sand.

 

Now is probably a good time to say.....I DON'T LIKE RIDING IN THE SAND

 

 

 

Found Kenny on this bluff.Pretty steep but the camera flattens it out

 

Click on pic

 

 

Finally things start to change

 

 

 

 

And then the tunnels before Richfield.

 

 

 

Long day,We were whipped when we finally got into Richfield at dark.

 

 

 

 

 

[steve.foote]

Finally!!! And worthy.

 

Awesome trip and writeup, Todd.

[roadscholar]

I've been waitin' for this. Excellent stuff!

 

Deep sand AND babyheads, that is baad.

[lawnchairboy]

Love it, another trip to add to the bucket list

 

[Twisties]

 

Yeah, me and deep sand are not friends either. (Is it hyperbole if it is an extreme understatement?) )

 

[Paul Mihalka]

Wow, some trip! I never was into non-paved riding, but with scenery like this if I was 40 or 50 years younger I might try it!

[Shaman97]

Fantastic. The tunnels look great; would love to ride that!

[Kenny Haynes]

We had been preparing for this trip since the end of last years adventure. Knowing that the western section covered some more challenging terrain, we both chose lighter bikes for this ride. It isn’t that it couldn’t be done on a heavier bike, there are a lot of people who have succeeded on them. For me, it is more about the fun factor. Packing light on a lightweight bike means better handling and more fun through the rough bits. The bigger bikes are more comfy on the road for sure, but we had very little pavement ahead of us.

 

 

 

Ready for takeoff

 

 

 

 

 

 

So, the driving begins. We kept the sun in the mirror in the morning to be sure we were on the right track.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We passed some of the time buying new apps for Todd’s ipad.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And kept an eye out back to be sure our cargo was riding safely.

 

 

 

 

 

 

In what seemed like only 7 or 8 weeks of driving, we were halfway there. Another few hours and we arrived in Green River. Todd documented the arrival.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We discussed on the way out that while safety wasn’t exactly first (it is no more than third), we needed to focus on staying in one piece in order to accomplish our goal. We were both a little apprehensive due to the remoteness of the terrain we would be riding and the risks that we would be exposed to. We are both late summer or early fall chickens at best so it was something to keep in mind. We didn’t have Mark along this year to carry our luggage either. Sure wish we could have changed that part.

 

 

 

The butterflies were chased away the next morning though with an ample application of throttle as we began rolling west. The weather was absolutely stunning as was the scenery, even though we had seen some of it before. Man I love Utah! A short bit of tarmac to get us to the TAT.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we start reeling in that ridge.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Big T is stoked!

 

 

 

 

 

 

The terrain gets more interesting quickly as we get closer to the Black Dragon cut off and the first of a few thousand gates.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We were here last year and did not take as many pics this time. The place just knocks me out though. How lucky are we that this place exists and we can ride through it!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One more. Did I mention I love Utah?

 

 

 

 

Perhaps more than one more.

 

 

 

 

Soon we are out of the wash. This part of the trail is never too far from I70.

 

 

 

 

We passed a sign for Dutchman’s Arch, but we didn’t make it there. Our next point of interest is the Swasey Cabin. The view is amazing, but the living conditions here 100 years ago must have been intense to say the least. I’m guessing they even had to do without wifi and starbucks! Boggles the mind!

 

 

 

 

 

Right after the cabin we start our descent in to Eagle Canyon. It is a little steep in places, loose, rocky and sandy. I like it like that! We cross under I70 a time or two. With so much visual temptation it is hard to keep our eyes on the trail.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like much of the area we were on this day, the road is more dry riverbed than actual road. Who would have thought there would be rocks and sand out here? We were shocked!

 

 

 

 

I think it would be great to do a little camping out here.

 

 

 

 

 

There will probably be an arch here some day.

 

 

 

 

We headed toward Cat Canyon and some deep sand took a lot of energy out of both of us. I could not get the bike on top of it. It was about 90 degrees and we both hammered first gear hard to get through it. By the time I was out, I was spewing a little coolant from the radiator, but only lost a couple of tablespoons.

 

 

 

The terrain changed again and again as we moved westward, but the sky remained bright blue streaked with a cloud or two here and there.

 

 

 

 

Soon we were surrounded by large volcanic boulders that were deposited here a very long time ago. They sure looked out of place.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I started to notice that the shadows were getting a little long, and wondered how much further we had to go. You don’t want it to stop, but being out here after dark with a dirt bike headlight is not where you want to be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the sun started down, things got cool pretty quickly. We rode in to Salina UT for gas, then headed a few more miles in to Richland for the night, both of us excited but exhausted. Time for a cold one and some dinner.

 

 

 

A couple of weeks before the trip I met 3 fellows from New Zealand who had shipped their bikes in to California and ridden them to Tennessee to start the TAT. They came to a friends shop near me (dualsporttouring.com) to mount fresh tires before starting the trail. I texted them from Black Dragon Canyon (yes there is cell service there) to see how far they had gotten. Turns out they were about an hour behind us that day. We ended up staying in different places that night, but thought we might run in to each other at some point along the way to Oregon. Turns out we were right… More later.

 

 

 

[marty mayer]

Todd-Kenny,

 

Wow, that looks like fun. Wish I was there. Ride Safe.

 

Marty

[Rocer]

Just awesome.

[Kenny Haynes]

Hi Marty, you would love it out there for sure.

[Kathy R]

I wish...

 

I'm VERY happy for you guys. As someone said, you've certainly checked off a big one on the bucket list. Thank you VERY much for sharing your trip. Your photos and the images they conjure are breath taking.

 

[David]

Beautiful shots, guys. I didn't realize you'd have such beautiful terrain on that stretch.

[Matts_12GS]

Love it, another trip to add to the bucket list

 

Dual sportin' Clampett style? I'm in!

 

Kenny/Todd, if I say I hate you, please take it as a high compliment. Seeing those pictures makes me think I need to go have a smoke now!

[itchybro]

Bad....azzz....

 

Thanks for the pix.

[Joe Frickin' Friday]

Guys, I have just about zero off-road riding experience, but your pics and stories make me want more. Thanks for sharing...

 

Wanderlust strikes again...

[hANNAbONE]

vERY vERY cool...like wow.!

[azkaisr]

Having just been there this week, I can't be too jealous but there is some... Glad you guys enjoyed it so much!

[big-t]

Day 2 Richfield to Baker N

 

The road out of Richfield climbs up into the Fishlake National forest.

 

 

on up into the Aspens where Kenny puts on a bit of show for the camera

 

 

And soon we are on the Paiute Trail,the largest ATV trail in the country and of course what goes up must come back down and it happens very quickly.We are down to a ATV trail coming down the ridgeline when the trail disappears.If you have ever ridden a roller coaster and remember going over the top of that first steep hill and it looks straight down.......thats what I can relate to going over that hill.It looked straight down and felt the same.Covered in silt and loose rock the decent was somewhat overwhelming. GULP ! Full lock on the brakes and your still picking up speed as the locked wheels cut ruts into silt.Finally after overcoming the urge(you Know the one I 'm talking about..lol ) I let off the brakes and let it roll,dodging the biggest rocks and applying the brakes only where traction is available. We made it...sorry no pics

 

This pic looks back up the trail we came down but the pic flattens the slope

Glad that one is behind us

 

This one looks like a crash.My rear bag fell off and its so steep here there is no way I can get off the bike and have it stand by itself,so I layed it over on the bank and retrieved the bag.

 

The road gets better and Kenny waits on one of the locals to get her fill before crossing the creek.

 

Life is good for a while

 

 

Kenny takes a side trip

I would have liked to have made the trip when this car was still running

 

 

Kenny thinks there is a problem with his rear tire as its starting to wear.I'm pretty sure I know what the problem is..

 

Click on Pic

 

 

Crystal Peak coming up.Its really weird how the Geology changes within a few miles

 

 

Sam (the trail creator) sometimes likes to throw a change just when you think the day is over.Two track the rest of the way into Baker.

 

 

We finally connect with the Kiwi group thats on the trail

 

 

Another full day.

[Les is more]

I'm lovin' it! Thanks guys!!!!

[Kathy R]

I am beginning to understand how hard it was to come home.

[Twisties]

Lovin' it!

 

Keep it comin'.

 

[roadscholar]

 

I think you guys found it. The middle of nowhere. Looks like you're gonna be there awhile too.

 

Keeps gettin better, epic.

[Francois_Dumas]

VERY adventurous, great pictures !

[Kenny Haynes]

Thanks for the kind words folks. Here is a little more:

 

Someone stole the fuel out of my bike at a hotel one night while we were driving across Kansas, so the first night we were on the bikes I was a little nervous. There is no key for my bike since it began life as an off road only bike. So, that night in Richfield I zip tied it to Todd’s bike. I was happy to see it still in the parking lot the next morning with fuel still in the tank. That may be a downside to a transparent tank I had not thought of.

After breakfast and a fuel stop we were back on the trail and the terrain started to change rapidly again as we climb out of town.

The Paiute area was awesome, and definitely deserves further exploration. Wish we could have found the town of Rock Ridge ;-).We passed a lot of trails as we wandered through that begged to be ridden. One minute it was rocky and desert like, the next we were surrounded by trees.

I’m not quite sure what we would have done without two different gps units AND the roll charts from Sam. It took a lot of comparison and collaboration to stay on track, and we still got lost a few times. At one point, Todd’s garmin 60 showed there was no trail ahead, but the roll charts and my zumo seemed to indicate we were on track so I followed the zumo. As Todd mentioned, we were soon on a pretty steep descent which I really enjoyed. The trail tightened up a bit and took some focus to keep things upright. It flattened out for a minute here, then took off down the left side of this ridge toward a large valley.

Next thing you know we were on the Al Gay trail, not to be confused with the big gay Al trail (southpark reference for those of you who are uninformed). It was F A B U L O U S! ;-)

 

Now the terrain is opening up again, and we knew that we would soon be in the desert proper.

We came out of the forest in to the community of Kanosh Utah for fuel and a snack. Here we found out that 3 guys who talked funny were now somehow ahead of us, so the chase was on. Their tracks actually helped us know that while we may be lost, we were following someone who was too. More about day 2 a little later…

 

[Kathy R]

Are you sure you guys didn't ride in and out of heaven?

[Endobob]

Fantastic pictures and report - Thank you for sharing!

 

[Kenny Haynes]

 

Now, where was I? After Kanosh, things started to open up a good bit compared to the Fishlake/Paiute area.

 

The trail became a good bit easier to follow, and our speed picked up as a result. We occasionally would see a dust cloud on the horizon coming from another vehicle speeding across the terrain.

 

 

 

We could see good sized patches of green in the distance indicating a water source and a ranch nearby.

 

 

 

Eastern Nevada was looming large, but we are not quite there yet. We are getting close to the highway 50 area, the lonliest highway in the country according to some.

 

 

 

Parts of this area are certainly beautiful. Some of the road was being maintained and in places the gravel was pretty deep and a lot like riding on marbles. I’m not complaining, but give me that knarly rocky sandy(as long as it isn’t too deep) stuff any day over the groomed high speed gravel. It was nice to make some time though.

 

 

Crystal Peak is very pretty and distinctly different than what surrounds it.

 

 

On the other side of it, another valley stretches toward the horizion with more mountains on the other side. This pattern repeats itself over and over.

 

 

 

 

This is looking back toward Crystal Peak.

 

Nearing Baker Nevada and a cold beer, or perhaps more than one.

 

 

This stuff was fun, and we are almost there.

 

 

As we pull in to the hotel/casino in Baker, I spy some bikes with big license plates and realize we have caught up to the New Zealanders. Dave, Tim and String are riding an F800, Dr650 and a 650 Xchallenge. It has been nearly a month since I met them at the Time Warp Tea room in Knoxville. These boys are hard core riders. After riding from Long Beach California to Tennessee to start the TAT, they decided it would be a worthy endeavor to put their feet in the Atlantic prior to starting the 5000 mile trail. So, on the Tuesday I met them, they rode over to Charleston to check off that box, and back to Knoxvegas to mount tires and begin the journey later that week.

 

 

I didn’t get a picture at dinner that night, but we had a bite to eat and a few cold beers together while telling tales of traversing the plains, the Rockies, Utah canyons and sand traps, and tearing across the desert. We didn’t know it that night, but it would become a pattern and something we looked forward to every day for the next several. I’ll let Big T have the floor now.

 

Oh yeah, Mitch with your skill set you would take right to the off road stuff. I think you would really like it.

 

[big-t]

I think you guys found it. The middle of nowhere. Looks like you're gonna be there awhile too. smile

 

Not yet Bill,but we are getting there.Kenny has a Zumo pic that I'm sure he will post at the appropriate time that indicates how far away civilization can be..

[big-t]

2010 TAT Day 3

 

Baker to Eureka NV

 

Hardly out the motel parking lot and the two track starts.The first two days had some gravel roads in between the tough sections where we could get a breather.From here on the gravel sections are a lot shorter

 

 

 

 

….and the gates begin.

 

 

This group of Pronghorns came out of the wash on my left and crossed in front if me.They really move fast.

 

 

We stop for a minute to check out a old cabin.

 

 

Whoope! Nothing like a section of gravel road to get cooled down.

 

 

We could often see what was coming for miles ahead

 

 

The locals said it had been a wet year so there was some color in spots

 

 

Into the hills and the trail gets tighter

 

 

 

Then back into the desert.That dust cloud is Kenny.We were often several miles apart to avoid the dust

 

 

Over Patterson Pass

 

 

 

 

 

This ones for Mark lol

 

 

The landscape is constantly changing

 

Look closely and you can see Kenny on the road ahead,waiting for the old guy taking pics..lol

An old mine along the road

 

Here's Irene.You will find her in Lund NV at Whipples Country Store.She whipped up a BLT and fries for two hungry travlers.

 

Then we were back into the mountains for the rest of the day

 

 

A couple of Muleys that crossed in front of us.As the sun went down they started popping out everywhere and we had several close calls

 

 

 

It was dark by the time we got to Eureka...which becomes another story,Kenny?

 

[Kenny Haynes]

 

 

After two days on the road in the truck and two long days in the saddle we were pretty tired and slept a little longer that we should have. The Kiwi crew were done with breakfast as we walked in to get some, so they were off a bit earlier. Today’s route includes a big bike bypass for those not wanting to partake of the 5 mile deep sand/ rocky single track buffet. We were beat and were strongly considering it. We packed back up and hit the trail again figuring we would push some miles out the back and decide when we got to the cut off for the bypass. Just a few miles of Nevada so far, but I could tell I was going to like it.

 

It took a little while to get on the right track, but eventually we were underway and on the purple line again. Sometimes it was as if someone snapped a chalk line to lay out the roads, straight out to the horizon.

 

Another mountain reeled in and soon to be in the mirror.

 

 

Hey, we are close to Atlanta! Sure doesn’t seem like it.

 

 

Somewhere along this fence line a gate leads to the bypass. We ride past it. What the hell, let’s give it a try. We can always turn around…

 

 

We hit a few patches of pretty deep sand at the end of the fence line and come to an arroyo that cannot be crossed. Tracks everywhere. Finally we realize we missed a turn a few hundred yards back and we are back on the trail. The trail narrows and our bark busters start earning their keep. The sand isn’t too bad and the section proves to be one of the most fun stretches yet. Not quite single track, but not double either.

 

 

 

As we climb an off camber rise my stomach starts growling and for the first time that day we are in an area with a little shade here and there. Time for a break and a protein bar. Todd doesn’t argue. We discuss how much fun the last few miles have been and are both happy we chose to bypass the bypass.

 

 

Time for some more mountain fishing, so we start reeling this one in.

 

 

Seeya

 

The big guy checking the gps on patterson pass

 

More hills and valleys await us.

 

 

We haven’t seen anyone for about 6 hours, not even a dust cloud.

 

 

Another one to reel in.

 

 

And then climb it.

 

 

And go down the other side. Good stuff in here.

 

And another target comes in to view. Ride, climb, ride, climb, repeat…

 

 

I wondered how close we were to anything. Hmm, let’s ask Emily in the box where the nearest fuel is! Guess I best not puncture my tank.

 

 

The shadows are growing again and the gps keeps saying we have a long long way to go.

 

 

It was near here that I swear someone shot a pronghorn antelope out of a cannon right in front of me. Good god those things are fast. It ran across the road about 50 yards in front of me full speed.

 

 

I started trying to wick it up a little. We had miles to go and the sun was sinking fast. The trail was getting harder to follow and Emily was telling me it would be close to 11pm by the time we got to Eureka. She’s been wrong out here a lot, but the temps and the sun are both dropping. I started looking for ways on the gps to get out of the desert and on to a more significant road, but there just didn’t seem to be any.

 

We eventually ended up on a more traveled road and encountered some sort of DOT or power company service trucks. However, the road was much worse than the trail and included deep silt beds up to about 2’ deep where the big trucks had beaten the earth in to talcum powder. Oh yeah, and it was now dark. A beautiful time to be camping in the desert, but not riding in it. We had no camping gear anyway. The sky was full of stars as the last wisps of sunlight disappeared. Emily showed about 8 miles of silt bed to the next road, and maybe another 15 or so to Eureka. Man that shower is going to feel good!

 

 

 

Finally we hit the highway and ride in to Eureka. It’s a small town with a main drag that is under construction. There are two hotel signs, both with that hateful No Vacancy sign illuminated. DAMNIT!

 

I noticed some big license plates on some bikes on the side of the road in the middle of town and 3 blokes standing by them. It is Dave, Tim and String, so we pull in to see where they are staying. Apparently they were behind the guy that got the last room at the last hotel. Ms Garmin informs me that the nearest lodging is about 50 miles away!

 

I started thinking about last years trip and the begging I did to get a hotel manager to let us sleep on lawn chairs by the indoor pool. She ended up letting us stay on rollaways in a conference room.

 

Big T whips out his Ipad and starts looking for some wifi we can leach and finds it, so a web search ensues. There is a b&b in town but no ones cell phone seems to work. I got mine out and turned it on and had a signal. I dialed the Eureka Bed and Breakfast, just a couple of blocks away.

Mary: Hello, Eureka B&B.

Me: Do you have any room tonight?

Mary: Yes, how many do you have, we have two beds?

Me: Five guys.

Mary: You have the house to yourselves, so some could sleep on the floor.

Me: We’ll take it.

Mary: Give me a few minutes to change clothes, I’ve been working in the yard and I’m filthy.

Me: Lady, you have no idea what filthy looks like, but you will in a few minutes.

 

We arrived to find a quite charming old house on a hill overlooking downtown Eureka and what turned out to be one of the best lodging experiences of the trip. The Kiwis graciously let me and Todd have the beds since they had sleep pads and bags. They took the large living room. I walked to town and got some cold refreshment while everyone showered and we settled in, ecstatic to not be sleeping on the desert floor. The lodging gods had smiled upon us again. By the way, breakfast the next morning was superb too!

 

If you find yourself in Eureka NV looking for lodging, give Mary a call.

 

Here we are on the steps the next morning, wishing we could stay there again but anxious to see what would unfurl before us this day. The front row is Dave, String, and Tim.

 

 

[big-t]

 

A couple more shots before I start on the next day.

 

If you are ever in Eureka for the night...this is much better than a motel and the breakfast Mary served was first class.

 

 

 

Our host,Mary along with Kenny,String and Tim

 

[big-t]

 

 

One more,

 

I never bothered to take any pics of the sand/silt ruts we were often in>Too busy trying to hang on. Nasty stuff and there is no way to get around them.We would often be in these for miles and believe me....THEY SUCK ... I tested the soil compaction factor several times..

 

I found this pic of some of ruts,posted by "Catastrophic Failure" on the ADV site

 

 

 

[big-t]

 

Day 4 Eureka to Battle Mountain NV

 

 

No need to look at the GPS here.

 

 

 

 

Here comes Kenny

 

 

Hard to believe,when I shut the bike off,out here in the middle of nowhere,my cell phone starts to ring.Who would think there was any signal here.

 

 

Not all the obstacles in the desert are man made...lol I made sure to miss this one

 

 

 

..and no,this isn't a pee stop....that was from the tank overflow tube,just picked the bike up.after losing it in a rut.

 

Did I mention “I DON”T LIKE RIDING IN THE SAND”

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passed thru several ranches.Common courtesy dictates you slow to a walk as the road usually goes in between the house and barns.

 

 

..and the trail goes on.

 

 

 

Caught up with the Kiwi's while they were taking a break.

 

 

..and smelled something burning.Saddlebag got jammed against the muffler in the last spill

 

 

 

 

Mine tailings and equipment from many years ago are scattered along the trail

 

 

Kenny off on another side trip.

 

 

The Rock formations along this section are awesome

 

 

 

If you look closely at the upper center of this pic,the black spots are range cattle grazing on the side of that mountain.They are along ways up and just on a very narrow footpath.One misstep would have resulted in death.

 

 

 

I'm thinking this shirt is used up...Although I never wore it,the protection it provided between the muffler and my I-pad was worth the expense.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TEWKS]

Wow, Someday!! Thanks for the inspiration guys!

 

 

 

Pat

[Kenny Haynes]

 

Not as many pictures today. Though not constant, there were quite long stretches of silt that commanded all of our attention. The valley/mountain pattern continued as we made our way toward Battle Mountain, a small town right on I80.

 

 

It is impossible to take this path without thinking about the resolve, courage and stamina of the people who crossed this country on foot, horseback or in a wagon years ago. I couldn’t get it out of my mind. There had to be thousands that died during the effort, not due to foul play or Indian attack but simply starvation, dehydration, or just being hopelessly lost in the vastness of it all. Hearty souls indeed. It must have been an incredible sight then, it sure is now. And it just keeps on going and going.

 

 

 

Todd and the wr approaching.

 

 

There are a few water crossings here and there, but the territory someone would have to cover to find them on foot or horseback could take days. I can’t get it in my head how they could have made it 200 years ago.

 

 

Today would be a shorter day thankfully, but the scenery and weather did not disappoint.

 

 

Jeep and dirtbike heaven out here.

 

We met a couple of guys on xr650 hondas from Louisiana who had also struggled in the silt a bit. They were camping a good bit and riding a fast pace so we didn’t see them again. Hope they made it ok.

 

We followed a creek for a while through this narrow valley which was really nice.

 

 

As we approached Battle Mountain I missed a turn and went straight in to town. Todd didn’t miss it, and was rewarded with a few more miles of silt. After a few text messages and phone calls, we finally got back together in town and found String and the boys. I decided to do a little bike maintenance since we got in to town with some extra time. A fresh air filter, chain adjustment/lube, and some other minor tasks were tended to. After a shower and throwing a load in the washer, we walked to a nearby steakhouse for some grub and a beer or 3. It was good to be able to recharge a little and we would need the energy tomorrow.

 

[Twisties]

 

Totally awesome!

 

Man, you rode those ruts in the dark? Wow!

[steve.foote]

This is a really great ride report guys. Thanks for posting so many pictures and commenting on what you were seeing with them. You two are definately living the life!

[big-t]

 

TAT Day 5

 

Battle Mountain to Fort McDermitt

 

 

More sandy trails and I'm taking it easy.One of the sand rut crashes left my ribs a bit sore.Could have been the end of the trip,but fortunately they don't hurt while riding....only while laying down...Thumbs up for Oxycodone...

 

 

 

 

Kenny graciously gets the gate for the old guy.

 

 

 

Very rare to even see anyone out here but there was some life here

 

 

..and the trail goes on.

 

 

 

Caught up with the Kiwi's again.They are waiting for the old guy to put up the camera and git thru the gate.

 

 

And they depart while we take a break and wait for the dust to settle

 

 

 

 

 

 

Imagine being a non motorcyclist and running into this guy in the middle of the desert lol

 

Its Rob from the ADV board.He caught up with us and we all took a short break at the Homestead.

 

 

 

 

He cleans up pretty good without the spacesuit.

 

 

Kenny and Rob at the Homestead.

 

 

 

The Homestead is an abandoned Ranch in the desert.Lovely setting with a stream and one very large old cottonwood.I could imagine living here.

 

 

 

The view from the front of the ranch

 

 

 

Its seen better days

 

 

 

Your two studly adventurers ...

 

 

 

A look back as we leave

 

 

Out the gate and hang a right and this greets us

 

 

..for a ways

 

 

 

Its me !

 

This is one of Rob's pics.I had explained to him that I was taking it easy after a couple hard crashes in the sand ruts.His reply was”The Tortoise always wins anyway .Twenty minutes later he came by me for the second time(he missed a turn)and promptly crashed after catching a rock the wrong way.He took the picture as I pulled up and said.....I told you the Tortoise always wins....

 

Felt good to not be the one crashing

 

 

 

Rob went ahead and later on showed us a hot spring

 

 

with a camping spot and hot tub that was just filling as he had hooked up the hoses just before we got there.

 

 

 

Moving along,the sky is beautiful.

 

 

Kenny coming down Coyote Mountain.

 

 

 

Very remote here,break a leg or a bike,your going to be here for quite a while.Ride carefully

 

The road goes on

 

 

 

 

The rugged beauty of the land is just breathtaking.

 

 

 

Getting close to civilization again.You can see it at the top of the pic and Kenny on the road below.

 

 

 

What a day !!

 

I know Kenny has some good pics of this area..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[John Ranalletta]

Ken/Todd...thanks for taking this couch potato along.

[Kathy R]

it's all so beautiful

[Bullett]

Y'all are a gonzo bunch.

 

I would venture to say you are crazy. But it does look like you had a great time!

[Rocer]

Jan said it before I could, great picture. AND, we have a new signature for Ken - "Here comes Kenny". I think the picture accompanying that phrase should be a poster on his wall at home.

[Kenny Haynes]

We managed to get a little earlier start today with the extra rest and it didn’t take long to get to the good stuff.

 

The longer we were in Nevada the better the riding got. Gates were getting more and more plentiful though, and we were long from finished with the sand and silt.

 

Rocer, here comes Todd. (nice bugeye in your avatar by the way)

 

 

Somewhere in here I got crossed up in the silt and smacked the ground too. Luckily, nothing other than a little soreness later. It is amazing how quick the transition is from cruising along to laying on the ground.

 

 

After we had a snack with the NZ boys, Rob (larryboy) caught up to us. We had just taken a break and I was tempted to keep going when he suggested another one at the old homestead just up the trail. However, it felt better to stop again and visit for a bit. He is a good rider and an interesting fellow. Rob had ridden this section before and shared a lot of good information with us about the area.

 

As Todd’s pics show, the old house is in a beautiful setting with a creek running by and the large trees around. Quite rare in our Nevada experience so far.

 

 

Not too much further we were on some fast gravel for a little while. I noticed something out of the corner of my eye. It was Rob about 100 yards off the road so I went to investigate. He was at the hot spring filling the tub. The water in the spring is crystal clear and so hot you can’t hold your hand in it. This would be a great place to camp and soak, but it is mid day and 90+ degrees, so we move along.

 

 

Soon we are off the gravel and following a fence line. Rocky, loose and just right!

 

I got to the other end and hit another gravel road. Here comes someone way off in the distance.

 

 

It was Rob. He told me he had crashed in front of Todd. But, without a pic it may not have happened ;-) Rob was off, then Todd came through.

 

 

It just kept getting better. We were gaining altitude so the temperature was more comfortable as well. We are some kinda lucky to be here.

 

 

This little climb up Coyote Mtn looks pretty innocent, so I started up it. It is surprisingly steep and extremely rocky. Like riding a pogo stick on a pile of broken cinder blocks. I got far enough up it to get an incredible view, but failed to get a photo.

 

 

 

We continued, encountering an increasing number of range cattle, and finally spotted this place which looked really nice. I could not see anyone around.

 

 

I wondered as we came through here if we might have somehow become the only people left in the world. It was fantastic.

 

 

According to our roll charts the town of McDermitt should soon come in to view. Not yet though.

 

 

Eventually we can see the green of some irrigated land down in a distant valley(in Todd’s pic) but we aren’t there yet. We descend some pretty steep drop offs on the side of the mountain, winding our way toward a stream bed that we will follow to the flat land.

 

 

The surrounding bluffs as we continue are incredibly beautiful. You can’t turn your head without seeing something photo worthy.

 

 

 

Further proof that God loves us and wants us to be happy (and on dirt bikes)

 

Somewhere down there is McDermitt, and the Say When casino.

 

 

 

Hey, we found it. I think this may have been my favorite single day of riding. Rob decided to forego camping that night, so we were 6 for dinner at the Say When. Superb dinner though I have no memory of the food. It was all about the company. What a great day!

 

 

 

[big-t]

Superb dinner though I have no memory of the food.

 

For me...

 

Chicken Fried steak and mashed potatoes......

 

Was a great meal,especially since we only had a power bar since breakfast

[Kenny Haynes]

Forgot I had a video from toward the end of the day.

 

click the pic.

 

[big-t]

Day 6

 

Fort McDermitt to Lakeview Oregon

 

 

Nice and easy road coming out of Fort McDermitt as Disaster Peak looms in the background

 

 

This is the turnoff,we are headed to the Zimmerman ranch,as the trail runs thru it.

 

 

 

Zimmerman ranch ahead.

 

 

 

Out route directions said to stop and say hello to the Zimmermans,but there was no one in sight so we just tiptoed past....

 

 

 

An over abundance of rain this year left us plenty of places to wash off our wheels

 

 

Kenny climbs toward the rising sun.

 

 

..while the Juniper keeps our boots shined

 

 

 

The road is never boring..

 

 

..and the gates are plentiful

 

 

 

..just to keep these guys in check. Disaster Peak in the background.

 

 

Kenny picks his way down the hill

 

 

Looks like there was a fire here

 

 

I swear,The gate was closed before I left..

 

 

Its amazing ,the punishment the tires and suspension take on a trip like this

 

 

Better road

 

 

 

Bet its cool in there

 

 

A bit of a break before decending into the next valley.

 

 

Beautiful country

 

 

I see green ahead,that means dinner and gas Denio Junction coming up

 

 

 

This is it...the whole place in one photo... A pretty welcome sight when your hungry or needing gas.

 

There is a rather unusual motorcycle that sits out front,maybe Kenny has a pic ?

 

 

 

 

Hmm! Is it too early on the day ?

 

 

After lunch I chatted with this local. He came down from his place,"bout 75 miles back up in the hills” to get a tire repaired.He said my WR would be a great bike for chasing Jackrabbits....

 

And after hearing where we we headed,he casually remarked “better git er done,storms a brewing that way”

 

He was right,last day we ran into it and chased it all the way back across the country...

 

 

Moving on Kenny blazes the way

 

 

Another gate.

 

 

Looking back up the hill from the gate

 

 

..and into the desert again.

 

 

 

Water in the desert?? Been a rainy year and as I remember that was pretty deep.

 

 

 

Someones watching us....pretty sure they were waiting for me to fall so they could laugh...

 

 

 

Bikes only thru here.

 

 

Kenny,waiting for the old guy with the camera..lol...Again..

 

 

 

The trail goes on.....you can see the road climbing on the left.It really doesn't look that bad but it was a fairly aggressive climb with lots of loose rock.

 

 

 

 

Kenny checks out the view from the rocky section in the previous pic

 

 

Looking back..

 

 

 

Navigation department on the WR.Between the roll charts,my 60cx and Kenny's Zumo,we still struggled to stay on track.The 60cx worked best out in the boonies,but the Zumo was much better when we were closer to civilization.

 

 

Moving along

 

 

 

TREEEEEES!!!!

 

I almost forgot what they looked like...

 

We must be in Oregon ??

 

 

 

After 6 days of intense riding,it was good to be able to ease up a bit.Ten to twelve hours a day and over a 1k miles of constant rocks,sand,intense climbs and descents and off camber trails had taken their toll.We were looking forward to being able to kick back a bit as we rode.Not that Oregon was a piece of cake,but at least we could get a breather between the hard spots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[steve.foote]

Todd, how long and what kind of miles were you guys doing each day?

[Kenny Haynes]

There had been some significant differences between the gps indicated route mileage and actual mileage on some of the routes up until now. Today looked like a long one either way and we had been told by a couple of others that the longer numbers were more accurate. It could be 300+. The Ktm’s seat was designed to be excruciatingly painful starting at about 40 miles. On top of that, with stops for fuel, food and photography our average miles per hour was down in the 20’s somewhere so far. It had me worried a little.

 

I had heard the riding near Disaster Peak was great and we soon saw the peak in the distance.

 

 

As Todd mentioned, we were soon on the Zimmerman ranch. Very nice that these folks share their land. The riding there was great.

 

Big T gives the wr a bath.

 

Lots of gates to open and close and the terrain is fun to negotiate.

 

We pass through the burned section Todd mentioned and it looked like a lunar landscape. Just when things are feeling more and more remote, we see this.

 

 

Apparently hunting season had started. Always makes me nervous. I look a little too much like a deer/antelope to feel comfortable.

 

Looks like some more climbing ahead, yeah!

 

 

We cross a stream a couple of times and start following it uphill. This has to be an oasis for the local wildlife.

 

 

Soon I come up behind a pick up truck blocking the path. Hunters have taken an antelope and they are field dressing it close to the stream. One of them offers to move the truck and we gratefully pass by on our way up the hill.

 

Here comes Todd again.

 

 

We pass a small abandoned dwelling and the climbing starts again. Stellar riding on this section, and we have another perfect weather day developing.

 

I set the self timer on the way up and these two goons showed up in the picture.

 

This sign warns pet owners to keep their animals under control lest they be caught in varmint traps that are apparently plentiful in the area. I’m guessing that will keep Paris Hilton and her Chihuahua pup out of here.

 

 

Denio Junction looks like a green oasis from here. A friend recommended the hamburger highly, and I’m thinking lunch will be a good idea along with more fuel. The food was really good.

 

 

Until today protein bars had been lunch for the most part. It was nice to sit down, eat and chat with some folks. Our friends had passed through about an hour before us.

 

Interesting machine though I doubt it is completely accurate. I suspect God is a Ktm rider.

 

 

A little while after Denio, the trail all but disappears as we cross the desert floor. This stuff is fun but one has to keep an eye out for arroyos filled with water. Luckily, they provide decent traction and aren’t too deep.

 

 

It just keeps on going…

 

 

This climb was rough, rocky and very fun. It afforded a great view of the valley we had just crossed as well.

 

 

 

The climbing wasn’t completely over though. Nevada rocks!

 

 

We ran in to this young man on an older bmw near the Sheldon Reserve. He was going to camp nearby.

 

 

More later…

 

[Whip]

I just caught up. This looks like a great adventure. Someday I hope to attempt such an adventure.

 

Keep the pix coming.