Fall Western Tour...

[Johnrg]

Finally bolted out of CA a couple of days ago. Flagstaff, Durango and in Ouray tonight.

MTB ride in Durango on the Test Tracks/Overand Mt. Park.

Steep Chutes next to Hidden Canyon...



Durango in the distance...



Decided with the oncoming rain I would get up further north so was in Silverton early so I could get through the road closure at noon into Ouray.




Beautiful fall colors..

 

[Johnrg]

Road work being done so a little wait. No complaints with a view like this and talked to these guys from Texas for a bit..





I had lunch and then headed up towards Imogene Pass. My clutch began to fade so after a few stops decided to not risk a complete fail and heading down. It would firm up after stopped for a minute and could pump it up while riding but covering the clutch over the rubble at elevation was problematic. At the bottom I called Jim Ryan to see what he thought. He figured was old hot fluid and to change it. Makes sense as it's 3 years and 3,000 miles old. IN any case I refuelled and headed back up prepared to stop as necessary. Was getting late so detoured to Mt. Sneffels at 12,500ft. Lot's of good pitches and switchbacks and rubble so some fun.

Bike ran awesome otherwise on my High Elevation Map with not a pop coming down and just upped the idle screw 2-3 clicks.





Ran into DynoBob on his 630 at the bottom at my van. They did Ophir Pass from Silverton and up and over Imogene and were headed back to Silverton. Small world

 

[Johnrg]

 

[Motosportz]

nice. What cam you using?

 

[Johnrg]

It's my trusty Nokia Lumia Icon Windows Phone. I did adjust them in Lightroom. Out of the camera they were light.

 

[everfree]

Nice. Love Durango in the fall.
Best time of year. Fall colors coming out too.
Great riding obviously.

 

[ray_ray]

We had red-brick buildings where I came from as a kid ... banks, and my school was 3story redbrick building ... I think they took it down and rebuilt it in a another county ... In my little area alone in AR, lots of those small towns just aren't there any more ... I guess we all moved away for work like I did ... It was mostly farming there and farming sucked during the 80s ... Just times that are gone by now ... The south I grew up in just blew away in the wind, again ...

That's a lot of yellow out on the country side...

The pics without the trees, look a little bit like the lunar surface ... No space traveler, correct?

Bikes here always go to the front of line ....

 

[Johnrg]

Stopped today in Montrose as rain moves in, to get my clutch bled before heading north. Found a shop, Highland Cycles which looks like a shop of racers with a Husky 300 out front. Figure the bike is in good hands and glad they could get right on it.

http://www.highland-cycles.com/

 

[everfree]

Stopped today in Montrose as rain moves in, to get my clutch bled before heading north. Found a shop, Highland Cycles which looks like a shop of racers with a Husky 300 out front. Figure the bike is in good hands and glad they could get right on it.

http://www.highland-cycles.com/

Cool web site. Great photos.

 

[Johnrg]

Stopped for the night in Rawlins and in Casper for breakfast. Looks like a good route out of Story adjacent to wilderness and highland park/cloud peak. A stop at the USGS in Buffalo to get a sticker and should be riding mid day.

 

[everfree]

Stopped for the night in Rawlins and in Casper for breakfast.

Nice shot.
Wow, you're covering the the ground John. One day in CO the next in WY.
I worked outside of Casper for a summer and up in the Bighorns on a rock crusher.
Just beautiful country.

The route over the Bighorns from Sheridan to Lovell is spectacular. Follow route 14 west, the take the cutoff to Lovell.
On the west end of the Bighorns along the highway there's an ancient rock medicine wheel on the edge of the cliff, the road then drops from 9,000 ft to 3,000 ft in about a mile. From the top you can see all the way to Yellowstone and beyond.

 

[Huskynoobee]

Great stuff as always. Heading to the Black Hills again?

 

[Johnrg]

No Black Hills. And since I worked as a wrangler at Teepee Lodge (dude ranch at the top of red grade) 45 years ago wanted to see that neck of the woods again. So stocked up with some food and headed out of Sheridan and Big Horn and up the steep and rocky Red Grade. I camped last night a 8400 ft at Park Reservoir. Lakeside campsite so afternoon paddle and swim yesterday and my own personal hard enduro today. Got myself way over my head but made it as I knew there was no backtracking, rescue for the bike or help. When I got back found a tree had fallen on my van. Some punk campers half cut a tree, and the wind Today toppled it. Luckily was 5in. diameter and could lift it off. Was lucky no crease/crack in paint or that it could have been the windshield. Processing gopro footage and am at some place tonight as Was cold last night and was 58 miles of rt. 26 in the back country to get to 14. At the Bear Lodge tonight. Crappy wifi and no cell service so I'll post some photos as soon as I can.

 

[everfree]

...At the Bear Lodge tonight. Crappy wifi and no cell service so I'll post some photos as soon as I can.

High country the Bighorns are... very scenic but cold.

Yep, Burgess Junction. Worked just northwest of there in summer 1977. Lived in my van.
Used to be a crappy hotel around there, where we could take our weekly shower on Sundays after working 14 hour days all week.
You're right at the cutoff to Lovell and the medicine wheel.

 

[Johnrg]

Just made it down and headed to Billings and Missoula tonight. May do some hiking up at Glacier Park. Never been there.

Here is that tree that fell.



My campsite at Park Reservoir just below Highland Park at 8,500 ft.



Once camp was set up was time to get wet...



View of Cloud Peak Wilderness above camp the following morning...

 

[Johnrg]

The ride started from camp and did the first of only a few 50 inch or less trails. Most everything is usable by any vehicle that can otherwise. Stickers required for the trails such as this for $15. Mostly easy and scenic with wooded and open range. Many of the roads have cabins now that were not there 45 years ago though you need a 4wd to access. My sprinter did well though the new 4x4 Sprinter is compelling on this kind of trip.

 

[Johnrg]

A bunch of water crossings. Only 2 were a concern and I'll describe below...

 

[Johnrg]

My loop started on the left from the lake and I started shooting at the start of the singletrack.



On the far right side/top I came down a steep chute with a major ditch with some logs dropped in to fill the void but not going to slide on them so stayed high. It came down to the first stream crossing and a tight right switchback greeted me and as I negotiated it, grabbed front brake as I'm not so good not being able to dab the rear brake as I naturally want to put the right foot down. I biffed and dropped the bike. Luckily on the trail. I negotiated the first crossing OK but the second one looked like this...



It was deep and flowing and there was no way I could get turned around and go back plus across the creek was a horse camp and I assumed it was clear sailing from there. Wrong! I did make it across OK walking the bike engine running and there was just one somewhat deep section toward the far side (near in the photo). Made it up the bank and took a breather. Next up was a 1/2 mile of along the creek and no real trail. The tracks that were at teh horse camp stopped and only footprints were visible so I knew it would be a challenge. A few rocky step ups where I had to stand alongside and motor it up but with the front wheel being stuck halfway and losing traction in back it took me 5 or 6 tries and re-positioning the rear end to get it up. The worst section was dropping back down to the edge of the creek and an 8 inch trail to negotiate full of jagged rock. So left it in 1st and with clutch and front brake eased it down and then another step up so started it and focused and cleaned it. A couple more tricky sections and I made it to the Little Goose Camp and a road. Phew! So a few biffs on my right side trying to avoid smacking the cases. Learned alot about what I can and can't do. I was so worn out, each section I'd take my sweaty helmet off and catch my breath. At 8k feet plus was winded so took my time. In any case was alone and challenged. My hard enduro for the day. Below is the google earth map of the sections. You can see the squiggled areas where I tried multiple times on certain sections. Glad to get it done. Was not maintained though horses no problem.



In Missoula now with a good wifi connection

A couple of notes on the bike so far this trip. My fading clutch was remedied with a bleed and fresh fluid. The evening I arrived at camp and after dinner and my paddle I noted some drips under the hose that exits the water pump. I knew that meant either the clamps at the sensor splice or the top inlet needed tightening. Fortunately I hadn't lost any fluid in Ouray. I was worried I'd have to pull the tank but was able to raise front and rear just enough to access the screws and luckily my small hex wrenches fit in the space. Looked like the leak was the top inlet. Both it and the top temp sensor clamps needed a good 2 turns to snug up. All better now and got it done as was just about dark. Through all of this the bike never failed to start. Hot and 8+k of elevation fired right up with a touch of throttle. Though my fan never comes on any more I attribute it to the ZipTy coolant as even with stock hoses it was since the coolant change the fan stopped running. In the morning was at about freezing and on starting the bike it turned slowly and I was worried but it turned steadily and fired right up. Gotta love the EarthX.

A day up at Glacier Park maybe tomorrow or Sunday for a hike on the Highline Trail. Something different and never been there.

 

[Kanon Palmgren]

Looks like a fun trip.

 

[Johnrg]

Well today was free National Parks day so saved $25 and went to Glacier Park. A 13 mile hike from Logan Pass over to the Granite Park Chalet and then down to the Sun Road where I hitched a ride back up. Was a cold, wet and windy day.