Motorcycle touring beyond the asphalt

SPOT satellite messenger

2013-12-30T14:21:00.000-07:00

SPOT tracking page is located here.

Moto Guzzi enduro gathering

2011-07-31T23:32:00.001-06:00

10-12 June 2011, a few Moto Guzzi riders met up in Ely, Nevada. 4 Moto Guzzi Quotas were represented from Utah (Mike), Arizona(Ron), Oregon(Joe), and Virginia(John). Another Quota owner from Utah(John) and one from Nevada (Alfred) were riding other bikes on this weekend.

Tom from Utah and Dan from Nevada, both own Guzzis, but this weekend, Tom was on his BMW GS and Dan on his Ducati/Cagiva Elefant.

Bert has owned a few Guzzis, with 3 of them being Quotas. He rode in from Elko, NV. on a Kawasaki KLR.

Most of the group stayed at the Jailhouse Motel. Everyone seemed to have an enjoyable time. Hopefully Alfred is healed by now...

I didn't get any photos of the Quota torn apart in the parking lot getting diagnosed. I should have. We learned that the engine kill switch needs to be in the "on" position for the bike to start.

More photos from the weekend can be found here.

2010-07-23T23:34:00.003-06:00

Not quite a full moon, but still some nice visibility for a dirt ride in the dark tonight.

2010-06-05T20:30:00.001-06:00

Since I'd visited with old friends at the Canyonlands Motor Classic, and the temperature was climbing quickly towards 100F, I thought I'd head north toward cooler air.

Not unusual conditions for early June in Utah.

Snow on the side of the roads and ice still on the higher elevation lakes.

2010-06-05T09:26:00.001-06:00

One of the activities at the Canyonlands Motor Classic is tech day. Riders are encouraged to bring in their bike and perform needed service or modifications. Here is a Kawasaki KLR rider from Salt Lake City getting assistance from Fred, owner of Arrowhead Motorsports, in installing a new "doohickey" in his engine.

Canyonlands Motor Classic

2010-06-04T21:55:00.000-06:00

A quick ride to Moab was in order to take part in the Canyonlands Motor Classic. The CMC is one of the oldest gathering of dual sport motorcycle riders in the U.S. The Classic was originally called the "Utah Get Together" and attracted primarily Kawasaki KLR riders. I don't recall when I first attended, but it was 199_.

The CMC has evolved from a small event where everyone got to meet everyone, to a more well attended affair (about 150 riders) and now back down to about 50-60 people.

Arrowhead Motorsports sponsors the CMC now and served dinner to us tonight.

2010-06-01T23:32:00.006-06:00

Packing list from 2009 trip on the Trans-America trail.

Backpack
Frogg Toggs jacket
Monkey Butt powder
Roll charts
Maps
Spare gloves
Powder Gatorade
Voile (Wally) straps
Air pressure gauge
Baby wipes
Rok Strap
TP
Clif Bars, tuna fish, Powerbars
Benchmark atlas
Empty 55 gal. trash bag
spark plug
clutch cable
throttle cable
sunglass case
cell phone
camera battery charger
sunscreen
1 oz. bottle Dri Wash 'n Guard w. microfiber towel
Aerostich triple digit raingloves
100 oz. hydration bladder (fits in backpack)
toiletry kit
water filter
20 oz. motor oil in MSR fuel bottle
Cruz tool kit (Econokit M1)
First aid kit
AA batteries
latex gloves
chain lube
head lamp
1 gallon gas jug
Lowe camera bag (chest pack)
fleece jacket
long underwear
thread locker
Cruz tools Outback'r M14
safety wire
Roadgear coconut socks
Dave Wach's oil bottle tool carrier
chain masterlink
duct tape
Leatherman
zip ties
CO2 cartrides
CO2 inflator
hand pump
tow rope
Nikon D40 with 18-55 lens
dry bag
wide brim hat
microfiber bath towel
Hennessy Hammock (Explorer model)
tent ground cloth
sleeping bag
SPOT satellite messenger
sheepskin ( to make tarmac sections more comfortable)
Garmin Emap GPS
Rear tube
Front tube (packed with tire irons in front fender pack)
Giant Loop luggage system
Flip flops
Matches

2010-05-23T12:28:00.001-06:00

We did a nice ride yesterday to the Toroweep overlook of Grand Canyon national park. Check it out here!

2010-05-14T22:57:00.000-06:00

On the way to Baker, Nevada for the annual Grappa Groupo Gathering, we were passing through Delta, Utah and saw a friend at the gas station. He had just endured some muddy conditions in the area and was content to ride tarmac with us to Baker.

BeemerFest/Eurofest

2010-04-29T16:25:00.005-06:00

Come out and support this worthwhile event! There is a rumor that special points are being awarded to motorcycles of Italian origin. Check out the museum after you eat a great brat for lunch! If you don't have a European motorcycle, show up anyway!

Natural Bridges, UT to Sedona, AZ.

2009-04-22T21:20:00.002-06:00

Moki Dugway, UT.

Visits today included Goosenecks state park, Monument Valley, Navajo National Monument, Wupatki NM, Sunset Crater NM and Sedona, AZ. Our group had an invitation to participate in Sedona Scooter week.
What an exciting couple of days it would be. The first order of business was to install new handlebars on a Suzuki Burgman for Scooter Doug.

Camping near Natural Bridges National Monument

2009-04-21T21:51:00.005-06:00

Burgers at Ray's Tavern in Green River, UT. Navajo tacos in Bluff, UT. Camping in what is considered to be the darkest place in the 48 U.S. states. Not a bad day...

Road Less Traveled

2009-04-03T12:40:00.002-06:00

Some guy did some filming while riding the Trans-America Trail. He will be doing a presentation near Salt Lake City, UT. I'll go check it out. Call and speak with Chad about tickets.

Coconut Socks

2008-12-12T19:41:00.004-07:00

I'm always looking for ways to pack a little lighter when out travelling. I'm also on the lookout for new and innovative products that are better than anything else I've previously used.
Are you looking for the perfect gift for the motorcycle rider that has everything?
This is what you need, socks made from coconut!
I've now been using the socks for 6 months now. I was a skeptic when I first heard of them, but am a believer in them now. The coconut makes it so the socks have properties that keep odor to a minimum. You really can wear these things for 5 days without being offensive (maybe longer, but I haven't tried yet). Just by setting them in the hot sun will "freshen" them up. If you wash them in a sink, they will dry quickly. The wicking properties are excellent.
As for packing lighter, I now just ride with the one pair of coconut socks that I'm wearing.
And yes, coconut socks are very comfortable. Buy them, try them, and if you are not sold on them, send them back for a refund!

Greater Utah Touring Society

2008-12-08T19:20:00.008-07:00

The first meeting of the Greater Utah Touring Society didn't turn out quite as planned. Read about the adventure here.
In short, even thought the day was warm and dry, winter had arrived in the high country a few weeks previous.

Rabbit Valley riding

2008-11-04T22:32:00.006-07:00

A few of us spent Halloween afternoon riding at Grand Junction, CO. We rode the 27 1/4 road riding area at the west end of the airport. Dinner was at the Ale House in Grand Junction. I was ready for a nap when we arrived at the Super 8 motel in Fruita that night.

The following day, after picking up sandwiches and drinks, we trailered to the Rabbit Valley exit on Interstate 70. We rode between Utah and Colorado throughout the afternoon. Dinner that night was across the street from the motel at El Talpatio mexican restaurant. Good food, but a little pricey.

Drove home on Sunday with a stop at Groggs near Price, UT. As you can see from the photo above, Carpenter Mike always looks forward to a meal at Groggs.

2008-10-23T21:32:00.001-06:00

Little Cottonwood Canyon, Albion Basin summer road.

Stansbury Front trail

2008-10-20T20:45:00.004-06:00

Mike showing how to do a "pop-a-wheelie".

Rode the Stansbury Front trail today. Started at South Willow canyon and went south from there. No mud or snow yet.
A few more photos here.

Big Cottonwood Canyon

2008-10-19T22:12:00.004-06:00

It was late in the afternoon and no riding had been done today, so it was decided that a quick trip to the top of Big Cottonwood canyon was in order. A few colored leaves still on the trees, but the temerature was cool. Packed slush in a few shaded areas of the road.

Crab leg run

2008-10-15T22:44:00.005-06:00

It has been a busy last couple of weeks of riding and the blog needs updating.
Enjoy this link to the latest ride, a run to Sedona, AZ for all-you-can-eat crab legs!

Antelope and electric motorcycles

2008-09-21T22:46:00.004-06:00

Wanting to listen to a some auto racing on the radio, I mounted the SIRIUS to the bike and went riding for a couple of hours. Not wanting me or my bike to end up like Alfred or his bike after hitting an antelope, I pulled off the road to watch some of them cross the road. I've seen many antelope while out riding and have some photos of them, but no photos of one with the Wasatch Mountains in the background.
Reminded me of last summer when Dave Glenn gave me 3 pounds of antelope jerky as I was passing through Lander, WY.
I was in Lehi, UT. and a riding on a red Kawasaki Ninja went by. On the rear of his bike was lettering that spelled out "Electric". I didn't think much of it. After all, my bike has electricity going on it as well. Without it, I wouldn't be listening to the radio. A minute later and the bike is opposite of me at an intersection. I noticed that something was different. We pass, and I realize that it was an electric motor in place of the gasoline engine on this bike. I turn around to try and catch the rider and check out this contraption, but I never found him. A google search found his website though. Check this out!
More about converting a Ninja to electric here.
If I can get some more garage space, maybe I'll have to build one of these electric motorcycles.

Duchesne Ridge

2008-09-19T22:14:00.008-06:00

Bob and Sam invited me along for the afternoon adventure in the Uinta range. While dining in front of the Maverick convenience store in Heber City, UT., we ran into Glenn who related a little about his travels in Africa by motorcycle, earlier in the year. Glenn owns Rocky Road Outfitters and I probably hadn't seen him since we were in the same program during college.

After breakfast we headed east, over the Duchesne ridge, over Soapstone Pass, and ended up at the Road Island Diner in Oakley, UT. for lunch. Riding conditions were great with a little rain and hail to help keep the dust down. Wrangler Bob treated us with a visit to Camp Roger.

Food at the Road Island Diner today was fine. I had the Rueben sandwich with chips. I'd just as soon not have a television at each end of the restaurant, unless something good is on. Golf was on today. They should have just turned the TV off. I almost had decided not to go back to the diner since the last time I was there and all of the patrons were forced to sit through a lousy sitcom on some unheard of, no-name channel.

Chalk Creek ride

2008-09-14T23:59:00.000-06:00

The Uinta mountains already have snow on the peaks, so we could not waste a great day of weather by not riding. The route took us to Coalville, UT., up Chalk Creek Canyon, to the Whitney Reservoir area in the Uinta range. From there it was on to UT-150 to Kamas.
As the Chalk Creek road climbed, it was more rutted out than I ever remember seeing it. From the puddles in the road, it was obvious that there had been recent precipitation. A few of the aspen where starting to change color at about 9,000 feet.

Dinner at the Shooting Star

2008-09-13T22:50:00.001-06:00

It was late in the day when we decided that a quick ride was in order. At sundown, we arrived at the Shooting Star Saloon in Huntsville, UT. The Shooting Star is the longest continually operating bar in the state of Utah, opened in 1879. The saloon is known for the famous Star Burger, two beef patties with a knockwurst on top. We settled for the healthier, Mini Star Burger, with only one beef patty.

GNATSASS 2008

2008-09-10T23:51:00.006-06:00

GNATSASS 2008 report is started here

Curve Cowboy Reunion

2008-09-01T23:00:00.003-06:00

The Curve Cowboy Reunion was being held in Midway, UT. The Cowboys meet up once a year somewhere in the U.S. Most of them ride BMW LT bikes, but I guess they will let anyone in. Even me.
I pulled up on an old beat up Japanese twin bike. I was certain to park at the back of the lot where hopefully nobody would notice me. I only wanted to visit for an hour and spend some money at the vendor area. Even though I wasn't wearing a fancy name badge, there was not a person to stop me. The main vendor that I wanted to see was Mansoor, who owns Roadgear.
He sold me on his coconut socks a few weeks previous and I was looking for another pair. Go to the "socks" section at his site and check them out. They are comfortable, wick great so feet stay drier, and have anti-microbial properties so they stink less.
I also thought that I'd try a pair of gloves that were not held together with duct tape. Mansoor said that his Adaptive-Tec gloves were what I wanted. After a few rides in them, he was correct. Next on my list from Roadgear is one of the AirTec mesh jackets. High quality stuff that has a satisfaction guarantee that you don't find often.

Big Cottonwood ride

2008-08-18T23:02:00.000-06:00

Just a quick trail ride to start the week. Great to have a quick ride close to home. Saw 15-20 goats taking it easy up high and in the shade.

Ferragosto

2008-08-16T22:39:00.000-06:00

Enjoyed a couple of hours at the Ferragosto Italian festival in Salt Lake City, UT. A few Italian cars and motos. http://www.italianinutah.com/

Tour of Utah bicycle race

2008-08-14T22:18:00.000-06:00

Spent an interesting day on the moto with videographer/photographer Matthew Hatfield from the Ogden Standard Examiner. He was riding on the back and we were supposed to get in place so he could get good shots without upsetting the racers and especially the race officials.

The stage went from Ogden, UT. to Salt Lake City, UT. The edited video can be viewed at www.standard.net/live . Look under the "video" section for "Tour of Utah".

As luck would have it, Carpenter Mike called from his favorite eatery as I was standing at the finish line. Since I'd had nothing but a piece of fruit all day, he didn't have to do much to convince me to join him for a late lunch.

Lunch ride to Torrey, Utah

2008-08-08T21:09:00.000-06:00

A reconnaissance trip was in order to finalize details for the North American Moto Guzzi Quota/Stelvio rally which is being held in Torrey, Utah. Dates for the event are 3-5 Oct. 2008.
With not enough time to do an overnight ride, two of us headed to Torrey for lunch. The rally site will be at http://www.thousandlakesrvpark.com/
Great people that run the place at Thousand Lakes. Comfortable tent sites, nice cabins, and clean showers. The park is used to hosting motorcycle groups and we are looking forward to a great event.
We asked one of the locals for a recommendation of a good lunch spot. He turned us around and sent us 8 miles back to Bicknell, UT. to the SunGlow cafe ( http://www.sunglowpies.com/ ). The SunGlow is most famous for their pinto bean pie and also their pickle pie. My suggestion is to order the sampler plate which get you 4 smaller slices of their assorted pies.
We did meet a nice group from Holland while in Bicknell. Two of the group were travelling on late 1940's Harley Davidson bikes.
As shown in the photo, the sun doesn't always shine at the SunGlow.

Morning Uinta ride

2008-08-04T21:23:00.000-06:00

A nice cool morning for a quick tour through the Uinta range. From Park City, UT to SR150 to Taylor Fork. Crossed over on the trail system to SR32 and east about 6-7 miles to the Mill Hollow turn. Followed the dirt to Lake Fork and then downhill to Heber City. A quick ride up Guardsman Pass and home.

5160-5255/4

Mid-Mountain ride

2008-08-03T17:54:00.000-06:00

Rode the Mid-Mountain trail from Deer Valley to Red Pine lodge at The Canyons resort where a hearty lunch awaited the group of 13. The ride took us slow guys about 3 hours. The rest did it considerably faster.

Broken Arrow Rendezvous

2008-07-27T17:12:00.000-06:00

After hearing great things about the Moto Guzzi campout held in Gibbonsville, ID. each year, I decided to go check things out. It was around Stanley, ID. when we decided to quit riding for the day. All of the campgrounds at Redfish Lake were full, so we ended up in the overflow area on the opposite side of the highway. No complaints with a campsite like this!
We were looking forward to a big dinner at Redfish Lake lodge, http://www.redfishlake.com/. It had been 3 years since last dining there. The menu prices were about double what I was hoping for, but once we had a plate of food in front of us, we quit complaining and just ate. No complaints on the food quality. We would have enjoyed larger portions though!
The restaurant and campground at the Broken Arrow in Gibbonsville, ID. were highly recommended. http://thebrokenarrow.com/ This is the place to be for pork carnitas, as well as apple pie. Reservations are suggested. Photo on top so you won't miss it as you drive by.
Posted by Q at 8:35 PM 0 comments
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To the Moto Guzzi rally in Salida, CO.

2008-06-25T23:15:00.000-06:00

Pops flew in and we grabbed a couple of bikes and took off for the Guzzi rally in Salida. Overnighted in Moab and saw some the sites around there. Met up with Clark as well as the Kerensky crew, for a great dinner at Buck's. Thanks Jerry!

Second day was full of great riding getting to Salida. The Salida Sons of Italy Chapter did a great job of feeding and entertaining on Saturday night.

When the rally was over, we headed north toward Steamboat. Plenty of snow left at the higher elevations!

Dinosaur National Monument visitor center in Colorado is closed on Monday and Tuesday.

25-27 June are the dates for the national Moto Guzzi rally in Salida. Check http://www.motoguzzicolo.com/ , for updates.

Meeting with Professor Gary

2008-06-14T23:42:00.000-06:00

Professor Gary was going to be in Dubois, Wy. with a few of his friends, they were passing through on their 3 week moto tour. Three of us, including Carpenter Mike and the Colonel, rode through rain and snow to meet the group at the Rustic Pine ( http://www.rusticpinetavern.com/ ) for dinner. I recommend going there and ordering the London broil.

Two of us headed toward Mt. Home, ID. the next morning with the group. The Colonel headed another way to go work on a merit badge.

The two of us visited, Teton National Park, Craters of the Moon National Monument, Hagerman Fossil beds N.M., Minidoka Internment National Monument, and City of Rocks National Preserve.

If you find yourself in Oakley, Idaho, Judy's Cafe is the place to eat.

Baker, Nevada Guzzi gathering

2008-05-20T12:48:00.000-06:00

Bert put on his annual gathering in Baker, NV at the Silver Jack Inn ( http://www.silverjackinn.com/ ).

Two good nights of food, drink, and friends. There are not many distractions in Baker, so things are always relaxing. Great Basin National Park is just a few minutes away. A few of us took a tour of Lehman Caves. Still enough snow on Wheeler Peak and Jeff Davis Peak to make a few turns.

Some neighbors from home showed up in Baker late Saturday night as they rode the Trans-America Trail to the Pacific coast.

Capitol Reef

2008-05-11T14:10:00.000-06:00

Driver and Greenpeace invited me to camp with them in the Capitol Reef National Park area for a couple of nights. They had a spectacular campsite and were kind enough to cook for me. Too many places to explore in this area with my limited time on this trip. Greenpeace had left home with a KLR, but arrived in Utah with a KTM990. Not a bad trade.

Made it home in time to catch Col. Bob's party that he throws every year at Fort Douglas in Salt Lake City. A European bike show (mostly BMW) and an abundance of brats for lunch, make for a nice fundraiser for the museum at the Fort.

Still have snow

2008-04-21T21:46:00.000-06:00

Current snow depth behind the house.

All you can eat King crab legs

2008-04-20T13:28:00.000-06:00

Col. Bob and Ken were riding to Sedona to meet up with Doug for the Thursday night King crab feed at the Sedona airport restaurant. They invited me along. I left a day later and after riding through snow and rain as I left northern Utah, I opted to overnight in St. George, UT for the night. The following day on the way to Sedona, I was able to get new national park stamps at Pipe Springs NM, Wupatki NM, and Sunset Crater NM. Additionally, I was earned a performance driving award by the ASP, near Jacob Lake. With that stop, I barely made it to the dinner reservation, in Sedona, on time. Not sure how much I ate, but I feel like it was a good value.

We all stopped at Snow Canyon state park near St. George, on the way home. Bob and Ken were part of a big party going there with other moto riders. We enjoyed a nice dinner at the Gun Barrel in St. George and we parted ways. They for their tents, and me for a bed.

Sedona was a let down. Maybe my expectations were off. The place reminded me more of Disneyland than any other place. I didn't spend more than about 15 hours there, so maybe I need to give it another chance when we go back for more crab legs. Doug was a great host. We watched a good John Wayne flick while staying at his estate.

Photo above is of the old Grafton town site. Grafton has been featured in some films, including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

2008-04-12T21:51:00.000-06:00

Nice day for touring around the mountains. Snow conditions were about as variable as one could find.

Just another powder day

2008-04-08T00:00:00.000-06:00

Just another great April powder day. Donuts skiing Jupiter Bowl in the photo.

Skiing Iron Mtn.

2008-03-09T18:21:00.000-06:00

Great conditions on Iron Mtn. The dogs love it there.

2008-03-06T19:11:00.000-07:00

After a little climbing, we found some good snow.

Last day of desert riding

2007-11-24T21:55:00.000-07:00

Too many place to go visit, and not enough time left on this trip to see them all.

Ride to Thanksgiving dinner

2007-11-22T21:49:00.000-07:00

Went out alone and took the long way through the Mojave desert, to Thanksgiving dinner. This was probably the most scenic drive that I'd ever taken to a turkey dinner.

More S.W. Utah riding

2007-11-21T21:34:00.000-07:00

Kind of feeling lazy today, but we figured we should get the bikes out and at least run them for an hour or two. Forgot the name of this route, but it is a popular St. George area ride, that we had done before. This time was the best, since one of us didn't bend the shift shaft on our bike.

2007-11-19T21:00:00.000-07:00

No dirt today. Enjoyed the ride from St. George, UT. to Mesquite, NV., for a late lunch at a Mexican food joint. Made a loop out of it by taking the old highway back to St. George. Didn't realize how early it was getting dark now.

Stansbury single track

2007-11-06T21:14:00.000-07:00

Might have been the last chance for riding here before snow. There is already a little snow up higher.

Rabbit Valley

2007-10-23T00:14:00.000-06:00

Carpenter Mike, Kathy, Jen, and I met up with Greg in Rabbit Valley for 2 days of riding. Nice to be here while it is snowing in northern Utah. Spent the night in Fruita, CO. in a motel.

Carpenter Mike did make it back in one piece, but just barely. Ask him about the train tracks...

You can't ride a motorcycle from Rabbit Valley to Fruita, on the Kokopelli trail.

4 days in Moab

2007-10-07T22:03:00.000-06:00

Rode Steelbender with Carpenter Mike and Chainsaw Mike as well as Fred. The next day we rode White Rim trail, less Fred. Clark joined me on Fins and Things while Mike pedaled and Mike rested. The last day Mike. Mike, and myself, rode up Long Canyon and looped back through Gemini Bridges.

We met Grant Else ( http://www.grantelse.blogspot.com/ ) who was camped out on the White Rim, while on his way from British Columbia to Central America. Grant was riding a Suzuki Vstrom 1000.

On the same trail, we also met Rob and Nancy. They had been on their bikes for about 6 weeks, after leaving Portland, Maine. During that time, they had managed to get married while in California. They were working their way back home when we saw them. Nancy and Rob are the proprietors of Hugo's restaurant in Portland ( http://www.hugos.net/ ). Rob was riding a Triumph Tiger and Nancy was on a BMW 650.

Photo of Rob and Nancy is by Chainsaw Mike

Riding with the Czech guys

2007-09-15T22:33:00.000-06:00

After GNATSASS 2007, Stan headed to Huntsville, UT. to meet up with Dag and Jan. These three grew up riding motorcycles together in Prague, CZ. Carpenter Mike and I met them for dinner at the Shooting Star in Huntsville, and we decided that we should all do a ride in the next day or two. Driver was meeting us on the ride date as well.

We meet at the Jeremy Ranch road near Park City. From there the route went something like this: over Guardsman Pass into Heber Valley, up Center Canyon and then down the West Fork of the Duchesne, lunch at the Hanna Cafe, tarmac almost to Wolf Creek pass, turn onto Cold Spring road, down the ATV trail to Soapstone, to Mirror Lake Hwy, up to the Norway Flats road leading to Washington Lake, back to Hwy. 150. We split up from here. Half of us going to Kamas and the other half to Evanston. Hope to ride with all of these guys again soon!

GNATSASS 2007

2007-09-10T22:50:00.000-06:00

Northern Nevada. Bert hosts another 4-day bash with some good riding as well!
Jarbidge, Tusarora, Taylor Canyon, etc...