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- Joined
- Dec 8, 2014
- Messages
- 1,141
- Reaction score
- 3,983
- Location
- San Marcos, Texas
- First Name
- Steve
- Last Name
- Pylant
Always have a backup plan. We had two things going against us. First was gas range. Thanks to KTM’s infinite wisdom on the newer 500 change to the frame and plastics, largest tank you can get is right at 4 gallons, that is what nephew has. My old XCW is rocking a 5.3g tank. Hite gas pumps had been out of commission as of a week before our trip, and no change today, you can’t count on them.
With the Hite issue, we needed 5.1 gallons with no deviations or turn arounds to stick to the original route. The rest of our trip we will not have issues, so we did not want to carry gas in a more permanent way. We own stuff to do it, but this trip we needed to be light. We got creative with Gatorade bottles, so we could ditch the containers as soon as the gas would fit in the tank. Gas sort of solved……but we also have another issue we have been keeping our eye on.
In my route planning, did some research on the Dirty Devil crossing in the Poison Springs area. I found good intel on ADV Rider, and using the USGS web site on CFS. Seems anything below 50 or 60 CFS, we will be fine most likely. I was feeling good looking at September historical numbers. Then a week before our trip started, the Dirty Devil flooded over the historic record set in 1963, CFS was off the chart in the thousands. Yikes, what were the odds? We weren’t necessarily worried about water at this point a week later, desert floods tend to boogie on out. More worried about the shape of the things out there. And with no gas in Hite….I hate to miss my original plan of the Hatch Mountains, but my gut told me time for plan B.
Shootaring, Eggnog Star, Hoskinny…..the folks naming these roads must do a lot of peyote.
This is some wild country. Loving the remoteness and aggressive riding. Plan B wasn’t a total loss. Except we couldn’t find any peyote.
And some more non-sucking plan b. Pretty cool in here.
We did some pretty tough stuff, heat and fatigue were trying to set in, wouldn’t have it. We shook it off and headed for the mountains.
Two to three thousand feet does wonders. We took a break and started riding in air conditioning flirting with 9k. And started looking down on the desert, in a good way.
Mares eat oats, does eat oats and a little lambs eat ivy, a kid’ll eat ivy too, wouldn’t you!
Found ourselves at McMillan Springs and decided to make camp. Originally planned a hotel for tonight, alternating camping/motels is a nice way to roll. Makes it easier to be high speed low drag……minimal gear maximum effect…..with a reset. But this route was this route, gotta roll with it.
We are enjoying the evening, relaxing, listening, imbibing, lying. Normal motorcycle evening shenanigans.
Nighty night night
With the Hite issue, we needed 5.1 gallons with no deviations or turn arounds to stick to the original route. The rest of our trip we will not have issues, so we did not want to carry gas in a more permanent way. We own stuff to do it, but this trip we needed to be light. We got creative with Gatorade bottles, so we could ditch the containers as soon as the gas would fit in the tank. Gas sort of solved……but we also have another issue we have been keeping our eye on.
In my route planning, did some research on the Dirty Devil crossing in the Poison Springs area. I found good intel on ADV Rider, and using the USGS web site on CFS. Seems anything below 50 or 60 CFS, we will be fine most likely. I was feeling good looking at September historical numbers. Then a week before our trip started, the Dirty Devil flooded over the historic record set in 1963, CFS was off the chart in the thousands. Yikes, what were the odds? We weren’t necessarily worried about water at this point a week later, desert floods tend to boogie on out. More worried about the shape of the things out there. And with no gas in Hite….I hate to miss my original plan of the Hatch Mountains, but my gut told me time for plan B.
Shootaring, Eggnog Star, Hoskinny…..the folks naming these roads must do a lot of peyote.
This is some wild country. Loving the remoteness and aggressive riding. Plan B wasn’t a total loss. Except we couldn’t find any peyote.
And some more non-sucking plan b. Pretty cool in here.
We did some pretty tough stuff, heat and fatigue were trying to set in, wouldn’t have it. We shook it off and headed for the mountains.
Two to three thousand feet does wonders. We took a break and started riding in air conditioning flirting with 9k. And started looking down on the desert, in a good way.
Mares eat oats, does eat oats and a little lambs eat ivy, a kid’ll eat ivy too, wouldn’t you!
Found ourselves at McMillan Springs and decided to make camp. Originally planned a hotel for tonight, alternating camping/motels is a nice way to roll. Makes it easier to be high speed low drag……minimal gear maximum effect…..with a reset. But this route was this route, gotta roll with it.
We are enjoying the evening, relaxing, listening, imbibing, lying. Normal motorcycle evening shenanigans.
Nighty night night
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Nice report and beautiful country!
