Ok, back to the story telling. We were working on a regroup of the trip. Licketysplat’s release date from Grand Junction St. Mary’s Hospital was unknown at this point. Ulug and LlanoMano weren’t feeling anymore harder stuff in their immediate future. They were going to break from the group, be ready to get Lickety if needed and find some more dual sporty stuff to ride. Sounded like the right thing for the situation. We had breakfast together in Green River and parted ways. Now it was just me, Grape and Bmullex.
Like all things Utah, we had lots of options for our travel today. From here, decided to go south, but first west. What? Why? You’ll see. But first, we had some fun crossing the scrubby desert vs. interstate.
Next we started routing into this large canyon. This was the why.
Pretty special ride through here, really tall walls and some pictographs are about.
We rolled through pretty quickly and were just enjoying the morning. Flying the drone some and making our way west.
Now we headed south to ride in/over the swell. What in the swell? It is a 75 mile by 40 mile anticline of sandstone, shale and limestone that was pushed up a cajillion years ago, known as the San Rafael Swell. Then let millennia’s of floods erode the sedimentary layers and you get this scene.
We had a plan. I had been communicating with JoeMotocross from ADVrider on our status as we had plans to meet up the day before. We figured out we both knew where a single track trail head was at and the timing looked good to meet this day. So that is what happened, met up with him and his wife HotStuff.
Lost a bolt on a kickstand…..repairs made, onward.
This was a pretty cool trail. Relatively tame as far as single track.
Till we got to this spot. Wasn’t awful, we played on it, found some better lines, got er done.
Little bit o’ drone flying.
Couple drops, did some surgery, pipe was coming into contact with the rear tire.
I really enjoyed this section, the right of amount of technical, flowed well, nirvana. And it kept folks on their toes….
Or on their side….or….oh you get it. Below was the worst spot on the trail. JoeMoto cleaned it. Trail climbs to the top left of screen.
I was next, didn’t clean it. Wacked my left foot/peg on a baby juniper. Threw me off my line, had to slide back down backwards to regroup. Attempt two, the trail was still pushing me into a groove that led to that dang Danny DeVito tree, snagged me slightly the second time as well but I stayed in it, almost made it, almost looped out. Laid her down to keep from a bad scene. Got a helping hand and manhandled it up. The rest of the crew….they were looking for a work around, Bmullex found it. Much better.
Here is an aerial of that area so you understand the swell better. We just rode across that dude, dude.
Some of the single track had some minor exposure, not too bad but you weren’t messing around too much sightseeing one handed.
We grabbed some shade and had a typical trail side lunch.
Back at it. Hotstuff was on a 500 as well…..and had been crushing it all day. Super cool!
Enjoyed blasting out some of the washes. With some climbs and descents.
Making our way towards the next town via some remote sand tracks.
This area is pretty mind blowing. Hated to deviate but we needed to route through town to get supplies. So we had to press pause. It’s kind of like pressing pause when Phoebe climbs out of the pool in that red number. Hold that thought. Supplies.
Pause released. Swimming in it again. BTW, Phoebe turned 60 this year. I know, I know.
Dude, all I need are some tasty trails, a cool breeze and I’m fine.
Shadows were getting long. We were still rolling but also on the lookout for home. The nights were still cold at this point, so we were looking for a desert home below the mountain range in view.
JoeMoto led the way meandering a larger road, then a two track, then a whatever.
This will work. Good chunk of rock so we could have a pretty clean camp site. We are all really liking this scene.
The solid rock is nice to walk around barefoot. Felt so good to have my boots off. I was fighting some issues. Boots were new. Boots are more ADV than Enduro. I hit each big toe, once each, somewhere along the way the past couple of days. And I think the boots might be smaller than the exact same model/size previous? At any rate, it is becoming apparent my big toes were complaining. Shut up toes. Do what I tell ya!
We enjoy the light fading and get camp situated. Put on some tunes from my JBL speaker….ZZ Top happened to rattle out first. JoeMoto liked the irony of ZZ playing as the Texans came into his playground.
Got a fire going and enjoyed that light show as well.
Sun fades at the same time the stars start poking out. Is this cool or what?
Adjustafork feast in full swing. Ribeyes, tamales, corn, potatoes. And cold beers and Old Crow. Yummy!!
This is living. In the moment. Just doesn't get any better!!
Night night time. I was ready. Stars were calling me.
You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no life but this.
Henry David Thoreau
Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! 
Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to 
what did the temp get down to at night and during the day?
. Dude might have some skills.
Then another member here gave me this link. Awesome trip...well, of course except for LS's misfortune. As always, your story telling is top notch, your pics outstanding, and your choice of trails and routes as usual, EPIC!
