Article - Dual Sport Utah

...the scent of juniper burning in wood stoves and fry bread ovens rich in the spring air.
Dual sport touring has to be one of the most satisfying motorcycle activities an rider can do and touring in Utah only makes it better. Four of us began our adventure tour, if you will, in New Mexico. On day 1, we left Albuquerque and headed north on State Road 44 through San Ysidro and Cuba. Scenery along this road is classic New Mexican with scrub oak, and juniper dotting the hills, giving a wonderful texture to the landscape. About 14 miles south of Bloomfield, we stop for a picnic lunch at Angel Peak lookout. This is a spectacular vista of the Bisti Badlands, an area that is almost competely void of vegetation and has the traditon muave and purple, grey southwest colors. This spot is often overlooked as it cannot be seen from the roadside, so it is well worth the stop. In Bloomfield, we turn onto US 64 and head west towards Farmington and Shiprock, deep in the heart of Navajo country. The Nayive American culture adds emensely to the scenery on this part of the journey with hogans and the scent of juniper burning in wood stoves and fry bread ovens rich in the spring air.

In Shiprock we head north on US 666, the Devil’s Highway, towards Cortez, Colorado. Within minutes of crossing the State Line, we are treated to picturesque buttes and hill country farmland. Our Colorado encounter is short lived , however, as we cut the state’s southwest corner and plunge into Utah. Monticello awaits at the base of the Mante La Sal mountains for weary travelers. Probably one of the most overlooked towns I know of, Monticello has all of the amenities a traveler could want; hotels, gas stations, and a well stocked grocery store. For the motorcycle traveler, there is a Honda dealership. Monticello could serve as an excellent home base as it is easily within an hour or two ride from some of Utah’s most spectacular sites

After dinner the stars shine brightly and a half moon provides plenty of light to...

After picking up supplies we head north on US 191 to our destination for the day, the southern edge of Canyonlands National Park and the Squaw Flat campground. Turning east onto State Road 211, we pass the amazing Newspaper Rock with it hundreds of petroglyphs. Speaking of petroglyphs, each visitor center in the Canyonlands Park has several books on reading this amazing scenes scribed on the sandstone and would be a worthwhile purchase. The 35 miles of SR 211 is some of the most beatutiful riding a motorcyclist can experience, especially in the late afternoon when the red hues of rocks are the most intense. The road has gentle sweepers which allow for sightseeing while riding. We arrive at the ranger station at about 5:30 p.m. only to find all of the camp sites are full. The park ranger informs us that in the spring and fall months, Canyonlands campsites are usually filled by noon. He also tells us that there is some BLM land 5 miles east that some people camp at but the road in is sandy and rutted. No problem we’re on dual sports. Undaunted, we fill our water containers and head for the BLM land.

The loaded bikes negotiate the sandy washes and ruts with no problem and with an hour we have our camp established. After dinner the stars shine brightly and a half moon provides plenty of light to eliminate the need for a flashlight. We sit back and gaze at the Hale-Bopp comet above the stark black cliffs.

Day 2: We break camp and motor over to the Needles overlook, another "must-see" for the Utah traveler. After the obligitory pictures of the southern portion of Canyonlands, we ride into Moab and grab our hotel rooms. Moab is a little too touristy for my tastes, but is a lively town none the less. It has loads of shops, book stores, and bicycle shops. For those who are not familiar with Moab, it is basically the mountain bike Mecca of the United States. Numerous trails (that were pioneered by dirt bike riders I might add) wind around that area that allow mountain bikers to test their stregnth and skills at all levels. For those who like a night life, Moab has numerous restaraunts, micro-breweries and night spots for those so inclined.

The steep trail has a half a dozen switchbacks whick take the rider to the lip of the canyon...

Day 3: We leave to ride the 143 mile White Rim trail loop with 90+ miles of offroad riding included. Our bikes are stripped of all luggage save for a small pack with food, tools and plenty of water. Past experience dictates that one should allow 6 to 8 hours to complete this ride. Interestingly, well equiped jeeps take two days to make it through the White Rim, so the nimbleness and speed of a dual sport bike really pays off. The most challenging part of this trail is keeping your eyes on the trail and not on the awesome vistas that appear around every bend. And concentrate you must as you travel on a narrow trail along the shelf of 500 foot cliffs. Stops are kept to a minimum in order to avoid being in the canyon in the dark. While we are occasionally able to move along at 30 mph, we spend most of the ride crawling along at about 10-15 mph. We transition from the Colorado River to the Green River which entails steep ascents and equally steep descents. The trail winds along the Green river for about 5 miles amoung cotton woods and willows which provide plenty of shade for an afternoon siesta should one need one. Deep ruts and and telltale ripples indicate that this portion of the trail is not the place to be when it is muddy. From a previous trip through the White Rim Trail after heavy rain, I know that the clay mud on the trail can clog even the most aggressive knobbies. We begin our ascent out of the canyon lands at Horse Thief Pass. The steep trail has a half a dozen switchbacks whick take the rider to the lip of the canyon and into rolling red dirt hills with juniper and cactus. The dirt road from the exit of the canyon to the Canyonlands road is about 30 miles of fast, graded dirt. Long suspensions and torque motors allow the dual sports to skim the graded road at speeds of 50 to 75 mph! That night we enjoy fantastic food at Eddie McStiffs, the popular miro-brewery and grill in town.

Day 4: With our bikes loaded up with all of our gear we head south back to Monticello. Again we stock up on supplies and tank up the bikes. Our destination for today is Natural Bridges National Park, well off the beaten path. The day started off sunny, clear and warm, but clouds started to build and the wind picked up by mid-day. Just south of Blanding, we tunr east on State Road 95 and motor into Natural Bridges. This National Park was truly the highlight of the trip. I have never seen camp sites and facilities as clean as these; the Park staff obviously takes a great deal of pride in theri work here. Natural Bridges is powered by the largest solar array of its kind in the United States. A 9 mile loop takes us to viweing spots of the 3 magnificent natural bridges in the park. For those who want to hike, there is also a 9 mile hike that will take you through the bridges and to some Indian ruins.

After a tour of the area, we head south on State Road 261 to Valley of the Gods which is more or less a miniature Monument Valley. We then motor further south to the Goose Necks where the San Juan river winds through the plateau, an awe inspiring sight indeed. After a snack at the Goose Necks, we head south the Mexican Hat (named for a geological formation that resembles an upsidedown sombrero) for fuel and then head back to camp. A hot meal and fantastic sunset top off the evening and we turn in for the night.

All in all, it was one great trip.

Day 5: We learn of an approaching winter storm and decide to make time heading back home. We break camp and head south towards Bluff were we pick up lunch supplies and fuel. We then make a brief stop at Sand Island, another location of fantastic petroglyphs. The wind really picks up by mid morning and we have a stiff headwind as we head towards New Mexico.

By the time we reach US 666, the crosswind must be 30-40mph and out light dual sports are being blown all over the road. We tank up in Bloomfield and I record the absolute worse mileage my KLR650 has ever returned, 37 mpg. We stop for lunch again at Angle Peak where we have to anchor our lunch bags and such to the table with heavy rocks. To avaoid the wind which seems to get worse as the day wears on, we decide to take make a bee-line for home with no more stops.

All in all, it was one great trip. A trip that only a big dual sport could pull off. Should you consider traveling to Canyonlands and doing some dual sport touring, there a few things you should know. First, the camp grounds in the Canyonlands fill up by noon in the spring and fall. Summers in the Canyonlands are brutally hot. Park rangers told me that temperatures on the White Rim Trail reach 135 degrees in the dead of summer. Rain will turn the trails in this area to mud that is like grease and will clog all but the most aggressive tire treads. Finally, spring and fall are prime months in Moab and hotels fill up quickly.

Adventure touring in Utah is almost limitless with rides for every skill level. Be sure to obey all park rules and yield to horseback riders and mountain bike riders. Courtesy will go along ways to help keeping areas such as Canyonlands open to all responsible users.

Gino Pokluda, Editor, Kawasaki 650 Dual Sport News[Front page]