Go West Old Man!!!

[High Plains Drifter]

:900[1]:I'll be heading out west from Casper, WY on the 14th or 15th for a week. Since I'm travelling solo I would like to invite anyone interested in joining me for a portion of the ride.

My plan is to leave Casper and either cross South Pass and cut down through Flaming Gorge or down through Medicine Bow and Saratoga. Either way ending up at Vernal, UT.

From Vernal to Duchesne then either Colton or Huntington, UT to Fairview, and then Nephi. From Nephi to Ely, NV.

From Ely either US-6 & 95 or US-50 but ending up at Sparks to Susanville, CA.

From Susanville to Redding then Arcata. Then up the coast to Crescent City and turn inland to Grants Pass, OR to visit a friend. From there to Roseburg and Coos Bay to visit family for a couple of days.

Leave Roseburg probably on the 21st heading east (route undecided) across southern Idaho to Jackson, WY and back to Casper by the 23rd.

Anyone like to make suggestions or ride along? PM or email me.

Note that I avoid riding the concrete slab if at all possible. Just takes all the fun out of it for me. I ride anywhere from 300 to 600 miles a day depending on what looks interesting and camp out along the way.

Jeff

[DANJ]

Keep us posted along the way if you can. Wish I could ride along, but business does not allow. Have a great time!!

DJ

[cowpuc]

Gotta tell ya Drifter,,, from one ol Cowpoke to another,,, iffen these chores werent overwhelming and the trail boss wasnt so ornry (gotta be careful - she didnt say a word about me being 8 days late from the last roundup!!) I would be right there by ya!!

You asked for advice,, ok here ya go,,, dont over plan - stop in all the little cowtowns and meet all the great REAL western folks along the way - get an xtra gig of SD for the camera and fill each one with pic after pic - camp on the prairie floor on the highspots perferable on top of the buttes (make much better night viewing)... Follow game trails up into the high plains (you know this already I am sure),, they will lead you to good sleeping and great morning pics of Muleys and Antelope,,, put on some Willie, ROy Rogers or Gene Autry!!!! I have always told my kids that the ride dont even begin till we're on the west side of the Rockies,, ahhhhhhhh,, no bugs, no traffic (riding off highway is the ONLY way to travel), old ghost towns, pure saaweeet UTAH air and room to breath it..

Man I wish I could join you - YOU are headed into the country that I could ride 6 months of the year and NEVER get tired of!!! Hey,,, watch out for the Mule deer,, I have a set of horns on the front of my 83 that I pulled off a fresh road kill out in Montana a couple weeks ago.. They appear to be scraping early so you may find rut coming way early too.. I say that cause,, again being another Cowpoke you already know this,, they get restless and stupid - start thinking with thier pee pee instead of their brain and will run right into you....

Also,, watch the erosion spots in the low lands - seen lots of hidden spots while crossing open prairie on the scoot. FOr some reason that Western Utah ground doesnt take flash flood water real well right after drought and bingo - erosion is everwhere.. I personally saw stuff this year 5 miles from the nearest pavement (pavement runoff causes most unnatural erosion) that was like quick sand (loose like powder) but deep enough to swallow a bike whole!!

LUCKY SUCKER - HAVE FUN!!

Dont step in the Cowcrap!

'Puc

[High Plains Drifter]

,,, iffen these chores werent overwhelming and the trail boss wasnt so ornry . . . I would be right there by ya!!

, , , dont over plan,,, put on some Willie, Roy Rogers or Gene Autry!!!!

Hey,,, watch out for the Mule deer,, I have a set of horns on the front of my 83 that I pulled off a fresh road kill out in Montana a couple weeks ago.. They appear to be scraping early so you may find rut coming way early too..

Also,, watch the erosion spots in the low lands - seen lots of hidden spots while crossing open prairie on the scoot.

'Puc

 

Howdy 'Puc!

Thanks for the words of wisdom! Never hurts ta' get a few reminders from a saavy ol' hand. Just readin' yer' post brings out mem'ries of all the reasons I ride. I gotta' touch on a few of the fine points though.

I haven't been more than a couple hundred miles from home in almost a month and its still over 30 degrees outside! My ol' lady comes out ta' check on me when I'm s'posed ta' be a workin' an' there I am a daydreamin' about the switchbacks on Beartooth Pass er' some such path I'm recollectin'. Ya' must be doin' somthin' wrong 'Puc 'cuz after a week or two of not gettin' nuthin' done, she tells me ta start sortin' my gear out an' get on the road, 'cuz I ain't worth a hoot anyway!

On yer' next point, I usually don't plan much t'all except what ta' pack in my saddlebags. This time I happen ta' have a destination so other than goin' about a thousand miles outta' my way ta' get there, I gotta do a little plannin'. My fav'rite way ta' plan is ta' get up in the mornin' brew up a pot o' coffee on the micro stove, an' while drinkin' my coffee take a look at the ol' map. After I figure out where I think I am, I pick out an interestin' lookin' squiggly line an' head in that direction.

Next, there ain't nuthin' sweeter in the ears when yer watchin' the sunrise than a good ol' cowpie kickin' song. I jus' can't help hummin' "Back in the Saddle Again" ta' myself as I go through the gears the first time ev'ry mornin'.

When it comes ta' ruttin' wildlife, I already had one experience this year that I hope never ta' repeat! Got charged by a bull buffalo up in Dakota at daybreak one mornin'! Man was I glad I'd rejetted Ol' Star an' she has some get-up-n'-go off'n idle now! Can't remember what I's a hummin' that mornin' but it weren't "Back in the Saddle." Mighta' been "Windy Bill!"

Lastly, we've had a lotta' heavy thunder storms out here this year an' lotsa' flash floods. They always tend to leave a treacherous trace of loose gravel on the pavement where ya' least 'spect it. Worst of all, all that rain hits so fast it just runs off down the Platte an' don't do nothin' ta' help us outta' this nine year drought we've been in!

But like my Daddy always said, "It don't do no good t'all ta' complain 'bout the weather 'cuz God's got a wry sense a' humor!"

Happy Trails!

Jeff

 

Oh! One more thing. Next time yer' out this a'way ya' best be lettin' me know! I'm 'most always good for a couple-three days ride anywhere, an' Montana's jus' a hoot 'n a holler up the concrete slab. Ol' Star is really only a 9-month old filly with a little over 14k on 'er, but she'll have 20k on the go-fast meter by the time she's a yearlin'. I doooo like ta' ride!

[High Plains Drifter]

Keep us posted along the way if you can. . .

 

Howdy Folks!

 

Well here is a mini update! I'm in Crescent City, CA this morning and heading up to Grants Pass, OR shortly. The trip has been great! Mostly cool weather and dry roads! Can't say enough about the great ride and beautiful scenery! The Sierra Nevada's (CA hwy 89), The Trinity Alps (CA hwy 299), The Redwoods (US 101), All great riding and great scenery! Wish you were here!!!

Drifter

[FreezyRider]

Howdy Folks!

 

Well here is a mini update! I'm in Crescent City, CA this morning and heading up to Grants Pass, OR shortly. The trip has been great! Mostly cool weather and dry roads! Can't say enough about the great ride and beautiful scenery! The Sierra Nevada's (CA hwy 89), The Trinity Alps (CA hwy 299), The Redwoods (US 101), All great riding and great scenery! Wish you were here!!!

Drifter

 

 

I wish I was there too!!!

Sounds like a great ride.

[DANJ]

Howdy Folks!

 

Well here is a mini update! I'm in Crescent City, CA this morning and heading up to Grants Pass, OR shortly. The trip has been great! Mostly cool weather and dry roads! Can't say enough about the great ride and beautiful scenery! The Sierra Nevada's (CA hwy 89), The Trinity Alps (CA hwy 299), The Redwoods (US 101), All great riding and great scenery! Wish you were here!!!

Drifter

Sounds like a great ride. What route did ya take through Utah and Nevada?

DJ

[Lone Eagle]

Howdy Folks!

 

Well here is a mini update! I'm in Crescent City, CA this morning and heading up to Grants Pass, OR shortly. The trip has been great! Mostly cool weather and dry roads! Can't say enough about the great ride and beautiful scenery! The Sierra Nevada's (CA hwy 89), The Trinity Alps (CA hwy 299), The Redwoods (US 101), All great riding and great scenery! Wish you were here!!!

Drifter

 

Drifter, saw your thread earlier - too bad you weren't around over the weekend. A few of us are riding up that way (Eureka) on Friday - over to Susanville on Sat - into Reno Sunday. Missed ya by couple of days. Have a great trip - ride safe.

[High Plains Drifter]

Sounds like a great ride. What route did ya take through Utah and Nevada?

 

DJ

 

 

Well, I’m back home safe and sound! Sorry I’ve been so long getting back to you folks, but it seems like every time I take a vacation, when I get back I just have an extra week’s work to catch back up on!

 

I came into Utah on US40 from Craig, CO. I stayed on US40 to Duchesne, UT then headed south on US191. This is a really nice ride. About 30 miles or so you come to a road that I think was called Emma Parks road, headed west. Then in about ten miles I hit US6 headed west. I was only on US6 for a few miles to Colton, UT. Colton isn’t really a town, just a junction.

At Colton I headed south/west on UT96 to Scofield Reservoir. This is some really pretty country, and the mountains were just starting to show their fall colors. While I was gassing up at the town of Scofield a local club of about 100 riders rode through on my same route. I gave them plenty of time to get ahead of me and continued on. Just south of Scofield UT96 meets UT264 headed west. UT264 is only 15 miles long, but crosses a steep mountain pass and consists of 14.9 miles of twisties. As usual I was spending too much time enjoying the ride and the scenery to stop and take pictures.

After the 15 miles UT264 meets UT31 where the club had stopped for a break. I continued on west to Fairview, UT on UT31. At Fairview I headed south on US89 for a few miles to Mt. Pleasant, UT then west on UT116 to Moroni, UT. At Moroni I caught UT132 which I stayed on all the way to Lynndyl, UT where I picked up US6 which joins US50 at Delta. At that point I took US50 all the way to Lake Tahoe.

I want to thank Coop AKA Pilgrum in Carson City, NV for a great visit and Preacher Tony and his wife for their hospitality and the best burger I had my entire trip.

 

It was a great ride and at some point in the future maybe I’ll have time to write up a complete rundown of the trip.

 

Happy Trails and Ride Safe!

Drifter

[DANJ]

What a great ride. I'm quite jealous. Haven't rode any of those roads on a scoot yet, but have been all through that country in a cage several times. What a beautiful place to see. Can get a little monotinous across Nevada to Fallon, but still quite wild and pretty.

 

Congrats on a GREAT trip, and welcome home safe.

 

DJ