Wilsons Sandbox

This time of year you might get snowed in. I go out there every June first for Fred's getogether. June is usually hot (but have been twice where it is rainey and cold with snow up in the mountains in June). Camping all over the place both paid and organized camp grounds or just about any dirt road turn off. Camping would be nice and cool up in the nearby La Sals (13,000 feet). You can camp along the Colorado River but I have heard mosquitos are bad there. Ride any of the paved or unpaved roads but take riding buddies out in the remote desert area. It is a long hike out if you have trouble and very easily could be a survival situation. The White Rim trail is a favorite but it is long and hot in the warmer months (in the 100's mid day). Shaffer trail is nice and Pucker Pass is also. For paved I like along the River or Arches National Park just right out of town. Amazing rock arches everywhere there. September or October I think is ideal there. I have heard April can be iffey. Criswell

On Jan 10, 2008, at 8:23 PM, KLRDON wrote: > I'm looking for suggestions and information on planning a ride for > a group > of my riding buddies, the Nawth Jaja Rat Pack (Georgia), in the > Moab area. > It might even include some camping out on the trail. What time of > year is > the best for this kind of trip, not scorching hot and not likely to > rain > much? What are the camping spots to utilize and what scenic routes are > recommended? > Thx in advance, > Don M > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Don, It's hard to go wrong riding anywhere around the Moab area, but my preference is to give this 'mecca' a wide berth and strike out for less traveled areas. Everything in southern Utah south of I-70 and east of I-15 is pretty spectacular, so it's hard to go wrong. Moab has the name, so if you want to ride places where people will recognize where you've been, spend your time there. I saw more than enough of Moab back during a summer as a Green River based white-water boatman starting trips on the Colorado River at Potash (downriver from Moab), and another working for the National Park Service in Monticello. Moab's saving grace is Fred and the other facilities available to a rider in need, but that's no reason to spend all your time there. My favorite trip planning tool for Utah adventures is the AAA map called Indian Country. Any of the dirt roads shown on that map are fair game on a KLR, and many of those roads have smaller offshoots not shown on the map that are ripe for exploring. If you're determined to stay in the Moab area and want to get away for a day, you could do worse than exploring the Abajo Mountains outside of Monticello. You can ride all the way from the town to the Colorado River crossing at Hite on dirt roads, going from high and cool to low and warm, forest to redrock. You can camp almost anywhere along the backroads if you're not in a National Park. There are also many primitive campgrounds run by the US Forest Service and BLM. Lots of Utah State Parks have showers available. Here's a link to their site: http://stateparks.utah.gov/ The National Parks in the area all have camping, not sure if they allow you to reserve sites as the state parks do. Hot weather in Moab starts in late May or early June. Luckily, there is higher country nearby if you need to cool off. Monticello is a small town 50 miles south that sits at 7000' so it's never the oven that Moab is. Green River, up on I-70 is also hot. In April, you might find snow in the mountains. I've usually picked September for my KLR adventures in southern Utah and have never been disappointed. You might get a thunderstorm or two, and one time I rode past the Abajos as the clouds rose to find a dusting of snow (no wonder I was so freakin' cold!), but it's generally nice. The one time I went in October the weather started out fine until a front came through and we had a cold wind for a couple of days. On a June trip, we sweltered in 105 degrees at times, but it made the high country feel all that much better. No matter the weather, I bring a tent when I camp. You can find mosquitoes in the craziest places, and there are obnoxious pinon gnats in late spring/early summer. You'll want a mosquito head net if you plan to sit outside while camping in the pinon-juniper forests while they're out. Scorpions are common in the desert, and there are tarantulas and other creepy crawlers I don't relish sharing my bed with. So where's the 'good stuff?' It's all over. Moab has its share, but for me it doesn't represent the best of southern Utah. Get some maps and look for places like Kaiparowits, Henry Mountains, Aquarius Plateau, Bentonite Hills, Steamboat Point, and Hans Flat. There's plenty of good stuff for lots of visits. I don't mean to dissuade you from the Moab experience, just open your eyes to all that southern Utah has to offer. For me the less people I see, the better; I prefer beers around a campfire to beers at a bar. That might not be your style. The one thing I do recommend near Moab is the White Rim Trail (you'll need a reservation to camp out there, more info here: http://www.nps.gov/cany/). Between the riding and the views, you'll never forget the experience. Have a great trip! __Arden

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "KLRDON" wrote: > > I'm looking for suggestions and information on planning a ride for a group > of my riding buddies, the Nawth Jaja Rat Pack (Georgia), in the Moab area. > It might even include some camping out on the trail. What time of year is > the best for this kind of trip, not scorching hot and not likely to rain > much? What are the camping spots to utilize and what scenic routes are > recommended? > Thx in advance, > Don M >

Hey Don, southern Uath is like a candy store especially if you like to ride open country. Here are a few of my favorites: -From Highway 12 @ Boulder, Burr Trail eastbound in the late afternoon to catch the amazing colors in the canyon and Capital Reef, exit north to highway 24 then camp at Fruita, this may put you riding out at dusk to catch the colors right. -Hell's Backbone NW of Boulder -La Sal Pass -Onion Creek(never rode but heard it was good) -Moab to Monticello via Kane Springs Rd> Hurrah Pass> Lockhart Basin Rd., this one should get you away from the crowds, it takes a good chunk of a day and there is one spot that is a bit technical at the start(I can't remember it's name, probably death, devil or your screwed rocks) -White Rim & Dead Horse State Park, get for pictures I'd vote for a ride in the month of May to avoid the summer heat. Steve --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "Arden Kysely" wrote:

> > Don, > > It's hard to go wrong riding anywhere around the Moab area, but my > preference is to give this 'mecca' a wide berth and strike out for > less traveled areas. Everything in southern Utah south of I-70 and > east of I-15 is pretty spectacular, so it's hard to go wrong. Moab

has

> the name, so if you want to ride places where people will recognize > where you've been, spend your time there. I saw more than enough of > Moab back during a summer as a Green River based white-water

boatman

> starting trips on the Colorado River at Potash (downriver from

Moab),

> and another working for the National Park Service in Monticello. > > Moab's saving grace is Fred and the other facilities available to a > rider in need, but that's no reason to spend all your time there.

My

> favorite trip planning tool for Utah adventures is the AAA map

called

> Indian Country. Any of the dirt roads shown on that map are fair

game

> on a KLR, and many of those roads have smaller offshoots not shown

on

> the map that are ripe for exploring. If you're determined to stay

in

> the Moab area and want to get away for a day, you could do worse

than

> exploring the Abajo Mountains outside of Monticello. You can ride

all

> the way from the town to the Colorado River crossing at Hite on

dirt

> roads, going from high and cool to low and warm, forest to redrock. > > You can camp almost anywhere along the backroads if you're not in a > National Park. There are also many primitive campgrounds run by the

US

> Forest Service and BLM. Lots of Utah State Parks have showers > available. Here's a link to their site: http://stateparks.utah.gov/ > The National Parks in the area all have camping, not sure if they > allow you to reserve sites as the state parks do. > > Hot weather in Moab starts in late May or early June. Luckily,

there

> is higher country nearby if you need to cool off. Monticello is a > small town 50 miles south that sits at 7000' so it's never the oven > that Moab is. Green River, up on I-70 is also hot. In April, you

might

> find snow in the mountains. I've usually picked September for my

KLR

> adventures in southern Utah and have never been disappointed. You > might get a thunderstorm or two, and one time I rode past the

Abajos

> as the clouds rose to find a dusting of snow (no wonder I was so > freakin' cold!), but it's generally nice. The one time I went in > October the weather started out fine until a front came through and

we

> had a cold wind for a couple of days. On a June trip, we sweltered

in

> 105 degrees at times, but it made the high country feel all that

much

> better. > > No matter the weather, I bring a tent when I camp. You can find > mosquitoes in the craziest places, and there are obnoxious pinon

gnats

> in late spring/early summer. You'll want a mosquito head net if you > plan to sit outside while camping in the pinon-juniper forests

while

> they're out. Scorpions are common in the desert, and there are > tarantulas and other creepy crawlers I don't relish sharing my bed > with. > > So where's the 'good stuff?' It's all over. Moab has its share, but > for me it doesn't represent the best of southern Utah. Get some

maps

> and look for places like Kaiparowits, Henry Mountains, Aquarius > Plateau, Bentonite Hills, Steamboat Point, and Hans Flat. There's > plenty of good stuff for lots of visits. > > I don't mean to dissuade you from the Moab experience, just open

your

> eyes to all that southern Utah has to offer. For me the less people

I

> see, the better; I prefer beers around a campfire to beers at a

bar.

> That might not be your style. The one thing I do recommend near

Moab

> is the White Rim Trail (you'll need a reservation to camp out

there,

> more info here: http://www.nps.gov/cany/). Between the riding and

the

> views, you'll never forget the experience. > > Have a great trip! > > __Arden > > > --- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, "KLRDON" wrote: > > > > I'm looking for suggestions and information on planning a ride

for a

> group > > of my riding buddies, the Nawth Jaja Rat Pack (Georgia), in the

Moab

> area. > > It might even include some camping out on the trail. What time

of

> year is > > the best for this kind of trip, not scorching hot and not likely

to

> rain > > much? What are the camping spots to utilize and what scenic

routes

> are > > recommended? > > Thx in advance, > > Don M > > >

If you do the White Rim trail, it's going to be a LONG day, plan on 12 hours, or better yet, plan on two days, so you can stop and enjoy the scenery. If you get a copy of the National Geographic maps, I'd recommend not doing anything over a 2+, since the KLR is a fairly heavy bike. I'd also stop and ask the locals at the Climbing shop in town for train conditions, they are a great source for up to date info. Sorry I can't remember more, but I don't have my maps at work, Denis

On Jan 12, 2008 8:44 AM, Don Montgomery wrote: > Thanks to all who have replied so far to my question on Moab riding. Any > insights and further suggestions are certianly welcome! > > > Don M > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Er ...... when I have done the White Rim (probably 4 or 5 times), we starting about 6 in the morning and pretty much finished mid day even on the piggy KLR. I don't take many pictures on that one. Criswell

On Jan 17, 2008, at 3:40 PM, Denis Dimick wrote: > If you do the White Rim trail, it's going to be a LONG day, plan on 12 > hours, or better yet, plan on two days, so you can stop and enjoy the > scenery. > > If you get a copy of the National Geographic maps, I'd recommend > not doing > anything over a 2+, since the KLR is a fairly heavy bike. I'd also > stop and > ask the locals at the Climbing shop in town for train conditions, > they are a > great source for up to date info. > > Sorry I can't remember more, but I don't have my maps at work, > > Denis > > On Jan 12, 2008 8:44 AM, Don Montgomery wrote: > > > Thanks to all who have replied so far to my question on Moab > riding. Any > > insights and further suggestions are certianly welcome! > > > > > > Don M > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Sorry, we don't have a train here. Fred www.arrowheadmotorsports.com

----- Original Message ----- From: Denis Dimick To: Don Montgomery Cc: KLR650@yahoogroupsm Sent: Thursday, January 17, 2008 2:40 PM Subject: Re: [DSN_KLR650] Moab Riding - What's the good stuff If you do the White Rim trail, it's going to be a LONG day, plan on 12 hours, or better yet, plan on two days, so you can stop and enjoy the scenery. If you get a copy of the National Geographic maps, I'd recommend not doing anything over a 2+, since the KLR is a fairly heavy bike. I'd also stop and ask the locals at the Climbing shop in town for train conditions, they are a great source for up to date info. Sorry I can't remember more, but I don't have my maps at work, Denis On Jan 12, 2008 8:44 AM, Don Montgomery wrote: > Thanks to all who have replied so far to my question on Moab riding. Any > insights and further suggestions are certianly welcome! > > > Don M > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

--- In DSN_KLR650@yahoogroups.com, LD wrote:

> > Snip.."Brad & Kathy Scheirer" wrote: I'm one of those cheap BMW riders. I just bought the

IRC GP1's to try on my KLR .

> Curious to hear what you or anyone else thinks about the IRC GP1s as I'm contemplating on

trying them next. I've only ridden stock tires, Pirelli S/T's and Gripsters so far.

>

I have ridden the Kenda K270, a GP1 clone that was until recently selling for $78 a pair. The GP1s are a little more expensive, by all accounts behave a little better on pavement, and don't last as long as the K270s. I would select either of them them over any of the $90/tire alternatives

Since it's his first time, I assume from the post, I think he will take more then 6 hours to cover 90+ miles. However, I also assume that if you have ridden the WRT more then a few times, you could do it much faster. Still, six hours for the WRT is a pretty good pace, Denis

On Jan 17, 2008 5:10 PM, Ronald Criswell wrote: > Er ...... when I have done the White Rim (probably 4 or 5 times), we > starting about 6 in the morning and pretty much finished mid day even on the > piggy KLR. I don't take many pictures on that one. > Criswell > On Jan 17, 2008, at 3:40 PM, Denis Dimick wrote: > > If you do the White Rim trail, it's going to be a LONG day, plan on 12 > hours, or better yet, plan on two days, so you can stop and enjoy the > scenery. > > If you get a copy of the National Geographic maps, I'd recommend not doing > anything over a 2+, since the KLR is a fairly heavy bike. I'd also stop > and > ask the locals at the Climbing shop in town for train conditions, they are > a > great source for up to date info. > > Sorry I can't remember more, but I don't have my maps at work, > > Denis > > On Jan 12, 2008 8:44 AM, Don Montgomery > > wrote: > > > Thanks to all who have replied so far to my question on Moab riding. Any > > insights and further suggestions are certianly welcome! > > > > > > Don M > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]