alfalfa

Got to get Frijole in here.  He loves Colorado and White Rim Trail.  He has no plans to ride this year, but these pics could change his mind!

8 minutes ago, Pedro said:

....I just like riding bikes and what they do for me, not really into the whole kindred spirit thing connecting me to every twat on two wheels, except if she's got a nice smile and clever humor."

I enjoy riding my bikes, more so if I'm by myself since that is what I'm looking for, time alone. I wave to other people on bikes, and stop if someone is stranded on the side of the road, but don't pretend I have any sort of connection to them, and in fact usually assume I don't. Having said that, I have a couple of friends who also ride bikes and I spend some time with them, usually over a meal and plenty of wine instead of riding bikes, couldn't care less if that takes away from me being considered a biker since I am just a guy who enjoys riding and traveling on bikes.

Whenever people assume I would like to hang around someone else just because they also ride a bike, I am the first to correct them saying they can annoy me as much as anyone else, if not more 

Very similar here.  i would just add that i've met some really good motorcycle enthusiasts thru all this online stuff, that i wouldnt have met otherwise.   Even Bruce, whom i plan on meeting in the flesh someday soon.

 

Dont really care what bike you ride, just that you love to ride.  Grew up on Hondas, went thru Kawis and a Groundpounder and a Road Glide before choosing my current brand.  I just love tweaking the nose of those who think their bike choice defines them, and defines them as better than others.  Especially them KTM guys.  They are totally clueless

 

 

Colorado is one of our favorite places to ride.  Lots of mountain and forest roads, beautiful scenery!

i'm just here for the attention.....

anyone know these guys?

8 hours ago, Buckster said:

You totally sniffed it, you sniffed my saddle in New Mexico you sick bastard.

my, my, my.  kiss and tell, are we?

racing team mascot was a little pig.  wearing lipstick.  just like the bikes

3 hours ago, BusBoy said:

So you're telling us you bought it for it's saddle value, mmm, many here probably wouldn't condemn you.

Rumors that i might have sniffed the pillion seat are false. totally, false.

 

 

 

 

 

probably

19 hours ago, BusBoy said:

Anyway, you need to share the full story about Flames. And whether she likes having her tummy tickled or dislikes the fat-bastid that straddles her because she spends more time on her back than her wheels as far as I can tell

 

 

you mean why she is standing here with studded snow tires?

 

Sandra Bullock's boy-toy had a little tv show and this bike was built to ride the ice road in Canada, from Inuvik to Tuktoyatuk.   After doing that, (and raising hell on ADVRIDER) he sold tried selling the bike.  I eventually got it from the BMW dealer in St Louis, Missouri.  It had 2,400 miles on it then,  115,000 on it now.

It is now referred to as the Uber bike by all the friends who come west to ride.

The XR is a good canyon racer when you get old and dont like the bent over position

 

Start off with Bruce's favorite GS - Flames

 

 

Then, a fun one to hooligan on:

 

 

 

This was a big improvement in offroad "stuff" - the Rallye

 

 

On 27/05/2020 at 14:38, BusBoy said:

Yep, wife and kids. Geology is a recipe for divorce. It's why I never got hitched until after I left the field. The standing joke was married at 24, kids by 27, divorced before 30. Geology is a vocation like sailors that doesn't tolerate long term relationships

and, yet you bought a boat....

5 hours ago, XTreme said:

1973......

ah, the Bjorn Borg era?

Margaret Thatcher?

On 10/05/2020 at 05:51, Buckster said:

I think you may be overestimating this bunch of idiots, but welcome anyway.

At least she didnt say she was looking for facts

Saying goodbye to a friend

 

We finish up in Moab and head back to Ouray to cool off and play in the mountains.  Plus, we had business at the top of Engineer Pass to finish.   We stop in Dolores and spend the night at Big John's, as he was to follow us up to Engineer with all the sign materials.   The next morning we take off up towards Telluride so that we can cross the mountain range by way of Ophir Pass.   Otherwise, you have to go in a big loop thru Durango, to get to Silverton, at the bottom of Engineer.

But, first.   we have to make Chis an honorary 'murican:

 

 

 

Big John loads up his jeep and we take off.  Ophir is a fun and beautiful pass, but the last section before the top is very rocky. 

 

This trip, we made it without much drama.

 

At the top, the "smooth" section of Ophir.

 

Unpacking the sign stuff from John's Jeep.

 

the Cap'n and Chris take the post out to the point.  This is the spot Jim had spread Billy's ashes the year before, after getting blown off of Imogene.

 

the big guy - Big John Davis.  We have learned over time that the "big" in his name actually refers to his heart.   Just dont tell him you know that

 

 

After getting the sign installed.

 

Billy's good friend, Jim, on the left.  Spiritual leader of AGALOS.  On the right is some crazy dude from England.  He had brought along his own tribute to a friend lost.  The sticker was placed on the back of the sign.

 

Jim had brought along a little bottle of Billy's moonshine and we offered up a toast.  When i find Stephen's video of the ceremony again, i might post it.

 

After our little farewell to good friends, we headed back down to Silverton for lunch.  While in the restaurant, i pulled out a forest service map i had gotten from somewhere, and was looking up the roads we had been on.  I focused on Engineer Pass, having just left there.  Imagine the shock when i noticed that near the top, there is a little spur road which was shown on the map.  This spur road was named "O Point Road" and it was exactly where we had erected the sign, one year after Jim, Chad and Larry had settled on this spot to spread Billy's ashes.  No one in the group had any idea that we had ridden down a "road", and no one believed that this road was called O Point Road, or what we now call Odom Point Road!.   It had to have been Billy the year before who had made sure Jim had ended up at this place.  Nothing else explains the coincidence.  at least in our minds.

 

You can google "Odom Point" now, and find that it truly has become a popular place.  Our next goal is to take his widow, April, up and show her where Billy now lives.

 

Welcome!

4 hours ago, Specs said:

Wouldn't get me anywhere near there.

There is one section on this road where you come around a corner, vertical rock going up on one side, and flat area to the other.  Except, the direction we have ridden this, as soon as you start the corner, the radius decreases drastically, and you face a gap in the rocks along the outside edge of the road, giving you a view of about an 800 foot drop!  If you arent paying attention, you will be playing superman instantly.

But, before we could ride the Trail, we had to traverse across Colorado by way of mountain roads.  Rob had casually mentioned riding the same road several years prior with his son.  So, of course i said "you lead", which he did.   I did not know, however, how freaked out about it he was and which he later told me.  It never occurred to me that he was already on edge joining up with a group of people, some he didnt know and some he only knew online.  And, now he was being asked to lead the group!   To us, it really didnt matter if it went wrong, or if it went right.  It just had to go.

We survived Rob's leadership, with only a couple of instances of people getting lost.  But, that's normal for us.

I need to stop down here and kind of explain who all is in this group.  Especially since i cant figure out why in the hell they let me ride with them.  So, first you have Jim.  Jim had to have been borne on a GS as he rides it like its a small dirt bike.  Then, you have Chad and Larry. They are no slouches either, especially considering they both come from the Harley world and havent been on GSs for that long.  Chad, well he is a Marine and is just nuts.  No fear (no brains?).  Larry is a giant of a man, who can flat foot the tallest GSA and get it out of pretty much anywhere.

Stephen Gregory, besides being a pro photographer and videographer, has taken to offroad like he was born into it.  Several Rawhyde training classes and riding with Chad for a few years have brought his skill level way up!

Blair and Ben were on the US BMW Trophy team that competed in Canada a few years back.  Part of the Killer B's.  So, you know them boys can ride!

I've already told you that Gary (Bip) can ride, given his history on dirt bikes.  His first trip on my GS to Colorado and once he "started riding it like a dirt bike" never looked back.

Chris is the pro-rider, having competed for years in England.  I still recall first meeting him at March Moto Madness in Tennessee and after riding the hills with Jim, came back with the assessment "that boy can ride". Yep, Jim is bonafide. (He wont admit it).

Rob, well Rob owns probably 100 bikes. Has raced offroad, in dirt and sand, and has 100 million miles to his credit.

But, the best thing i can say about these boys is that they will wait for me to catch up, everytime.    Yep, i'm proud to carry their boots.

 

Back to the RR. Thanks for the indulgence.....

 

We make it to Moab, and our trailer B&B and get some rest for the next day's marathon.  It gets warm in Moab, so we set out early to try and beat the heat.

You ride the WRT in a loop, choosing to enter near Moab, or at the entrance to Canyonlands, some 25 miles north of Moab.  You would think that smart people would ride it from north to south, so that they would finish close to their B&B and large supplies of water and beer.

We aint smart.

This is the second time for Jim and I on the WRT and both times we've done it the "wrong" way.  Oh, well.  This is partly due to a couple of climbs that, at least the first time on the trail, seemed to be pretty hard if you came from the north.

Ben (the Cap'n), Rob and Chris

 

Chris and Gary

 

You dont see Chris smile in his online pics much.  Unless he is riding.  Stands to reason.

 

 

We are about an hour into the ride and had already gotten separated.  Maybe due to lack of directions that when you get to the fork in the road, go left, not right.  However, when you get to this particular fork, the right is an incredible set of switchbacks called Schafer Switchbacks.  And, you know, you just have to go see.

 

 

Up on Shafer (on the left).  To the bottom right, you see the correct road that makes up the White Rim Trail.  These hills were all created by the two rivers eroding them away over time.  Above us in this picture is a large mesa, known as Canyonlands.

 

 

A few miles into the ride and we pull over for water, catch up, etc.  The drop to the bottom right is probably about 600 feet.  From where they are standing, they dont know they are on an outcropping 

 

 

Sometimes the only shade is that of your trusty steed.  Here Chris is enjoying the girth of Flames.

 

Several more miles of sand, silt, gravel, boulders, a nice long and steep climb and we find the shade of a bathroom.  Aint many trees out here.  These pics show you how tough WRT is.  Those are some fine riders sitting there looking hagard.

Except for the Capn.  He is the youngster and appears to be in better shape.

 

 

We make it off Hog's Back and down to a wide spot in the road.  It is here that we find a group of Boy Scouts with shade, sandwiches and ICE CREAM!!!   So nice in 100 degree weather!

 

 

135 miles, one river of 3 feet deep sand, another series of switchbacks and we are back in Moab, looking for liquids!  Oh, there might have been some muddy spots, too

 

I think we finally tuckered the little feller out

So, where was I?  Oh, yes.  After getting back to their respective homes, the AGALOS tribe finds out that Jim was successful in spreading Billy's ashes on top of Engineer Pass, on a little side point of the main road.  This was after being knocked off Imogene by a thunder storm, with lightning strikes dangerously close by.   Of course, we started planning the following year's trip, again to Colorado, with discussion on how many to invite the next time.  Jim's trips seem to attract riders like flies on a KTM.    Over that winter break, we find out from out good ol buddy and honorary pack leader Big John Davis, that he was having a sign made up to commemorate the location and the event.  Some of you here know Big John and if you really know him, you know that the gruff ol persona he presents online is nothing like real life.  In real life, this nearly 7 foot giant has a heart scaled to his proportions.  We now had a theme for 2017 - erecting a sign in Billy's honor, named "Odom Point".

Jim gets cabin fever during the harsh (?) winters in Tennessee, so long about Nov/Dec he starts obsessing over the next summer's ride.  Each year has to be bigger than the previous year, in location, experiences, and whatever trouble we can get in to.  This trip was going to be special for 3 reasons - 1. erecting the Odom Point sign, 2. our English brother of another mother would be with us, and 3. our long time buddy who has been fighting health issues, wanting to do "one last ride" with the gang.  Now, if you know me, you know i hate planning things, but only to the nth degree.  I usually start with "where are we going?".  Followed by what's the curviest way to get there, coupled with "have we been here before"   Out of that falls a sort of plan.  Most of my enjoyment comes from riding with those OCD friends and being able to tell them "I dont know" when they ask what's tomorrow's details.  I mean, its my vacation and i just aint going to toe any lines.

Finally, July 2017 arrives, along with that Limey, Chris Jones.  I pick him up at the airport late in the day, and head home.  By the time we get there, we've already started changing the plan.  Rather than get a couple of hours of sleep, then heading out across the desert in the heat, we pack up and head out after midnite.  Not a problem for Chris as his body clock is 8 hrs ahead and its morning to him.  But, it was challenging for me and after almost falling off the bike near Mohave, we decide its caffeine time (at 4 am).   We make it to our rendezvous with the third Cali idjit, Bip

A couple of stops out in the Mohave Desert

The three of us rode to Flagstaff for the first overniter, finding a great campground north of town.

 

Gary and Chris enjoying Valley of the Gods

Both Gary and Chris can be considered Fine F*cking Riders!  Chris has raced enduros in England very successfully.  Gary just has years of dirt riding.  So in Valley of the Gods, a 17 mile dirt road runs through it.  Which means those two take off like bats out of hell, and i did my best to stay within an hour of them.   When i was getting back close to the main highway, i cam around a corner that i knew was tricky, having been there before.  Sure enough, looking at one set of tracks i can tell that a rider had come around the blind corner, not knowing that it was a decreasing radius.  The tracks slid out to the edge of the road, before correcting and continuing.   A 100 yards down the road these two stood laughing.  I pulled up asking "who missed the corner?", knowing it was probably Chris.  Due to the signs that an amazing save had been made!

Gary (Bip) in his element

 

The gang meets up in Lake City, CO before heading up into the passes to play.  At this point it is me, Chris, Bip, Jim, Blair, and Larry.   We head up into the mountains, headed west knowing we had to meet up with Chad and Steven in Ridgeway the following day.  Jim then tells us that another rider from the east was going to be joining us. It was starting to look like a parade!

Top of Engineer Pass

We spend that night in a BLM campground (free!) between Animas Forks and Silverton.  The next morning, our east coast rider shows up while we are packing, finds out we are spending that night near Ridgway and takes off for Telluride where he has a friend.  The rest of us pack up, decide to head back to Lake City, then go play on some of the Colorado BDR before getting to Ridgway.

 

 

 

Finally, everyone meets up at a campground north of Ridgway, as planned.  We have Chad, Steven, Rob and Ben Proffit.  We are up to 10 riders and JIm has a glazed look in his eye. 

 

Its at this point everyone gets introduced around (we all know each other, except for Rob. He was the late arrival to the group.  Turns out he had been speaking online with Jim, hinting around that he wanted to see what was so much fun.   He had been doing the Iron Butt Rally (10 days of 1000 miles per day riding!!) and wasnt feeling it anymore.  He figured that he could flush it out of his system by riding in the Rockies.  Of course, he was back in Connecticut when he made this decision which meant doing an Iron Butt (1000 miles in one day) to get to us!  Probably out of the whole AGALOS bunch, he shows the least intelligence.  I mean who in their right mind would ride 1000 miles in one day?  Personally, i wont do, and havent done, more than 950.

We pop out of the campground the next morning, headed to Montrose. Why?  Because there is a nice dirt trail that runs from Montrose over to Moab, which is where we wanted to ride the White Rim Trail.  That is a 110 mile dirt trail around some mesas created by the Colorado and Green Rivers.  Jim, me and my brother had ridden the Trail in 2010 and it was hell!  High temps, sand, rocks, steep trails!  So, of course we had to do it again.  The video Jim did of that ride is the reason we all knew Chris Jones.  And, Chris had always wanted to ride the Trial on the bike i rode in 2010.  He was getting his wish.  He maybe was also going to regret it.

 

Jim's 2010 video - 

 

 

 

 

Hey, Danijoy!  Welcome.  Need to hook you up with a friend near Hartford.  He is hosting "Rock Lobster" rally this August, if the virus dont kill it.  Some fun off roading

another place to put on the list!!

Excellent roads in the Pyrenees (except on the French side.  they need to learn how to repair roads and not just throw gravel everywhere!)

I love Spain.  Did an Edelweiss Pyrenees Extreme tour there a couple of years ago.  Started in Barcelona and ran thru the mountains to San Sebastian and back.  Beautiful place and a guaranteed 50,000 curves!