3 Kaboom's, 3 Dudes, and a Chick ride Nevada, Utah, Wyoming, Colorado, Idaho, Montana

[MizzouRider]

I started reading this from the get go.. We (5 of us) did a week out west last month covering much of the same ground. It's fantastic out there. I wish we were still riding, ha.. Does that feeling of wanting to be back there ever go away..

Thanks for finishing the RR!

Our RR is here.. http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=826706

Jeff

[DARKRYDER]

Thanks for sharing your RR Jeff, looking through it brings back memories of our own ride

We're only on day 8 of 13 here so this RR is far from over. Stay tuned!

[zeegman]

Originally Posted by DARKRYDER

Thanks for sharing your RR Jeff, looking through it brings back memories of our own ride

We're only on day 8 of 13 here so this RR is far from over. Stay tuned!

Welcome Jeff and welcome back Tijuana_Taxi.
Glad to have you along for the ride.
6 more days of report to come!
Starting reading your report Jeff - looked like a fun time too!

thanks,
Mike Z

[staudio]

now that was a good ride report

[Just Paul]

brings back great memories !

[zeegman]

Day 9 would be about 230 miles due to a local road closure. The intended route was suppose to take us South of Encampment/Riverside on Blackhill road and pass by
Hog Park dam. Unfortunately the road past Hog Park Dam was closed due to construction (as of Aug 29, 2011 - this might be different now - plaese check local road conditions if heading this way). We were’nt sure about the correct way to route around so we ended up
retracing to Encampent/Riverside and taking hwy 125 East and South to Hwy 14 South and then Hwy 40 West to Hayden. This took us through Steamboat Springs and
got us to the Chapman campground West of Yampa quicker since we had lost a bunch of time with the backtracking.

The rains had cleared away and the sky was a bit cloudy but decent so we were enthused about the day after our damp end to the previous one.
We had a good breakfast at the Bear Trap Café

and gassed up in Riverside



We had some nice scenic views off Blackhill road


We ran into Purgatory gultch – sounded like a bad place so did not stay long.


It wasn’t too long after this we ran into our Hog Dam Road closure. We backtracked back to Riverside which wasn’t a bad thing since this was such a nice road to ride.


Was saw some interesting rocky outcrops along the highway South of Riverside

Closer looks exposed some choice hiding spots



Then we reached the Colorado border – have’nt seen a snowplow sign for a long time!


So we headed South Hwy 125 and then West on Hwy 14 and West on Hwy 40 through Routt forest


Saw several farms and ranches along the way.


And skihills – now we were getting close to the winter resort town of Steamboat Springs

And we were greeted with a full rainbow

We were hungry and decided to stop in Steamboat for an early dinner.

We stopped at a Mexican restaurant called Fiesta Jalisco - the food was great

The Interior was just as impressive



After the meal we hit the road and headed further East towards Hayden .
Some more nice farm country


We spotted a train and had a race!


At one point we spotted these strange rocky bumps


From a different angle


Anyways we kept on going until we hit Hayden, and then turned South on some more dirt – yeah!


And passed by this overlooking cliff face


Looks like some Hoodoos in there


At this point we reached Oak Creek and Paul/Jill and I wanted to camp and Jeremy wanted to hotel it.
So Paul/Jill and I went off to Chapman Reservoir campground and Jeremy stayed at a local hotel.
We would meet up at Peggy’s Diner in Yampa in the morning.
The road to Chapman Reservoir was nicely forested.


We reach the campground


What a perfect spot. There was hardly anyone there, it was quiet, and very picturesque



Summer flowers were out


We had a late snack and sat around talking about the days adventures over a night cap


It was a bit colder there but that was OK since it made up for all the hot days we had earlier in the trip.
We bundled up and said our good nights and passed out.

We had to change up the route a bit but that is what makes these trips interesting - you never quite know what to expect until you get there. That is all part of the Adventure! But this day turned out all right.
Day 10 would have us heading West to hang out with large dead animals and the ghosts of bad men and wild west women in Meeker, Echo canyon, Dinasour Monument, and end up in Vernal Utah.












.

[byways]

[MizzouRider]

Good stuff.. Fun to see the pics.
Just curious, how was the service at Peggy's Diner? We ate there twice, at day 1 and at day 8.. The food was great, but they were in no hurry to get us anything.. I remember begging for coffee, with a reply, "I know you're there."

Looking forward to your impressions of Echo Park Canyon, and see if you took the big downhill the next day 2 up?

[DockingPilot]

Not that you were asking me but now that you mention it I also remember the waitress was the same way! Lol

Sent from my SCH-I800 using Tapatalk 2

[zeegman]

Originally Posted by MizzouRider

Good stuff.. Fun to see the pics.
Just curious, how was the service at Peggy's Diner? We ate there twice, at day 1 and at day 8.. The food was great, but they were in no hurry to get us anything.. I remember begging for coffee, with a reply, "I know you're there."

Looking forward to your impressions of Echo Park Canyon, and see if you took the big downhill the next day 2 up?

Yes the service was a bit slow but they were friendly and food was good. We have a few pics.

I think we were served by a male waiter.

The downhill will come up in the next days report.

Mike Z

[GSF1200S]

I love the choice of roads you guys take. Great RR, im totally in till the end!

[Just Paul]

chapman ! Great campsite

[zeegman]

Day 10 Aug 30


Day 10 was a 155 mile trek from Yampa through Routt Forest to White River up to historic Meeker, along White River again to Rangley.
Jeremy stayed in a hotel in Oakdale and Paul/Jill and I stayed in the campground at Chapman reservoir.
We met in the town of Yampa “Gateway to the Flattops” (mountains not the haircut) the next morning and had a great breakfast at Peggy’s diner in Yampa



The menu looks good – I think I tried the Mikes American skillet

I was not disappointed as here it is

Jill had a heap of biscuits and gravey but I think she got way more than she expected


Some fun signs on the walls.


Yampa has a dirt main street with large old fashioned lamps


After breakfast we hit the road and enjoy a view of the flattop mountains

Routt National forest

Zooming West along nice forestry roads

We reach Dunckley Pass Overlook

And have a look

A sign at the overlook tells the history of the area

Shortly after resuming, “Flats” comes up flat.

O Boy we get to fix another flat!


Now we know why Paul brought Jill along – to fix his flats!

After fixing the flat in record time – thanks Jill – we sped along West

again and reached a high point at about 10000 feet in White River Forest

Moose warning! We didn’t see any moose except for one unfortunate one which you will see later.

Summer flowers were out in full force

The roads were pretty nice through here

Some red rocks on the roadside for contrast

Big clouds that day – I think I can see Elvis!


We reach pavement and head towards Meeker past a big river and massive ranch houses.

This guy’s house is huge – his BBQ is big than my garage!


Video of Paul/Jill flyby

We reach the outskirts of Meeker and ask a local at the gas pump where to get a good lunch – he says Meeker hotel – of course – you don’t want to miss it!

We had lunch in the hotel under a giant moosehead

There was an amazing assortment of stuffed animals in there – deer, elk, wolves, porcupine, fox coyote, owls

Paul was getting friendly with the “wall elk”


The hotel has a long history since being built in 1896. Several famous guests visited the hotel including Theodore Roosevelt, Dick Chaney, Gary Cooper, and Billy the Kid
Several other famous outlaws such as Butch Cassidy and the Sundance kid of “Hole in the Wall Gang” visited the area

We enjoyed the time at the hotel but it was afternoon and time to move on


Some free roaming horses

And canyons below as the terrain started to change as we headed further West



A cool overlook

A video of the overlook

Then we run into what looks like a deadwood forest

A rift in the earth’s crust ahead

A big heron pond

We are just outside Rangley and spot this peak


A short video of our arrival in Rangley


We are greeted by an old rake.

and a rainbow



We stayed that night in a community run campsite in town.
It was a good day touring in the countryside even with the flat that Paul had
And the Meeker hotel was a highlight as well.
Day 11 would bring Echo Canyon, Dinosaur monument, another flat, some hard slogging, and would have us end up in Vernal Utah.

[MizzouRider]

Glad you are making progress with the RR!
We missed the hotel in Meeker. Big miss too.. We gassed up and headed for Echo Park.
Keep it coming, we're waiting.

Jeff

[byways]

Glad to see the journey resume!

Regarding the Meeker Hotel: The lobby and cafe are appealing, but the rooms themselves upstairs are in bad shape ... very run down and even dirty. I've stayed there twice over the years. Seems not much has been done to maintain and upgrade it as a lodging since Teddy Roosevelt's day. I don't recommend it for an overnight stay.