Returning to the desert – Nevada and Oregon 2012

[oregonlmd]

Originally Posted by pdedse

It's a grey, rainy evening in OR, but these photos...oh my! ...what a way to let a little sunshine break through the gloom

I absolutely agree. I stole the last pic up there and turned it into my computer wallpaper. I get to look at that view every time I sit down to work at the computer now.

[ttr]

Great RR, I didn't figure how beautiful Nevada is before to read this post. Thanks for sharing

[Remarksman]

Looks like a really fun ride!

Thanks for sharing all the pictures and info. Now I want to go see Jarbidge

[PatSmith]

Was part of your trip done on the TAT? I just bought the Nevada and Oregon TAT maps and have a friend that is interested, that was step one. Step two is the planning of the trip

[ugo1st]

Mike will answer better, but no, not really. there was a piece where we came close. A rancher's wife we talked to said she see's bikes from that route near there, but hadn't ever seen bikes drop out of the mts the way came through. That's all I remember, not knowing the TAT. I have heard some of the toughest? terrain on the TAT is in that area though.

wildBill

[Remarksman]

Originally Posted by PatSmith

Was part of your trip done on the TAT? I just bought the Nevada and Oregon TAT maps and have a friend that is interested, that was step one. Step two is the planning of the trip

The abandoned ranch with the red cabin and stream crossing just north of Battle Mountain was on the TAT, but that was the only location I recognized as definitely being on the TAT.

When we did the TAT, we routed over Hinky Pass based on a suggestion by, I think, Docking Pilot as a short "alternate route" for the section near Paradise Valley. We didn't have time to go back and compare the official TAT route, but Hinky Pass is definitely worth going over.

[MasterMarine]

Thanks for reading the report. There is some beautiful country down there!

Hinkey Pass is definitely cool. That, climbing Beatys Butte, and the area around Jarbidge are some of my coolest memories of the 2012 trip.

I sent a message to the TAT guy before we left but he never got back to me. I think we might have been on it the first day from Denio Junction to at least where we passed that cabin. I imagine some of that 2023 road would be a handful on a bigger bike. Some of the group was a bit worried about the loose rocky grade when we were on our way back to DJ. It turned out to be no big deal even tho we were all spent and hauling butt straight into the sun. We were trying to crest that last range before the sun set after having to get creative with the route because of some fences across the road (twice).

We might have been on or close to the TAT further all the way to the Zimmerman Ranch too. The woman at Zimmerman Ranch told me there were often bikes that came past her ranch headed westbound but that we were the first she had ever seen going eastbound. There was a guy who showed up at Denio Junction who was riding the TAT when we were there in 2011. I think Denio Junction is a fuel spot on the TAT. I have never seen the actual route so don't know.

[PatSmith]

Guys, thanks for the replies to my TAT question.

[MasterMarine]

Originally Posted by Remarksman

The abandoned ranch with the red cabin and stream crossing just north of Battle Mountain was on the TAT, but that was the only location I recognized as definitely being on the TAT.

Hi Remarksman,

I am not sure which abandoned ranch you are talking about but we were not near Battle Mountain. We were way up near the Oregon / Idaho / Nevada border while crossing the Owyhee desert in 2012.

I kind of assumed you were talking about this cabin when I responded above:




I think the we might have been on the TAT from Denio Junction to just past this cabin on the first day. But we might have been on it further judging by the Zimmerman Ranch owner's comments to me.

[MasterMarine]

I have had some time to fool around with the videos I made on the trip since I smashed my foot trail riding last week. Here is the first one. It is the trail up to a viewpoint just outside of Denio Junction off of Wilder Creek Road.

I am still trying to sort out how to embed the video so bear with me...

[MasterMarine]

Here is the Pipeline Crossing of the South Fork of the Owyhee River.

[Hotmamaandme]

This is a great report. I really want to do this ride

[MasterMarine]

Originally Posted by Hotmamaandme

This is a great report. I really want to do this ride

Thank you for the kind words.

We really enjoyed ourselves out there and plan to get out and do some more in the future.

Get yourself a Benchmark and plot a course thru the desert. It is fantastic!! So much to see!

I still have some more vidoes left to edit and post. I hope you like them!

[MasterMarine]

Here is a quick panorama from just slightly north of Hicks Mountain. It was a bit breezy up there but absolutely beautiful. One of those long climbs up a hill that ends with topping out over the saddle to an amazing landscape.

Enjoy!

[tundradirtbiker]

Great uploads Mike