BigDog/Friends/COBDR/UTBDR/2,3 & 4 Corners

This ride was a really great one.
We would run the Colorado and Utah Back Country Discovery routes on this ride---which were awesome.
But other things came in to play and sometimes overshadowed those routes.
Also tying the 2 BDR routes together was a challenge and took us down some neat roads even tho the unbelievable rains Utah and
Colorado were having would try to ruin our ride. We lucked out getting thru places others were having a hard time or had
to re-route as their weather and route timing was a little different than ours.

And oh yes--------everybody knows what and where 4-corners is---so what is 2 and 3 corners ?????
3 corners is way better than 4 corners----never heard of anybody going there---and there was nobody there---and
no Indians were there to charge us a fee for being there.
There was a reason nobody was at 3 corners----it's extremely hard to get to and requires a hike up a hill
no bike could climb.



Left to right----Me (BigDog) Yamaha WR250R
Bud (Rhoedster) KTM 690 Enduro
Bill Asher (Bash3r) WR250R
Scott Stevenson (Dingleweeds)) WR250R---with 50,000 miles on the clock !!!


A few pics


















It was about 3,000 miles I think.
More to come when I get to it.

Glad you guys survived the Colorado Monsoons, looking forward to the details.

Looking forward to hearing about what I've been missing.

Looks like you guys had a blast

awesome!

Sounds like a great trip. Sorry for the times the weather played a role.
I can't wait to see all the pictures and read all the stories.
Thanking you in advance for sharing with us

Can't wait for another BigDog report. Bring it on.

Nice start Mark!

I've never seen one of those, pretty cool! Cant wait to hear more

Oh yes we did---and nobody got hurt---the main thing.

And thanks to our Butler maps---they are awesome !!!

We met 3 young men from Butler maps on Hurricane Pass on this trip---talked to them for a bit---they were being following by a really neat 4-wheel drive military type vehicle-------said it was carrying their gear and tents-------and oh yes---------beer

I'll show their pictures when I get to it.

They tore off on those 990's like they were 220lb. 2-strokes.

You are so welcome.

BigDog

Are you "Bob Bob"-------or just Bob.

BigDog

So this ride starts in Cortez, Colorado with 5 good buddies---well 5 at first--then there were 4---then there were 3.
Some people have to work you know---and keep the economy going--and paying into my social security.



Here we are at Jeffs house who was so kind to let us park all our tow vehicles at his place in Cortez, Colorado.
We had a great dinner there and stayed the night.
Jeff would join us just for one day on his BMW1200GS
All the time driving out West I knew we where going to Jeff's house---however I was shocked when we got there--------I didn't know I knew him as Bash3r had arranged our stay there.
It was somewhere on Mobius 10 I think---near the parting of the ways I ran into him and Pax.

Day 1----September 1st, 2013




We would ride the 2 Back Country Discovery routes clockwise----and headed straight to 4 corners from Cortez where
Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Arisona meet.




The last time I was here---with my son---4 corners was closed for renovation and my son never got to see it.




I spent many a night finding a route across the Navajo Indian reservation to connect the Colorado and Utah Back Country Discovery routes.
So from 4 corners we would start the Utah portion going North--but we went out across the reservation hoping my route would be a good one.




From 4 corners we rode the paved route 160 West a few miles and turned North onto the Indian reservation on Bia-5060.
"Bia" is Bureau of Indian Affairs.




I wish Jeff could have hung with us some more--but he had work obligations and probably new his bike wouldn't be suitable for all this ride anyway.





Me on the left---my WR250R would hit 45,000 miles on this trip.
Bill Asher's (right) WR250R was pretty new and low mileage.
Bill was just going to be able to ride with us for a week or so---it was great we got together to do a bigger ride together.
He lives not far from me and we've done a few shorter rides together in Illinois and Missouri.





Across the desert we go in perfect weather.









Part of the road was solid rock.





Somewhere out there the roads disappeared and we had to head South and ride some pavement on route 160 again.
I think out there was some land formation that was impassable---as there seemed to be no roads going all the way West to Mexican Hat.
Might have been a high mesa---bad deep canyon---I don't no ?????




We hit the highway just South of the little town of Mexican Hat, Utah and gassed up----then headed North a bit.
I'm not sure anybody knew why Mexican Hat was named Mexican Hat---or where I was taking them.
I think the last time I was here I was with ole' GasPipe ??? Not sure ????





The rock needs no explanation.






On a previous trip to Mexican hat----we stopped in the local cafe and I took a picture of a picture that was hanging on the wall.
This picture is awesome !!!!!! This girl is hanging and repelling from the top of the Mexican Hat rock.






From there we headed Northeast on the paved route 163 for just a couple miles and turned North and rode thru "Valley Of The Gods"
About 20 miles of some georgeous scenery.

I might just save this on for a cold night this winter to read.

I'm in and have my Indian Country AAA map as well as my Benchmark maps at the ready. I found Bia 5060 and it looks like it goes through to 191. I can't quite figure how you came into Mexican Hat to the south from 160 unless you took Bia 6440 from just west of Mexican Water.

I bought a place in Scottsdale and have my WRR there, so I want to know your route so I can try parts of it. An inmate sent me his tracks of a 700 mile series of dirt loops through Capitol Reef, Grand Staircase Escalante, and parts of Bryce. I've ridden some of it before, but not 700 miles worth.

Thanks in advance.

Pantah----not to worry-------I have the gps file posted here:
http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?p=22413228#post22413228

You can follow each days riding.
As you look at it you will notice we varied from the route several times--most torrential rain related.

Do not try to go to waypoint "CampDay02"---that property is in ownership limbo.

Please wait to ask questions about why we went where we did---and why did we get off route until the story gets to that day.
It will probably be explained without asking when the story gets that far along.

Also------------at the end of each days ride-------I will post a map of the route.

BigDog

OK, and thanks again.

Riding thru the Valley Of The Gods is very easy riding-----I think you could get a motorhome thru there.












I was hiding behind this rock and jump out in front of Bill and went ----BOOoooooooo!

He ain't skeert !!!













The Valley of The Gods road popped out just below what is called the "Moki Dugway".
A mind boggling set of switchbacks that climb out of the basin you see below.






I've been told that there was no way the state was going to build a road off the top of the mesa down into Mexican Hat.
But a mine operation provided the means to do just that. It's about a thousand feet of elevation difference.





It was only a month before we left to do this trip when I was using google earth and found "Muley Point"
Right at the top of the Dugway is a 5 mile long dirt road that leads you out to it.
I had so hoped to end up here a few hours before nightfall---and it worked out perfect.

This was the only day---I tried to make a destination-----as I knew this place was going to be special.

It is primitive camping only and we camped right on the edge----not a good idea to roam around in the dark here.
I thought about that when I went out to pee at night :huh:huh:huh:huh
It was a perfect evening-------the temps were just right for camping and there was no wind.





We all cooked a nice meal with our Jetboils stoves----it was hard to take your eyes off the view here.








You couldn't wipe the smile off of Bud's face with a pitch fork.
Bud was a very good rider---and very good company---but he had never done a ride of this magnitude ever----in the manner we did it------he was a happy man---the oldest of the group--but it never showed.
Good to have someone older than me----I get tired of being "that guy".





I think I heard this guy say something like .......................................
WaaaaaaaaaaaaaHoooooooo!!!!!!!!!

That's Navajo for "Awesome Dude"
Want some peanuts ?????









I'll shut up as the sun sets.















A map of our route today---about 217 Miles

I've been waiting for this since we met DingWeed in Monticello!



Great to see you guys back on the trail!

IN!

kelly

Hey Little Wan---tell the big guy that BigDog and Friends said hi.
I feel like such a riding woosie----after reading your guys stuff.

I'm not handy with the videos like you Wan---but I've got one coming up what will tickle your belly.
I had to pause it 8 times when my wife watched it as her gut was killing her.

BigDog