UpST8's Desert Adventure

First things first,

BIG THANKS to KIC!!

Yet again another Inmate has hooked me up with a ride while on the road for business. KIC was kind enough to lend me his 2006 KLR650 last night. I was ear to ear grinning as I rode it back to the hotel. I have been out here for a week already and the terrain is so good for two wheel exploration.

I had intended to rent, but after going through a few rental places and finding 1)Prices were a wee bit ridiculous 2)You couldn't take any of the bikes down gravel or unimproved roads (even an XT225!)....the option of renting was looking bleak. I may still rent something next weekend, but it will be a sport tour mile muncher. Thinking the Grand Canyon is a must see while I am here.

Here she is in all her glory at 0630 this morning...


Created and loaded a route last night for Mt. Lemmon's Control Road. Looked very promising, going from the desert floor to 8K all on dirt/gravel minimal maintenance road

First stop.....coffee in Oracle and H2O.


Early morning sun trying to break through the mackerel sky


After some slabbing and small twisty roads I came upon what I had been searching for



Roads were smooth and fast, view was promising of some climbing to come and the temps were just right…so freakin happy to finally be on two wheels exploring this beautiful land.
Came to another set of cool signs. The one with distance didn’t seem right looking back on it. It was more like 20 miles.




After passing Peppersauce Campground the roads got a little rougher and more switchbacks. KLR was doing great and I was loving it. Climbed a small hill off the road to try for a good glamor shot


So green out here with all the rain. Who knew they had Monsoon Season in the desert?




After the climbs and switches I reached a nice little plateau section, that was quite wide open and offered a promising view

and the behind shot

Took another break after some climbing to take in the scenery. Was really trying to stop and take pics more on this little trip. I am so bad at it though, once I get going I just want to go, go, go, go......what's around the next turn type thing


Let me just get these macro shots out my system....


Thank you

Not many more stops until the top.....like I said, I have a hard time stopping...guess I need a GoPro or better way to take pics while moving



Here are some of the tracks from the Control Road climb up Mt. Lemmon

The beginning..


Getting higher...


Finish strong...


Breakfast and the slab descent next

well now I'm jealous I was feeling bad for you working hard outhere away from home all by yourself, but I can see your making the best of it. Looks like it was a great ride!!!!!

Nice!

Looks like a fun ride - nice pics too.

After making it to the top of Lemmon I swung down into the village of Summerhaven for some chow and more liquids. Saw this sexy little Italian parked on the side of the road. Damn I love Ducs Someday I will have at least one in the stable.


A very nice suprise was meeting the rider


We talked bikes and rides as we waited for our yummy crepes....this thing changed my life!!


All the while we were in the Shadows of Santa's workshop


Needed to get a few more macro flower shots before getting going again..


Parted ways with the Sexy Duc rider...hate to see you leave, but I love to watch you ride away


A stop at the mini-market for more H2O had the KLR taking first in show


Now back to riding! Not the biggest fan of slab on a dual sport, but this road was quite sweet. Great views with sweeping turns, the only bad part was the 35mph limit and abundance of Leos. Had one give me the stern look and finger pointing warning....thank you for no ticket...


Again I only stopped twice for pics...will stay more disciplined tomorrow and rigging way to shoot on the move tonight.




Down at the bottom, it was one more stop for fuel and H20. Then off to see what I could find on Redington Rd.

To say it was getting a little hot in the valley was an understatement...


Found exactly the kind of sign I like on Redington


Few miles later it was AZ ADV paradise




Just another stop for water and a few pics...riding on what I will call the backside of Lemmon was different then the control road. Much faster and hotter due to altitude. Think I should have done this first and linked the control road into it at the end..

Love the way the vultures circled on my stops in the afternoon


Self portrait montage perhaps the heat is making me a little crazy


Down into the green, green valley below


Roads really opened up before the slab...could pushed the KLR to the brink, but this is a borrowed bike and I am riding alone Crashing at speeds would not be good at all


That's about it for today, looking foward to see what tomorrow brings...:fyyff

Redington tracks

UpST8,
Those pics are amazing. Thanks for sharing.

Nice.

I just got back from 10 days in San Diego on travel for work. But alas no time to think about riding as I had work stuff every day. Even worse since they have such freeking nice riding weather.

Thanks Buddy Next time don't quote a big section of the report to reply.....fuckin nOOb

Heading out the door shortly to see what I can see today.....gonna do my best to stop for more pics.

Oh yea,,,,,,,, I keep forget'n.

Hey Theresnospoon's heading your way,,,and i told him you could use some yankee company.So he said something about Moab,,,and a motorhome,and Carrie Hearts supermoto bike. Dune buggys,Vegas for 3 weeks,etc,etc.
Not sure you'd have to talk to him,he said he was gonna PM ya.

Woke up this morning with a loose plan as to where and what I would ride today. Normally I find it best to not have a plan for anything other then something to deviate from. Strigent planning and timelines feel too much like work. I am more attuned to make a few waypoints and go for it. I heard someone mention Castle Rock yesterday. I googled it and found it down around Nogales. Not far off the border. It would be a 50 mile super slab to the area or 90 of backroads. I chose the backway....

Not a bad view of my campsite every morning on this trip, building those reward points

Long morning shadows as I stroll to the garage

There she is sittin pretty awaiting adventure

Apparently moto-theft is an issue down here..


Made my way to the 7/11 for mandatory coffee.. Chose the Cesar Chavez energy drink instead

Something to think about on the realty sign

OK OK OK on to riding!!!
Slab was good as I made my way into the mountains, temps were excellent with mid 80s this morning and the air was clean....bugs are out in full force, hills are so green!

Having some technical difficulties....give me a few and posting will continue

Really,,,a $3.00 Commy energy drink?

He was the boxer, not the guerrilla Relax AWM......go for a ride or something

Oh,,,so not this one,



Or even this one,



But this one.



The 6 time world champ,from Mexico,who resides in AZ.

Yes...riding

Roads were excellent and I was having some luck shooting fromthe camera that was girth hitched to my zipper, not the best set up...but it did allow for pics without the dreaded stopping




After about 100 miles of backroads I made it the NF

Really getting excited now, as the scenery got better and better...came upon the sign that things would be changing and for the better as far as I am concerned..




Mandatory Macro Break



The gravel was good, lots of stutters bumps, but nothing the KLR couldn't handle...saw a road on the GyPSy labeled Summit. That held promise. Looking at where it was I could see down into Mexico from it as well
Here's the turn off...It is NF39 according to the signs

A little rougher then Ruby rd, but totally doable. Turned into a real nice two track towards the top. The views nearly brought a tear to my eye...fucking beautiful country!!! Felt as though I was riding in a dream. Life is good today




Didn't take any riding pics on the way up, but you can see the road carving the hills in this pic...awesome day!!




One more Macro Break.....smell the flowers hippy


Grateful today....living the dream


More to follow....

Hey Upst8, glad you had a good ride down here. DId you meet up with FastPhil?
Your right the road up and down Mt Lemon is a beauty...

Fastphil on the Wee?