Southwest Utah: Dual Sport Riding from St. George

[TheAdmiral]

Awesome ride to Caliente and back. Snow in the mountains looks tempting, doesn't it? Kidding.

So, I was looking at your photo's of Caliente, and the train depot started to look familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I've read many threads that talk of Caliente, but nothing triggered my brain until I saw your pitchers. Had to look on a map to have the ah ha moment. I drove through Caliente to visit my son when he lived in Las Vegas. We were on a family vacation (w/o the TW). We didn't stop, but it looked cool. Must have a bunch of railroad history there.

Now I really want to ride down there! If only I could find the time.

Thanks for sharing another most excellent post.

[RedRockRider]

Hey Admiral -- Thanks!

The Versys isn't really a "snow bike" -- not like your TW. I grabbed a few of your pics from the TW200 thread. Hope that weather in Idaho is treating you right!








Yeah, Caliente is a neat little town. If you ride down to visit on the TW, take the backroads. Way too many miles to be slabbin' it on the mighty TW. Thanks again.

[RedRockRider]

Thanks inmates for the recent compliments. Appreciate you checkin' in.

byways, PurpleSage, TheAdmiral, eakins, telejojo, TwoShots, and others

Updated the Index of Rides in the first post with recent activity:

Post #165: Green Valley - dirt just west of St. George
Post #170: AZ Strip - short loop
Post #171: Warner Valley - dirt just east of St. George
Post #177: Snow Canyon State Park
Post #182: Gunlock Town & Enterprise Reservoir
Post #190: Tule Desert & Rainbow Canyon, NV
Post #194: Tule Desert & Rainbow Canyon, NV (including Caliente, NV)

Ride safe, ride often!

[Bob]

Thanks again for all the great pics and routes!

[RedRockRider]

Last Friday afternoon had the chance to do the Warner Valley Loop with Dad. Always fun.

Here's the map:



We went counter clockwise. Stopped at Fort Pearce and the Dinosaur Tracks. On to the pics.

Warner Valley is just east of St. George / Washington, UT. One "main" dirt road, but lots of washes and side trails. Popular place for ATVs and dirtbikes. Easy access to lots of off-trail terrain.




Here we are where the sand blows across the road. It's about 200 yards of deep, soft sand. This is the place where I ran out of time on my solo ride from a few weeks ago. Post #171, page 12.




The TW200 -- an easy bike for sand. Look at that back tire. No need for a kickstand here.




Dad havin' some fun with the back tire!




We stop at Fort Pearce, an old fort designed to protect just a few men and horses from Indian attack. Lots of variation in the spelling of "Pearce" or "Pierce" on local signs.




The small fort sits on a rise, overlooking a wash. (Fort Pearce Wash.)




Several plaques explain the floor plan, construction, and history of the fort. Interesting defensive design with the various gun ports.




Self-portrait in the fort. Note the gun port.




Details:







View over crumbled wall to the wash below.




Interesting little bit of history. Our bikes in the parking area, getting ready to leave. Sand Mountain (ATV area) in background.




Next stop was Dinosaur Tracks. I wouldn't travel across the country for this, but if you are close by . . .




Signage:




A track with water bottle for scale.




A favorite pic. Looks like a meat-eater!




Almost back to pavement. Along the Hurricane Cliffs in late afternoon light.




Final pic taken from pavement on the backside of Sand Hollow Reservoir.




Thanks for ridin' along.

[DirtyJohnny]

Nice pics as usual. I keep discovering more and more places to ride in the St. Geo area. Lots of single track to the North of Warner Valley Dino track area. Rode there a few days the last week or two. I will try to make time to post some pics and helmetcam video when I have more time. Had to return to NE Utah to work for a while. As I have said before, your posts and pics are very informative and useful. Keep them coming. I know that I will eventually happen upon you while riding. So when someone on a KTM gives you the "salute" it just might be me.

Safe and happy riding to you and your family and friends!

"You don't quit riding because you get old. You get old because you quit riding"

[RedRockRider]

Yeah, always happy to receive and return the "salute" from a fellow inmate. All in good spirits!

Post up a few pics / vid when you get the chance. Small hijacks welcome!

Also lots of single track on the AZ Strip just off the River Road exit of the new airport road. Dad and I were out on the AZ Strip a few days ago and got "mudded out" at higher elevation. Had to retreat back down to lower elevation (no mud), then found some rockier roads. As most know, that Utah / AZ mud can set up like cement on your back wheel at certain consistencies, or can be slippery as snot regardless of your tire.

By the way, Dad appreciates your line: "You don't stop riding because you get old. You get old because you quit riding."

Right on! Sure many others share that sentiment as well.

[DCZ]

Keep it up and you'll have me wandering across the state in search of these great places you share with us.

Thanks for taking the time

Rick

Great pics! America is sooooooo beautiful!

[samthg]

Just curious about that Versys. Are we gunna get to here your take on that bike. I've always liked that bike. The ergonomics fit me quite well. Fuel injected & 6 speed.

Would you attempt any of the rides you've posted so far if the bike had a set of dual sport tires on it?

Thanks for your fantastic work. Your dad is an inspiration, I know you must cherish every moment with him!

[RedRockRider]

My take on the Versys. Great bike. Kawi got a lot right with this bike. 6 spd, FI, etc. Lotta bike for the money. I'm 6' 1'' about 185 lbs. Great ergos for me. You kinda sit forward on the tank, but this suits me fine. My V is 100% stock except a slightly larger windscreen. The Givi (OEM) side locking side cases are great, a bit pricey if I recall, but worth it.

The Versys is most at home on twisty asphalt between 50-90 mph. Top speed might be 110+ mph. Not much acceleration left above 90. Bike is also great around town. The V is ideal for a run from St. George up through Zion, out to Carmel Junction (ho-made pie), then back. The V can certainly pound interstate at 85 mph all day, but not great for this. Not really a roomy bike for 2-up other than shorter stints.

Fine to take the Versys on mild dirt / gravel. I'd probably take the V on about 1/2 the rides I've posted up, as long as dry weather. If you put knobby-ish tires it would make a pretty good ADV-type bike. Problem is the plastics would get messed up fast if you dropped it. Who wants to mess up the nice looks -- Not sure if crash bars would really provide all the right protection. I think to put a knobby on the front you have to raise the front fender. Certainly there are lots of inmates who have turned Vs into top-notch ADV bikes. I think there are always some limits to true off-roading due to smaller front wheel, suspension / ground clearance, and weight. Large rocks would not treat the underneath well.

Kawi should make a KLR-Versys -- 6 speed, FI, knobbies, large tank, -- often mentioned. When is Kawi making this bike? Sign me up.

If one was going to do a few hundred miles of pavement, then a few hundred miles of easy dirt, the V would be a very good choice. My WRR really eats up some asphalt fine, but it isn't nearly as fun as the V, especially for the faster stretches. Never ridden a Wee, but sat on several. A few years ago I definitely liked the ergos of the V better. Haven't really compared lately. Lots of interesting ADV-type bikes (at least in name) coming out in the mid-displacement class. Nice to see more choices coming.

Thanks to all for the positive comments. Get out and ride, especially if you have a V. Stay spirited in the curves!

[RedRockRider]

Late last week went out on the AZ Strip with Dad. Carried extra gas on the TW. Planning to go south of Wolf Hole and explore a few new roads, generally in the direction of the Hurricane Cliffs.




Nice day. Pleasant temps, probably mid-50s. Started out fine as we left the River Road exit and started to gain elevation.




Broken down sign near the Haystack Rocks.




And the culvert.




Soon we are driving up, and starting to see snow. We know from experience, this will lead to mud!




Here it is. Classic Utah / AZ Strip mud. Slick as snot and sets up like cement underneath your rear fender. Time to turn around and retrace our steps to lower ground. Find a new place to play for the afternoon. We knew this road would just get worse if we continued. We've put enough mud on back tires and fenders before to stop them from moving. Didn't want to get into that situation 50+ miles deep into the AZ Strip.




Back tire, starting to really pick up the junk. Didn't want to ride any higher into even softer, deeper, and stickier stuff. (right Wbbnm? ) http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=727309




Down to power lines (lower elevation) and cut across (west) towards the Western Gypsum Mine. This is the Black Road Road exit from I-15 in AZ, just barely south of the UT border. Reasonable amount of single track in this area, close to the River Road exit from the new St. George airport road.




Good sign. Gotta take a pic. Lizard Point in background.




At the Western Gypsum Mine.




The mine is active but there is some "older" equipment you can check out. Very similar pic in Post #2, a ride to the South Rim of the Virgin River Gorge.




Dad on his Honda with mine equipment as a backdrop. The road goes right through the mine site, so very easy to take a quick look around.




Sign in Black Rock Gulch, shortly after leaving the mine. Cut-off to Virgin River Gorge Overlook -- Low Mountain Road. We followed the main road up towards Wolf Hole. We knew this road would be rockier (less mud), and was mostly on a south facing exposure. Less snow, faster melt. Also very pretty, even though the day was turning overcast.




TW with marker. Wolf Hole Mountain in background. Loose nut on right rear blinker. Gotta fix that!




Didn't need the gas, but good to have. Distances on the strip are large, and absolutely no services and almost no people once you leave the pavement. Perfect for dual sport riding and exploring.




Photographing Dad. Typical pattern. Race ahead, look over shoulder or in mirror for scenic stretch of road. Stop bike, get camera. Take a few pics as Dad approaches.










Went slightly "off-trail" to take a look at the canyon of Black Rock Gulch.




Getting later in the afternoon. Near our turn-around point.




Spot where we turned and started to retrace our steps. We'll be back all the way up Black Rock Gulch to Maple and Tombstone Canyons when we have more time (and less mud). It was starting to getting muddy again as we gained elevation. This goes up over 5,000 ft. and it would have gotten pretty bad shortly after this point, similar to where we were earlier in the day.




The bikes will need a bit of washing when we get back to St. George. Easy enough.




Spent the rest of the weekend in Zion and at Brian Head (via the cage , but with the family ).

Virgin River in Zion National Park.




Court of the Patriarchs.




Semi-artistic: Cottonwood tree and Angel's Landing.




Checkerboard Mesa. This is up through the Zion tunnels, higher elevation. Noticeably more snow. Looking at the northern exposure.




South facing slickrock near Checkerboard Mesa.




Perhaps the best pic of the bunch. Having fun with wife and son at Brian Head. Definitely looks like winter now. Good skiing on Sunday. Best to all.

[hairnet]

love.
all.
that.


v on a trailer ??



heres mine at the vee, county waterford ireland on the way to the atlantic in west cork





up from sally gap co wicklow ireland

have massive want to do montana and az and ut

thanks

[Superhawk]

As usual great RR Redrock ! Its great you guys ride alot together. I'm heading out to Zion in June - cant wait to hike angels landing !

[RedRockRider]

BeerIsGood - like your "100 cases of premium beer" calculation to equalize the cost of bikes. Good accounting.

hairnet - nice looking silver V. Went bicycling in Northern Ireland many years ago. Gorgeous (and hilly!).

Bomose - link to pics not working?

Superhawk - enjoy Angel's Landing. No "trail" quite like it. Back off if bad weather.