Questor and MotoAdventureGal ride the Great Empty Places of the West - Page 2

byways · 11-15-2011, 06:44 PM

mapuda · 11-15-2011, 06:57 PM

Subscribed

slimy · 11-15-2011, 07:12 PM

The bike is packed. I'm on board.

One Less Harley · 11-15-2011, 07:21 PM

MotoAdventureGal · 11-15-2011, 08:01 PM

It was a great route, and certainly one I would not have ridden--or even plotted out--on my own, so thanks Questor and Byways for making it happen. Also thanks to Docking Pilot pre-running it for us--thanks to your coming to town I found the 950 for sale in my own back yard. I LOVE THAT BIKE! Over 25,000 miles on it since I bought her at the end of March.

So. Great scenery, breathtaking vistas, unbelievable emptiness.

Questor, I'm still talking to ya (at least on ADVrder

). You gonna post my pics for me since I am on the road to New Mexico?

swimmer · 11-15-2011, 08:11 PM

Down like a clown.

Vinnie the Snake · 11-16-2011, 02:08 AM

Looking forward to this one.

markbvt · 11-16-2011, 06:46 AM

This oughta be good...

--mark

Bob · 11-16-2011, 07:10 AM

I'm in for another of your guys adventures!

Tall Mike · 11-16-2011, 08:26 AM

A Questor and MotoAdventureGal Ride Review? I'm IN too!

RideDualSport.com · 11-16-2011, 08:54 AM

Most excellent indeed! This looks like an awesome adventure and I am very interested in riding a route similar to it.
Looking forward to reading more! Thank you very much!

lakota · 11-16-2011, 09:24 AM

looking forward to this

Questor · 11-16-2011, 12:27 PM

Ok. Let's get this started.

So we were kickstands up, out of Idaho Falls by 10:00 am and headed north on I-15 a few miles to get to our first section of dirt.

I snapped a quick "self portrait" so I would have a before and after picture of myself to compare.

We stopped to get some gas near Dubois, ate a sandwich, and then turned West.

Then turned right and got to our first dirt road.

Loose gravel roads at 60 mph create a lot of dust.

Shortly we turned off onto a smaller dirt road and headed up into the hills.

We stopped to enjoy the view. I love this area.

A few miles later we crossed into open range.

We passed an old school house.

The road become less traveled as we headed up towards the Bannack pass.

I stopped to enjoy the emptiness. It's so difficult in today's modern age to find places like this.

The SE was enjoying the terrain and taking in the view.

Later I stopped to enjoy the view as well.
It's so difficult these days find unmolested open places.

Road sign.

I guess some signs are threatening to some folks and they feel compelled to shoot them.

We came to a water crossing.

It was easy and enjoyable.

And the road continued...

An old ranch of some sort, out in the middle of nowhere.

Amazing isolation for hours.

An amazing valley.

An unusual rock outcropping.

and finally the Bannack Pass.

and into the empty valley beyond.

This is KTM country! We haven't seen another person for hundreds of miles.
Go SE go!!!

Hours later we arrive at our destination for the day, Bannack State Park.

It's a restored old town.

But they wanted us to pay $5 parking for each bike plus admission.

No thanks.

We were planning on camping here, but they wanted another $22 to camp, and there wasn't even any drinking water.

So we opted for plan "B". Go find a remote side road and find an empty spot.

Score!

I cooked chicken fajita's for dinner.

After dinner, we settled into our warm clothing, sat in the folding chairs MAG brought along. Mag read her books, I looked at maps, and wrote in my notebook.

Not bad for our fist day.

Stats for the day:
174 miles. Moving Average 39.8 Moving Time 5:18 Stopped 3:48 Total 6:57.

Q~

One Less Harley · 11-16-2011, 02:35 PM

OK I've gotta ask.......I know the KTM is a heavy beasty, but I want to hear your reasoning on the wench (winch), no not MAG (just kidding) but the electric one. Plus won't it drain down you battery in a hurry? If needing a winch would some sort of manual one be better and lighter, you could probably make one with rope and a locking spool of sorts...hum there's an idea.

DRRambler · 11-16-2011, 02:44 PM

Off to a great start.. subscribed!

11-15-2011, 06:44 PM	#16
byways byways Joined: Dec 2006 Location: Idaho Oddometer: 1,488	__________________ Tony Huegel Backcountry Byways Journal Leave No Trace Heart of the West Adventure Route (a.k.a. Forever West)

11-15-2011, 06:57 PM	#17
mapuda Crash Tested Joined: Apr 2007 Location: Las Vegas, NV Oddometer: 243	Subscribed __________________ Good judgement comes from experience. Experience comes from bad judgement.

11-15-2011, 07:21 PM	#19
One Less Harley OH.THAT'S GONNA HURT Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Bowling Green, Ky Oddometer: 3,814	__________________ 2004 BMW R1150RS 1984 BMW R80G/S (wrenching index) 2003 Suzuki DRZ 400S (TAT Prep) One More DRZ does the TAT (Ride Report)

11-15-2011, 08:01 PM	#20
MotoAdventureGal Motorcycle Vagabond Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Gearing up to ride... Oddometer: 992	Great Route It was a great route, and certainly one I would not have ridden--or even plotted out--on my own, so thanks Questor and Byways for making it happen. Also thanks to Docking Pilot pre-running it for us--thanks to your coming to town I found the 950 for sale in my own back yard. I LOVE THAT BIKE! Over 25,000 miles on it since I bought her at the end of March. So. Great scenery, breathtaking vistas, unbelievable emptiness. Questor, I'm still talking to ya (at least on ADVrder ). You gonna post my pics for me since I am on the road to New Mexico? __________________ Have Bike, Will Travel My Year of Motorcycle Vagabonding Part B (Solo to South America)

11-16-2011, 02:08 AM	#22
Vinnie the Snake Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2006 Location: Broken Arrow, Ok Oddometer: 1,065	Looking forward to this one. __________________ 2007 - Vintage TAT - Ok, NM, Co http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=233901 2008 - Vintage TAT - Ut, Nv, Or http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=331983 2009 - Vintage TAT - NC, Tn, Ms, Ar http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=507149 2010 - Unfinished Business Tour - TAT, CDR Shadow of the Rockies http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=615279

11-15-2011, 07:12 PM	#18
slimy Wanabe Adventurer Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Flatland Florida Oddometer: 45	The bike is packed. I'm on board.

11-15-2011, 08:11 PM	#21
swimmer armchair asshole Joined: Oct 2007 Location: tucson Oddometer: 2,564	Down like a clown.

11-16-2011, 06:46 AM	#23
markbvt Beastly Adventurer Joined: Sep 2007 Location: Georgia, Vermont (that's one town, not two states) Oddometer: 2,397	This oughta be good... --mark __________________ '11 Triumph Tiger 800 XC / '03 Honda XR650L / '01 Triumph Bonneville cafe My ride reports: Missile silos, Labrador, twisties, and more Bennington Triumph Bash, May 31-June 2, 2013

11-16-2011, 07:10 AM	#24
Bob Formerly H20Pumper Joined: Sep 2002 Location: Corral de Tierra Oddometer: 2,013	I'm in for another of your guys adventures!

11-16-2011, 08:26 AM	#25
Tall Mike TAT Rookie (planning!) Joined: Oct 2009 Location: Northeast Oregon Oddometer: 540	A Questor and MotoAdventureGal Ride Review? I'm IN too! __________________ Ride the Earth! (Pavement Optional) stable: '05 DL1000,'06 DL650, '99 XR600R, '03 640ADV Tall Mike screwed with this post 11-16-2011 at 09:07 AM

11-16-2011, 08:54 AM	#26
RideDualSport.com TPB all the way Joined: Jul 2009 Location: Texas Oddometer: 984	Most excellent indeed! This looks like an awesome adventure and I am very interested in riding a route similar to it. Looking forward to reading more! Thank you very much! __________________ "Nobody understands what you're know what I'm sayin" The RideDualSport Forum

11-16-2011, 09:24 AM	#27
lakota Geeser Joined: Jan 2007 Location: Annapolis MD Oddometer: 2,170	looking forward to this __________________ IBA #42016 CDR 2012 Nova Scotia 2011 Taking Molly to Atlantis Labador Newfoundland Nova Scotia 2010 Trail of an Assassin Alaska 2009 follow the ride on spot

11-16-2011, 12:27 PM	#28
Questor ^OP More Undestructable Joined: Oct 2005 Location: Idaho Falls. ID. USA Oddometer: 3,546	Day 1: Saturday September 3rd, 2011 Ok. Let's get this started. So we were kickstands up, out of Idaho Falls by 10:00 am and headed north on I-15 a few miles to get to our first section of dirt. I snapped a quick "self portrait" so I would have a before and after picture of myself to compare. We stopped to get some gas near Dubois, ate a sandwich, and then turned West. Then turned right and got to our first dirt road. Loose gravel roads at 60 mph create a lot of dust. Shortly we turned off onto a smaller dirt road and headed up into the hills. We stopped to enjoy the view. I love this area. A few miles later we crossed into open range. We passed an old school house. The road become less traveled as we headed up towards the Bannack pass. I stopped to enjoy the emptiness. It's so difficult in today's modern age to find places like this. The SE was enjoying the terrain and taking in the view. Later I stopped to enjoy the view as well. It's so difficult these days find unmolested open places. Road sign. I guess some signs are threatening to some folks and they feel compelled to shoot them. We came to a water crossing. It was easy and enjoyable. And the road continued... An old ranch of some sort, out in the middle of nowhere. Amazing isolation for hours. An amazing valley. An unusual rock outcropping. and finally the Bannack Pass. and into the empty valley beyond. This is KTM country! We haven't seen another person for hundreds of miles. Go SE go!!! Hours later we arrive at our destination for the day, Bannack State Park. It's a restored old town. But they wanted us to pay $5 parking for each bike plus admission. No thanks. We were planning on camping here, but they wanted another $22 to camp, and there wasn't even any drinking water. So we opted for plan "B". Go find a remote side road and find an empty spot. Score! I cooked chicken fajita's for dinner. After dinner, we settled into our warm clothing, sat in the folding chairs MAG brought along. Mag read her books, I looked at maps, and wrote in my notebook. Not bad for our fist day. Stats for the day: 174 miles. Moving Average 39.8 Moving Time 5:18 Stopped 3:48 Total 6:57. Q~ __________________ Ride Reports: National Parks Tour 2008 Trans-America Trail 2009 Continental Divide Trail 2009 Alaska 2010 Empty West 2011 Questor screwed with this post 11-16-2011 at 12:49 PM

11-16-2011, 02:35 PM	#29
One Less Harley OH.THAT'S GONNA HURT Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Bowling Green, Ky Oddometer: 3,814	OK I've gotta ask.......I know the KTM is a heavy beasty, but I want to hear your reasoning on the wench (winch), no not MAG (just kidding) but the electric one. Plus won't it drain down you battery in a hurry? If needing a winch would some sort of manual one be better and lighter, you could probably make one with rope and a locking spool of sorts...hum there's an idea. __________________ 2004 BMW R1150RS 1984 BMW R80G/S (wrenching index) 2003 Suzuki DRZ 400S (TAT Prep) One More DRZ does the TAT (Ride Report)

11-16-2011, 02:44 PM	#30
DRRambler AKA Albertastrom Joined: Jul 2007 Location: Alberta Oddometer: 360	Off to a great start.. subscribed! __________________ Carpe Diem South America 2013

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