Wonderful Western Wyoming on my '93 GS/PD

[Pica Hudsonia]

For the past several months I’ve been searching for a bike to replace my 2005 DRZ-400S. It served me well for the 6 years I owned it, but I was ready for something bigger, more comfortable for 2-up riding, and better suited to highway travel. The little dual sport was lots of fun around town, but definitely not meant for interstate cruising. It was good on the trails, but I found I was not doing that kind of riding nearly as often as I thought I would. I needed something big and comfortable and highway worthy. I also needed something easy to work on, because I do most of my own maintenance and repairs. Oh, yeah—and it had to be cheap (like me); my budget would allow no more than about $6k.

This is what I wanted to trade up from:



I looked into all kinds of bikes, and I do mean ALL KINDS. I must’ve read about 5,000 online ads, and checked out dozens of bikes in person. I was fairly open-minded, but I had a few strict criteria.

Then I happened onto this clean 1993 R-100 GS/PD. It was for sale in Rawlins, Wyoming, about a five hour drive from my house near Ogden, Utah. The best part was the owner wanted to trade for something along the lines of a 400cc dual sport… perfect!

So we worked out a trade deal, where we would meet on I-80 midway between our homes. I’d give my DRZ plus some cash, and he’d give the Beemer, then we’d go back our separate ways. The owner turned out to be a terrific fellow, and the transaction couldn’t have gone smoother. I don’t know if he’s an inmate here, but it’s possible, so I hope he gets to read this report.

After picking up the bike, I said to myself, “Self, we are in Wyoming, just a few hours’ ride from some of our favorite roads in the whole world, and we have the whole day free. We CANNOT go straight home!” There are so many nice rides in the area, but I really wanted to see some tetons, so I headed northwest, through Kemmerer, and then toward Jackson Hole.

I’ve ridden Highway 189 before, through La Barge, Daniel, and Bondurant, up to Hoback. It’s a lot of dry, dusty plains, with some rolling hills and rock outcrops. But mostly, it’s just millions of acres of nothing but, well… Wyoming, stretching to the horizon in every direction.



Fontenelle Reservoir is a cool, blue oasis in this vast expanse of sagebrush and desert. It’s about the only thing that makes this stretch of the ride bearable.



I saw a coyote crossing the road, and some pronghorns along the way. Two of them were hanging out near this pond, right next to the roadside.



I turned back to get a closer look at them, but when they saw me approaching they made a beeline for the top the nearest hill, which was very steep and rugged. They didn’t take long to put several hundred yards between themselves and me. It’s amazing how these guys can climb!



I generally avoid the town of Jackson, unless I need to stop for something. On this trip, I stopped just outside town for some gas and a snack. Right at the edge of town, a trailer full of heavy equipment dropped a large axle or driveshaft or something right in front of me. Not three seconds earlier, I had decided to move into the other lane, just on a whim. When I narrowly missed “getting the shaft,” I was very glad I’d made that move. Two cars right behind me got clobbered, and this experience reminded me how important it is while riding to be aware of our surroundings at all times. Even a short lapse in attention could have been disastrous for me. I felt quite lucky.

Before long, I was riding past my favorite mountains!





I’ve been going to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks since I was a teenager, in the mid-1980s. At that time, I had a ’72 Honda CL350, and my dad guided me on bike tours of the parks. We camped at Colter Bay, took our time putting on the miles, and made lots of great memories together. He’s the one who taught me nearly everything I know about riding. It’s probably because of these experiences that I want to keep returning to this wonderful territory. I went a few years without riding up there, but exactly one year ago I made it back. At that time, I was pretty active on a Ruger firearms forum, so I posted a ride report there.

Linky: http://www.rugerforum.com/phpBB/viewtopic.php?t=121689

I was hoping to find an unattended pic-a-nic basket, but they were all locked up.



As I headed north out of Grand Teton, my original plan was to ride through Yellowstone, then stop for dinner somewhere and find a campsite or maybe a motel. But when I came to Flagg Ranch, right between the parks, the call of adventure nudged me off the highway, toward Grassy Lake. I’d heard about this 40 mile long dirt road over to Ashton, Idaho, and I always thought it sounded like a fun ride. But I also read that the road sometimes has snow over it as late as July, and it can get quite rutted and gnarly. I stopped at the little lodge/gift shop to ask about current conditions, and the guys there said the road was mostly dry and in pretty good shape. Still, I hesitated, as I considered the following facts:

1) No wingman… I’m all alone on this trip.
2) I have no food whatsoever, and only a little water.
3) I’m unfamiliar with the route.
4) I haven’t even told anyone where I’m going, or when I expect to return.
5) I’m not packing any firepower, and bears are known to inhabit the area.
6) I’m on an unfamiliar machine, and it’s bigger and heavier than anything I’m used to riding.
7) It’s 7:00 PM. Only two hours of daylight remain.
8) I have no sat phone or Spot transceiver.
9) I have no way to build a fire, or purify water. No tent, either. No axe, and not much of a knife. Just an iPod, a camera, a few feet of paracord, and a light sweater.
10) This route sees little traffic. (Part of its allure, actually.) If I got stranded, it’s unlikely I’d find a ride into town anytime soon.

Weighing all the risks, I had to proceed anyway. When I get an itch for adventure, it’s hard for me to do the safe thing and stay on the paved road. I had a sleeping bag, bivy sack, and ground cloth, so I figured even if I broke down and had to spend a night in the mountains, I would not freeze. Perhaps another traveler would pass by, but in the worst case scenario, I’d have to hike out 20 miles.

I like these signs:



As it turned out, I had no trouble at all, and it was a super fun ride. It’s pretty rugged territory, but the GS was perfectly suited to the road conditions—some minor ruts and rocky sections, the occasional puddle, and some loose gravel in places, but nothing technical or too steep. As I went along, my confidence increased, and it proved to be a great place for the bike and me to get to know each other. I didn’t fall into a rift in the Earth’s crust, didn’t get eaten by a bear, and my transmission didn’t even explode.









This thing rides like a tractor, and I love that. I’ve always heard that they are big, heavy beasts, that you shouldn’t take them offroad unless you have considerable riding skill, experience, and physical fitness, etc., and blah, blah, blah. Phooey! The R-100 handles great. It has plenty of torque from right above idle. The power comes on very smoothly, the brakes don’t lock up unless that’s what you’re trying for, and the weight is carried down low. I can’t say enough good things about the machine’s suitability for mildly challenging terrain. And I’m a big believer in the Anakee 2, with which this bike was shod less than 1000 miles ago, front and rear. They are fantastic tires.

I’m a novice, and kind of chicken anytime I come to sand, mud, or gravel… in other words, I’m not comfortable on any surface with less than ideal traction. I’d taken my DRZ on the White Rim Trail in Canyonlands N.P. and had no trouble there, but I still feel like a dirt-riding newbie. Granted, the Flagg Ranch-Ashton road isn’t exactly the Baja 1000, but it had a few tricky sections. I’m now much more confident in this bike’s handling and in my own abilities.

Near the end of the road, the view back toward the east opened up, and I was treated to a sight of millions of pine trees, with those beloved Grand Tetons in the background. This is the opposite side from that shown in the earlier pics, and I got some perspective on how far I’d gone. I was really glad I chose this way!





From here, I took the highway about 30 miles to Rexburg, where I stayed the night with some relatives. The next morning, I got up early and cruised down I-15 to make it home in time for church. I didn’t want to upset my lovely wife, who allows these occasional adventures, or my God, who saw me safely through everything. As expected, the Beemer is immensely better than the DRZ for plowing along at 80 MPH, and this final, 200 mile jaunt was a piece of cake.

This was a good weekend, and it looks like the ol’ GS is a keeper. Notice this gauge isn’t quite pegged, but it’s near the top. Just the way I like it.

[Comrade Art]

Congrats on the new bike

[Gooner]

A good story with a happy ending. Congrats on the new-to-you airhead!

[hardtack1971]

Hey buddy, I'm so glad you had a great trip...got to admit that I got a little tear seeing my girl out again, miss her!
But I am thrilled with my new DRZ! My daughter and I have had a chance to ride and the DRZ and her Sherpa are made for each other! I'm so glad that you had a good trip and didn't have any trouble. Thanks for the great post on here!
I'll post some pics of the DRZ taking me to my Fav Fly fishing hole in the next few!
I'll be watching this post!
Thanks brother and take care of my old girl!

[Pica Hudsonia]

Thanks, Hardtack. I'll probably post more ride reports in the future. If you like, I'll shoot you an email anytime I put up more pics of your machine. Enjoy the DRZ--you're absolutely right that it will go good alongside your daughter's Sherpa. I hope you two have some great times riding together.

[mattoid1]

Congrats on the new bike, Northwest WY is a great place to ride. Rode through Togwatee Pass last Wednesday and saw a mother Grizzly and her two cubs about 150 yds off the road. Close enough, those things are huge. I enjyoed all the riding, but the area north of Ten Sleep was especially nice.

Take care, Dave

[WRC51]

Nice report, and great to see both parties are happy with the bikes they received. I also have been looking for a "new" bike and a 93 GS/PD is on the very short list. Congrats.

[Pica Hudsonia]

Originally Posted by mattoid1

Congrats on the new bike, Northwest WY is a great place to ride. Rode through Togwatee Pass last Wednesday...

Thanks, Mattoid. I'll have to look up Togwatee Pass. I know there are lots of neat roads up there, but I'm not familiar with too many of the unpaved kind. I know lots of good paved routes, though. Probably the neatest road I've ever ridden is the Beartooth Highway from Red Lodge, Montana to the Northeast gate of Yellowstone N.P. I don't have words to describe how beautiful and rugged that territory is.

[mattoid1]

Pica, I would agree with you that Beartooth Pass is a wonderful ride. Done that a couple of times, both times cumulated with a late celebration in Red Lodge. One would think that I was old enough to know better! Was in Stanley, Idaho last week, that is remote, and cold. 25 degrees the next morning. It actually felt refreshing with all the heat in the Plains.

Dave

[Colemanfu]

I like the ADV meter patch, never seen tha one - made me lol. Thanks for the morning grin .