All burnt up in SE Oregon

[oregonlmd]

Originally Posted by MasterMarine

I know the desert will grow back but the old buildings won't.

The buildings getting burned up is the worst part of what you see as you explore out there. Some wildlife has taken a pretty severe hit, and I feel badly for the ranchers that rely on the land for their livelihood, but its the destruction of the old man-made stuff that I'll miss.

Originally Posted by MasterMarine

I don't know if you can legally camp on Beatty's Butte or not. It would probably not be the best choice for a camp site tho because it is all rocks. There is a certainly a great view from up there. It is pretty exposed too. When I was there in June, it was really really really windy up there. The climb up the road to the top was definitely one of the highlights of my trip.

I don't see why it would not be legal to camp up there. Like you say, the biggest reason against it would be the rocks, though with a BigAgnes mattress pad you can sleep anywhere.
Further, its way up there. In the summer when its hot down lower, camping up at the top - when its not windy - would be pretty nice. As anyone knows who's been up there, the view is tough to beat.

[oregonlmd]

Originally Posted by trailrider383

This one coming out of Antelope Creek Canyon I remember being a rocky SOB

My pics don't do it justice. REALLY rocky understates how rough it is.

Originally Posted by trailrider383

This one coming out of Five Bar is a big time rocky SOB challenge

I forgot how tough it gets at the top due to the loose rock. The XR was very poorly set up for that challenge. Too high geared, too under-tired.

Originally Posted by trailrider383

You obviously enjoy a challenge. Maybe that's why no one would go on this ride with you.

HAHA! Maybe! What's for sure is that I really do relish a challenge. I bitch and moan while in the midst of one, but at the end it makes me feel so very alive.

Originally Posted by trailrider383

I guess you ignored the signs at the river ford near the warm springs at Three Forks?

I'd read about the signs and looked for them, but did not see them. I got there at night and maybe that's how I missed them if they are there, but I honestly did look for them.
And, I had an alternate plan if there were signs saying NO! I was going to go on to 3 Forks and camp, then ride out to Jordan Valley the next day.

[trailrider383]

Originally Posted by oregonlmd

I'd read about the signs and looked for them, but did not see them. I got there at night and maybe that's how I missed them if they are there, but I honestly did look for them.
And, I had an alternate plan if there were signs saying NO! I was going to go on to 3 Forks and camp, then ride out to Jordan Valley the next day.

There were a couple of signs when I was there a few months ago. Someone probably threw them in the bushes. I need to call the Vale BLM and inquire how those signs came to be planted there. They said something about wilderness. That is BS. That is not designated wilderness.

[oregonlmd]

Last day after a cold night. I think the fatigue of riding and poorly-slept nights finally caught up with me because I actually slept pretty well.

That last pic was actually from this morning. I had gotten up right at first light, 6:16AM, ate the last of my oatmeal packets and was packed and off by 7:00. Damn it was cold.

I had only one good idea about what I wanted to ride on my way back to Christmas Valley, a new route other than Fandango. Off I go.

Traditional pic overlooking the Warner Valley wetlands, me shivering in the shadow of the scarp


I'd gotten the camera on some sort of color-enhanced setting. My camera is what I landed on when I broke my rib back in June and its not working so well anymore, so I took my wife's. While its a better camera, that only serves to confuse this photography-stupid moron.

My idea for a new route was to follow the powerline that goes from 395 to Christmas Valley, or as far as I could. Fun route, except for the 1,938,375 gates




That last pic of the cattle guard shows off well the weird setting I'd gotten the camera into, as that cattle guard's color was not actually that brilliant. And that cattle guard: it's like I was in Fandango again, as its even higher than the infamous one similar to it on the "easy" route.

I suddenly find myself at this


I was on the wrong side of a locked gate. I'm in the ranch. There were no signs previously saying No Trespassing or whatever, and certainly no locked gates. I wasn't wanting to go turn around and find the alternate way around this ranch either.

So I didn't


I didn't harm anything, and I got through the gate.

A mile later I was on the highway east of Christmas Valley, which burned me up about that locked gate even more.
If it weren't for the excess of (unlocked) gates to deal with that would have been a great route to take, and of course the ranch in the way at the north end just killed it.

So, into Christmas Valley, stop at the store for a soda and snacks to eat on the way home, and then back to the Uncle's to load up.
The tire still has some meat


Good enough for a cheap tire if used under the right conditions. Which what I just rode 800 miles of wasn't.

Found this mess when I got the bags off



The muffler mount got bent when the muffler got slammed against the ground multiple times on my nemesis hillclimb. That pushed the front corner of the muffler against the sidepanel, which burnt the sidepanel, and my Coyote bag

It was early enough in the day to stop by GL in Bend and find out what they recommended I patch the bag with. I met Harold, and lucky me, I did run into an old friend who works there part time, Ross. Ross I and worked together years ago.

Info and patch material in hand, stories told, and T-Shirt acquired, it was a great meet-up.

And the end of an awesome ride. Thanks for reading my ramblings.

[Patrick46]

An AWESOME ride indeed!!

Loved it!!

[Rinty]

Fantastic report.

How do you route plan a trip like this? Using topo maps or back country trail guides.?

[WeazyBuddha]

Great RR, I am soooooo jealous of you guys that are surrounded by nice riding areas....

[Rob.G]

Wow!! Awesome report and even more awesome pix! Next time you wanna do a trip like that, ping me. I'm in Salem. Depending on your route, I could bring my DR650 or KLX250S... can camp off of either and have enough gas capacity too. I can work my days off so I can take four off in a row.

Did you have a GPS with you? I'd love to see a tracklog of your route if you did and are willing to share. :)

Rob

[oregonlmd]

Next time for me will be next spring. I'll try to recall to get ahold of you. Especially since it looks like you have the ability, like me, to rearrange your work schedule to accommodate trips, seems likely we can make it happen. I'm happy to do the route others on the ride want to do, gnarly or easy. I work with a guy with a DR650 and have been trying to get him to go for a couple years.

I do a have a GPS, but did not bring it this trip. I don't have tracks of my trips. I am quite willing to further explain things to anyone via PM, and if that leads to a phone call, then that's OK too.

[larryboy]

Good one, looks like I have some exploring to do.

[hrothgarbike]

Note to self: Always pack a portable bike teleporter for locked gates. Got it! Very good work Larry.

[Patrick46]

Originally Posted by hrothgarbike

Note to self: Always pack a portable bike teleporter for locked gates. Got it! Very good work Larry.

....was kinda curious as to how that managed to get worked out myself!

[trailrider383]

Originally Posted by Patrick46

....was kinda curious as to how that managed to get worked out myself!

The middle is locked, but the hinges look pretty simple to remove.

[Baja Ho]

Again, great report. Hoping to make it to that hot spring some day. Thanks for posting.

[oregonlmd]

Originally Posted by trailrider383

the middle is locked, but the hinges look pretty simple to remove.

We have a winner!!!!
I wouldn't do that to get into a ranch, but I'd do it again to get out.