Utah
It's hard to believe sitting here in L.A writing this that any of it was real. Yet it was at least so it seems. I rode into Moab expecting to spend a few days in town, checking out arches, cannyonlands and eventually moving on south to Arizona. Though anyone who's been in that town will tell you things don't always go according to plan especially there. My first stop in Moab was a Mcdonals to kill some time while waiting for my couch surfing host to leave work. Not 15 minutes into it the ADV sticker on my laptop gave away to a chance conversation with another rider on a similar journey and a few hours later i had a riding partner, at least for a time. That same night i hit a bar in Moab and bathed my eyes in the local scene while shooting back way too many and getting acquainted with my CS host as well as the other rider. What a crowd! The next day with a bit of a hangover i shot over to Arches National park to see what the fuss was about. The weather was crappy, overcast and cold but i figured i'd scope the place out and come back with better weather another day. There was a definite energy to this place and i mostly walked around in silence just feeling it out. The following day or so myself and the other rider rode some dirt into Cannyonlands and got to catch the sun setting over the cannyon. One of the most memorable i'd had up to that point. I took a few shots but mostly just sat there in awe watching this incredible scene materialize in front of my eyes. All the time not knowing what to think or how to feel but yearning to just let go and take it all in. No matter how good a camera, photographer or video some things just can't be reproduced and this was definitely one of them. The ride back to Moab was brutal, cold and dark. Riding twisties in pitch black darkness in unfamiliar grounds with KLR lighting definitely made for an interesting time, though i figured it wouldn't be the last and just manned up and did my best to keep it upright.
The next day we made it to arches right before sunrise and caught the biggest nuclear furnace in the solar system right where we left it last. It was another cold brutal ride but i knew it would be worth it so with no choice i endured. With about 15 minutes to spare we pulled into a spot and tried to set up. With numb fingers and having to work the camera with gloves on i did the best i could to capture the essence of the first light in this magic place. I couldn't believe how incredible the early light looked on the red rock bridges that filled the park and the snow from a previous fall that same week made for some interesting subjects. Later i found that it hadn't snowed in Moab in over 4 years, lucky me. The sunrise over arches made me think of a quote i heard before " A trip cannot be explained, it has to be experienced". That morning i was definitely tripping, take that as you may.
I stayed in Moab for a few more days mostly running errands and what not. Left my CS hosts house and camped out in BLM right next to the colorado just outside Moab for a night with the other rider. Some cold nights but the scenery and peace were totally worth it . After having spent over a week in Moab and dropping some cash i probably shouldn't have i was eager to get moving again and Arizona was calling. The other guy put forth a "150+ mile dirt route" out of Moab called the Lockhart basin and not knowing what i was getting into i agreed. We broke camp as early as we could and headed for the start of the trail. Not having much dirt experience and having an overloaded KLR with slick front rubber i was in for a hefty wake up call. The first day we made 35 or so miles into it and all was well. Riding into the middle of nowhere with 200 ft canyon cliffs on dirt seemed like a good thrill and i was loving it. The first night was peaceful and we pitched camp just shy of the colorado's shoreline somewhere off the trail. The next day i was pumped to get some riding going and we got a bit of a late start. Less than 20 miles into it i noticed the "trail" turned more into a obstacle course and i wasn't as thrilled to be working so hard just to move forward. Eventually we hit rock crawler land and sooner than i could say fuck i was flying off the klr on a ridiculously steep rock climb attempt. The bike landed hard right on top of my left pannier yet nothing but a cheap lock and my left mirror broke, though my desire to continue not knowing how bad it would get ahead was completely shattered.
This was one of those moments where everything inside you aligns and makes a unanimous decision and following my gut i called it quits and announced that i was backtracking to pavement. In my mind i wasn't even a 1/4 of the way into my trip and running on a limited budget any serious damage to the bike was simply not worth it. Now for the fun part of the story or should i say where the other guys shows what he is made off. He decides to keep at it and takes off with his spot gps and the only trail map between us and leaves me to navigate 40+ miles out of a maze of 4x4 trails and numerous dead ends with nothing but my sense of direction and a compass. What doesn't break you makes you and eventually after a bit of frustration and lots of u turns i make it out in one piece and get back into Moab. Knowing what i know now we should have parted ways right then and there though my good nature sometimes tends to get the best of me. After stopping back at Mcdonalds about an hour before sun down to gather my self and plan for another night in Moab guess who comes strolling in?!
So After reuniting with said rider right at
the same place we met a week earlier and hearing that my gut was right
and the trail got much worse, even too much for Mr. bad ass to handle i
decided to listen to my gut from there on out no matter what. As i
mentioned my good nature tends to get the best of me and i ended up
splitting a hotel with this guy for the night in moab. The town that
simply wouldn't let go! The next day I decided the route was going to be
simple and took on more of a i'm doing this if you wanna tag along
attitude. 191 south led the way out and i was finally able to break the
magnetic pull of Moab, though i vouched to come back to this place
someday with more time hopefully even to live and explore the area. 191
was def. a boring paved ride so we detoured and took the 40 mile 211 to
see the needles overlook. I simply have no words to describe what seeing
something like that feels like. Total perspective vortex comes to mind
(D.Adams fans will know what i'm talking about). Cannyons as far as the
eye can see in every direction and snow covered peaks behind you,
infuckingcredible! This was one of those spots that invokes something
inside you and makes you feel even if only an instance one with the
earth, sky and time.
We eventually made it back to 191 and shot south to hook up with 95 to take us to Glen cannyon and lake Powell. Unfortunately the ferry was shut down for winter so we didn't get to check out the lake. The ride into Glen is magnificent and one portion of 95 where you break through a portion of the cannyon and look right at miles of red gigantic walls was just awe inspiring. This was also the night i completed my 33rd trip around the sun and slept for the first time in a lake bed. We camped right in the edge of a small section of water which from the looks in summer would have been underwater. That night was peaceful, uneventful and there was not another soul within miles, that's all i had hoped for on my day.
The next day we shot north up 95 and eventually through 24 to Capitol reef state park. On a side note i was getting more and more irritated on having a riding partner hindering my photo stops and also having to play catch up speeding from place to place. Definitely not what i had in mind and my gut was creeping up and telling me something though i wasn't ready to listen just yet. We ended up pitching camp at the Capitol reef campground and as a good luck sign there were a dozen deer in the campground unfazed by humans eating seeds from a nearby by tree. Not to mention the sun was setting against the red walls that surrounded the area which made for some awesome photos. Though capitol reef is known for it's purple sand dunes and it's petroglyphs the weather the following day was not on our side and i did the best i could to capture the place. Def. one of those must see way underrated places though!
The plan was to shoot over to Bryce cannyon and Zion the following day however the sexy ranger at the visitor center had pulled up the weather report for both areas and snow was everywhere. We decided to backtrack down 95 through Glen cannyon again (which i didn't mid one bit ) and made it just before dark into the Arizona state line through some dirt switchbacks via 163. We pitched camp just 16 miles or so shy of monument valley on the edge of some river in an Native american area in an unnamed town. Though this wouldn't be the end of Utah for me at least........
We eventually made it back to 191 and shot south to hook up with 95 to take us to Glen cannyon and lake Powell. Unfortunately the ferry was shut down for winter so we didn't get to check out the lake. The ride into Glen is magnificent and one portion of 95 where you break through a portion of the cannyon and look right at miles of red gigantic walls was just awe inspiring. This was also the night i completed my 33rd trip around the sun and slept for the first time in a lake bed. We camped right in the edge of a small section of water which from the looks in summer would have been underwater. That night was peaceful, uneventful and there was not another soul within miles, that's all i had hoped for on my day.
The next day we shot north up 95 and eventually through 24 to Capitol reef state park. On a side note i was getting more and more irritated on having a riding partner hindering my photo stops and also having to play catch up speeding from place to place. Definitely not what i had in mind and my gut was creeping up and telling me something though i wasn't ready to listen just yet. We ended up pitching camp at the Capitol reef campground and as a good luck sign there were a dozen deer in the campground unfazed by humans eating seeds from a nearby by tree. Not to mention the sun was setting against the red walls that surrounded the area which made for some awesome photos. Though capitol reef is known for it's purple sand dunes and it's petroglyphs the weather the following day was not on our side and i did the best i could to capture the place. Def. one of those must see way underrated places though!
The plan was to shoot over to Bryce cannyon and Zion the following day however the sexy ranger at the visitor center had pulled up the weather report for both areas and snow was everywhere. We decided to backtrack down 95 through Glen cannyon again (which i didn't mid one bit ) and made it just before dark into the Arizona state line through some dirt switchbacks via 163. We pitched camp just 16 miles or so shy of monument valley on the edge of some river in an Native american area in an unnamed town. Though this wouldn't be the end of Utah for me at least........
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