Member Contributer rbertalotto Posted October 16, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted October 16, 2008 On Thursday, October 8, I said my goodbyes to my AZ/NM Touring partners whom I had met out in Phoenix the week before. They flew in (11 of them) on the Friday before and we toured all over Arizona and New Mexico. Them on rented bikes and me on a new bike I recently purchased in AZ with the intention of riding alone cross country after they departed. My plan was to see a bit of Utah and a bunch of Colorado and then take Rt50, The SantaFe Trail east through Kansas with stops at interesting places along the way. Heading out of Sedona AZ, I set my sights on Monument Valley in Utah. This is a really beautiful area. I have to say, nothing I've ever experienced made me feel so "small" or insignificant in the total scope of planet earth. When you see the various layers of strata up close, and realize how old the planet is with relation to man, it takes your breath away.........Photos can not do it justice, you need to be "there" to experience it. From there it was over to Four Corners. This is where Utah, Colorado, Arizona and New Mexico all come together. It's just some place I've always wanted to visit and say "I was there!". But the way it is treated was a complete let down. To actually stand on the exact Four Corners, you need to pay some Indian nation a $3 entree fee and walk through what looked like a Flea Market to get there. I passed and just took a few pictures outside the gate and of my GPS........... On to Colorado........Taking Rt160- up to Cortez and then over to Durango. Beautiful! The Aspen were in full autumn color and Elk were everywhere. I saw hundreds of animals in the various fields and alpine pastures. I grabbed a bite to eat in a little town called Bayfield and had great conversation with the locals. I made it to Pagosa Springs by 5PM. I had a decision to make. Do I attempt the 10,850' Wolf Creek Pass now, or wait til the morning. I decided the scenery would be better at sun-up, so I found a motel and settled down for the night. Pagosa Springs is an interesting place. Very 1960s "Peace-Love-TieDye" kind of place. Right on the main street is a park with a bunch of hot springs with folks soaking (and smoking)..........Interesting. I had dinner in a local cafe and was joined by about 50 Elk hunters. Hunting season was in full swing, and Colorado is the only western state where you can buy an Elk hunting licence right over the counter, without having to enter a lottery like all the other western Elk states. Therefore there are lots of hunters. I was very lucky to find a room. After dinner it was off to bed.......A long day. Friday AM I awoke to 29 degrees and a 1'8" of frost on the bike. The roads were still too warm for frost on them, but it still made for an interesting decision. Do I attempt a 10K' mountain pass at 29 degress or head south and extend the trip by three hours. I talked to a couple of truckers that had ridden the pass thayt morning and they reported that the sanding trucks were out and it was slippery. I said, what the heck, it's an adventure and headed out at 7AM. As I was climbing the pass, an interesting thing was happening, it got warmer. At the top, it was 41 degrees. Seems the real cold air had settled in the valley. The trip over the top was uneventful except for the raw beauty. Down the other side and breakfast in Monte Vista, CO. From here Rt160 took me over to Rt10. This Rt10 is one of the longest, most lonely roads I've ever been on. Straight as an arrow and it runs though one of the largest plains I've ever been on. I saw one other car in the 75 miles. But I was able to do the 75 miles in well under an hour...:-) At Rocky Ford, CO I was able to hook up with Rt50, The SantaFe Trail. This was the overland route to the SW from St Louis. It's interesting to note that along the way there are still ruts in nthe parairie from the wagons the early settlers used. It's so arrid in places, that nature has not erased them yet. Dodge City was next on the list. Dodge City was a major trading depot for the SW. Buffalo hides, Cattle, Firearms, provisions......It all came through Dodge City. And with it all came lawlessness. In one year, 17 folks were gunned down and dozens hung for various infractions. All the great CowBoy legends either lived here or served as Marshalls. Lots of great history. From Dodge City to Wichita KS there is nothing..............But WIND! In fact, the entire trip across Kansa was just about the worst riding I've ever experienced. The bike was over at a 15 degree angle for the entire ride as the winds were 30-40 mph from the south. My neck and head felt like it was being hit by a prize fighter! Laying down on the tank and resting my chin on the talkbag was the only way to gain some comfort. And as you went by grain silos or a stand of trees, the wind would stop and you'd shoot across the road, only to be hammered once you cleared the wind block.......Terrible! I had to make a slight detour to Huchinson KS for a room for the nigh as there was nothing on Rt50..........Hopefully the wind will die down tomorrow. NOT!.......Just as bad as yesterday.........Time to put some distance on the bike........... From KS to Missouri and on to St Louis. I was supposed to stop and visit with friends in Western MO, but when I called them, they were not around so I just kept riding. I made my way up to Rt70 and put the hammer down. Mo and Illinois disappeared beneath my wheels.........I made it to Terre Haute Indiana for the night. The Barn was calling...........I just wanted to get home. I made it from Terre Haute to Somerset PA where I stopped for gas at about 4pm. I figured I could get in another couple of hours and then have a one day ride home from somewhere near SAcanton PA. I filled the bike and was drinking a bottle of water as I walked around the bike to check things out. The tires were showing wear, but they didn't seem too bad. the rear was down to the indicators, but I felt I could get another 500 miles out of them. But something made me move the bike forward for a closer inspection........... Here's what i found!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH S--T!!!!!!! How long was I traveling at 80-85 mph on that bad boy! I couldn't believe it. If you ever read my Alaska travel log (www.motoalaska.blogspot.com) you would know the exact same thing happened to me. What is it with me and tires. Am I that hard on them? These Z4s only had 7K miles on them. Just before I left for this trip, I signed up for the AMA Towing service. I called them and within 30 minutes a truck and motorcycle trailer was there. I also called two folks in the BMW Anonymous Book and was told there was a great dealer in Bedford PA, abpout 40 miles down the road. Away I went, got a motel in Bedford and prayed that the dealer would be open on Monday, Columbus Holiday......... As a side note, as the fellow from the BMW Anon, Jim, and I were talking, I offered that I had been traveling at upwards of 85mph on the PA Turnpike.......This is when he informed me that he was a PA State Trooper and that was his area.........:-) Monday morning had me at Bedford Moto Sports at 9:30AM.............THEY WERE OPEN!......And they had a set of Z6 tires in stock. But they were quite busy and it took two hours until I was finished...............But I got new rubber and the price was well in line with the internet. A great dealership if you are ever in the area............ Time to get home.................Not so fast! Rt84 in NY is shut down. Huge accident and we stopped for over an hour...Ugh! I finally peeled of and hit Rt6 through Bear Mt State Park and Rt202 which is a great motorcycle road. Well worth the detour. But Deer were everywhere and it was getting dark. I decided to stop in Danbury and make a quick run home today.................... So that's it................Phoenix to Massachusetts..............With the tour in NM and AZ I did just under 4000 miles in ten days...........Life is good! ( For a real good write up on our SW Tour, Rob Dupre has a great blog... http://robdupre.livejournal.com/ And lots of pictures from my trip are here http://public.fotki.com/Rbertalotto/travel...ix--four-corne/ Enjoy! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer elevation Posted October 17, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted October 17, 2008 Looks like a great trip. Good for you doing it on your own. Not something I would like to do. Isn't great how everything just works out in the end? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer rbertalotto Posted October 17, 2008 Author Member Contributer Share Posted October 17, 2008 Although I don't mind traveling with one or two good friends that have the same riding style and endurance as I, I'd much rather tour alone. You can stop where you want, as long as you want. Start out whenever you want and stop when it suits you for the evening. And you are much more likely to be engaged in conversation if you are alone, which is always interesting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vfr_steve Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 epic trip!! Glad you made it with that tyre!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SEBSPEED Posted October 17, 2008 Share Posted October 17, 2008 Although I don't mind traveling with one or two good friends that have the same riding style and endurance as I, I'd much rather tour alone. You can stop where you want, as long as you want. Start out whenever you want and stop when it suits you for the evening. And you are much more likely to be engaged in conversation if you are alone, which is always interesting. I share your sentiment! I went from NY to Tucson to Colorado & back to NY in 13 days solo, one of the coolest things I've ever experienced! :fing02: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Great post ! GREATER adventure!! You really pounded down those miles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer FatherX Posted October 20, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted October 20, 2008 Thanks ....you are my hero for the day! There is a pic on the remote site of a redish bike going through a 1.5' of water...you? Yikes! Adventure on and be safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spud786 Posted October 20, 2008 Share Posted October 20, 2008 Whered ya get than waterproof duffle? what ever milege ya get The road2 gets the same life as a Z4 and much better tire That was a Huge trip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer rbertalotto Posted October 20, 2008 Author Member Contributer Share Posted October 20, 2008 Yup, that was me through that water, but it really was about 10".........the picture angle makes it look deeper. The waterproof bag is an ORTLIB, made in Germany. Do a search or Aerostitch carries them. A great product that I've had for years and has taken amazing abuse and still performs perfectly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member Contributer PhatPat33 Posted October 20, 2008 Member Contributer Share Posted October 20, 2008 Nice report, Rob. Glad that tire didn't go on you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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