In September of 2021 I was able to spend a week exploring eastern Utah and western Colorado through an organized trip. This was our first experience having our bikes shipped through a tour company. While I personally love the adventure of getting to the destination this was an efficient way to maximize our week. My hubs and I were one of three other couples on this trip (who already knew each other) along with about 40 other motorcycle adventurists! We mostly stuck to riding with our own little group and while plans often changed and patience sometimes wore thin we all had a great time.
Utah is truly unlike anyplace else on earth! I was not prepared for the heat wave of mid to upper 90's every day when we visited in early September. Bring water, pack you patience, and stop frequently.
Here are a few of the things we experienced.
Arches National Park: tip get there 15 minutes before the park opens (also be sure to check if reservations are required, this changed periodically throughout covid) Arches is also beautiful to visit at night but also a little scary as it is VERY dark and the roads are narrow, curvy, and unlit. (I chickened out.)
Canyonlands and Deadhorse Canyon: Due to to wildfires out west it was incredibly hazy and visibility was low. It was still worth the trip. Some parks are State and and some are National. We opted to buy a National parks pass in advance which are valid for 2 motorcycles for a year. The State parks we opted to just pay individually.
The Needles: Canyonlands park is the upper rim while The Needles is the lower plains/valley. It's so worth the trek. It is it's own little micro-climate and so different than the upper rim. It was over 100F in the shade when we visited. Be sure to check out the obscure little general store if you visit. Weird!
Telluride, CO: Overpriced and over crowded but beautiful! The ride to Telluride was scenic and cool but the actual city was hectic and stressful on a bike.
Potash Rd Petroglyphs: This short little cruise is so worth it! The road is fun. If you aren't paying attention you'll cruise right on by these ancient alien like beings carved into the rocks.
Bedrock, CO: A tiny "town" in literally the middle of nowhere with one 100+ year old general store owned by the only family in town. It was a riot! You literally will feel like you've steppe back in time. On CO-90 heading to UT-46 you've gotta stop. You'll immediately fall in love with the romance of the old west. The highway is also fantastic and has stellar views and a fun set of switchbacks. We rode this highway a few times. Be sure to look for the Utah sign and then immediately turn around to get a picture of the Colorado sign.
UT-128: An absolutely majestic stretch of road with unending views! You'll find the famous Red Cliffs Lodge where 100's of movies have been filmed and the J.J. Mercantile to stop for coffee or to cool off. We rode this every chance we had.
Moki Dugway: Well this is one thing I can check off doing on a bagger! An accidental detour consisting of 7-8% downhill giant gravel wash-boarded switchbacks! It was AWESOME albeit a bit hair-raising!
Valley of the Gods: Another alien like landscape so worth the adventure. The elevation is extremely dry and hot. So plan for it!
And of course downtown Moab. There are fun Murals around every corner. The Sunset Grill is worth it just for the view at of course sunset. Once the home of the famed uranium miner Charlie Steen. Stick to the steak.
I apologize in advance for the photos being out of order but ya get what ya get! I'm sure I'm forgetting a few adventures but those were the highlights. Let me know if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions!
7 сен 2024
