Dirty Adventurers - Motorcycle Blog

Montana Mountain Loop near Phoenix

Posted on March 6, 2013 by Hilary

Montana Mountain Loop near Phoenix, Arizona

It was about a month ago I left cold Montana to head to warm and sunny Phoenix, Arizona. I never considered the mountain ranges or the riding possibilities here in Phoenix. I knew that there was some great riding here, but I had no idea how great.

Not only that, but I had no clue what amazing riding friends I would find. Riding buddies that actually were all about the dual sport (even more so than me, with my measly little Suzuki DR350 that can barely do freeway).

So far I’ve been out 3 weekends (only my first ride in Arizona recorded so far), and every single one has been a completely blast.

This past weekend Mark (who took me on my first ride in the desert) took me to the Montana Mountain Loop. Maybe he thought I was a bit homesick for Montana (I’m not). Maybe he just knew what a freaking amazing route it was. I vote for the latter.

Coming from the center of Phoenix, it took about an hour to get to the dirt roads. But once we were there, we were completely surrounded by desert, cacti, and the beauty of Arizona.

It was a beautiful day, in the 80s (20s C), and so warm that I was able to take off my jacket and just ride in my armour. Starting out, the road was not rough. It was nice dirt, and we stopped many times just to take in the beautiful scenery. As we started to climb up the mountain, the terrain got a little harder. But it was nothing that I couldn’t handle or hadn’t seen before.

When we reached the top of the mountain, the view was to die for, and unfortunately, pictures do not do it justice. The mountains weren’t like the mountains of Montana, but you know what, close enough. And if they were just like the mountains of Montana, they would have been covered in snow. Which is no good.

As we made our way down the side of the mountain, where the sun did not shine as hard and there was still snow on the ground, the road seemed much rougher.

We had gotten a late start and now the sun was going down. Less time for pictures and drooling over the view than on the way up. With the downhill and the rocks, and my throttle getting stuck on “GO”, it was a rough road.

The turns were the killer ones. There were huge rocks, and a cliff you did not want to go off of. I was taking many of them too fast, and I started falling left and right. Luckily Mark was quick to jump off his bike and help me up. He helped me slow down on the turns to experience less falls, and I was impressed by his calmness.

But with each fall, I became more and more tired. There was very little time to rest, so it was back on and continue. I’ve been stuck riding in the dark before, and it is not a fun task. I wasn’t about to let it happen again.

One fall the bike landed on my foot. Thank goodness for my Alpinestar off road riding boots, because my ankle would have been snapped for sure. Instead, it was left throbbing and even four days later it hurts and is black and blue. But you know what? That is all part of the adventure!

Onward we went, and once we were off of the mountain, the trail eased up. We road in some amazing river beds and even some rivers filled with water that seemed to be part of the road, which reminded me again of Albania, my first true off road adventure.

We made it back to base camp just as it was turning dark. It was another amazing adventure in the Arizona desert. I look forward to the many more that will come in the future.

Categories: Ride | Tags: Arizona, Arizona Desert, Montana Mountain Loop, near phoenix | 2 Comments

My First Adventure in the Arizona Desert

Posted on February 19, 2013 by Hilary

It’s February. Usually this time of year I spend wishing I was riding, waiting for spring, waiting for the snow to melt. Stuck inside, fixing up my beautiful bike, dreaming of finer weather.

Roosevelt Lake, Arizona

Not this February. This February, I packed up everything I owned in my car (half of it being for my Suzuki), put my bike on a trailer, and headed down to Arizona.

Arizona has wonderful spring weather (80F/20C) now, and I’ve been dying to ride. But my first weekend was getting settled, my second weekend I ended up sick. I was also missing a riding partner. I found great friends in Bozeman, Montana; I explored the Bridger’s with Paul, I camped in the crazies with Benton. I had amazing adventures in Montana.

Now it was Arizona’s turn.

It didn’t take me too long to find a rider here who fit my style. I was actually lucky, we have been in the same class for awhile, and had no idea we were both adventure riders. So many people in the US ride a Harley, and when you say motorcycle, they assume you ride a Harley as well. You do find dirt riders here and there, but even my roommates & friends who don’t ride think I do motocross. I don’t enjoy riding around in circles!

So when I met Mark and found out he had a BMW 650GS, I forced him to take me for a ride. Luckily he is just that nice of a guy. He planned a trip, an hour away from my house, a half day adventure. My roommates (two retired ladies who didn’t think I would make it) made me feel a bit worried. But then I realised something… I’ve been to Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro and other countries. Much different than Arizona. I think I could handle it.

So on Saturday I woke up at 6:30, hopped on my prepped bike and started my journey to meet Mark at a gas station at the edge of town. I ended up being a little late (I’m still misjudging the traffic of this gigantic city), and while he was waiting he met two other riders headed to the same area as us. Roosevelt Lake. So off we headed, the four of us. There was a little highway, but it wasn’t long before we reached the recreational area.

I must say, I was surprised at how many people were on the road. There were tons of people on quads and bikes. We stopped at the parking lot (yes, this area had a parking lot!) to take off some layers, and our gas station friends went off ahead. When we started off finally, we quickly got caught behind a group of quads and some other weird four wheeled machine. I have to say, it was fun passing them and getting away from the people! There is a certain aggressive skill needed to pass quickly and without harm to either party. I enjoyed it, but was happy when they were in my side mirror.

Soon, we had pure open road. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining but not too hot, and we made our way on an easy off road trail through the mountains.

I, of course, had to stop multiple times for photos. When you realize that there are not many places in the world like Arizona, you start to appreciate its beauty. The trail on the way up was fun, simple, and open. Single tracks make me nervous that I’m going to hit a tree, so I slow down. This road, I just had to look out for cars (YES, CARS!) around the bend. Otherwise, I could go full force. I am thankful for my time in Sweden and learning to hit those open roads with full throttle!

As we started to climb the mountain, I noticed little white patches. Snow! Wow, there is snow in Arizona! We made our way up, we saw more and more on the side of the road, but none on the road itself.

Near the top, we ran into our gas station buddies. One was on a Suzuki DRZ and the other on a BMW 800GS. The GS had a little tip over on the turn. I thought they wanted me to pull over to see the fantastic view. It wasn’t until I got to the viewing spot did I see the GS. Luckily it was easy for them to get up (I didn’t even have a chance to get off my bike to help!)

Once we were settled, and took a few pictures, we talked to our gas station friends about the trail.

“Be careful!” the Suzuki rider warned. ”There is a sheet of ice on the road. You will need to walk the bikes through to get passed, it is just way too slippery.” At that point, after the tip over, they decided to go back down.

I looked at Mark. “You want to give it a shot?” he asked.

“You do realize I lived in Sweden. And Bozeman, Montana. Riding in snow is not an issue.” So off we went.

When we got to the “sheet of ice on the road” I had to laugh. It was barely ice, broken up pieces, and mostly mud. This is the snow that Phoenicians are afraid of? Bring it on.

We made it to the top of the summit, passing a lot of snow-mud along the way. I did loose my back end a few times, because I was applying the brakes. The key with ice and snow is no extra throttle, no braking. Just keep at your current speed and you will pass it without a problem.

So glad I had experienced winter in Sweden and Bozeman to know how to ride in snow! This was child’s play. Yet it was still fun

At the top of the mountain we could see Lake Roosevelt in all its beauty. More time for photos! We decided if we could make it to the top of the mountain, we could make it down the shadow side of the mountain too. While there was some snow here and there, it wasn’t bad at all! I noticed, there were a lot less cars and other vehicles on this path as well.

Riding downhill is a lot scarier for me than riding up. Also, this was my first ride of the season, and I was out of shape! I could feel myself not having confidence in the curves, but I gave myself a break. Easing back into riding after being out for months takes time.

When I reached the bottom, I noticed Mark talking to another rider. Another Suzuki DRZ. Mark actually happen to know this guy, Larry. Small world! And he happened to be waiting for our gas station buddies who decided to turn around.

I have to say, I was very proud of myself because I hadn’t yet had a tip over, fumble or fall. I had a loose back wheel here and there, but I managed to keep control. Until I pulled up near the guys, and lost my footing. Doh! Bike down again!

I was so mad that I didn’t reach my goal of not tipping that I picked up my DR in an instant. Because if she isn’t down for 10 seconds long then it doesn’t count, right? Mark and Larry didn’t even have a chance to get off their bikes to help me. So some of my pride was saved

We headed to lunch, at a little dive at a gas station by Roosevelt lake. We ordered greasy food, drank some ice tea, and talked about riding adventures. It was a blast!

It was now around 1. The day was done, and it was time to head home. Larry was camping by the lake, but both Mark and I needed to get back into town.

Larry suggested we take the Apache trail. Another fun dirt road, and it would get us where we needed to go . It was on the way to his camping ground. I had nothing else planned that evening except for a party later. I looked at Mark. Game. Continue our adventure we would!

This trail was beautiful and followed the river. But I started to feel the heat of the desert. It was hot, dusty, and I didn’t yet own sun screen (still don’t). The beauty of the desert, the river, the cacti, was worth every second. While there were people around here and there, mostly cars and RVs we had to pass, it was beautiful. I see why that road was so popular.

Another few hours of dirt riding, and then back to pavement. But beautiful twist and turns (I really have to practice my turns) made it entertaining. There was even a water stream we shouldn’t have passed. I tend to ignore signs though

In the end, it was an amazing day and an amazing introduction to the Arizona desert. Even with all the cars and people, I couldn’t imagine it any better.

It is amazing the people you meet who do dual sport. Cheers to new friends and many more dirty motorcycle adventures!

Categories: Ride | Tags: Arizona, phoenix, ride report | Leave a comment

Common Sense: The Public Should Be Able To Access Public Lands

Posted on January 25, 2013 by Guest Blogger

I love to Ride! The U.S. federal government controls the majority of land that resides in several states in the western U.S., such as Idaho, Nevada and Montana.

This top-down land management leads to some frustrating conflicts between land users and local officials – most of whom prefer to see access to public lands remain unhindered – and decision makers in Washington D.C., who seem to favor increased land and road restrictions on national forest lands.

At the end of the day, the battles often are solved in the courtroom, where litigation reigns supreme and common sense and on-ground-knowledge is often banished from the proceedings.

Such is the case on several National Forests in the western United States where powerful environmental lobby groups have taken local ranger districts to court to battle over what the lobby perceives as restrictions on public land access that do not go far enough.

Despite years of policy decisions that have limited the public’s access to forest lands by restricting the use of automobiles and by closing roads, the environmental lobby has been pushing for even more restrictions and will haul local officials into court to achieve their nefarious ends, which is to completely shut down forests from all recreational and economical use.

Fortunately in some instances, recreational access groups have fought back, meeting the tree-hugging lobby on equal footing, and have themselves sued the U.S. Forest Service for unjustifiably locking the general public out of their public lands, making it so the public cannot enjoy responsible recreational use of the lands they essentially own!

Now before I go too far let me say that I abhor recreational activities that damage the environment, and off-roaders who do this are the bane of the community and their actions not only damage the pristine great outdoors but have gone a long way towards giving the environmental lobby the ammunition they need to shut down our forest lands.

But it is my firm belief that these rouge and reckless rednecks are in the vast minority, and do not represent the overall recreational community comprised of individuals who adhere to Tread Lightly standards and respect and revere the landscape and the ecosystem.

But this reality is not reflected in the public lands policy decisions in the past decade, when tens-of-thousands of miles of roads and trails that were once regularly and responsibly used for recreation have been closed, obliterated or otherwise been declared off limits.

Once upon a time, forest rangers had a mandate to administer the activities on public lands for what was termed “multiple-use”. These days, an agenda of conservation has trumped everything else, leading many to believe that the end goal is a scenario where the public is no longer welcome on public lands and forests.

That would be an absurd outcome for this nature-loving, environment-respecting off-roader and the legions of others just like me. The public should be allowed to responsibly access public lands in perpetuity and the public needs to be empowered to make the right decisions on the land that has been set aside for public use.

Federal policy should help to educate the public and punish those who run afoul of responsible use. But locking the door and throwing away the key is not the answer.

Jack Payton is a Tread Lightly proponent and advocate for public land access. His freelance writing appears courtesy of online tire retailer tires-easy.com.

Categories: General | Tags: law, public lands | Leave a comment

Off Road Biking in the UK

Posted on January 19, 2013 by Guest Blogger

Derwent Valley The UK has many great roads for motorbikes, giving you opportunity to power through mountains in Scotland and Wales and view stunning lake and coastal scenery while you’re there. For the more adventurous dirty biker there are also some great off road opportunities too.

If you want to take part in some off roading in the UK, you need to be aware that there are restrictions in certain areas so you will need to plan ahead. If you want to go it alone, the best place to do this is with the many online communities of UK bikers and 4×4 enthusiasts, like Tread Lightly and Ride Off Road, who will have up to date information about the best places to go.

However there are plenty of companies who’ll take you on organised trips, and this way you’ll find the best routes and you can be sure you’re riding on legal areas.

A lot of bikers have traditionally flocked to the Peak District to get their thrills, as it’s a mountainous region which offers open space and high peaks – plenty of variety and excitement!

The Peak District is a national park in the North West of the UK. It’s in a great location for tourism as there are good cities like Manchester and Sheffield nearby, and plenty of B&Bs in the park itself, many of which are friendly to bikers and other outdoor adventurers. The area has around 300 “green lanes” which are historic tracks and routes used by walkers, cyclists, horse riders and off-roaders. The lanes are managed by the park authorities, and they are keen to stop the tracks becoming too damaged. This means that they do monitor them and some are not available for vehicle use so check the Peak District government website before you set off to make sure you stay in the legal areas.

A lot of bikers and 4×4 owners go off road in the park as it’s a great place to explore some open countryside and really get your motor running. The views are fantastic and the terrain is varied and open enough to offer plenty of good opportunities for excitement. You should be aware though that local campaigners are currently in dispute with the off road groups about how legal this is, and they’re trying to get it banned, so be respectful of the local area, and obviously of walkers and horse riders who will also be trying to enjoy the space.

The Derwent Valley is a particularly popular area with many rides on offer, such as Cut Gate and Doctor’s Gate. This route takes you across some exposed and remote countryside and around a reservoir – great views and a mixture of challenges and levels of difficulty. The Beast at Hope Cross is also another highly recommended route. It’s a dirt track which is very loose in places making it great for experienced riders looking for something a bit unpredictable.

There are many sites run by enthusiasts that give full details of the routes as well as advice and the latest tips, so make sure you take advantage of all the information that’s out there!

This is a guest post written by Kat on behalf of Car Loan 4U, who are experts in car finance. Kat is a keen blogger who writes about driving and travel within the UK and Europe, particularly DIY holidays and transport tips.

Categories: Tips and Tricks | Tags: Travel, Trip, UK | Leave a comment

How To Plan A Road Trip On A Motorcycle

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Hilary

Hilary and Transalp What better way of spending time off than taking to the open road on your motorcycle and going wherever the wind takes you? For motorcycle enthusiasts, a road trip makes for a wonderful holiday as you can spend plenty of quality time biking as you explore a new country or area. However, there are a few things you should do before you take off to ensure you don’t end up completely lost or stranded by the roadside with a motorbike that has broken down.

Knowing Your Bike

Before you leave, you should learn the basics of motorcycle repair so that you can easily fix any minor damage or faults that your bike suffers on the road. You should put together a basic repair kit so you have the right tools if you do find yourself with a fault to repair or a wheel to patch up. It’s a good idea to have a few different types of wrenches for the various nuts on your bike, as well as a screwdriver and a tyre gauge.

Electronic and Paper Maps

Nowadays, many smartphones have map apps, so you can work out your route and find your bearings with your phone when you’re on the road, but it’s a good idea to pack maps or internet print-outs of your route in case your phone runs out of battery or you find yourself in an area with no reception or internet.

Deciding on a Route

When choosing a route for a road trip, always take the scenic route. Motorways don’t make for an interesting driving experience and don’t offer many places where you can pull over to admire the surroundings. Avoid roads that will usually have heavy traffic as you want your road trip to be an enjoyable driving experience. It’s also important to set realistic targets for each day. You won’t want to drive from dawn to dusk, so underestimate how far you will travel each day rather than overestimating, so you’re free to stop to explore if you feel like it. If you’re travelling with others, you should all agree on the route to make sure everyone gets to see what they want to see. Talking about this beforehand will prevent conflict later on.

Although you do need to plan a certain amount of your journey, leave room for discovery and adventure as your hopes for the trip may change on the road as you see what the area has to offer. If certain things don’t go according to plan, don’t fret – plans are not set in stone. The most important thing is that you enjoy the ride.

This article was written by Lucas O’Connor who always takes precautions to prevent motorcycle accidents when he takes to the road on his motorcycle.

Categories: Ride | Tags: motorcycle trip, road trip | 2 Comments