• Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to register so that you can join the community and use the numerous features on the site. After registering, don't forget to post up an introduction!

Roaming Wyoming 701ing

Forums New posts
We found a camp spot, burned some meat and drank something fermented, more than once. We didn’t lay down too many miles yesterday, but when we did it was a pretty rough atv trail. This morning we got moving pretty early, restless to see and do I am. KTMCarhart is a slow mover in the morning, here is a pic of him this morning after I woke him up.

1598126803274.jpeg

After he packed up the play pen on little booger, we stepped outside our office and went to work. Mixed terrain, pines, strange rocks. We got on another atv trail as we eased south across the tail end of the Wind River Range.

1598126939849.jpeg

Got into the South Pass area, beautiful country. We come back through this general area in a few days for some more of this scene.

1598127029953.jpeg

Got through that rolling plains look and then into the desert for a lot of miles, southeast trajectory, all is going well. The wild mustangs were really cool.

1598127205240.jpeg

Eventually popped out of BLM and ate some slab just north of Rawlins. Took a break, hit a choke and puke, gassed up and now we are headed back out. It’s not about the towns.
 
In! I'll be living vicariously through you guys and sitting in the AC.

I too am part of the Joe MC cult....

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
 
KsTeveM said:
Got to see a cool thing thing this morning. Right out the gate we passed by The Sinks, where the middle fork of the Popo Agie River flows until it disappears into a large cave, then re-emerges a quarter mile away
Click to expand...

It's getting better and better and you'll have a fabulous ride. However, KsTeveM, I'm pretty sure you'll have to 'splain how the Wyomingites pronouce the Popo Agie River, since most Texens won't know!
 
Yesterday after we ate a late lunch in Rawlins, we hit some dirt as we made our way towards Elk Mountain, last stop with civilization for a while. Couldn’t have a fire in the Medicine Bow NF, so we grabbed some gas station sandwiches and a couple beers for camp. Topped off to be safe and headed south back into the mountains, the Snowy Range. The smoke haze has been a bummer, but we are still enjoying the views.

1598205516971.jpeg

So we found a decent camping spot along a creek off the beaten path. We were both pretty beat, the days of driving the truck, wrenching on the truck, the 690, crappy sleep and 200 plus miles on the bikes today with the technical we asked for and the heat of the desert....we needed a relaxing evening. The creek was cold, but I still took a quick shower.

1598205685849.jpeg


This morning we got moving and our technical route was pretty gnarly right out the gate, lots of rocks, lots of hill climbs. The KLX wasn’t happy, front fork seals are blown and the rear shock has faded. It was like a 6’3” monster of a man was beating on it with 60lbs of gear at 10,000 feet. It was just like that.

1598206274833.jpeg


We pulled the reins back a bit and got on something a little less challenging, 103 I think it was.

1598206361351.jpeg


1598206857614.jpeg


We still had some challenges, just the right amount to keep it fun. License plates are overrated. Tried to find it, didn’t happen.

1598207104927.jpeg


We stopped at an overlook on the Snowy Range. Then we tried to get into another good track, but it was closed, probably a long time ago. We rerouted and just grabbed some grub in Riverside. Our plan is to head back into the mountains, Sierra Madres I think.

1598207558686.jpeg
 
Is that klx a 300?

Steve, what are you sleeping on?

How is your packing system working out so far?

Thanks for taking the pix and posting them up as you go along.

:popcorn:
 
KLX is a 250. Nephew brought it as a backup but he never imagined having to ride the entire adventure on it. It wasn’t really prepped for the task. Has proved to be a chore. But it has dragged him through a lot so far. We borrowed a hammer from the Bear Trap Grille and maxed out the preload, life is better.

1598227452933.jpeg


Sleeping stuff for me. Probably too minimalist. My sleeping pad is just barely big enough for me at 6’1” but I love how small it packs, Klymit Static V. Pillow is super cool, Outdoor Vitals ultra light. I think my tent is a Clostnature 2 person, pretty happy with it. My sleeping bag packs small, but not overly warm and a little small for me. I don’t remember the brand, I am hoteling it tonight. I will buy a better one down the road.

Bike packing is going well. Only thing I don’t like was my plan of putting a 6 pack of beer and a steak in my backpack. Along with topping off my 3 liter water bladder. Too much weight to hit trails with, I am going back to the camp food/beverages have to go on the bike for the temporary ride to camp. I will carry a collapsible bag and secure it right behind me, worked well for the NMBDR. Some of my improvements aren’t always improvements.

We got into some gnarly stuff in the Sierra Madres, we went down stuff we certainly couldn’t make back up with the KLX. It was pretty epic high alpine riding. Will load some pics later from go pro, there was no smelling the roses with my iphone for too many pics.

1598227680695.jpeg


1598227773444.jpeg


1598227871165.jpeg


We are holed up in Baggs at a basic hotel. Shower, cold beer, soft bed....it’s nirvana.
 
This is a good one, I’m the spec laying dust. That’s all I have to say about that.

1598230659945.jpeg
 
KsTeveM said:
KLX is a 250. Nephew brought it as a backup but he never imagined having to ride the entire adventure on it. It wasn’t really prepped for the task. Has proved to be a chore. But it has dragged him through a lot so far. We borrowed a hammer from the Bear Trap Grille and maxed out the preload, life is better.
Click to expand...
It's interesting, there's another thread here with a link to the video series of the Rocky Mountain ATV MC guys riding Utah and Colorado. It's almost like a video version of your ongoing ride report. They've already had an issue with a 690 and have had to wrench on the Kawasaki. I keep getting dejavu between this and that.

KsTeveM said:
I love how small it packs, Klymit Static V. Pillow is super cool
Click to expand...
Love mine too, found the pillow is nice if you don't air it up 100% though.
 
gixxerjasen said:
It's interesting, there's another thread here with a link to the video series of the Rocky Mountain ATV MC guys riding Utah and Colorado. It's almost like a video version of your ongoing ride report. They've already had an issue with a 690 and have had to wrench on the Kawasaki. I keep getting dejavu between this and that.
Click to expand...
So no KTMs, no Suzukis, no Kawis, what CAN you take on this trip?
 
Had a good breakfast in Baggs and got out of there early. We were making good time.....

1598298463084.jpeg


1598298765065.jpeg


1598298831722.jpeg


Then decided it would be fun to fix a flat. Got her done, back in the game. This is some crazy BLM remoteness, and we had some obscure two track, lots of sand here and there. Worked well clocking some miles on Mars while it was still cooler.

1598299143536.jpeg


1598299273151.jpeg


1598299310849.jpeg


1598299344068.jpeg


We got gas and are eating a bite at Point of Rocks Right now. Hoping to make it to Lander today, pushing hard.

1598299412333.jpeg
 
Wow, I own both the Klymit and that big blue roll being toted around by the Kawasaki. You should show him your Klymit. So much smaller and more comfortable.
 
KsTeveM said:
Then decided it would be fun to fix a flat. Got her done, back in the game. This is some crazy BLM remoteness, and we had some obscure two track, lots of sand here and there. Worked well clocking some miles on Mars while it was still cooler.

1598299143536.jpeg
Click to expand...

I'm starting to see a trend...That boy is hard on equipment!
 
The rest of the story.....
After Point of Rocks we had originally planned to hit Kilpecker sand dunes. But the day before we fell short of our distance goal. That made this ride longer if we were going to make the time back.....and coupled with the little 250cc bike, we cut out the sand dunes. But we were still pushing hard to make a roughly 300 mile day a reality.

1598384616879.jpeg


1598384672046.jpeg


Desert miles usually allow that easier, but a lot of the two tracks were rutted up, sandy, technical riding.

1598384783416.jpeg


......and then about half way through this desert section, went to start the KLX, nothing, dead, no lights, nada. Battery read 5V. Another sinking feeling as we were really out there. Here was the scene:

1598383402163.jpeg


But you just have to problem solve. KTMCarhart had quite a bit of stuff charging while riding, I was worried the stator gave up the ghost. We disconnected all the accessories. Checked connections all over the bike, nothing obvious. Decided if we did have a charging issue or a battery issue, better to not have the headlight adding to the draw, we disconnected it. Got the bike to the top of a hill and bump started it, good feeling when the ol girl fired up.

1598383573426.jpeg


No more games, had to focus on getting out of no mans land in case we truly had a charging issue. We changed our plan a bit to cut a little out and not get caught riding after dark with no headlight.

1598384840053.jpeg


Still got to cross the Oregon Trail and Pony Express Route.

1598383612908.jpeg


Couldn’t help drift away thinking about people crossing this area on horseback/wagon. Can you imagine the look on the wife’s face bouncing around out here for days, weeks? Then I thought about that wagon guy on Dances with Wolves, put that in your book.

1598384948234.jpeg


Horses tried to split us up.

1598384997116.jpeg


Hit some terra firma, engage full throttle.

1598384234507.jpeg


We made our way through South Pass area, a natural low spot of the Rockies/Cont Divide where many settlers crossed doing the Oregon, California and Mormon trails traveling west during the 1800s. We have been flirting with the Divide off and on for a couple days now. I felt like a cheater on my bike, quite a different undertaking 200 years ago. You either planned well or died. For us, poor planning typically just makes a less enjoyable trip, not your last trip.

1598385099651.jpeg


Wind gusts were a little interesting. We were skirting some rain, that smell in the desert on a bike at speed is awesome. We got out of there, hit some pavement and then some red dirt easing into Lander.

We made it!!!! Beer garden time.
1598384147170.jpeg
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top