Roaming the Western USA

[Bajaexplorer]

Introduction:

No, not "Going for the Gold", but the stuff thats lays on the ground....

Headed out Monday morning, sorta early...
Have to be back home by 6/28/2015

It came down to the wire for the decision of which trip to do. Either this one or one to be titled "The Journey", a totaly different ride. "The Journey" will get done, but don't think this year and not going solo on it.

The purpose of this trip is find some of that there gold that everyone is saying just lays on top of the ground.... Yea, right.... This trip will take me into Az and maybe on through to Quartzsite.

I had posted in DFW_Tom current RR, that i was going to follow his RR. Was, but he turned south quicker than I thought he was going to.

I am going to try to stop by Midland to walk the museum, depends on how secure I feel the bike is where i park it. Any TWT members there that have a secure area? Take me to museum and walk it with me.... I will pay your entrence fee. Not much of a compensation for doing that. Then onto Meteor Crater and have a look see.

More than likely will overnight in Odesa, then continue on towards Roswell, N.M. and tent at Bottomless Lakes SP (there will be pics). Then continue on to Roswell and if some sort of secure parking, have a look at the UFO museum there, along with anything else related to extraterrestrial.

From Roswell turning south headed to southern N.M. to the first of the placer mines I am going to. Once i have had enough of N.M., head to Az where there are quite a few i want to try. Also there are four placer mines for sale that i want to have a look see at.

Pics of mc loaded, along with trailer will be posted here in first post before i leave. Having new tires mounted and balanced. Figured for this trip i better instead of me just mounting them myself and being done with it.

I could keep on writing about those placer mines for sale, but stopping as not to take up too much room on server and probably not very interesting to the reader.

---------
Just read where DFW_Tom missed the hour opening of Fort Stanton Museum and Historic Site...
Not that much out of my way... I'll head over there from Roswell.

 

[M38A1]

Re: Going for Gold - Stay Tuned



Ride safe!

 

[DFW Tom]

Re: Going for Gold - Stay Tuned

 

[Bajaexplorer]

Re: Going for Gold - Stay Tuned

Ride safe!

Glad to see both y'all here.

M381A1, thanks for all the help with all the PMs i sent to you.
I will try to follow your advice as best i can.
Can't leave out thanking all the others that posted on my first RR with advice.
SAB, KP, BB, DWF_T and a whole lot of others from that RR.

DFW_Tom, if i can write a RR even half as good as the one you are doing now, I will have a winner.

 

[lowrider]

Re: Going for Gold - Stay Tuned

Sounds like a fun adventure. I want to see some Gold pics soon.

 

[Bajaexplorer]

Re: Going for Gold - Stay Tuned

Sounds like a fun adventure. I want to see some Gold pics soon.

Welll, i an't going to that much trouble

 

[lowrider]

Re: Going for Gold - Stay Tuned

Welll, i an't going to that much trouble

Oh, not this trip I'm sure. I got a good buddy here in town who is retired and got the itch. He planned and gathered some supplies and headed out to AZ for a week trip. He did not find a ton, but got few specks and learned a lot, and got hooked.

Jump forward about 5 years to today. He sold off a Confederate button collection he had dug up in the area over the years to museum in FTW for 16k, bought a used Toyota Prius for the economy factor, and has a couple of protable dredge set-up's. He will take off for 10 days to 2 weeks at the drop of a dime to go sift for gold. He just loves it. He said the hardest part is getting water to the site. You have to haul it all in where his clain is located.

 

[Bajaexplorer]

Re: Going for Gold - Stay Tuned

Oh, not this trip I'm sure. I got a good buddy here in town who is retired and got the itch. He planned and gathered some supplies and headed out to AZ for a week trip. He did not find a ton, but got few specks and learned a lot, and got hooked.

Jump forward about 5 years to today. He sold off a Confederate button collection he had dug up in the area over the years to museum in FTW for 16k, bought a used Toyota Prius for the economy factor, and has a couple of protable dredge set-up's. He will take off for 10 days to 2 weeks at the drop of a dime to go sift for gold. He just loves it. He said the hardest part is getting water to the site. You have to haul it all in where his clain is located.

Understand that. The claims that i am looking at to buy are like that, no water.
I use a dry wash, which due to size I can not pack on my motomule trailer.
-----

As a side note, my sister just called and i have to be somewhere in northern Colorado first week of June. She is out chasing burried treasure.....
I wonder if she realizes how cold it will be.

The RR looks like it will get even better, or can if i can be articulate enough, with enough pics.

 

[Texas T]

Re: Going for Gold - Stay Tuned

From Roswell turning south headed to southern N.M. to the first of the placer mines I am going to. Once i have had enough of N.M., head to Az where there are quite a few i want to try.

If you want to combine some good riding with your prospecting, from Roswell make your way to Silver City, take 180 NW to 78 into Arizona. Follow that west to 191 N (Devil's Highway) and not only will you be on the best Moto Road in the state, you'll pass by the world's second largest open pit mine in Morenci.

 

[Bajaexplorer]

Re: Going for Gold - Stay Tuned

If you want to combine some good riding with your prospecting, from Roswell make your way to Silver City, take 180 NW to 78 into Arizona. Follow that west to 191 N (Devil's Highway) and not only will you be on the best Moto Road in the state, you'll pass by the world's second largest open pit mine in Morenci.

191 was what i was going to take to Co, but intersecting it further to the north.
Don't see an easy way to include that in the trip, not the southern portion of the road.

 

[BeemerlessBob]

Re: Going for Gold - Stay Tuned

Have a good trip Baja. Will be looking forward to reading your RR.

By the way, finding lodging in the midland / Odessa area can be challenging and expensive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bajaexplorer]

Re: Going for Gold - Stay Tuned

Have a good trip Baja. Will be looking forward to reading your RR.

By the way, finding lodging in the midland / Odessa area can be challenging and expensive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

yes, that was what i was thinking.
When i came through there on the last ride it was a mess there.
Went on to Colorado City, Tx... Freaking motel was 150.00 for that one night.

Going to stop in some dinky town to the SE of Midland, then go on in and just make a day of it in Midland/Odessa

Will be on road Sunday. Miss work trafic Monday morning.

 

[Bajaexplorer]

Re: Going for Gold - Stay Tuned

Well, its 2:53 am.
No use trying to go back to bed.
Not taking trailer. Bearings....

Browsing google map found an additional interesting town to go have a look see at.
This take me further north before turning south to Rosewell.

DFW_Tom, going to have to pass up the museum in Midland.

Packing and headed out.

Departure: ~5:00am
Ode Start: 29958.4
Destination: SE of Midland, for now.

 

[garfey]

Re: Going for Gold - Stay Tuned

yes, that was what i was thinking.
When i came through there on the last ride it was a mess there.
Went on to Colorado City, Tx... Freaking motel was 150.00 for that one night.
...

Was thru there a month ago, heading thisaway, and just checked prices for another trip west in 3wks. Abilene's not expensive but everything between there and El Paso is stupid spendy. Abt $90/night for Motel 6 in Odessa or Pecos, over a hundred for ABVI in Monahans so my 2nd day will be the long one, Abilene to Tucson.

Good luck with the Au!

Oh, yeah - a friend rode from Dallas to San Diego a few years back, particularly wanted to see Meteor Crater. His evaluation, "Meh, a hole in the ground."

Edit: Had I read the last post, I'd have known I was talking to the wind.

 

[Bajaexplorer]

Re: Going for Gold

garfey yes expensive.

Lake Whitney SP
Only a couple of pics for here.
one for Timbercat's challenge entrance of LWSP, with bike and one of layered rock formation. Any geologist on TWT?

I promise this RR will turn interesting.

It was freaking cold riding up here.

Can't upload pics, wifi too slow here

 

[Bajaexplorer]

Re: Going for Gold

Day 1
Day miles: 362.0
Trip miles; 362.0
Ode day finish: 30317.2

Well, when you forget the name of the town your headed to you wind up going all sorts of ways. See http://nicoradv.com

Pic for Timbercat's State Park Challenge

Geological Limestone layers:

Knowing just a minuet of geology, I started looking around.
You will never know how happy I was to find the following

The following is not fossilized.
I keep going over the different types of fish I have caught on the gulf coast and in fresh water lakes and rivers and can not put a name to this next one. I think it is the upper jaw.

Came across a sign for Billy the Kid Museum.
Well, it an't a museum. To me it seems like most of the items (posters and such)
are just blown up reproductions. Only thing half way interesting was this

The route I wanted to take would put me SE of Midland at little bitty town with one motel.
Never could get a hold of the motel manager to make reservation...
Right now I think it is a good thing.

At LaQuinta in Abilene. Nice room in a recess, like a cul-de-sac, type parking area.
Seems very secure as people can not just drive by. I in a corner room with bike right in front of it.

Will try to add two videos of country dirt roads.

Tomorrow night should be more interesting the reader.

 

[StrokedNBored]

Re: Going for Gold

In

 

[SpiritAtBay]

Re: Going for Gold

In

 

[Bajaexplorer]

Re: Going for Gold

Hwy 2318 is what my tracks show this road to be.
Unsure of quality or fun factor (-10 to me), but going to put these two here just the same.
Nothing to get excited about.
Laptop will not play them. Unsure of camera shaking.
Really thinking about getting a gropro with chest harness.

Lets play spot the turtle
https://youtu.be/XL-XbGR1jCw

Just a normal bridge crossing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yNeGETAF6m0&feature=youtu.be

 

[lowrider]

Re: Going for Gold

The Go Pro helmet mounts seem to get a good perspective for videos. I liked the results on mine anyway. I found mine at Target when the new models were coming out knocked down to $75. Hard to pass up at that price.

Looking forward to more pictures and stories. Keep em' coming.

Your YT videos are set to "private". Can't see em'.

 

[Bajaexplorer]

Re: Going for Gold

Broke down in Sterling..
front gasket between jugs and crank housing blew out.

Suggestions?
Place to get it fixed?

Unsure of how far I can ride it, meaning don't know how much is being blown out when on hwy. Refilling oil would not be a problem. just not knowing, and having to check every how many miles...
Nearest mc shop that I have been told is 40 miles away.

69 miles south of Midland on 87.
about 40 to san Angelo.


tried fixin vids, don't have time right now.
have more pics to upload.
will get both done when things settle down here.

ama, I though for sure I had more coverage than just 35 miles.
Any TWT members around where I am at.
Will compensate you for the trouble. Just need to get the bike fixed and on my way again.
(millions of unprintable words follow)

called sis she is looking for someone to come after me.

dang it, now I got to get it fixed and catch where I left off at.
That's pits. It is running so good too.

laptop battery about gone.

 

[kickstand~prophet]

Re: Going for Gold

Trying to find someone to help. Just saw this. Just called you and no answer. Seeing if you still need assistance. KP

 

[garfey]

Re: Going for Gold

...
Suggestions?
Place to get it fixed?

Unsure of how far I can ride it, meaning don't know how much is being blown out when on hwy. Refilling oil would not be a problem. just not knowing, and having to check every how many miles...
Nearest mc shop that I have been told is 40 miles away.

69 miles south of Midland on 87.
about 40 to san Angelo.

laptop battery about gone.
If it ain't one thing it's 37.924.

Picked up a screw-nail in the rear tire enroute to visit friends in San Angelo, eons ago. Little one man shop smack in the middle of town had the right tire at the right price and mounted it for, IIRC, $10. Friends, unfortunately, are gone.

Not sure but the address of this place sounds right:

ACE Motorcycle & 4 Wheeler
315 N Main St
San Angelo, TX
(325) 658-7690

Hope you're out of that weather out there atop Balmorhea. Looks rough!

 

[Bajaexplorer]

Re: Going for Gold

Trying to find someone to help. Just saw this. Just called you and no answer. Seeing if you still need assistance. KP

PMed

Picked up a screw-nail in the rear tire enroute to visit friends in San Angelo, eons ago. Little one man shop smack in the middle of town had the right tire at the right price and mounted it for, IIRC, $10. Friends, unfortunately, are gone.
Not sure but the address of this place sounds right:


Hope you're out of that weather out there atop Balmorhea. Looks rough!

I am in Colorado City.
Pretty sure I have a fix for it, at least temp, so I the full ride.
the leak appears to be the oil drain for the head. Going to clean it up and use some hi temp rtv to seal it and not get any in the hole. think there will enough thickness of wall to allow a seal there. the width I need to seal is about 1/2 inch long.

Aside from this, the bike is running very good.
70+ mph quite. just purrs along.

got some new pics that I think y'all will find interesting, unless of course you have already been there. Also go a pic of a chimney for someone on the forums that was into taking pics of them. Have to look their thread back up.
That was on 163 about 35 miles south of Colorado City.

when I get back have to find someone that can replace that gasket.
It will not be broadway motorsport in tyler.
they aren't touching my bike ever again.

 

[StrokedNBored]

Re: Going for Gold

Be sure to post up and let us know how the engine is holding up.
I'm not familiar with the area to give sage advice.

Best of luck. waiting for more.