KTMrad

I continued on the Copper Mountain Loop.... Great views......looking up and across Lundy Canyon Found this old cabin and had to check it out The floor was too rickety to go in.... Exploring all the side trails, I came to a locked gate and it was time to head back Got back to the Virginia Lakes paved road and took it to the end to relax for a bit This little critter was watching me from about 3 feet away After a nice, long break at the lake, I headed back to the highway and got to Bridgeport about 3:30pm. I decided to stop and have some fish n' chips for lunch. At the restaurant, I lost motivation after eating, and decided to get a room early today, so went across the street to the Silver Maple Motel....$75, and had a nice, green lawn area with lounge chairs. I relaxed the rest of the evening, while calling more friends in San Diego to rub it in again. Then did laundry later that night.

Tuesday morning I woke up, had my coffee, it was cold outside at June Lake....in the 40's. By the time I packed up and had breakfast, it was 11:00am when I left June Lake. I took a couple of miles of pavement and found the first dirt road of the day, which took me past Grant Lake, towards Horse Meadows and dropped me out in Lee Vining. I gassed up and had a gatorade break, then continued north on the highway (395). Approaching the Conway Summit, I saw the old route 395 on the side of the mountain, so I turned off the main road and took the old broken pavement road. I knew this might not take me all the way through, and sure enough, I came to this washout.....no way through. But, I backtracked a short way and found another dirt uphill which popped me out half way up Conway Summit. Then I took the highway to the Virginia Lakes turnoff. A mile up the road, I turned onto dirt to do the Copper Mountain Loop. This had some great views, and fun dirt riding. I had to ride the 950 up to the edge of a cliff for some photos......overlooking Mono Lake and points eastward Mono Lake and highway 395 as it passes the lake on the west side....

Thank God the life saving donor organs in the blue ice chest were not damaged in the crash, and reached the White Mountain Research Station safely...It takes a certain kind of unsung hero the donate his personal time and effort to risk such a mission.....If its not confidential what kind of life saving supplys you were transporting , I'm sure allot of us would like to know .???. I can tell you, but then I'd have to kill you !!

After more relaxation time on the cliff edge, I headed back down towards Mammoth. I found another dirt road that looked interesting, and came out on the back side of the top of Mammoth Mountain, near "Red's Lake". Met a couple of people, their dog having fun swimming in the brisk, cold lake I then headed to Mammoth Scenic Loop, found another dirt road....I started following it, then saw white chalk lines and arrows at the turns (probably from a Mountain Bike Event), so I started following this route for miles......had fun blasting along through the pine forests around Mammoth, heading north along Hwy. 395. I came to a turn and realized the chalk arrows were going away from the direction I wanted, so I headed east towards the highway, found more ATV trails that paralleled the highway and took them for many miles all the way into the town of June Lake. At 7:15pm, I got a motel room and hit the local tavern for dinner. Today was only 110 miles, but lots of exploring that took me all day.......to be continued......

360 degree view on video from top of San Joaquin Ridge After San Joaquin Ridge, I explored some dirt road spurs and came to this awesome view on the edge of a cliff.....I had to call a couple friends in San Diego to rub it in !! [

After the Mammoth Lakes area, I headed towards Devil's Postpile......right before the entrance station, there's a turnoff that takes you to a parking area, and a dirt road that takes you up to San Joaquin Ridge.....10,250 feet up, right across from Mammoth Mountain......this was an awesome 360 degree view !! For those of you who rode to Red's Meadow, you went right past the turnoff for this !! Mammoth Mountain Met this family from La Mesa (near where I live), he was flying a remote control glider plane from the ridge, the winds were really high up there....he said the plane's been clocked by radar at 292 miles per hour.....cool !! On top of the ridge Especially for y'all.....

After the ride to Laurel Lakes, I took dirt to Mammoth, and came to Old Mammoth Road........I'd never explored deep in the Mammoth area, so I headed west towards the Lakes. Now I know why they call it Mammoth Lakes......tons of lakes in the area, I spent a couple of hours just checking out the lakes.

On Monday, I had breakfast with Vrago, Sandplow and saw IrlSanders, they all departed to head home. I got out my maps and Sierra Nevada Byways Adventure book and decided where to go for the next few days. I left Tom's Place at 11:30am, and took the twisty, back road to 395 for a few miles to the turnoff for Convict Lake. From there, I headed on dirt to the Laurel Lakes Trail..... I tried this on July 4th weekend a month ago, but couldn't make it to the end due to this........ On the way up.....rough road Finally, this time the snow was clear and I got to Laurel Lakes at the end. The road at the end is pretty rough, lots of loose shale rock, with a couple of switchbacks and steep climbs. Laurel Lakes Scenery Video I spent some time up there relaxing and takin' in the view, talked with a couple of other riders and a guy in a jeep.......they were pretty interested in the big 950 Beast being up there, after the rough road up.

At the research station, 12,400+ feet. The station itself....I expected a much bigger complex I heard they were recruiting participants for experiments with the Sheep in the high altitudes......a bunch of ADVriders were quick to sign up !! A few of us watched the aerial photo presentation inside the hut. Lots of aerial photos of the Sierra Nevada, Death Valley and surrounding geologic features and volcanic formations in the area......was pretty cool. Bikes lined up Some of the Sunday crew posing...... Heading back down from the research station Looking down Silver Canyon, which is quite a quick drop in elevation, down towards Bishop After we got to the bottom and back to the Railroad Museum parking lot, RiverRat was a lifesaver with a cold brewski for us. After, Vrago, Sandplow and I wanted to ride dirt back to the campsite, so I led them through Fish Slough and the volcanic hills near Lake Crowley. Vrago Sandplow Vince and Tony (Vrago & Sandplow) at the Petroglyphs Vrago in Red Rock Canyon Sandplow in Red Rock I was getting bored with the easy, graded main dirt roads, so we spent a few minutes trying to find some 4x4 trails....which we did, and they were more fun !! Here, we're approaching Lake Crowley....Vince and Tony We crossed the dam at Lake Crowley, then were back to the campsite. Vince and Tony offered to cook up a killer chili with leftovers........many thanks to Vince and Tony for cooking for us and the awesome grub !! After, we spent another night benchracing and telling tall tales around the campfire. Next day I saw a few of the guys off, had breakfast with them at Tom's Place........they were all homeward bound, and I headed north for another 5 days of exploring on my own. I'll post photos and write-up from that soon...... Lookin' forward to next year at the WMRS III !!

Sunday, we had another good group of manly ADVriders heading up to the White Mountain Research Station.....here, we're getting ready to depart from the Railroad Museum in Laws, to head up Silver Canyon After ZenSlug stopped at the second water crossing for photos, everyone stopped while he was taking the photos...so I took advantage and took off to avoid the dust. Rounding a corner a few miles up, a small herd of Bighorn Sheep ran across the road right in front of me. I stopped for some photos, and they were less than 50 feet from me. I waved a few riders to stop as they approached so they could check out the sheep. Was funny, each time one bike approached, they would go a little further up the rocky hillside, but never ran away from us. As we started up the steep uphills and switchbacks of Silver Canyon, I was going at a pretty good pace, when I looked back and saw RiverRat was right behind me on his DRZ. So, I kicked it up a notch.....RiverRat, what'd you think of the pace going up ?? We had a blast haulin' up the switchbacks to the overlook !! We met OldSchool KLR and his buddy at the overlook Vrago ridin' up on his KTM Heading through the high altitude, alpine scenery on the way to the Research Station Adventure Kitty and her Dakar BMW, and the man she makes ride the bike for her (Greg). Too bad Kitty is already taken.......

The view up at Coyote Flat, over 10,000 feet elevation The view looking east towards the Owens Valley and the White Mountains, as we headed back down from Coyote Flat

Irl Sanders at the first stream crossing in Buttermilk Country Who is that......jumping someone else's XR-650 ?!! I'll never tell !! And ZenSlug swears someone else got on his borrowed DRZ while he wasn't looking, to do these jumps....:evil Zen got a few of one of my lame attempts.........

From Zenslug........ Beachbusker, on the Harley, had a little trouble with a loose, uphill rocky section. Lucky for him there were one or two other riders around who knew a thing or two about riding big bikes in places where they don't belong... being less tired than bb they offered to help him get the bike over the hill Randy said the hardest part was the fact that the bike only had highway pegs with the rear brake pedal so far forward it was practically useless in rocky terrain It was mostly just a slow and steady paddle all the way down the other side of the hill while BeachBusker walked behind

From ZenSlug...........BeachBusker on his Harley, dualsporting with us....... Right after the water crossing there was a left uphill turn Imagine my surprise when this guy came plowing through... in the middle of the pack! Of course, Harleys aren't exactly designed for water crossings he stalled out, but she started up right away Getting going again up a hill with a wet street tire wasn't gonna be easy But somehow BeachBusker convinced that pig to float 'course she floated straight up the hill and over onto her side After we helped pick up the bike everybody was getting a little tired I can only guess how BB must have felt After a brief rest he made another run at the hill And was over and out Yeeehawg! Ride that thing until the motor falls out!

Saturday, we had a group of 17 bikes to go do the Buttermilk Country Loop, and then up to Coyote Flat at over 10,000 feet. ZenSlug and others have already covered the first part of the ride, riding the Harley, doing jumps, etc. Here's Beachbusker and his off-roading Harley Since we had broken up into 2 groups after the Buttermilk Loop, there were about 8 of us in the second group, heading up to Coyote Flat. Stream crossing on the way to Coyote Flat Vince (Vrago) Jeff (Arbrlover) Mike Tony (Sandplow) When we got up to the top of Coyote Flat to the turnoff at Baker Creek, which drops down to Big Pine, we all decided it was too late in the day to finish the entire loop. So we explored some side trails that dead-ended. One was pretty rocky, and Mike on the 1200GS bashed his rear brake to where it wouldn't work anymore. We turned around and headed back down the mountain. Vrago on his KTM, and my 9fiddy A few of us headed back to camp where Tony and Vince cooked hamburgers and dogs........we didn't feel like riding all the way up to Red's. Then it was a memorable Joke Marathon for over an hour around the campfire late Saturday night......the jokes were flyin' and it was gettin' rude & crude, but everyone was lovin' it. I think the party died down around 1:00 or 2:00am. More pics to come...........

I'm not sure which road is Carveacre. Is that the one that goes from Lyons Valley up the mountain, and one part of it comes down by Thousand Trails RV Park ??

Dualsport Rides are rated this way:General Route or EasyChallenging Difficult - usually intermediate to expert onlyMost Difficult or Extremely Difficult - definitely intermediate to expert onlyOriflamme Canyon I would rate as an Easy route, or Challenging in spots for big bikes or novices.It all depends on your experience. Don't try the Squeeze and the Dropoff unless you're an experienced rider. Even then, that's a long, rugged way in there to be by yourself if something happens.We'll be going out to prerun some of that later in the year, join us so you won't have to ride alone.

Yeah Rob and his wife (forgot her name), thanks for hosting and a good time. Too bad I missed the ride. Glad I got to meet some of you. Good photos and write-ups !! Thanks for posting.

Another good group to support, and read their newsletters to keep informed !! ARRA Website Washington Newsletter August, 2006 Director of the National Park Service Resigns On July 26th, Fran Mainella, the 16th Director of the National Park Service announced her resignation after having served almost six years in the post. Director Mainella stated her reason for resigning was to spend more time with her family, especially since both her parents and in-laws are dealing with health issues. No word yet from the White House on who might be tapped to become the next Director. NPS Draft Management Policies The day before Director Mainella announced her resignation, she testified before the House Subcommittee on National Parks, Recreation and Public Lands, defending the Draft Management Policies that her agency released on June 19th in a press conference with Secretary of the Interior Dirk Kempthorne. Since that release, the National Park Service has faced strong criticism from a variety of recreation groups, including ARRA, over the scope of the Management Policies and the failure to adequately emphasize the importance of recreation (enjoyment) in National Parks. The policies, once official, are guidelines Park Service professionals will use when managing park lands/facilities. Back in the November 2005 ARRA newsletter, we wrote about how an earlier version of the Draft Management Policies was strongly criticized by anti-access groups because the proposed policy “took a more open approach towards on and off-road recreation in our National Parks.” Unfortunately, the latest draft takes an opposite tact. In fact, it really downplays the importance of recreation on Park Service land. ARRA, along with a number of other national recreation groups, has taken exception to this revised policy. We have written to both the Secretary of the Interior and to the Director of the National Park Service to express our views. If you would like to read ARRA’s letter, please click here. At the July 25th subcommittee hearing, Chairman Steve Pearce (R-NM) said, “I am very concerned that the final draft, while making some notable improvements, appears to retreat back to the 2001 management policies, which failed to provide an effective balance between enhancing visitor enjoyment and conservation. Achieving such a balance remains a critical priority.” The 2001 management policies were put into place during the very last month of the Clinton Administration. Needless to say, those policies were not very friendly towards recreation. Director Mainella countered such criticisms by stating in her testimony, “these management policies are not against recreation.” The fact that she felt it necessary to make such a declaratory statement is an indication of the Park Service’s sensitivity to the controversy surrounding this latest version. It’s hard to predict where all of this will end up. Director Mainella’s pending resignation may complicate chances to make further improvements to the policies. Clearly the anti-access folks have struck pay dirt with the Park Service management, but the recreation community isn’t giving up. We will have more to say about this in the future. But for the time being, the National Park Service seems to be embracing an anti-recreation attitude. No wonder fewer and fewer Americans seem to be visiting our National Parks (see May, 2006 newsletter). First OHV Workshop We have kept you informed on the planning work that has gone into designing a series of OHV workshops associated with the implementation of the Forest Service Travel Management Rule. The workshops, planned for both FS personnel and OHV enthusiasts, are designed to enhance the OHV designation process to the benefit of all users of our national forests. The first workshop will be held in September for primarily the Tonto National Forest region. The workshop will be held in Tempe, Arizona. ARRA will be notifying its members living in Arizona and neighboring states with more specific information about this workshop. We will keep you informed as more workshops are scheduled in other parts of the country. The Land Access Notification Database (LAND) The new database, LAND, has been launched! ARRA in partnership with the Motorcycle Industry Council (MIC), the Specialty Vehicle Institute of America (SVIA), the National Off-Highway Vehicle Conservation Council (NOHVCC), the American Motorcyclist Association (AMA), United Four-Wheel Drive Associations (UFWDA), and the Blue Ribbon Coalition (BRC) have joined together to develop this important tool to collect and disseminate information regarding the U. S. Forest Service Travel Management Rule. To read the ARRA press release announcing this program, please click here. To check out the LAND, click here. We encourage all ARRA members to familiarize themselves with this database and to begin using it so that we can have access to the latest information relating to the implementation of the Travel Management Rule. Active participation on the part of ARRA members will help ensure that when the implementation process is completed, as many roads and trails as possible will have been designated for off-highway vehicle recreation. August This is the time of year that Washington empties out with the Congress in recess and many Federal bureaucrats taking vacations with family and friends. August can actually be a nice time to be in Washington. The weather is generally not a warm as July and the traffic is a lot less. Congress leaves town with an approval rating of only 28% and a disapproval rating of 58%. President Bush has an approval rating of 36% and a disapproval rating of 55%. What this all means is anyone’s guess, but for now, Republicans are nervous and Democrats are optimistic about the November elections! When Congress returns in September, intense political jockeying between the two political parties will begin in earnest. We are predicting a wild ride, so be prepared to strap on your seatbelts. Some political pundits are predicting major shifts of political power from the Republicans to the Democrats. Whatever happens, we will be following the political trends closely in order to keep you apprised on how any change in political winds might affect recreation policy. So in the meantime, we are going to rest up and try to enjoy August. From a political standpoint, September and October are going to be mighty hot! Until then, visit your favorite public lands, recreate safely and responsibly, and be prepared for a very interesting fall political season. Sincerely, Larry E. Smith Executive Director

Good write-up and photos !! Suggestion.....please downsize your photos so they're not so huge and can be seen on the screen without having to move the mouse around. Thanks

Looks like another great ride !! MikeyB says he put some scratches on his new 950

For the February Desert Dash, We'll be working on having more options to avoid some of the deep sand sections...we want to have a good route with less sand for big Adventure Bikes and novices.

I just saw a photo and e-mail from San Diego Off Road Coalition.....looks like the fire has burned part of Corral Canyon OHV Area, so we can probably count on that area being closed for awhile.....but I'll find out more after they attend the Cleveland National Forest quarterly meeting on August 7th.

Damn, you're killin' me !! I can't make it.....again. I've got to do bike maintenance this weekend to get the 950 ready to go to the ADVrider WMRS ride next week up in the Sierra.Did I mention I'm addicted to the Sierra ?!!

Here's a few photos from our Desert Dash Dualsport Ride, February 25-26th, 2006. The ride was a big success, we maxed out with the number of riders. Have been getting good comments about the ride on different message boards. We may be putting on another couple of rides next year in different areas in the higher elevations. Desert Dash Photos Amir's Photos and Video Link from Desert Dash 2006 Our Mascot Cody Boy posing with a couple of riders in Grapevine Canyon Gary from Brattin Motors BMW on his Dakar 650 GS Rider showing off on a Berm shot....... Gregg Wannabe from ADVrider Gregg Wannabe's 16 year old daughter on her 250....she did the whole ride on Sunday :clap