dsfox 0 Posted June 15, 2011 FLYING MONKEY ADVENTURE RALLY - June 2011, 16 riders, BMW Adventure bikes, KLR's and 4 smaller dual sport bikes. PLUS EXTENDED STAY: ADDED BIKE CAMPING TRIP TO TOROWEEP GRAND CANYON If you haven't riden Southern Utah and Northern Arizona, You are missing out!! AMAZING natural wonders, breath taking scenery and Epic riding through several National Forests and Monuments and we hit 3 National Parks, hardly scratching the surface of all that is up there! I was traveling with Jonathan (Bigwvjumper) and Ian (Maniac), friends of Tommy's I met on Death Valley trip. We drove in Jonathans RV van with their 2 GS800's and My KTM450exc in tow on my trailer....these guys are great friends and fun traveling buddies...we have similar travleing styles...(.Find and Plan Lots of riding trips)........ We arrived Thurs afternoon at Base Camp at Zion Ponderosa resort…Weather was perfect all week.....Most of us dry tent camping in a wooded area, but at a resort with pools, spas, showers, buffet dinners…Very Nice Place…Awesome set up Jesse!! Rally fee included camping, T shirt, raffle prizes, resort facilities and coupons for most meals at the buffet....Decent food and many of the guys enjoyed the Polygamy Port Beer they served... (Utah must have a good sense of humour!) Riders could join group rides that Jesse led, or do your own thing…Because of our Itinerary, and wanting less pavement than some of the others, the 3 of us did that...... PICS FROM FRIDAY: 180 Mile Loop, East then North to Dirt Roads, Grand Staircase Escalante... around East side of and into Bryce Canyon National Park, Fairyland Canyon (CRAZY rock pinnacles)…then down via 89 back to dirt through the Dixie National Forest...... Wasn't sure how my recently broken hand, with plates/screws installed just 7 weeks ago would handle all the riding???? ( doc said OK just last Tuesday..but couldn't miss this place!!!!..... Great Day…. FAIRYLAND CANYON, BRYCE NATIONAL PARK DIXIE NATIONAL FOREST THAT'S FRIDAY HIGHLIGHTS......MORE DAYS TO COME... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Strega 0 Posted June 15, 2011 There's not much hotter than a woman that can ride the hell out of a KTM. Awesome pics Deb!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkug 147 Posted June 15, 2011 I was following you around on your spot.. Utah is epic. Hope to go in the fall. Nice Pics! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dsfox 0 Posted June 15, 2011 SATURDAY: 220 Miles+,Southeast to Kaibab Plateau/National Forest, Jacob Lake, You could ride the dirt for days up there and never cover the same ground… Grand Canyon views/lunch at remote "Crazy Jug Point" (west of North Rim)…(Lots of jokes about that)…My favorite part of the day was the double track roads through stands of aspen trees and little meadows…miles and miles worth….and the huge clear meadows at 9000+ feet in Kaibab plateau…....Awesome day. JONATHAN LUNCH SPOT AT CRAZY JUG POINT: Our little group...we had alot of fun and laughed and joked alot this week.....You guys are great friends.... IAN THE ASPENS.... THE GS800'S.....(but the guys do an amazing job with them)......Tough to wrestle in the dirt sometimes...., but they sure have an easier time on the pavement stretches THE MEADOWS: another Great day..... SUNDAY/MONDAY, Bike Camp and TOROWEEP WRITE UP to follow.....got to get to sleep....back to work tomorrow.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dsfox 0 Posted June 15, 2011 There's not much hotter than a woman that can ride the hell out of a KTM. Awesome pics Deb!! Thanks Roger.. ....and Thanks a ton for some of the tracks and help with planning....and also for the Spotwalla.....I felt I could share the trip with you guys back here, knowing some of you would be following me..... And ken..YES....a loooong drive, but sooo worth it....Ready to go back in the Fall..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
kkug 147 Posted June 15, 2011 I like Jacob Lake. Nice place.Tried to get to Crazy Jug one time but had a flat. Very nice Pics. How is the hand ? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jbw 0 Posted June 15, 2011 I think I might have passed by you on my way to colorado city from torroweap on sunday... My group: Two ktm 950s black, and oarange Yellow drz red xr650 two up Was that your group we passed by? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Crawdaddy 96 Posted June 15, 2011 Kaibab Plateau/National Forest, Jacob Lake, You could ride the dirt for days up there and never cover the same ground… Grand Canyon views/lunch at remote "Crazy Jug Point" (west of North Rim)…(Lots of jokes about that)…My favorite part of the day was the double track roads through stands of aspen trees and little meadows…miles and miles worth….and the huge clear meadows at 9000+ feet in Kaibab plateau…....Awesome day. Yep - Love that area - thanks for the report/pics Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
rexr 0 Posted June 15, 2011 Incredible.. So much riding to do.. So little time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigwvjumper 0 Posted June 15, 2011 I think I might have passed by you on my way to colorado city from torroweap on sunday... My group: Two ktm 950s black, and oarange Yellow drz red xr650 two up Was that your group we passed by? Yes, that was us. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Maniac 0 Posted June 15, 2011 Thank you Deb and Jonathan for making it a wonderful trip that I'll never forget! And to Jesse for organizing it and for everyone else who showed up and made it a great time. Every day was amazing and the camping trip to Toroweap was totally worth it! I have a lot of pictures, I will post some when I have some time this week. Have to get some work done (darn!). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
wonderwoman 0 Posted June 15, 2011 Wow! Great trip pics. Utah has so much to offer. Thanks for sharing. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dirt dame 561 Posted June 15, 2011 Nice report. I hope to be able to do some of these great trips some day. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dsfox 0 Posted June 15, 2011 I sooo want to just look at photos and dream of my next visit....but MUST get some work done....(darn is right!)...Here's a good view from "NOT" popular viewpoint that very few visit......a reward for the long trek and camping out there....you find GREAT adventures....still scares me to see myself in some of these photos... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Covered in Dust 163 Posted June 15, 2011 Great stuff Deb, sorry I missed another great ride. Chris Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tlking6 0 Posted June 15, 2011 Nice report Deb. It was fun following you around on the spotwalla. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
danrider 5 Posted June 15, 2011 you do what I dream of Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ktm-licious 0 Posted June 15, 2011 Wow great adventure, that is the best way to spend a long weekend. Thanks for the pics enjoyed them quite a bit Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigwvjumper 0 Posted June 15, 2011 I sooo want to just look at photos and dream of my next visit....but MUST get some work done....(darn is right!)...Here's a good view from "NOT" popular viewpoint that very few visit......a reward for the long trek and camping out there....you find GREAT adventures....still scares me to see myself in some of these photos... You must be crazy for getting on the that ledge, it could crack and then you would have a 3,000ft free fall! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SnowAviation 0 Posted June 16, 2011 I thought that was you I saw you in Utah the other day... Sorry we didn't get a chance to ride together, so many routes and so little time. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dsfox 0 Posted June 16, 2011 SUNDAY/MONDAY: Bike Camp trip to TOROWEEP. 270 Mile Loop over 2 days. (We didn't head to Toroweep Saturday with the others), we loaded our bikes and headed down there on Sunday, camped at Toroweep primitive campground, hiked, took in several heart stopping knarly sheer drop river viewpoints at sunset and then again at sunrise....amazing....we including a ride down to Toroweep viewpoint, but honestly, the one near the campground was BETTER...... Day visits like Bar10 trips are great, but nothing like experiencing Sunset, camping, then Sunrise at your own corner of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon…Spectacular beyond measure!!!! I have experience backpacking and have good light weight gear, but this was my first bike camp trip, having to carry ALL gear, including all food and water for 2 days……(thanks Tommy for loaning me the Great Basin big Loop bag), It all worked fine on the KTM. I wasn't quite sure how I (all 5'-4" of me) would handle all the weight on my KTM, seeing that even NORMAL riding, I can only touch the ground with ONE foot at a time ….but I wanted to make it work!!!… .and It was Great… It's a bit of a feat swinging my leg up and over ALL that gear on my bike, but it was WAAAAAY worth the effort to camp out there…...only dropped the bike ONCE the entire 5 days , and embarassingly enough, that was when arriving at the campground, and getting stuck at a dead end....at 0 MPH, trying to turn around.....CRAZY..RIGHT?........What an awesome trip......Until Next Time!!!! LOADED UP: FIRST STOP: CORAL PINK SAND DUNES...STATE PARK.....Guess some of the guys tackled this sand on sunday....while we were making our way to Toroweep campground.... To Toroweep: OUR AWESOME CAMP : all of 1/4 mile from the edge of the Grand Canyon....a portion where FEW visit......LOOOOVE THAT!!!! the 3 of us were the ONLY ones we saw on the edge of it all...... THE VIEWS AND DROPS......CRAZY SCARY AND AMAZING......TOROWEEP OVERLOOK.... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigwvjumper 0 Posted June 16, 2011 Nice job on the write-up and pics Deb! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
dsfox 0 Posted June 16, 2011 the short Hike down And Our OWN OVERLOOK...We took it in for Sunset AND Sunrise....BETTTTTTER than Toroweep Proper....... SUNRISE: PACKED UP Monday morning........then we headed up to NAMPAWEAP, rock art site....5 mile ride off course, then LOOOOONG 1/2 mile hike down in moto boots..then Longer 1/2 mile hike UP in moto boots......(my advice????.....unless you are really wanting some extra self punishment, OR you are really an archeologist.....skip the hike.....Maybe it was our "slept in a tent the last 4 nights, kind of getting tired, weather getting kind of warm, already rode over 500 miles by this point and 130 miles to go"....attitude?????).....but We renamed it the "trail of tears"....I'd skip it actually!....then we rode back a more scenic eastern route...(always like to take a DIFFERENT route back and not the same route)......We hit the most AWESOME Mexican food in Kanab, Utah!!! then back to Zion Ponderosa, had a shower and hit the road....to St. George, then the trek home on Tuesday......CAN'T Say how AWESOME this trip was...Amazing riding, Incredible destinations, GREAT friends.......as Crawdaddy would so aptly put it: WHY DUALSPORT??????.....Need I ask? I officially LOVE UTAH and the ARIZONA STRIP.....I will be back!!!!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
