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Old 08-23-2021, 06:38 AM   #11
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Really enjoying this. Thanks for taking us along.

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Old 08-23-2021, 02:11 PM   #12
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Excellent trip report, and very inspiring. My attempt to complete the WBDR this summer was ended due to fires and forest closures, but hopefully in the fall things will open again. Meanwhile, your trip has inspired me to look into the next adventure, and with family in Missoula, you may have convinced me, thanks..............
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Old 08-23-2021, 05:09 PM   #13
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Day 8 – Chaco Culture National Historic Park to Dolores, CO – 250 miles



Today John & I explored the badlands south of Farmington, NM. Well, I explored and John showed me the way. It’s kinda embarrassing when someone from another state shows you cool things in your own backyard.

We left Chaco and headed towards the Valley of Dreams. We parked and walked in about 2-2.5 miles. On the way, we passed the Hoodoos known as the Three Wise Men.



We continued on foot across a large arroyo to an area rich in petrified wood, fossils (I’ve heard) and many amazing geologic formations.



















When we returned to the vehicles, we headed towards The Valley of Dreams East. Not far in, though, the track had washed out and there was evidence remaining from someone else’s big bog, including some plastic parts torn from the unfortunate truck. We decided not to continue, as even if we made it through, we would have to return via the same route, and it looked dicier coming the other way. Neither of us wanted to spend the afternoon digging and winching out.

The Valley of Dreams is part of the Ah-shi-sle-pah Wilderness Study Area, administered by the BLM. There are no established trails, and vehicles are prohibited. Water and shade are very scarce, and the terrain varies from easy to treacherous. Those that venture into the badlands, though, are rewarded with views of extraordinary geologic formations, including balanced rocks, hoodoos, and tons of petrified wood. This area and the nearby Bisti Badlands are desolate and foreboding, but well worth exploring.

After our aborted attempt to access Valley of the Dreams East, we continued northward to the Bisti Badlands Wilderness Area. Access to Bisti is easier, with established parking, restrooms, and a shade structure. But, like Ah-shi-sle-pah, there are no established trails or markers once inside the wilderness area, and vehicles are prohibited. We hike another 2-2.5 miles into an area known as the Egg Hatchery.









Once we returned to the vehicles and had a snack, we headed towards the backside of Shiprock. This view of Shiprock is more picturesque than that usually seen by tourists and was well worth the drive.



Shiprock is volcanic plug which rises almost 1,600 feet above the valley floor, with volcanic dikes, or spines radiating outward from it. Known as Tsé Bit’ a’í, or rock with wings, to the Navajo people, it is central to the legend of the deliverance of the Navajo people to the region, and is considered to be sacred ground.

Campsites were getting much more difficult to find, but we finally did locate one above Dolores, CO.



Day 9 – Dolores, CO to Cortez, NM – 40 miles



Today was an off day. Most places were closed for the holiday, but we had a nice breakfast at the Ponderosa and drove down into Cortez. We checked into the Quality Inn (not so quality) and did laundry across the street, where a sign reminded people to remove all change, screws, bolts, and bullets from pockets before putting clothes in the dryer. We met up with a couple of the other guys, Rob and Ardell. Again, only a couple places were open, and we had an early dinner at JFargos, watched the fireworks, and went to bed.



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Old 08-23-2021, 05:20 PM   #14
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Originally Posted by velo47 View Post
[B]"...and did laundry across the street, where a sign reminded people to remove all change, screws, bolts, and bullets from pockets before putting clothes in the dryer...
Love this.


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Old 08-24-2021, 04:27 PM   #15
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Day 10 – Cortez, NM to Alta Lake, CO – 120 miles



Today we start the CO BDR! In the morning, we met up with the other two members of the group, Bill and Patrick. They got in late the night before, and stayed at the Retro Inn and it was very nice.

Bill, Patrick, John and I did the AZ BDR last May, Bill in his Jeep TJ (“Grumpy”), me in the van, and Patrick and John on motos. Bill is from Arizona and is driving his TJ on this trip too, but with a cargo trailer, Patrick is a full-time RVer, John is from Texas, and Rob and Ardell are from the Midwest. John and Patrick are accomplished offroad moto riders, whereas Rob and Ardell are both new to mountain offroad moto riding.

We packed up the bikes and the Jeep (and trailer), parked the other 2 vehicles, and got ready to head out towards Telluride.



The drive to Telluride was a scenic one, in the mountains but not on the high mountain passes that we would see in the next three days. Rob’s bike was running very rich in the high altitude, sometimes barely running. He took it in stride, though and kept a great attitude despite the problems.





It threatened to rain on us the whole day, but all we really got was a few sprinkles.







We deviated from the BDR at one point to take a road that looked more interesting. We ran into a locked gate, though, on what was marked as a public road on both GAIA and OnXmaps. This seems to be happening more and more in the West.

We got to Telluride in the early evening and spent quite a while looking for a camping spot. Finally we drove up to Alta Lake and got the last spot (or kinda a spot…).



Alta Lake is at over 11,000 feet and was to be our first taste of high-altitude camping.

After we set up, the realization hit that no one had gotten groceries! One of the benefits of the van is a fridge and pantry, so we had the pinto beans, tortillas, and the tamales I had picked up in Cruces, and all was well. Everyone crashed for the night except Rob and Patrick, who were working on Rob’s bike until the wee hours.
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Old 08-25-2021, 04:36 PM   #16
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Day 11 – Alta Lake, CO to Animas Forks, CO – 60 miles



When we got to Alta Lake, I noticed a white Ford Sportsmobile that I thought I recognized. Must’ve seen it on the forums, I thought. When we left this morning it was gone. We caught up to it on the road down from Alta Lake, and it ended up being from Albuquerque! The reason I recognized it is we had gone to look at it when the owner had completely redone the canvas top. Small world!

While yesterday began the BDR, today began the high mountain passes. I was pretty nervous, having never driven any of the high passes, let alone in the van. Additionally, it was 4th of July weekend, so traffic would be heavy. I do have to say that everyone, with the exception of one tour driver and one ATV, were very courteous. I had anticipated issues, given the size of the van, but most people thought it was amazing (or amazingly stupid?) to see someone driving their house way up there, and were very nice.

Ophir pass (11,789 feet) was first on the list. When we started up, the motos left us behind, as usual. They can travel much more quickly on the dirt than we can. Right at the edge of the scree slope, we waited for quite a while for downhill traffic to clear. Then we started up the shelf road. It’s very exposed, and loose shale, but not too bad in a 4wd, as long as you don’t look to the right. For the bikes, though, the loose rock was much more difficult, especially for the inexperienced riders. Quite an introduction for them!







https://youtu.be/3sceFm6ZLHI

https://youtu.be/v17yw-uIyJE

When we got to Hwy 550, Bill & I went into Silverton to get groceries, and the bikes headed over Red Mountain Pass (11,100 feet, paved) to start up Corkscrew Gulch. On the way back to Corkscrew, we took a little detour off the highway at Idarado mine, a fun little diversion.

https://youtu.be/ZcLe5rdneXI

Then it was up Corkscrew Pass (12,244 feet). Part way up, the motos decided that the less experienced riders would return down to Silverton, and then meet us at Animas Forks. Rob’s bike was still having issues and there was no need to overload them on the first day in the mountains and have someone get hurt because of fatigue.



https://youtu.be/9UYZak1vFCQ

On to Hurricane Pass (12,730 feet).





https://youtu.be/5ovjA71aCLo

Just over the summit of Hurricane pass is a spectacular view of Lake Como (not the one in Italy, or Montana). Pictures do not do it justice!



Then to California Pass (12,960 feet).



https://youtu.be/XTjcm0snsgU

Between the summits of these three passes, you don’t really lose a lot of altitude, so this section went a little quicker than I had expected.

The four motos met us at the big mill above Animas Forks.



We rode down together and found a campsite at Animas Forks. Even though we had dropped down from the high passes, we were still over 11,000 feet. Only 60 miles, but everyone was beat!
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Old 08-26-2021, 04:43 PM   #17
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Day 12 – Animas Forks, CO to Gunnison, CO – 110 miles





We got a late start today because Rob’s bike wouldn’t start. We toured the buildings at Animas Forks, and then headed up Cinnamon pass (12,640 feet). Cinnamon, although exposed in a few places, was not as difficult a drive as those the prior day.







https://youtu.be/BzdUJHuvzUQ

Going down, I did get another chance to try out the skidplates, though.

https://youtu.be/fcNhmdE2uTc

Once off of Cinnamon Pass, the road goes down the valley to Lake City.



We stopped and had a great late lunch at Southern Vittles, and made the decision that we were never going to make it to Buena Vista today. So, we decided to detour to Gunnison to get a soft bed and a shower.

So, over Slumgullion Pass (11,530 feet, paved). If you look up slumgullion, the definition is a cheap or insubstantial stew… There must be some other story behind this… And here it is - the pass was named after the earthflow of the same name whose yellowish dirt reminded people of slumgullion. Not the stew, but rather as the term was used in mining, the muddy clay left in the bottom of a sluice box. The earthflow is really a slump or slow moving landslide which started about 700 years ago and is about 4 miles long and almost half a mile wide. It long ago dammed the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River and formed Lake San Cristobal, where Lake City now sits. A second earthflow started about 300 years ago atop the old one and still moves downstream about 20 feet per year!

We turned off the pavement at the top of the pass and continued over Los Pinos Pass (10,541 feet), which didn’t even feel like a pass after all the others. Then on to Highway 114, and into Gunnison. Stayed at the Inn at Tomichi Village, and had burgers and beers at the Powerstop, where it was “flip for a beer” night. I called heads and got a free beer!
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Old 08-26-2021, 05:46 PM   #18
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Great report. Done the BDR on a big bike but never in the van. Yet.

Thank you for spelling Dolores correctly!!!
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Old 08-27-2021, 10:18 AM   #19
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You have inspired me to do some parts of your trip next year. Hopefully I can schedule it in the spring between adequate snow melt and fire season. Thanks...........
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Old 08-27-2021, 02:39 PM   #20
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Day 13 – Gunnison, CO to Buena Vista, CO – 95 miles



There he is again!



Today, we headed east out of Gunnison on US 50 to get back to the BDR. Just as we were turning left onto the route, the motos almost got creamed when a couple yahoos decided to pass, on a double yellow, at an intersection, and both the van and the Jeep had our left turn signals on. They must’ve had something really important to get to.

Once back on the BDR, we traversed Waunita Pass (10,311 feet), which again didn’t seem like much of a pass, and headed down into Pitkin. Just after Pitkin, the motos turned off to go over Hancock Pass, the “expert” route, and we continued on towards Cumberland Pass. We would regroup in Buena Vista.



Something we’ve noticed is that the difficulty of the “expert” routes on the BDRs varies greatly. Some seem just like stretches of the regular route, and some are really, really hard.

We crested Cumberland Pass (12,015 feet) and came across a Jeep XJ which had overheated coming up the opposite direction. Bill helped him out a little, and he told us that his wife had not wanted to go up the pass today, that she wanted to stay in town and do laundry. It was obvious that the overheating had not improved her attitude at all. They left and we took a few pictures, noticed the rain clouds moving in, and quickly headed down into Tin Cup.



The storm never did materialize, and we continued on to the pavement and aired up. My ARB compressor had a difficult time, and finally overheated and shut off before I got fully aired up. But I got enough air in and we headed up Cottonwood Pass (12,126 feet, paved). At the top, we met a couple who noticed the BDR stickers on the van and had a good discussion with them. They both ride dual sports and said Hancock was one of the toughest rides they had done. Hmm…

It was an easy drive into Buena Vista, where we were surprised not to find the motos waiting for us. Hancock Pass was much more slow and difficult than they had expected, especially for the inexperienced riders. By the time they got to BV, it was close to dark, and they were all pretty spent. Perhaps a motel was in order…or not. Not a single room available in BV or any town nearby.

We headed to some BLM and set up camp in the first place we could find.
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