See all that traffic I had to deal with?
As Tim will agree, sometimes it’s a drag stopping to take pics, especially when you’ve been there before. The urge to just continue riding thru is hard to overcome. It’s like the biggest and best IMAX quality movie screen all around you. Occasionally I’ve ridden (thru) and back tracked for pics.
As for getting there, just think of ’the ride’ as several day trips…in a row. All my trips were in my mid to late 50s and all thru my 60s. All but a couple, by myself. Other than lodging expenses it’s the same as a day ride x how many days you want to be out. I‘ll usually map out the general area to the farthest point and then back using a different route. See more country that way. BTW, indoor lodging for me is a must. I know it’s expensive but making camp (before dark) and (breaking) camp at sun up day after day after sleeping on the ground is, well you can decide.
Maybe someone can meet up and ride a days section of the trip I’m planning, like Vegas to Escalante UT (over that zig zag mountain) or Escalante to Mexican Hat UT right thru Monument Valley, or…anyone?
Next stop from Mexican Hat would be Gunnison CO (over 2 or 3 11,000’ mountains) then Pikes Peak (14,000’+) and so on but on a different route back home. My tentative leave date is June 24/25 mostly due to making it to the top of Pike’s Peak around June 30th or July 1st. Last time I tried the Rangers stopped me at 11,000’ saying the corners higher up still had ice on them. That was July 3rd! Riding later in the summer thru some of these areas can be kinda draining, plus there’s very few opportunities to find shade or any cover at all. Not good when it’s over 100 degrees. I‘m hoping my son can accompany me on the Kawasaki.