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Day 12 and 13

Out of steamboat springs and headed for Rawlins ,a washed it Rd had me back track for a while and then into some great forestry rds and into Wyoming with no drama . Fueled the body and bike at Rawlins Then into the red desert andgreat divide basins This brought back memories if the Simpson desert except the dunes where a lot smaller and the highest plant life was no higher than 60 cm Some of it was a challenge but all of it was great to be part of .

In some parts of this waste land oil was still being extracted and rusty nodding horses could be seen still operating and not a sole around
Because of the effort to get through this part of the route I was running late and had no chance to make pinedale but thankfully I came upon a small flowing river with a lovely spot to make camp for the night
Made pinedale for a late breakfast and headed for Grand Teton national park and Colter bay via some neat forestry rds and Union pass
It’s a pity the fires in California so far away has clouded these magnificent mountains in this park and my photos would not do them justice and in sure you can find images of them
The camp ground I’m in has these
on ever site and do you know that only 77 people have been killed by bears in the last 118 years in USA and Alaska You have 7 times more chance to be killed by lightning Maybe everyone should carry a lightning rod ,but I will be putting my food in the box
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Day 11

Left nathrop and made for Alma on mainly sealed Rd. This was a bit of my route but I wanted to have a go at getting up mnt bross said to be the highest drivable peak in Colorado

Had a coffee in the old town of Alma who’s main claim is that it is the highest certified town in the USA at 3200 m
The ride up mnt bross was great and not overly difficult bar the last 300m to the summit which had staggering views in all directions .. the ride down required more effort that the ride up due to the countless zigging and zagging
Had a late lunch in Fair play and got talking to a couple on adv bikes ,his a 690 KTM and hers a Dr 650 he had all the clim gear and shoei helmets and sidi boots and she was wearing leotards and trainers with a cloth jacket and to make things worse she was carrying all the gear including an eski on the Dr .I did point out the discrepancy
I’m camping at the trail head to Webster and red cone pass and have been advised to take Webster due to the conditions of red cone by the forest ranger so it’s off to montazuma in the morning
I have done 4300km todate and averaging almost 400km a day and now I’m going to cook my can of beef stew and boil a cup of coffee
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Day 10

Camped in Rio grande national Forest last night ,I was the only one there and the sign on the board didn’t inspire confidence so I took the precaution of locking my small food supply in the toilet well away from me and I slept well

.I headed for Sargent’s in the morning and had a great ride through Rio grande and Gunnison forests Had a big breakfast at Sargent’s and off to tomichi pass only to find out that it was closed so back to Sargent’s to work out a plan b. There. Was a couple there on KTM s (350 and500) and heading for a small village called pitcin via a great dirt Rd and pass. I left them and headed over Hancock’s pass to st Elmo this turned out to be a major challenge and of all the riding I have done in Colorado this is the closest to the awakino saddle I have come to

I did a bit of tincup pass from St Elmo but my main route was in the opposite direction
I headed for Buenavista for a motel but it was booked up so camping in a camp ground in nathrop .
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Day 9

Stayed in a nice camp ground in Chama and headed for del Norte Into a state park where my attempt to get up Bennett peak started Going up a very steep single track which zig zagged what felt like the side of a cliff and required absolute attention it occurred to me that 1 small error would be the end of my ride and when the zigging and zagging finished it got worse , the track turned into extremely Rocky narrow steep climb after dropping the bike twice and not making much progress I decided to retreat which in itself was more terrifieng than going up and having to walk it down in a lot of places

 
After about 2 hours I was back on the valley floor safe but buggered. Another lesson learned Took the standard route to Del Norte fueled up and now camping up a valley somewhere in Colorado and heading for Sargent’s in the morning
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Day 8

Finally put on the tire I’ve been carrying around ,the d606 had done a Sterling job having done half the TAT and my 3600 km Rode through a lot of forestry trails to abiquiu including 1 challenge section but because of a large fallen tree and a gully with no way round I had to back track back to the normal route

A quick bite to eat at abiquiu and into the next section through Carson national park including a neat challenge section I had just come out of the first half on to a sealed Rd when the sky’s opened up with continued rolling thunder Knowing what the dirt tracks would end up like I decided to find an alternative route to Chama
I climbed to 3460m and the temperature dropped considerably
Tomorrow I head for Del Norte which includes an attempt , weather permitting I to go up Bennett’s peak 4028m
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Day 7

I survived the coyotes and rode t Datil to pick up the GDR route. the neat sealed Rd turned into a great dirt Rd which was washed out in lot of sections and the roads turn very slippery because of a lack of gravel which made for a great mornings ride .A great blue berry and ice cream Pie at Datil and into some great forestry roads to. Grants and a Mac Donald’s for lunch then on to Cuba The sign at the start wasn’t kidding but turned out to be a great ride and a constant slalom It passed a huge lava flow the likes I have never seen before It looked like it only happened yesterday

Took the challenge option through the San Luis mountains for 56 km it was a bit of a challenge but emerged through a stunning gorge to some amazing views of massive cliff faces and valleys as far as I could see
And congratulations to. Ian mike Brian and Keith for completing their epic ride trouble free. Well done
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Day 6

Mixed day today left Silver city and had a great ride in Toya national park for a couple of hours then when I got back on the seal disaster! The chain snaps.

I carry chain breaker and some chain so in about an hour I back on the road and heading back to silver City and would you know it ,no bloody bike shop and the nearest place I can get one is Las Cruces NM 160km away in the wrong way and no other option so 2 hrs on a interstate I get a new chain (rk of course)and then told I have to go back up that interstate to get back on course so I ask the GPS for shortest way to to Tatil and so far it has taken me on this fantastic route

I’m free 🏕️ Tonite and right now listening to the coyotes howling in the distance or maybe they are 🐺 as long as they stay there I’m happy
Witnessed another great electrical storm which so far I have avoided
Photos are self explanatory
Passed the biggest open cast mine I have ever seen copper apparently
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Day 5

Because of extreme heat (118f briefly) I motelled it Started early today to miss the expected heat and at last got off the freeways and headed for the chiricahua mountains and a great ride over pinery canyon Rd to a small settlement of portal then a planned route across a large plain to hook up with the GDR at separ but a locked gate changed that so I took the long way round and headed for Silver city from separ Had to get into my wet weather gear and witnessed a great lightning show

Tomorrow has the longest stretch without fuel so need to carry an extra 5 lt
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Day 3

Left panamint spring and straight onto nadea trail onto a long sand track (photo)then turned into the mountains which turned into a narly rocky climb so taking the advice of my daughter and not to go into isolated places alone and having another 70km I worked with the help of the GPS back to the sealed Rd

Went into Barstow for chain oil and am now camping in Joshua tree national Park with a squirrel for company

Had to pack up camp and move ,a nice man with a gun said I was on booked site next day bike wouldn’t start not only flat battery (to much charging of devices)used some jumper leads still no go it hydraulic locked off came all luggage ,yep! Plug out pump out and all good fuel tap leaking through will look at tonight I’m hoping 3hrs on interstate 10 will clear carb current temp. 110 f
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Day 1

Ok first one  , all day on seal   tried to get through  Yosemite but was turned back  because of fires so  was diverted through  sanora pass  spent most of day in smoke Climbed to Almost 3000m from about sea level and even in the haze it was fantastic  Set up my first camp  and looking forward to a much more challenging ride  in death valley national park   and  crossing Lippincott pass to look at the  mysterious moving  rocks on racetrack playa.

  578km today
Stranger than fiction.    Getting passed  on a freeway by a forklift and I was doing 100kmh