Day 10----Our Last Day !!!

I had promised Kenny a nice relaxing cool ride into Moab---it was not to be. So far I have never been right in my trail and weather predictions.

Well this is starting out just as I said it would Kenny !!! A nice relaxing ride thru the aspens just North of Blanding-----ahh---so soothing !!!!!     We first headed up Johnson Creek Road--but took an ATV trail.
Aw shit !!!!!! No------this isn't another view of a previous picture !!!!
Like I said earlier----I should take off my kickstand !!!!!! Well, look at it this way, we still have lots of gas to set our bikes on fire !!
A Jeep apparently had a lot of trouble here too---further on he slid almost down a steep embankment. We could see where he had gotten stuck and spun his wheels. Either somebody pulled him out or he had a winch.

And finally once again down the mountain---a nice relaxing ride and some more aspens.
A few miles further on we had to go to Newspaper Rock State Park and view these markings in the rock. It seems nobody really knows for sure who did this or when. Most speculate it was B.C.   Some naysayers say  it was old hippies, I don't know .
These were very amazing and beautiful. The size of the rock astounded us. No it is protected from vandals by the state.
We headed North on "Mail Station" road thru some of the most desolate country we had been thru. It was open cattle country and again we never seen a soul and left gates as we found them after passing thru.

This place is for sale and had a Century 21 sign in front of it. We walked up to it and peered in the window and couldn't believe what we saw. It seemed somebody was living in it as a nice bed and sofa were in there with a coal or wood heating stove. The room was only about 20ft. square. You can probably understand why they didn't make it too big. Those 2X4's are hard.
This is called "Soup Rock"------nope I don't know why-----well yes I do-----my GPS told me so and has only lied to me twice in several thousand miles.
A working windmill in open cattle country. For you youngsters-----these were used for pumping water and this one was fully functional and filled the large drinking tub to the left.
"Looking Glass Rock" on Looking Glass Road------yes my GPS told me so. We climbed up as high as we dared and ate our cracker, cheese, ham and gatorade lunch.

Kenny had to climb into the hole and see what was on the other side. "What's on the other side Kenny" ???? He said there was a huge rock overhang beyond the hole. I was too scared to walk on the steep rock in my motocross boots. It was a steep 100ft. to the bottom.
Here is a view down the rock and you can barely see our bikes down there.
I'm not into touristy stuff-------but after asking someone who had been in this rock house officially called "House In The Rock" we decided to check it out.        This is on hwy. 191 just South of the Kane Springs picnic area-----about 18 miles south of Moab.
A man built this (I forgot when) for him and his wife. He died trying to finish it. He only got to live in it for 5 years--but she lived it another 20. It was an amazing 5,000 sq. ft. of living space. He had a restaurant at the opening and made a good living there I suppose.

His wife wanted a fireplace---but there was no need for it as it is 65° in the winter and 72° in the summer. It originally had no plumbing or electricity but was incorporated later on. A generator was used at first I think. I can't remember half of what I was told about this place---but it is very interesting----so do a search on the internet and read all about it. I would search for "House In The Rock" and see what comes up. He drilled 85 ft. straight up or down for the flue for this fireplace. Dynamite was used heavily to blast the rock out during construction. I asked if the roof leak-----and the guide said "never one drop".
Just passed House In The Rock I turned West on what looked like an easy trail which I thought would intersect Kane Springs Road and Pritchett Canyon trail Southwest of Moab. It was easy-----for awhile.
We met a jeeper and some mountain bikers at a fork in the trail and we couldn't decide which way to go as it was getting a little late in the day and was hotter than we had been accustomed to. I asked the biker about one trail and he said it was for bicycles only---besides he had to carry his bicycle for a mile thru the roughest section. Me and Kenny weren't in the mood for that.
So----we headed on the Pritchett Canyon trail gong North and Northwest which the jeeper said was rough, but he'd do it on his XR400 anyday !!!!! So we went for it after he said, yeh it's rough but it's all down hill. Heck, maybe we can't ride down it----but we can surely fall down it !!!!!  Me and Kenny walked our bikes over that bottom ledge you see in this picture.

The black on the rocks is from jeeps spinning their wheels. We rode down this one with no problem. It was slow and tedious going and finally both of us had to strip off and get rid of some of the clothes  we were wearing as we were getting seriously overheated.
I had to walk it down that last ledge----it's worse than it looks---much worse. Even tho this was the most difficult going we experienced we were still having a great time, as everything was very challenging as Kenny would say. Kenny loves a challenge.        Remember me saying it was going to be nice and cool today ????? Well we were getting very hot with the riding gear we had on. It was about 80°---much hotter than the first part of our ride.
The GPS said we were about 1/4 mile from Kane Creek Road (gravel) and the Kane Creek Campground. But how were we going to go around this to get there. Not!!!! There isn't a way around !! There was no way that me and Kenny could go back. I think only a few national level trials riders could ride the Pritchett Canyon trail in the opposite direction we did. Well maybe---Dick Burleson on an EXC400 maybe !!! Or maybe---just some younger guys :)
We spent I bet 10 minutes thinking this one out and siking ourselves up for the climb. I was getting more nervous about this climb the longer I look at it.. Realizing the ledges were just to much we placed most of those smaller rocks to make sort of a ramp. I was first and headed right up the middle. The key was to have plenty of momentum before you hit the bottom. If you didn't have it, you were done for as we knew you couldn't apply much power on those loose rocks. I made it with ease----well I think it looked like that anyway. I stressed to Kenny about the momentum thing and he flew up so hard he bounced over another ledge on top that you can't see in this picture and slammed into a rock ledge that his front wheel just wouldn't climb up. It was a cakewalk to the McDonalds restaurant after this little deal.

Our ride was over-----and what an adventure it was. My brand new rear tire doesn't look so hot----I wonder if it's still under warranty---it's only 10 days old ???????? It was a Pirrelli MT21----Kenny's DOT Kenda held up a whole lot better. It could have done this ride again with no problem.

What's Kenny smiling about ????? He was drug thru snow, ice, heat, water crossings  and freezing temperatures---constantly being lied to by his leader about the terrain he was in for and the weather conditions. He chewed up about 15lbs. of Utah red dust which choked his air cleaner up completely. His face is sunburned and raw from the cold air. His lips are chapped and cracked open from being de-hydrated. He was almost arrested and I ain't sure the BLM isn't looking for him. He made a couple of tumbles down some nasty looking rocks.  So why is he smiling ?????      He had a great time that's why and can't wait till we concoct up something for next year.

        When this trip was all said and done we congratulated ourselves for being so well prepared---but, I'm sure things could have happened and made it go all wrong. Here are a few pieces of advice for doing a trip like this. 

1.  Well you certainly remember the thing about big gas tanks don't you ???? And never pass a gas station. 2. Goretex riding gear using the layering technique for keeping warm. 3. Go with at least one, preferably 2 friends that you can trust your life on. 4. If you can't go and be prepared to fix a flat -----don't go!!! 5. Have new tires. 6. Very good sprockets and chains. 7. Always pack lots of food and water (more than you think you'll need). 8.  Do a winters worth of research looking at maps and studying the area. 9. I know GPS's haven't been around long--but me and Kenny just can't seem to imagine being without one-or two----or hey--why not 3 !!!!!!!!  10. Be nice and quiet to all you meet out on the trail. Be especially nice to the Jeepers----they may have to pull you up a hill that you can't climb. 11. Have a bike that is in extremely good mechanical condition.  12. Only trespass one time---and one time only--and when caught, flash your pretty blue eyes without hesitation, before her husband gets home :)  13. Try being the leader---and you'll never have to clean your air cleaner :)  14. Commit yourself to the sand---easier said than done. 15. Figure the GPS will only lie to you about 1 out of every 20,000 times. The other 19,999--sorry---you are wrong  wrong wrong !!!  16. If Fred Hink says Lasal Pass is snowed in----it's snowed in.. 17. Expect heat, cold, rain, snow, sleet, drought and ice. (well at least in April anyway). 18. Research the touristy times for Moab--and don't go then. 19. Forget going in the summer heat--or late spring heat--or early fall heat for that matter. 20. Don't try to chew tobacco with a full face helmet on.  21. Pack a little poopy paper 22. Don't let your riding buddy try to rejet his carburator right in the middle of nowhere--don't do it--springs and doodads can go flying everywhere !!! 23. I'm still thinkin'---I'll add more later!!!