Freak'n in Utah

When RideFreak invited me to DS ride Utah, I couldn't pass it up last weekend. Never been there but how can you pass up an opportunity like this for camping:



After a week of rest and compiling pictures, how can one not report on how great the riding & weather was .

I was waiting for RideFreak to post his pics and video, but not even a report from him . So I decide to post up what I have. Maybe he can add his stuff along the way.

First day (Thurs) was a travel day from North NM to base out of Blanding, UT to ride around the Comb Ridge (http://jemez.org/fish_canyon/images/IMG_2129.jpg) on Friday morn:



Unloading the red pigs. BRPs were the perfect bike for the tracks laid out by Freak:





RideFreak had a bet saying he could start an overnnight cold BRP in one kick ....Any of you who have this beast know how the pig can snort after several kicks and then not start. Well, the Freak can! One kick start:



Here we are in the area along Comb Ridge. Great riding.



Me:





Arroyos here and there. RideFreak has a supertanker.









Comb Ridge's version of Moab's slick rock:







Mining caves to checkout:







The last riding of day 1 (Friday) left for some good scenic vistas:









We also did some of Arch Canyon that I think RideFreak has video of. I was pretty tired after about 150 miles on day 1. We packed up our gear and loaded the bikes and headed to Hite Marina campground (http://www.utahscanyoncountry.com/en/entities/281/) at Lake Powell to setup camp for Friday night:





Day 2 (Sat.) we were to hit Canyonlands:

After a night's camp of beer n' brats (we also ate some veggies too), we set out to explore another 150 miles of red canyons, rock roads, doll house, maze disdrict and harrowing cliffs...

This is the fast paced area of Canyonlands:










There are some of the most interesting and spectacular formations of red rock canyons.







After these canyons we came across some fairly technical rock sections that other jeep and 4wd enthusiasts were testing there machines and skills:









The "dollhouse" area is in a fairly remote area of Canyonlands that we did not see any other travelers on this road. It is, however, another very unusual set of formations (like they were stacked and placed there by someone):











Overlook at the Colorado River:



We didn't stay long a the dollhouse, cause there was lot more to see. We headed back toward the maze district:










Racing toward maze distict:







Here is a GIANT sink hole near maze overlook. My camera doesn't do it justice. It is a long way down.




Maze overlook :





More to come...

Yeah, please do, this absolutely stunning scenery!

Green with envy....

RideFreak's video from Day 1: Comb Ridge Descent