Lost trip. How did I lose a trip? Somewhere between Death Valley and the fire ride was a 2000-mile trip through Southern Utah, Colorado New Mexico and Arizona. Theresa had to attend a weeklong conference in Durango Colorado so I asked her if I could tag along. I set out on the GS with a light load, no camping gear, food or cooking supplies. I had a support vehicle following me so I only packed tools, gas and a sleeping bag in case I spent a night out with friends on the road.
The ride south out of Salt Lake took me along the freeway to Spanish Fork where we turned and headed up the canyon across Solders Summit then down into price. This was a spring ride so thunderstorms mixed with hail and sleet surrounded me as I rode. I was lucky and was at a turning point as I met the face of each storm, it was like skirting between them, dodging the weather as I rode south.
Green river was the first stop and a favorite of mine because I love eating at “Rays” If you have never eaten there you should. Full of fuel and a burger I rode along I-70 to the junction that leads down to Moab. From there it was just a short hop to Canyon Lands where I met Teresa and we set up camp in the rain. The slick rocks of the desert took on a new feel when they are covered in pools of water and waterfalls from spring rains.
The next morning, I rode a quick leg through Durango to Pagosa Springs. A soak in the hot springs and great dinner was a nice start to the trip. The following day Teresa’s conference started so we rode over to Durango and checked into the Double Tree for the week. While Teresa was in her conference I had planned trips with local adventure riders for the week.
ADV, or adventurerider.com has a fantastic website where you can chat with other riders and meet up when on the road. I rode with two local riders while in the area and it was like having a personal guided trip every day. We rode through Shiprock, down to canyon De Chelly and around Navajo Lake. Day rides through Farmington across the Navajo reservation and up to Chama. We rode across three states, starting each morning at the Durango Diner for breakfast and ending the day at one of the many great restaurants in downtown Durango.
After a week of riding Teresa and I left Durango and headed home via Silverton and Ouray. Snow covered passes and amazing high mountain roads were beautiful as we wound our way north to the biggest surprise of the trip. North out of Ouray to ridgeway I turned west on Hwy 62 until I found Hwy 145 / 141 north to Grand Junction. This ride north through Gateway Canyon is an amazing ride, following the Dolores river. It was like taking a rafting trip on a bike following the winding road along the riverbed. Tall sandstone cliffs towered and shaded the highway along this eighty-mile leg of the trip.
Nestled within the canyon along the river is The Gateway Canyons Resort, like a mirage this impressive resort is secluded within the desolation of the canyons of Colorado. If you ever have a need to get away from it all this is the place to go. I was told that it was developed by one of the founders of the Discovery Channel. I plan on returning someday. Continuing north up the canyon we ended up in Grand Junction for the night. The following ride home was an interstate push back into Utah, through the San Raffel Swell then up through Emery, Castledale then back through price on the way home. Not the shortest route but it is an adventure ride.
I think my favorite ride of the trip was the day I just chased thunderstorms, skirting these monstrous storms, cloud formations dwarfing the mountain ranges below. When I returned to Durango in the evening riding in the sun on roads still wet from the rain, I was asked what it was like riding in the downpour. Dry and amused I simply said “what storm?”
