Yesterday I spent some time preparing for the upcoming “East Coast 2009” which starts in two weeks.  Specifically, I made the final decisions on which gear, clothes, and camping equipment I planned to take with me.  I loaded everything up on the motorcycle I'll be riding (my Suzuki V-Strom DL1000 aka “Strom”) to make sure I was satisfied with my decisions in terms of how they fit on the bike.  I didn't really pack anything new of any significance, but I did make a few minor adjustments (additions & subtractions) in gear, mostly camping related.  I had just finished the entire project when my cell phone rang.  It was my girlfriend who has been in Grand Junction, CO this past week visiting with her very ill grandmother.  As I listened to the sadness in her voice while I was standing in front of my full packed and ready to go motorcycle, the idea of making a surprise visit to CO came to me.  I mean, the bike was ready to go, so why not?!   The ride would not only give me the opportunity of seeing Kobi and her grandmother, but would also provide an excellent shakedown for my gear selections.   Less than 11 hours later I was on I-17 North heading out of Phoenix for a quick 4 day journey that will be around 1,200 miles if I ride point to point.  (Those who know me best can stop laughing now). Ironically the forecast for today said it'd be the first day of the year that Phoenix would hit triple digits (yes, it's only April 22nd!), which is no place for a Snowbird like myself to be!    I left early enough to avoid not only Monday morning commuting traffic but also the ensuing heat.  It was a pleasant 74 degrees when I left my driveway.  A mere 140 miles later and with an elevation gain of over 6,000 feet I was welcomed to Flagstaff's cool 50 degree temperature and the sight of snowcapped San Francisco Peaks: A view of San Francisco Peaks from north of Flagstaff, AZ:   Once past the high country of Flagstaff, I said good-bye to the interstate and welcomed US-89 heading north towards the junction of US-160 and Tuba City, AZ.  The topography and demographics changes drastically beyond Flagstaff as you travel through the sparsely populated Navajo and Hopi Reservations.  There is an old bridge on US-89 near Cameron, AZ that I've passed countless times in my travels over the years.  Today I decided to stop and take a picture of it: My understanding is it's a steel single lane suspension bridge built in 1911 though I didn't see any signs reflecting such in the area. Here's the view looking west from the bridge... ...and looking north from the bridge out onto the Navajo Indian Reservation:   For you GPS'ers, here are the coordinates of the bridge: N 35.875733 W 111.412567 Since many folks on US-89 are heading for the Grand Canyon, once you turn on US-160 the traffic becomes practically non-existent.  The topography starts to change as well. Here's a view of US-160: For those unfamiliar with these areas and roads, here's a map reflecting such: More shots from US-160: Fuel stops are few and far between and I learned a long time ago that GPS units do not reflect the reality of available fuel opportunities.  I've passed through this area many times and learned to mark each gas station a permanent waypoint.  If you intend to ride this area I'd suggest thinking twice about passing a gas station... or make sure you are carrying an “Oklahoma Credit Card” (aka gas siphon) on board.  At Kayenta, AZ, heading north on US-163 towards Monument Valley & Mexican Hat, AZ: This area can be boiling in the summer so it was quite refreshing to actually enjoy stopping.  It's probably why I did so frequently today...  Heck yeah it's a Scenic Byway!   Can't leave Mo (my Alaskan moose passenger) out of the fun!: Mexican Hat, AZ... Near the UT/AZ state line, heading north on US-191 towards Moab, UT: Rest Area on US-191 about 15 miles south of Moab, UT... nice place to eat lunch, huh? Ok, so my pre-departure planning was quite brief, but I did do a bit of web searching to determine the conditions in Moab as far as roads and camping.  It may be triple digits in Phoenix today but this region had measurable snowfall just last week.  My understanding is the spring snow melted quickly but I was more interested in whether or not the side roads would be dry.  My thinking was that if I left Phoenix early enough and then rode at a, um, “spirited” pace that I could get into Moab and have significant daylight left to find a spot to camp.  (Side note: now, about that “spirited pace” part... let me take this opportunity to say that I've NEVER had a speeding ticket.  Zero, zilcho, none.) Well, I indeed arrived Moab with plenty of sunlight left.  The camping area I wanted to go to is 8 miles off Hwy 191 on “Kane Creek Road”, which is dirt and gravel.  I figured with it being a non-weekend day (Monday) and early in the season (schools aren't out yet, spring breaks are over, etc) that I could likely enjoy a peaceful, if not desolate, camping spot in the Hunter Canyon area.  So, after stopping in Moab to refill my water supply, I headed out on this adventure... The road is dwarfed by the surrounding rocks.... The “road” was gravel, dirt, rock.... Let's just say that “shakedown” is EXACTLY what I got! Not too many places you can ride off-road with views like this in your mirrors: Rising spring temps mean spring run-off in creeks.  I had no idea I'd be doing creek crossings today on a fully loaded motorcycle!  Heck, I had no idea I'd be 550 miles from my garage this time yesterday! After 5+ miles off-road and 2 small creek crossings I came around a bend to this sight.  I think I heard Mo the Moose yell “Whoaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa, AGirl!!”:    I got off the bike and went to investigate the conditions in front of me.  I picked up a large rock, walked over to the edge of the water and threw it just to the edge on the other side.  It didn't bounce, it “splat” in the mud.    I also believed that there was a good chance the water level would significantly change overnight given the time of year (spring run-off, temps, etc), and that what I was looking at now might be very different in the morning when I would re-cross to head back in to Moab.  The other factors being that I was in a no cell area and only 1 person in the world knew generally where I intended to camp.  A mishap while crossing that creek could be a serious issue since I was solo and in the middle of nowhere.  Plus, my workout yesterday included enough squats and deadlifts that I wasn't too excited about the prospects of having to pick up my fully loaded bike out of the mud after a full day of riding!  However, as I washed my hands in the cold snowmelt water, I thought about how I reeeeeeally wanted to get to that specific camping area.  All that said, it really didn't take me very long to consider all the aforementioned factors and make a decision.  Being adventurous is one thing, but being stupid is another.  Someone else might have made a different decision, but I think part of being a “successful” adventurer is having the wisdom to know your personal limits & that of your equipment, as well as being able to make an honest evaluation of the conditions presented (despite what your heart would like to do!).  So, I turned around (Mo yelped “Thank goodness!!), and backtracked the 5+ miles into Moab, and did so with the concerns of daylight remaining.   I had a backup plan should I arrive the Moab area to find Kane Creek Road wasn't an option for camping.  Just off Hwy 191 (the main road through Moab) is UT-128, which offers at least 8 campgrounds along the road.  The first 7 are within a few miles from Moab, whereas #7 (Dewey Bridge Campground) is 29 miles from Moab.  I figured given the time of year I'd have no problem finding a place to pitch my tent.  I approached the first campground on Hwy-128 and was greeted with a “CAMPGROUND FULL” sign.  I rode to campground #2 only to find the same sign.  Ditto for #3,4,5, and 6 campgrounds.    I was shocked!  I have no idea what was going on, but I had to ride the 28 miles towards the last campground and hope it wasn't full.  If it was, the only option remaining would be to ride tp the end of Hwy-128 where it meets I-70 and heads towards Grand Junction.  Beyond the Dewey Bridge Campground and for the remainder of Hwy 128 I was aware of warnings for “Open Range” and “Cows In Road”.  In fact, I've never been on that stretch of Hwy 128 and NOT seen a cow in the road.  Given the sun's position, it would also mean I'd be riding in the pitch dark towards I-70.  Hmmm, not exactly what I had planned, but then again my plan was rather spontaneous after all, huh?   As I approached the campground I saw not one single vehicle, tent, or sign of people but the campground was indeed full.... of cows!!  I honked and shooed the bovines away so I could finally park and start to set up camp: Home sweet home... for a night anyway:   I dined this evening with a bunch of heifers: (Russ & Ron, stop laughing!)    With about 10 minutes left before the sun set, a lone bicyclist rode into the campground.  I was surprised not only to see a person on a bicycle, but also that the guy seemed to be carrying very little gear to be in the middle of nowhere.  About 30 minutes later a headlamp beam started coming towards my campsite and I soon met “Eric”.  Well, let's just say it was one of the most memorable evenings I've had lately.  I think I stayed up half the night sharing stories with him under a star studded sky while we listened to the Colorado River just beyond us.  Needless to say, Eric is one hell of an adventurer that's for sure!  He had ridden his bicycle 60 miles from Fruita, CO before pulling into the campground, and was on his way through Moab to Southern UT and several National Parks, then to AZ, NM, and back to CO.  I remarked about his seemingly light gear setup and he said he was “an ultra-light kind of guy”.  Eric related his vast backpacking experience, which included thru hiking (going from one end to the other on a single trip) the Appalachian Trail (aka “AT”), as well as the Pacific Crest Trail (“PCT”), and the Continental Divide Trail (“CDT”).  To give you an idea of his definition of “ultra-light” he said his “AT” pack that he carried on the “weighed eight pounds not including the pack itself”.  Let me repeat that... 8 freakin' pounds!    That fact alone was worth an hour's worth of questions from me!  Oh, and about his bicycle touring – this was his very first long distance ride since he only got the bike last month.  He said he got it for free because someone no longer wanted it.  He said a friend helped him get it road worthy recently so he decided to take this ride.  If you happen to be one of those people who are not easily impressed, that's not all.  Guess what Eric completed just 72 hours before pulling into the campground?  An ultra-marathon!!!   Yes, that would be running 50 miles.  He said his ultra marathon (his first, by the way) wasn't on the road (guess that'd be too easy?), rather it was a trail run with elevation gain/loss in Colorado.  When I asked Eric how he did, he said he came in 17th place and finished a little quicker than he expected.  His time for running the 50 miles was 10 hours and 6 minutes.  Kinda impressive, huh?  Oh, and he rode his bicycle to the start of the race.  If you'd like to check out the ultra-adventurer's blog, click: HERE.  Thanks, Eric, for the conversation and best wishes on your journey!!  End of day GPS total says 530 miles (only 130 miles of interstate riding!), but certainly doesn't reflect the memories for the journey!: AGirl Continued On Next Page ..... 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