Or if you aren't and you are my Dad you might want to.
Yeah, ok....
We spent a week here... http://www.tipivillageretreat.com/
West coast road trip Advise
- Thread starter richard polley
- Start date
Yeah, ok....
We spent a week here... http://www.tipivillageretreat.com/
And if you're an old hippy, you'll want to visit Eugene.....
No shit?
My Dad's just old, not much of a hippy tho. We only wanted a pic of Eugene next to a Eugene sign...
...which we forgot to take!
I thought they had found some new wondrous way of surfacing roads with beer bottles as I entered the Res.
Some of the Navajo towns can be a bit depressing but the way these people have been treated by the government is nothing short of disgraceful.
I have Navajo friends and they are proud nation trying to pull themselves up. It's a shame everyone thinks they are just drunks but the majority are decent people just trying to survive in the harsh environment they live.
No worse that soemwhere like Rotherham though.......
I don't think they are drunks, but the approaches to the reservations are (were? - this was 2002)genuinely covered (as in you couldn't see floor through a three or four deep carpet covering the best part of 100m) in discarded beer bottles.
Of course you are correct about the way they have been (and continue to be) treated. As for a proud nation that's a pretty wide brush yo are using there. As with most things in life, there is good and bad everywhere, and it doesn't take many rotten apples...
Hence Rotherham is a shithole.
Lamble
Registered user
And the problem there is?
LOADS of great trails suitable for ATV or a trailbike. What more could you ask for?
The Oregon Dunes are a fantastic play area too, and absolutely stunning....
No problem, it's just because it's wilderness I couldn't think of any roads in particular.
Lot's of reservations get a bad press because some native Americans now have more cash than the white Americans. There's money in waste recycling, tobacco, spirits, fireworks and of cause, gambling. On the downside, some tribes don't have access to these riches and also fall outside the State funding, so do flounder and suffer as a consequence. It's not a tribal thing, it's the bigger society and the history.
The most regal person I met when living in the US was an Apache, without wishing to seem cliche, he did seem to have a wisdom that came from a heritage that appreciated more, respected deeply and saw with more clarity.
It does seem that when they were given reservations, they were given absolutely the crappiest places. Seems that some of those crappy places have mineral wealth and natural reserves that are now worth money, serious money. Wonder how long it will be before treaties are being redrafted so that the tribes get moved again... perhaps one day they'll all end up in a suburb of Detroit!
Tioga Pass is beautiful and the drop down towards Mono Lake and Lee Vining is a great ride.
If you do head up to Utah then you have to ride the Moki Dugway.
If you do head up to Utah then you have to ride the Moki Dugway.
Great fun in a rear wheel drive hire car.
The GF wasn't so happy mind...
Great fun in a rear wheel drive hire car.
The GF wasn't so happy mind...
SWMBO and I did it and the Burr Trail in an F350 with a camper and I'm told that we might well be doing it on the trip I'm making with Earache from Indianapolis to Colorada and Utah at the beginning of next month when I'll be riding his ST1100 Pan European.....
Base yerself in Moab for a few days then Arches, Canyonlands and Dead Horse Point are easy.
Earache
Registered user
Not a bad idea at all. Cheap hotels, cheap restaurants there as well.
Like Schtum said, we'll be there in a few weeks and will be blasting around the area. Staying just over the Colorado state line, due east of Moab...
Will be here for 3-4 days.
Earache
Registered user
...I'm making with Earache from Indianapolis to Colorada and Utah at the beginning of next month when I'll be riding his ST1100 Pan European.....
If the CrusieAmerica can do it, then the Pan can do it.
If the CrusieAmerica can do it, then the Pan can do it.
Yeah...you can imagine what that thing was like on the Burr Trail...
Earache
Registered user
Yeah...you can imagine what that thing was like on the Burr Trail...
So there was no disclaimer on the rental agreement stating "no off road use"?
So there was no disclaimer on the rental agreement stating "no off road use"?
Ssshhh.....!!!
I haven't blanked out the licence plate....
So there was no disclaimer on the rental agreement stating "no off road use"?
When I killed three chevy blazer rentals in 2002 I was very keen to point out that not all roads had a tarmac surface.
Prissy
Registered user
Richard,
How you want to plan your trip depends on what you want out of the experience. If you want the sanitized "Disneyland" experience, tourist traps, and the headaches that go with it, so be it. Several posters to your thread can point the way as it's obviously familiar territory for them.
However, if you want not only a beautiful ride through back roads of the western U.S., but also to make personal connections with people and learn a bit about the complex history of Native peoples, communities and cultures then you will. If this suits you, and you have the personality for it, you will discover great beauty not only in the landscape as you ride but in the people who dwell there.
FWIW, I'd be happy to ride with you in the Four Corners area, Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly, "Million Dollar Highway" in Colorado, or a dual sport ride in the Rio Grande Nat'l Forest area....if you'd like some company and would like to learn a bit about the area and meet new friends. So long as it's not Labor Day weekend, I can do something any other weekend in September. Also, you have to be patient with me since fire roads and state, county roads are best for me and my wee bike.
One other bit of advice.....since you're planning this vacay so quickly and trying to do it cheaply, camping is free anywhere on national forest land (not national parks lands, some of those are pricey and packed with tourists) where there are no current fire restrictions. There's literally thousands of square miles to do dispersed camping in Colorado and northern New Mexico. All you need of course is to pack your own water, practice "leave no trace", and a jet-boil for your food/tea/coffee. Showers can be had on the road since there's truck stops along the way, streams, rivers, and on the reservation, many local chapters (local communities) have showers for $1, all you have to do is ask.
I have more tips for my area, should you want to know more, just PM me or ask Bilco.
How you want to plan your trip depends on what you want out of the experience. If you want the sanitized "Disneyland" experience, tourist traps, and the headaches that go with it, so be it. Several posters to your thread can point the way as it's obviously familiar territory for them.
However, if you want not only a beautiful ride through back roads of the western U.S., but also to make personal connections with people and learn a bit about the complex history of Native peoples, communities and cultures then you will. If this suits you, and you have the personality for it, you will discover great beauty not only in the landscape as you ride but in the people who dwell there.
FWIW, I'd be happy to ride with you in the Four Corners area, Monument Valley, Canyon de Chelly, "Million Dollar Highway" in Colorado, or a dual sport ride in the Rio Grande Nat'l Forest area....if you'd like some company and would like to learn a bit about the area and meet new friends. So long as it's not Labor Day weekend, I can do something any other weekend in September. Also, you have to be patient with me since fire roads and state, county roads are best for me and my wee bike.
One other bit of advice.....since you're planning this vacay so quickly and trying to do it cheaply, camping is free anywhere on national forest land (not national parks lands, some of those are pricey and packed with tourists) where there are no current fire restrictions. There's literally thousands of square miles to do dispersed camping in Colorado and northern New Mexico. All you need of course is to pack your own water, practice "leave no trace", and a jet-boil for your food/tea/coffee. Showers can be had on the road since there's truck stops along the way, streams, rivers, and on the reservation, many local chapters (local communities) have showers for $1, all you have to do is ask.
I have more tips for my area, should you want to know more, just PM me or ask Bilco.
Mutley
Registered user
This is my ride report from couple of years ago when I hired an Electra Glide and went North out of SF.
Places I loved were Sonoma and the surrounding wine producing areas, Bogega Bay (where they filmed The Birds), Mendocino and The Lost Triangle. Yosemite was awesome, Carmel was pretty and SF was a massive film set
Have a ball and write it up for us
Places I loved were Sonoma and the surrounding wine producing areas, Bogega Bay (where they filmed The Birds), Mendocino and The Lost Triangle. Yosemite was awesome, Carmel was pretty and SF was a massive film set
Have a ball and write it up for us
richard polley
Registered user
us trip
Mutley
Thanks will read report latter, sound fantastic bit apprehensive to begin with due to going on me own and pretty poor planning skills but can,t wait to get there now . I have rented a GS 1200 as i have a 1150 at home will i be converted . will try and do a daily report but more likely ride all day drink a beer or two but will do my best. Richard
Mutley
Thanks will read report latter, sound fantastic bit apprehensive to begin with due to going on me own and pretty poor planning skills but can,t wait to get there now . I have rented a GS 1200 as i have a 1150 at home will i be converted . will try and do a daily report but more likely ride all day drink a beer or two but will do my best. Richard
Earache
Registered user
Took a friend of mine from Ireland out west last year, see: http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=252424 for some piccies.
He hired a HD in Indy as that was all he could hire. No BMW's available anywhere.
You'll have a great trip no matter what you end up doing Richard.
Looking forward to your trip report
He hired a HD in Indy as that was all he could hire. No BMW's available anywhere.
You'll have a great trip no matter what you end up doing Richard.
Looking forward to your trip report
richard polley
Registered user
bike insurance help
Direct line has just sent my travel insurance docs stating they will not cover bikes over 125cc . this is after 3 phone calls stating they would and charging for the increased risk Thanks Direct line. Can any body advice were I can find travel insurance including gs 1200 rental bike for 31 days. Thanks.
Direct line has just sent my travel insurance docs stating they will not cover bikes over 125cc . this is after 3 phone calls stating they would and charging for the increased risk Thanks Direct line. Can any body advice were I can find travel insurance including gs 1200 rental bike for 31 days. Thanks.
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