5th annual Muley Point overnight camping, May 18 & 19, 2008.
This trip timing was somewhat impromptu because of a good weather forecast if one can call a sudden change from a lingering winter to ninety-plus degree highs in southeastern Utah good. I packed my camp gear on Saturday and rode to Gateway for lunch at the Outpost Deli on Sunday. Motorcyclists gather at the Outpost on Sunday. Usually it's predominately a Harley crowd but this day BMWs seemed more common. I ended up in conversation with one Aspen rider: R1150GS, and two Carbondale riders: R1100S (I didn't look that close, it's possible it was a later model) and R1200GS. All three BMWs were in beautiful condition. Unfortunately, I forgot I had my camera. We talked of roads and rides and I gave them my web address. Coincidently we left at the same time, headed the same direction. When they saw I had joined them, they were cool enough not to use their superior power to run away between corners. They were good riders and set a very fast pace for the 52 miles to Naturita. It's a favorite canyon of mine but I hadn't expected to have so much fun riding to an overnight camp out. We all stopped for fuel in Naturita and discussed the ride as enthusiasts are prone to do. The R1150GS rider and I had both been to Jason Pridmore's track school at Streets of Willow in California and had both been to Jason's last school at Second Creek Raceway in Denver before the track was closed. At Second Creek he rode an Aprilia Rsv Mille 1000 in the "A" class; I rode a Suzuki DL650 in the "B" class.
After the fast canyon ride, the remainder of the trip to Muley Point was somewhat uneventful. I continued on CO141 to near Dove Creek, CO, then rode west to Monticello, UT, south to Blanding, westward to near Bridges National Monument, then south to Moki Dugway and west to Muley Point.
I first intended to camp at the "real" Muley Point, a barren, lands-end type projection of Cedar Mesa a mile or so further west from the prettier spot where most people stop not even realizing the road continues on. I've camped at the real Muley point before and had a spot in mind on a hill about 1/2 mile from the point itself. Someone was already camped too near my spot. I rode down to the point and considered several alternatives but all the while the guy at the other camp was standing on the hill watching me. I didn't like that. I prefer to not be noticed so I moved back to the false Muley Point which has the better view and less wind anyway. No one camped there. One couple did stop to take in the view. I was camped somewhat out of sight and, not knowing anyone was around, they wandered past the low junipers that shielded me. My presence startled them. We made introductions. They were from the Bahamas. Odd how so many people I see in the Momument Valley area are from far away. As I got it, they had sailed to the Bahamas from Philadelphia (or someplace) long ago and it had been home ever since. The guy confessed to me they hoped to buy two Harleys some day and tour the USA. Everyone should have their dreams.
It was a beautiful night. Warm, intermittent and gentle breezes rather than the usual gusty winds. A nearly full moon rose even before the sun had set. The desert in the moonlight is a magical place, the light sufficient for getting up and wandering around in the middle of the night. I had an unmentionable meal of non-perishable simulated food (I go for scenery, not to prepare a meal) and an acceptable half-bottle of wine which I brought to room temperature by putting it in a wet sock and setting it in the breeze.
I didn't bother with a tent. Who wants to hide from the moon. I spent a restless night. I don't sleep well at home anymore and I sleep worse on slickrock with my boots for a pillow. I did get up and wander about some.
Up at first light, I made coffee and ate my limp muffin, wishing it were ham and eggs. I was soon packed and ready for an early departure. I had a morning destination in mind.
Picture Gallery
Anyone who frequents south eastern Utah will sooner or later mention Bears Ears as a reference point. Located about 20 miles west of Blanding, these twin pinnacles top a deceptively high-altitude area surrounded by immense desert canyon lands. Consequently, they serve as prominent landmarks visible from many locations for miles around. The header photo above was taken in 2006 from the Snow Flats road, south of Bears Ears between UT261 and Comb Wash. So what do these prominent landmarks look like up close? Not very imposing. I stopped between them on Monday, May 19 and clicked the two pictures below.
Bears Ears, easily accessed from the Natural Bridges National Monument road on a graded dirt and gravel road suitable for 2WD vehicles when dry, serve as gateway to a truly vast area of unpaved roads through valleys, across sandstone plateaus and near deep, rugged canyons. In any part of this area where edible plants grow, a visitor is more likely to meet a rancher in a pickup than a tourist although the area is popular with hardy hikers bent on visiting remote canyons few people will ever see.
Go north 50 miles from Bears Ears and you will be on Canyonlands Island in the Sky from which Bears Ears are easily visible (if my aging memory hasn't tricked me). You had better fly as a bird, though, as you will cross some extremely rugged, roadless wilderness not to mention the Colorado River canyon. You can ride just about any direction from Bears Ears, though. You can travel more or less westward to Hite on a poorly marked series of 4WD roads. (At least the roads were poorly marked the first time I did this, about 1981, and the last time I did this, in maybe 2000.) You can go east to Blanding on good graded, mostly graveled roads if they are dry. You can head north towards Canyonlands and veer east past Cathedral Butte. A couple miles, maybe more, north from Cathedral Butte on an inconspicuous, unmarked (last time I was there) road, you will find a beautiful overlook of Canyonlands. I've long wanted to camp there and may yet although there are signs that many people have and one might not be alone. You can continue on eastward from Cathedral Butte to Dugout Ranch and pavement. If you are dedicated to off pavement travel you can ride from Dugout Ranch towards the Needles Area and take the 4WD Lockhart Basin Road to Moab but that's another story. The really adventuresome motorcyclists can travel through Beef Basin, descend into Bobby's Hole, circle around past Chesler Park and out over Elephant Hill. There are sections of this route that vary from year to year, season to season, and may require considerable skill and confidence, especially on bigger, heavier machines. Point is: there are unpaved roads all over this area, some I haven't been on, some I haven't even found. A good map would be a valuable asset. Caveat: it's been several years since I've been on some of these roads and the condition of trails and number of visitors may have changed considerably.
I wanted to ride the road from Natural Bridges area up to Bears Ears because I last rode it seven or eight years ago with a fresh 6-inch split in my right tibia and a few minor chips out of my knee joint bones and even then the road was pretty. Of course, I didn't know the extent of the leg damage until it was x-rayed the next evening but I had heard the bone snap when I stiff-legged a hidden rock while making a tight turn in deep sand. I didn't fall down but the pain was intense for a while. Later, when my riding companions stopped, I got off and said I thought I broke a bone. I don't think they believed me but nevertheless, I nixed plans for camping out, asked for help getting back on my motorcycle, then headed for Blanding, guessing the shortest route by intuition and a general knowledge of the topography.
Now that I've started this story I have to end it. We stayed at a motel in Blanding. I walked in. I walked to a restaurant. With help, I got back on my KLR650 the next morning and rode home to Cedaredge, got a cane and drove my self to the emergency room in Delta where I was x-rayed, lectured severely for walking on a dangerously split tibia, loaned crutches and sent to a bone doctor who wanted to operate on the knee and put the leg in a hard cast. I declined both and all was well in a few weeks. Don't make too much of this; it wasn't any big deal. The vibrations of the KLR seemed to soothe the leg and riding wasn't painful. Alas, within a year, a subsequent and similar but less severe fracture of the left leg and knee joint caused my doctor to schedule a bone density scan and it was discovered I had a problem, almost Osteoporosis. And that's why I don't ride the rough stuff anymore. Motorcycles are inherently stable at speed; they sometimes fall over when going slow.
I've been wanting to ride this road again since that incident. Three times in the area north of Bears Ears and I've come out at a different place each time without knowing where I was. Next time I take a map. When I stopped to take a picture of Arches Canyon, I noticed my license plate was missing. Don't know where I lost it. Rode on home without one.
This trip, quick by necessity of domestic obligation, ended as it began on a high note. Partly because I didn't have a license plate and partly because I prefer the lesser-traveled routes anyway, I chose to return on CO141 through Gateway rather than the closer route through Norwood, Ridgway and Montrose. Not too far north from Naturita I met Mike headed south on his FJR1300. I hadn't seen Mike for three weeks or more as he had been off on a double adventure. Adventure one: to be reunited with other members of a successful band from the late '50's through the '60's (I'm not sure of the dates). Not only did they perform again but they were inducted into Mid America Music Hall of Fame in Minnesota. Apparently the music was as good as the ride was grueling. Adventure two: more than two weeks of touring on his DL650, 15 days of which turned out to be very cold, wet, windy and snowy, sometimes really serious snow, heavy and deep. Mike has excelled at many things in life. I've had only a brief acquaintance with his music, heard over the Internet. I ride with Mike a lot. Mike rides more than I do and he's a better rider. Mike's a real motorcyclist and has been for years, perhaps was born a real motorcyclist. Mike is also difficult to get in touch with. He claims to have no phone (I've seen him with a cell phone but, like mine, I don't think it's ever on unless he wants to use it). He has email only at work and, now that he's semi-retired, he's only occasionally at work. Our towns are 60 miles apart. Funny how we compensate. We each pass through Gateway, Colorado frequently all year long and know several people at the Outpost. They usually know where we are. Monday, they told Mike I came through Sunday and was going to camp Sunday night "somewhere near Monument Valley." Mike knew from that and my past habits I went to Muley Point. He thought I would come back through Gateway, guessed when and met me on the road. We rode back to Gateway, had coffee and scones and a great visit. I hope a possible CD materializes from the St. Cloud performance as I want to hear the music. Congratulations Mike!
