Backcountry Overland

20/10/2024

The Maze District......
Cleopatra's Chair.......
The "Maze District" of Canyonlands is h u g e & r e m o t e .
Access to the deep nooks, crannies, views, geological features, can be long and arduous by foot or 4x4. All overnight treks by any means requires a permit and reserved site (within the NPS Boundary). Seemingly a pain in the butt, but that nets you a quality experience. Back country 4x4 or backpack camps are mostly remote and spaced out, so you can enjoy a quiet peaceful self sufficient experience. It's pack it in......pack it out. Everything! Including human waste. You need a system.
I planned ahead and had permits for 6 nights at different locations in the maze. I also planned on areas adjoining it in BLM Lands. These areas are remote and isolated. You are on your own. Besides the norms of food, water, & "waste management", extra fuel of between 5-10 gallons is a good idea. I had 10 extra gallons of fuel, and 13 gallons of water. It's a loooong way from fuel stations, to Maze entry points, navigating and exploring around, and getting back out to fuel and supplies.
I spent about 8 days in and around The Maze. Again......this stop, "Cleopatras Chair".

20/10/2024

Still editing from the Sept/Oct Utah Jeep-a-bout.....
In the meantime, Truck Camper Magazine has thier 2025 Truck Camper Calander photo contest under way.
I missed entering last year. Was out traveling and totally spaced getting my shots in. But I slid in under the wire for this year!
First round of voting in contest is under way till Tuesday. My shots are in part 4.....hehehehe.....The last 3 to get entered at the cut off time. (one guy after me snuck in with one).
Anyway, some great photos by everyone! Check em' out and vote for who's you like ! I'm #'s 380, 381,382 . First round lets you vote for 10 photos.
Shots I enered below.
https://www.truckcampermagazine.com/.../first-vote-2025.../

04/10/2024

Be-boppin around. Exploring Parunuweap wilderness, Barracks Trail, Kanab areas, Toquerville..... Aimless wanderings....

28/09/2024

More terrestrial shenanigans. After leaving the moon and marscape zones in southeast Utah, I headed to another cosmic formation. A few more trees around for this area, as I ran South down Capital Reefs Notom Road, for the Burr Trail switchbacks. They are always fun!
Then I burrowed in to The Grand Staircase region, to get close, to hike to a rock formation of cosmic proportions and visuals, "The Cosmic Ashtray". I even caught the international space Station again with its Sun reflection terminating in the Milky Way.

26/09/2024

Two nights ago, camped on the Moon.....
Last night......Mars.....

24/09/2024

Kewl quirky thing I've been wanting to check off the list. After 7 a-maze-ing days in the Maze District backcountry ( still editing ).... Swung by this spot. Quick boondock on BLM land, readied my pack under the Milky Way and Big Dipper, and headed in before sunrise so I could watch day break bring life to this monolith spire.
Pretty cool.....

14/09/2024

Ahhhhh..... End of summer / beginning of fall. Canyon Country time.

30/08/2024

In some northern Colorado canyon country, taking a timed exposure of camp and stars, I noticed there was a red hugh behind everything. I knew there were no cities or towns anywhere north of us that could be causing that. Then I realized.....wow ! The Northern Lights !
I set up the camera and settings to optimize capturing the colors in the star lit night sky. Also capturing the big Dipper and a meteor. It's always been on my list to make a capture, and to have it happen unexpectedly...... priceless!

27/08/2024

Nice frost on the grasses, steam on the lake, and morning colors 6 a.m. at camp, 10,300 feet.

27/08/2024

OX Mtn West was a hoot. Hotter than heck though down in Loveland.
Good cool off now at 10,300 feet camping by a mountain lake. Looking at maps with the group and pondering...... Where shall we head......

22/08/2024

29/07/2024

Attention Traveling Peeps !
Especially if you are drifting towards Overland Expo Mountain West.
A wildfire has errupted west of Loveland Colorado. Highway 34 between Loveland and Estes Park / RMNP is C L O S E D !
If you have plans to come thru RMNP to or from OX, this is a situation to watch. Estes Park and RMNP areas are going to be a cluster for a bit and a great place to avoid right now.
OX is still a month out and things could improve or not.

https://www.9news.com/article/news/local/wildfire/wildfire-loveland-evacuations-colorado/73-15d780a8-b4e0-4a00-8e0c-dad82a1d5c2f

25/07/2024

Whether east to west, or west to east, this commute over Medino pass never gets old.

24/07/2024

In the foothills of Blanca Peak.
A San Luis Valley sunset.

12/07/2024

09/07/2024

And we think getting a 4x4 down The Bear is sketchy.......

https://www.facebook.com/share/o14pyRRDTNyB4fHq/

Road Closure Today!
UPDATE: The work is complete, but be advised, Black Bear Pass is not yet open.
County Road K69, Bridal Veil, Via Ferrata and surrounding hiking trails will be closed TODAY, Monday, July 8. This is to ensure that the San Miguel County Road and Bridge crew can safely clear off the switchbacks on Black Bear Pass. If needed, additional work and a corresponding closure will be Wednesday., July 10.

15/06/2024

Soothing rolling river sounds.....

13/06/2024

Church

05/06/2024

The New Mexico Backcountry Discovery route, via 5 motorcycles and one Jeep.
7 Days of: 300 road miles to get near the Texas / New Mexico border, then about 1200 backcountry, back road, and 4x4 miles to get north to the Colorado / New Mexico border ending in antonito Colorado. Was quite the quick pace with a couple of the guys having just a week to do it. We had few incidents easily mitigated by the team. Somebody mentioned that with our fast pace it felt like "we were on the Run"....... I thought to myself, on the Run in New Mexico. I know the perfect complimentary song for this outing. What a great trip!
This video is just scratches the surface of what we saw and did.

29/05/2024

Day three of the NMBDR. Covered lots of ground today, about 175 miles of New Mexico desert between Ruidoso and Truth or Consequences.
Last night we got diverted off the BDR by the Blue 2 wildfire, which is covering about 6,200 acres. We found some US Forest service lands about 10 miles east of it to hold up for the night, with a view of the stars, international space station, and fire glowing all over the mountain. A very surreal scene. After the prior days two mechanicals, elk incident, diverted around the wildfire, we made up a lot of lost time today.

27/05/2024

New Mexico Backcountry Discovery route. Running support for my Moto buddies, since I don't ride. What a blast. From the Texas New Mexico border North to Antonito Colorado, 7 Day almost 1100 mile journey off-road and back roads.

05/05/2024

Damn the luck ! Out of salt for my evening sippie!.....Oh wait! I know where there's 46 square miles / 99 million cubic yards of it...... That I can get a table spoon or two from .....

03/05/2024

Nice sunset at Cape Blanco Oregon. Out all day on the fat bike riding portions of the Oregon Coast Trail, rainforests around the cape, visiting the lighthouse, and the forest spit me out onto the beach for a nice 5-mile trek on the sand to check out Needle Rock.

01/05/2024

The Ram repair went well enough for a field repair. But I did notice an issue with the way the c-clips seat in the front axle knuckle u-joint that wasn't quite right. I decided to take advantage of being able to drive the vehicle, and brought it back to base to switch rigs, until I can figure out why the clips won't seat 100% correctly. It will be easy enough with my shop and tools, but I did have a time frame to get to the state of Washington.
Awesome family visit! And now exploring the Pacific Coast & highway, from Cape Flattery towards the Cali border. I've long wanted to camp on the Pacific Ocean, and ride my fat bike down the shores. So far not a disappointment!
It's a little more front country then back country, but still very cool. State parks and campgrounds are okay for now till I learn the lay of the land.

22/04/2024

Starting out on another journey. Sometimes I think I over prepare and pack too much. But when days like this happen, which isn't often..... I say to myself.......nahhhhh .... Glad I had what I needed when the right front axle u-joint spit an internal c-clip and came apart. I've seen joints break, but not a clip flee it's retention, causing failure.
The photo'd u-joint tool...... I can not recommend enough! LIVE SAVER!