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Day 1,
May 28, 2011
0-648 miles
To view route:http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=211310087375261174048.0004a7d359666c4510ad2
It’s that time of the year again when I make a month long motorcycle trip. This year I had invited three of my good friends to accompany me. Joe Ianiello is a buddy of mine from the Navy Reserve. We go back fifteen years. He works for US Customs. He and I have ridden our bicycles in Sicily on many occasions when we went on our two weeks of Navy duty in Europe. He was always razzing me for riding my motorcycles instead of bicycles. Then last year he bought a KLR650. I told him he was ready to go on some adventure touring with me. I had invited him to go to Death Valley last February for an annual ride I do, the Air Heads BMW Rally. He was all set to go when threats of rainstorms and cold weather caused him to decline. As it turned out the weather last February was great but he had to do some unexpected work for Customs that would have prevented him from going. He rode his KLR for a few months then traded up to a 1999 BMW R 1150 GS in pristine condition. Now I knew he had to go on my next summer ride.
Another ride companion was my regular riding buddy, Jim Hargas, a dentist and friend of mine since 1980. We have been to Alaska and back in 2009 and on many rides up the California coast to Big Sur and Northern California on our Wee’s and cruisers. We have also done a 10 day ride through the Colorado Rockies in 2002. He is like a brother to me, one who at times I want to strangle or bludgeon to death. But hey, who hasn’t wanted to do that to a family member? I swore this year I would be nicer.
The other rider was a friend of mine for two years. I met him through a mutual friend of mine when we did the Air Heads Death Valley Rally 2 years ago. His name is Scott Olson and he rides a 2010 BMW R 1200GSA. He is an interventional neuroradiologist. He looks like he is about 25 years old, but he is the guy you want treating you when you have an aneurysm about to explode deep inside your brain. He will snake a catheter up your artery to place a special metal coil in the defect to strengthen the vessel. I figure he could also do a field lobotomy on Jim if necessary.
Scott with Joey over his left shoulder
Work constraints required I do the ride in June this year instead of July. I had decided to let the other three guys choose the route and itinerary since I had done most of the area we were headed on previous rides. I just wanted to share the ride this time. Plus the others had to be back in San Diego by June 12 and I was planning to head to Florida to see my dad when they split for home. Our busy schedules did not allow us to get together to discuss our wants and desires for the trip but we accomplished it through emails and phone calls. Jim and Scott were very seasoned adventure tourers and little discussion was made about what to pack except to affirm that we would need cold weather gear, rain gear, and hot weather gear due to the varied temperatures we would encounter. We discussed what to take for cooking and fixing meals. Joey was a bit more concerned about what to pack. I supplied him with the list of items I took on my 30 day tour of America last July and advised him on other things. He prepared by reading my Alaska Ride Report (http://www.stromtrooper.com/ride-reports-route-sheets/50986-palm-trees-tundra-2009-a.html) and my report from last year (http://www.stromtrooper.com/ride-reports-route-sheets/55323-san-diego-n-c-back-long-way.html) He had already purchased good camping gear and had a very capable bike. I advised him on prepping his bike. He was ready.
We had decided to meet at a suitable off ramp on I 15 at 2:30AM on May 28th. I rode to Jim’s house and we rode to the off ramp to get Joey and Scott. Joey rode up a few moments later while we talked and waited for Scott. As we talked a middle aged Mexican man walked over from a stalled pick up truck 100 yards away. I could have sworn he asked me, “Tiene Vasolino?” (Do you have any Vasoline?) I looked at him and said, “No tengo Vasolino.” I wondered what he needed Vasoline for. He then corrected me, “Gasolino, senor.” Oh, that made more sense. But unfortunately, we had no spare gas either. I directed him to the nearest gas station 2 miles south. Joey then proceeded to critique how I should never have let this stranger get that close to me. I knew Joey has his piece on him and was backing me up, though.
Scott showed up and we all discussed a few things about riding styles, stopping for any reason to rest, sleep, get gas, eat, or take a leak, etc. Safety was our goal, no injuries. It was going to be a good trip. Jim mentioned that everyone was getting along well and “kervokian” with each other, whatever that meant.
We rode into the cool night air and had a light mist at times. Going up the Cajon Pass out of San Bernadino was downright cold as we hit 3000 ft altitude of the high desert at night. I can’t remember where we were as the sun rose but we made it through Las Vegas before it was oppressively hot. We seemed to be making great time. Somewhere between Las Vegas and St George, Utah a small armada of state troopers had pulled over 20-30 choppers ridden by the Mongol’s MC. The troopers were in full riot gear with AR-15 assault rifles. Hmmmmm. It created a small traffic jam on I 15 in the middle of the desert. We rode on.
(L-R) Joey, Jim, Scott, Me.
When we stopped to refuel in Cedar City, Utah a few of the Mongols trickled in to refuel. They had their chase truck and rushees accompanying them for the inevitable break down one or more of the Harley’s would surely suffer. They were also probably carrying their guns and drugs in the truck. We rode on to highway 14 east to Cedar Breaks but the pass was closed due to heavy snow pack. We continued east on a very nice mountain road till we turned north at highway 89. This straight road offered beautiful views of Utah mountains. We made good time. We turned east on highway 12 to enter Red Canyon just outside of Bryce Canyon National Park. We took an unmarked road north across from the entrance to Bryce Canyon. This road headed toward Antimony and Otter Creek Reservoir. It was at a bar an restaurant across from the campground at Otter Creek Reservoir that we saw the Mongols for the third time. I think this must be their destination for the Memorial Day weekend. We headed north on highway 62 to Koosharem and refueled there. I told the guys we would take a short cut a mile up the road that would cross highway 24 an take us straight up a dirt road to Fish Lake National Forest where we would camp for the night.
Back on the road we made the short cut and in no time we were at the dirt road. I shot across the road and headed up the steep dirt road first. Once you began up this road there was no stopping or you would have difficulty restarting without slipping the rear wheel. The road was more rutted out this year than last from the rains. It required skillful use of the clutch and front wheel control to avoid the ruts or cross them at the proper angle. I arrived at a fork in the road and was able to wait for the others. Unfortunately it was a longer wait than I had hoped, indicating some trouble downhill. I had no desire to go back down the steep road so I waited a few moments longer. Jim rode up and said Joey had dropped his bike and Scott was helping him right the bike. He was OK. They soon showed up and I apologized for bringing everyone up this road. Joey was ecstatic! He was having the time of his life and was eating up the off roading. His mistake was not turning of his ABS before riding in the dirt. This had caused him the problem that made him dump his bike. No harm, no foul. We pressed on.
Old mill on the way to Antimony, UT
We rode past Fish Lake and headed up into the mountains where I knew of a good camp spot. We turned off the highway and rode into the edge of the woods where I heard semi-automatic rifle fire coming from my camp site! I turned to Scott and said there was a problem. I then blew my Stebbel horn repeatedly and rode slowly forward so I would not take a stray round. I approached 3 young adults who enjoying exercising their 2nd amendment rights and asked them how long they planned to be there. They were planning to leave in 30-60 minutes. I asked then to hold their fire so we could ride to the west 200-300 yards to find a camp site, and also to be sure they were firing to the east. No problem. Have a nice day. Joey critiqued my handling and gave me high marks for all the things I did right. He was behind me ready to take them out if anything got dicey.
Our campsite on the first night near Fish Lake. No fee camping in the National Forest.
After finding a nice spot to put our tents, Jim discovered he had forgotten to pack his sleeping pad. I briefly considered not telling him that I had both a dense foam pad and a thermorest, but decided that would have been cruel and uncalled for. I offered him the foam pad and he gladly accepted. We were at 9500 feet and it got down to 35 degrees that night so I am sure it helped him. We cooked our dinner after setting up the tents and collecting firewood. After dinner we enjoyed the fire and some wine. Joey brought out the largest porcelain tin cup I have ever seen. It was easily 3 times larger than Jim’s enormous camp cup. Jim’s cup can hold a half liter of wine. I thought a good ride name for Joey would be Joey “Big Cup” Ianiello. It turns out he would sport a better name more fitting in the coming days.Jim’s ride name was usually Grampa since I look at him as more of a grandfatherly type than a brother. Maybe it’s because he tends to move slowly and get ready to move out slowly. Jim would sport another ride name on this trip also, compliments of Scott.
Grampa Jim looking for his sleeping pad
Since Joey was the newby and had no camp merit badges, we assigned him the job of fire starter. Jim tried to tell him how to do it, but I protested that this was Joey’s responsibility and Joey would need to demonstrate success without outside help. He did a superb job earning him a field award for fire starting. I had planned to get Joey as many merit badges on this ride as I could so he could be fully checked out to do a solo adventure tour.
Jim and I did our usual bickering back and forth while Joey enjoyed the show. He commented, “Just like Felix and Oscar.” Scott showed us a you tube video of the Honey Badger narrated by some guy who sounded like a poof. It was hysterical. You have to see it (YouTube - The Crazy Nastyass Honey Badger (original narration by Randall)). Scott instantly earned the tour name “Honey Badger” because the honey badger is the “most badass animal in the animal kingdom and isn’t afraid of anything”. My tour name alternated between “Yoda” as the wise and all knowing teacher or “Ride Leader”. Ride Leader is the sarcastic name we gave to a bull shit artist we have been seeing on the last two Air Head Rallies at Death Valley. Ride Leader was memorable for saying such things as “Never ride with your cell phone in the breast pocket of your motorcycle jacket. If you crash it can penetrate your heart and kill you.” He was also famous for telling someone following him on a trail whose headlight assembly was broken by a rock thrown up by his bike, “That’s what happens when you are ride leader. People eat your dust.” So we secretly dubbed him, Ride Leader. If we were bored at the rally we would say, let’s go stand close to Ride Leader and see what kind of BS he is putting out. I actually enjoyed having the guys refer to me as Ride Leader in a bizarre kind of way. It was a term of endearment since I was never spouting any BS.
Joey is loving life
By the campfire the first night. Notice Joey's enormous cup. It can hold a whole bottle of wine!
We turned in for the night. Joey slept with his handgun under his pillow and we all felt a little safer, I think.
May 28, 2011
0-648 miles
To view route:http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msa=0&msid=211310087375261174048.0004a7d359666c4510ad2
It’s that time of the year again when I make a month long motorcycle trip. This year I had invited three of my good friends to accompany me. Joe Ianiello is a buddy of mine from the Navy Reserve. We go back fifteen years. He works for US Customs. He and I have ridden our bicycles in Sicily on many occasions when we went on our two weeks of Navy duty in Europe. He was always razzing me for riding my motorcycles instead of bicycles. Then last year he bought a KLR650. I told him he was ready to go on some adventure touring with me. I had invited him to go to Death Valley last February for an annual ride I do, the Air Heads BMW Rally. He was all set to go when threats of rainstorms and cold weather caused him to decline. As it turned out the weather last February was great but he had to do some unexpected work for Customs that would have prevented him from going. He rode his KLR for a few months then traded up to a 1999 BMW R 1150 GS in pristine condition. Now I knew he had to go on my next summer ride.
Another ride companion was my regular riding buddy, Jim Hargas, a dentist and friend of mine since 1980. We have been to Alaska and back in 2009 and on many rides up the California coast to Big Sur and Northern California on our Wee’s and cruisers. We have also done a 10 day ride through the Colorado Rockies in 2002. He is like a brother to me, one who at times I want to strangle or bludgeon to death. But hey, who hasn’t wanted to do that to a family member? I swore this year I would be nicer.
The other rider was a friend of mine for two years. I met him through a mutual friend of mine when we did the Air Heads Death Valley Rally 2 years ago. His name is Scott Olson and he rides a 2010 BMW R 1200GSA. He is an interventional neuroradiologist. He looks like he is about 25 years old, but he is the guy you want treating you when you have an aneurysm about to explode deep inside your brain. He will snake a catheter up your artery to place a special metal coil in the defect to strengthen the vessel. I figure he could also do a field lobotomy on Jim if necessary.

Scott with Joey over his left shoulder
Work constraints required I do the ride in June this year instead of July. I had decided to let the other three guys choose the route and itinerary since I had done most of the area we were headed on previous rides. I just wanted to share the ride this time. Plus the others had to be back in San Diego by June 12 and I was planning to head to Florida to see my dad when they split for home. Our busy schedules did not allow us to get together to discuss our wants and desires for the trip but we accomplished it through emails and phone calls. Jim and Scott were very seasoned adventure tourers and little discussion was made about what to pack except to affirm that we would need cold weather gear, rain gear, and hot weather gear due to the varied temperatures we would encounter. We discussed what to take for cooking and fixing meals. Joey was a bit more concerned about what to pack. I supplied him with the list of items I took on my 30 day tour of America last July and advised him on other things. He prepared by reading my Alaska Ride Report (http://www.stromtrooper.com/ride-reports-route-sheets/50986-palm-trees-tundra-2009-a.html) and my report from last year (http://www.stromtrooper.com/ride-reports-route-sheets/55323-san-diego-n-c-back-long-way.html) He had already purchased good camping gear and had a very capable bike. I advised him on prepping his bike. He was ready.
We had decided to meet at a suitable off ramp on I 15 at 2:30AM on May 28th. I rode to Jim’s house and we rode to the off ramp to get Joey and Scott. Joey rode up a few moments later while we talked and waited for Scott. As we talked a middle aged Mexican man walked over from a stalled pick up truck 100 yards away. I could have sworn he asked me, “Tiene Vasolino?” (Do you have any Vasoline?) I looked at him and said, “No tengo Vasolino.” I wondered what he needed Vasoline for. He then corrected me, “Gasolino, senor.” Oh, that made more sense. But unfortunately, we had no spare gas either. I directed him to the nearest gas station 2 miles south. Joey then proceeded to critique how I should never have let this stranger get that close to me. I knew Joey has his piece on him and was backing me up, though.
Scott showed up and we all discussed a few things about riding styles, stopping for any reason to rest, sleep, get gas, eat, or take a leak, etc. Safety was our goal, no injuries. It was going to be a good trip. Jim mentioned that everyone was getting along well and “kervokian” with each other, whatever that meant.
We rode into the cool night air and had a light mist at times. Going up the Cajon Pass out of San Bernadino was downright cold as we hit 3000 ft altitude of the high desert at night. I can’t remember where we were as the sun rose but we made it through Las Vegas before it was oppressively hot. We seemed to be making great time. Somewhere between Las Vegas and St George, Utah a small armada of state troopers had pulled over 20-30 choppers ridden by the Mongol’s MC. The troopers were in full riot gear with AR-15 assault rifles. Hmmmmm. It created a small traffic jam on I 15 in the middle of the desert. We rode on.

(L-R) Joey, Jim, Scott, Me.
When we stopped to refuel in Cedar City, Utah a few of the Mongols trickled in to refuel. They had their chase truck and rushees accompanying them for the inevitable break down one or more of the Harley’s would surely suffer. They were also probably carrying their guns and drugs in the truck. We rode on to highway 14 east to Cedar Breaks but the pass was closed due to heavy snow pack. We continued east on a very nice mountain road till we turned north at highway 89. This straight road offered beautiful views of Utah mountains. We made good time. We turned east on highway 12 to enter Red Canyon just outside of Bryce Canyon National Park. We took an unmarked road north across from the entrance to Bryce Canyon. This road headed toward Antimony and Otter Creek Reservoir. It was at a bar an restaurant across from the campground at Otter Creek Reservoir that we saw the Mongols for the third time. I think this must be their destination for the Memorial Day weekend. We headed north on highway 62 to Koosharem and refueled there. I told the guys we would take a short cut a mile up the road that would cross highway 24 an take us straight up a dirt road to Fish Lake National Forest where we would camp for the night.
Back on the road we made the short cut and in no time we were at the dirt road. I shot across the road and headed up the steep dirt road first. Once you began up this road there was no stopping or you would have difficulty restarting without slipping the rear wheel. The road was more rutted out this year than last from the rains. It required skillful use of the clutch and front wheel control to avoid the ruts or cross them at the proper angle. I arrived at a fork in the road and was able to wait for the others. Unfortunately it was a longer wait than I had hoped, indicating some trouble downhill. I had no desire to go back down the steep road so I waited a few moments longer. Jim rode up and said Joey had dropped his bike and Scott was helping him right the bike. He was OK. They soon showed up and I apologized for bringing everyone up this road. Joey was ecstatic! He was having the time of his life and was eating up the off roading. His mistake was not turning of his ABS before riding in the dirt. This had caused him the problem that made him dump his bike. No harm, no foul. We pressed on.

Old mill on the way to Antimony, UT
We rode past Fish Lake and headed up into the mountains where I knew of a good camp spot. We turned off the highway and rode into the edge of the woods where I heard semi-automatic rifle fire coming from my camp site! I turned to Scott and said there was a problem. I then blew my Stebbel horn repeatedly and rode slowly forward so I would not take a stray round. I approached 3 young adults who enjoying exercising their 2nd amendment rights and asked them how long they planned to be there. They were planning to leave in 30-60 minutes. I asked then to hold their fire so we could ride to the west 200-300 yards to find a camp site, and also to be sure they were firing to the east. No problem. Have a nice day. Joey critiqued my handling and gave me high marks for all the things I did right. He was behind me ready to take them out if anything got dicey.

Our campsite on the first night near Fish Lake. No fee camping in the National Forest.
After finding a nice spot to put our tents, Jim discovered he had forgotten to pack his sleeping pad. I briefly considered not telling him that I had both a dense foam pad and a thermorest, but decided that would have been cruel and uncalled for. I offered him the foam pad and he gladly accepted. We were at 9500 feet and it got down to 35 degrees that night so I am sure it helped him. We cooked our dinner after setting up the tents and collecting firewood. After dinner we enjoyed the fire and some wine. Joey brought out the largest porcelain tin cup I have ever seen. It was easily 3 times larger than Jim’s enormous camp cup. Jim’s cup can hold a half liter of wine. I thought a good ride name for Joey would be Joey “Big Cup” Ianiello. It turns out he would sport a better name more fitting in the coming days.Jim’s ride name was usually Grampa since I look at him as more of a grandfatherly type than a brother. Maybe it’s because he tends to move slowly and get ready to move out slowly. Jim would sport another ride name on this trip also, compliments of Scott.

Grampa Jim looking for his sleeping pad
Since Joey was the newby and had no camp merit badges, we assigned him the job of fire starter. Jim tried to tell him how to do it, but I protested that this was Joey’s responsibility and Joey would need to demonstrate success without outside help. He did a superb job earning him a field award for fire starting. I had planned to get Joey as many merit badges on this ride as I could so he could be fully checked out to do a solo adventure tour.
Jim and I did our usual bickering back and forth while Joey enjoyed the show. He commented, “Just like Felix and Oscar.” Scott showed us a you tube video of the Honey Badger narrated by some guy who sounded like a poof. It was hysterical. You have to see it (YouTube - The Crazy Nastyass Honey Badger (original narration by Randall)). Scott instantly earned the tour name “Honey Badger” because the honey badger is the “most badass animal in the animal kingdom and isn’t afraid of anything”. My tour name alternated between “Yoda” as the wise and all knowing teacher or “Ride Leader”. Ride Leader is the sarcastic name we gave to a bull shit artist we have been seeing on the last two Air Head Rallies at Death Valley. Ride Leader was memorable for saying such things as “Never ride with your cell phone in the breast pocket of your motorcycle jacket. If you crash it can penetrate your heart and kill you.” He was also famous for telling someone following him on a trail whose headlight assembly was broken by a rock thrown up by his bike, “That’s what happens when you are ride leader. People eat your dust.” So we secretly dubbed him, Ride Leader. If we were bored at the rally we would say, let’s go stand close to Ride Leader and see what kind of BS he is putting out. I actually enjoyed having the guys refer to me as Ride Leader in a bizarre kind of way. It was a term of endearment since I was never spouting any BS.

Joey is loving life

By the campfire the first night. Notice Joey's enormous cup. It can hold a whole bottle of wine!
We turned in for the night. Joey slept with his handgun under his pillow and we all felt a little safer, I think.