Years from now my older self will want to know that on these dates and times my younger self died today pushing a KTM 690 motorcycle up a steep incline at over 5,000 feet of elevation; just a mere mile from the gas pumps, in the town of Kinnear, Wyoming, population of 44. Even the towns Sheriff passed by me and gave a nod and a head shake at my current misfortune. A self inflicted mortal wound because my younger self was foolish to not stop at the last gas station. For god sakes you’re in the state of Wyoming! What was I thinking.
For the past three days we ride the Wyoming BDR. Today is day five when I updated the story and I am still alive after another 190 mile day that included the most technical of trail riding, sand, rocks and open plains riding.
The Wyoming Backcountry Discovery Route is a multi-day off-pavement ride for dual-sport and adventure motorcycles throughout the most dramatic and rugged landscapes in all of Wyoming.
So far days one and two through the medicine bow national forest are my favorite compared to day three whereby the first half of 190 miles was sporadically Baja type sand and mud on account of recent rain storms. I suppose it would’ve been worse without the rain.
All that Creative problem-solving requires is a unique type of person; enter my friend Tydye Keith into the problem and the solution; where others said that it couldn’t be done my scientist friend said; let’s give it a try.
On the drive from Utah to Baggs Wyoming for the start of our ride Tydye Keith’s Husky 501 rode on the bed of Bruce’s truck; with the key in the ignition attached to a remove before flight tag. Imagine a rainstorm with lightning and ice cold freezing rain pelting sideways with Keith at the wheel driving at breakneck enduro speeds.
Well that remove before riding tag must’ve become airborne and his only key was possibly tossed out onto the Wyoming wilderness.
No key no ride continued to say the naysayers. Let’s see says Tydye. For 25 euros he found a schematic drawing of his Husky 501 motorcycle online and he bought it.
He studied that wiring diagram with near intensity without much success; and then he shares it with the group. A mechanic at Caterpillar just happened to be in the group and so is a USPS high speed mail sorting machine technician. Both surmised that if we connect those two and cut these two wires. Voila! The bike just started. Tydye can now ride! In lieu of the key he is still as of today using a dongle type plug to start and stop his bike. The more diverse our experiences, the wider range of challenges
Keith and his friend Bruce picked me up at the SLC airport; shortly after landing we drive to a friends (Ricks) motorcycle museum garage for a visit. Picture the ultimate man cave specially designed and supported by his wonderful wife and you are close.
It took us two days in Utah and the Salt Lake City suburbs to accomplish what we needed to do before the ride that starts in Baggs, Wisconsin.
During the two days we rode to the top of 10,000 foot powder mountain peak on enduro motorcycles as local Bruce served as our guide. We visited and spent time with the Ukrainian curling team. Now how often does something like this happen?
We curled or at least we attempted to. If you don’t yet know what curling is; it’s a game played on shaved ice. The nickname for curling is “chess on ice”. And like golf it was also invented by those of Scotland ancestry in the 16th century.
And like golf the rules are simple. And like golf the method to score is more like; what the hell were they thinking when the game was first invented. Take this super weighted stone and attempt to get it in the circle or restrict your competitor from doing to you what you are trying to do to them.
The land that we ride on and through was once the land of the Arapaho, Arikara, Bannock, Blackfeet, Cheyenne, Crow, Gros Ventre, Kiowa, Nez Perce, Sheep Eater, Sioux, Shoshone and Ute tribes.
And of all of the tribes that lived on these lands the Cheyenne and the Sioux were the last standing. The United States then took possession of the southwest region of Wyoming from Great Britain as part of the Oregon Treaty.
Soon after a shot was fired and wagons started to roll. Down the road was waiting 300 acres for every man woman and child that homesteaded the property for at least a year. This wonderful big sky land eventually became part of the Wyoming Territory in 1869; eleven years later the land became our 44th state.
The effort of this Wyoming BDR ride started out in the mind of a guy we all know as Gpskevin; all of the scouting and timing or “mileaging” of this ride done, possibly on multi screens; possibly zooming right down on google earth to this very spot that I’m now totally immersed in for its sheer beauty.
Gas is now under $4 bucks a gallon. And thanks to my new friend Bruce our bikes are safely secured on the bed of his Toyota Tundra pickup truck while a thunderstorm with lightning and winds are blowing all around us.
Welcome to this weeks dose of the Wyoming BDR enduro motorcycle ride with some people I don’t yet know. We’re all at the Cowboy inn for the first night and the names of the riders are; Axel; Bob, Dale, David, Jake, Micky, Ralph, Tony, Johansson, Keith, Mike J and Dan Schultz.
The Wyoming Backcountry Discovery Route is a multi-day off-pavement ride for dual-sport and adventure motorcycles throughout the most dramatic and rugged landscapes in all of Wyoming.
If you haven’t yet figured out why I write my stories it’s because one day our memories will begin to fade and the reflexes in our bodies will no longer be capable of doing this. Riding a motorcycle at brake neck speeds across a landscape that is still wild is fun and challenging. And as the song says; honey, we’ve found the love of riding right here where we are.
Moment by moment our years go by so fast that we just don’t take notice. Time is the greatest luxury that we now have. Choosing to spend it not watching someone else on television enjoying life is what we all like doing.
In addition to Gpskevin this ride group came together because of Keith and Jake. They envisioned months ago this group riding Wyoming. One huge family of like-minded people brought together to experience every enduro riding human emotion imaginable in one non-stop week of activity in Wyoming.
At one extreme we are seeking excitement and at the other extreme we are seeking a little serenity and comfort after a day of riding.
Trawlercat 8/18/2022
Trawlercat Personal Blog Chronicles 