Utah NMMR Gangsta Ride, April 25-29! National Parks and Monuments, Baby!

[count]

Ladies and Gentlemen, the time has come for the NMMR Utah Gangsta Ride! Here are the highlights:

4-Corners Monument
Monument Valley
Glen Canyon Dam
Zion National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park
Capitol Reef and Escalante
Possible stops at Arches, Canyonlands, and Mesa Verde as time allows.

Friday, April 25th: Plan to meet at Count Desmo's palatial estate in Farmington around 11:00 am or so on Friday, April 25. We will dine on premium hamburgers and hot dogs straight from the grill before heading to the 4-Corners Monument. Then we'll ride through Bluff, Utah and down into Monument Valley. We will stay the night at Goulding's Trading Post right in the middle of Monument Valley. The room rate is $155 per night for 2, Cabins are $69, and tent camping sites are $24.

Saturday, April 26th: We'll spend a little time in Monument Valley then head south to Kayenta. Most of the roads in this area are pretty straight, but the scenery is pretty cool. This is a pretty leisurely day as we will only make it to Page, AZ. When we get there we can check out the Glen Canyon Dam which is very interesting if you've never been there. Accommodations are flexible, and I appreciate your feedback. We can stay in Page, or ride a bit longer after the Dam and make it to Kanab, UT for the night. Hotels are cheaper in Kanab. I suggest we cover the extra ground into Kanab.

Sunday, April 27th: The roads get interesting from here! This is Zion National Park day! If you haven't ridden through Zion, it's truly an inspiring event. You will have to buy a National Parks pass which I believe is $20 for 7 days. Those of you who go on the AZ ride and the Grand Canyon may want to buy the Annual Parks Pass for $50 while we're there. We should have time to ride the Park a couple of times, have lunch at the Lodge, take a short hike, or whatever. We only have to make it over to Cedar City for the night.

Monday, April 28th: Another great road day! We leave Cedar City and go to Bryce Canyon. The park is uber-interesting, but it doesn't take that long if you don't take the tours. Then we get to ride the glorious road through Capitol Reef and Escalante. There are great pull-outs and petroglyphs along the way. This is where we can get flexible. I recommend burning up the pavement up to Green River, UT, catch the interstate for a bit, then cut down to Moab. I want to camp in Moab, but there are a lot of Hotels. Reservations are a good idea.

Tuesday, April 29th: It's your call from here. We will be about 4 hours from Farmington if we go direct. A stop can be made at Mesa Verde outside of Cortez if you want. Then it's back to Farmington.



I'm definitely open to suggestions on the route and lodging plans. This is a group ride and everyone has input. Please let me know if you think we should adjust the route or the plans. I'm pretty easy. This is a pretty solid layout, but I could be missing something. I'll try to do a map later tonight.

[DucDucGooseMe]

Damn that looks like a fun ride!!!

[bonfy]

Can't wait! [thumbsup] I'm so in. Hopefully Lance will be recovered from the Arizona trip by then and ready for more beer tray torture.

[Zaster]

I'll still be in Germany :-\
Have fun!!!!!!

[Kawtown]

I've been trying to figure out if I could catch up with the gangsta's on the Utah ride, but I don't think I'll be able to. I won't be able to get out of Phoenix (see the Arizona ride) until late morning on the 27th. I would have to burn up too many miles at a high rate of speed and wouldn't be able to see anything in order to do that, at least with the current route plan. Besides, I'd like a day to recover before going back to work Wednesday night. So, I'll just have to do my own thing and see some of the things I missed from the Arizona ride. Have fun.

[count]

OK folks, we're getting close! Who's in? [thumbsup]

[bonfy]

I am still in and I have the days off. But just for conversational purposes, would more people be able to go if the date was pushed out a little? I haven't heard whether Brutales will have the RV back yet and it is good having the escort. Also, Kawtown and Zaster might be able to make it at a later date. I am planning to ride up through Colorado, Wyoming and the Badlands en route to see my folks in Minnesota the last week of June and first part of July and I would definitely alter my route if the trip was pushed out till then.
Still, count me in if we leave as scheduled. I may have to play catch-up to the band leaving Friday morning because I don't know if I can use the old headache ploy to leave early the night before like I did for the AZ trip. To use it twice in two weeks might raise some eyebrows.

[img width=600 height=448]http://i216.photobucket.com/albums/cc120/bonfygloria/100_2014.jpg[/img]

[BrutaleS]

Sorry Gangsta's, but I'm out. I couldnt figure out a way to haul enough oil with me to feed the Bimmer, and the earliest I can get it looked at is the 26th!! :-[

[DucDucGooseMe]

Originally Posted by BrutaleS

Sorry Gangsta's, but I'm out. I couldnt figure out a way to haul enough oil with me to feed the Bimmer, and the earliest I can get it looked at is the 26th!! :-[

dont you have 24 bikes? what happened to the sport classic and the brutale? :P

[BrutaleS]

Originally Posted by DucDucGooseMe

dont you have 24 bikes? what happened to the sport classic and the brutale? :P

I had to sell off the other 22 of them to buy supplements at GNC so I can get buff like you!!