Well day two in Moab is complete

Day two in Moab is complete. Today started off cooler than yesterday but warmed up nicer than the day before. Today we decided to tour Arches National Park. The park was exceptionally busy today because of spring break and the nice weather. We started off by making breakfast in camp and then loading up the bikes with things we would need for the day in the park. Once in the park we enjoyed the great sites of the red rock formations. We may have taken advantage of a couple of inappropriate photos here and there too that won't be disclosed her. Let's just say the the soft and silky dispenser in the pit toilets isnt a personal lubricant...who would've thought. Once again it was a great trip and the weather was perfect. 

A weekend in Moab

Well Mark and I decide to take a motorcycle trip to Moab while he was off for spring break. Our plan was to leave yesterday as soon as I got off work around 9 am. Unfortunately I got held up at work and we ended up not leaving until almost noon. We ended up not pulling into Moab until about 8 pm. We had a very scenic ride but it was chilly at times getting as low as 32 degrees over Monarch Pass. Upon arriving in Moab we looked for a place to camp along the river but every camp ground was full due to most people being on spring break. So we ended up finding a private camp ground in town. Today we decided to take a scenic ride through Canyonlands park. It ended up being a beautiful sunny day with great sceanery. We finished up the day with a cold micro brew and some BBQ at camp.

I'm finally home...

I made it to Moab, Ut Friday afternoon after a great ride through Zion National Park and Capitol Reef National Park. I cruised through town and found the Moab Brewery and stopped for a meal and a couple of beers. I then decided it was time to find a suitable campsite for the next two days. I located a campground just north of town on the Colorado River. Moab is a great little town located right on the Colorado River between two National Parks, Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. Moab brings in tourists who seek all kinds of out door adventures from rock climbing, mountain biking, hiking, dirt biking, and jeeping, etc. I settled in for the night and planned to tour Arches National Park the next day. 

I woke up to a brisk morning in the 40's and had a great breakfast of oatmeal from inside the tent. After getting up and getting moving I warmed up the bike and headed toward Arches National Park. I spent the majority of the day exploring and seeing the sights of the park. The day ended up warming up and it turned into a beautiful sunny day. After touring the park I made my way back into Moab and found a great little Mexican restaurant for an early dinner, late lunch. After I had my fill I toured the town a little, stopped by the grocery store for a few other essentials, and made my way back to camp. I started a fire and began to get things organized for my departure in the morning. 

The moon was so bright the last two nights it was hard to believe it was the moon. I was in a canyon so the moon would creep up from behind the canyon wall around 7:30 pm and light up the entire canyon to the point you no longer needed a flashlight. I was in bed and listening to music by 8:00 pm and asleep shortly thereafter. The next morning I woke up early and broke down camp. I had a 430 mile ride ahead of me home. The first half of the day I spent riding in chilly 30 and 40 deg weather, by early afternoon it had warmed up to pleasant 55 deg. I was home by dark and it was hard to believe that my two week trip was actually complete.   

My camp spot on the Colorado River in Moab, Ut.

All the above pictures are from touring Arches National Park.

My completed trip totals. 

The orange beast and I finally home. 

The last week...

Sorry friends and family. I had every intention of making this a daily thing and of course I failed. So I'm playing catch up. I had a great time in Las Vegas seeing all my friends and family. I had a Halloween party on Friday night, a birthday party on Saturday, then a wedding on Saturday night. In between all the lunch dates with buddies I managed to get in three workouts at my old gym Crossfit 702 with old friends and my brother and sister. It just so happened that SEMA was in town this week too, thanks to George I was able to attend for a couple hours and see some amazing vehicles.

I left Las Vegas yesterday around noon headed for Zion National Park. I had  beautiful ride through Zion and made my way through southern Utah. I ended up stopping for dinner just after dark outside of Bryce Canyon. The goal after dinner was to find a place to came for the night, which became extremely difficult after dark. The 30 deg weather didn't make it any easier either. I ended up finding a place, possibly not a 100% legal place but I was running out of options.

I woke up this morning to a nice brisk 26 deg outside. I got camp packed up early so I didn't get caught some place I shouldn't be. I had my sights set on Moab. I spent the morning riding in 30 deg weather but the scenery through Escalante and Capitol Reef made it worth it. It finally warmed up to the mid 50's which made for an even more pleasant ride into Moab.

As I write this I'm sitting in a brewery in Moab drinking a beer and having a bite to eat. Next on the agenda is finding a suitable campsite for the next couple of days. Stay tuned more to come...

Jessica and I in our Halloween costumes. (its the only costume I had room for on the bike)

Laura and Jessica

Thanks to Kyle's GQ closet I had dress clothes for a wedding. 

One of the many amazing vehicles at SEMA this year.

A couple amazing pictures from Zion National Park.

This was my not so legal, 26 deg camp spot. 

The above pictures are all from Capitol Reef National Park.

Day 5 of vacation

I woke up this morning and went downtown Orange circle and had breakfast with George. Before leaving Ryder was happy to see me as usual. After breakfast we stopped by the hardware store to get a water valve to replace for Granny. George ended up taking me out to Chino airfield where a friend of his has a hanger. In the hanger was a P-51 Mustang that I was allowed to sit in and enjoy. It is a beautiful WWII aircraft that is becoming extinct.

George and I then decided to take a tour of the aircraft museum that is located there. It was an amazing museum and unlike most museums all of the aircraft located in the museum were air worthy and are flown from time to time. After the museum we proceeded back to Granny's to replace the leaky water valve. Granny decided she was going to take the orange beast for a spin, and of course I can't say no to Granny.

George and I went downtown to the last farmers market of the season and had dinner. That concluded the days festivities, I need to get some rest because I was rising early to leave for Las Vegas in hopes of beating the Halloween traffic.