I had looked at my Sabre's rear tire. I was running a car tire as a test. I was looking for big mileage from it, and didn't get it. The tire wouldn't get me the 1500 that I needed out of it to get me home. Car tires usually get big miles, but my bike required a 17 inch tire and the Model A tire that would fit my bike wasn't any wider than the stock tires it uses.
I use the same wheels as the trailer does, on the Sabre, and I had one nearly new tire on the trailer. I dreamed all night about what could go wrong out here if I changed that tire and rim to the Sabre In the morning.
....but apparently, that was what I needed to do. As soon as I finished my morning coffee, I got on the wheel switch. It takes a little longer when you have a trailer hitch on the Honda to deal with in order to get the rear tire/wheel on and off the bike. My hitch is pretty easy as the back part just unbolts.
Much to my surprise the swap was completed in about an hour. Last time I took a wheel off the trailer, I had a slightly rusted/stuck axle on the trailer. I don't think I could have handled that out here in the RV park....at least not quickly and with the tools that I had with me.
Here's today's ride route.
View Larger Map Click for the blue route.
LD, Dave, and I checked in with the riders that checked in late last night. They were headed toward Telluride for the day, so we made plans to ride out to the Needles District Visitors Center in Canyonland southwest of Moab and to drink their beer with them when we all got back. In spite of the wheel change. We did manage to have breakfast with them all before we left. I'd never been there. I was eager to see it.
It was a 110 miles out to the park, but the spectacular stuff started just west of Monticello. The road took a jog once in town to find the right way to the outpost.
Actually. it wasn't the right way. We added a leg up into the Abajo Mtns. We actually attained 9000 ft. Because of the clouds and some very light sprinkles we stopped to add a layer of clothes. This was only 20 miles into the Mtns, then we were back down to 5000ft and again surrounded by the magnificent rugged red cliffs that is so common around southern Ut.....off with that layer of clothes.
The first thing we came to was Newspaper rock. It's probably the biggest rock with the most petroglyphs on any one rock it the USA.
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| From Riding SM4C, Sabmag |
It was another 20 miles out to the end of the road past these buttes and canyons.
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| From Riding SM4C, Sabmag |
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| From Riding SM4C, Sabmag |
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| From Riding SM4C, Sabmag |
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| From Riding SM4C, Sabmag |
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| From Riding SM4C, Sabmag |
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| From Riding SM4C, Sabmag |
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| From Riding SM4C, Sabmag |
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| From Riding SM4C, Sabmag |
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| From Riding SM4C, Sabmag |
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| From Riding SM4C, Sabmag |
This scene give you the big picture, and says it all....
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| From Riding SM4C, Sabmag |
We stayed out till 4pm and then made a beeline back to camp. LD, almost ran me out of gas. I was going to stop in Dove Creek for gas even if he didn't. He did though, and I had less than a half gallon left.
There was a country diner across the street from the station, and it was close enough to dinner time that we elected to get some semi home cooking. The food was good. We made a good choice.
Everyone was back at camp so we had a good evening lying to each other before retiring. It was decided to take in the Needle's Overlook and Moki Dugway tomorrow.
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