Dirt Donks: Ride to Young, AZ-SUN 10/19 via Apache Trail!

My Fellow AZ Beemers and FJR Forum Zonie Dirt Donks: We will ride to Young, Arizona on Sunday, October 19 via the Apache Trail! We will start with a light breakfast at Tortilla Flats at 0800, if you are not the breakfast type: Just be at the T-Flat parking lot before our kickstands are up at 0900 hours sharp.

We'll ride to Young via AZ-288 and then enjoy a late lunch at the Antlers! We'll then make a big loop back to Phoenix through Payson. Any later this year and snow starts flying! This will be great training for AZ Beemers and FJR Forumites riding to Huasteca, Mexico next March! jes' sayin' and nuff said, ese!

https://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=945131

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Antlers-Cafe-Bar/215070661894085

https://www.tortillaflataz.com

Why??? For fuqs sakes why?

Hey Don,

Assuming that this ride is open for FJRers et al, I would kinda like to do this ride. In your opinion do you think that a 2014 crf250l would be a suitable mount? Bike is a bit low on power but to-date I haven't had any issures as long as I don't have to negotiate long sand washes, horsepower can be a real issue then.

TIA FJRPAT

Unfortunately won't be able to make this one as I'll be returning from out of town that day but it should be a blast. For those considering it we had a great time going to Crown King last weekend.

Pat, your CRF would do just fine on the dirt portions as the whole ride from Tortilla Flats to Young is just forest road, no sand. The butt kicker might be the ride back from above Payson (Rt. 260/Rt. 87) back to Phoenix which is 100+ miles of pavement. 260 is all downhill to Payson, but 87 from Payson to Phx is up & down the mountains. Don rides at a pretty leisurely pace on his 650 so you'd probably be able to keep up with him anyways.

Thanks Mudslide,

Hopefully I'll make the ride.

FJRPat said:

Hey Don,Assuming that this ride is open for FJRers et al, I would kinda like to do this ride. In your opinion do you think that a 2014 crf250l would be a suitable mount? Bike is a bit low on power but to-date I haven't had any issures as long as I don't have to negotiate long sand washes, horsepower can be a real issue then.

TIA FJRPAT

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Hola FJRPat, you will do fine on this ride with your 250, I rode all over Copper Canyon and Coastal Mexico with mi Amigo Ken from Helena, Montana on his Yamaha XT225.

The only sand you will see is where vados and arroyos run across AZ-88 and 288, but no stretches over 10 meters. I'll stick with you: I'm OLD, SLOW AND VERY SENILE.

Ken y la Bartender Leticia at Laguna Huites in Sinaloa, Estado; we rolled into the Lake Huites Lodge, the staff greeted us with a tray of margaritas to wash the trail dust down…

Thanks Don, looking forward to meeting you and your merry band.

Questions:

1.Any problem leaving my truck at start of the ride?

2. Availability of gas stops. CRf only has a 2 gal. tank but I can carry an additional 1 gal. in a Roto Pax gas can. I usually get 60+ mpg will that be a problem?

FJRPat said:

Thanks Don, looking forward to meeting you and your merry band. Questions: 1.Any problem leaving my truck at start of the ride? 2. Availability of gas stops. CRf only has a 2 gal. tank but I can carry an additional 1 gal. in a Roto Pax gas can. I usually get 60+ mpg will that be a problem?

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Plenty of room to park your truck at Tortilla Flat, 3 gallon fuel capacity will be just right for this! 2 gal. might work, but no use cutting it close! See you on 10/19!

Thanks Don, see you then.

I might make this one after all...just no singing, please!

I did hear from a reliable source that enforcement has been stepped up in the Tortilla Flats area on weekends due to an increase in motorcycle wrecks, so let's be safe out there!

A few years back, I rode that trail from Roosevelt Lake to Phoenix on my trusty FJR. No major problem, although it was a bit of work in places, and it was pretty hot. All in all, a very beautiful ride! Hope you folks have fun, WBill

AVGeek said:

I might make this one after all...just no singing, please!
I did hear from a reliable source that enforcement has been stepped up in the Tortilla Flats area on weekends due to an increase in motorcycle wrecks, so let's be safe out there!

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Definitely out for this one, just booked some work that starts on the 19th...

BUMP REMINDER: Two days from now we Manly Zonie FJR Forum Men will be riding 100+ miles of dirt and enjoying this incredibly nice Fall weather here in the Sonoran desert, just having off road fun with our Macho Dirt Riding Amigos. Be there or be square, don't miss this great riding day in Central Arizona!

PLEASE NOTE: This ride is NOT technically difficult, it is just a LONG day of dirt. This route is actually so easy that our Girlie-Men Dual Sport riders such as dcarver and Bugnatr could possibly do it (if those Ladies could stand to see some dust on their motorcycle rims), maybe! jes' sayin' and nuff said, ese!

https://www.weather.com/weather/tenday/Chandler+AZ+85224 Fantastic weather for our dirt ride tomorrow with a high of only 90F, bring 2 liters of water with you! jes' sayin' and nuff said!

Five of us met at Tortilla Flat for Breakfast on the ride to Young, but only three made it up to the Antlers Restaurant! Bummer!



The Dirt Donks were:
Tim Wight: BMW R1200GS Adventure
Mike "The Carpenter": BMW F800GS
Frank "Der Deutschlander": Triumph Tiger 955
Mike Burke: BMW R1200GS
BeemerDonS: BMW F650GS Twin



Here are our five dual sports lined up at the Apache Lake Scenic Overlook:



Papa Chuy Viejo really likes the Triumph Tiger 955, our AZ Beemer Member Tom Matthews of Banamichi, Sonora owns one and he has ridden it all over Mexico!



Here is Tim's well prepared and well ridden GS Adventure, ridden constantly in the dirt unlike the Garage Queen GS's of Enrique and Cooleyman ese!

Weather was absolutely gorgeous Sunday in Central Arizona, beautiful clouds and just a smattering of light rain later to make the ride interesting. Apache Lake:



Mi muy bonita Salma Hayek, the more that Papa Chuy Viejo rides this moto: The more that I LOVE her. She is so sweet, I'll ride her to Huasteca/Potosina ese!



The "Troublemaker" BMW is on the left:



Left to Right: Tim, Frank and Mike.



Tim on the right, everyone had their cameras out capturing the vivid and dynamic Sonoran Desert scenic vistas! Magnifico!

Mike Burke aboard "Troublemaker", his GS developed a direct catastrophic short in the battery during the ride from Apache Lake to Roosevelt Lake Dam.



What an incredible sky, 45 minutes later we were being pelted by raindrops! Roosevelt Lake Scenic Viewpoint:



We fiddled around with Herr Burke's GS for 45 minutes, until Tim came to the rescue with a backup starter battery: We wired it in series and it was a GO!



Since BeemerDonS was concerned with Mike making it back to the Metropolis, I rode as his Wingman until Phoenix. Did not make it up to Young, bummer!

I have to get one of these ion lithium batteries, perfect for emergency situations! I might even buy the device in the yellow tank top too, ese! Hubba, hubba!