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Weekend Hanksville UT To Mexican Hat to Capitol Reef V7 ride with pics

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Frulk:
Trailered V7 down early Friday and camped about 20 miles above Hite off the 95. Stellar weather. Low 60's, no clouds, night sky was exceptional and should be considering this is one of the darkest corners of the lower 48.

Saturday left camp at 8:15 AM and rode towards Blanding starting with ambient temp at 39 degrees. Didn't take me but a couple of miles to lament the fact I forgot my chaps back at the house. Stopped at Hite gas station as I promised GuzziV7fan. Pumps are working. Confirmed this because somebody left the receipt there for $9.44 worth of diesel with todays date. So GuzziV7fan, the pumps work but the store is still closed.




After Hite I rode without stopping all the way to Blanding (97 miles give or take a couple). Was getting pretty chilled by the time I got to Blanding. Both my knees were knocking the sides of the tank pretty hard by the time I got a cup of coffee at the gas station that sits at the intersection of 95 and 191. Rolled on to Bluff and stopped at a restaurant for lunch. By this time the temp was well into the 50's and I had feeling back in my thighs.
Then on To Mexican Hat.  Stopped at a small place right next to the San Juan River then turned back and headed up the 191 again to the 261 and took it up the Moki-Dugway Switchbacks back to the 95 and then west back to camp.  

Approaching the Switchbacks from the southeast



Almost at the top. I had to ride right at 10mph because the road is lose dirt and gravel and the Sport Demons obviously weren't made for that surface


Was back in camp by about 3:30-4:00pm and spent the rest of Saturday evening relaxing and drinking/eating.



Sunday I was up and on the road at 8:45AM heading north on 95 to Hanksville for coffee at the Hole in the Rock Gas station and then west on the 24 past Factory Butte and into Capitol Reef Nat Park. and on through to the junction of the 24 and 12.

Factory Butte



Temps were once again in the low 40's until I was west of Hanksville then they climbed quickly into the high 50's and low 60's until I entered the park.

Capitol Reef Nat Park






 NOTE:  There is currently no functioning ATM in Hanksville or on this entire route until the next town west of the 24 and 12 Junction. I bought another cup of coffee and a bottled Coke and doubled them up figuring I'd need to for the trip back.  On the way back down the 24 I took the Notom Bullfrog Basin road to Notom, Utah.

Historical Marker at Notom. If you're standing here you really are off the beaten path




It eventually turns to dirt and gravel and continues on to Bullfrog and Lake Powell.  This appears to be a great ADV road and I'll come back with mine on another day.

Looking south east towards west side of Henry Mt's were the Notom road turns from asphalt to dirt



The traffic for the entire weekend can best be described as exceptionally sparse.  I eventually backtracked to the 24, then hit Hanksville and headed south past the Henry Mt's on the east side back to camp passing maybe 3 cars in 50 miles of road.  About 450 miles on the bike for two days

East side of Henry Mt's  Sunday PM



Packed things up this morning (Monday) and left camp at 9 and made it home by 2:30 pm.

oldbike54:
 Lookes like fun to me , great pics  ;-T

  Dusty

Daniel Kalal:
Trip photographs; keep them coming!  Thanks.

mwrenn:
Wow, thanks for posting!!!  Looks like an awesome ride.... ;-T

Frulk:
Couple additional pics from trip as I was heading back to camp

This is the view after you enter Capitol Reef Nat Park a mile or so in on the 24 from the western entrance



I was heading back to Hanksville and had a pretty good tailwind. This pic was taken looking east. Tumbleweeds were coming across the road at fairly steady intervals. Earlier in the day it was calm and I was coming down that hill.  Amazing how much fun you can have on a 40hp bike with no traffic, good weather, and roads like these

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