I had the chance to take some time off work and combine a business trip with the kids' spring break to see a part of the country I had never seen. The trip was from the Tulsa, OK area to Moab, UT. I spent 10 days riding through Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, and Kansas. I had never taken the bike on a trip this long, and learned a lot as well as saw some amazing scenery. I took lots of pictures, but the pics just can't show the scale and beauty like seeing in in person.
My bike is a 2014 Road King, purchased used last spring. It is mostly stock except for a few mods for comfort (Klockwerks Flare windshield, fork air deflectors, highway pegs). It has a K&N air filter and I replaced some aftermarket (brand unknown) slip-ons that were too loud for my taste with stock CVO mufflers. For luggage, I have a H-D rolling bag that I mount on the passenger seat, with a padded backrest. The backrest part makes a huge difference in comfort on the long highway rides.
Riding Gear: HJC IS33-2 3/4 helmet, Tourmaster Air Intake 4 jacket and Tourmaster Overpants, Mighty Plugs ear plugs, Hotwired heated jacket liner, and Gerbing Gyde G4 heated gloves (+ 3 other gloves, insulated, non-heated to mesh).
I left on Wednesday, 3/8 on my own. My wife and kids left on Friday afternoon after school in the SUV and met me in Moab on Saturday evening.
Day 1 (Wednesday 3/8): The goal for the first day was to eat up some miles heading west on the interstate. I dodged texting drivers and lane-changing gravel trucks through Tulsa to I-44 and Oklahoma City to take I-40 west. The wind was awful from OKC to about Amarillo - gusts of 35-40 mph would blow me around and I felt like I was constantly leaning just to maintain a straight line. I am used to wind (I live in Oklahoma), but this was the worst I have ridden in for any length of time. Thankfully it subsided as the afternoon went on and I got past Amarillo and into New Mexico. I made it to Grants, NM halfway between Albuquerque and Gallup, about 750 miles, where I stopped for the night at the Super 8.
Wind farm in the Texas panhandle
Sunset in New Mexico
Day 2 (Thursday, 3/9): Ate breakfast and got on the road by about 7am. I was thankful for the heated gear - temps were mid-20s to low 30s. I got off the interstate at Gallup and headed North on 491, West on 264 through Window Rock, AZ, then North on 191 through Arizona into Utah. I got to the place were were staying (condo just south of Moab) early afternoon, got unpacked, showered, and then went into town for a meeting and dinner.
Arizona/Utah border on highway 191
Wilson Arch on highway 191 south of Moab
Day 3 (Friday, 3/10): I had a morning meeting, then was done with work stuff until Saturday evening. I rode scenic byway 128 along the Colorado River. Grabbed some lunch in town, then headed out to Arches National Park.
Been out there four times and we love it!
One of our trips was in September (about 10 years ago) and it was much different (and cooler) than it is in the horribly hot summer months.
Had to bundle up a bit but that was before I had heated grips, seat, gloves and a jacket liner. I'll be better prepared next time.
The road that runs along the Colorado River is amazing.
One of our trips was with our car club and I took them on that ride as we approached Moab from the east,
Hope you had a chance to ride down to Mexican Hat an Monument Valley.
My one regret is that we have never rode the Moki Dugout. Maybe next time.
Day 4 (Saturday, 3/11): I rode the La Sal Mountain loop - part of the road was closed for construction, so after getting to the top, I had to go back the way I came instead of connecting back to 128.
After lunch, I rode out Scenic 279 along the lower Colorado River to Potash, then out 313 to Dead Horse Point State Park.
I rode back into town for an evening meeting, then the family arrived. Ordered pizza and got everyone settled.
Day 5 (Sunday, 3/12): I was up early for the last of my meetings while the wife and kids slept in. Headed back out to Arches NP in the SUV and did some hiking with the family.
Double Arch
Day 6 (Monday 3/13): Dead Horse Point with the family in the morning, picnic lunch, then on to Canyonlands National Park (Island in the Sky).
Day 7 (Tuesday, 3/14): The wife and girls were tired of hiking, so went shopping in downtown Moab for T-shirts and souvenirs. I went for a ride that afternoon to the Needles overlook portion of Canyonlands NP.
Day 8 (Wednesday, 3/15): Packed up and checked out of the condo, then started back home. We decided to stop in Colorado Springs - took I-70 across Utah and western Colorado, then highway 9 and 24 through Breckenridge and Manitou Springs.
Day 9 (Thursday, 3/16): Visited the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in the morning, then hung out at the hotel with the kids.
Day 10 (Friday, 3/17): Got up and on the road early to make it home. Interstate and turnpike back to Tulsa. Got home just after dark. Just short of 3,000 miles on the bike for this trip.
This was one of the best vacations I have had - a good mix of family time and alone time on the bike, beautiful scenery, perfect weather. I brought rain gear, but never needed it. I learned a little about longer trips - a few things I brought and didn't need, like too many shirts.
Been out there four times and we love it!
One of our trips was in September (about 10 years ago) and it was much different (and cooler) than it is in the horribly hot summer months.
Had to bundle up a bit but that was before I had heated grips, seat, gloves and a jacket liner. I'll be better prepared next time.
The road that runs along the Colorado River is amazing.
One of our trips was with our car club and I took them on that ride as we approached Moab from the east,
Hope you had a chance to ride down to Mexican Hat an Monument Valley.
My one regret is that we have never rode the Moki Dugout. Maybe next time.
Ride safe!
The weather was almost perfect - cold in the mornings (mid-30s to low 40s) but upper 60s to low 80s for highs the entire time. My heated gear was new to me, but I was thankful for it in the mornings. I'm not sure I would want to be there in the summer heat. It is one of the areas I want to go back to, as well as on into Arizona and California.
Been on I40 through Amarillo a number of times, the wind starts just east of Elk City and usually goes to about 100 miles west of Amarillo. I will drop south and ride through west Texas on I20 to avoid the Amarillo part. Of the number of times I have ridden out west on I40 from Tulsa I think I have only had a couple of times that the wind wasn't a major factor.
Enjoyed your pictures as it brings back a flood of memories and now the renewed desire to go west again.
Thanks for taking us along on the ride! Great pics.
An alternate route west across TX is US380 from Greenville, TX to I-25 at San Antonio, NM. Good road, nice scenery, and not much traffic after you get west of Denton.
Stop at the Owl Bar in San Antonio for a green chile cheeseburger while you're there.
03-25-2017, 01:42 AM
Moab, Utah
