Lucky Explorer 2002 Utah

Scribe Allen Naille

I was hoping someone else would do this, but here is the short version. 5 bikes cancelled the week before the trip, but we didn't want any of them along anyway, right Shayne? Everyone had excuses: new job-no vacation time, weather-no truck, wife pregnant, no not Shayne's, his was: wife won't let me go!!!

In their place, showed Mirro and Peter from Slovakia, Mirro has the only E900 in Slovakia, and they made the trip that much more enjoyable. Day 1: Carol and I had a flat 1 hour into the trip, and on a tire that I had had 2 other flats, so I returned for the spare bike (stock E900).  I rode it about 10 miles thinking something's wrong, (Mirro says: I thought it looked funny!!!-- Big help he was !!). The big Elefant had a cracked rim (Excel). Guess I pounded that baby to much in the dirt this summer. Some went to Grand Canyon via the old stagecoach road. Others thru the Navajo Reservation and around the North Rim of the Canyon. All gathered in Kanab, Utah.
Day 2: The Coral Pink Sand Dunes called, others to Zion NP. Bryce Canyon via the Great Western Trail was thwarted but we got there anyway.
Day 3 brought the big dirt day and Mr. Deykes flying thru the air into a dry creek bed. He fell over just sitting in the bottom. Peter did a big low side trying to avoid John's lead, and broke his bike. Most went on thru and over Smoky Mt. Trail, where Bill Gilbert lost a peg and Alfred Jorgensen, a muffler bracket. John Graves helped Alfred, and all made it that evening. Carol and I went after Peter and Mirro and did the Hell's Backbone Loop. Only to fine Mirro and Peter in Boulder, Utah in a beautiful van driven by a cute petite blonde. Can you believe they ran into a friend of Peter's in a Bryce Canyon gas station????
Day 4 was on the Burr Trail to Bullfrog Marina and the ferry across Lake Powell, where a 1150 GS rider joined us for a while. Monument Valley was the evenings stay.
Day 5 was through the Hopi Reservation via the Black Mesa Mine Road and Second Mesa for lunch. It was getting colder and windier by the hour. The roads were getting washboard. Where we getting tired? Finally back to Flagstaff.

We did have a great time and the usual awards were given out. Linda Graves for best team player, as backup truck driver, and Alfred got the Ralph award, normally given for the greatest crash with damage. Alfred just had damage no crash. Ralph who always crashes with vibrato couldn't go because his wife got reservations at some resort for their anniversary. Can you believe he'd give up this trip for that??
Watch this space and the rallyebikes web site thru Warren's site for next years adventure. Shayne will be there, let the laughs begin!
Allen Naille, scribe.
 

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Last modified: 07/02/06