Uraling after recent snow storms

Been home since Thursday of last week, catching up on chores and tasks here at home.

Sunday, it started snowing for what would turn out to be a total of about 8 inches of snow for the area around my neighborhood.  A bit more in the drifts of course but about 8 inches for sure.

Cold temperatures kept me from wandering out while the snow fell, except in Martha's car as I took her to work so I could then take the car to the tire shop to have the winter tires put on.

Now it's Wednesday, the 30th and I think the snow has stopped for good.  Two snow storms have blanketed the Metro Denver area with a thick coat of snow, and with the sun now fully shining through, it was time to go ride.

It was a balmy 19°F (-7°C) and approaching Noon as Scarlett and I headed out of the snow-packed neighborhood and onto somewhat cleared and wet main roads.

We rode to the ranching neighborhood to the southeast of my home and I posed Scarlett in the usual spots.  Had to engage 2WD a couple of times when on a slight slope or deep snow to get her going but otherwise, stayed in 1WD most of the time.

Almost 90 minutes of riding, very glad the heated grips on Scarlett were functional and keeping my fingers warm!

I think it may be time for a new pusher tire for Scarlett, give her better grip on the snow.

A Red Sunrise and Uraling in the Red Desert

Oct 23

Today's sunrise was pretty good:

Wednesday, the 23rd of OCT,  I rode Scarlett to check out the Swing Arm City OHV area next door.

It was nothing but flat graveled/dirt area with lots of small ditches to cause one to rapidly slow down to avoid smashing the front wheel into said ditch!

Nothing to take pictures of, so I got back on Highway 24 and headed west for a few miles to the entrance to Cathedral Valley Road.

I decided to check out the side road I'd seen a group of hikers emerge out of the other day and also horse trailer pulling pick up trucks going in and out.

The "road" is called Red Desert Road and the area it allows access to is known on the maps as Red Desert.  Quite nice and scenic though I really didn't go too far in, perhaps just 3-5 miles at most.

 If I was naming this formation, I'd call it City Skyline perhaps

 Junction of Red Desert Rd and BLM Trail 0893

 How's Lighthouse Rock for a name for that rock formation?

 Do you see the thin sliver of a Moon?

 Scarlett and I crossed three of these metal grating bridges

 See the Buffalo Head?

Back at entrance for Cathedral Valley Road

Boondocking and Uraling near Factory Butte

3PM OCT 24: I am home!

I was able to stay in the area near Factory Butte, UT for about three days thanks to waiting out snowy weather in the I-70 passes in Colorado.

Oct 22

First full day in this area.  Not as windy as yesterday fortunately, so once the sun was out in force, I was able to get some riding in.

 The view to the east from the top of a nearby Mesa

 View to the west from same Mesa

Main objective today was to explore the area around the main terrain feature here:  Factory Butte.  A gorgeous rock formation that dominates the scenery around here.  

Apparently, though I couldn't find the entrances to the mine itself, there used to be coal mining near the butte.

Heading further north, one encounters a nice little valley with smaller buttes and rock formations; eventually you come across a small river that I elected not to try crossing.  I did go wading in it for a bit to cool off, nice and cold.

Returning closer to Factory Butte, there's a dirt road which takes you over to its northern side for a view of the rock from that angle:

Getting back on the area's main road, I found a small trail leading to Factory Butte's very small cousin:

On yet another trail further to the south off the main road, I was able to get closer to Factory Butte but as you can below, one has to get a proper sand dune vehicle to get closer.  I believe travel is proscribed but the evidence of tracks would tend to show others don't seem to think so.

Once back on the main road, the late afternoon sun finally lit up Factory Butte nicely:

A view of the campsite, with North Cainville Mesa on the left

and of course Factory Butte on the right.

Uraling again in the Cathedral Valley, boondocking at the Coal Mine Wash BLM site.

Oct 21

Left Hells Backbone Road campsite way before dawn, hoping to make some time and get some riding in within Cathedral Valley, UT.

I would end up traversing UT 24 where it crosses the Capitol Reef National Park but made no stops.

After checking in with my loving wife where I could get a cell signal, I doubled back about 7 miles to the entrance to the Cathedral Valley Road and parked the URRV.

Got Scarlett off the trailer and off we went, motoring a bit over 14 kilometers to reach this point within Cathedral Valley:

I would spend the next couple of hours criss-crossing the area looking for the right angles for the two main rock formations that the valley is known for:

 Temple of the Moon

 Temple of the Sun

 Temple of the Moon

 Temple of the Sun

Cathedral Valley, Utah

As I retraced the 14 kilometers back to the URRV, I stopped and posed Scarlett when a good spot presented itself:

 Dry River Bed

 The rock above Scarlett caught my eye, kind of looks like

the head of a Gator, don't you think?

Once I got Scarlett back on the trailer, we moved about 7 miles to the Coal Mine Wash BLM site and set up camp:

 Factory Butte

 It was very windy today

 slightly different angles and camera modes

Now waiting to see how the weather is at Vail Pass on I-70, my planned route home.