Last Day Boondocking near the Nipple Bench

Our last day was a pretty low key day, we relaxed at the campsite and I did some riding on Yagi.

I found another trail to be explored that led me to the top of the cliff sides to the right of the campsite.

The next pic shows the "Bench", a flat piece of land one side of which rises and the other side drops off...I hope you can see it.

In the midafternoon, I wandered out again on Yagi, my TW200, and did some riding along and on the actual creek bed.

I thought the almost stark white walls looked cool

I then rode back on top of the nearby cliff side for his shot of the bench with the golden hour's lighting.

We finally got us some decent clouds for sunset:

We displace tomorrow, headed more to the south and west.  Stay tuned.

Notes for the next time.  According to a local gent who stopped by the campsite to chat:

Check out the fossilized? oyster bed near the campsite, just go upstream a bit and it'll be on the left side on a sloping bank.

It's a bit of a drive but check out Alston Point!  Get map from BLM visitor center.

There's also apparently an old abandoned coal mine somewhere in the direction of Alston Point?  It's on fire and has been hat way for years, with smoke still coming out of the ground.  Info again at the BLM visitor center

Exploring Crosby Canyon while trying for Warm Creek Bay, Lake Powell.

We spent the morning in Page, AZ doing chores such as laundry, more groceries and such.  

While Martha stayed at camp doing her crosstich, I went out on Yagi to see if I could find the way to Warm Creek Bay on Lake Powell.

I went perhaps 16-17 miles and finally got to the shore of a bay on Lake Powell; however I missed Warm Creek Bay, ending up south of it.  Oh well.

On the way there I paused for pics of the rock formations along Crosby Canyon:

The last mile or so was deep sand in long stretches, it made for some interesting moments but I'm happy to report no falls and only a minimum of outrigger activity by me.

Finally spotted and found the trail leading to the shore/beach:

I'd worked up a bit of sweat riding in the low 80s temperature so I stripped down to shorts for a couple of quick dips in the cool water of the lake.  Ahhhh.

Soon, it was time to gear up again and head back.  I had to "assist" Yagi in getting off the beach at a particularly deep sandy spot.  Other than that, it was pretty much smooth riding all the way back, stopping for pics in the canyon again:

As I motored along Smoky Mountain Rd, which traverses the Nipple Bench, I spotted and tried for a shot of distant buttes.  They're in a valley through which US Highway 89 runs.

One last stop at the top of the cliff side overlooking our camp site.

Can you spot Uma?

About three hours of riding/exploring...a good way to end a pretty good day.

Here's a video shot by Martha this evening:

Rock Formations along the Nipple Bench and a visit to Lees Ferry

 Wednesday, October 18

We spent the morning in nearby Page, AZ...doing errands, getting groceries and such.

We relaxed at the camp in the afternoon.  I did go out for a bit of riding on Yagi to get a closer look at nearby rock formations:

The T-Dub, with its tires aired down to about 8 PSI, is in its element here on the sandy/gravel terrain of the Nipple Bench.  

Thursday, October 19

Today we drove down to Lee's Ferry near the Vermillion Cliffs in Arizona.  We didn't really take pics of the gorgeous rock formations there as the light was a bit flat.  However, here's a link to a previous visit: LINK

The objective today was to check out Paria Beach.  This is where the Grand Canyon apparently starts you see.

After the beach, we ate lunch at the boat launch area where canyon rafting trips begin into the Grand Canyon area.

We checked out the Lonely Dell Ranch nearby:

Root Cellar, it was slightly cooler inside

My first wife at the Polygamist Cabin

Returning to the entrance, we did stop for pics of the Balanced Rock:

Back at Page, AZ, we stopped by the Carl Hayden Visitor Center where one can learn and see the Glen Canyon Dam:

A full day for us, we returned to camp to relax our way into the evening.  

Rest in Peace, Jack Riepe.

I learned this morning that Jack Riepe had passed away yesterday.

Jack was a great writer whom I was fortunate to be introduced to by an article of his on the August 2008 BMW Owners Association Magazine back in 2008. LINK

He wrote a blog back then as well, which became one of my favorites:

http://jackriepe.blogspot.com

I was also fortunate to be able to review an advance copy of his first book: LINK

More of Jack's Books

Jack "painted with words".  He was a gifted writer with a somewhat biting but very humorous outlook on life, riding and adventures via motorcycles.  He made me laugh out loud with his writing.

I met Jack in person while on a trip in Pennsylvania visiting a friend of mine from my ROTC days.  Jack knew I was coming and he drove out the three hours or so from his home in New Jersey to Macungie, PA where of course, we met at a bar.

More details of this meeting here: LINK

Jack's many friends have gathered virtually on his Facebook Page to say their goodbyes:  https://www.facebook.com/jack.riepe

What can I say Jack, when we meet again, we'll go on that sidecar ride that we planned on but didn't get to do.