The end of the Utah Tour

Episode 5 and the Finale of the Utah Series was Filmed May 29, 30, 31 2023

Just a short ride north of Panguitch Utah is the Childhood Home of Butch Cassidy. It’s a great pit stop to stretch your legs.

In 1879 when Robert Leroy Parker also known as Butch Cassidy moved to this homestead with his family. There was already a two-room cabin on the property. As the family grew, Maxi added a kitchen on the east side and two bedrooms on the south side, expanding the house to its current size.

Butch started finding excuses not to go to church at a young age. Then he began to rub shoulders with outlaws like Mike Cassidy when he started working at Jim Marshall's ranch located twelve miles south of Circleville. Mike took Butch under his wing and taught him about handling horses and guns. When Butch turned eighteen, he decided he didn't want to scrap out a living in Circleville and wanted to go somewehre to get "hard, solid gold." He would leave the homestead in 1884. He sent money home often for the first few years and is considered one of the most well-liked and respected outlaws of the Old West.

I’ve hear awesome things about the Nebo Loop Scenic Byway, unfortunately it was closed due to a sinkhole when we went through. However, we were fortunate to find some lovely camping at the south entrance to the byway.

The town of Soda Springs is named for the hundreds of natural springs of carbonated water that are located in and around the city. The springs were known to Native Americans, and were a landmark along the Oregon Trail. Today the city is also known as a location of the Soda Springs Geyser, which was unleashed in 1937. The town was looking for hot water for a hot pool bathing attraction. They drilled into a chamber of highly pressurized gas and cold water, and the geyser was released. After it ran for weeks and flooded the downtown area, it was capped and manually released upon request as a tourist attraction. The geyser currently runs on a timed release valve which opens every hour.

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No Water, No Gas, No Food along this Remote Stretch of Road in Utah

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My brother Gary and I have gone from Portland Oregon to the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. We spent two days exploring this beautiful area, but now we're going to ride the Bicentennial Highway. This stretch of road in South East Utah has No Gas, No Food, No Water. Sounds like a good time right?

After getting some chores done we made it to the beginning of the Bicentennial Highway or Utah Route 95 which stretches across the high red desert.

Between Hanksville and Blanding there are 121 Miles with no designated rest stops, no commercial facilities, no place to buy gas or pick up food or stop for repairs. This is a pack it in and pack it out situation.

Natural Bridges National Monument is an excellent pit stop for those going through the area. They also have a campground, but it was full when we went through.

This route also passes through Glen Canyon National Recreation Area which could be an excellent spot to camp if you have an RV, or just aren’t relying on a tent for shelter -it was very windy when we passed through.

There are a few more opportunities to dispersed camp between Glen Canyon and Hanksville, but be warned that the routes at the more well established spots are very sandy.

Hanksville, UT is the ultimate launching off point to a lot of other attractions in the area. We stayed the night at Duke's RV Park in their cabins that felt like luxury with their running water and private bathrooms. They also have Tent Camping, RV Parking, and Laundry and Showers.

The Duke's Grill is in the same lot so it's easy to park the bike for the night and walk to dinner, and breakfast the next morning.

Hanksville also has two gas stations, a grocery store, UTV rentals, a motel, and Carl's Critter Garden.

Goblin Valley State Park is a short distance from Hanksville, and is well worth a visit. They have a designated campground, and behind the Butte there is actually more dispersed camping -talk to the rangers about dispersed camping in Goblin Valley State Park.

We visited Swing Arm City OHV Area as well, but just appreciated the view. This area is a mecca for off-road enthusiasts, but since we didn’t take the time to get our Utah OHV stickers and take the online education -now required for the OHV Stickers- we just appreciated the view of Factory Butte.

We stayed at Sleepy Hollow Campground which is an excellent launching off point to visit the remote northern Section of Capitol Reef National Park. This area is known as Cathedral Valley. The park suggests you do the loop road counter clockwise because there's a water crossing at the beginning of the route. This is to deter visitors from getting almost to the end of the loop if they did it clockwise and not being able to cross the obstacle. While Gary and I did not tackle this route, you can see a little of what this route has to offer over on the Bound for Nowhere channel.

Riding Gear + Luggage List

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We're headed to Utah

My Brother Gary and I head out on our annual May Trip. This year I'm riding the Honda Africa Twin from Oregon to Utah! But first we have to get there. Thanks to Revzilla for sponsoring this Series.

In the first episode we left Portland, OR and headed to the “start” of our official Utah Trip. Including a tasty stop at the Liberty Theatre Cafe in La Grande, OR, fixing up our picnic table in the overflow camping at Bruneau Dunes State Park, and searching for a dry campsite in Logan Canyon before settling for a lack luster KOA in Garden City. We then have a chill travel day down to the National 9 Inn in Wellington Utah where we close out this episode.

We made a few gear upgrades for this trip.

I made myself a CUSTOM Hat Harness to keep my new Stetson Safe.

I also got the new Scorpion EXO AT960 Modular Helmet to test out.

Last but not least I also upgraded the Africa Twin with some SW-Motech Engine Guards and Saddlebag Racks that means I can now carry all my favorite Wolfman Luggage again! YAY!

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1000 Miles in one Day on a 2022 Africa Twin Adventure Sports DCT

The Iron Butt Association has over 79,000 members who are all dedicated to long-distance endurance riding. Their website hosts a list of different Ride Certifications you can do from the Saddlesore 1000 to the Ultimate Coast to Coast Ride from Prudhoe Bay Alaska to Key West Florida

In 2018 I read the Man Who Would Stop at Nothing by Melissa Holbrook Pierson

It's a compelling book about not only Melissa's first foray into long distance riding but also tells the story of one of the famous names in the Iron Butt Association, John Ryan, who complete multiple IBA feats, including the Ultimate Coast to Coast in less than 30 days.

The book was inspiring and really dived into the dedication and determination of the people who take on these long distance challenges.

I've tried before to beat my own personal best, but could never quite get passed the 600-700 mile mark.

Back in 2019 is when I got the closest, following Kerri Miller back from an event in California. I stopped at 900 miles because I was home and I was exhausted. But missing that milestone by so little has been at the back of mind since then. So it seemed natural to ask Kerri if she would help me meet this goal.

To successfully document a Saddle-sore 1000 to receive your certificate from the IBA these are the instructions listed;

  • You must choose a Safe Route and use a mapping program to check your ride really is 1,000 real miles.

  • Collect, photograph and track fuel receipts. This one is very important, and is the part of the process most people find difficult. The receipts need to include the time, date and address. You need one to mark the start, end and about every 200 miles.* Photographs should be of your receipt next to your odometer to keep log of each stop.

  • Lastly, Send in your documentation for verification by the IBA.

If you’re interested in documenting your own Saddlesore 1000 to receive the certificate from the Iron Butt Association please see the official page listing the instructions

The IBA Website emphasizes the risk involved with endurance riding.

" It is imperative you understand the risk you are taking and minimize the possibility of an accident by practicing safe motorcycle habits. No one, not even the most experienced long distance rider, can safely fight off fatigue. If you are tired, the only option is to stop and rest. Ignoring the symptoms of fatigue can be fatal."

Fatigue is no joke. Many riders experience hitting a wall. The point at which you feel like you can not continue.

It felt SO GOOD to get to the finish line.

But the mission wasn't over, we still had a bit to go to get to our hotel, watching the sun come up again was magical and felt like a personal award from the universe.

A couple months later my certificate arrived and I had a fresh wave of pride that I set out a challenge for myself and I finished -with a little support from a friend.

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The Living Ghost Town of Montana

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ENNIS

Ennis is a well known launch point for fishing in the area, you can gear up at the Tackle Shop in town.

The Ennis Pharmacy is a great stop for an old-fashioned soda pop, and the Gravel Bar is a good stop for food.

We camped at one of the many fishing accesses in the Ennis area.

VIRGINIA CITY & NEVADA CITY

Virginia City and Nevada City lie along Alder Gulch, the site of the richest placer gold strike in the Rocky Mountains.

The area is unique in Montana because unlike so many of the ghost towns that pepper the state, this boomtown was able to embrace their history into a successful tourist attraction. Thanks to their success, the Nevada City Living History Museum is home to 100 preserved 1863 to early 1900 buildings and artifacts from all over Montana that would have otherwise been destroyed.

If you're new here, and couldn't tell already, my sister is a 19th century history nerd, and this is her happy place.

There are many tour activities in the area, that you can find more info about here.

We also highly recommend sticking around town until the afternoon when the Wells Fargo Steakhouse opens for dinner service. I ate there for the first time in 2018, and have been dreaming about that steak for the last four years, and getting to eat there again absolutely held up to my memories of the experience.

DILLON

This is your key restock/refuel point in this area. We recommend stocking up on snacks/food here before moving on your adventure.

BANNACK

Bannack is a National Historic Landmark. In the summer of 1862, John White and fellow members of a group from Colorado, discovered gold along the banks of a creek he named the Grasshopper. White filed one of the first recorded mining claims in Montana.

The mining camp boomed to 400 within a few months to 3,000 within 6. Approx. $500,000 in gold was taken out of the area by the end of 1862.

One of Bannack's more famous stories is it's part in the story of the criminal gang known as the "Innocents” and the the Vigilantes who reigned them in in 1863. More Info.

This area is pretty remote, we recommend stopping in Dillon to stock up and pack yourself a lunch to enjoy in Bannack.

Bannack does have a campground on site.

BIG HOLE VALLEY

The Big Hole Valley is a vast, lush meadow surrounded by stunning peaks, showcasing the meandering Big Hole River. It is home to the Big Hole National Battlefield, the site of the 1877 conflict between the Nez Pierce and the US Army.

There is not a lot of services in the Big Hole Valley, which makes Wisdom and Jackson key points along your route to refuel your bike and your body for your adventures. There isn't much in the way of grocery options besides the small market in Wisdom and the mercantile in Wise River, so you may want to make a stop in a bigger town and stock up before heading this direction.

The Pioneer Scenic Byway is HIGHLY recommended, from Polaris to Wise River, however it was still to early in the season when we passed through to ride it. I have had the pleasure of riding it before though. There is a hot spring. As well as some hidden ghost town sites for those willing to search for them.

THE BITTERROOT VALLEY
Chief Joseph Pass and Lost Trail Pass are well known motorcycle roads in Western Montana, but it would be a disservice if we didn't mention them. Their junction is also the border of Idaho and Montana.

We visited the Oldest Chinese Restaurant in America

HELENA

The Cathedral of St. Helena began construction in 1908 and was consecrated in 1924. Some published accounts say that the Cathedral is modeled after the Cathedral in Cologne, Germany, but actually architect A. O. Von Herbulis modeled the Cathedral of St. Helena after the Votivkirche in Vienna, Austria, which was under construction when he was a student in that city.

Reeder's Alley was built in the 1870s by a Pennsylvania brick and stone mason named Louis Reeder. It is the oldest intact piece of early Helena. It was originally known as Cutler Street in Last Chance Gulch and it began as a result of a gold discovery on July 14th 1864 by a group of men known as the Four Georgians. On October 30th of that year, the area was renamed Helena. Between 1972 and 1884 Louis Reeder built over 30 brick and stone one-room tenements with no indoor plumbing for miners. Unfortunately Reeder died when he fell off scaffolding while working in 1884 and Cutler Street was renamed to Reeder's Alley. Thanks to the masonry, these buildings survived the fires that plagued the early community of Helena.

Last Chance Gulch is the name of the actual gulch in which gold was discovered in 1864. The thoroughfare which was built down the Gulch is now a walking mall, with a few unique businesses like the Parrot Confectionary which has been around since 1922.

BUTTE

Butte was once known as "the richest hill on earth."

You may already be familiar with Butte in relation to the Berkeley Pitt, a former open pit copper mine that was open from 1955 to 1982 that has since filled with water. For an admission fee you can gaze at the pit from a viewing stand from March to November.

However, Butte's mining history goes much deeper and is arguably more interesting. The town began as a mining camp in the 1860s, and the town still preserves Victorian uptown businesses and stately mansions. The Butte Trolley tours historic sites in the summer.

The World Museum of Mining was founded in 1963, to preserve the legacy of mining and related social and cultural heritage of Butte. It's located on the Orphan Girl mine yard, which includes the 100-foot-high headframe.

Butte was the epicenter of one of Montana's biggest silver mining booms of the late 19th century.

In the 1880s, hoisting accidents accounted for approximately 33% of mining deaths. Miners anxious to get home after their shifts would crowd as many as tent skinny men into each cage. An 1889 law improved cage safety cage safety by requiring miners to install iron bonnets also known as roofs to protect miners from falling rocks. The same law required safety gates, to keep the men from plummeting down the shaft to their deaths. In 1916, despite many technological improvements, hoist accidents still accounted for about 5% of mine fatalities.

Hum and Bessie Yow, the original proprietors of the Pekin Noodle Parlors, opened the Pekin Cafe and Lounge in 1911 with help of Tam Kwong Yee, grandfather of current owners Sharon and Ding K Tam, or as the Butte locals refer to them "The Wongs". It is currently the oldest operating Chinese Food Restaurant in the USA.

The Yows constructed the building in 1909 and operated a gaming parlor and markets on Butte's Historic Main Street.

Two years later the Yows began serving noodles and developed its own Chinese American Dish Chop Suey that served to Butte's mining community.

Chinese restaurants in the USA used to be called "chow chows" and were the origin of Chop Suey and Chow Mein.

Chop Suey, for example, got its start in 1850 when a bunch of hungry miners busted their way into a chow-chow late at night and demanded to be fed. The chef just stirred all the table scraps and leftovers he could find into a big mess and served it. The miners loved it. When asked what it was, the chef replied, "chop sui" which means "garbage bits" in Cantonese. The dish remained virtually unheard of in China until after World War II and is now advertised as American cuisine.

The Pekin Noodle Parlor is quite the experience, climbing the steep stairs to the second floor. Each table is sectioned off into it's own private booth. Be prepared for the noise as it can get quite loud in the restaurant, but we enjoyed our dinner.

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The Snacks that Fuel me on the Road

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The Snacks that Fuel me on the Road

After a couple years of trying to find decent snacks at the gas station you start to wonder if there’s better options.

After 10 years of motorcycle touring, these are my go to snacks for fueling me across multiple states, “beyond the gas station fare.”

Hidden History in the Rocky Mountains

SEELEY-SWAN VALLEY

The Seeley-Swan Valley is known as the outdoor-lovers paradise, because it acts as a launching point to the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex which covers 1.5 million acres.

The Seeley-Swan scenic drive is a 90 mile long corridor along Highway 83 stretching through the Swan Valley from Seeley Lake to Swan Lake. There are hundreds of natural lakes, ranging in size from a few acres to several thousands of acres, all squeezed into this narrow heavily forested valley. The Mission Mountains rise to the west, and the Swan Rang walls off the East, creating a pocket of solitude.

For the adventurous, the Great Continental Divide Route runs through Western Montana. Be aware that this route is not maintained, and conditions are subject to change, ride at your own risk.

Lincoln

Blackfoot Pathways: Sculpture in the Wild is a free sculpture park in Lincoln Montana. From the road you would not expect this to be hidden amongst the trees.

The sculpture park is a contemporary art representation reflecting on the mining, and logging history that have been the key economic growth of Lincoln for so long.

We recommend skipping I-15 into Helena and instead riding Flesher Pass from Lincoln to Helena.

HELENA

The Cathedral of St. Helena began construction in 1908 and was consecrated in 1924. Some published accounts say that the Cathedral is modeled after the Cathedral in Cologne, Germany, but actually architect A. O. Von Herbulis modeled the Cathedral of St. Helena after the Votivkirche in Vienna, Austria, which was under construction when he was a student in that city.

Reeder's Alley was built in the 1870s by a Pennsylvania brick and stone mason named Louis Reeder. It is the oldest intact piece of early Helena. It was originally known as Cutler Street in Last Chance Gulch and it began as a result of a gold discovery on July 14th 1864 by a group of men known as the Four Georgians. On October 30th of that year, the area was renamed Helena. Between 1972 and 1884 Louis Reeder built over 30 brick and stone one-room tenements with no indoor plumbing for miners. Unfortunately Reeder died when he fell off scaffolding while working in 1884 and Cutler Street was renamed to Reeder's Alley. Thanks to the masonry, these buildings survived the fires that plagued the early community of Helena.

Last Chance Gulch is the name of the actual gulch in which gold was discovered in 1864. The thoroughfare which was built down the Gulch is now a walking mall, with a few unique businesses like the Parrot Confectionary which has been around since 1922.

The part of Montana people miss on their National Park Roadtrip

LIBBY

A great small town, that’s known as the gateway to Lake Koocanusa for a reason. If you plan on riding one or both sides of the Lake you’ll want to make a plan for food and gas. Libby and Rexford are your only options for fuel and food around the lake.

The Kootenai Falls Swinging Bridge was built by the Forest Service to access forest fires across the Kootenai River. This foot bridge was destroyed by a major flood in 1948. The bridge was rebuilt on concrete piers and is now protected from flooding by the Libby Dam.

It is suspended 40 feet about the turquoise water, and offers a beautiful view of the Kootenai River Gorge and pine trees...if you can take your eyes off the boards immediately in front of you while crossing.

If you're in the Libby area on a Motorcycle, the Lake Koocanusa Scenic Byway should be on your to-do list. Lake Koocanusa is a 90 mile long reservoir that is held back by the Libby Dam. You can ride along both sides of the lake. Most people ride the East side, so the West side is much less busy. There are multiple points along the lake for camping, fishing, and boat access.

The Koocanusa Bridge near the Canadian border, is the longest and highest bridge in Montana, standing over 270 feet above the water -depending on the water level.

Whitefish | Kalispell | Columbia Falls

Whitefish and Kalispell are ideal places to re-supply if you're in need of parts, or other things only bigger cities can provide. Be aware though, Whitefish can be quite spendy. In comparison hotel rates in Columbia Falls are a little better, but still have the side-effect of being a gateway town to Glacier National Park.

HipCamp is an excellent budget friendly way to stay near Glacier National Park. If you’ve never used HipCamp before here’s a $10 Credit to Hipcamp (this is my friend invite code, if you use this I get a $10 credit back). We looked into Air BnB but most hosts were booked, needed a week+ notice, or were just as expensive as the hotels.

We couldn't be in Columbia Falls and not make a nostalgic stop at the Montana Vortex. Depending on your own personal beliefs, the Montana Vortex is said to be home of the Golden Vortex, a quantum or gravitational anomaly that allegedly re-define the laws of physics and nature. No matter what you believe, it's a fun place to spend a couple hours.

Seeley-Swan Valley

The Seeley-Swan Valley is known as the outdoor-lovers paradise, because it acts as a launching point to the Bob Marshall Wilderness Complex which covers 1.5 million acres.

The Seeley-Swan scenic drive is a 90 mile long corridor along Highway 83 stretching through the Swan Valley from Seeley Lake to Swan Lake. There are hundreds of natural lakes, ranging in size from a few acres to several thousands of acres, all squeezed into this narrow heavily forested valley. The Mission Mountains rise to the west, and the Swan Rang walls off the East, creating a pocket of solitude.

Glacier National Park too Crowded? Come to this Small Town

Glacier National Park too Crowded? Come to this Small Town

The best places to visit around Glacier National Park in Western Montana. Where to eat, stay, explore, and the Best Motorcycle Roads