Canyonlands - Island In The Sky

Ride along with us in the video below....

Two of our nation’s greatest National Parks are very close together just a little south of I-70 in eastern Utah - Canyonlands and Arches.  This whole area is one of my favorite places on earth.

Less than 30 miles south of I-70 on Utah 191 is the great little town of Moab. There are so many amazing rides in this part of the country that by basing out of Moab you could easily accomplish a week’s worth of memorable touring.  I’d also recommend renting a four-wheel vehicle or ATV and getting into the depths of Canyonlands, like White Rim Trail. 

Moab Area

White Rim Trail

  




It seems Moab’s name has biblical roots.  In the Bible, the name Moab refers to a dry, mountainous area east of the Dead Sea and southeast of Jerusalem. This seems to fit in both Moab’s geographical relationship to Salt Lake City (and the Great Salt lake) and the geologic characteristics of the area. While LDS leaders settled in the area in 1855, this area was home to prehistoric Indian cultures, the Fremont and the Anasazi from about 1 AD until 1300 AD.  Check out Newspaper Rock.
 

Petroglyph along Potash Rd.

Detail at Newspaper Rock

On our way over to Island in the Sky, we’ll pass through Seven Mile Canyon.  This seems to have been a place where these two cultures mixed as many remains, petroglyphs and dwellings have been found in this immediate area. 
  
The entrance to the famous Arches National Park just north of Moab by less than three miles.  Arches, as you probably know, is an almost magical place and a must see!  I’ll leave Arches for another blog and video.

Just a bit further north on 191 you’ll see the turn-off to Highway 313 that leads to the Visitors Center for Island in the Sky, the northern most section of Canyonlands. 

UT-313 Turn-Off

Island In The Sky Map

Near the Turn-Off

Visitors Center

Today we are going to ride that section of road and take a look over the edge at Grand View Point.   This road passes the turn-off to Dead Horse Point, which is a Utah State Park, and definitely worth a couple of hours for spectacular views.  That turn-off is easy to see and I’d recommend you take it, unless your time is limited to only Grand View Point.  

My wife's favorite spot

Resting on a rock at Dead Horse Point

When you ride Highway 313 on your way to Grand View Overlook, there is so much to see and the road itself is a joy.  Sweeping twisties and many pull-outs that overlook some of the most beautiful vistas you will encounter. 

Schaefer Canyon overlook is shortly after the visitor’s center on the left.  Next is the parking area for one of the most iconic photographic spots in the world - Mesa Arch.  It is just a very short hike off the road on the left.

Entering Canyonlands

Schaefer Canyon

The stunning Mesa Arch

Mesa Arch

Just a bit further down is a right turn to Green River Overlook and Upheaval Dome.  The hike to upheaval dome is moderate but there is an interesting geological mystery that awaits you up there.  Take the short climb to find out.  

Satellite view of Upheaval Dome

View from trail view point

It’s time to continue on UT-313 that takes you over the top of this giant plateau (Island in the Sky) and on to Grand View Point. All along the way it overlooks some of the most majestic views of Canyonlands National Park. 

Once at the end of this road you will find a good parking area and a short walk to  one of the most spectacular views imaginable.  I think it rivals the view of The Grand Canyon from the south rim and has its own imposing grandeur. 

That is a Grand Vista

I love this place!

From this vista you can see the Needles District to your south east, and The Maze to the south west.  You could spend weeks or months exploring each.  In fact, it is in the Maze District where Aron Ralston was trapped in 2003 and had to amputate his own right arm with a dull pocketknife to free himself from a dislodged boulder. 

As you look 180 degrees around you, you’ll see views of incomprehensible dimensions of over 100 miles into the intricate canyons.  From this viewpoint you can see the White Rim, a continuous sandstone bench, 1200 feet below you.  Then another 1000 feet below that are the two rivers ( the Colorado and the Green) that some call the forth part of Canyonlands National Park.  You can just imagine John Wesley Powell and his men floating down these rivers on their way to discover the Grand Canyon in 1869. 

The View from the Overlook

Take some time to explore the nice trails that lead west of the main viewpoint.  It is a great place to bring your lunch and you’ll never have a better view.  It is impossible to take in the vast beauty from this majestic viewpoint.  I predict you will visit this place time and time again.  It is truly the “Grandest of View Points", and you will find it at the southern tip of Island in The Sky at Canyonlands National Park. 

Shiny Side Up 
"Road Dog"

Here's The Video

Cameras and Mounts for Motorcycle Video

I’ve been asked many times about the camera I use for these videos, and the mounts and locations.  So I thought I’d do a short written blog with some photos to show you what I use.

Cameras: 

There are many different types of “wearable” or helmet cameras out there these days.  The two big names are Contour and Go Pro.  My buddy, Jimmy Chance (Big Dawg), bought two GoPro’s before our trip to Beartooth in 2011.  So I was able to compare video quality, mounting options, and ease of use for both.  

Original ContourHD

GoPro

I started in 2010 using the Contour HD as I bought a slightly used one with a whole camera bag of extras for an outstanding $200.  The camera by itself sold for $250 when new then you’d have to add extra batteries, extra SD cards, case, adaptors, mounts, cords, chargers etc.  You can probably find a deal better than this even now on Craigslist or a motorcycle forum.  

My first Contour with tripod adaptor

The Contour Mounted behind windshield

I thought it did a pretty nice job on the first four videos I did (Northern New Mexico, Island in the Sky, Beartooth West Slope and West Elk Loop). 

The problems I found with this camera were only minor, but enough for me to want something better the next year.  They claim a 2 hour battery life, as with most such claims on battery life, it was not exactly right.  In fact battery life was really a guess.  I kep the camera in stand-by mode a lot just waiting on the right short clip.  So who knows how much life you have between time in stand-by mode and time in recording mode.  Because there is no way to tell how much juice you have left it is a real problem in my book. 

Also I found batteries did not fully charge overnight, or they just went bad very quickly.  There is not much warning when a battery is about to go.  This was a real “pain” when you are on two wheels and riding in a beautiful canyon you really don’t know if and when your battery dies.  I’ve missed some pretty nice views because of this annoying feature. (they tried to fix this on the next model)

The picture quality was okay also, but it is a bit of a marketing ploy to say it is “HD”.  Real HD has one to two million pixels per frame, roughly five times that of standard definition television.  I don’t want to get too technical here, but let’s just say a ‘real’ broadcast HD camera is in the range of $80,000.00! 

It does shoot a very wide angle picture like most helmet cams.  This one is 135 degrees.  (The new Contour+ shoots a 175 degree picture!).

You can see how wide angle the camera is here on Lolo Pass

It uses an h.264 codec and shoots at 30 frames per second (fps) which is what you want for most editing and display on YouTube and others.  It will do SD at 60 fps (which is great for slow motion etc.) but pretty useless as most internet video sites won’t play 60 fps video. 

But for a 4 oz. camera that can attach to your goggle straps or on a handle bar, it’s pretty cool.  It is also streamlined and subtle unlike the GoPro which looks like a small SLR camera.

GoPro on a PanaVise suction mount

I had a chance to review a lot of video from my friends two GoPro camera and from many different angels.  I am a tough critic but - hey - they look the same to me.  The GoPro is a little “clunky” to me, especially in a helmet cam mount.  They are as subject to as much vibration as Contour, however, head-on into the wind, the Contour does better because it is more aerodynamic. 

Contour+

My Contour+ with adapter

However in 2011 I wanted to upgrade so I bought the Contour+.  It retails for $500 and I think that was a little high compared to the GoPro HD which produces about the same picture.  But because I had all the Contour accessories that would fit, I went with this one to save in the long run.

Contour+ mounted on windshield looking back at riding buddy

I must say the picture is much better quality!  It also shoots a wider angle picture (175 degrees) which is very nice.  I have yet to edit and post any videos from this camera as this date, but that is my next task. 

The Contour+ is a GPS camera and using their software will follow you along on a map whenever you have the camera on.  Sounds very cool, but you have to use their software (Storyteller) to make it work, and I don’t, so that is a wasted feature for me anyway. 

The battery life is better and they in this model they give you a couple of LED lights to give you some indicator of life left  Green means greater than 50%, Yellow 20-50% and Red less than 20% (or in other words about to die).  I found this only mildly helpful. 

I say charge several batteries and if you know you are heading across Beartooth, or over Million Dollar Highway - put in a new battery.  Why take a chance of running out over a breathtaking mountain pass? 

Couple of other things on the Contour+.  It has come features that others may find useful (sort of like the GPS mapping), but I did not.  One thing it does have is a jack port for a small microphone so you can narrate.  However, I’m pretty busy picking my shots and navigating a 1,000 pound motorcycle, so I won’t be narrating anything except back in the edit studio. 

Over the winter I’ll be sending mine in for a “tune up” as the batteries do not come out easily and they are so thin that with motorcycle gloves, or on a cold day, this is a real hassle. 

So for me, this new camera was all about a better quality picture, and I got that.  I can’t wait to edit some of the 2011 rides. 

But I think you will see in upcoming videos the quality of the image is much greater and I hope it will be worth the extra expense and a better final video experience.  Also remember, HD video does not do well in low light situations.  If riding on an overcast raining or low light day, your video won’t be very good.   

I do have a pro JVC GY-HM100 HD camera that I sometimes use for panorama vistas, or this year at Glacier on board a Jet Ranger helicopter for some incredible video to go with the story I did on Going To The Sun Road.  Of course the issues here are added bulk on a motorcycle, the safety of an expensive camera and the need for a tripod etc.  But the video quality is outstanding and I only use it for special shots. 

JVC Pro Cam

JVC Pro Cam

Over Glacier National Park

Shooting from the helicopter over Glacier

Mounts:

Now for mounting.  I’m asked question about how I mount these cams a lot.  I took several pictures of the two main mounts I use and in their various locations.  Some have told me it makes them nervous to mount a camera with a suction cup mount on the side of a bike heading down the road at 60 mph.  Me too, but it’s all about getting a cool shot - right? 

I also do a lot of hand held shots to get the street level, overhead, wide side views etc.  To me, this is what makes a video interesting.  Not many will sit through 5-10-20 minutes of droning along a road.  But with creative angles, good music and clever editing videos become more “watchable”. 

I use two main mounts, the UltraClamp by Pedco and the PanaVise suction mount. 

UltraClamp by Pedco

PanaVise suction mount

The main issue is what you do with the mounts.  Get creative and get the fun shots.  I rarely have a mount in a location I cannot reach so I can turn it on and off.  However, for some of these shots I have it mounted near street level, or on a back luggage rack and when I know we are heading up or down a great twisty, I just turn it on and let it go.  They do make for some of the best shots.  Here are a variety of photos showing where I have placed these cams for good shots: 

Looking back mounted to luggage rack

Suction mount on windshield

Mounted high on the windshield

Stick mount under nose

Pedco mount R side windshield

Lets you get angle shots and access the power

I use stick on mounts for helmet shots and rarely on the bike (in the example above), but mostly use the UltraClamp on all sorts of places.  The higher your camera, the more "sway" movement you'll get on twisty roads, and that gets old for the viewer.  I like the stick mount I have shown above under the nose of the Goldwing because it is closer to the ground, gives a great viewpoint and has much less sway.  Problem with places like this is you cannot turn the camera off and on while riding.  But there are cases and special roads where you don't mind just letting it roll.  

I found all these mounts on Amazon and they are not expensive. 

Bugs on the lens is a problem, so stop frequently to clean your lens and change your angles. Hope this has been helpful.  

Shiny Side Up! 

Road Dog

This is a still from the Contour+ tipped down looking at the road

Best Twisty in Colorado (West Elk Loop, CO 92)

 << Ride along with the video at the bottom >>

West Elk Loop

The West Elk Loop in Colorado is a State Scenic Byway of over 200 miles of magnificent landscape. This video is along a short southern section on CO 92, just off Hwy 50.  

On the west end is the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and south it is bordered by the Blue Mesa Reservoir and Gunnison Colorado. At 20 miles long and with 96 miles of shoreline, Blue Mesa Reservoir is the largest body of water in the state of Colorado.

Pat and her bike at Blue Mesa Reservoir

The Dillon Pinnacles at Blue Mesa

The south west portion of this loop is one of my favorite all time twisty roads.  I’ve had friends from the east coast, who regularly ride the Smokey’s and “The Dragon” tell me this short section of Hwy 92 is either as good or better than Tail of the Dragon.  

Detail Map of the Ride

One of the spots to pull over

One beautiful road

One thing is for sure, the view is greater as at points on the road you can peer into the rugged San JuanMountains south towards Ouray and Durango.  As you look cross the gorge of the Black Canyon, you see these spectacular mountains.  The San Juans are a result of extensive volcanic activity.  You can see Wetterhorn Peak a now collapsed volcano (or caldera) and also Uncompahgre Peak which is 14,309 and the sixth highest point in Colorado. 

At Hermit's Rest Looking South

The northern part of the loop is the gravel road that crosses Kebler Pass (135) and for Dual Sports it is an outstanding ride, especially in the Fall.  Many biking clubs ride this loop and base out of Paonia, CO on CO 133.  The northern section takes you over McClure Pass and into Redstone, CO.  Another amazing ride.

Kebler Pass and McClure Pass

On this short video I want to take you just about 20 miles up 92 from the diversion tunnel on the west end of Blue Mesa Reservoir up to Hermit’s Rest area.  This short ride takes you on some of the sweetest twisty turns, breathing taking aspen stands and up to several overlooks where you can look into the Gunnison River. There are two rest stops along this short section with easy to moderate hikes on each if you like.  Both rest stops have restrooms.

I am at the Curecanti Overlook

Pat at Hermit's Rest Overlook

The first you will see is called Pioneer Point and overlooks the Curecanti Needle.  This is a nearly vertical pinnacle of quartz that rises 700 feet above Morrow Point Lake.  It was featured on the first emblem used by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad in 1884 when they promoted themselves as the “Scenic Line of the World.  There are several picnic tables and fire grates here and a great place to stop with your packed lunch.  

Curecanti Needle

The next is at the top of the climb and is called Hermit’s Rest.  Same name but quite different than the Hermit’s Rest at Grand Canyon.  The hike down to Hermit’s Rest is 6 miles round trip with an almost 2,000 foot elevation change so it is pretty strenuous.

This short section of 92 does not take long to ride and if you are on Hwy 50 heading east or west through Colorado, you can easily overlook it, or just think you don't have time and cruise past the turn off.  If you do, you'll be missing one of Colorado's little treasures.  You will see the signs near the dam on the west end of the reservoir. 

Don't Miss It!

I hope you enjoy this short section of the West Elk Loop or Colorado 92 and you have a chance to ride this road very soon.  You will have a smile on your face for the entire ride. 

Till next time, shiny side up!

"Road Dog"