A Romp on Kansas Backroads
On September 14, 2003 I set out for a two week trip to ride jeep trails in Colorado and Utah on my XR650 dual sport. I had been modifying the bike specifically for this trip, and I was pumped. Alas, it was not to be. This is a report of the total miles I rode on that trip, a 246-mile romp on the backroads of Kansas just East of Manhattan. I executed my original plan a year later and took many photos; see my trip report
Ouray CO & Moab UT - 2004.
Deep Creek Road, East of Manhattan and about 2 miles South of I70, looking North.
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Just your everyday herd of Kansas camels.
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My XR650R, just after putting 246 miles on it and still not running out of gas!
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The night before my departure I crunched my ribs while leaning over the bed rail of my pickup to
retrieve an object. The next day I woke up in pain. Rib injuries don't heal quickly, but on Sunday evening
I left for Colorado anyway. By Monday afternoon I was passing through the hills of Eastern Kansas on I70, an
area
that's criss-crossed with gravel roads. I had always thought they'd make a good ride, and decided to stop and try them out. It would also be a good chance to test out the range with my new 6-gallon gas tank.
Strapping an extra gallon of gas to my luggage rack, I took off into the countryside with my camera
in my bags. I rode 246 miles of gravel that afternoon, hitting reserve at 192 miles, but I never did manage to
run the tank dry.
Yes folks, this tank gives the XR650 at least a 246 mile range! I thoroughly
enjoyed the ride. I think Kansas backroads would be worth a trip in themselves. I finished in late
afternoon, then pressed on to spend the night in Junction City, Kansas.
On Wednesday morning I set out for Leadville, Colorado, having spent the night in Loveland. My chest pain had grown worse overnight, and wasn't getting any better as the day proceeded. Along the way I stopped at a clinic for X-rays and pain killers. Nothing was broken. My plan was to spend the night in Leadville, then ride Hagerman Pass on Thursday as a test (of my ribs, and of snow at the higher elevations), then the 13,000+ foot Mosquito Pass after that.
Within ten minutes of reaching Leadville, everything had gone bad and I had started my trip home again. I suppose its good that I discovered it in Leadville instead of on a Mountain Pass. Leadville can be a windy, dusty place this time of year. Immediately after rolling down my window my sinuses puffed up, my eyes watered and started itching, and I went into an uncontrollable sneezing fit. I have medication for allergies, but the stabbing pain in my ribs could not be ignored. I realized I would not be able to ride until I healed, and I was not going to heal in time to ride on this trip. Saddly, I started for home. I could have just drove around and been a tourist, but I decided to save my money for the same trip next summer. Next time I want something from the bed of my pickup, I'm not going to lean very far over the bed rail for it!
