Madera Canyon camping trip

Fishermanblues · #1 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 02:09 AM

I just got back home from a camping trip in Madera canyon, it turned out to be quite an adventure. The ride from Tucson went very smoothly we arrived there around 3. However when we arrived a few problems began to surface. The bag that the 3 person tent was supposed to be in actually contained no tent just a lot of metal pipes, so we piled everything we brought with us around the picnic table for extra insulation and slept under there. The only fire wood we were able to find was wet from the recent rains but we managed to start a fire using some dry twigs, the wet wood burned but not very well. I managed to stay pretty warm in my sleeping bag last night even though it got down to 31 degrees. The only mechanical problem occurred on the way home. The master link that held together the chain that goes around the motor sprocket to the jackshaft broke, but luckily I had some extra chain and a chain breaker with me. I had such a great time, and I wouldn't have been able to do it without my SBP shift kit, I really needed the low gears to tow all my gear up hill.
Hope you enjoy the pictures

Fishermanblues · #2 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 02:12 AM

some more pics

Fishermanblues · #3 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 02:15 AM

a couple more pics

DOC BOLM · #4 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 02:40 AM

Looks like fun.H/D

goat herder · #5 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 04:40 AM

Great picts I'm jealous now thats what I'm talking about . Your living the dream, I love it! I think I have some buddies to drag into such a trip. I got them all started on these CH. Glad to here the shift kit works good.

Spunout · #6 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 08:12 AM

no tent! man, you guys really roughed it. but...thats campin'!
and doing it by motored bikes.....thats COOL.

i, also, am glad to hear the shift kit worked out so well.

nice post/pics. thanks for sharing

if you or your buddies have any ideas for location of the next Death Race, that thread is posted in the Events and Races section.

TexasDav · #7 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 09:24 AM

I got one of thoses face protectors at the motorcycle shop, I recomend them to anyone riding in the cold, they are life savers. Wow what wonderful looking country, I love those adventure stories here, makes me want to ride and dream.

**2door** · #8 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 11:21 AM

Just wondering if you weighed that load. I'd guess you had 40 / 50 pounds on the rear wheel. How did the bike handle with that much weight? I carried two 40 pound bags of ice one evening last summer and my bike was a little squirrly so I took it easy for the 1/2 mile ride home.
Tom

Fishermanblues · #9 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 11:53 AM

The load was probably closer to 60 lbs, I was carrying most of the water and all of the food plus the tools I always carry. It did get a little squirrly early on in the trip but after redistributing the load more evenly on both sides of my bike it handled fine.

I was amazed how fast I was able to go with all of that stuff on there, I took it up to 38.6 on an empty country road with a slight downhill incline, but mostly I kept to the 20 mph speed limit.

**fairracing31** · #10 (**permalink**) 01-09-2009, 01:37 PM

Very cool! What a nice ride, I have riding there a few times it's so beautiful out there. Last time I was shocked by the amount of development out there. It wont be long before there is house's all the way to the canyon. Enjoy it while you can. You gotta take box canyon road to the east over the mountain it will take you to greaterville. I am not sure whats past that, greaterville is as far as I went before I turned around. Sure was a very nice ride.