It had been about 20 years since I rode out there last, but I returned to the adjoining open area to Juniper Dunes Wilderness Area for some fun with my riding buddy Jimmy.
This whole area is open to the public, but the approach rodes are mired in confusion and limbo of leased roads, private roads, and local farmers with seemingly bogus No Trespassing signs. With Blackberry in hand with web page saying passage for public was legit….we braved on north on Petersen Road and once in the Juniper area we parked with others that had also blown by the sign.
It seems like the actual footprint of what is public and private even in the expanse of sagebrush is a bit sketchy and bisected by various fences and iffy faded signs. But, once you ride out into the true meat of the expanse….this is some great land. Sagebrush and sand to be sure, but the undulation of the terrain and smattering of wild Juniper trees is what I’d imagine parts of Mars would be like if it had oxygen.
The XR650R shines in this element and makes my friend’s KLR650 seem like a barge. That’s OK with Jimmy though…as he ponders fixing up his other dirt bike.
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| From XR650R |
