Arizona Backcountry Discovery Route – Adventure Motorcycle Magazine

From seeing the Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route in a movie theater, to becoming one of the characters in the next BDR, Inna Thorn brings you this engaging, behind-the-scenes report of her off-pavement motorcycle adventure through Arizona’s backcountry.

• How it all Started

As I sat in the theater at the Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route movie premiere, watching a group of guys having the time of their lives riding adventure motorcycles in the majestic Colorado high country, I suddenly realized how much I missed experiencing the world on two wheels.

In 2008, my boyfriend and I quit our jobs and set off on a motorcycle adventure from Seattle to Ushuaia. For six months we tasted the world, mile by mile, as we traveled aboard our Kawasaki KLR 650s. Riding about 20,000 miles, we crossed 13 countries exploring some of the most remote and legendary places in the Southern hemisphere. Something inside us changed on that trip—we had the adventure bug.

A lot has happened since. We got married. My passion for adventure motorcycling guided my career, and I joined Touratech-USA. In 2011 our son was born. Motherhood and parenting consumed my life. Coming out of a year-long maternity leave, I welcomed the opportunity to work for the Backcountry Discovery Routes (BDR) as manager of the non-profit organization. The organization’s goal is to provide resources and inspire people to explore the backcountry by motorcycle.

That evening the COBDR movie reawakened my yearning for adventure. Motherhood aside, life on the road seemed so alluring again, but was it realistic? During the question and answer period afterwards, I asked if they’d consider having a woman in the next film? A week later, I was invited to join the BDR scouting team for the Arizona BDR documentary.

Inna Thorn and Austin Vince negotiate sandy terrain during the toughest day of the AZBDR expedition.

• Preparation Time

The report from Rob Watt who’d been scouting the route for the last two years sounded a bit unnerving. AZBDR is the most remote of the BDRs so far. We would camp for the entire nine-day expedition, encounter sand, steep hills with loose rock, and long days in remote areas. We would also have to watch out for cactus, snakes, scorpions, and something called the Valley Fever.

With just over a month to prepare, I took a dirt training class with PSSOR (Puget Sound Safety Off-Road). It made me realize that my trusty KLR 650 might be a bit too much bike to handle in the rugged terrain. A good friend graciously offered his ADV-ready Yamaha WR250R for the expedition. Another weekend-long practice in the dirt on the WR and I was ready as I could be. It was finally travel time!

• The Team

We met at GOAZ Motorcycles in Scottsdale, AZ, for final preparations. The group consisted of dual-sport enthusiasts from across the motorcycle industry. Tom Myers and Paul Guillien of Touratech-USA; Justin Bradshaw of Butler Motorcycle Maps; Rob Watt, owner of Trailmaster Adventures; Florian Neuhauser, editor at Road Runner Magazine; Austin Vince, the gregarious British adventurer and filmmaker; Jon Beck, photographer; Sterling Noren, filmmaker; and me.

The AZBDR expedition team taking in the views from the Mogollon Rim (left to right): Tom Myers, Paul Guillien, Justin Bradshaw, Florian Neuhauser, Sterling Noren, Inna Thorn, Rob Watt and Jon Beck.

• The Border

The Coronado National Memorial, commemorating the first organized expedition into the Southwest by conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado, also marked the beginning of the AZBDR expedition. Dusty twisties led up to the entrance of the Coronado National Forest on the southeast flank of the Huachuca Mountains.

From there we could see deep into Mexico, including the border guard surveillance activities. We rode along a welded steel fence that marks the Arizona/Mexico border, a popular drug smuggling route in the Southwest. Despite the warnings we hear on the news of “Just don’t go near the border,” we never felt in danger, and encountered a number of friendly border patrol agents who just waved as we rolled by.

• Tough Terrain

The following day epitomized difficult terrain as we rolled out of camp and immediately hit soft, deep sand. I couldn’t gain much speed, my front wheel kept catching on the ruts and the bike kept going wherever it wanted. By the time this sandy section was finally over, I’d had at least four falls, was overheated and completely worn out.

The sand gave way to steep hills carpeted with loose rock where Sterling set up a shot at the top of a curvy hill. We were to ride up one bike at a time as the camera rolled. I watched other riders skillfully muscle their large bikes up the hill. I said my prayers before tackling the challenge and starting the climb. When I made it to the top of the hill I reveled in the feeling of triumph.

A few minutes from reaching pavement, Austin took a nasty fall and seriously injured his knee. Just like that his trip was over and we were forced to say goodbye. It was a bittersweet ending to an otherwise victorious day.

We awoke the next day in a cozy bowl of a valley, with towering saguaro cactus in full bloom painting the hills. The riding started out easy on a wide, hard-packed dirt road. After a quick fuel stop, we rode alongside old train tracks. The road was rutty but fun and fast-paced, the kind the WR is made for. I had a couple of scary moments, but managed and kept the momentum going with a huge smile on my face.

We crossed the Pioneer Pass at 5,900 feet and drank in the stunning high country scenery and lake views. It was BDR at its best.

Last night of camping on the edge of the spectacular Little Colorado River Canyon.

• Putting the Backcountry in BDR

We entered the Sierra Ancha Wilderness of the Tonto National Forest. The road weaved in and out of the forest, opening to spectacular views of precipitous box canyons, high cliffs, and pine-covered mountains. The path was hard pan with jagged rocks for hours on end. Difficult riding and the heat of the sun quickly diminished our water supplies.

After another tire-changing break, we took a turn and descended on the twisty, rocky, slippery road that would be marked “Expert” in the final AZBDR route. It was a physical ride, but on my WR250 I just cruised down in first gear, dancing the bike around the big rocks.

By the end of the day everyone was completely exhausted, out of water and food, and low on gas. Finally at the campsite, we washed clothes in the creek, and gathered around the campfire for a five-star dinner and drinks.
Riders enjoy the stunning scenery of the Arizona’s Sonoran Desert.

• Mother’s Day

When I became a mom two years ago, I never dreamed I’d spend Mother’s Day 1,000 miles away from my baby, camping in the wilderness with a bunch of men. I woke up to the chirping of birds and the smell of coffee and the guys making me Mother’s Day breakfast.

It was an enjoyable and scenic day of riding. We were treated to iconic views of the plateau country and desert canyon country from the rugged Mogollon Rim, an escarpment that forms the southern limit of the Colorado Plateau. It drops as much as 2,000 feet in some areas and provides some of the most far-reaching scenery in Arizona.

On the fast gravel road we zoomed through the diverse landscapes of the Coconino National Forest, with its ponderosa pine forests, mesas, alpine tundra and ancient volcanic peaks, then continued to the Long Lake for photos. A rocky road through the bushy terrain resulted in more flat tires. Most of us ran out of water and food, a testament to the remoteness of the ABZDR.

In the morning we rode through black volcanic sand. I was intimidated at first but quickly got the hang of it, and then, no one could stop me. I was zooming pass the guys, jumping over the road humps feeling like a motocross rider.

• Grand Canyon and the Navajo Nation

We made a quick tourist stop at the Grand Canyon before heading to our next destination—the Navajo Nation. As we entered the large expanse of the Navajo land, with its spectacular canyon mesa scenery, the land felt venerable and sacred. A herd of wild horses ran off in the distance.

Rob had a very special cliff-side camping spot for us that night—right on top of the deep and jagged Little Colorado River Canyon. It had the most spectacular views of any site I’d ever seen. We pulled up to the edge to set up camp. The sandy soil made it hard to keep the tents staked down. Some brave guys even placed their tents just a bike length away from the canyon’s edge.

• Rough Night

As darkness fell, the wind grew stronger. By the time we were crawling into bed, the wind was beginning to blow our personal effects away. As the gusts became more intense, I feared my tent was going to lift up and fly away along with my helmet, my riding boots and my bike into the deep drop of the canyon. The wind was relentless. Blood-shot eyes told the story the next morning. No one slept a wink, and we were all wandering around looking for missing belongings.

Rob had another special surprise for us that morning, a view point of the Grand Canyon accessible by a secret track not easily found on the map. Our group took in the dramatic views of a place most people have never seen—a perfect ending to our Grand Arizona Adventure.

• Gift of the BDR

For many people, adventure travel means going to faraway places on the other side of the world, taking months off work, investing hours into planning. The gift of the BDR is the reminder that unique adventures are much more accessible than we may realize. Right here in our backyard are beautiful places for motorcycle riding. The routes are established and the GPS tracks are free. In less than a week’s time you can have memories that will last a lifetime.

Experiencing Arizona by remote backroads on two wheels gave me a new appreciation for its natural beauty and its iconic landscapes. On a personal level, AZBDR was a tale of a Hero’s Journey: the call to adventure, the doubting of my abilities, the support and camaraderie of the team, the tests, challenges and tribulations, the rewards and the final triumphant homecoming.
AZBDR made me face my fears, and instead of dreading the sand or the rocks, I learned to conquer them head on. Apart from experiencing the beauty of the world, for me, this personal growth is my favorite element of adventure motorcycling.