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The beginning of Rainbow Canyon was just as
beautiful as I remembered, but something seemed a little
different. The weather was almost perfect, |
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Entering Rainbow Canyon
just south of Caliente, Nevada |
which was a lot better than the last time I rode
through this canyon in a rain storm.
I cruised the canyon enjoying the incredible
scenery and awesome sweeping bends of the roadway, until around
10-miles into the canyon I came upon a Road Closed - Local
Traffic Only sign. Knowing perfectly well that road closed
signs do not apply to BMW GS motorcycles, I continued on, now
anxious to meet the challenge ahead.
A few bends ahead from the road closed sign, I
began to see hints of what lie ahead. Huge sections of the
paved roadway were gone - replaced by makeshift dirt roads.
Further ahead is was apparent that a very large flood had recently
washed through this canyon. |
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Upon returning home, I later found this notice on the
Lincoln County, Nevada website:
NOTICE:
December 14th, 2006
DUE TO SEVERE FLOODING IN JANUARY 2005, THE ROAD THROUGH RAINBOW
CANYON IS CLOSED TO PUBLIC USE AFTER THE FIRST 10 MILES. CLOSURE
COULD LAST THROUGH FALL 2008.
Good thing I was on a GS.
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Areas that used to be perfect asphalt, were now
rough gravel and sand. Large boulders and fallen trees
were strewn throughout the canyon and over the roadway. |
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Mother Nature 1, Rainbow
Canyon 0 |
Although I always prefer
dirt over pavement, this is one excellent stretch of motorcycle road
that I was sorry to see destroyed. Hopefully it gets pieced
back together as good as it was before.
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