TIN CAN TO TIN CUP A LONG OVERDUE TRIP

Long before the modern U.S. highway system was built, with rest stops, 24-hour fuel, and every imaginable packaged food choice on hand, there were the “Tin Can Tourists,” the original American motorized overlanders. As early as the 1900s, these wanderers faced many of the same challenges we live with today. But life was far simpler for the Tin Can Tourist traveling dusty, rutted tracks in meagerly powered vehicles, camping off roadsides in canvas tents, and eating cans of beans over Sterno stoves. Fifteen months ago, we sold our house to join this rambling lifestyle.

- Miguel Santana and Wendy Halitzer

Our tale begins in the town of Salida, CO, which sits in a region famously called the “Banana Belt” due to its down-sloping westerly winds that create a region of hot summers and dry warm winters. Meeting at a friend’s place—me on my 2016 KTM 690 Enduro R and my “Tin Can” partner, Wendy, in a 2018 Tacoma TRD capped with a Vagabond Drifter, towing her 2018 KTM 250 EXC-F and my Husqvarna FX350— we were heading back to southwest Utah where our belongings were stowed. The intent was to leave our two-wheeled machines and trailer behind for this trip, but when Wendy turned to me and said, “I miss our long dirt bike trips,” I realized there was nothing stopping us from gripping our handlebars instead.

Switching gears, we borrowed a larger tank for the 250, loaded our Mosko Moto Reckless 10L and 80L panniers, and set off to chase the sun through the high mountain passes of Colorado and sepia deserts of Utah. The plan was to venture to Hurricane, UT, via unpaved backcountry routes over the next 10–12 days, allowing plenty of time for detours and exploring along the way.

Enjoying the ride through the pine- and aspen-lined peaks, we ascended over Marshall Pass (10,842 feet) and down into Sargents, CO, where all manner of travelers stop for fuel, food and water. Nestled in the mountains, Sargents lies along Highway 50 between Poncha Springs and Gunnison in the southern Sawatch Mountain range. We pulled into the