Howdy Mr Rusty,
I'll check out the Big Bend ride and others. You'll like Utah with Moab and the Green River areas to roam. I took my 690 in May of '16 to Green River and rode with a pack of 30 something experts. Giant rock slabs, sand, creeks and lots of scenery. Moab is like being on the moon and great. Drop your counter sprocket a tooth or two first. I've been riding all the great back country roads around Travis Lake on my KTM 1190 and am ready to find some dirt for my 690 that is getting bored in the garage. Enjoy the desert and fill up your camel back.

In my quest for the best 50/50 dual sport tires for my 2016 690 enduro, I decided to try a brand suggested by a 690 rider friend of mine, Ron in Illinois. I was tired of the OEM Pirellis that gave me the creeps at speed on pavement, especially in corners. The rear wore out quickly and didn't impress me in sand when riding at Green River Utah. So I slapped on a set of Heidenaus and presto. Traction and stability on dirt/gravel and sticky on asphalt too. I haven't tried them in deep sand yet. I did balance them and they feel great at 70 mph. Plus they don't hum like the Pirellis. They are stiff and I set them by the heater vent for a few days before the instal in December. Take a look and give them a shot.