North Rim is a GREAT ride - but tooooooo...... short!
Here is a non-dragon tale of a ride - I didn't bother to post a separate ride report as I this ride was so short (370 miles or so).
After posting one of my favorite routes last Friday I started craving a ride - so a few hours later when the wife got home I informed her that Saturday I was riding and the honey-do list was on hold  Fine she sez - but the cost is dinner out. I also had to run up to Fort Collins to pick up a used set of tank panniers for the GS - I had already spoken to the seller and the agreed upon meeting time was 11 or 11:30 so at precisely 0956 Saturday AM I departed North to Fort Collins picking up I-25 off of 470.
For those unfamiliar w/ 25 between Denver and Fort Collins it just plain sucks. Flat, straight, and heavy traffic (and also under construction in sections). I rolled into Ft Collins right about 11:30 and met with the seller. We chatted bikes for a bit and checked out the mods on his GS - man, another cash hole for me! He also just picked up an HD Road Glide - nice looking bike IMO and not too loud.
About 12:15, after stuffing the tank panniers in the rear trunk I headed west on 14 through Poudre Canyon and up to Cameron Pass. Poudre Canyon is a great scenic ride but not one where I ride hard: plenty of curves but my ME880s hate all the tar snakes! In fact, going up things felt a little looser than normal so I pulled over at a rest stop and checked my tires - yep front was at 38 - DAMN I didn't check them when I first left this am. Oh well, that portable air compressor sure has paid for itself already and did again today. Bump the front up to 42 and check the rear while I am at it. Good to go.
One thing about 14, after 30 miles or so the snakes disappear and the rode really smooths out - much more than I recall on my last ride (I think they must have repaved it this year). So I opened it up a bit passing a few cages but mainly just soaking in the views. Pics 1 and 2 attached are at a rest stop about a mile east of Cameron pass. The GPS shows 10,100 feet - I think the actual top is about 10,276 feet or thereabouts.
Riding west into Walden I gassed up at one of three gas stations in town and headed south on 125. On thing about Walden - it takes a special kind of person to live there - very isolated, very cold, and I bet very windy on occasion in the winter. Heading towards Granby I pulled over at Willow Creek pass for another photo op (pic 3).
After Willow Creek I passed LOTS of hunters on the side of the road - I had already been passing Open Range signs for some time but all these hunters on the side of the road is new to me. I am not a hunter so I don't know the laws but man these guys are just hanging out by their trucks wearing orange vests and carrying rifles and I suspect there is a bottle of bourbon or two about - no wonder the Russians never invaded.
I continued south and about 20 miles north of Granby encountered such a great view I pulled over onto the shoulder for a pic or two. Pics 4 and 5 show the view but do NOT do justice to the experience here: great views, crisp fall weather, and a fun ride.
I had to get back home by 6:30 or 7 to take SWMBO to dinner so I picked up Hwy 40 and booked over Berthoud pass to I-70 back home.
I did see a couple of LTs - a green one at Granby as he was coming down from Grand Lake and another one headed up Berthoud Pass - couldn't tell color because of the shadows.
Miles about 370. Temperatures 49 when I left the house, up to 52 at Fort Collins, mostly low to mid 40s in the mtns, then back up into the 50s coming back down to Denver.
Anyway just a sampler for the flatlanders. I am riding out to CA next weekend - I'll try and take a few pics, if not, then I guess I'll have to go back and get them in November <sfsf>. I am not much for interstates but I have to admit even I-70 is a good ride through CO (and most of UT).
Life is good - see y'all in 2004.
Richard (aka Bulldog)
Parker, CO
'02 Titan Silver "Therapy"
'02 K1200RS "Silver Bullet"
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Re: A Dragon in Colorado ?
[re: JohnR]
Re: A Dragon in Colorado ?