Kawasaki Concours Forum
Riding => Rides and Stories => Topic started by: texrider on July 21, 2012, 12:10:01 AM
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Making a trip up into Colorado soon, would like to get some input on what you locals think are must-ride roads there. We'll be going in by way of Santa Fe and Taos, after Clovis area out of Texas. Wanted to catch Pikes Peak before heading up to Estes Park, and out on the Trail Ridge to the west and south. Maybe down to Aspen on the way back through NM.
Any thoughts are appreciated. 8)
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Pick any thin red line on your CO map, you can't go wrong :)
The road through Red River, NM is sweet, US-64 I think? Then hit Pagosa and head N, or I-25 to CO Springs. Keep in mind CO Springs had a major fire couple of weeks ago, the foothills are pretty crispy there.
I'm near Estes Park, stop by. Wave at the very least ;)
Rick
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So many roads so little time. Where to start?
550 from Durango to Ridgeway (aka "the million dollar highway"
Then loop back down to Durango on 145 through Telluride
92 on the north side of the "Black Canyon of the Gunnison"
133 over Mclure pass
82 through Aspen and over Independence pass
These are my top 5 but there are many many more.
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Hit the Pikes road very early, like one of the first in line, or very late in day, like just before gate closes. Beat the traffic.
I'd think trail ridge road early in the morning to beat traffic. Not sure about late in day.
Million Dollar Highway is cool.
Many others I'm sure, like Rick said, pick those roads off the map and you can play connect the dots.
Oh, and do google earth and you can "fly" over many of the roads to see what the scenery may be like.
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Be sure to carry out there, appears there are some psycho folks in that state. ::)
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I'd think trail ridge road early in the morning to beat traffic. Not sure about late in day.
Trail ridge is an awesome road but too much traffic. I prefer Pouder Canyon Highway 14.
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Mt. Evans was an interesting side trip.
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Bishop's Castle outside or Rye is pretty cool, nice ride through the San Isabel forest.
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Bishop's Castle outside or Rye is pretty cool, nice ride through the San Isabel forest.
+1 something different and off the beaten path... Be ready for some great speeches from Bishop. LOL!
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It seems that almost every road in Colorado from the front range west, is either a great road or it takes you to a great road. Here is a link to a site you might want to check out.
http://www.motorcyclecolorado.com/ (http://www.motorcyclecolorado.com/)
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Be sure to carry out there, appears there are some psycho folks in that state. ::)
No kidding. If more good people were carrying, there would be less bad ones. ;)
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+1 something different and off the beaten path... Be ready for some great speeches from Bishop. LOL!
No joke. That dude is great......a little out there......but really fun to talk to.
I went out to the castle last summer for the first time in probably 10 years, amazing the progress he has made.
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No joke. That dude is great......a little out there......but really fun to talk to.
I went out to the castle last summer for the first time in probably 10 years, amazing the progress he has made.
I haven't been out there for about 5 years now. I'll have to go check out the progress.
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Well, one great road you should take off of your list is Hwy 24 between I70 and Leadville. It got a pot hole and they closed it for several weeks:
http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20120718/NEWS/120719851&parentprofile=search (http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20120718/NEWS/120719851&parentprofile=search)
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You guys are great! I'm writing these down and checking out the links. It's going to be a great trip no matter what, but love hearing about the lesser travelled gems to look for. Thanks!
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Well, one great road you should take off of your list is Hwy 24 between I70 and Leadville. It got a pot hole and they closed it for several weeks:
http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20120718/NEWS/120719851&parentprofile=search (http://www.vaildaily.com/article/20120718/NEWS/120719851&parentprofile=search)
What a pot hole. Wow! Wow again that they are using so much concrete to fill it. I would think they could fill it mostly with boulders/rock/gravel/sand and compact it as they fill, then maybe pour the top 3' or so in concrete to cap it off. What do I know. How solid is the surrounding soil once it's all done. Oh well, it's only money.
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The trip was GREAT! Seven days of riding, five of which were solid mountains and passes. Came in from Santa Fe up through Pagosa Springs, Wolf Pass, then up 149 to Gunnison. Took 92 to Hotchkiss, and 133 into Carbondale. 82 down through Aspen, and up the Independence Pass. Little tight in some places!
24 up to Leadville, then 91 and 9 north to Kremmling let us hook east on 40 a ways and catch 34 up to Grand Lake, and on into Rocky Mountain Nat Park. After the first time over Trail Ridge, we took the Old Fall River Road back to the top. It's a one-way dirt trail, with tight uphill switch-backs and fantastic views. We sure got some funny looks with me on my Connie, and my buddy on his V-Rod!
Out through Estes Park on 7, 72, 119 down to Idaho Springs put us in position to head to the top of Mt. Evans. Encountered mountain sheep in the middle of the road up, at 12k ft. The rest of the climb to 14k+ was rain, sleet, fog, cold, wind. The ride down from summit got dicey with visibility at near zero, sleet piling up over one inch, heavy lightning storm all happening at once! As we were inching down the 14 miles of hairpins, my TPM monitor went crazy over a low rear tire situation, and the high beam switch got too wet to work properly. Of course it was rapidly getting dark, and we ended up riding back to Idaho Springs in heavy rain to find a hotel room.
67 down to Cripple Creek, then 24 out to Colorado Springs, with heavy rain putting us into a hotel there.
Nice sunny run down 25 to Trinidad and Raton, then over to Amarillo, Wichita Falls, and Ft Worth finished us out in the brutal Texas 110 degree heat.
Thanks for the tips, and it certainly was the ride of a life time for us. I'd even put up with Colorado winters just for the summer riding there! ;D
2,600 total miles, and the bike never missed a beat. Slow leak on rear tire probaly due to an old repair. Ran great on the 85 octane in the high elevations. Highest MPG calculated was 53.8, and lowest of trip was 40.3
Will get some pics posted soon. 8)
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Glad you had a good time! The weather up in the mountains is amazing... Changes on you quick, good to bad, bad to good. Always have to keep extra gear in your cases... Never know what is going to blow in. :)
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Hehehe...Mt Evans is great! When I was up there there were folks riding bicycles to the top! :loco:
Hell, I couldn't keep a cigarette lit up there.
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Be sure to carry out there, appears there are some psycho folks in that state. ::)
What are the carry laws? Can you open carry or conceal carry with no permit?
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I'm headed that way on Friday my route will look like this... https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=201028400276553636436.0004c386676f1b2940689&msa=0
Group of us so they want to keep the days at about 300 miles per day so first night we stay in Gallup then Telluride then back in Gallup on way home. Can't wait to get out of this 115 degree heat!!
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Nice! That was the one area we had to miss out on, this time. Like to hear how it was for your group.
From Pheonix, I love riding the Sedona/Oak Creek Canyon on up by Page/Lake Powell, and the Zion. :-)
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What are the carry laws? Can you open carry or conceal carry with no permit?
Concealed carry without a permit is a no-go (I think Arizona, Vermont and Alaska are the only states that allows that). Open carry is a can of worms that I never like to deal with, but according to what I have read it is legal except where forbidden. Denver is one of the places that does not allow open carry (go figure), so you would want to check and see where you can and can't openly display a firearm.
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I'm headed that way on Friday my route will look like this... https://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=201028400276553636436.0004c386676f1b2940689&msa=0
Group of us so they want to keep the days at about 300 miles per day so first night we stay in Gallup then Telluride then back in Gallup on way home. Can't wait to get out of this 115 degree heat!!
For a far more interesting ride take this. (indian land so watch yer speed)
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Farmington,+NM&daddr=Lukachukai,+AZ+to:Gallup,+NM&hl=en&sll=35.84426,-109.18857&sspn=3.651007,7.536621&geocode=FfpsMAIdwraM-SnHfgytAI87hzEaTlM7trEjyA%3BFbKtKwIdWE19-SktovbhWWA6hzF2K6r9qQzrzQ%3BFY4dHgIdSLiE-SkPVGUvjd4khzFMgDtlBGnVXw&oq=g&t=h&mra=ls&z=8
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For a far more interesting ride take this. (indian land so watch yer speed)
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Farmington,+NM&daddr=Lukachukai,+AZ+to:Gallup,+NM&hl=en&sll=35.84426,-109.18857&sspn=3.651007,7.536621&geocode=FfpsMAIdwraM-SnHfgytAI87hzEaTlM7trEjyA%3BFbKtKwIdWE19-SktovbhWWA6hzF2K6r9qQzrzQ%3BFY4dHgIdSLiE-SkPVGUvjd4khzFMgDtlBGnVXw&oq=g&t=h&mra=ls&z=8
Thanks I'm looking into it to see if the group wants to do it... Appreciate the feedback!!
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For a far more interesting ride take this. (indian land so watch yer speed)
https://maps.google.com/maps?saddr=Farmington,+NM&daddr=Lukachukai,+AZ+to:Gallup,+NM&hl=en&sll=35.84426,-109.18857&sspn=3.651007,7.536621&geocode=FfpsMAIdwraM-SnHfgytAI87hzEaTlM7trEjyA%3BFbKtKwIdWE19-SktovbhWWA6hzF2K6r9qQzrzQ%3BFY4dHgIdSLiE-SkPVGUvjd4khzFMgDtlBGnVXw&oq=g&t=h&mra=ls&z=8
Looks like we will take your proposed route :) The million dollar highway today was simply awesome!!!
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The million dollar highway today was simply awesome!!!
Yes, yes it is!
Duke Rides to Salida! Part 6 (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rI7W5sbvypA#ws)
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OOOps, another pothole -- just a little one this time:
http://denver.cbslocal.com/2012/05/26/massive-sinkhole-forms-near-central-city/ (http://denver.cbslocal.com/2012/05/26/massive-sinkhole-forms-near-central-city/)