Wandering Retirees

Today, weather and proximity finally combined to allow us to climb one of the epic mountains. We set off with our friends Aaron and Bridget this morning for Pikes Peak Highway and the 19 mile drive to the summit of this 14,115 foot mountain. Access is administered by the city of Colorado Springs, not the National Park Service. A reservation and a per person admission fee is required for entry. We had reservations for between 10 – noon and cleared the entry way by 10:30. It was a beautiful ride up with glimpses of Bigfoot and a number of deer. The sky was the deepest blue imaginable and every detail was as sharp as could be. We had fun climbing the road with its twisties and switchbacks. At the top we were rewarded with stimming views for 50 miles or more in every direction. It was cold and blustery on top, and the air was thin so no one was moving very fast. Small oxygen bottles are a common purchase and the puffs of oxygen they provide are welcome. We had a blast! And after missing out on our last trip through Colorado, and our inability to climb Mr Evans due to weather, today’s ride was especially sweet.

Shockingly, we came down the mountain much quicker than we rode up and returned to town a bit after 1 pm. We had a nice lunch with Aaron and Bridget but then had to say good bye. They’re heading home to Louisiana via scorching hot Texas tomorrow. Connie and I had a reservation for a nice diner for our 33rd wedding anniversary. And that has filled our day.

Tomorrow it’s prep time for our ride back across the Plains and Midwest toward home. A day to relax and enjoy this really cute town of Manitou Springs. Connie has some really great pics from our ride.

Hope you’re enjoying your summer. And thanks for following along with us!

We had a great day. We met so many nice people at the Java Moose Cafe in Fairplay, CO and reconnected with our Cajun friends in Manitou Spring.

We will definitely elaborate tomorrow. But I leave you with this.

Good night. 🌙

Yesterday we decided to take a day off from riding and enjoy the town of Salida. Built on the Arkansas River, Salida grew first as a mining town and now seems to be a resort town and a lovely place to live for about 6,000 folks. River sports are big and there’s a thriving arts community.

We walked the two miles downtown past a really elaborate skate park, and a public hot springs spa next to the visitors center. Our visit corresponds to an Arts Festival downtown. There was a “Pollack in the Park” exhibit where volunteers can lie on a swinging platform above a 12 x 12 canvas spread below. The ‘artist’ is given a squeeze bottle full of paint, set into motion and, voilà, a Pollack. Sort of. Really fun to watch, though.

We had lunch overlooking the river and shopped for postcards and just enjoyed wandering about. After our walk back, a nap, a stint in the hot tub and supper rounded out the day.

Today we set out on a 200 mile loop with Salida as the easternmost point. Connie found this exceptionally nice route up US 285 then west on County Rte 306 which took us over Cottonwood Pass. Twisty and gorgeous with a bit of difficulty we thoroughly loved this ride. We stopped at the top to enjoy the view from 12,300 feet. I climbed to the summit and took a few nice shots. Getting there required a trek of about 2/10 mile with a rise of about 250 feet. It took me Almost 30 minutes and I had to stop several times to catch my breath. I’m glad to say there were no hyper athletic youngsters jogging by at their ease. That would have been a bit much as I huffed and puffed my slow way upward.

On the way up, we both met Joe, who lives in Colorado, walking down hill carrying his skis. There’s still abundant snow in places and he was taking full advantage. In a few of the pics you might be able to see ski tracks yet. Anyway, the walk down was a LOT easier and we so enjoyed this stop. It’s not very famous, but Cottonwood Pass may be my favorite on this trip.

Our ride down the other side of the pass took us by Taylor Reservoir and the Taylor River on County Road 209.

Then picking up Rt 742, we rode into Gunnison for fuel and some lunch. After lunch we headed east on US 50 for a bit then turned south on CO Rte 114 over North Cochetopa Pass, then on to US 285 again to return to our hotel.

The landscape here is Colorado is so varied in such short distances. This morning we traveled on roads banked by snow,; descended through canyons to Gunnison; rose to the heavily forested North Cochetopa Pass: into an arid high plateau and then descended to an arid plain before arriving back at our hotel.

All told, it was a 6-1/2 hour ride and we loved every minute. Now we’re chillin’ with a cuppa and soft seats.

Tomorrow it’s off to our final base in Colorado in a town called Manitou Springs, close by to Colorado Springs. Wednesday we hope to climb Pikes Peak. As with all else here, it’s “weather permitting.” We’ll see.

Our route for today:

https://scenicapp.space/route/rppfMsfW

Connie and I enjoyed a leisurely morning doing not much of anything. Except maybe drinking coffee and breakfast. We did hop on the bike late morning and headed east and north toward Monarch Pass on Rt 12 and Kebler Pass.

The sky was a brilliant blue with tiny cloud puffs, and the air so clear you could see for miles. US 50 crosses Monarch Pass is in the Sawatch Range at 11,312 feet. A panoramic view of deep valleys captures your eye. The roadway is very good and pretty curvy. It was pretty breezy today with some gusts up to 30 mph so we were buffeted some, but not dangerously so. Riding heavy, choosing good lines and easing off the throttle a bit help keep it fun.

We passed Monarch Pass and tried to ride up to Kebler Pass, which is reached by Gunnison County Rt 12 out of Crested Butte heading west. It’s “only” 10,000 feet high and is unpaved, but is a very beautiful place. Unfortunately for us, the road was closed today for a bicycle race of some kind that involved amateurs and a lot of kids. We felt sorry for ourselves, but happy for the kids. Really.

On the way back down after the way was barred, we saw a rather flamboyant fellow on a bike with a big flag, a horn and other accoutrements. I’m pretty sure Connie caught that on her camera. He had to keep his momentum up so he couldn’t stop to talk. Sure would have liked to hear some of his story. We meet all kinds, no?

Our return to Salina was fun and and quicker due to less traffic. All told, we covered 200 miles in about 5 hours, plus a stop for food and at the grocery store for supper.

When we travel, we often buy packaged salads and cheese or chicken to eat in our rooms. Partly it’s to reduce costs, partly it is easier to stay in a fret a long day, and partly it’s to make up for too much rich food cadged on the road. Riding two-up we’re already heavy enough.

Hope your Friday was good, and your weekend even better.

A link to our route today:

https://scenicapp.space/ride/HTDMAlsq

Today began as a beautiful morning with bright sunshine and cool. We got up extra early to hit the road before construction delays began along US 50 eastbound. The worthy goal was a 7:30 departure. Along about 8:15 the kickstand came up. No idea what took us so long after all Connie’s hard work last night. Might have been me.

We hit stopped traffic just west of Blue Mesa Lake, the Black Canyon and the Gunnison River. We sat for only about 20 minutes before proceeding. Once through we turned onto County Rd 25 south which took us over a couple of passes and by some more gorgeous lakes and streams. The bike was fully loaded so we took our time through wonderful twisties and elevation changes. Then it was onto State Rte 149 and Slumgullion Pass at 11,500 feet. We wondered at the name and later discovered a “slumgullion” is a cheap or skimpy stew. Not sure what to make of that.

Our route continued through Lake City, Creede and then South Fork where we met an old friend of mine for lunch. His name is Bruce Anderson, married for 40 years to Terri, father and grandfather, and a fellow graduate of Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake HS. He’s retired after a rich and varied career path that included serving as a Park Ranger for the Nat’l Park Service, and with the Bureau of Land Management. He and Terri built their dream house about an hour from Durango in a spot that is deep in nature, quiet and beautiful. Connie and I were tickled that he drove more than an hour to meet us for lunch. (Terri couldn’t make it, unfortunately.) He gave us a lot of insights into this region of Colorado and changes that have happened in recent years. He told us about the naming of Slumgullion Pass. We had a great time with him.

Leaving a long lunch, we rode about two hours to our lodging in Salida. It was a 255 mile, nine hour day and we’re bushed.

For supper, we walked about a mile to Rocky Mountain Ramen for some noodles and rice. Turns out it’s a food truck haunted by a wonderful cook who prepared a spicy and really tasty feast. We were glad we had to walk (waddle?) home.

It was a lovely and happy day. Have a great night.

Our route for today

https://scenicapp.space/route/DkrSohJg

This morning we realized we didn’t really have a long riding day in us. Something relaxing that involved food sounded right, especially since we planned to do a big loop through the San Juan Mountains tomorrow , including the Million Dollar Highway. So off we went.

We had a lovely ride down US 550 to Ridgeway, then Rte 62 to Placerville, then left onto Rte 145 through Sawpit to Telluride. Traffic was easy and the scenery kept us happy. In Telluride, we stopped at the Visitor’s Center (always a good idea) and got good help on what to do. We took the gondola ride up the mountain and through to Mountain Village. Packed to the rafters during ski season, it was lightly peopled and easy to navigate. We had a terrific lunch at a little bistro and talked to our server, Emma, most of the time. The place was empty so Emma regaled us with some stories of her travels post-college as a ski bum, seasonal worker and wanderer. Afterwards, we sought out postcards for the grands (not easy anymore, by the way) and headed back toward town.

It’s an article of faith for travelers that glitches come up. While we were at lunch, we learned that there were problems with our reservation at the next stop. We had to be there tomorrow, not the day following as we had planned. The reasons seem murky but we decided to go with it and leave Montrose tomorrow. It’s disappointing because we have to forego our San Juan loop, and we’ll miss a chance to have lunch with an old friend from high school, Bruce and his wife, Terri. He was kind enough to offer to meet us in Durango which would have been right on our route. We will ride this way again for certain.

Back at our bike, we met a fellow rider named Lynn. He’s a Vietnam vet who retired to Durango from the DC area. He’s riding an older 800cc BMW and clearly having a blast. He pointed to a narrow road cut high into the mountain that still has snow. It’s called Black Bear Pass Road and is, according to Lynn, the most dangerous road in Colorado. He’s ridden it. From his bearing and his descriptions, we believed him, too. Watching him ride confirmed he knows his business.

Before we left Telluride, we traveled to far end of Main Street and took in views of Bridal Veil Falls and the Black Bear Pass Road. The falls were beautiful.

Our ride back was a little longer due to traffic and road construction. There was a terrible accident involving a farmer and his equipment. Prayers for the family.

We got back to the cottage and Connie went into hyperdrive. We are largely packed and ready to move in the morning. It was exhausting. I need to sit down.

We hope you’re well and happy. And thanks for following along!

Here’s a link to our ride today.

https://scenicapp.space/ride/GZlBtAkE

This morning we set out with our new friends, Aaron and Bridget, on a generous loop heading to the southwest toward Nurita, and then sweeping north toward Gateway, then Whitewater and Grand Junction and then back to base on US 50. Using suggestions from local folks, we chose County Rte 90 through the Uncompaghre Nat’l Forest. Easy peasy. Sort of.

Rte 90 started off as a paved country road and became a packed dirt country road fairly quickly. We weren’t concerned about riding a dry dirt road for a few miles. Connie and I have done it many times, as has Aaron and Bridget. (They are riding a big Indian Roadmaster touring bike with a hefty trailer coming behind. Take your time and you’re fine. We figured about 15 miles or so and we’d be back to good (paved) road. Until we hit a detour sign. Road is closed. Go that-a-way. being intrepid souls we declined turning around and forged ahead. Up a road used by logging trucks and 4×4’s. No problem we said. The scenery will be fantastic, we said. For 50 miles at 20-30 mph.

We climbed the Columbine Pass at 9500 feet in the Uncompahgre National Forest. It happens there were’t any problems and the scenery was spectacular. The route (Rte 503 or some such) took us through rugged ranch country and no stores, gas stations or restrooms. We were an intrepid bunch.

In case you want to read some more about the unpaved Nucla-Delta Road to Columbine Pass in CO.

https://www.dangerousroads.org/north-america/usa/6678-columbine-pass.html

It took us until noon to reach a good road again. We stopped at a gas station and bought sodas and cooled off before parting ways. Aaron and Bridget headed for Grand Junction and we are so glad we met. We traded invitations to stop by should we ever find ourselves nearby.

Connie and I stopped for lunch at the local Starvin’ Arvins which has become a favorite in this part of Colorado. Then we headed back to our cabin to relax. Not the day we set out to have, but it worked really well.

Have a great night!

Our route for the day

https://scenicapp.space/route/RsPFsTPx

Lest night we headed to the South Rim of Dark Canyon for a Ranger Talk and to enjoy the sunset and do some star gazing in a truly dark sky.

We rented a car for the ride up because it promised to be very cold and windy along the canyon’s rim. We went with our new friends, Aaron and Bridget from Louisiana and had a wonderful time listening to a Ranger talk about bats. There are about 1500 species worldwide with nine species to be found in the Black Canyon of Gunnison National Park. The Ranger asked the group if anyone liked mosquitoes. After a unanimous “No,”, he told us that many species eat insects of all kinds, big Brown Bats will consume more than 500 mosquitoes per hour. You could sense the flying mammal’s popularity rising. The upshot is that they are important ecologically, they are endangered and need a little help to survive. Though we might not think of them often, we would miss them if they were gone. it was a fun and engaging talk.

Afterwards, we drove deeper into the park to get views of this awesome and virtually unknown gorge, stopping finally at a crowded Sunset View Scenic Overlook. We all loved the view and the sunset did not disappoint. Once the sun was fully down , we found ourselves totally alone as we waited a couple of hours for full dark. We had a great time talking with Aaron and Bridget, sharing stories of motorcycle rides and our families. Aaron is the principal owner of a family business making Andouille sausage close to New Orleans. Bridget is retired from the state office on Environmental Quality. Their daughter is taking over the day to day running of the business which allows the parents to scoot out on vacation. And they’re enjoying life very much.

Venus was the first light to shine in the evening sky, followed by the star, Vega. Over the next two hours the sky filled with lights and the awesome expanse of the Milky Way. We loved it. Then the hours caught up with us and we wound our way home through a pitch black night.

A suggestion for novice star gazers like us. Bring warm clothes and a find or make a comfortable place to sit. Maybe bring binoculars and use a phone app that identifies the objects in the night sky. We used an app called SkyView available from your favorite App Store. It makes it fun and more interesting. If you get hooked on astronomy, there are tons of equipment and gadgets available. For us, though, simple is plenty fine.

Today we slept in and took care of household chores, returned the vehicle, took a nap and had dinner with Aaron and Bridget. Tomorrow we’re on the road and lots of new sights.

Have a great night!

Yesterday was down day for rest and recuperation. Connie and I slept in then treated ourselves to breakfast out at Starvin’ Arvins in town. With a name like that it has to be good. And it is: they provided us with a fantastic breakfast. Then off to the Safeway to lay in food. Connie cooked up a multi-day batch of chili and took ourselves a nap. Most decadent.

After supper we took a stroll through this park and encountered Rick and Cindy. They are both riders with a lot of experience and cred. And both are retired from unusual and exciting careers as Roadies and support staff for big name acts, like the Stones in the early 80’s, Rush, Genesis, Phil Collins, Celine Dione and a ton more. She didn’t say, but I believe Cindy was also into the performance side of these products. So we sat and talked into the evening about rides we’ve had, some of which we have had in common, and their stories about traveling with the Dead and Foreigner. Amazing!

We turned in early so we could start early this morning for a four hour ride before forecast high winds showed up.

And off we went east on US 50 to CO 92 north into the Gunnison Nat’l Park along the north rim of the Black Canyon. The canyon is quite narrow and very deep. Over the course of millions of years, the Gunnison River has cut through layers of basalt to form a fast moving, turbulent body of water more than a thousand feet below the surrounding rock. The Nat’l Park Service has done its usual fantastic job of making Scenic overlooks that provide stunning views. Unlike most of the shots we’ve taken so far, many today are looking down a long, long way.

And because the route is so twisty, there are tons of bikers who ride there. We met a number of riders from Texas, and a gracious, funny man named Tom who is retired but tends a vineyard in nearby Paradise.

This evening we’re meeting a couple from Louisiana for supper who are on a ride a long way from home. We have been in touch through a shared FB group and are lucky to cross paths. After supper we plan to head back to Gunnison to view the starry sky. The moon is just past New, the air is very clear and there is little light pollution to inhibit our viewing. It’ll be chilly up there, but we’re excited to see it.

Okay, then. We’re off to supper and star watching. Have a great night.

If you’d like to see our route for today:

https://scenicapp.space/route/QEdtcdhK

We said goodbye this morning to Silverthorne, CO to head to Monrose as a new base. Our ride started west on I-70 for a few miles, then south on CO 91, the Top of the Rockies road (Independence Pass). It was sunny but chilly during the morning run and we were glad for our gear. It’s becoming a tiresome phrase, but the views were stunning. It reminded us of the Alps, with clouds shrouding mountain tops still covered with snow. But much, much bigger.

Rte 91 returned us to Leadville where we enjoyed a Mexican feast a few days ago, (My stomach remembers.) and picked up US 24 to Twin Lakes. Then the most fun part of the day was the climb on CO 82 to Independence Pass. We remember all the twisties and beautiful sights from four years ago. The sun was out but the temp was only 35 F when we parked to walk to the scenic overlook. Breathtaking. And again, we were so glad for our warm gear.

We met two couples at the summit. The first, Steve (not sure, my memory fails) and Rhonda are from Southern New Hampshire. She is newly retired and he’s working remotely so there seems a lot of freedom to enjoy. They are so friendly and a pleasure to visit with.

Then there’s Larry and Shannon, not retired but enjoying a ride from their home in the front range. They both love riding and Larry got a new BMW 1250gs last fall that is comfortable on longer rides. I enjoyed talking shop about our bikes and where we want to ride next. We’re so glad we met both couples.

We were (I admit, it was I) getting comfortable chatting when we noticed some dark clouds looming. So we said our goodbyes and skeedaddled. Independence Pass is still one of my favorite places we visited.

Rt 82 took us to Glenwood Springs where we picked up I-70 again headed West past Silt, Rifle Parachute and cut off at Clifton, just short of Grand Mesa. We linked up with US 50 which took us into Montrose and our new digs. It was a long day’s ride but very satisfying.

Dinner was takeout from Ted’s Steakhouse, about 100 yards from our cottage. The meal was good, but that isn’t the important part. The proprietor, Ted, hung a quote from Mark Twain above the archway leading into the dining room. We’ll finish with that tonight.

From “The Innocents Abroad / Roughing It”

“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”

Here’s a link to our route if you’re interested https://scenicapp.space/ride/GNtzpJqg