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

This morning started really pretty in Silverthorne. The sun was shining, the birds were chirping and we looked forward to climbing Mr Evans. Fortunately, Connie checked the weather forecast first and it didn’t look good. Snow showers and snow flurries and 1-3 inches on top of what fell last night. Oh, and a projected high of 34F. It was an easy but painful call: not today and not this trip despite two attempts. Oh, well.

Connie scouted a nice route heading away from Mt Evans that looked fun. We plotted a loop heading north on CO 9 to Kremmling and Gore Pass. With that decided we treated ourselves to breakfast out at a great Mexican restaurant in town. On leaving, I detoured to a Yamaha Powersport shop next door.

Why? To say thanks to Mike, the owner for some helpful advice he gave. See, my helmet comm went on the fritz after we returned home last night. it wouldn’t shut off and would not recharge for the next day. The owners manual wasn’t helpful, nor was a call to tech support at the manufacturer. Mike directed us to some resources relatively close by if nothing else worked. He was thoughtful and kind. When I stopped in with our thanks, we had a great conversation and he suggested an improvement to our planned ride.

By the way, the solution turned out to be both simple and befuddling. We kept the comm on until its battery was fully drained and the unit shut down. (Connie’s idea.) Then we set it up to charge overnight and, lo and behold, it worked fine this morning. Tonight we have the same issue so we’ll follow the same remedy until we can get a replacement. An inconvenience that’s annoying but we can work through it. Back to the ride.

We rode about 25 miles up Rte 9 along the Blue River. Easy and beautiful riding that we enjoyed very much. Then, taking Mike’s suggestion, we turned west onto Trough Rd, a hard pack dirt road the Leads to the head waters of the Colorado River. It was a peaceful and stunning ride with only a few vehicles to share the road with heading the other way. I had no problems with the bike at all, it performed beautifully.

If you’d like to view our route, you can do so here.

https://scenicapp.space/ride/czLmdOah

Then we got to the Gore Valley Scenic Overlook and it was spectacular. Looking down from a height of about 1,000 feet, the Colorado River gorge was laid out before us. The Amtrak rail line that serves the Rockies is carved into the steep walls on the western bank. It was hard to imagine that the small river we saw today swells over more than a thousand miles into the source for two huge reservoirs behind mighty dams, and supply water for homes and agriculture in more than 10 states.

Trough Road followed the Colorado River for quite a ways before emptying onto Co Rte 131 which we took north toward Toponas. If we had followed 131 further then we’d have found Steamboat Springs. Instead, we cut east on Rt 134 past Deadman Gulch and over Gore Pass. We stopped in Kremmling for a cuppa and a nosh at a cozy Saloon on Main Street. Our enterprising waitress brought us our refreshments and talked us into taking home a frosted cinnamon bun “baked by grandma on premises,” and weighing about a pound but only costing six bucks. She saw us coming. And I’ll let you know how grandma’s baked goods stack up.

We met a guy who noticed our PA plates and wanted to know if we were really from Pennsy. We assured him we are legitimate and he set off on a brief but full description of his work building nuclear power plants in Berwick and Norristown. Connie was born in Berwick and still has family there. The man, who refused to share his name seemed satisfied with the encounter and walked off without another word. It takes all kinds, doesn’t it?

We picked up Rt 9 again heading south and got back around 5:30, very happy with our ride of 155 miles. Since tomorrow is a travel day to our next base, we packed our things and sat down to eat and relax.

Despite our rain outs, we’ve had a great time here in Silverthorne. Our accommodations were very comfortable and we’re thankful to our hosts.

Thanks for following along! Have a great night.

Today was a gorgeous day with only limited rain forecast for late afternoon. So we headed east to Georgetown and the beginning to the Guanella Pass Scenic Byway. The road is 22 miles long and offers a twisty ride with lots of sharp turns through the Arapaho Nat’l Forest. The road tops out at 11,670 feet with a magnificent view of Crystal Lake and the surrounding mountains. It’s a popular hiking destination and we had the pleasure of meeting a father/son pair, Bill and Lucius. Lucius is on summer break from school and they take full advantage. When we met they just finished a five hour trek to a nearby peak and they still looked fresh. This past December they climbed Mt Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. Really interesting and conversation with really friendly guys.

Later in our ride we climbed to Mestaa’Ehehe Pass, formerly known as Squaw Pass. Located near Evergreen and Idaho Springs, also in the Arapaho Forest, the pass tops out at 9,790 feet. The route we took was a little off the beaten path that Connie found and it proved fabulous! Coming off US 285, the ride up started on Rte 73, Stage Coach Blvd, then Witter Gulch Road, and then over the pass on Rte 103. Stage Coach and Winter Gulch roads were so much fun with more than a dozen switchbacks and beautiful turns. It reminded us of roads in the Austrian Alps. If you ride in this area, try this route!

Our route for the day. Definite must do!

https://scenicapp.space/ride/nrtVzTAB

You all know us and the pleasure we get from a good meal. We stopped for lunch at a rustic barbecue place called The Smiling Pig on Rte 68 in Bailey, CO. They brag about the care they put into preparing their meats with really good cause. We had a brisket and a pulled pork sandwich that were stunningly good. wish we’d ordered takeout for later.

We rode back to Georgetown for a cuppa at the coffee shop we visited the other day. Myami wasn’t there, unfortunately so we couldn’t visit some more. Then back to our digs and mundane tasks. Like laundry. It was time.

Tomorrow it’s on to Mt Evans, weather permitting. Looking forward to another

good day.

Yesterday the weather was really pretty awful, so we chose to limit our travels to a quick shop, the post office, and a bite to eat. The shopping concerned necessities and snacks which are normal supplies. The stop at the Post Office was to mail home extra stuff we brought along that we didn’t need but have been taking up valuable space. And brunch was a pleasurable meal out because pancake mix doesn’t fit anywhere in our pack plan. A nap, some reading and an early night were real pleasures.

Today, the 13th, we were determined to make a long loop south and west of Silverthorne. I’d like to mention that there was frost on the ground and on Shiney at 7 AM, and an ambient of 35 F when we loaded up. We made a fair imitation of the Michelin Tire mascot as we scrambled aboard. It did warm up some, reaching almost 60 F at one point. There was also a rather enormous moose munching in a flower garden as we left the development; we paid each other no nevermind.

Our route took us south on CO Rte 9 by the Dillon Reservoir and following the Blue River, climbed toward Breckinridge, a famous ski and resort area. Lots of fine twisties, some hairpins led us to Hoosier Pass at 11,500 feet. Gorgeous views all around, even with light rain.

At the little town of FairPlay, we picked up US 285 and continued south to Buena Vista where we stopped for fuel and a stretch. We talked to a guy who claims to have nine years to go until retirement and wants to do what we’re doing when he gets there. There is so much that is beautiful out there!

We turned north on US 24 and rode through Granite and rolled into Leadville, a small town that is home to a National Mining Museum and has a ton of charm. We got a look at the Silver Dollar Saloon, billed as the “Best Wild West Saloon in America” when we stopped for lunch at a Mexican restaurant called “Casa Sanchez.” On walking in we recognized that many of the patrons are local folks, which is always a good sign. We both had burritos and they were out of this world. The bike was fully laden when we climbed back on.

We continued north and marveled at the grandeur all around us. Turning East on I 70 we passed Vail and the several ski resorts that surround it. It’s hard not to be impressed at the scale of tourism in Colorado. Luxury resorts and condos and related businesses are going up at a considerable clip. It’s impossible to appreciate the scale of tourism here until you see it for yourself.

We arrived back at our temporary home a bit after 3 PM and enjoyed warming up with a cuppa. We are so enjoying our stay here.

One final note for those who have expressed the opinion that we are not in our right minds: riding in the cold, in the rain, on a motorcycle.

I concede that we are a bit crazy; non compos mentis; whatever. By the same token, we’ve seen numerous rafting, canoeing and kayaking expeditions, spray in their faces, hurtling down snow fed rivers in 40 F weather. They are smiling. They really seem to be enjoying themselves. I posit that these demented souls are the ones who are truly cracked. Surely not Connie and I. Surely.

Have a great night, and thanks for following along.

Connie and I rode out of Estes Park toward our new base in Silverthorne, CO. Our six hour route took us along Rt 119, the Peak-to-Peak Hwy we so enjoyed our last time through. Mt Meeker is particularly impressive. We realized we were tired from our days’ rides. So we took our time and stopped often to stretch, drink some water and enjoy the view.

There was a bad storm brewing late in the day and we wanted to sit it out. So we pulled off I-70 to a coffee shop / trading post in Georgetown called Colorado T-Shirt and Espresso Bar. They had a little bit of everything. We got a cup of coffee and a nosh from an engaging young woman named Myami who is in her early 20’s and hails from Michigan. After graduating from high school at 16 she has traveled for a number of years as a seasonal worker to resort areas in multiple states including Michigan, Arizona, Texas. (Alaska is on her horizon, too.). Her demeanor is bright, open and friendly, and she is very sharp.

Myami says her experiences will help her choose a place to settle that is a good fit. She’s made a lot of good friends on the road from all over the country. And she has plans for her future as a professional in a service industry. Sounds like a plan to us. She is another remarkable person we’ve been so lucky to meet. (She very graciously allowed us to take her picture to share on our blog.)

The weather cleared as we finished our coffee. Which was good because Myami was closing up shop. We said our good-byes and finished our ride to Silverthorne. Our new base is in a condo complex that is always full during ski season, but Sier I fully quiet now. It’s located above Silverthorne at about 9,000 feet. The view is awesome overlooking Dillon Reservoir and the surrounding valley about 800 feet below.

Today, the 11th, we decided on a down day, went shopping and prepared some home cooked meals for the next few days’ stay. It’s funny how homogeneous grocery stores are everywhere in the country. Everything is similarly placed and pretty easy to find. Except Whole Foods, which is always an adventure.

Tomorrow we have reservations to take the Mt Evan’s Scenic Byway to the just below the summit. At 14,213 feet, it’s the tallest of the peaks in the Front Range of the Rockies. The road to the top is the highest paved road in North America, and fifth highest in the world. The weather in Colorado, and especially the higher elevations, is always subject to change unexpectedly. We’re very excited to ride to the top of Mt Evans, though weather is forecast to be very cold with the possibility of snow. Cold we can deal with. But snow? We’ll see what tomorrow brings.

As always, thanks so much for listening and following along. Have a good night.