#1 Thread starter
You may remember a fiction/non-fiction essay entry by Reddog a couple of months ago in it he has an escapade with the police, you chose that particular essay as the second place finisher!! It so happens he lives not more than 45 minutes from me up the pass a piece. I ride with him a few times a year and have known him now for couple of years now. Otherwise known as Bill to the strange local folk like me, Bill was putting up a couple of out of state riders for a couple of days while they toured the state on their FJR's. I have been screwing around for the last month and had neglected to give Bill his second place prizes for his essay.
In my attempt to give the prizes to him (Donated by Kanadian Ken BTW) we happened upon this ride he was doing with these two FJR riders, he invites me along and we start formulating these grand plans to tour the whole state in two days!! It was like setting out a war plan to attack the third reich or something (small letters intentional)! But our plans were small potato's to any thing even remotely associated with D day, or even Saint Patties day for that matter!! It was just a ride!!
I had visions of black ops or something "Whiskey Foxtrot Tango come back!! Chechhhhhhhhhhhhhtch, one niner niner" and all that jazz...... it was just a map on the seat of our VFR's we were slobbering over!
The Map
Like I said before we had eyes too big for our butts cause we were talking about doing Rocky Mountain National Park to Steamboat Springs to Grand Junction the first day, then over the Uranium Highway to the Hanging Flume and back over to the Grand Mesa, into Aspen to Maroon Bells, Independence Pass and home!! Tall order for the most wicked of Iron Butt Riders but when you have 4 guys doing it, well the plans have to be scaled back a bit!!
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The Map 750 Mile Loop 2 days
We ended up cutting out Steamboat Springs, Uranium hwy 141, and Maroon Bells, but kept the rest and made a shorter side trip over Gore Pass that is more satisfactory to our leaning angels than Steamboat could ever be. I mean its like Melville and the Sea, we are drawn to the twisty like the crustiest of sailors is to the salty sea air!! Just imagine Ishmael on a VFR!!
"Baton down the hatches, rig the main sail, and twist the throttle - Rocky Mountain National Park is on the horizon!"
Day One
Bill says be at his place by 7:20 am for breakfast and kick stand up by 8am. I was wondering how he come by seven TWENTY like he whipped out his calculator and had it down the split second?? Well I showed up at the designated time and place and yes breakfast was good, thanks to Bills lovely wife Annalise who made us scrambled eggs, toast, muffins and bacon. Nothing like a home cooked breakfast to get you going!
It was then that I first met Gary and Tim and their Bikes. I meet Tim first cause he is the type of guy who just walks up to ya and introduces himself. I guess thats the Michigan way, cause everybody I meet from up north seems to be like that. I see an older gent with gray hair and getting up there in age and I think for a moment its gonna be an easy ride.......then I see his bike............the total absence of any smidgen of an essence of a molecule of unused tire....front and back!! Then Bill points to the well scraped BRAKE PETAL!! Not the feeler - the damn Brake Petal!!!
OK so I guess this guy can ride!!
Then I meet Gary a Texan riding a Blue FJR with more miles than my bike and NEWER like four years NEWER!! OK this ain't no beginner ride here!!! Both are decked out with GPS and well worn in Pilot Road tires it was a Michelin ride all around cause we all had the same tires on!!
PEAK TO PEAK
We decided to take the Peak to Peak highway to Estes Park which follows the mountains behind the foothills of the front range. Its called that because its goes from Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park to Mt Evans, and continues on 67 to Pikes Peak. Its about 100 or so miles long with some jogging around Evergreen in the middle.
Bill just happens to live right off hwy 67 so we were instantly on our way north toward Deckers in an easy early morning pace. Bill and I would switch up lead for the whole trip with Tim and Gary behind us with absolutely no idea where they were at!! LOL
It turned out to be a wonderful day Monday to go for a ride with record high temps in the whole state it was over 75 degrees and the sun was shining brightly!! Just fantastic day for a ride. The Aspen's were changing to deep red and ready to drop! We were not alone either as we passed several large groups of riders on BMW's Kawis Buells you name it Motorcycles were out and about. One particular group all rounded a corner all at full lean, it was exhilaration!
We were in scenic mode until Bill found a red Corvette who wanted to play on the decent to Estes Park, it may have reached speeds over a buck in some places? I would not know cause I was having too much fun trying not to get dropped on that section.
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Lunch In Estes Park
Bill said he was getting hungry and mentioned we should stop and eat, I was trying to remember this place I had been before "Mountain Munchies" were we had a burger, it was great lite fair Colorado Americana!
THE PARK
It was round about here that I tried to get my video equipment running but it was no go, so there is no video for this ride?? sorry fans it broke!! I must have pulled the wires loose from the battery pack cause the soldier came apart.
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Yipsilon Mountain
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Many Parks Curve The boardwalk at Rocky Mountain National Park
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Longs Peak
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Looking down toward Estes Park
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Yipsilon Mountain
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Tim Scaling the rocks at Many Parks Curve looking for a good shot
Tim doesn't give you the impression that looking at his bike does. Hes one of those guys who must school the young-ens back home with his bike handling skills. I can in-vision a few squids going to school behind him now and then.
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Trail Ridge Road winding up Deer Mountain taken from Rainbow Curve
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Desolation Peaks
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Double Teamed Gary and Bill both got me!
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Fairchild Mountain Watershed
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Sundance Mountain Above the treeline
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Terra Toma Mountain
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Mount Ida Azure Lake gleams down below
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Mount Julian and Terra Tomah
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Trail Ridge Road Never Summer Mountains in the background
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Never Summer Mountains
We spent entirely too much time in the park taking pictures and stopping that Bill decided then and there that Steamboat would have to be scrapped, I suggested we do Gore Pass instead and cut off 50 or more miles, and make for Glenwood Springs.
It was getting late in the evening and the shadows were getting long, by the time we started up Gore Pass the sun was full on in my eyes, that and the staccato light and dark of the sun in the trees and the black brand new pavement made me wish I had echo location or something cause I had to roll off a couple of times behind Bill cause I lost sight of the road. I was pleased with the condition of the road!! If only we had done it an hour or so earlier it would have been awesome!! Too busy to take pictures here.
Then at Topanas we turned and headed for I-70 and that was great too, perpendicular to the sun this time the road was easy to manage and it was swift and fun. Not till we were on the interstate did become a chore, We stopped in Eagle for Gas and Tim walked up to a guy in a faded blue stich on an older BMW who said he was once the Iron butt Rally Champ, said he was from Rifle CO. Tim forgot his name as soon as he walked over to us to tell us about it? so it must have been 2003?? Paul Taylor maybe??
We stayed at a nice motor motel in Glenwood and had a good mexican dinner at the restrant across the street from the Glenwood Hot Springs Resort. Nice place that gave us a discount on our rooms, Big blue sign is what made Bill stop there! And the curb appeal.
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Peak to Peak Highway
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Rocky Mountain National Park Map
Attached is the streets and trips file of the Peak to Peak highway
