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[image: Click for full size]
With New Video
I posted this ride two weeks ago and 7 riders showed up to ride the more than 500 miles of Colorado twisties (and slab) to our annual destination of Creede. This ride started out with only two riders who met on the road, Craig and I five years ago and we have returned every year since, bringing a few Friends every year with us and some new faces.
The ride started out in Colorado Springs Craig, Gordon and I but we met half of our party in Texas Creek a small diner along Hwy 50, Bill, Dave, Scott and his wife Deanna.
[image: IPB Image]
Texas Creek Rendezvous Meeting place hwy 50
We found them enjoying a nice breakfast while we waited outside watching the humming birds ransack the feeders hanging from the side of the buildings. I have never met Scott or his wife Deanna (she is an awesome gs650 pilot) or Dave. So all the VFR riders I knew and none of the BMW riders. It was the start of a great ride.
[image: IPB Image]
4 VFRs 3 BMW seven bikes and 500 miles to go
We piled on our bikes and made surprisingly great time, the road to Poncha Springs was littered with cars but we passed them in lock step each of us negotiating them with ease. Poncha Pass was supposed to be another stop to meet more riders but none were there waiting for us - I thought was had another rider in Colorado Springs but surprisingly after talking with the guy he got on his bike and rode off alone? I guess it was just some guy out on a ride alone? He must have thought I was nuts telling him we were just over there pointing at the coffee shop where we were waiting? I thought he was part of our group but I guess not?
I can only wonder what he thought I was saying? "Whats wrong with this guy - I don't know who he is"? I realized my mistake when he rode off in the other direction. Oops hes just on his own.
The ride up Poncha pass was quick and over sooner than I expected and just as quick we were dealing with lots of slab on the Gun-barrel. Its called that cause its a long strait road to Del Norte through the San Luis Valley all the way to Hwy 160. It only took about an hour 1/2 to get to Creede with all that slab, riding past a State Trooper with his radar on we all caught the signal five minutes before we saw him. We were soon in Creede looking for a spot to have lunch, our traditional stop Tommy Knockers Bar was closed down for the grill, only serving drinks so we walked around the corner and were treated to a rustic pizza parlor, good food mostly - and rather affordable, less than a ten spot apiece. The waitress was a doll and about 4 moths pregnant and she certainly had that glow about her. I have yet to meet anybody from Creede who was unfriendly or without humor~ it is a great place to visit.
[image: IPB Image]
Downtown Creede lunch at the Miner Pizza parlor on the left
[image: IPB Image]
Hole in the wall Creede Fire Department
[image: IPB Image]
hwy 142 to Lake City Riding along the Rio Grande
I expected Craig to take off ahead of the pack like he always does from Creede and he predictably took up th offer to lead, he was soon disappearing along the horizon on those fast sweepers. I fell in behind Dave on his boxer and was negotiating a long right hand sweeper when the road split to two lanes I was thinking of passing him as I was going a bit faster but Scott beat me too it, and passed us both in that same two lane turn. Then we really started having fun 5 bikes all beating the door down to find the performance envelope of our bikes, some of us getting a knee down here and there (Scott) while the rest of us kept pace, it was getting exciting!
THE VIDEO
[image: Click for full size]
video preview Bill and Scott on Slumgullion pass
media.gif
Slumgullion Pass hwy 149
The video runs about 5 minutes and features the music of Jeremy Kay from the "Dust To Glory" Soundtrack - song titled "I once knew you" I love the song and the movie. Its sampled at 1m/sec so its a bit high res but its only 35mb in size so if it wont stream for you right click it and "save target as" it download it first before playing. WMV format
[image: IPB Image]
video preview 3
After descending we stopped for a long while and regrouped in Lake City it was around 4 in the afternoon and the sun was getting low, there was a lot of traffic on the road and though we still rode a good pace the traffic was not conducive for a great ride to Gunnison. But fun none the less, not great but still fun.
[image: IPB Image]
Lake City Stopped to regroup, after descending Slumgullion Pass
We said goodbye to Dave at the Blue Mesa Reservoir and then all headed east on Hwy 50 where we peeled off from each other at the turn to home came along.
[image: IPB Image]
Top Of Monarch Pass regrouping to make sure everybody made it up fine
I have more video I will post later some time, some good footage going up Monarch Pass, and more of hwy 149 enjoy!!~
Creede is the last of the great silver boom towns of Colorado and once 10,000 prospectors lived there in its hayday
[image: IPB Image]
Creede 1892
[image: IPB Image]
1927
[image: IPB Image]
The Map The 500 miles
Attached are the map files
With New Video
I posted this ride two weeks ago and 7 riders showed up to ride the more than 500 miles of Colorado twisties (and slab) to our annual destination of Creede. This ride started out with only two riders who met on the road, Craig and I five years ago and we have returned every year since, bringing a few Friends every year with us and some new faces.
The ride started out in Colorado Springs Craig, Gordon and I but we met half of our party in Texas Creek a small diner along Hwy 50, Bill, Dave, Scott and his wife Deanna.
[image: IPB Image]
Texas Creek Rendezvous Meeting place hwy 50
We found them enjoying a nice breakfast while we waited outside watching the humming birds ransack the feeders hanging from the side of the buildings. I have never met Scott or his wife Deanna (she is an awesome gs650 pilot) or Dave. So all the VFR riders I knew and none of the BMW riders. It was the start of a great ride.
[image: IPB Image]
4 VFRs 3 BMW seven bikes and 500 miles to go
We piled on our bikes and made surprisingly great time, the road to Poncha Springs was littered with cars but we passed them in lock step each of us negotiating them with ease. Poncha Pass was supposed to be another stop to meet more riders but none were there waiting for us - I thought was had another rider in Colorado Springs but surprisingly after talking with the guy he got on his bike and rode off alone? I guess it was just some guy out on a ride alone? He must have thought I was nuts telling him we were just over there pointing at the coffee shop where we were waiting? I thought he was part of our group but I guess not?
I can only wonder what he thought I was saying? "Whats wrong with this guy - I don't know who he is"? I realized my mistake when he rode off in the other direction. Oops hes just on his own.
The ride up Poncha pass was quick and over sooner than I expected and just as quick we were dealing with lots of slab on the Gun-barrel. Its called that cause its a long strait road to Del Norte through the San Luis Valley all the way to Hwy 160. It only took about an hour 1/2 to get to Creede with all that slab, riding past a State Trooper with his radar on we all caught the signal five minutes before we saw him. We were soon in Creede looking for a spot to have lunch, our traditional stop Tommy Knockers Bar was closed down for the grill, only serving drinks so we walked around the corner and were treated to a rustic pizza parlor, good food mostly - and rather affordable, less than a ten spot apiece. The waitress was a doll and about 4 moths pregnant and she certainly had that glow about her. I have yet to meet anybody from Creede who was unfriendly or without humor~ it is a great place to visit.
[image: IPB Image]
Downtown Creede lunch at the Miner Pizza parlor on the left
[image: IPB Image]
Hole in the wall Creede Fire Department
[image: IPB Image]
hwy 142 to Lake City Riding along the Rio Grande
I expected Craig to take off ahead of the pack like he always does from Creede and he predictably took up th offer to lead, he was soon disappearing along the horizon on those fast sweepers. I fell in behind Dave on his boxer and was negotiating a long right hand sweeper when the road split to two lanes I was thinking of passing him as I was going a bit faster but Scott beat me too it, and passed us both in that same two lane turn. Then we really started having fun 5 bikes all beating the door down to find the performance envelope of our bikes, some of us getting a knee down here and there (Scott) while the rest of us kept pace, it was getting exciting!
THE VIDEO
[image: Click for full size]
video preview Bill and Scott on Slumgullion pass
media.gif
Slumgullion Pass hwy 149
The video runs about 5 minutes and features the music of Jeremy Kay from the "Dust To Glory" Soundtrack - song titled "I once knew you" I love the song and the movie. Its sampled at 1m/sec so its a bit high res but its only 35mb in size so if it wont stream for you right click it and "save target as" it download it first before playing. WMV format
[image: IPB Image]
video preview 3
After descending we stopped for a long while and regrouped in Lake City it was around 4 in the afternoon and the sun was getting low, there was a lot of traffic on the road and though we still rode a good pace the traffic was not conducive for a great ride to Gunnison. But fun none the less, not great but still fun.
[image: IPB Image]
Lake City Stopped to regroup, after descending Slumgullion Pass
We said goodbye to Dave at the Blue Mesa Reservoir and then all headed east on Hwy 50 where we peeled off from each other at the turn to home came along.
[image: IPB Image]
Top Of Monarch Pass regrouping to make sure everybody made it up fine
I have more video I will post later some time, some good footage going up Monarch Pass, and more of hwy 149 enjoy!!~
Creede is the last of the great silver boom towns of Colorado and once 10,000 prospectors lived there in its hayday
[image: IPB Image]
![[image: IPB Image]](http://www.slvdweller.com/archives/CreedeJimTownMay231892web.jpg){kind=link}
Creede 1892
[image: IPB Image]
![[image: IPB Image]](http://www.slvdweller.com/archives/Creede1927web.jpg){kind=link}
1927
[image: IPB Image]
The Map The 500 miles
Attached are the map files