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With New Video
I put out a call to Colorado Riders to come with me and Ride the big 500 mile loop to the Black Canyon along Hwy 92 of Colorado. It is one of my favorite ride destinations and 3 of us showed up. I was competing with a popular bmw ride the day before and well 3 was enough. Reddog, and Giraffe both came along with me, both of whom are faster riders than I so I was in for a day of catchup. Fine with me I am not slow but perhaps no so fast as them when they are into the groove. I can be when I am riding consistently mistake free, not feeling every bump in the road and not so tense. Ah I cant ride like that all the time, and after that day I was happy to say I went along!
THE VIDEO
media.gif
Black Canyon Loop
Runs for about 10 minutes, sampled at 1mb/s wmv. Music by the Smashing Pumpkins and Sarah McLachlan, up McClure Pass down Panioa State Park, onto the Black Canyon and back up Monarch Pass.
THE MAP
[image: IPB Image]
Map 500 miles
We all met in Buena Vista and I was pleasantly surprised to see Bill there (Reddog), I was expecting Scott to be there (Giraffe) on his K1200r beemer. I met him last ride on the Creede run, happy to have him along again! I did the slab over Wilkerson Pass and then got stuck behind a Sheriff going 80mph in the valley below. So I was a bit late, I usually hop that slab at 100+!
Scott said his boss was also riding his Harley on the same day, and we actually rode along side them on the way to Independence Pass - passing cars on the way up hwy 24 to Twin Lakes. I was surprised at the poor condition of Independence Pass, pot holes everywhere you had to watch your line well, 5 years in a row I have been riding this thing without a major repave, its due!! I led all the way to Redstone for Lunch and took it easy on the way down, it was overgrown with brush on the sides and it was hard to see down the road, lots of gravel washed onto the roads from all the rains.
[image: IPB Image]
Aspen Stop
We collected a guy on a Suzuki on the way down, who stopped when we did, and talked with us a bit, before he headed off on foot alone. We slabbed it over to Redstone for lunch.
[image: IPB Image]
Lunch In Redstone Bill - aka Reddog smiling this time around
[image: IPB Image]
Redstone Why its called that
[image: IPB Image]
Crystal Club Cafe Redstone Colorado
We encountered rain for less than 30 minutes the whole way, and it was warm. Great riding weather actually a bit windy near Gunnison but fine. They had started to chip seal HWY 92 in the canyon but only had 6 miles of it done, and along McClure Pass. I was stung by a bee on the way down Panioa right in the elbow and it shocked me but I kept her steady as I smashed the fellow in my suit with my left hand. I got a huge welt now on my elbow, it stung for miles cause stinger lodged into my skin.
[image: IPB Image]
Blue Mesa Reservoir 10 miles long, Gunnison River
[image: IPB Image]
The Earth Damn Gunnison River Below, you can see hwy 92 up on the right shelf, long way down if you miss a turn!
[image: IPB Image]
Old Photo Black Canyon North Rim Bill on the north rim 2 years ago of the Black Canyon
I posted that old photo for Scott so he could get an idea of the deepest part of the Black Canyon, its 2200 feet down in places and almost strait up!
[image: IPB Image]
Stop Blue Mesa Damn Scott cleans off his Beemer
We also did Cotchetopa Canyon, I found it challenging with all the mud washed up every where there was a drive way or a dirt road, and overgrown vegetation on the sides of the road, campers pulling out on the road behind the overgrown weeds. I got dropped here cause I was a bit tense in that section, but Managed to loosen up going up Monarch Pass. It was in Cotechetopa Canyon I was on a ride last year - the ST.N national meet where 3 riders went down in the canyon and one was hurt with a broken back, I guess I was feeling anxious about being back in the canyon - have not been since the accident. It really a nice road if your relaxed and just riding smooth.
[image: IPB Image]
Skyline Drive Canon City Anchient dinasour tracks in the rocks
[image: IPB Image]
Hwy 50 from which I just came
[image: IPB Image]
Rainbow over Canon City other riders where already there on top of Skyline Drive
Attached are the map files
With New Video
I put out a call to Colorado Riders to come with me and Ride the big 500 mile loop to the Black Canyon along Hwy 92 of Colorado. It is one of my favorite ride destinations and 3 of us showed up. I was competing with a popular bmw ride the day before and well 3 was enough. Reddog, and Giraffe both came along with me, both of whom are faster riders than I so I was in for a day of catchup. Fine with me I am not slow but perhaps no so fast as them when they are into the groove. I can be when I am riding consistently mistake free, not feeling every bump in the road and not so tense. Ah I cant ride like that all the time, and after that day I was happy to say I went along!
THE VIDEO
media.gif
Black Canyon Loop
Runs for about 10 minutes, sampled at 1mb/s wmv. Music by the Smashing Pumpkins and Sarah McLachlan, up McClure Pass down Panioa State Park, onto the Black Canyon and back up Monarch Pass.
THE MAP
[image: IPB Image]
Map 500 miles
We all met in Buena Vista and I was pleasantly surprised to see Bill there (Reddog), I was expecting Scott to be there (Giraffe) on his K1200r beemer. I met him last ride on the Creede run, happy to have him along again! I did the slab over Wilkerson Pass and then got stuck behind a Sheriff going 80mph in the valley below. So I was a bit late, I usually hop that slab at 100+!
Scott said his boss was also riding his Harley on the same day, and we actually rode along side them on the way to Independence Pass - passing cars on the way up hwy 24 to Twin Lakes. I was surprised at the poor condition of Independence Pass, pot holes everywhere you had to watch your line well, 5 years in a row I have been riding this thing without a major repave, its due!! I led all the way to Redstone for Lunch and took it easy on the way down, it was overgrown with brush on the sides and it was hard to see down the road, lots of gravel washed onto the roads from all the rains.
[image: IPB Image]
Aspen Stop
We collected a guy on a Suzuki on the way down, who stopped when we did, and talked with us a bit, before he headed off on foot alone. We slabbed it over to Redstone for lunch.
[image: IPB Image]
Lunch In Redstone Bill - aka Reddog smiling this time around
[image: IPB Image]
Redstone Why its called that
[image: IPB Image]
Crystal Club Cafe Redstone Colorado
We encountered rain for less than 30 minutes the whole way, and it was warm. Great riding weather actually a bit windy near Gunnison but fine. They had started to chip seal HWY 92 in the canyon but only had 6 miles of it done, and along McClure Pass. I was stung by a bee on the way down Panioa right in the elbow and it shocked me but I kept her steady as I smashed the fellow in my suit with my left hand. I got a huge welt now on my elbow, it stung for miles cause stinger lodged into my skin.
[image: IPB Image]
Blue Mesa Reservoir 10 miles long, Gunnison River
[image: IPB Image]
The Earth Damn Gunnison River Below, you can see hwy 92 up on the right shelf, long way down if you miss a turn!
[image: IPB Image]
Old Photo Black Canyon North Rim Bill on the north rim 2 years ago of the Black Canyon
I posted that old photo for Scott so he could get an idea of the deepest part of the Black Canyon, its 2200 feet down in places and almost strait up!
[image: IPB Image]
Stop Blue Mesa Damn Scott cleans off his Beemer
We also did Cotchetopa Canyon, I found it challenging with all the mud washed up every where there was a drive way or a dirt road, and overgrown vegetation on the sides of the road, campers pulling out on the road behind the overgrown weeds. I got dropped here cause I was a bit tense in that section, but Managed to loosen up going up Monarch Pass. It was in Cotechetopa Canyon I was on a ride last year - the ST.N national meet where 3 riders went down in the canyon and one was hurt with a broken back, I guess I was feeling anxious about being back in the canyon - have not been since the accident. It really a nice road if your relaxed and just riding smooth.
[image: IPB Image]
Skyline Drive Canon City Anchient dinasour tracks in the rocks
[image: IPB Image]
Hwy 50 from which I just came
[image: IPB Image]
Rainbow over Canon City other riders where already there on top of Skyline Drive
Attached are the map files