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[image: Click for full size]
Added fourth and final video
It has been an interesting fall season, especially since we seemed to have completely skipped fall this year in Colorado. Sept. 23, 2006 marked this years Autumnal Equinox, other wise known at the first day of fall which came with a bang this year! This year Autumn was more like winter than fall, no doubt about that! When three feet of snow fall in the mountains it is pretty much winter! With that being said I only feel a certain sadness at the abrupt end of the casual riding season, now rides come with much more planning, a lot more checking of weather and a lot more packing of cold weather gear.
It is not impossible to ride during the winter months in Colorado, we do get more sunshine here than most anywhere in the states, its just that it comes cold, very short, and with long shadows even at noon. The trees bare of leaves don't rustle quite so serenely in the winter, and the roads come complete with gravel to make your riding experience a pulse rapid one when you find it in the direction your bike is going. Still I grieve for summer as I always do - ever since I found out I was in love with riding a motorcycle, I have always felt grief at the end of the riding season. So it always comes and always I know its coming, yet those last few days of riding always seem to be the sweetest, what with the fall colors, the unpredictable weather, and the fewer travelers in the path. Those last fall rides are always the best rides, building memories on the road with friends who seem to come and go like the leaves on the trees in fall.
[image: IPB Image]
Frying Pan Route Map
This year we did something new, a road never traveled on, often passed by on our way to more famous destinations, this time though we stopped and explored the road known at the Frying Pan, this road starts in Basalt and meanders along the Frying Pan River, up to Ruendi Reservoir where we thought it turned to a dirt road, over Hagerman Pass, over Mount Massive and into Leadville some 60 miles away. We thought we would do a nice loop.
Craig, Dan and I my regular riding buddies thought we would ride up Independence Pass one last time this year, take a short diversion up the Frying Pan and then loop back around from Glenwood Springs, over to Minturn, Leadville and back home. What we thought would be a 45 minute jaunt to the Lake ended up being a two hour extravaganza of a ride - The Frying Pan is simply amazing, a real jewel of a road that locals know well but for the weary motorcyclist a true unknown, if your not from around these parts. All I can say is all three of us cant wait to go back and do it again!
From the beginning - INDEPENDENCE PASS
I knew it would be cold up there and sure enough it was, 30 degrees at Noon at the top, and lots of snow on the ground! I was taking pictures like a madman, with my trusty Cannon mounted to the mirror stalk as always. Most came out blurry but I managed to get some nice alpine scenes!
[image: IPB Image]
Independance Pass Map up and over
[image: IPB Image]
Twin Lakes Heading up Independence Pass
[image: IPB Image]
Independance Pass Near the Summit
[image: IPB Image]
Mt Elbert At the hairpin, it was touch and go
[image: IPB Image]
Yes the 'Baloney Was Cold 30 degrees F at the top
[image: IPB Image]
heading down west side of the Continental divide
I took a video of Independence Pass
[image: Click for full size] media.gif Last Dance - video of Independence Pass
The movie runs for abut 6 min, wmv, music by Peter Gabriel and as usual I picked the music I was listening to in my ipod when I rode over it, pure random chance but I think it works, its about grief knowing that was the last time I was going to be able to ride INDY for another year. Sampled at 1mb/s high res (right click and "save target as") if you have a slow connection.
Into the FIRE - THE FRYING PAN
This road runs for about 40 miles and is paved till it runs into Hagerman Pass, long past the lake, past two or three little mountain villages and up the mountain side where you get majestic views of Mt Massive and the Aspens Changing Colors.
[image: IPB Image]
HEH Craig visits the local wildlife He was saying - don't take my picture man!
[image: IPB Image]
Heading down frying-pan road near the top
[image: IPB Image]
Ruendi Lake the road around the lake is the highpoint of the ride, just fantastic!
The road around the lake is the best part, deep sweepers fast and fun, watch out for gravel in the corners from motorist who cant stay on the pavement. It is some really fun riding through there!
[image: IPB Image]
Dan Gixxer motoman
[image: IPB Image]
Some Cool Rocks around the river Near Basalt
[image: Click for full size] media.gif Into The Frying Pan - the best kept secret in Colorado!
This video runs for about 8 min wmv, music by the Smashing Pumpkins, again what I had on the pod at the time! I like that it makes choosing background music easy! sampled at 1mb/sec
The Leg Home - GLENWOOD CANYON
[image: IPB Image]
Glenwood Canyon Map interstate 70
We stopped for some mexican food in Glenwood springs across from the Colorado Hotel where the hot spring is.
[image: IPB Image]
Dan the Mexican? no flaming please we know, we waited and we ate!
we wasted a good two hours in Glenwood Springs laughing about how great that silly road was we almost though of skipping! Wow glad we didn't! The food was good I was stuffed! Then it was time to ride the interstate to Minturn! Then over Tennessee pass and home! It was getting late!
Glenwood Canyon is right smack on the interstate and its beautiful, overhead suspended bridges, tunnels, the white river, the colorado river, and lots and lots of speed!
[image: Click for full size] media.gif Glenwood Canyon Video
I was rocking out to the White Stripes and trying to keep up with Dan on his Gixxer and Craig both of whom are more natural at the high speed stuff than I am! we had a good time, the cars where zipping by, and they were going a good 75-80 mph - I wont say how fast we were going!
attached are the map files
Added fourth and final video
It has been an interesting fall season, especially since we seemed to have completely skipped fall this year in Colorado. Sept. 23, 2006 marked this years Autumnal Equinox, other wise known at the first day of fall which came with a bang this year! This year Autumn was more like winter than fall, no doubt about that! When three feet of snow fall in the mountains it is pretty much winter! With that being said I only feel a certain sadness at the abrupt end of the casual riding season, now rides come with much more planning, a lot more checking of weather and a lot more packing of cold weather gear.
It is not impossible to ride during the winter months in Colorado, we do get more sunshine here than most anywhere in the states, its just that it comes cold, very short, and with long shadows even at noon. The trees bare of leaves don't rustle quite so serenely in the winter, and the roads come complete with gravel to make your riding experience a pulse rapid one when you find it in the direction your bike is going. Still I grieve for summer as I always do - ever since I found out I was in love with riding a motorcycle, I have always felt grief at the end of the riding season. So it always comes and always I know its coming, yet those last few days of riding always seem to be the sweetest, what with the fall colors, the unpredictable weather, and the fewer travelers in the path. Those last fall rides are always the best rides, building memories on the road with friends who seem to come and go like the leaves on the trees in fall.
[image: IPB Image]
Frying Pan Route Map
This year we did something new, a road never traveled on, often passed by on our way to more famous destinations, this time though we stopped and explored the road known at the Frying Pan, this road starts in Basalt and meanders along the Frying Pan River, up to Ruendi Reservoir where we thought it turned to a dirt road, over Hagerman Pass, over Mount Massive and into Leadville some 60 miles away. We thought we would do a nice loop.
Craig, Dan and I my regular riding buddies thought we would ride up Independence Pass one last time this year, take a short diversion up the Frying Pan and then loop back around from Glenwood Springs, over to Minturn, Leadville and back home. What we thought would be a 45 minute jaunt to the Lake ended up being a two hour extravaganza of a ride - The Frying Pan is simply amazing, a real jewel of a road that locals know well but for the weary motorcyclist a true unknown, if your not from around these parts. All I can say is all three of us cant wait to go back and do it again!
From the beginning - INDEPENDENCE PASS
I knew it would be cold up there and sure enough it was, 30 degrees at Noon at the top, and lots of snow on the ground! I was taking pictures like a madman, with my trusty Cannon mounted to the mirror stalk as always. Most came out blurry but I managed to get some nice alpine scenes!
[image: IPB Image]
Independance Pass Map up and over
[image: IPB Image]
Twin Lakes Heading up Independence Pass
[image: IPB Image]
Independance Pass Near the Summit
[image: IPB Image]
Mt Elbert At the hairpin, it was touch and go
[image: IPB Image]
Yes the 'Baloney Was Cold 30 degrees F at the top
[image: IPB Image]
heading down west side of the Continental divide
I took a video of Independence Pass
[image: Click for full size] media.gif Last Dance - video of Independence Pass
The movie runs for abut 6 min, wmv, music by Peter Gabriel and as usual I picked the music I was listening to in my ipod when I rode over it, pure random chance but I think it works, its about grief knowing that was the last time I was going to be able to ride INDY for another year. Sampled at 1mb/s high res (right click and "save target as") if you have a slow connection.
Into the FIRE - THE FRYING PAN
This road runs for about 40 miles and is paved till it runs into Hagerman Pass, long past the lake, past two or three little mountain villages and up the mountain side where you get majestic views of Mt Massive and the Aspens Changing Colors.
[image: IPB Image]
HEH Craig visits the local wildlife He was saying - don't take my picture man!
[image: IPB Image]
Heading down frying-pan road near the top
[image: IPB Image]
Ruendi Lake the road around the lake is the highpoint of the ride, just fantastic!
The road around the lake is the best part, deep sweepers fast and fun, watch out for gravel in the corners from motorist who cant stay on the pavement. It is some really fun riding through there!
[image: IPB Image]
Dan Gixxer motoman
[image: IPB Image]
Some Cool Rocks around the river Near Basalt
[image: Click for full size] media.gif Into The Frying Pan - the best kept secret in Colorado!
This video runs for about 8 min wmv, music by the Smashing Pumpkins, again what I had on the pod at the time! I like that it makes choosing background music easy! sampled at 1mb/sec
The Leg Home - GLENWOOD CANYON
[image: IPB Image]
Glenwood Canyon Map interstate 70
We stopped for some mexican food in Glenwood springs across from the Colorado Hotel where the hot spring is.
[image: IPB Image]
Dan the Mexican? no flaming please we know, we waited and we ate!
we wasted a good two hours in Glenwood Springs laughing about how great that silly road was we almost though of skipping! Wow glad we didn't! The food was good I was stuffed! Then it was time to ride the interstate to Minturn! Then over Tennessee pass and home! It was getting late!
Glenwood Canyon is right smack on the interstate and its beautiful, overhead suspended bridges, tunnels, the white river, the colorado river, and lots and lots of speed!
[image: Click for full size] media.gif Glenwood Canyon Video
I was rocking out to the White Stripes and trying to keep up with Dan on his Gixxer and Craig both of whom are more natural at the high speed stuff than I am! we had a good time, the cars where zipping by, and they were going a good 75-80 mph - I wont say how fast we were going!
attached are the map files