Interesting Sights Along the Freeway.

Coming back to Michigan from the mountains on Colorado, one is prepared for the relative monotony of miles of freeway riding. The alternative is a multi-day ride on secondary roads with the chance to enjoy a little more local color. Luckily, even the freeway offers the occasional respite from the sameness of the desert or flat farmland.

Coming down old route 666 after visiting Four Corners, the town of Ship Rock offers a view of its namesake off to the west.
The area sports a number of lesser volcanic remains, all impressive, none as imposing and elegant in its command of the surroundings.

Continuing south, isolated thunder storms filled nearby arroyos with fast moving muddy water which at one point crashed against the roadway before turning 90 degrees to seek a culvert. The road had just enough turns that we were able to avoid getting rained on. Sneaking between the huge blue-gray clouds became a gamble with cooler air as the prize.

At Gallup we turned left on I-40 and headed straight for another huge storm cloud. This one didn't get out of our way and as we rode into the leading edge, an overpass beckoned. Apparently we weren't the only ones looking for cover. Several vehicles were already using all the level ground so we pressed on into the dark pouring rain. Traffic was heavy with most vehicles opting for the truck lane. This left the inside lane available for passing. The roadway had water standing in many places and the spray from the semis was blinding. At one point a Ford Explorer appeared in the median with a panicked driver at the wheel. Hydroplaning was obviously a concern for some but didn't seem to be an issue for the motorcycle. Ten miles of rain and suddenly dry road. The wet apparel felt good in the 95 degree heat. I was glad we opted to ignore the rain gear.

The fourth tank of gas for the day brought us to Santa Rosa, about halfway between Albequerque and Amarillo. We had been passing remnants of the famous Route 66 all day. Billboards hawking restaurants boasted of authentic ties to the fabled road. Naturally, one such cafe was across the street from the hotel we chose for the night. The food was good, the memorabilia was predictably tacky. An early 60s T-Bird was parked outside with a fading coat of yellow paint over everything except the windows. Obviously, not intended for close inspection. We had made fewer miles than we had intended due to numerous stops for photos, but all in all it was a good run from Montrose, Colorado.

Rockies Gold 2007 - Day 5

Having seen the Colorado Monument Road, I knew it would be hard to top. With so many routes to choose from and our last day before heading home we decided to head east on 50.

Frank, Don, Mikee and I headed east on highway 50 toward Gunnison. Along the way we found Blue Mesa Reservoir and stopped for the snapshot. Once in Gunnison we decided to take a less traveled road (135) north to Crested Butte for lunch.

The town is an artsy type of place with tourism the obvious sustaining industry. This is fine with me because like the rest of the area around Montrose, the scenery is free and the roads are appealing to motorcyclists.

Among the t-shirt and "paraphernalia" stores are scattered a wide offering of cafes and restaurants. There may be one that is a step up from uber-casual but I didn't notice one.

The Cowboy Saloon boasted BBQ and that is always a draw. Rustic would describe the interior. Framed exterior walls showed were unfinished and made of rough wood with the siding showing into the interior. The first three barstools nearest the entrance were western style saddles on pedestals. The staff was likewise laid back, yet efficient. The food was good and in the cool mountain environment, hot sandwiches hit the spot.

Once again we consulted the maps and almost decided to go over the pass which had been opened for summer. After a discussion of wet dirt roads with some input from the waiter, we got bluffed out and decided to head back down to Gunnison.

Intermittent rain and several previous long days in the saddle helped us decide to retire early and prepare for the long ride home. We took the scenic Highway 50 back to Montrose and spent the afternoon resting up and preparing for the marathon trip home.

All in all our visit to Montrose had been too short. So many roads, so little time. There were many people attending whom I had intended to see, and never did. I knew from the roster there were folks I had met in Arkansas, Tennessee, and New York floating around but again, so many roads.

I will say this. Not a minute was dissappointing. This is one place everyone should visit. Good people, good food, spectacular scenery. I hope to bring Pam here someday.

Bighorn Sheep in Colorado

Rockies Gold 2007 - Day 4

Friday there was an open invitation to any of two hundred or so riders who showed up in Montrose to assemble at Dallas Divide for a group photo.

The previous evening we got together in two shifts to swap lies and eat Mexican cuisine at the Fiesta Guadalajara. Somehow the staff got everyone waited on efficiently. They must practice on tour bus loads of visitors. Speaking of staff, they were all friendly and accomodating. We pretended to understand their Spanglish and they pretended not to understand us.

Riders headed south in twos and threes, sometimes more. Along the way our little band encountered a landing hot air balloon.

When we got to the meeting place Toyo was directing traffic and Wingnutzz was supervising. The bikes lined up on the south side of the road and the riders stumbled around in the weeds on the north side. In the middle was Jim Morris (Wingit) snapping semi-official pictures of the event.

Trying to assemble a group of long distance motorcycle riders into something of a group for a photo is sort of like picking up marbles while wearing boxing gloves. Finally, most were cajoled into holding still for a photo which I think included an old couple who had stopped their PT Cruiser to look and were too afraid to leave.

The group dissassembled as quickly as it formed with people anxious to explore the mountains. I fell in with Frank, Don (Betthe) an Mikee. We planned to head to Utah and have alook at Arches National Park. We were joined along the way by Wayne and Kendra from Florida.

It was a hot ride but once again the scenery was worth it.

We cooled off at the visitor center for a while and got out the maps. We had intelligence that route 128 snaked along the Colorado river, then across the high desert to I-70 which would provide a shortcut to Grand Junction and another great road through the Colorado National Monument.

After gagging down thelast of the hot Gatorade we headed out again into the afternoon heat. We backtracked a few miles toward Moab then turned north after crossing the river. We were enjoying the views and the intermittent shade provided by the cliffs when I spied a sign that said the bridge was out 32 miles ahead - local traffic only. I blazed ahead, being in the lead, but started to wonder if it was good call. After a brief meeting we decided to continue. The road twisted and turned following the canyon and river with rises and blind corners and smooth pavement. Eventually we climbed out on the north rim and made our way to I-70. For some reason the road continues to turn even though there is nothing but lumpy desert for miles in all directions.

Heading east on I-70 we somehow skirted just around the edge of a blue/black rainstorm with lightining dropping out of its edges. With the storm behind us Wayne took the lead and we headed for the Colorado Monument.

We arrived at the Park gat at 6:03 local time. The Park closed at 6:00 and the sign said proceed. Talk about perfect timing. We had the place to ourselves and the only thing to get in our way was the overlooks.

Evening turned out to be the perfect time for canyon viewing. At one turnout we looked down on almost a dozen Bighorn Sheep. The one pictured here put on quite a show, climbing around on the rocks.

The road was the best we had seen on the trip. If I could only ride one road in the area, this would be it. If I get another chance I will bring a camera and lunch and do some exploring on foot.

Speaking of lunch, that was our next destination. We had fooled around until dusk and decided to stop in Grand Junction at a little brewery/pub for supper. From there we headed back down the 60 or so miles to Montrose and some sleep. More later...

Rockies Gold Slideshow

Rockies Gold 2007 - Day 3

Our first official day of Rockies Gold 2007. Dave Turley had suggested a number of routes for us tourists to enjoy so the first order of business was to decide which way to go. The road to Durango an Cortez looked good so we headed out.

Frank needed a camera so we stopped at the local Walmart Where he promptly got in way over his head. In a nutshell, he bought a bargain digital and wound up taking it back and buying a better one that had a viewfinder the next day.

The trip to Durango was spectacular. (I'm going to risk overusing that word). The first 3o miles to Ridgeway are unremarkable, then suddenly you enter the Uncompahgre National Forest with a brown river on one side and rocky outcroppings on the left.

The canyon gradually narrows until you arrive in Ouray, a quaint little tourist town in the south end of a box canyon. The highway is carved out of the cliffs at the edge of town and you can look back down on the tops of the buildings as you zig-zag your way up the slope.

Continuing south you pass steep gorges, waterfalls, a short tunnel, an avalanche shed and of course more beautiful scenery.

With so many photo opportunities, there is a genuine risk of overload. The rest of the ride through the mountains was just as beautiful but for a motorcyclist the ride was just as inviting. Traffic was light and the sweepers and tight turns were plentiful. A light rain started to fall which turned into a toad strangler before we got back down to Durango. Going up the switchbacks the rain accentuated the oil slick left by someone ahead. With no guard rails and corners hidden by rock walls, it was time to use extra care. We were reminded of the grade by the acrid smell of burning brakes. This stretch of road is not to be missed.

Once we finished the winding descent and arrived in Durango, the rain storm was behind us and temperature were in the 90s. But it was a dry heat. Our wet clothes were dry again and we were sort of missing the rain. Not for long. As we turned north again out of Cortez the red rocks closed in on us and thundersorms once again threatened. We stopped near a pass south of Telluride for a shot of a rock. The clouds parted and the rain held back long enough for a picture.

We skipped the side road to Telluride proper and opted for the 20 minute wait for construction on the main road instead. Road construction is liable to be encountered anywhere in the mountains and usually entails waiting for a caravan cautiously sidling by gaping dropoffs where half the roadway is somewhere much farther down the canyon than it is supposed to be. At any rate, as we sat absorbing the drizzle, we had time to discuss the roads and the prospects of making it back to Montrose in time for the 5:00 seating at the Fiesta Guadalajara.

Once we were underway again it looked like we would be on time - that is until we encountered the second road closure. This one involved one way traffic and a mudslide. The crews were working on the source of the mud but did not seem interested in the mile or two of red goop covering both lanes beyond the slide site.

We slipped and slid down the hill and finally reached a point where the ooze was able to find its way to a culvert or some other escape route. The steady rain kept the mud in a consistency somewhere between toothpaste and vaseline. It was a relief to find the cutoff to Ridgeway and back to town.

We arrived in town just in time to go directly to the restaurant where our tablemates were able to enjoy the rare ambience of two motorcylists who had spent the day on the road in torrential downpours, 95 degree heat, and a couple of miles of mud road. I felt like I was back in Alaska.

More to follow...

Rockies Gold 2007 - Day 2

The second day of our trip found us anxious to continue west. Partly in anticipation of finally getting into the mountains, and partly to put some distance between us and last night's accommodations.

We were on the road at 5:40. After a brief stop for gas we headed toward Denver on I-76. Unfortunately it would be a while before the scenery would become interesting. Miles and miles of low rolling hills with sparse patches of brush were all we could see. Once in a while we would spot something on the road that resembled a small brown fur coverd tortilla. Close examination revealed tire-flattened, sun-dried, remains of the little rodents that seemed to be forever on the wrong side of the highway. Gotta be a tough life between the traffic and the hawks.

As we approached Denver traffic began to increase until we finally came to stop somewhere on the north side of town. The delay was temporary and soon we were on I-70 climbing quickly into the Rocky Mountains. It was literally an figurativey like a breath of fresh air. We were suddenly surrounded by nature's grandeur and man's executive mansions perched on every available ledge.

I-70 winds through some of the most engaging scenery in the west. With light to medium traffic, it was challenging to keep focused on the road with beautiful landscapes around every corner. The sky was bright blue, the mountains were dark tan with pine trees poking out here and there. Between the earth and sky white fluffy clouds lined the peaks like whipped cream on top of chocolate ice cream. Which reminded me - no breakfast this morning.

We pulled in at Silverthorne for lunch at Wendy's. Even the fast food places have a good view. We made our phone calls and started out again. It wasn't long until we had to stop for another photo opportunity.

Dillon Reservoir provided an opportunity to stretch our legs and take a break before pushing for the finish line at Montrose. We had decided to do an IBA Bun-Burner since we only had another 300 or 400 miles to qualify.

The roads were so much fun on a motorcycle, we didn't stop often. After going through an especially long tunnel I noticed my GPS had locked and would not reset. We stopped just short of Glenwood Canyon for some adjustments. My riding buddy Frank, always the technophile, finally took a time out from fiddling with his own GPS and consulted the paper map.

Glenwood Canyon was spectacular. Again we were torn between trying to capture the scenes on film and enjoying the curvy roads that seemed to be designed for riders. The riding won and we made our way through the narrow canyons and along the upper Colorado River to the high desert of Garfield County. Once out inthe open we fell in behind a BMW sedan and a late model Corvette who led us toward Grand Junction.

We turned south at Route 141 and intercepted US 50 for the rid down to Montrose and the Rockies Gold 2007 gathering. One last stop for gas in Delta and we were there. Over 1623 Honda miles in under 36 hours. We found William Bunt of Divide, CO who agreed to sign us in at the Black Canyon Motel, officially completing the ride.

We had already checked in at the Comfort Inn up the street so after meeting and greeting for a while we retired for some overdue rest until the next day's rides and dinner. More to follow...

Rockies Gold 2007 - Day 1

So Tuesday has finally arrived. It's off to I-94 and Zeeb Road near Ann Arbor to meet Frank Carpenter for a day's ride to Sterling, Colorado.

I arrived at location about 10 minutes early and saw Frank in the McDonald's parking lot. The gas station next door, where we were to officially start our "Ironbutt" ride was closed. After due consideration and an Egg McMuffin, the lights came on at the gas station and we got the necessary time-stamped receipts. Shortly after 6:00 a.m. we were on our way west.

There is not a lot I can say about our first day. I have come to the conclusion there is little chance of the Unites States running out of corn or dead skunks in the near future. The Midwest is the price a traveler pays to see the rest of the country.

The first highlight of the trip was lunch and gas at the Iowa 80 Truckstop in Walcott, Iowa. Billed as the world's largest truck stop, a must see for shut-ins and people who want to add to their collection of truck themed Zippos.

Since we were on a mission, we hurried through the lunch line at Wendy's and then started to , gas up. Within moments, Frank broke his glasses. After a brief, unproductive search around the gas pump for a missing screw about the size of an atom, we opted for plan B. I found a small piece of tiny wire that fit through the screw holes in the glasses frame. We fitted the lens back in place and twisted the wire until the hinge barely moved, clipped off the excess with a leatherman and back on the road.

We were getting about 200 miles per tank and this was our 3rd fill up, a little after 11:00 CST.

Continuing accross the vast source of all Corn Flakes, we finally got into Omaha, Nebraska. As we threaded the maze of off ramps, road construction, farm trucks, tourists, and shredded truck tires, I kept an eye out for the famous Omaha Steak. Never saw one. Once past the hectic city, I glanced down at my newly installed GPS and one of the saddest things in recent memory. The little gizmo read: Turn left in 308 miles.

The rest of the day was as uneventful as the morning. We ground steadily westward and finally turned left on US-76 toward Sterling, Colorado. We found Officer Rusch at the Sterling Police Department who was willing to witness our arrival at 9:37 Mountain time (11:47 Eastern) thus officially qualifying for an Ironbutt (1000 miles in 24 hours) ride.

Prior to tracking down a witness, we had started the search for a hotel. Apparently Sterling is a destination for travelers as the only place we could find was a smoking room at the Super 8. The clerk had a voice like Sonny Barger and an indifferent attitude. The room smelled like a pair of old Army socks which had been marinaded in road kill. We kept the lights off and crept into our beds. The next day beckoned. We were loooking forward to some 3D terrain. To be continued...