Father and Son ride up NatSTOC VIII

[TOS]

Andy, sounds like you two are having a blast and making memories.
I too, like Gary, have ridden the same roads you guys are traveling in NM and CO. Brings back memories for me as well.
Keep up the reports and pix, enjoy following them.
Be Safe and Enjoy the Ride.
Tim

 

[amorley]

July 6th, Gunnison to Manitou Springs by way of Pikes Peak: http://goo.gl/maps/tP5Qh

We had a good night's camping in Gunnison. I was up at six, and David soon followed as we quickly broke camp and got on the road. We gassed up and went to the McDonald's in Gunnison for breakfast. They were launching hot air balloons from a playing field opposite so we had a fine view as we ate breakfast.

Today's ride was the shortest so far, only 280 miles. We headed east along US 50 to Monarch Pass where we revisited memories of hiking down from the top of the cable car with our Golden Retriever, Scout. It was a cool ride at high altitudes but the sun was out in a clear sky so it heated up quickly as we came down into the valleys. We continued east through Salida and followed the Arkansas through the various gorges to Royal Gorge. Great riding on a twisty road until of course we would get stuck behind slow traffic. We turned north on Hwy 9 and then north east on the High Park Road. This narrow, two lane roads was great fun to ride through the forest and up onto the high flat mountain tops west of Pikes Peak. There was very little traffic so we had a blast. We rejoined civilization on Hwy 24 at Florrisant. Traffic became worse and worse as we headed east through Woodland Park and down 24 to the Pikes Peak Toll Road.

We crawled up the steep road to the toll booth in a grindingly slow queue of traffic. We were just about at the booth when this GS1200 pulled up beside us and asked if he could cut in. He then apologized saying "oh, you are not doing the Iron Butt Rally". No, but we let him cut in and another Super Tenere with two up from Australia. Apparently there was extra bonus points for taking a picture of the Cog Train at the summit of Pikes Peak. We saw at least a dozen of the IBA Rally riders going and coming from the summit. I had one nasty moment on one of the tight turns when I stalled STA5. Stayed upright and nobody ran into the back of me. It was overcast on the summit of Pikes Peak and the haze reduced the view but the black clouds kept just threatening. The ride down was tiring as we go caught behind some really slow drivers.

We rode down into Manitou Springs where we are spending the night. Tomorrow we head north again on the back roads to Idaho Springs and Estes Park before crossing Rocky Mountain National Park to camp overnight in Grand Lake.

David getting ready for a day on the road!


Monarch Pass




Pikes Peak

 

[gmast1100]

Keep 'em comin Andy. Haven't been to the top of Pikes Peak in years. In fact last time up there was no charge to go. Will be in Manitou Springs in Sept for CoSTOC. See ya this week at NatSTOC.

 

[amorley]

July 7th: Manitou Springs to Gand Lake, CO through Rocky Mountain National Park: http://goo.gl/maps/rGuwp

The roads just seem to get better each day!

We left Manitou Springs around 7:15am and headed west on 24 and then north on CR 126. Great road to see the evidence of last year's big forest fire west of Colorado Springs. No traffic early on a Sunday morning so we had a fun time with all the tight twisties through Pine until we joined 285 for a short time. From Conifer we took CR 73 north, again enjoying the twisties into Evergreen. We took the Squaw Pass Rd (CO 103) up towards Mt Evans. Lots of road works with a detour at the bottom through on a back country road with almost impossibly tight 180's! Every cyclist in Colorado seemed to be climbing up Squaw Pass Road and I almost felt guilty as we zoomed by. Great tight bends and long curves with a superb view of the still snow patched Rockies to the west. We did not go to the top of Mt Evans but headed down into Idaho Springs on Chicago Creek Rd (103). Joined I-70 and the construction mess for a short as possible before turning north again to Central City.

We were being well-behaved as we rode up Central City Parkway doing about 55-60 following a sport bike, when this silver K1600 GTL zoomed by us. Just seemed so effortless as he blew by the sport bike. My lust is growing!

From Central City we took 119 north. It started to warm up so we stopped in Nederland for a break. It had taken us three hours to do just 145 miles. Almost no traffic, just twisty roads

While we had a break in Nederland the Sunday traffic started to grow and so the next leg up 72 and then 7 to Estes Park was busier but still fun. Saw a couple of ST's but mostly cruisers and adventure bikes. It was still sunny and warm as we entered Rocky Mountain National Park and took the Trail Road up to the summit from the east. Too much traffic to really enjoy the road but we like to respect the limits on the park roads. We stopped at the top to take some pictures and then the thunderstorm hit us. In a second we were being pelted by huge hail stones. I couldn't get my helmet on and visor closed fast enough! We pulled out into the line of traffic that was slowly going up to the summit. The hail and rain eased but the traffic was going even slower. Looking up we saw a huge bull Elk silhouetted against the sky just beside the road. David was in front of me and was instructed by a ranger to stop as Elk calmly walked across the road right in front of him! I had the Drift 180HD mounted on my helmet so will have to see later how it looks on the video.

The rain eased as we headed down the west side of the park following a G1800 and two G1800 trikes all with trailers. We arrived at 2:00pm in Grand Lake where we are camping for night. 230 miles in all for the day.


Tomorrow is a long day as we plan to do 440 miles up to Cody, Wyoming so we can do the Beartooth Pass on Tuesday.
Coming down into Estes Park
David adjusts his boot at the top of RMNP


Heading west in RMNP as the rain eases off.


David makes a friend at our campsite in Grand Lake.

 

[gmast1100]

Andy, I know what you mean about hail in RMNP. Was riding through there one time leading our group and I was on my kids VFR750. Talk about getting pelted!!

 

[amorley]

Here is a still from the Drift HD170 helmet camera video of the Elk walking across the road right in front of David at the summit of the Trail Road in Rocky Mountain National Park.

 

[Tankereng]

It's a long shot but I may see you guys on Beartooth sometime Tuesday.... Coming from the west...

 

[amorley]

It's a long shot but I may see you guys on Beartooth sometime Tuesday.... Coming from the west...

Khris, we'll be coming up from Cody on 296 / Crandall Rd to the junction with 212. Plan to leave at 8:00am so should be at the 212/296 junction about 9:30.

 

[amorley]

July 8th: Grand Lake, CO to Cody, WY: http://goo.gl/maps/tMIDF

Yesterday evening we went into Grand Lake for dinner. Just one of those evenings one wants to forget. Lousy food and then over-billed Just wish I could forget these experiences.

David also said that the engine oil light was staying on for longer than normal. Checked the oil level and it was dry! Big oops but nothing disastrous as this morning the first item on the agenda was stopping at the Conoco in Grand Lake for a quart of 10-W30!

We had gotten up early, officially at 6:00am but I was up at 5:30. Wet tents from the rain the previous nights so we packed the rain flies in a separate plastic bag. The manager of the campground told me that the Conoco was open at 6:30am so we were on the road by 7:15am. From Granby we took CO146 north to Walden. The first part of the ride up to the Continental Divide at Willow Creek Pass was fun but cold. Where we were in the shadow of the sun it dropped to 42 degF so I cranked on the heated grips and tried to close all the vents on the Roadcrafter suit. It is hard to close the underarm vents and I believe impossible to close the back vent while riding ! The road was nice and twisty and empty of traffic so I didn't care that I was a bit cold.

We climbed out of the forest and onto the high mountain plain south of Walden. The Silver Sage was in bloom and smelled wonderful. We stopped in Walden for breakfast and met up with a bunch of Brit's doing a motorcycle tour from Denver to Seattle. Chatted to the tourmaster and he was impressed by the distance we were putting in each day. Asked me if I was interested in buying his business as he was getting old and wanted to slow down. I told him my problem was the opposite, I am getting old and want to do more

From Walden it was all downhill.


Central Wyoming is BORING. It is high but it is flat and they have this ridiculous 65mph speed limit when there are more cows than people.

It got up into the 90s coming through Riverton so we started to wish for a thunderstorm to cool off. We dodged through one just south of Cody that cooled the air back down to 80 but dropped very little rain on us. Arrived in Cody at 3:30pm after doing 441 miles from Grand Lake, CO.


Breakfast in Walden


South of Riverton


Tomorrow we only have 268 miles but we shall be going over Beartooth Pass. !

 

[amorley]

July 9th: Cody to Burgess Crossing, WY via the Beartooth Pass: http://goo.gl/maps/G33ed

Today was an amazing ride over what must be one of the best roads in North America. We left Cody at 8:45am as we wanted it to warm up a bit riding to the north on WY 120. Turning off onto WY 296 / Crandall Rd the fun started! We climbed on a few large switchbacks to the summit and were presented with this incredible view of the mountains and the valley of the Clark's Fork of the Yellowstone River. We descended steeply on switchback after switchback with David leading so I could capture the action with my Drift HD170 Helmet Video Camera. After crossing Sunlight Creek we climbed again on a straight road with large sweeping bends to the junction of CO 296 and US 212. From this junction there was a great view of Beartooth Peak so we stopped for some pictures.





Turning right we followed US 212 up and over the amazing Beartooth Pass. Tight twisties in the trees were followed by a climb up and over the mountain top above the tree line. The Beartooth Peak was lost amongst all the other mountains.


Just after the summit we entered Montana, our fifth state for the trip. The maximum speed limit increased to 70 which was great, but also impossible as we descended the incredible set of switchbacks on the north side of Beartooth Pass. In Red Lodge we took 308 east and then 72 north to Bridger, our most northerly point of the trip. Leaving the mountains behind it had started to warm up so David shed layers and I unzipped my Roadcrafter

We headed south on US 310 and then 14A. Just past Lovell we turned north into Bighorn Canyon National Recreational Area to visit the Devil's Canyon.



Continuing east on 14A we climbed into the Bighorn National Forest, stopping for the night at Bear Lodge Resort at Burgess Junction. A total of 268 miles for the day.


Tomorrow we have decided to take the quickest route along I-90 from Sheridan to Spearfish with just a short detour to the Devil's Tower National Monument.

 

[amorley]

Tapatalk did not add all the pictures

 

[amorley]

Devil's Canyon on the Big Horn

 

[Tankereng]

Khris, we'll be coming up from Cody on 296 / Crandall Rd to the junction with 212. Plan to leave at 8:00am so should be at the 212/296 junction about 9:30.

I spent more time than planned in Yellowstone. Didn't hit Beartooth till about 5 pm... Cya tomorrow.

 

[DixieFlyer]

From this junction there was a great view of Beartooth Peak so we stopped for some pictures.

A lifetime of memories is being made for you & son. I'm really enjoying your ride report. Thanks for sharing
Regards,
Terry

 

[amorley]

July 13th: Spearfish, SD to Guthrie, OK: http://goo.gl/maps/CmjFn

David and I did 890 miles today in 14.5 hours from Spearfish, SD to Guthrie, OK. We left at 4:00am. Hard ride as it hit 100 degF as we entered Kansas and stayed in three digits all the way to Guthrie. We are both knackered but have 450 more to go tomorrow to get back to Houston.

Sorry no pictures. Will post more after we arrive home.

 

[amorley]

July 14th: Guthrie, OK to Houston, TX: http://goo.gl/maps/5LfBQ

I heard heavy rain hitting the window of the motel before the alarm went off. Sure enough when we got up at 4:30am we were in the middle of an early morning thunderstorm. Luckily the heavy rain eased enough for us to repack the motorcycles but as soon as we hit the freeway south it returned. We carefully headed south negotiating Oklahoma City and Norman before stopping for breakfast. The rain continued all the way past Dallas but slowly eased. By Centerville it was still oovercast but now 90 DegF so we stopped for David to take off his rain gear while I unzipped my Roadcrafter ! As always velocity increases as one approaches Houston so we made it home by 12:30pm.

Thanks David for sharing a great 4,700 mile ride with me!

 

[kendoo]

Andy/David, Congrats on a great ride and arriving home safely. Thanks for the reports, I enjoyed following along.

 

[ST/SV]

Sounds like a great trip Andy. Glad to here you made it back safe. My son and I are headed on a similar trip to Montana to Glacier National Park July 27th on our annual Trippin' Connies trip. There are four 700+ mile days scheduled. Hope I can still hang with the youngster.

 

[gmast1100]

Andy/David, glad that you made it home safely. Was good to see both of you at NatSTOC and I DID enjoy the ride with you two on Thursday.

 

[Redfish]

Excellent stuff! I enjoyed the ride and the pics. My son is only 9 and has no job so he can't afford to go on trips with me. Fortunately Dad is 68 and still has a few dollars so I take my motorcycle trips with him.

Seriously, I hope my son and I find this type of common ground some day. I envy you.