Father and Son ride up NatSTOC VIII

amorley

amorley

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2015 BMW K1600GTS
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I am really looking forward to tomorrow when my youngest son, David, and I will depart for an 11 day, 4,700 mile ride up the Rockies to Montana, and then east across Wyoming to Spearfish, SD for NatSTOC VIII, and then a two day blast back south to Houston.

David will be up on our 2010 Super Tenere (ST10) and I'll be on my 2005 ST1300 (STA5).

The route we'll follow is planned as:

07-03: Home to Sweetwater, TX: http://goo.gl/maps/vfTvi
07-04: Sweetwater, TX to Cimarron, NM: http://goo.gl/maps/yNPga
07-05: Cimarron, NM, to Gunnison, CO: http://goo.gl/maps/RpX8q
07-06: Gunnison, CO to Garden of the Gods, CO via Pikes Peak : http://goo.gl/maps/tP5Qh
07-07: Garden of the Gods to Grand Lake, CO: http://goo.gl/maps/rGuwp
07-08: Grand Lake, CO to Cody, WY: http://goo.gl/maps/tMIDF
07-09: Cody to Dayton WY via Beartooth & Red Lodge, MO: http://goo.gl/maps/G33ed
07-10: Bear Lodge Resort to Devil's Tower, WY and on to Spearfish, SD: http://goo.gl/maps/59Tqs

NatSTOC rides
07-11: Black Hills and Mt Rushmore, SD: 209 miles, 5 hours: http://goo.gl/maps/f53du & http://goo.gl/maps/RsEr5
07-12: Badlands, SD: 276 miles, 6 hours: http://goo.gl/maps/eJuR5 & http://goo.gl/maps/cy5NP

07-13: Spearfish, SD to Guthrie, OK: http://goo.gl/maps/CmjFn
07-14: Guthrie, OK to Home: http://goo.gl/maps/5LfBQ

Will post updates here as time permits. Will also post pictures here: http://www.texasmorleys.com/2013-MC-Rides/2013-07 - Rockies Ride and NatSTOC/2013-NatSTOC.htm

Follow us on my SPOT here: http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=689c5186ac99a86bf
 
BearSTOC July 5,6 Red lodge KOA July 7 Burgess Junction July 8 Tower Mt. State Park. If you are in the Neighbourhood .
 
Good for you Andy! Your kids have a pretty cool dad! You guys be safe. And enjoy your trip. Pictures please!
 
BruceP said:
BearSTOC July 5,6 Red lodge KOA July 7 Burgess Junction July 8 Tower Mt. State Park. If you are in the Neighbourhood .
Click to expand...

Unfortunately we'll not be able to join you for BearSTOC but will be riding the same route on July 9th and 10th.
 
Have a safe trip Andy and David. See ya both at NatSTOC!!!! Hope to join the 2 of you on a ride at NatSTOC.

Looks like a really nice route. Glad you are going through Ten Sleep Canyon-you'll enjoy it. Been through there a couple of times.
 
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July 3rd: Houston to Sweetwater, TX: http://goo.gl/maps/vfTvi

We left Houston about 2:30pm. 95 degF with just a few clouds in the sky so we soon heated up nicely. Both David and I are using a Polar Cooler strapped on top of our luggage duffels on the back seat. We have a 3 litre hydration unit filled with water packed with ice that is attached by a key pull to our jackets so it is easy to keep hydrating. The temperature kept hovering up to 99 degF but never hit the three digits. Every time the sun went behind a cloud, the temperature immediately dropped to 95 degF showing the power of that radiant heat!

We stopped for gas and then dinner at Clem Mikeska's BBQ in Temple, TX at 4:45pm just as everyone was trying to get on I-35. From Temple we took 36 north west through Hamilton and up onto the high plateau that was the favorite playground of the Comanche. Topped out at just over 2,000 ft according to my GPS. We were able to a comfortable 80-85 mph once past Hamilton.

David's Super Tenere (ST10) has a smaller tank than STA5 so we had to stop for gas in again in Abilene. Quick blast along I-20 to Sweetwater, TX reminded us why we have planned almost all of the journey north on back roads. Overnight at the Best Western.

Tomorrow we plan a 6:30 departure to take advantage of the cool of the morning. Long, boring ride up through Lubbock to Clovis before we head north to cross I-40 just east of Tucumcari. Plan to visit David's old stomping ground at Philmont before checking in at the St.James Hotel in Cimarron.

Suited up and ready to leave Houston
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Thanks for the update. still trying to shift with my new boot.
Ride safe
 

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July 4th: Sweetwater, TX to Cimarron, NM: http://goo.gl/maps/yNPga


After a quick breakfast we were on I-20 heading east by 6:30am, turning north to Lubbock on US84. It was 73 when we left Sweetwater but it dropped into the mid 60's as we headed north west. A large thunderstorm had gone through Lubbock and was headed south. We avoided the rain and were treated to an amazing display of rainbows as the sun came up to the east and cast a long low light against the side of the storm. The wind was really strong and gusty which made for unnerviingly unsteady ride. We gassed up in Lubbock and then again in San Leon. From Clovis north the ride was really great with little traffic on the side roads as we headed up and over the Caprock escarpment (5,800 ft). We crossed the Canadian River twice before Wagon Mound and the head up I-20 for a few miles to Springer. Traveling west we re-visited our great memories of Philmont Scout Ranch before checking into the historic St.James Hotel in Cimarron.

David relaxing on ST10
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Caprock Escarpment in NM
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The Canadian River gorge just east of Wagon Mound, NM. (This picture is for Kathy)
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Philmont Scout Ranch. Great memories for both David and I
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July 5th: Cimarron, NM to Gunnison, CO: http://goo.gl/maps/RpX8q

We competed for breakfast at the St.James with a couple of Troops of Boy Scouts who had arrived overnight in a coach from St.Louis. They were very "Courteous" and let us go up to breakfast buffet as soon as it opened. We got away at 7:30am and filled up with gas. That was when my Zumo 550 decided to freeze up on me. I turned it off and tried to turn it back on but no luck. A soft reset (+ and the Power key simultaneously) but still no luck. Since this happened to me once before, I always bring maps and also my Garmin GPSmap 62cs so we continued on. It was a great ride through Cimarron Canyon to Eagle's Nest and then north up to Red River. It was cool, particularly high up but warmed up as we headed south to Taos on 552 and then west to cross the Rio Grande on 64 and then our first crossing of the Continental Divide before dropping dramatically to Tierra Amarilla. We headed north to Chama, crossed over into Colorado and had lunch in Pagosa Springs. Great ride until we get behind a line of cars behind an RV where nobody has the will to pass. Hate overtaken half a dozen vehicles but sometime there is no option.

AS we ate lunch we looked north and saw the midday storms building. We had a great ride up to the top of Wolf Creek Pass but we could clearly see the rain coming down hard on the other side. David put on his rain gear over his Olympia mesh while I just zipped up my Roadcrafter. We saw a helicopter fly overhead with a load of water to drop on the nearby West Creek Fire. Within minutes of moving again we were in a huge thunderstorm with heavy rain and lightening. Wondered a bit about the helicopter but then realized the road was white with hail. We crawled along in a line of traffic all the way to South Fork and the 149 junction. Everyone went east and took the rain with them. We turned north and rode along 149 with only occasional rain showers. In the heavy rain the temperature dropped to 50 but by the time we dropped down into Lake City it was 80 and we were steaming. David packed away his rain gear and I unzipped my 'stitch :)

We arrived in Gunnison at our campsite at around 4:00pm after doing a little over 380 miles. Took the battery out of my Zumo 550 for ten minutes and it is working again!

Tomorrow we head east over the Continental Divide again at Monarch, through Salida to Royal Gorge and then north to do Pike's Peak before we overnight in the Garden of the Gods.

On 64 east of Tierra Amarilla close the Continental Divide
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Campsite in Gunnison
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Great report Andy! My son and I took a 7500 mile trip back in 2011. He was just barely 17. Memories of a lifetime for sure. We also camped in Gunnison. Ride safe and keep the updates coming. Ken
 
I lived in Angelton Tx and my kids are just getting back from a Youth trip to San Antone tomorrow. It's a long ride just to get out of the state. I'll be seeing you there. We have similar bikes, but mine has a white stripe.
Ron
 
Just to show I am riding with David!

Below the Tooth of Time at Philmont Scout Ranch near Cimarron, NM
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Outside the main entrance to Philmont
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Andy, as I said on FB, when you had lunch at the Junction in Pagosa Springs, you had just passed a friend of mines house on the left. How was the ride over Slumgullion Pass??? I am really enjoying the ride along with you now that you're in Colorado as I've been on every one of the roads you 2 are taking. See ya at NatSTOC!!! I'm outta here on Monday.
 
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