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Pike’s Peak or Bust (by way of CDR solo)

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BeemerlessBob

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Joined
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Location
Valley Mills (Just north of Wacko)
First Name
Bob
Last Name
Squires
I’m planning a solo adventure in a few days and I call this trip
“Pike’s Peak or Bust!”, Original – huh!

I am 62 years young, riding a 2008 BMW R1200GS affectionately named Scarface. I have been told (mostly by my nagging brother) that I am too old and my bike is too big to do this kind of trip and that my plan is foolhardy and dangerous to attempt this solo. With that advice, I MUST now do it!

I will be leaving home in Central Texas and head to the southern end of the Continental Divide Route (CDR) in New Mexico, then proceed north thru the CDR until mid Colorado. I estimate that it will take me about 9 days to make it up that far riding the divide. At that point I will head east and ride to the top of Pike’s Peak! BTW: I am terrified of heights.

After conquering Pike’s Peak, I plan to visit the historic towns of Cripple Creek and Victor. From Victor, I head to the Royal Gorge by way of the Phantom Canyon trail. I hope to cross the Royal Gorge Bridge after which I begin another cross country endeavor south west to arrive at the Great Sand Dunes by way of the Medano Pass Primitive route.

If I survive all off this, the rest of the trip is pavement. From the Great Sand Dunes, I will then head to Roswell, New Mexico in search of illegal aliens. Providing I am not abducted at Area 51 - head to the house.

My schedule right now is to begin this trip next Tuesday or Wednesday (August 17th or 18th). I plan on this trip taking about 2 ½ weeks.

I will maintain a blog at www.BeemerBob.com as best as I can. I try to post daily (with pictures), but I suspect cell phone and wi-fi coverage may be scarce in the wilderness, so it may be a while before post are uploaded

I may try to make some post here on TWT, but the best way to follow would be on the blog. To not miss any of the posts, go to www.BeemerBob.com and on the right side is an area to subscribe. Once subscribed and you confirm the subscriptions, will we receive my daily post. You can un-subscribe anytime if you get bored with my adventure.
 
Re: Pike’s Peak or Bust

My two sons and I are doing the Phantom Canyon & Shelf road in September. I went across that back in 1965 in a big old Chevy station wagon not knowing what I was getting into. We left Victor down Phantom Canyon rd because it looked like the most direct route to Canon City from Cripple Creek. Long story short, .....8 hours later we got to Canon City and my hair was grey.
 
Re: Pike’s Peak or Bust

DallasDon said:
My two sons and I are doing the Phantom Canyon & Shelf road in September. I went across that back in 1965 in a big old Chevy station wagon not knowing what I was getting into. We left Victor down Phantom Canyon rd because it looked like the most direct route to Canon City from Cripple Creek. Long story short, .....8 hours later we got to Canon City and my hair was grey.
Click to expand...

That is the exact same way I discovered Phantom Canyon. We were in Victor and about to return to Texas. It was getting late and I did not want to take the long way back. I saw this road on the map and went, "Hey, how bad can it be?"
 
Re: Pike’s Peak or Bust

62 ain't squat and the GS is the perfect bike. Have a great trip and get out of hot Texas asap. Kind of jealous btw....
 
Re: Pike’s Peak or Bust

Be careful coming down Pikes Peak. I did not like doing it in a car
 
Re: Pike’s Peak or Bust

I'll be watching your report for any issues with the CDT going through NM.:trust: Have a great trip.
 
Re: Pike’s Peak or Bust

your current map looks like you went up near Glen Rose came back in a big circle and stopped at the Horny Toad for a drink :lol2: oh wait that was the pie run

dont forget to take some photos for us folks stuck here working
 
All packed and ready to go. Scarface has a full load and anxiously awaits departure.

972988533_L5cm3-S.jpg
972999665_qWDke-S.jpg
972988976_zwGox-S-1.jpg


Plan is to leave first thing in the morning (Aug 18th) and head west.

I will be leaving from Central Texas and I plan to take 2 or 3 days to reach the southern tip of the Continental Divide at the Mexico border in Antelope Wells, NM. I plan on about a 9 day trip north by way of CDR to reach Pikes Peak and then another 5 days to reach home. That schedule, however, is very iffy. I will know how long it takes after I have done it (if?).

This is my planed route

972927057_vQpUU-L.jpg
 
we just did Pikes Peak, Independence Pass, Aspen, Snowmass and it was amazing. My wife didnt care too much about coming DOWN the peak..other than that it was a great ride ! We are in Lubbock, if u find yourself in need of a pitstop maybe we can meet up for coffee or something....be safe & Have a great trip !
 
Day 1. Started good and then ...

Got an early start this morning and made good progress.

Weather was nice in the morning, but as I traveled through Wiest Texas the temp did get to a mild 105 for most the afternoon.

I had planned to break the trip up, but I was making good time, so I forged on

Scenery was typical west Texas with oil pumps or wind generators as far as the eye could see.

Drastic change as I approached the Guadeloupe Mountains. Absolutely beautiful! I thought about camping there, but decided to continue onward. Too hot to stop and enjoy much and west texas and shade trees are not words often used together. At least while riding, I can generate a breeze.

My plan was to make it to New Mexico near the start of the CDR. But right outside of El Paso, my brand new Gamin Zumo 660, died.

I was just riding along, and poof. She stops working. I have gone all through everything and verified that it had power and that all the fuses are good. I kicked it, called it names, and pleaded. No life at all.

That puts a big kink in my plans and I'm not sure what to do now. I do nor think trying to do CDR by maps alone is a good idea.

Ideas anyone?

I was so disgusted I just found a cheap sleazy motel in El Paso and called it a day?

I would love to hear some ideas. What would you do if you were in my situation?

Part of just wast to call thus trip a bust and head back home, but after traveling over 600 miles in the scorching heat, that would be a waste.

Another thought (not necessary a good thought): a lot of the CDR trip reports I have read seem to refer to Silver City, NM as kind of a staging area. I wonder if I could go on to Silver City and hang around and see if other riders show up that would let me tag along.

Or I could still continue on to Pikes Peak but do it by slab roads that I could navigate with maps only. If I do that, heading north from El Paso would be some good routes and places to see

I need ideas. I'm going to crash now and I hope to have a new plan by morning.

G'Nite Y'all

Beemer Bob
 
Have you considered calling Garmin and see if you can pick up a replacement at a vendor along the way? Or work out a deal to purchase another and get a refund on the first one? I'm sure they'd entertain that kind of option, or where you purchased it if you get the right person.

Happy trails.... ride safe.

.
 
This is just part of the adventure. I would pick up another gps somewhere along the way and forge on. Good Luck.
 
New Day! GPS lives!!

My good friend James (aka: JBay), upon leaning my plight, did some Internet searches and found how to reset the Garmin by removing the battery. That worked!

So the original plan of CDR is back in play. I'm close, so I should be on the trail by this afternoon.

I owe JBay a six pack! Thanks for the rescue James. I am a happy guy today

Beemer Bob

Trip blog: www.BeemerBob.com
Trip pictures:
http://BeemerBob.smugmug.com/Other
Tracking:
http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=1b384c48cf72a6969
 
Re: New Day! GPS lives!!

BeemerBob said:
My good friend James (aka: JBay), upon leaning my plight, did some Internet searches and found how to reset the Garmin by removing the battery. That worked!

So the original plan of CDR is back in play. I'm close, so I should be on the trail by this afternoon.

I owe JBay a six pack! Thanks for the rescue James. I am a happy guy today

Beemer Bob

Trip blog: www.BeemerBob.com
Trip pictures:
http://BeemerBob.smugmug.com/Other
Tracking:
http://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=1b384c48cf72a6969
Click to expand...

Just reading this, I was gonna suggest same. This happened to me on my first trip with the 550. I called customer service and got the fix. Now I always carry the right size wrench to open the battery cover.
 
For those that don't know, BeemerBob's been sending HELP messages from SPOT for the past 18 hours from the same location. A post is up on ADVRider for assistance and the local Sheriff and State Police have been notified.

A companion thread is here:
http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50620



This just in on his blog. Still don't know if contact was made by an outside entity or not.

Beemer Bob
Latitude:35.55551
Longitude:-107.50137
GPS location Date/Time:08/24/2010 11:32:39 CDT

Message:Hi. All is well and I’m fine.

Click the link below to see where I am located.
http://fms.ws/3KjTE/35.55551/\-107.50137



.
 
Last edited:
That looks like a preset OK message. All the messages are set up in you account on the website. They can't be changed from the unit, only sent.
 
Pike’s Peak or Bust (by way of CDR solo)

Hello all. Just to confirm that I am OK. I am currently in albq, nm

Will post details to my blog later

Thanks to all for the concern and assistance.
 
Hey Bob-
GLAD to hear you are OK albeit probably a bit sore....

We want a full trip report with pictures, ok? :deal:

.
 
I am home now. Sitting in my favorite recliner, “booze in the blender”, all is well.


I do not plan on moving for a few days and let everything heal so that I may ride again SOON. I wonder if my wife will let me put the blender on the end table in our living room?


Again, thanks to all of you for you assistance and concern.
 
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