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Riding NM and CO May 31 - June 10

There is a dirt road just out side of Gunnison to over to Crested butte but cannot remember the name of it close to the Tall Texan so if you can fit it in its worth it was 20 something miles long. Road pics start after the Ural pic.

http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=110353



I saw that in my GPS, but due to time constraints today I just did Keebler. But thanks for mentioning, I saw where Ohio pass tied into Keebler. I didn’t know how rough it was so I stuck with what I knew.
 
Today’s route:

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Keebler pass was a lot of fun

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This took my breath away, I was on 133 headed to Carbondale

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My neighbors last night from Houston, we were at the tall Texan.

Randall and Tiffany, we shared a great campfire

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Tons of mutton crossing 133

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Business meeting went great in rifle. Staying at an ok Airbnb, I have he whole house to myself...just walk around in my underwear [emoji12]

Heading to Fort Collins tomorrow. I have a lunch meeting Thursday and another meeting in Denver Thursday afternoon, then a final meeting in Littleton. So not much adventure on Thursday.

I am probably going to ride pouder canyon tomorrow. I don’t k ow if I will camp or get a hotel in Fort Collins. Leaning toward hotel.
 
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I am sharing a house, they are traveling also. Enrique from Brazil and Julia from Italy. Enrique is a computer nerd, Julia has a PhD in Astro physics. They work, save there money then travel. They have a passion for rock climbing. They bought a car [emoji594] n Kentucky and will sell it in Seattle. They are residents of Australia.

They are 32 yrs old

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Excellent info, I felt like kind of a woose because I heard Ophir was an easy pass. So I was on the west side, which you say is a 1.

Where do you find these ratings?

I did take Keebler pass today, I have done it a few years ago (8). They are putting magnesium chloride on it tomorrow, per the sign. A couple of pucker factors with occasional deep gravel that had just been dropped.

They rate the road by the hardest section. You can take a Toyota Corolla up to Ophir Pass if you start on the Hwy 550 side. The west side with the loose gravel near the top is rated a #3. The rough stuff you fell in at the start of the aspen grove would fall between a #2 and a #3 in my opinion. There are several books by different authors, but most seem to have about equal ratings. I think the best book for Colorado is "4WD Adventures: Colorado" by Massey and Wilson.


My ratings which I think are close to Massey and Wilson:
#1 Toyota Corolla no damage
#2 Toyota Corolla may have damage
#3 Toyota Corolla will have damage, Stock CJ no damage
#4 You're probably going to be OK in your CJ, but don't count on it.
#5 ATV rental companies wont let you do them with their ATVs
#6 Seventeen people have died at the last count on the #6 out of Crested Butte. Nice video going from Devils Punch Bowl toward Crested Butte. The problems have mainly been from going the other way after crossing the creek at 6:40 and then going downhill with wet brakes. http://www.dangerousroads.org/north-america/usa/671-schofield-pass-usa.html


Remember, a high rating for a 4 wheeled vehicle may not be difficult for a 2 wheeled vehicle and vice versa. Example: Very large imbedded rock right in the middle of a shelf road might make a road a #6. Motorcycle rides around it. Example 2: Eight to twelve inch diameter rocks in a creek bed might be a #2 in a Jeep and a turn around point for a DRZ 650. Happened to me!


#10 You are probably going to roll your vehicle no matter what.
 
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Human thanks for the info!

I have ridden through poudre canyon at 11pm, that was quite the experience


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Looks like a great trip OP!

Not sure I'd want to take a corolla on Ophir pass. I have done it on a KTM 450exc with a stock head light at night while following 8 folks and sucking dust in the dark. The one in the lead was 2 up. Had a broken bike.... Made as far as silverton, but decided to stop for the night rather make the cabin and do Stoney pass in the dark.
 
First 100 miles from Rifle to Kremmling fantastic!

Route 1 between hwy 131 and 9 is a don’t miss dirt road! I was nervous at first because I didn’t know what to expect.

I have co-pilot app set for secondary roads as preferred. Ophir pass was one of the roads!!!

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The road is mostly hard pack dirt, I think you could drive a Prius on this road.

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Sometimes I would just stop and soak it up! Couple of good campgrounds also.

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Made it to kremmling. I recommend the “adventure brewery.”

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I highly recommend the sweet Georgia brown, cheeseburger and onion rings.

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Heading to Walden and poudre canyon. Trying to decide on motel or Airbnb in ft. Collins. Decisions decisions.
 
Made It to camp Hilton.

The Africa twin dct really proved to be most enjoyable today carving poudre canyon.

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In 75 miles I past 3 cars, I think I touched my brakes one time. I was having so much fun I didn’t stop to take a pee or a pic[emoji41]

I put the dct in s3, used the motor to slow me down at the 25mph corners. I stood probably 1/2 the way. It was like me and the twin were dancing.

About 15 miles from Fort Collins I hit this

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They were resealing about 5 miles of road. About a 15 minute wait, nice by the river.

No hammock tonight

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Not much to update tomorrow, I have 3 meetings, so it will be city stuff, unless I sneak in mount Evans.
 
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Friday:

Currently at Trinidad at my favorite place “Bela Luna Pizza”.

260 smiles so far, will stop in Amarillo tonight.

Had some drama, I was on Jackson creek dirt road I hit south of Littleton co.

Came to a fork in the road. The way straight was nice smooth wide dirt.

The road to the right was skinny, sandy, gravely and bumpy.

My gps said go straight, but a sign on the little road said woodland park 23 miles. So I went to the right.

About 5 miles in, down the overloaded bike went.

Crappy internet more to follow...
 
Made it home Saturday around 6.

Here is the overall route, very nice:

The red is where I went down, on the trail north of Woodland Park

So I am on Jackson Creek Road, my gps says to go south another 1/2 mile or so, but there is a skinny trail on the right, it has a sign that says Woodland Park 23 miles. I assume my GPS is wrong (nope I was wrong following the sign). Within a half mile I knew this was not the road.

I hit some loose sand and gravel. The thing I leaned on this trip. Never, Never, Never bring my Givi top case for offroad riding. Normally, when the bike starts leaning I can power out of the tilt. However, I was so top heavy, once it starts leaning physics take over!! annnnnnnd Boom, down I went.

I bumped my knee so I could not put much weight on it for about 2 hours. I could not lift the bike, so I hit my spot help button. I didnt want a tow out, I just wanted someone to come get my luggage and haul it down for me.

I waited about 30 minutes. Suddenly a group of 4 wheelers came down the trail. They were happy to carry my luggage. That was one good decision I made. Within a half mile, the trail turned to total crap due to the four wheeler activity. There was no way I could made it through fully loaded.

The total ride was about 7 miles, it was a blast on the neked twin. The bike handles like a 450, absolutely rock solid through the crap not a single issue. I think the reason I knew I could do fine without the luggage was from my expereience on Ophir pass on Monday.
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See that little white road, that was the correct road. Super easy dirt...

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The main road (I think it was Jackson creek rd)

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Recurring theme for the pack mule

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Blue is road where I should have been

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Lean and mean,

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Woodland park I took 24 to 67




From Canon city I took 115 to 67 at Florence (I hate hwy 50 to Pueblo, I wanted to stay in mountains forever...)



At cripple creek I wanted to take Phantom Canyon road, but I was not up to another land mine with an amateur Africa twin ride over loaded :)

I took cr 11 to canon city. beautiful road.

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Cannon city to Florence 115,

67 to 165 through Rye Co,


Good route to stay off i25 as much as you can

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Overall about 3000 miles over 8 days, great learning experience on this big adv bike. I will be heading back to Colorado, Wyoming, Montana and Sturgis July 30th.

I have a dirt/paved route from Steamboat Springs to Burgess Junction Wyoming I plan to ride Aug 1st to Aug 3rd with a couple of buddies. It is about 400 miles between the two points. If you would like to join us for this part of the ride or through Colorado send me a pm. This section will be leaving Monday July 30 around 3 from DFW to Amarillo (hotel). Tuesday, Amarillo to Clayton (dirt and paved to Trinidad). Tuesday night in Littleton Co at a friends house. Wednesday morning head to Steamboat Springs then start the trail to Burgess Junction. I have some cabins booked at Burgess junction for Friday and Saturday. We will then head to Sturgis and Black Hills Sunday through Friday the next week.

On the way up, I plan to ride Phantom Canyon Road (667) from Canon City to Cripple Creek. Return to Jackson Creek Rd to Littleton Co.

It will look something like the map below

Till then.....happy trails.......
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Would really like to join you on this ride, Kevin. If not then, perhaps we can do another ride. I’d really like to finish the GDR to MT.


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Would really like to join you on this ride, Kevin. If not then, perhaps we can do another ride. I’d really like to finish the GDR to MT.


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I would like that Rich.
 
Pretty sure I saw you Friday late afternoon/early evening on 87 west of Clayton. I was hauling my Tenere to Raton to start my trip on Saturday.
 
Nice report. The last time I did Phantom Canyon road, it was OK for a large ADV bike, but that was in 1992.
Unload that bike for your next trip. My wife and I travel with 40# or less and we try to camp all the time.
 
Great report. You can catch the Wy CDT just nw of steamboat. It's a remarkably good dirt and gravel road that you could land aircraft on. Seriously remote scenic areas with all kinds of antelope, deer, etc. Gas is a challenge on the first leg up from steamboat. You can stay on it all the way through mt too. There is a brief section in northern Wy that goes through a dirt bike park. It's just deep sand and a few hills but was still a handful even on a loaded 1190R. Very easy to go around it on pavement but ... Ah, that's up to y'all.
 
Nice report. The last time I did Phantom Canyon road, it was OK for a large ADV bike, but that was in 1992.
Unload that bike for your next trip. My wife and I travel with 40# or less and we try to camp all the time.
yep, that is the game plan. No metal top case, fewer stuff and I should cut it down to about 30 lbs total.
 
Great report. You can catch the Wy CDT just nw of steamboat. It's a remarkably good dirt and gravel road that you could land aircraft on. Seriously remote scenic areas with all kinds of antelope, deer, etc. Gas is a challenge on the first leg up from steamboat. You can stay on it all the way through mt too. There is a brief section in northern Wy that goes through a dirt bike park. It's just deep sand and a few hills but was still a handful even on a loaded 1190R. Very easy to go around it on pavement but ... Ah, that's up to y'all.
Are you talking about the CDT that goes North West from Rawlins? We will be heading northerly from Rawlins to Leo, to Ten Sleep to Burgess Junction.
 
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