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This past long weekend, a friend and I finally set to go to Colorado and back. We got ready for some cold riding, kissed the wives and kids goodbye and hit the road at around 2:30 AM on Friday, 5/22. We were going to meet two other guys who rode from Austin, TX on Day 2. I rode my Wee-Strom and my buddy was on his 750 Honda Shadow. (We both have aftermarket seats in case you are wondering LOL.)
Here was the route we ended up taking, as precise as feasible:
Day 1 - DFW to Durango, CO
Day 2 - Durango to Grand Lake, CO
Day 3 - Grand Lake to Pueblo, CO (route is an approximation in places)
Day 4 - Pueblo to DFW
The trip started uneventfully enough, but right around Vernon, we hit the incoming storm. After closing all the hatches, we rode through it and were finally in a somewhat dry situation by Amarillo, where we hit the breakfast. Cracker Barrel coffee really tasted good that morning!
Onward west to Tucumcari, NM, where we left the slab behind for the time being. Right around half way to Las Vegas NM, we stopped to take some layers off and I snapped this:
Soon, we started climbing higher and the road started getting more interesting:
The ride to Santa Fe was relatively uneventful, but the ground changed into quite desert-y one, as can be seen here (taken while getting gas):
Riding was getting better and better as we were getting close to Colorado:
Finally going north toward Colorado things started to get really good, with lots of promising things on the horizon. This is just a few curves away from border to Colorado:
By the time we made it to Durango, we had to deal with more rain. We stopped in the town for dinner and then headed north to Lodge at Tammarron where we were going to stop for the night. The signs for that place were smaller than some writing on prescription bottles so it was a bit hard to find but we made it eventually. Oh yeah, that is where we found that just as we were riding in, the rain that was falling on us dumped 3 inches of snow in the north pass toward Silverton, and we were suddenly uncertain if we will be able to go where we wanted to. But we hit the hay and decided that we'll figure it out in the morning. About 900 miles for the day!
We had a pretty early start next day as the road north was supposed to be closed from 8:30AM on for a bicycle race anyway. We started heading north and made it past the road blockade with about 10 minutes to spare. Roads were a bit wet but after the pass, we did start hitting patches of sleet on the road, which gives you that uncertain feeling when riding, heh.
A few snaps along the way:
And oh yeah - it was pretty cold!!
We found Silverton too busy for our taste and headed north. Quick breakfast in Ouray... this place on the right corner has some great egg and bacon burritos! And great coffee!
Heading north still, we made it to 92 and snaked up the mountain. Took a few pictures of the canyon quickly:
Going north is where we encountered being snowed on for the first time while riding. As it turned out, this was going to be a pattern.
Before getting gas in Crawford, took a few more photos:
By the time we hit Carbondale, the skies were heavy with rain and it started unloading pretty good on us. As we headed to 70 and then east, we got pounded by rain pretty good. Luckily it did let up a bit as we connected to 131 in Walcott and it is great that it did as this is a GREAT road! Taking 134 toward Kremmling was also awesome, alas we started getting snow again, heh. By the time we made it to Kremmling we were cold again and it started dumping rain yet again. Our eventual destination was Grand Lake where we were going to meet up with some buddies, but man it started snowing hard as we were getting closer! I was using the squeegee that I have on my glove every few seconds to wipe off the snow off my shield. We eventually made it to the house on the lake and holed up for the night, wondering how we'll get out of there tomorrow?
The morning turned out to be quite beautiful:
Got the frozen snow off the bike and it started right up:
One breakfast later, we were lead out on various roads by one of our friends who used to live in CO. A few snaps near Lyons:
We were rained on every so often, yeah... but more awesome riding!
The final photo was taken on a small road above Loveland where our friend took us around the various smaller places that he knows:
The rest of the ride was relatively uneventful in comparison. Some good riding still but slabbing mostly. I have to say, always when I go back from 287 riding home, the section between Wichita Falls and DFW seems like it is taking FOREVER!!
Great times, though, but quite far to go in 4 days!
Here was the route we ended up taking, as precise as feasible:
Day 1 - DFW to Durango, CO
Day 2 - Durango to Grand Lake, CO
Day 3 - Grand Lake to Pueblo, CO (route is an approximation in places)
Day 4 - Pueblo to DFW
The trip started uneventfully enough, but right around Vernon, we hit the incoming storm. After closing all the hatches, we rode through it and were finally in a somewhat dry situation by Amarillo, where we hit the breakfast. Cracker Barrel coffee really tasted good that morning!
Onward west to Tucumcari, NM, where we left the slab behind for the time being. Right around half way to Las Vegas NM, we stopped to take some layers off and I snapped this:
Soon, we started climbing higher and the road started getting more interesting:
The ride to Santa Fe was relatively uneventful, but the ground changed into quite desert-y one, as can be seen here (taken while getting gas):
Riding was getting better and better as we were getting close to Colorado:
Finally going north toward Colorado things started to get really good, with lots of promising things on the horizon. This is just a few curves away from border to Colorado:
By the time we made it to Durango, we had to deal with more rain. We stopped in the town for dinner and then headed north to Lodge at Tammarron where we were going to stop for the night. The signs for that place were smaller than some writing on prescription bottles so it was a bit hard to find but we made it eventually. Oh yeah, that is where we found that just as we were riding in, the rain that was falling on us dumped 3 inches of snow in the north pass toward Silverton, and we were suddenly uncertain if we will be able to go where we wanted to. But we hit the hay and decided that we'll figure it out in the morning. About 900 miles for the day!
We had a pretty early start next day as the road north was supposed to be closed from 8:30AM on for a bicycle race anyway. We started heading north and made it past the road blockade with about 10 minutes to spare. Roads were a bit wet but after the pass, we did start hitting patches of sleet on the road, which gives you that uncertain feeling when riding, heh.
A few snaps along the way:
And oh yeah - it was pretty cold!!
We found Silverton too busy for our taste and headed north. Quick breakfast in Ouray... this place on the right corner has some great egg and bacon burritos! And great coffee!
Heading north still, we made it to 92 and snaked up the mountain. Took a few pictures of the canyon quickly:
Going north is where we encountered being snowed on for the first time while riding. As it turned out, this was going to be a pattern.
Before getting gas in Crawford, took a few more photos:
By the time we hit Carbondale, the skies were heavy with rain and it started unloading pretty good on us. As we headed to 70 and then east, we got pounded by rain pretty good. Luckily it did let up a bit as we connected to 131 in Walcott and it is great that it did as this is a GREAT road! Taking 134 toward Kremmling was also awesome, alas we started getting snow again, heh. By the time we made it to Kremmling we were cold again and it started dumping rain yet again. Our eventual destination was Grand Lake where we were going to meet up with some buddies, but man it started snowing hard as we were getting closer! I was using the squeegee that I have on my glove every few seconds to wipe off the snow off my shield. We eventually made it to the house on the lake and holed up for the night, wondering how we'll get out of there tomorrow?
The morning turned out to be quite beautiful:
Got the frozen snow off the bike and it started right up:
One breakfast later, we were lead out on various roads by one of our friends who used to live in CO. A few snaps near Lyons:
We were rained on every so often, yeah... but more awesome riding!
The final photo was taken on a small road above Loveland where our friend took us around the various smaller places that he knows:
The rest of the ride was relatively uneventful in comparison. Some good riding still but slabbing mostly. I have to say, always when I go back from 287 riding home, the section between Wichita Falls and DFW seems like it is taking FOREVER!!
Great times, though, but quite far to go in 4 days!
. It also seems faster with it! 
