• Welcome to the Two Wheeled Texans community! Feel free to hang out and lurk as long as you like. However, we would like to encourage you to register so that you can join the community and use the numerous features on the site. After registering, don't forget to post up an introduction!

Sin City The Rocky Mountain Way.

Joined
Apr 22, 2006
Messages
106
Reaction score
0
Location
Death Valley Louisiana
Working for the Man!

The image below is something that I hope will come to past in my near future. I spend some 325+ days a year imprisoned in a 10x10 square cell with one window, peach colored walls and green carpet. My daily grind consists of change orders, revisions, and unattainable request. On September 20th 2007 I will temporally rid myself of this imprisonment. I will embark on an estimated 6,000-mile cross-country two-wheeled journey that will take me through ten states in just twelve short days. From Colorado’s frozen peaks to the scorching 120-degree Nevada deserts, we will go from one extreme climate to the next. I will depart Baton Rouge riding northwest with no itinerary. My only scheduled occurrence will be a three-day intermission in Sin City where I plan to meet up with my wife to celebrate our anniversary. I am also going to do my best to cross paths with my old friend "Beemerchef" and his dog spirit. Last, I heard they were moving southeast trying to reach the safety of Big bend before the northern winter catches up to them.


187533894-L.jpg
[/FONT][/FONT]
 
Have fun and be safe! We look forward to your trip report!

IF you do get up into Utah, be sure to go through Zion National Park and Bryce Canyon National Park on your way over to Hwy 12 (which absolutely rocks!!).
 
For myself the most difficult job of prepping and preparing for a road trip was never what to pack but what music to bring along. Most of the time while on the open road my thoughts are my number one choice for companionship. But, for the miles when I fail to amuse myself my I-pod has the ability to clear my head and refresh my soul. Final destination and landscape has a lot to do with what type of music I select to bring along. For this particular ride with a westward heading I loaded a little 80’S rock a lot of Pat Green and every song that Stevie Ray Vaughn every recorded. Who would have ever thought that 4 gigs of music would not be enough.



Dress Rehearsal


197932972-L.jpg


197933393-L.jpg



 
Day One
Date: Thursday Sept 20, 2007
Location: Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Odometer: 10,400
Miles traveled to date: O

Departure


After shooting two Red bulls and swallowing one sloppy jelly doughnut. I was about as giddy as a bookie on the opening day of football season. The Strom is loaded, her fuel tank is topped off, my routes are programmed, and the only thing that stands between the open road and myself is a few last minute errands. I had plans to meet up with one of my riding partners (Stu) here at my home and within minutes he arrives grinning from ear to ear. Our destination for today will be the Forth Worth area. Once there we will be picking up our third and final rider (Scott). We also have plans to have dinner and put some faces with names of two Texas locals (Scooterhose & KLRNO2) that we met on advrider. We do not have any immediate plans to do any primitive camping so my packing list is short and sweet. With the absences of my bulky camping gear, I was able to easily safely stow my laptop and with a little luck I anticipate some updates from the road.​




My DL1000 K6 All dressed up and ready for the show.


198097683-L.jpg


198097887-L.jpg


198098081-L.jpg

 
If Stevie can't get you there, nobody can! Ride safe! If the Beatles music works for you, be sure to see the show "Love" at the Mirage. I saw it last weekend - awesome.
 
:popcorn: :popcorn: :popcorn:

This should be good. take lots of pictures and let us know how it is going.
 
The ride up I-49 out of Lafayette Louisiana is unappealing, uneventful and about as entertaining as my daughters high school class ring ceremony. The goal for today was simple we needed to somehow meet up with Scott and make the North-west side of Dallas before bedding down for the night. Being that this was a Thursday night the last thing I wanted to do was sit in downtown Dallas rush hour traffic the first thing in the morning. Scott was coming from Houston and had about a 3-4 hour jump on us.

198669178-L.jpg


The only thing that was remotely exciting was my tag of Texas. This tag puts me one step closer in the Race to fifty States. For anyone thats not familiar with the race click here for more info. I really do not have a snowballs chance in **** of actually winning the race but, man it sure is fun. And it feels good to know that my contributions will benefit children's hospital.
 
After playing phone tag with Scott for over 200 miles we finally made contact. Good news was that he had already scored us a room just North of Fort Worth bad new was we were still about 150 miles South-East of Dallas. Finally after nine hours 4 gas stops and 510 miles we made our Hotel.

Chained up like rabid beast.
198663935-L.jpg
 
We needed to try and get a early start on Saturday morning so we crashed pretty much as soon as we got to the room. After a good nights sleep we were eager to get the **** out of dodge. After grabbing a complementary banana nut muffin and washing it down with some OJ we were on the road for 7:00


The first of six gas stops on Friday.

Scott on his Busa

198664131-L.jpg



And Stu on the mighty GS 1200

198664356-L.jpg



We needed to try and put some miles between us and Texas. The ride north of Dallas was pretty much a carbon copy of day one. Boring boring boring. Nothing to see nothing to do mile after mile. At about 3:00 pm we stumble upon "Native America" thats one more point for Juice Box

198657792-L.jpg



Today I learned that The only thing harder then a busa to pick up while on its side is a busa with 100 lbs of gear strapped to her. The more I laughed the more pissed Scott seemed to get. He didn't even make it out of his home state before dropping his bike

198665902-L.jpg



198664741-L.jpg
 

:eek2: :eek2:

NOT a good way to pick up a bike! GOOD way to injure the back in a BAD way ;-)

Butt on the seat, squat, grab the lowside bar and something back by the seat/body with other hand and do a dead lift using the legs. Works great. I have LOTS of experience with the technique... :doh: :oops:
 
North Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas all looked the same. Grassy plains, cattle farms and meat processing plants. I am really regretting my decision to stay off the super slab. 700 miles of back roads can really eat up the better part of the day. We stopped only for fuel and a plate of brisket somewhere around the Kansas state line.


"Carry on my wayward son"

198667375-L.jpg


198667179-L.jpg



A few shots from Kansas. These couple pics pretty much sums up our entire experience since we left North Texas.

198668671-L.jpg



198668286-L.jpg



198667751-L.jpg



198669005-L.jpg



198668390-L.jpg



198663079-L.jpg


198668489-L.jpg



198668092-L.jpg



And Finally Colorado is in our grasp. We still have about 150 miles of flat land to chew up before we reach the good stuff. I promise this is where the ride report will pick up. I should have some awesome pics from Colorado in tomorrows report. The first thing on the agenda in the morning is a run up Pikes Peak. Tomorrow should be one heck of a day.

198667979-L.jpg


198663523-L.jpg


 
We awoke this Saturday morning to a crisp 44 degrees. I freaking hate the cold. I can only imaging how cold it is going to be at the summit of pikes peak. The good thing about today is that we are going to be spending two days here in Colorado springs. That means no loading and unloading of the bikes. We grabbed a quick breakfast here at the hotel and were on the road for 8:00 am. First stop for today is Pikes Peak then after lunch its on to the Garden on the gods.


In line to Pay the Toll

199063985-L.jpg


199064331-L.jpg


The ride up is breathtaking

199065543-L.jpg


199065281-L.jpg


There is about a 3-4 mile stretch that is hard packed dirt.

199067186-L.jpg


199067602-L.jpg


This had me dreaming I still had my 900 RR

199068830-L.jpg


199069626-L.jpg


199070132-L.jpg


199074219-L.jpg


199072524-L.jpg
 
On top of the word. The view from the Summit. I was actually pretty disappointed with the view. I just had it in my mind that this view would be the most beautiful thing that i have ever seen. The truth is that you are so high above everything and the view from the top is just average. The real treat was the 20 mile ghost ride down the mountain. There is a special feeling that one gets when you reach speeds in access of 80 MPH with the engine off.

14,092 feet

199065887-L.jpg


199082707-L.jpg


199083199-L.jpg


199087845-L.jpg


199101366-L.jpg

 
The Garden of the Gods. I can remember coming here as a child. I have some of these same pictures from 30+ years ago. It still looked just like i had remembered it.

A truly remarkable place carved by the hands of God.

199062088-L.jpg


199077825-L.jpg


199078069-L.jpg


199078779-L.jpg


199079744-L.jpg


199090462-L.jpg


199091152-L.jpg
 
We were up bright and early but for some reason we could not get our crap together. It was after 9:00 before we finally left the hotel. On the agenda for today was a run south to cannon city to see the Royal Gorge bridge then after lunch Mt Evans.


Can you believe that they charge you $23.00 to walk across a bridge. What the heck is up with that?

199551479-L.jpg


The Colorado River below

199551032-L.jpg


Myself after spending $23.00 to walk across a bridge.

199548725-L.jpg
 
The ride up Mt Evans was awesome. I would recommend Mt Evans over Pike Peak to anyone any day of the week. As mentioned above we could not go all the way up to the summit but, the view from the lake was remarkable. It was as cold as a mofo on top the hill. Being from south Louisiana we just aint use to the chill.


Squaw Pass rd. and the Ride Up to the lake.

199574502-L.jpg


199575177-L.jpg


199575457-L.jpg


199575759-L.jpg


The weather on top of the hill.

199575990-L.jpg


199580515-L.jpg


199581016-L.jpg


199582008-L.jpg


The Lake

199544886-L.jpg


199545426-L.jpg


Elevation 12,864

199576750-L.jpg


Scott's Busa

199547333-L.jpg


 
I'm really enjoying your report, it makes me want to go back right now. Keep it coming. Be safe.:clap: :clap: :clap:
 
Back
Top