Summer recovery ride: Terlingua to Glacier

[ed29]

Most of you here may not know that I had a serious medical problem in May. I was admitted to the ER with congestive heart failure on May 22nd in serious danger of losing my life. I had been planning an epic motorcycle vacation for over a year and at first the illness had me convinced that I had to cancel. The first couple of weeks out of the hospital my recovery was slow. I was in a foul mood at the thought of not getting to go on my ride.

Then I asked myself.... If I can sit on a couch and recover why can't I sit on a motorcycle and recover too? After all, I had put off getting another dog in large part to make sure I was free for the ride. I had started prepping the Versys for the trip, then traded it on a very clean R1200GS that LSBMW had on consignment. Once I decided to proceed with the trip my recovery health wise picked up steam.

Time to pack for three weeks on the road...

That is my camp cookware, tools, spares, and room for my Gerbings and groceries.

Clothes and toiletries for the trip. I am glad that one compression stuff sack was separate from the rest of my good camping gear (that walked off from my barn) as it made packing sweatshirt and pants small enough to go. I used them a couple of times.

All of camp itself fits in the drybag on the back, grab one thing when you get to camp. The pic shows the bike ready to go, gassed up and fully loaded.

After a stop in Pecos my first camp was at Villanueva State Park in New Mexico. It is amazing how different the Pecos River is a hundred or so miles upstream of Texas.

Taking my boots off and wading into the river was a good way to cool the dogs after a hot day in the boots.

More to come as I sort pics and jog my short term memory.

 

[humanrace]

The Pecos transforms itself several times along it's route. Impatiently waiting for more. Glacier NP is my favorite so far.

 

[Jbay]

 

[ed29]

I only spent one night in NM on the way up. Have ridden there several times and was ready to see new stuff farther north. Along the way in Las Vegas NM I was smitten with the incredible torque the GS has on tap when I spotted something that in its day had even more...

Turns out to be locomotive 1129. The number 29 is special to me having been my race number in the old flat track days so I smile when something like this turns up. I am sure it had way more torque, but I know the bike will out turn it on the twisties.

Farther up but still in Las Vegas this sign caught my eye so I flipped a Uturn to grab a shot.

The irony of a sign declaring that no signs are allowed just made me laugh.

Colorado beckoned and as I got north of Creede familiar sights along 149 greeted me.

I bet more than a few folks recognize this lake...

Made camp at North Clear Creek campground but didn't get a shot of camp. I find myself taking fewer shots of stuff all the time. Other than a different background the set up camp is just a repeat anyway. I did experiment with a cow patty fire like the pioneers had. Cows grazing the campground had left an abundant supply. It didn't burn well, might have been too moist. No smell though.

Next morning the bike didn't want to start. Very slow cranking. It had starting cranking slow the day before, but just barely got going. Time to search for a battery on the road.

Before leaving the area though a stop at North Clear Creek Falls was a must!

Up in Gunnison the local Car Quest store had the right AGM for my bike at a decent price so I swapped the battery in their lot.

On to Salida...

 

[Valker]

Great start to a great trip! Thanks for sharing. I will follow this one. Looking forward to another Alask ride!

 

[The Bruce]

The falls look amazing. I'll have to go someday.

 

[humanrace]

I guess you didn't walk the trail to the bottom of the falls. I like your style of reporting. Nice pics.

 

[ed29]

I spent two days in Salida visiting Terlingua friends that summer up there and others that were in town for a big art festival. A planned river trip didn't pan put due to a schedule conflict with the guide but the time with friends more than made up for that. It seems I only snapped two pictures the whole time I was there.

I was busy enjoying the music, food, and people at the Saturday morning farmer's market, along the art walk, and in the evenings at the bars. My neighbor Mark had some art on display at one of the venues and his gal Shannon got into the act with her tree costume.

I got to visit with J.P., Sandi, Ashley, Paul and Voni, and new friends Jennifer and Steven. I taught Jennifer and a couple of other pretty Colorado ladies how to two step Texas style at Vic's near the park.

Voni happened to be walking past the sandwich shop Saturday when I stepped out with my dessert.

Later that day Steven on his VStrom1000 and I on the GS went up the dirt road to the hilltop overlooking the town.

Not sure why the camera stayed in the pocket for most of that visit.

 

[ed29]

I guess you didn't walk the trail to the bottom of the falls. I like your style of reporting. Nice pics.

I didn't walk that trail. The weak battery was on my mind and I was not yet sure where I would source one. Suppose I should go back and hike that!

 

[mr-roboto]

Most of you here may not know that I had a serious medical problem in May. I was admitted to the ER with congestive heart failure on May 22nd in serious danger of losing my life. I had been planning an epic motorcycle vacation for over a year and at first the illness had me convinced that I had to cancel. The first couple of weeks out of the hospital my recovery was slow. I was in a foul mood at the thought of not getting to go on my ride.

Hi Ed,

It sounds like a great recovery ride! Thanks for sharing the pictures.

I hope you are taking aspirin on the bike. Sometimes sitting for long periods on it can result in thrombosis. I know people who had heart related issue who have benefited dramatically from the Forks over Knives diet. They made a documentary based on the book too.

...this one is also pretty good too...Hungry for Change.

Have a safe trip.

RB

 

[cdc]

Ed, good ride report!
I had no idea of your hospitalization, this trip should will be healing. Enjoy and keep updating the report.
Thanks!

 

[ed29]

I took off from Salida on a Sunday morning headed for Rocky Mountain National Park.

Had a nice day getting there.

First night in camp some Elk came nosing around looking for food.

Next morning their big brothers were doing the same.

One of the highlights of the trip was riding up Mt. Evans to 14,130' elevation. Temperature at the top was 39 degrees and the wind was howling in the low 50s.

Cars were having trouble in those winds and the bike was a handful. Wouldn't have missed it though. It was the only day the Gerbings were worn and I could have done without them given the space they took up.

I looped in through Estes Park and over Trail Ridge on the way back to camp.

What a ride! So good I had to repeat the next morning.

Speaking of the next morning... the elk didn't come back but this bandit was prowling around looking for unattended food. i had to keep him off of my neighbor's table. They had left food out. Not smart in critter country.

Couple from Trail Ridge...

 

[Simmons1]

Great Start Ed!

Looking forward to seeing the whole adventure.

 

[_RG_]

I had no idea of your health issue. Stay strong my friend.

Ride on!

 

[ed29]

Until it hit neither did I. I have none of the traditional pre-cursor symptoms and thought I had either asthma or bronchitis. I eat well, am active, not overweight, take hikes, and do heavy construction work to stay active.

One never knows what can come next.

 

[Vinny]

I'll have to visit that Clear Creek falls; dont know how I have missed it before.
Thanks for sharing.

 

[SpiritAtBay]

subscribed

 

[swoody126]

thanks for taking us along

next tyme you're @ NORTH CLEAR CREEK, go a bit farther up the road from NORTH CLEAR CREEK FALLS CG, cross the creek on the bridge & as you bend around the right, hop up on the WATER PIPE MOUND, on the right & there is some FREE NAT'L FOREST CAMPING SPOTS, not more than 100yds to the right

THE FALLS can be accessed by foot trail from the road above the CG

the walk is only slightly strenuous, for this old fat boy, and the rewards are well worth it

caution is suggested in that area, as MOOSE have been re-introduced there

again, THANKS

shiny side up

sw & chili

 

[Ed999]

Enjoying the reports and the pics, thanks for taking the time to post.
Looking forward to more!

 

[Tom]

Ed, sorry to hear about your trouble. I was out in Terlingua in May but didn't see hardly anyone. Here's to a complete recovery.

As for the ride, nice! Jealous I am...

BTW, Like your bike.

 

[SL350]

I bet this is good therapy and a heckovalot more fun that sitting at home. Glad it was the battery and not a problem in the charging system that would eat time. NM is beautiful.

Those critters in the camp are a bunch of bums. Never have liked the idea of taking the wild out of wild life but kids sure like it.

Only thing missing is your fishing pole! Make a cane pole and let's see those trout!

 

[ed29]

The trip was very good therapy. I took surprisingly few pictures overall and very few with the big camera. One more thing I should have left home.

Leaving Colorado for Wyoming my chosen path took me down out of the Rockies and onto the grassy plains.

The side of the road had this grass for mile after mile. I eased on over to South Dakota to see Crazy Horse and Rushmore.

Crazy Horse was kind of disappointing. Old school tourist trap. One fee to get into the gate, another to ride a bus from the visitor center to the memorial, and yet another fee if you actually want to walk the last bit right up to it. Walking from the visitor center is not an option. I opted for the zoom lens approach.

Progress as shown in the timeline pictures in the visitor center has been practically nothing in the last 20 years. only the outline of the horse head has been done, and it doesn't really look much like a real horse head to me.

My next stop was Mt. Rushmore. There was a terrible traffic jam getting in. All lanes were backed up out onto the state highway. Operations at Rushmore have been contracted out as a private concession so my interagency pass was no good here. Looked to be a half hour of stop and wait to pay entrance fee then who knows what. I scooted around the corner to a pullout instead.

I stopped for late lunch in Sturgis, did a little shopping there. Bought a T-Shirt that was not rally related and a doo-rag that is.

It is actually for the rally that is coming up in August. Ya know, the one I won't really be at. Food was good.

I made my way back into Wyoming to visit Devil's Tower.

Liked it so much I camped three nights in their campground using it as a base to further explore the Black Hills, and the Bighorns.

Rolled wheels in three states that day.

 

[Ed999]

Liked it so much I camped three nights in their campground using it as a base to further explore the Black Hills, and the Bighorns.

Rolled wheels in three states that day.

I'm with ya, did Rushmore, Crazy Horse and Devil's Tower before and it was Devil's Tower that really blew my hair back..

 

[swoody126]

CRAZY HORSE is being done w/o any GUB-MENTAL help, so all moneys left on location are all they have

as for the GUB-MENT... RUSHMORE is an example of PRIVATIZING/CONTRACTING OUT...

nice that you had the big camera/long lens to see THE PRESIDENTS

shiny side up

sw

 

[ed29]

I decided to hunker down at Devil's Tower for the July 4th holiday. Not too crowded and not over done commercially. I was building my endurance by hiking the loop around the tower as well as the trails connecting the campground to the loop.

Over near the picnic area is a sculpture called "Circle of Sacred Smoke" carved in marble by Junku Muto. It makes an interesting portal through which to view or photograph the tower.

On one of my morning loops of the tower I spotted climbers scaling the monolith. One of the benches along the trail has binoculars for viewing the valley and fields below. I turned it to the tower and put my camera phone lens to the eyepiece.

Spent part of a day exploring the Black Hills, and on July 4th I rode to Custer's battlefield. Walking that spot and learning details of what preceded the fight, the fight itself, and the immediate aftermath was kind of a sad and somber experience. Snapping pictures just didn't seem to me to be the thing to do. A walk through the adjacent national cemetery made for more reflective time.

Back at camp the adjacent KOA campground put on a pretty good fireworks show easily seen from our campground.

Three days of riding and hiking summed up in 4 pictures.