Vital Signs: 8 (mostly) Hoosiers Meet Up & Ride Colorado [pic heavy]

EVERYDAY WE'RE STANDING IN A TIME CAPSULE

It was nice to wake up and stroll over to the river and take in the rushing water and mountains – what a great spot to ease into the morning. This would be the last day for our group of 8 to ride together, so we'd planned to ride a shorter route and then an optional return up 550 in the afternoon.

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One of the guys had done some research back home and stumbled across someones “do not pass up this road” review. As we looked at a map, some were skeptical and we were fairly certain the road was dirt. The road branched off of our southern circular route that we had planned, so we were game to check out the road – and if it was dirt, we could make a decision there whether to continue on or stick with the original route.

 

 

Our planned route:

 

 

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We took 160 and had a close call here. A truck towing a trailer had gone back and fourth between lanes on our 4 lane road over the course of a couple of miles or so. Steve and I were the bikes still behind the trailer. The truck moved back to the right lane and Steve began to pass in the left lane. As Steve was next to the trailer, the driver decides he needs to turn left from the right lane and begins moving it on over. Steve – ever alert – was able to take evasive action and avoided getting taken out. I could see it unfolding – the trailers lights worked, but the left tail light of the truck was burned out, so Steve didn't have much warning as he was beside the trailer when the car signaled and moved at the same time.

 

 

 

The Dirt Road

 

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We followed 500 for a few miles and had a conference. A couple of riders decided to head back to the original route, and the rest of us were going to explore the road some more – hoping that its high recommendation had some basis. So on we continued. The road was decent with some light gravel and took us past ranches that ranged from beautiful to abandoned. The heat was getting intense and our pace was reserved on the heavy bikes. We saw a locomotive and a rail car or two looking quite displaced in various fields. The road went along the San Juan river in places and at some point, there must have been a narrow gauge rail there – we also saw a RR bridge in a pasture. Colorado Railroad history is immersive, but I was unable to find any direct mention of this location in my Railroad history search.

 

 

Train Tracks, bridge and rail car. Waiting for high tide?

 

 

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The river looked inviting, and with the heat, we wanted to stop along the river -but there were no shady tress in the few areas we would have had access to the shore without trespassing. Up ahead a car stopped as if to talk. The Native American man's family has owned the vast amount of land we'd been on and had since the early 1800's (maybe even longer). If we were buying, he was happy to sell us a homestead! We had a brief conversation and we learned some of the history of the land and area and it's boom and bust. It was hot and he had passengers, so Joe asked the best way back to the highway, and he advised we go left at the next fork (on 700) and that would take us back to pavement. It was a bit of a shame – at the fork where we went left, the road was beginning to get interesting and looked like it had potential. We couldn't know that for sure without exploring further, and we were already an hour or so from pavement. Plus we didn't have the right bikes. Without the right bike for the job, we took the the fork that would bring us back to our route.

 

 

 

The Sign Says It All

 

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We found a bit of shade out there . . .

 

 

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We had out last meal as a group of 8 together.

 

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Scott was rolling out early (3am-ish) in the morning to start his trek back to The Hoosier and Ernie was heading back to Denver to turn in the bike and fly home to Connecticut. Their departure was sobering for us all, signaling the end of our time as a group of 8 and we knew it would be but a blink of an eye before we were all back home and toiling at the grindstone.

 

We still had two more great riding days ahead and we were surrounded by Western Landscapes, good friends and our bikes. That overpowered any hold the grindstone might have on us, and anything work related that had crept into the mind was just as quickly banished.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Well done - nice write up. Envious I am ... :-)

Yeah, really envious! One you'll remember forever, or until the Alzheimer's sets in.

Well done - nice write up. Envious I am ... :-)

Thanks Z man - I'm ready to go back - FART can't get here soon enough!

Yeah, really envious! One you'll remember forever, or until the Alzheimer's sets in.

Wifey convinced it already has. Sometimes I think she's right just making things up.

SUMMER'S GOING FAST

We were up and at 'em early enough in the morning, but there was no hurry to depart. We knew the next couple of days would flash by - no need to hasten that any more than necessary. Looking outside the room, 6th gear's bike was gone - he'd left at sometime approaching 0-dark-thirty.

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And then there were six

 

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ALL THIS MACHINERY MAKING MODERN MUSIC

 

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The Telluride area is just breathtaking.

 

 

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ERIC WAS DROOLING

 

 

Telluride the town and Telluride the ski area have been - for the most part - developed separately. This has helped the town keep it's character and identity. You can take free Gondola rides up to Mountain Village. Nifty!

 

 

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GRAVITY AND DISTANCE

The ride back to Gunnison was mostly in the rain, at times heavy but nothing torrential. The last 60 miles or so were dry and we found some new company when we arrived back at the ABC Motel.

HERE'S TO PEACEFUL START UPS

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We unloaded and got settled back into the ABC. I headed off to fill up and on my return ran into a problem. For whatever reason, doing a low speed right turn in the parking lot, I dumped my RT! I guess there's a first time for everything I. could. Not. Believe. It.

 

Now it just so happens that as I pulled into the lot, Jerry was talking to the Busty Blonde Housekeeper in the tanktop I mentioned earlier. Speculation ran rampant among the group that I had either been distracted by her OR was trying to get her away from Jerry. He helped me right the bike and she took the opportunity to vamoose. Damage was limited to my ego and primarily the right valve cover. And yes, I DO still have a set of Metal Touratech Valve Cover protectors that came with my bike that I've never bothered to put on.

 

We walked to a local Mexican joint and had a nice dinner. The mararitas were OK, but we longed for the Crested Butte recipe. And some ping pong.

 

 

¡Ay caramba! He olvidado cómo enfocar.

 

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We finished the night in the parking lot lounge. Tomorrow would provide opportunities for some aggressive riding and perhaps a final return to Crested Butte. 6th gear had made it a good ways into Kansas before stopping and Ernie made Denver and returned the bike. None of us wanted to acknowledge that tomorrow would be our last day riding together.

 

 

 

IN THE LONG RUN

Friday had arrived. Our last day of riding together. Last night, GS Joe passed around a aerial view of our main mission for today – Black Canyon Highway / CO 92. The aerial shot was breathtaking and a little unnerving for me. The Gunnison River has carved out cliffs more than 2,700 feet above its flow. CO 92 traces its way along many of these cliffs. Stunning to say the least. We would lunch in Crawford, CO.

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I like curves as much as anyone, but the view from the sky highlighted some sharp curves on ledges that had drop-dead fall-offs. I'd noticed on this trip that while I have no issue riding hard into sharp curves that offered at least a guardrail, the sharp curves that had no run off and no guardrail I found distracted me and split my attention from solely looking into and through the curve and up the road ahead. This fortunately would correspond to a (significant) reduction in speed, and once in the corner, a feeling of stupidity at my phobia. I wondered what, if any, effect my phobia would bring tomorrow on CO 92.

 

 

WHEELS CAN TAKE YOU AROUND, WHEELS CAN CUT YOU DOWN

 

But first things first. 6th gear was off and running again and these photos were waiting for us when we woke up. His day was off to a good start. And it was to end all too quickly.

 

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Just before we were about to head out, we got word from 6th gear that his ride was over. Abruptly.

 

 

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Just when you think you've heard 'em all. Amazing he didn't go down and that the yellow strap didn't get wound around his wheels. The front wheel would absolutely not roll after he got stopped.

 

 

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WE CAN GO FROM BOOM TO BUST

FROM DREAMS TO BOWL OF DUST

 

Scott's ride was over, but he had a schedule to keep. True to his nature, he got home about 6am and went straight to work on the house he and his wife are remodeling. It was a minor miracle he got to take the CO trip with that major project (they bought a 100 year old house that's been added onto 3 times and needed a total gutting - which they did themselves) in the works. To go on the CO trip, one of the conditions he'd promised Mrs.6th gear was that he'd be home that weekend to make up for his absence. I'm pretty sure she was just happy to have him back in one piece.

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THE MAIN MONKEY BUSINESS

With 6th gear waiting for a tow truck, we headed out. At the dam, we made a quick stop for photos.

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Eric's video of first time heading out - deer crossing road @ 7:58

 

 

 

 

We stopped at a vista and took it all in.

 

 

 

 

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WORKIN' THEM ANGELS

 

 

On the way back to Gunnison, EricInIndy and I ended up at the front once we were out of the rural area and back into the curves. We began to pick up the pace and push a bit. We weren't going to have these kinds of roads back home and it was time to turn it up and make the most of the road and our last day! Don was maintaining contact a bit further back and I could see him in my mirrors on the straighter bits of road. Eric picked up the pace some more and I'm scraping the (lowered) pegs on both sides to keep up as his Speedtripple3 has all kinds of lean angle in reserve. Don had dropped back and I no longer saw him. This was a concern – as he is still new to his bike. With the others behind Don, I'm focused on chasing Eric. I find that if I that if I stay close and focus more on his bike on the sharp curves that have no runoff or guardrail, I'm not distracted by their absence. This is not without risk. If something were to happen to Eric, I'd be hard pressed to avoid him, and in doing so might find the cliff edge myself. You can also be lured into to just following the line of the bike in front of you, a proposition that can lead to disaster. Our bikes are different enough and I was working harder than he was, so it was easier than I thought it would be necessary to execute my own lines through the curves and not follow his. We arrived back at the dam grinning from ear to ear. What a satisfying ride!

 

Using all the tires

 

My RT

 

 

 

 

SOMEHOW WE FIND EACH OTHER

 

When we pull into the ABC, the others are there! The Motel owners told us that cell service 'was out nationwide because of the Brexit vote that had happened and the World was in chaos!' We were puzzled. The others had indeed pulled off into a scenic area, only they took a road going uphill, so Eric and I would have never seen them, although they did see us chasing each other. They got some amazing photos.

 

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LAUGHTER IS INFECTIOUS

We headed back up to Crested Butte for some Margaritas and a final ping pong match. GS Joe and Steve had made pact between themselves that they would adhere to a 2 drink limit and a set time certain for leaving Crested Butte. I guess we all know how 'last night' celebrations can go. Upon arrival in CB, we find there is a costume Bicycle parade and festival going on and the town is packed! We find a table at a outside patio and take in the activity. Still no cell service, but locals said a local Cell Phone Tower was down – no BREXIT international conspiracy. We were sure that the hippie-ish couple who had heckled 6th gear earlier in the week about being on his phone were probably very happy about now that cell phones were useless for info and communication!

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We check out the sound check and the band sounds promising! But the band isn't going to start till 10. Being that this is Colorado - and a laid back town at that - we figure it'll be later than that by the time they start. 9:30 was the departure time Steve and GS had set to head back to Gunnison. The others want to stay and check out the band. I love live music and wanted to stay as well and knew once the band started playing, I'd probably be in for the duration. I headed back to the ABC with GS and Steve. It was a nice cool ride back and the stars seemed plentiful and bright. We remembered the speed warning the ABC owners had given us on our first night in Gunnison , but never saw anything to worry about.

 

 

The others left after the first set and were not disappointed by the band. On the way home, once through one of the towns, there is a prolonged 45mph zone, long after leaving the town. I remember being tempted to throttle up in the zone on our way home, but didn't. The guys had picked up their speed in this zone and were blue lighted. Jerry was leading (AGAIN!) and was issued a written warning for speeding. That made for 3 traffic stops for speeding that resulted in 2 business cards and I written warning. Yep – clean living.

Thanks again for the story and pictures.

I may need to learn a little more about that "clean living". My luck is a bit more sporadic.

Mike Cassidy

Am I the only one wondering why there are no pictures of this infamous Polish housekeeper?

They were all tired from long days on the road and their goggles were bug-encrusted.

Thanks again for the story and pictures.

 

I may need to learn a little more about that "clean living". My luck is a bit more sporadic.

 

Thanks Mike! Try as we might - We've been hard pressed to define 'Clean Living' precisely. It seems to be a bit of a moving target and somewhat situational . . .

Yes. . . 'Inga' . . Well, for sure we all remember her well - but then I'm the guy who mentally pictured the incident of the two riders splitting and passing the car on the mountain when it happened at the base of the mountain where the road was wide, so my mental image could be suspect. As a PUBLIC SERVICE, I asked the others guys if they had a picture of 'Inga', and all originally responded negatively with varying degrees of regret.

To be clear - we were not around too much during the day when 'Inga' would have been jiggling jogging from room to room - so I was a real Snidely Whiplash for creating the distraction by dropping the bike that gave her reason to Vamoooose while Jerry helped me get it up pick up the bike.

HOLD THE PRESSES! Another email correspondence comes through in the affirmative, with the following disclaimer: "Here she is, but I don't want to talk about when/how I got her pic." I have my suspicions about the authenticity - but this is pretty darn close, so strictly as a public service . . .

EDIT: In order to comply with Clean Living protocols and to protect the innocent AND 'Inga' - who by now could be a U.S. Citizen - I offer . . .

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Speaking of Inga - and this isn't too far off minus a few years -

Inga and Gene

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What with another Clean Living Hoosierâ„¢ Once in a Lifetime Trip forth coming, I figured I better wrap this one up! I guess I got lost reminiscing about the Housekeeper at the ABC . . .

If you remember, some of the Clean Living Hoosiers stayed behind in Crested Butte to catch the band. One their way home, they got to know a local constable who issued a warning ticket for speeding through their sleepy town. In the morning, one of the riders who stayed late- I'll call him Jerry - realized he didn't have his credit card! After a few cups of coffee, he remembered that the Eldo had taken the card for security on the tab he was running. Fine. The problem is that, I guess in all the excitement to get back to the hotel, he forgot to settle up and close out his bill. Phone calls were made, but it was still too early for the rowdy bar to be open. Soon, he did get a call back, and Yes they had his card. They also said they had lost power at some point (after he left), and all of the running tabs got cleared out - so he owed them NOTHING! They would send him his card (which they did) Clean Living indeedâ„¢!

The Remaining Last Hoosier's Standing Sleeping riding departed after the The Cali contingent shoved off at dawn. We loaded up EricinIndy's speed Tripple on the trailer, but Don was going to ride for the first stint. We kicked around the idea of Don riding some with us, but we were going to do some gravel and wander a bit, so we parted ways.

The two new RT owners celebrate a great initiation trip!

Eric's A/C has gone out on the way out to Colorado - remember this was a heatwave. He wanted to get his van repaired at a Honda Dealer, so the work would be warranted back in Indiana if he had issues. The dealer in Colorado Springs had Saturday service hours and they set off to get the repair. Eric had more issues on the way and the van literally died pulling into the dealer's service department. Clean Livingâ„¢ strikes again!

Jerry and I wanted to ride 114 again and run some gravel, so we said goodbye to Gunnison and set off with the wind at our backs.

We kept asking, 'Why are we leaving?!"

Soon enough, we left the elevation behind and settled in for long and straight roads.

The best laid plans . .

Jerry and I had agreed that he would do the routing for the way out, and I would do the return trip. My route was going to pile on the miles, but by this point, my tires were going to be questionable to make it back taking a more direct route and we were still in the midst of the heatwave, so we headed back on a slightly different, but largely random path - and that suited the both of us.

Canon City wasn't off the path, but we had lunch there and a much needed cooling off.

From Canon City, we ended up staying in Garden City for the night, with dark storm clouds looming as we rolled into the hotel. The next day, Jerry decided we should roll into Council Groove, KS on a whim and on the fly and we stumbled upon the Historic Hays House restaurant; Est 1857 and a National Historic Landmark. It was founded by Seth Hays, Great Grandson of Daniel Boone. This was, like the General Store in Harrisburg, MO, just the kind of place we'd hope to come across.

Hays House

The heat continued to beat us senseless on the way home, and as we approached Quincy, IL we had a prolonged stop outside the MCS Controlled Storage Facility, located in a old Limestone mine. The facility is accessible by train or truck. The temperature is 55 degrees there year-round and as you get near, you can feel things cooling off. Stop near the tunnels, and you are lavished with brisk, cool air blasting past you!

Just what we needed. Well, that and a Vodka - which was the only reason we didn't stay longer. Soon, drinks in hand, we continued cooling off in the pool at our hotel.

The last day's ride was fairly boring and the only highlight was my concern about my rear tire. I opted to hit the slab for a more direct route, and Jerry kept the faith in the no interstate rule.

Everyone was home safely and we were all still friends. Actually, we were better friends now! And while thoughts of sugar plumbs didn't dance in our heads, thoughts of what a trip might look like next summer did. The only hang up might be that many of us sold the trip to our loving wives that this WAS A ONCE IN A LIFETIME trip.

As my Grandfather used to say, Things Change.

"A once in a lifetime trip" year after year is how I'd like to work it. Great pics, I'll read later, must go pick up my 8 Y/O from school which makes the year after year thing a bit challenging.

Pat

I'll read later, must go pick up my 8 Y/O from school which makes the year after year thing a bit challenging.

 

Pat

Yes . . . We are all at the ages where kids are growing older, many are out of the house. Only one of us has very young kids. Defiantly makes a difference!

And yes, this has turned into an Annual Once in a Lifetime trip. We did Maine and Vermont last year and are doing the L.A. to Portland in July. The wives are beginning to talk . . .

Great ride tale, Dave. That's quite a bit of effort you put into it, for sure.