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Rocky Mountain High


TEWKS

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This is going to be one of those "as it happens" kind of tale. Internet access dependent of course. A twelve hour day shift tomorrow and then we're westward bound at 4am on Friday! :dance:

Not sure why I'm dancing, the drive is gonna bleep! :grin:

 

Hey Mitch, you did bring that faux mud in a can, right? :grin:image_zpsonu5a9qu.jpg

 

Pat

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Thanks Marty! :thumbsup: Dave, I'll do my best not to disappoint but as history has shown, I probably will. :grin:

Last morning truck check for two weeks just happened a few minutes ago. What's this have to do with riding motorcycles in Colorado you ask? Nothing at all, just a dry run using my phone only. :dontknow:

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Pat

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As everyone knows, "stuff happens" in Colorado. :grin:

They say, what happens in Colorado, stays in Colorado. :read: Oh oh, Vegas.. :dontknow: Either way, let's just hope the "stuff that happens" doesn't include leaving bike parts there! :grin:

 

Thanks Bud, I'll keep youz guyz informed! :wave:

 

Pat

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I am a little closer than you, but for last years UN, I drove Atlanta to Fort Collins, Co. My son lives in Fort Collins, CO and we left the truck/trailer with him. Rode to the UN and back, loaded up the bikes and drove back to Atlanta. Except for my food poisoning the first 24 hours of the trip it was awesome. We had three drivers rotated every 8 hours and it was about 24 hours out and 24 hours back. Would have never made the UN otherwise. I enjoy trailering to far away destinations, riding the trailering back. I do not have a lot of vacation time, so to ride some of the western states that is my only choice.

 

Good luck and enjoy the trip.

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Larry, what's going on up on Cottonwood. I just got an email from Slavens Racing in the Springs talking about snow levels and Cottonwood closed for two years for construction. What's with Cottonwood?

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Crossed the Mississippi about an hour ago, truck stopping it for the night. If I was a little quicker with the phone/camera I could of shown you a three legged deer that I almost creamed this morning. :eek:

 

Pat

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You're not in Kansas anymore! Yes you are, for the next 7 hrs matter of fact! :grin:

 

Thanks guys, pictures are more difficult than I thought bouncing down the highway. Randy I agree no shame in hauling the bikes across the big road! :thumbsup:

Larry, thank you we'll try to make contact in the next couple of days

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Pat

Edited by TEWKS
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Randy I agree no shame in hauling the bikes across the big road! :thumbsup:

 

 

Pat

:thumbsup:

 

Having ridden I 70 from S. Il to Colorado numerous times, I agree, there is no shame. Turn up the AC, turn on the tunes and don't forget to see the World's Largest Prairie Dog in Oakley. :rofl:

 

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Larry, what's going on up on Cottonwood. I just got an email from Slavens Racing in the Springs talking about snow levels and Cottonwood closed for two years for construction. What's with Cottonwood?

 

They are paving the west side

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Oh, Ok! :grin:

 

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Pork Sandwich ^ :grin:

 

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Ride time tomorrow! :thumbsup:

 

Pat

Edited by TEWKS
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Larry or Bill, do you guys know of anyone in town that could repair the crank up air vent on my trailer? The thing bounced open and cracked the plastic. Not a major issue, no panic just thought I'd ask .

 

Pat

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roadscholar

Pat, if it's a standard RV piece you might check with the RV dealer in Poncha Springs, right at the traffic light. Or Ace Hdwre in town they have all kinds of stuff. Or Craig at the Jeep rental place, he's pretty handy. Or try epoxy and duct tape, might hold it till you get back. Wish I was there : )

 

Just thought of another one, Thurston's auto repair next to the Conoco downtown, it's not his forte but Dustin is a sharp kid and can fix/repair almost anything or will likely know who can. Craig knows everyone around town also, plus he's got a mobile RV repair guy that'll just order one and install it but that guy's a little pricey.

Edited by roadscholar
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Great info Bill, thank you.

 

Yeah, wish you could have made it out this time too! We rode Marshall and Old Monarch. You couldn't get up OM via 50, too much snow. We had to help a young couple push out their rented 4x4 after they plowed through a drift or two. :/

Noticed their judgment may have been impaired a tiny bit after I tried to rock it out myself. :grin:

 

Hey even know you are not here you can feel good that your road knowledge is making smiles today! :thumbsup:

 

Pat

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Good! The ADVENTURE begins!

 

Pics and news at 11PM??????? :wave:

 

Bud, the early edition. :grin:

 

The now unstuck truck. The dude on the other GS was out scouting open routes for his work with Moto Discovery tours is what I believe he said.

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On the other side of the snow or the summit of Old Monarch.

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Marshall summit.

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Pat

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roadscholar

Lot of snow this year, I've been hearing most of the high stuff is still impassable. Looks like great weather the next week or so tho, hopefully you can get up OM while you're there. The worst part is the first little bit, after a few turns it's in the sun and usually melts off.

 

Keep the pics coming, enjoying it from here.. :thumbsup:

 

Edit, never mind looks like you came up the back way : )

Edited by roadscholar
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Yea!!! :wave:

 

Plan on being there the last two weeks in July with my hack. Hope all the snow is gone by then.

 

Keep em coming. :clap:

 

IIRC the last time I did OM, Dances With Wiener Dogs did it as well on his RT.

Edited by Bud
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I would think you'd have no problem at all, that time of year Bud. :thumbsup: OM was a warm up for what's to come. PS...don't tell my buddy Mitch! :grin:

 

Pat

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Pat - Thanks for the link, I had never heard of "Rawhyde-Offroad".

 

Reading the bio's of their team gives an insight into the many different backgrounds people have before becoming in love with adventure and off road motorcycle riding.

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Bob, they're probably a class act outfit if they hire guys like Mike. :thumbsup:

 

Today was another good one with a curveball or two tossed in just for fun. :) This was not on the route but my GPS took us up to Lake Irwin just west of Crested Butte.

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This was on CO 12 the first time. :/ Our plan was to run 133 back to 92 and on to 50 but a truck took down a powerliine just south of the 12 & 133 junction. So we had to bactrack over 12 again which wasn't terrible except for the truckers that got a heads up via CB radios. The DUST, did I say DUST :grin: was terrible. They weren't stopping and the pebbles made it too dangerous to pass on the pass.

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Slow Groovin BBQ in Marble. OMG Good!

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Was feeling a bit Groovy so I tried on a "Meatstash" Ok, yep the Line has been crossed! :D

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Pat

 

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Great pic of spillway and couple of the usual suspects! :wave:

 

Bud, the guy that took that picture lives in North Reading Ma. About five miles from my home. Funny! :grin:

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Bill_Walker
Bob, they're probably a class act outfit if they hire guys like Mike. :thumbsup:

 

RawHyde has an excellent reputation for adventure bike training.

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Glad you made it to Slo-Groovin. The lunch we had there on our way to Crystal Mill was awesome. The road from there to Crystal for me was a challenge in spots and that was on my WR. :P

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Doug, you get full credit for that one, it was awesome! :thumbsup: Bill, we made our way from 114 to 149 via your route, simply incredible! :clap: In Lake City having lunch at Restless Spirits Saloon now. :eat:

 

Pat

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roadscholar
Bill, we made our way from 114 to 149 via your route, simply incredible! :clap: In Lake City having lunch at Restless Spirits Saloon now. :eat:

 

Pat

 

Well finally.. :grin: Just kidding, that is a great ride glad you guys enjoyed it. Plus it's a straight shot to Lake City and may be faster than going around on either of the two paved roads, definitely worth the scenery regardless. It's the old stagecoach route too so it has a lot of history.

 

How was Los Pinos Pass, it was a little 'greasy' when I did it in Oct 2010.

 

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Poor internet but this was almost Mitch's last moments on Ophir!

 

Pat

Edited by TEWKS
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Poor internet but this was almost Mitch's last moments on Ophir!

 

You can't leave us hanging like this. :dopeslap:

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Sorry Bud. Yeah just after I snapped that last shot he hit a patch of ice and the backend came around pointing the front wheel towards the point of no return. :eek: Too much brake checking most likely caused it. I have vid and hopefully it's viewable but won't know till I get home.

 

In Moab waiting to check in, then off to Arches NP.

 

Pat

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Glad your partner is ok. Check out the date on the first pic, 7/30/95 and see how much snow was still in the area. Not sure which pass this was but over on the Engineer side. In the second pic, our friend Bob was cleaning out his shorts as he had just done an instant 90° turn toward oblivion also. His front wheel went over some. We were just snow but I can imagine how nasty the ice felt. :P It can happen so quickly and he was a very experienced off roader and A enduro rider.

 

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Nice pics Doug, not nearly as much snow for us but like I mentioned, the runoff froze (temps about 20*) and the best way through it was not to be on the brakes. (easier said than done) Mitch has a little bit of off road experience but the conditions surprised both of us. He did well saving it. :thumbsup:

 

 

Bill, Los Pinos was fine but 867 north of lake city was gated. Sign said wet conditions? We ended up at Big Blue Campground before we gave up and hammered up 149. The second leg off 50 was spectacular! :thumbsup:

 

Backing it up just a bit we stayed at the Eureka Lodge the night before we crossed Ophir. It was an old miners lodge built in the twenties, short lived service life and was abandoned up until Bob & Terri Brokering bought it about twenty years ago. Lots of work went into restoring it and they did a great job of keeping it period correct. Very gracious hosts, too! :thumbsup:

 

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That'll make ice!

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Yesterday we rode Lands End Road (thanks again Bill) which was spectacular (seem to be using that word a lot) :grin: but pics were limited because nerves were frazzled from the day's earlier event.

 

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Grand Mesa Lodge cabin wasn't bad, comfy beds.

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We rode into Arches NP this after. Hot, and too many people. We had to wait in the hot sun for 30 minutes to give our fifteen bucks so I could snap a few pics. I believe the Ferran tourism guide fits me much better! :thumbsup::grin:

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Tomorrow we ride Shafer Canyon Rd to Potash Rd. Should be great!

 

PS... Thanks Bud! :thumbsup:

 

 

Pat

Edited by TEWKS
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roadscholar

Anything within about 20 miles of Moab is pretty much a zoo anymore, but everything else looks spectacular. :grin:

 

Seriously it does, and glad you guys are having fun! :thumbsup:

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Thanks Larry, glad you're enjoying them. I'm having fun posting! :thumbsup:

First two are on Shafer Canyon Rd and the last was on Potash. It's only about a two hour loop out of Moab but a Spectacular two hour loop! :clap:

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Pat

 

Edited by TEWKS
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