From Florida, flying to CO to rent bikes and ride for a week

[ktrides2]

Hi all :)
I will be in Co next week on vacation, renting motorcycles and riding for a week. I did the best I could to plan on Google Maps and do some research, but if you have local knowledge of roads or spots not to miss (or maybe to avoid) close to my planned route, I'd appreciate any tips!

We fly into Denver and get the bikes, ride South and stay in Manitou for the night to get up early and ride to the top of Pikes Peak and then start our ride north to our next two days in Idaho Springs. While there we are going to the loop to Mount Evans (maybe) and up around to OMG Highway (unpaved). Then we have a night in Estes, then to Boulder where we don't have definitive plans.

Here's my route:
https://www.google.com/maps/@39.642105,-105.315669,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!6m1!1szyr1BNXIqvtY.kq0E84zNyZ78? hl=en


FYI - at home I have a Ducati Hypermotard and hubby has a Panigale. For the rentals, I will be on a Scramber and he will be on a BMW GS. We ride street an track and get out of Florida to ride whenever possible, lol.

[j0ker]

Hope you guys have an awesome Colorado riding experience. I approve of your northside route. :)

[ktrides2]

Awesome, thanks!

[j0ker]

Just be aware that up by Estes there are large herds of Elk that will roam slowly across the roads from time to time. Also, lots of deer in the foothills and such.

[Slo]

Too bad you all couldn't tow your bikes here and visit the local tracks we have. I am from Jax btw.

[longrider]

For someone who hasn't been to Colorado you did a great job of picking routes! :up: Enjoy the ride!

[Wrider]

Good picks. I will warn you though, I'm not sure you'll be capable of the altitude up Pikes Peak. Even just being up there is surprisingly tiring when you're not used to the altitude. It may take you more than a day to adjust enough to get up there.

Also, bring plenty of layers. It's in the 30s up on top of the peak in the morning, but it's hitting 80s and 90s during the day along the front range. Granted, it's not humid, but it's still warm.

[asp_125]

Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Bring along a few asprin, in case you didn't hydrate enough. Pikes Peak, Mt Evans, Trail Ridge in RMNP are all places you don't want to feel the effects of altitude.

[Clovis]

Cool! Manitou is just a few miles from me - a good place to start your vacation. I think you have a good route with some fun roads but just one problem. Most of those roads are in pretty rough shape and they have a shit ton of traffic on the weekends.

I rode a lot of those roads today and found a rather rough surface. Still fun, just a rough ride. Earlier this year Colorado recieved several times our normal amount of rain fall and as a result about 5 billion pot holes appeared all over the state like a senior before prom.

https://goo.gl/maps/xIHev

Depending on how long you're staying and what kind of bikes you're renting, maybe consider the south west part of the state. Less crowds and better roads. Black Canyon, 133 between Carbondale and Paonia, Million Dollar Highway and 550 from Montrose to Durango -- Pagosa Springs (Hot Springs! it's a lot of fun and great after a ride). Etc.

Where you're going is close to Denver and Boulder so that's where most of the state goes for the weekend. Go south west and avoid a lot of that, have a better ride :)

[ktrides2]

Just be aware that up by Estes there are large herds of Elk that will roam slowly across the roads from time to time. Also, lots of deer in the foothills and such.

Will do. I learned they are having a huge Irish/Scottish Festival the same time we are there too.


Too bad you all couldn't tow your bikes here and visit the local tracks we have. I am from Jax btw.

So you must have rode Jennings? I would love to check out CO tracks another time!


For someone who hasn't been to Colorado you did a great job of picking routes! :up: Enjoy the ride!

I am Google Maps Master! LOL (I changed it about 10x, so thanks so much for the :up:)


Good picks. I will warn you though, I'm not sure you'll be capable of the altitude up Pikes Peak. Even just being up there is surprisingly tiring when you're not used to the altitude. It may take you more than a day to adjust enough to get up there.

Also, bring plenty of layers. It's in the 30s up on top of the peak in the morning, but it's hitting 80s and 90s during the day along the front range. Granted, it's not humid, but it's still warm.

I think I have the layering down, even bringing heated gear since I get cold in the 60s. I am definitely concerned about the altitudes though.


Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate! Bring along a few asprin, in case you didn't hydrate enough. Pikes Peak, Mt Evans, Trail Ridge in RMNP are all places you don't want to feel the effects of altitude.

I didn't know hydration could help with the altitude affects, thank you!


Cool! Manitou is just a few miles from me - a good place to start your vacation. I think you have a good route with some fun roads but just one problem. Most of those roads are in pretty rough shape and they have a shit ton of traffic on the weekends.

I rode a lot of those roads today and found a rather rough surface. Still fun, just a rough ride. Earlier this year Colorado recieved several times our normal amount of rain fall and as a result about 5 billion pot holes appeared all over the state like a senior before prom.

https://goo.gl/maps/xIHev

Depending on how long you're staying and what kind of bikes you're renting, maybe consider the south west part of the state. Less crowds and better roads. Black Canyon, 133 between Carbondale and Paonia, Million Dollar Highway and 550 from Montrose to Durango -- Pagosa Springs (Hot Springs! it's a lot of fun and great after a ride). Etc.

Where you're going is close to Denver and Boulder so that's where most of the state goes for the weekend. Go south west and avoid a lot of that, have a better ride :)

Well can't change the route that extremely now, have reservations for all but one night when we plan to wing it. I will definitely watch for pot holes, we are pretty used to that down here, didn't know it was a problem there too.


THANKS EVERYONE!!! If you see a chick on a Scrambler with a guy on a GS this week, say HI!

[Kim-n-Dean]

Isn't Mt. Evans closed? We were up there a month ago and were told it was closed for the season. I think road repair. Didn't look too hard, but I can't find a web site with current info. The Evans site was last updated in 2013.

[asp_125]

Just called. Mt Evans is currently open according to the district ranger at USFS. Weather permitting. Usually they close the summit after labor day but to make up for construction and earlier closures they are keeping it open till the first significant snowfall.

[Kim-n-Dean]

Just called. Mt Evans is currently open according to the district ranger at USFS. Weather permitting. Usually they close the summit after labor day but to make up for construction and earlier closures they are keeping it open till the first significant snowfall.I'm so sick of people not knowing what they are talking about!! Really wanted to take a cruise up there, but never went back because of the lame ass information we were given!! Kim's brother was in town last weekend, too. Oh well...

[blaircsf]

I'm so sick of people not knowing what they are talking about!! Really wanted to take a cruise up there, but never went back because of the lame ass information we were given!! Kim's brother was in town last weekend, too. Oh well...

It probably was closed for repairs when you were there, they did a bunch of reconstruction on the road. I don't remember exactly when it opened again, but it wasn't that long ago.
https://www.codot.gov/news/images/MtEvansStabilization2015Wall.JPG
https://www.codot.gov/news/images/MtEvansStabilization2015.JPG

[Wrider]

+1 on the water. Drink lots of it!

[asp_125]

Preview: Construction is finished but there is bad frost heaving at mile marker 8. Lower down, Squaw Pass pavement is delicious! Today was one of the rare clear days, we could see past DIA to the east. The road will stay open until the first significant snow. Echo Lake lodge will try to stay open into the first or second week of Oct. Mountain goats are neat. That is all.

[j0ker]

Preview: Construction is finished but there is bad frost heaving at mile marker 8. Lower down, Squaw Pass pavement is delicious! Today was one of the rare clear days, we could see past DIA to the east. The road will stay open until the first significant snow. Echo Lake lodge will try to stay open into the first or second week of Oct. Mountain goats are neat. That is all.
Sounds like a fun ride. I have never been.
Looks like you got your car real clean tonight. :) <stalker>

[blaircsf]

Isn't Mt. Evans closed? We were up there a month ago and were told it was closed for the season. I think road repair. Didn't look too hard, but I can't find a web site with current info. The Evans site was last updated in 2013.

I'm so sick of people not knowing what they are talking about!! Really wanted to take a cruise up there, but never went back because of the lame ass information we were given!! Kim's brother was in town last weekend, too. Oh well...
Just re-read this and realized "closed for the season... never went back" vs "closed for construction". Unfortunate that you were informed with bad information, it is a fun ride. I've ridden it before, might have to see about going again before they close it.

[asp_125]

Doo eet! Doo eet now! Aspens are just starting to change and it will be full of slow moving leaf peepers in a couple weeks.

Teaser:
https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5774/21286318156_13fe6f6309_b.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/yqZWMs)

[ktrides2]

What a great vacation we had! Mt Evans was open, unfortunately its one of two roads we planned to ride and skipped. Husband got altitude sickness on Pikes Peak the first day then on the second day, I became allergic to everything in the air - sinuses went nuts, couldn't breath clear all week. The other road we skipped was "off-road" OMG highway, we did some easier gravel roads and that was enough for me. We did everything else we wanted to though, it was SO MUCH FUN!! We added one new area, Loveland Pass, found one coffee shop open in Keystone for lunch. I really regret skipping Evans though when I see that goat pic, that was on my want to see list! I did see Elk though, so that was cool :)

I was surprised at all the traffic in the mountains, even in the middle of the week. I think we got in one good run on our last day where we had no cars slowing us down on 103, I LOL'd in my helmet several times.:w00t: Even with traffic though, it was beautiful and fun and we'll be back one day. Every road on the route was filled with twisty yummy goodness! Now I'm back in flat Florida, if you're ever here, I'll let you know where the hidden decent roads are. :) Thanks for all the tips!