Two and a half day ride you missed!

[denverbusa]

What an awsome trip!

If you wanted to go but just couldn't get it together...
YOU LOST OUT :guns: !!!!!

We had a great journey on incredible roads. This state has such wonderful scenery. Riding through Ouray was breathtaking.

We left Denver with the threat of rain but never got a drop on us. Dinner in Vail on our way to Glenwood but had to go to New Castle to get a room for the night. Left Glenwood in the AM and hit our first canyons just south of Carbondale on Hwy 133 near redstone, incredible twisties with half an hour, SWEET :D . 1st stop just past Paonia reservoir was perfect time for a little break.
Pretty dull till Crawford after we hit Hwy 92 south then we hit the Black Canyon of the Gunnison. This was by far my favorite road with great sweepers, four and five turn sets with lots of hair pins thrown in to keep you honest 8) .
At Blue Mesa reservoir we hit Hwy 50 bound for Montrose, nothing too special except for the close encounter with some elk but not a threat just on the road watching us until I got about 15' from a bull and he bound back into the brush, what a majestic animal.
Lunch in Montrose and with all our tanks full we were bound for the Million Dollar Highway through Ouray on Hwy 550 south. The residents of that town are incredibly lucky. There can't be a house with a bad view since you have to look nearly straight up just to see the sky. I wonder if it actually gets any sun during the winter when the sun is low?
going up to the top of Red Mountain pass had its moments to get the adrenaline flowing, nearly straight down cliffs with no guard rails :o . heading back down to Durango was another great section of roadway, mostly new pavement some looked like we were the first to drive on the roads, smooth as silk :twisted: .
Durango was too hot and we still had time to get to Pagosa Springs so off we went like a shot on Hwy 160 east, the best high speed sweeper road in the State period.
Dinner and off to The Springs to rest the muscles and melt my weary ass after a FULL day in that Ducati saddle. That was without a doubt the BEST day of riding I have ever had.
Off again with hot air balloons above and not a single cloud in the sky. Except for Wolf Creek Pass a pretty straight forward day once we got on Hwy 285 :( .

Most importantly no negative events what so ever, no break downs, no tickets, no plastic on the side of the road, perfect. We were all on time to meet for breakfast and no stragglers with every one else waiting to get on the road. We had a great group and we all got along great.

I want to plan another weekend trip for late July. Since it will be hotter any one have some thoughts?

[Bugkiller1]

830 miles total; now thats a hell of an accomplishment for a weekend ride. What a frikkin ride... perfect weather and perfect roads. Its a toss up for me for best road.... heading from Carbondale down to Panoia on 133 was cloose to perfect; no traffic and perfect turns one after the other. But The Black Canyon of the Gunnison was the perfect combination of back to back turns with views that should be on postcards. Coolest town we went through had to be Ouray. Going into it i knew the Million Dollar Highway went south over the San Juans but looking up at the sheer mountains on every side of the town made it look impossible. Sure enough the Million Dollar Highway lived up to its name as we climed nearly straight up towering down on the town of Ouray below us.

...Like I said to you mark as we were leaving Monte Vista yesterday "Its gonna be hard to beat this trip" to which you replied..."Yeah... but its gonna be fun trying"

I got a bunch of pictures that i will try to post later.

Neil

[riverock]

sounds like a great trip. You mentioned Wolf Creek Pass- is it still F'd up? I'll be heading that way in a couple weeks.

[Bugkiller1]

sounds like a great trip. You mentioned Wolf Creek Pass- is it still F'd up? I'll be heading that way in a couple weeks.

The only thing f'ed up is the speed limit; 35mph. Clean paved roads.

[denverbusa]

I think it was Poncha Pass area on Hwy 285 that was was freshly tarred and gravelled all the way up and down. That sucked!

Wolf creek was very clean though. All the roads on our route were very clean except for a few small spots. There was not a single spot where we experienced sand on the road like you get so much on Deckers and Peak to Peak.

[riverock]

thx for the info. Flight plan finalized.

[swademaster]

A few of us did about the same ride back on the 19th-21st of May.

Rode to Durango through Montrose on Friday and spent the night there. Rode the San Juan Skyway on Saturday and stayed in Durango again Saturday night. Rode back home on Sunday over Wolf Creek Pass.

This was the most scenic, beautiful motorcycle trip I have been on. By the time I got home Sunday afternoon, I had ridden about 1025 miles for the weekend.

[sfarson]

830 miles total; now thats a hell of an accomplishment for a weekend ride. What a frikkin ride... perfect weather and perfect roads. Its a toss up for me for best road.... heading from Carbondale down to Panoia on 133 was cloose to perfect; no traffic and perfect turns one after the other. But The Black Canyon of the Gunnison was the perfect combination of back to back turns with views that should be on postcards. Coolest town we went through had to be Ouray. Going into it i knew the Million Dollar Highway went south over the San Juans but looking up at the sheer mountains on every side of the town made it look impossible. Sure enough the Million Dollar Highway lived up to its name as we climed nearly straight up towering down on the town of Ouray below us.

...Like I said to you mark as we were leaving Monte Vista yesterday "Its gonna be hard to beat this trip" to which you replied..."Yeah... but its gonna be fun trying"

I got a bunch of pictures that i will try to post later.

Neil

Sounds like it was a good ride, Neil/others. Agree on the Black Canyon, Paonia - McClure, Wolf Creek, etc. Have vids of them all. 8).

These kinds of rides should be planned more often. There's more to see on two wheels than a Front Range canyon again.

[Bugkiller1]

Since this trip i have been studying my map trying to plan out the next trip. I would like to do a lunch in Aspen trip, then south for the other half of the Black Canyon that we missed. Its amazing what you can do in this state on a motorcycle.

[Nick_Ninja]

Since this trip i have been studying my map trying to plan out the next trip. I would like to do a lunch in Aspen trip, then south for the other half of the Black Canyon that we missed. Its amazing what you can do in this state on a motorcycle.

If you're really nice to us --- and you buy us all lunch at The Woody Creek --- we **might** let you ride with us on this outing :lol:

Ouestion: How in the hell do you do "the other half of the Black Canyon that we missed." ????? The road is either the North Rim (CO 92) or the access off of US 50.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y57/Nick_Ninja/BCoTG.jpg

[Bugkiller1]

The West Elk Loop continues to wrap around the canyon. We turned south west on 50(right by a big dam/resivior) out to Montrose instead of continuing to the town of Gunnison.

[denverbusa]

BK1, you talkin' an overnighter again?

Leave Saturday morning on your route, stay in Lake City, (south on 149) head down to South fork and turn around back north to do 149 again. That way we miss all that straight crap and gravel on 285. Then east through Gunnison and home on 50 to 9 north. There is a great cut off from 9, I think its called High Road, through cripple creek then up through deckers.

Just a thought, not like I've been checkin' out my map!

I'm talking to my boss today :dunno: . shhhh.

[Nick_Ninja]

The West Elk Loop continues to wrap around the canyon. We turned south west on 50(right by a big dam/reservoir) out to Montrose instead of continuing to the town of Gunnison.

The reservoir is Blue Mesa and you didn't miss much by not turning left at US 50. Monarch Pass is the only decent route out of the Gunnison drainage. North Cochatopa Pass isn't too bad but plants you out in Saguche and the San Louis Valley.

[denverbusa]

Nick-Ninja,
have you ridden 149 through Lake City? That is one of the roads I haven't been on. Looks good on the map.

I agree 50 east route home from Blue Mesa isn't much but would be better than the San Luis Flats.

We could also just head back through Black Canyon, Redstone, Independence Pass, Leadville and Loveland Pass. 70 traffic on Sunday eve, ugh.

[Nick_Ninja]

Nick-Ninja,
have you ridden 149 through Lake City? <snip>

Yeppers :up: Those passes are Slumgullion and Spring Creek Pass. I've ridden them both from south to north and north to south. They are best done from south to north --- unless you are going to go to Durango.

Hinsdale County Sheriff and the CSP are in the area --- more so on the stretch from LC to US 50. Radar helps loads and they are better traveled during the week.

Spring Creek Pass has the better sweepers but the upper portion of Slumgullion is wide open meadows. Watch for elk and deer.

Here is a USGS link to the geology in the area.

Slumgullion Earth Flow (http://landslides.usgs.gov/learningeducation/slum/)

And another one:

Slumgullion Pass (http://sangres.com/features/slumgullion.htm)

[denverbusa]

Great Links,

Thank you
Mark

[sfarson]

The West Elk Loop continues to wrap around the canyon. We turned south west on 50(right by a big dam/reservoir) out to Montrose instead of continuing to the town of Gunnison.

The reservoir is Blue Mesa and you didn't miss much by not turning left at US 50. Monarch Pass is the only decent route out of the Gunnison drainage. North Cochatopa Pass isn't too bad but plants you out in Saguche and the San Louis Valley.

Another route, and for a fun dual sport ride, is Gunnison up to Almont, then Taylor Park up Cottonwood Pass, then a great paved descent of the east side of Cottonwood, depositing one in Buena Vista. Looking down the eastside of Cottonwood...

http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/25cotton1.jpg

[Nick_Ninja]

I've taken my ZZR over Cottonwood. Great fishing!