Who can do a 3 day ride?

[HOTCARCASS]

It's possible but an extra day means an extra vacation day from work and additional expenses for food/hotel.

True, these are some fantastic roads though and would hate to rush through them. Having a little more time to stop and take in the scenery and company would be awesome. Another $60 dollars would take care of the expenses and we could really enjoy the weekend. I have a little time off comming to me and that may not be the case for others. I am currious if anyone else is thinking 4 days instead of 3.

[Clovis]

We're a month out so get your time off request in!

[Mother Goose]

I'm a definite maybe. I'd have to do this sans passenger, especially on the R1.

[Ninja2]

Unfortunately, I am gonna miss this one :-(

Be safe, have fun and take a lot of pics!

[HOTCARCASS]

Requested the 26th to 29th off. 3 days eesh dano if i can hang!

[Ghost]

Is the first post the current/most updated route/plan/date etc?

Because it still says:

Updated: 12/15/11
Set a tentative date, updated routes.

[HOTCARCASS]

Dates Tentative: April 27-29, 2012. The final date will depend on weather and road conditions in Colorado. The date range is April 13th - May 11th. Too early in the year and there's snow in Colorado, too late and it's hot as hell in Arizona.

Here is the updated info from #1.

[Samko]

I did this in 2010 when I lived in AZ . Most fun is between Eagar and Cliffton. In Cliffton you will see the biggest effin mine at least that I have seen. Yeah 666 is fun lots of trees, no animals, 45 min south of Eagar and you will hardly see any bikers. Oh and don't look at warning sings , because they put them too close to dangerous spots anyway. I did this on an FZ, not sure about ZX.

[HOTCARCASS]

Days off request Granted now to determine if the weather will be warm enough. I plan to carry as little as possibe seeing how i always manage to over pack.

Will take -
1. Change of skivvies x3 (i prefer thongs less restrictive)
2. Water proof/wind proof shells
3. Long med weight thermal top and bottom
4. Fox Hat (lucky Hat)
5. Trunks for hot tub
6. Ibuprofen
7. Camera/Go Pro
8. Mini laptop for up loads
9. clear/tented sheild
10. Leather suit liner
Should fit in a tank bag and Tail bag. I don't want to carry saddle bags if i can avoid it. Should I ride the ZX 6 or the 1098s, hmmm. The fuel range on the quacker is low like 100 mpg. I am not 100% about the time frame yet as I plan to do it in 4 days. And when its warm enough to ride comfortably.

[Penadam]

Just an item to consider, if you do speed, keep it under 25 over so you don't end up having to go to court in another state.

[Clovis]

Updated the first post with dates (same as tenative) weather and estimated cost since gas is $4/gal which is higher then I originally estimated it would be.

Thanks Iran!!

[Samko]

Just an item to consider, if you do speed, keep it under 25 over so you don't end up having to go to court in another state.

In AZ you can take online defensive driving course and erase the ticket. Every two years, even if you're out of state.

[usmcab35]

ive done a ton of super long rides, if you have one, a camel back is worth its weight in gold in the warmer months, keeps you able to stay in the saddle longer and no heat stroke mid ride. i will dig up my checklist that i normally pack on a ride. i will try to make this since my riding season is getting cut due to deployment...

[Clovis]

A camel back is an option but (and this is just my personal prefrence) I prefer a bottle of power aid in my tail bag. It always manages to stay cool, especially if I freeze it the night before.

ive done a ton of super long rides, if you have one, a camel back is worth its weight in gold in the warmer months, keeps you able to stay in the saddle longer and no heat stroke mid ride. i will dig up my checklist that i normally pack on a ride. i will try to make this since my riding season is getting cut due to deployment...

[Kilomph]

I'm game for April 24-30.

[HOTCARCASS]

I'm game for April 24-30.

I am game for more days. if I'm going to shred a set of tires I want to make the most of it. I have the 26 - 30 off at this point.

[powers]

Total mileage: - 1,700 give or take.

Hmm, this ride might be good practice for riding to Monterey in July.

[usmcab35]

A camel back is an option but (and this is just my personal prefrence) I prefer a bottle of power aid in my tail bag. It always manages to stay cool, especially if I freeze it the night before.

yea i normally have the camel back, and some bottle of either juice or sports drink in one of my bags.

[Jason ON]

Updated: 4/5/2012
Set date, updated weather conditions, fuel cost since gas is now $4/gal.

For a ride stretching over this many miles in 3 days I like to play it by ear. After we hit Gallup at the end of day 1 it's flexible and we have several good options.

The CSC Secret Squirrels presents: The Devil's Spine!

U.S. Route 491 / 191, formally known as U.S. 666 also known as The Devil's Spine, is a section of highway that straddles both New Mexico and Arizona, containing over 1,100 corners in a 95 mile loop beginning and ending in Alpine, AZ. The Devil's spine is arguably one of the most technically challenging roads in North America.

The Spine itself is just 6% of the total route. The entire route is designed to take you through many of the absolutely best motorcycle roads Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona have to offer.

Full Disclosure. This is a difficult ride and and will test both you and your bike's abilities. Plan on 3 days of riding 12 hours (possibly more) and covering in excess of 500 miles per day.

Dates April 27-29, 2012. We've been having some great early spring time weather but it's still possible we'll get snow all though that's unlikely by the end of April. I recommend that you pack fairly lightly but bring an extra layer as we're likely to be riding some portions at night. Expect day time AZ temps to approach 90 degrees.

By the end of April we'll have 14 hours of day light. Sunrise is at 6:00AM and sets just before 8:00PM. That's very important to remember.

A note on gear...

Heated gear is awesome! You probably won't need it but it's nice to have if you do. A Baklava is a cheap way to keep your face warm ($15) and an even cheaper is a scarf or triangle cut scarf that you can buy from Wal-Mart's arts and crafts section for about $3. I bring this little guy with me everywhere and it's great for keeping the wind off your neck. Also keeps bugs/rocks from stinging your neck.

Make sure that you have room in your bags to fit any layers you'll strip off.

Pro Tip #1 Pack Advil (ibuprofen). This loosens your joints, prevents cramps and overall makes your ride much more comfortable. I take 800mg (4 pills) before every ride.

Pro Tip #2 Make sure your tires have plenty of tread life left and can handle up to 1700 miles. Running out of tread means ending your trip early. Trust me on this one.

__________________________________________________ _


Difficulty level: Intermediate.

The spine itself is quite challenging but can be safely traversed by riding your own ride. I can't emphasize this enough. Crashing is one thing, crashing 800 miles from home is another.

The other 94% of the route is a mixture of typical Colorado mountain sweepers and flat south western desert. If you haven't been through the Navajo Nation before, then you're in for something... different. More on that in a second.

The real challenge comes from endurance. We have a lot of miles to cover and only 3 days to do it.

Total mileage: - 1,700 give or take.

Complete route:



Day 1: Buena Vista > Montrose > Cortez > Gallup, NM - 500 miles.

7:00 AM meet at Jan's Restaurant in Buena Vista for breakfast and a pre-ride briefing. Buena Vista is roughly 100 miles (2 hours) from both Denver and Colorado Springs.
Departure at 8:00 AM.

As always I'll provide detailed maps, emergency contact info and words of encouragement.

As we get closer to Gallup we'll be going to the Navajo Nation. If you've never seen their mountains, well... they're a little different then what we have in Colorado. Definitely cool. You'll see this by the end of day 1.





Day 2. Ride The Spine!

Gallup, NM> Alpine, AZ > Clifton, AZ > Alpine, AZ > Grants, NM

The Spine is basically 95 miles of this.



Bring your A game! We'll grab breakfast and then it's 150 miles to the Alpine, AZ and the start of real fun. The route begins and ends in Alpine, AZ. Route goes clock-wise.



Immediately following the Spine we'll stop somewhere for lunch and collectively decide where to go. The two primary options are Grants, NM or Socorro, NM.

What's the difference you ask? Grants is north and puts us through Durango, The Million Dollar Highway, Hwy 50's triple digit sweepers and if time allows, The Black Canyon and Independence Pass.

Socorro takes us through Las Alamos, Taos, The Enchanted Circle and Hwy 12 to La Veta, CO. This route also involved significant portions on I-25 so it's overall quicker. Both routes are within a few miles of total distance.

We'll play it by ear after the Spine.

Day 3. The long way home. Approximately 500 miles

500-650 miles depending on if we do The Black Canyon or not. If you haven't been to The Black Canyon on a motorcycle then you're in for a treat. There is a good reason why this is my favorite day ride.

Assuming we take the Million Dollar Highway / Black Canyon route, we'll part ways after Independence Pass at Hwy 24. Go left and you hit Leadville and Denver. Go right and you hit Buena Vista and Colorado Springs. It's 100 miles to either destination from this point.

Estimated Cost - $250-300

1700 miles / 45mpg = 37.8/gal of fuel @ $4.00/gal = $151 in fuel cost
Lodging - 2 per room @ $30-35 each per night, 2 nights = $60-70
Food - $25/day x 3 days = $75

I've done most of this ride before. HWY 491 (old 666) is long, straight and boring. However the Spine (as it's apparently called) is exactly as Clovis says. It's also where I was t-boned by a deer so be careful of wildlife.

Have fun.

[HOTCARCASS]

After a closer look I realize I cannot do this ride in three days. This is a six day ride for me. I have the days off so probly going to ride to gunnison and call it good. I am going to wait till fall to do the Coronado Trail.

[bornwildnfree]

I'm still in. Can't wait!

[G35CO]

This sounds like the trip I always wanted to do but I want be able to join you. Do you think August or September will be a good time to do this ride?

[Kilomph]

I'm still good for the trip, getting a new rear tire and some other basic things done this Thursday. I have to be back to work by the 30th (Greeley, CO), I'd rather start on the 25-26th if that's at all possible. If not it's no big deal, just gives me s'more wiggle room.

I don't have heated gear, I'm thinking I should pick up some UnderArmour and a scarf like Clovis suggested.

[Clovis]

Basically early in the season or late in the season are good times.

I've only been using my heated gear in the mornings.