3 Days in Colorado

[RosevilleRod]

Back in April I posted this
http://www.pashnit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=16368
about my vacation trip. Well, I done done it!

We left as posted, 6 Am July 9 and returned about 5 PM July 15. 7 days in heaven...or maybe 3 days in heaven and 4 in purgatory.
I won't spend much time on the 2 day trip to Denver or the 2 day return. Suffice to say that the worst non injury day riding is better than the best day working. 2600 miles in 4 days across Nevada and Wyoming is pretty close to the worst non injury day riding I can think of. 10+ hours each day at 65-80 MPH beats your head like a pinata at a big birthday party. Some pretty scenery just the same though.



On the other hand, Friday morning brought a start to the fun part.
We left West bound on I-70 with a quick stop at a "Lookout" off ramp.




A quick turn north on US 40 brought some more spectacular views.




A mountain stream next to the road.



Another turn out with a photo op.




Switchbacks...



With spectacular backgrounds.



At a small town called Kimmerling, we left the main road for Grand County Road 1. A website I checked prior to the trip indicated that this was mostly paved with some gravel. WRONG. 32 miles of gravel with "some pavement" is much more like it. Had I known of this we wouldn't have gone down this road. But, being male, once on the road, we stuck to it. And came across an absolutely spectacular sight. (I seem to be using 'spectacular' alot. Can't help it!).
Gore Canyon. Surveyed in the 1870's by men who dangled from ropes anchored with metal pins pounded into solid rock. With white water rapids at the bottom! All for the railroad, still being used.






Then my camera batteries went dead, so I was unable to take more photos! Can you believe that? We rode through Glenwood Canyon on I-70 without taking a single picture!
Spent the night in Glenwood Springs and got an early start on Saturday. With fresh batteries!

[RosevilleRod]

Saturday, with new batteries, we left Glenwood Springs, South bound on Colorado highway 82 into Aspen.





Incredible town where we bought some gifts for the family and continued South, heading toward Independence Pass.






One of many views of a stream running alongside the road.



And up the mountain.





Halfway up there was a cut with a stream running down it.



And down into the canyon.



It was a bit cool.



And at the top! I'm on the left with my buddy Norm (From Kentucky) on the right.



Colder still!



On the way down we stopped at twin lakes.



And found we were under surveillance.



Another lake (in another low rent district...)




and a family of ducks



And "The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake".



Finally, on to Westminster and a meal at one of my favorite restaurants, Saltgrass!

[RosevilleRod]

9 AM start



Arriving at Estes Park overlook



And the Stanley Hotel



quite a view from the front porch




with a Stanley Steamer in the lobby.



Trail Ridge Road. It makes spectacular seem so inadequate!
I'll just let the photos speak for themselves...














Some wildlife seen along the way




We thought we saw an elk?



YES



More zoom



And COLD!




And, finally, down the mountain








And so it ends. Fun trip, wonderful friends and spectacular scenery.
A great vacation!

[rush_law]

Love those Colorado trips! I have one scheduled for Labor day week/weekend and cannot wait! Thanks for sharing your adventure...you have whet my appetite for my 3rd annual outing.

[WIRE]

Nice photos! My brother and I are planning a ride through NV, UT, CO, and NM next summer. I can't tell from your profile photo--do you have after-market pipes on your V-Star? If so, did you experience any problems from LEO's? I've heard that some areas in CO are very hardcore about cracking down on 'em. I'd hate to put the stock pipes back on for this ride . . .

[RosevilleRod]

Originally Posted by WIRE

Nice photos! My brother and I are planning a ride through NV, UT, CO, and NM next summer. I can't tell from your profile photo--do you have after-market pipes on your V-Star? If so, did you experience any problems from LEO's? I've heard that some areas in CO are very hardcore about cracking down on 'em. I'd hate to put the stock pipes back on for this ride . . .

Thanks!
I don't have aftermarket pipes, but two others in our group have them. One BUB and the other Cobra, both can be very loud. We got some hard LEO looks (less to do with noise and more for wearing leather and looking too 'biker' in Aspen...we wandered into the Hotel Jerome to look around (beautiful lobby BTW) and almost got escorted out by security...they rushed up to us as we were leaving, trying to look very serious as they spoke into walkie talkies...you could see the relief on their faces as we were heading out the door on our own), but we weren't foolish enough to rev it up in front of them. As a general rule we didn't speed, or otherwise do LEO attractive things to gain their attention.
I believe its the city of Denver that outlawed non-stock pipes and we stayed out of the city limits.
Rod

[Sbyllek]

gorgeous pics!!!

Wow!

[Jimbo94]

Nice!! Certainly whet my appetite for my trip next month. Heading out on 50 tho, to CO Springs... cant wait!

[fook]

great photos! lots of familiar scenery there but I never tire of it, nor seeing it through other peoples perspectives... thanks for sharing!

[bonedoctor]

Originally Posted by RosevilleRod

Thanks!
I don't have aftermarket pipes, but two others in our group have them. One BUB and the other Cobra, both can be very loud. We got some hard LEO looks (less to do with noise and more for wearing leather and looking too 'biker' in Aspen...we wandered into the Hotel Jerome to look around (beautiful lobby BTW) and almost got escorted out by security...they rushed up to us as we were leaving, trying to look very serious as they spoke into walkie talkies...you could see the relief on their faces as we were heading out the door on our own), but we weren't foolish enough to rev it up in front of them. As a general rule we didn't speed, or otherwise do LEO attractive things to gain their attention.
I believe its the city of Denver that outlawed non-stock pipes and we stayed out of the city limits.
Rod

I was lucky enough to spend a year in Aspen doing some training. Those shots of Independence Pass brought back memories.

I never had any problems with my Kawasaki with V&H pipes, but I didn't ride it much around Aspen. The old Norton was the bike that attracted a crowd, but more for its looks.

You were wise not to speed down Main Street in Aspen. The speed limit is strictly enforced (either 20 or 25 mph, I can't remember). The old joke around town is that if you see somebody stopped for speeding, then they're from out of town. Did you see the cops driving Volvos and Saabs?

If they really wanted to blend in and not be seen, they'd drive Range Rovers or Porsche Cayenne (gotta be the Turbo or Turbo S, none of the cheepie 'regular' Cayennes) like everybody else. Almost like a required uniform. I had to chuckle as there's a local guy with a Ferrari Enzo in town. Yep, that's a great use of a 600+ hp 12 cylinder....putting around Aspen at 20 mph. He'd park it downtown on Saturdays (farmer's market), just to attract a bunch of attention. So very, very Aspen.