Loveland Pass

It has been a while since I have actually day tripped on the VFR, most my day trips have been on the XR and the VFR has been doing interstate duties this season. Not last Tuesday, I just had to get out and see for myself if the autumn leaves are changing color yet? For the most part yes! Unfortunatly they seem to be falling right off the trees as soon as they do. Most of the path I took was Evergreens.

View Google Route Map

I took some twisty mountain roads around the Evergreen/Connifer area to keep my skills honed, and well they are not so honed. It was good practice but some of the 180 degree up hill hairpins on Connifer mountain proved to be tricky. I decided to try some more on Brook Forest Road, the looped back into the Denver Area - well no quite I turned off in Morrison first and stayed in the mountains.

Then I heade up the Interstate to Hwy 6 and went up and over Loveland Pass, I was having some fun on the turns and then saw some guy at the top photographing me as I leaned it over into the twisty parts. Well not just me he had his lounge chair all set up, waving as I went by. I stopped at the top to see a young long haired bicyclist on his Lamond road bike, he was very fit and it looked like the bike had some miles on it. I offered to take pictures for a few tourist out for a drive in thier minivan. Everybody has to take a picuture at the Loveland pass sign - including me.

Loveland Pass

Grizzly Peak

Continental Divide

A popular snow boarding area

Loveland Pass

Then I got back on the bike and headed down the pass to No Name Gultch where A-Basin ski area resides, there is a nice switchback there with a pull off to view the scenery.

No Name Gultch ten mile range in the background

A Basin

Ten Mile Range

Grissly Peak dusted with snow

I waved as the family of tourist passed by in thier minivan. I was a bit cold but nice to be out riding. I was up here last year learning to snow board, I was sore from falling over and over again. I remember seeing a lot of Grizzly peak that day.

Hoosier Pass

Hoosier pass is also on the continental divide, I had to pass a long line of cars to get to the good turns near the top - where I was alone and free to rail at my leasure. I stopped breifly at the top with no sign of the cars I passed at the bottom. It was turning out to be a great ride.