The Hwy 50 Loop

Entry posted by HispanicSlammer April 22, 2008

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Hwy 50 Ride with video

A buddy of mine from work bought a brand new Bandit 1250 a couple of months ago, he has been comparing magazine articles and specs for over a year and every time having something disparaging to say about the vfr, displacements too low, no torque, quarter mile times. Anybody can read an article and make comparisons on paper, and as an engineer hes good at it, but how do you quantify reliability, or suspension, handling, all around good marks on a chart? So me and Craig decided to take him into the mountains for a 200 mile ride, just a bit of tight stuff but mostly sweepers where it is said "the Bandit rocks" as put it by "Mr Dude" other wise known as our friend Mark. He can talk, talk is what he is good at - and hear it you must cause it don't stop - Dude. However nothing talks like taking the walk! HEH

So we met Mr Dude in Penrose and slowly headed up Hwy 50 to the Arkansas River Canyon and let it loose a bit. I had just replaced my fork seal and fork oil and made a few adjustments so I was feeling it out, no out and out full blast. As such Mr Dude still got a lesson on the vfr and its abilities. What can I say after a year of hearing about how inferior my bike is it was time to take a tally - real time! All I can say is Mr Dude was converted from dismissive to respectful of the vfr, calling it "A real sport bike" and in his own words - no coaching. Don't get me wrong we were not out to embarrass Mr Dude, just show him there is more to Motorcycling than what some Magazine has to say!

Two vfrs waiting on a Bandit Penrose Colorado

Sangre De Christo Mountains 40 miles away

Downtown Salida Sunny blue skies and a good lunch and a snowcapped Mount Princeton

Lunch at the 1st Street Café The owner herself served us then we got an unexpected surprise

After riding through Salida we stopped for lunch downtown and had a good meal, a bit more expensive than I was expecting (might not visit again) but it was good none the less. The lady serving us was very good - cause as it turned out she owns the place. I could see her pictures on the wall with all sorts of celebrities, and locals. It is a very Homey restaurant I liked it! Just a bit on the pricey side.

It was after lunch we met a lady who was telling us about her son, he too owns a vfr, and rides it all over the place. We asked her where she was from, somewhere back south, she told us about how her boy had taken a trip to Colorado and was a bit disappointed with the place, the guys he rode with where intimidating or something some such thing - he didn't like em I gathered. Then she started talking more about him and I realized it was us (those evil Colorado bastards) and I started laughing and asked her if her son was named Kevin. Then all of a sudden she realized it was us too - heh that was funny! I know it was our very own KPerham whom was her son. We talked some more and I asked her for her picture, and we parted ways - as friends she was a nice lady.

Kperhams mom Met her in Salida - she was having lunch at the café in Salida small world

The Royal Gorge Bridge as seen from Hwy 9

Mark relaxing at the top of Skyline drive

Canon City from above Skyline Drive

Hwy 50 along Skyline Drive

Stultz Tanner Trail a great dirt bike trail just across the valley from Canon City climbs 7k feet for what seems like forever

We took off up to Johnson's Village along hwy 285, I told the guys to slow down cause for 5 years I drove that way to get home and I know its Cop city for those 12 miles, but no Mr Dude took off (he was on Craig's bike and Craig on his) and of course I caught site of Brake lights cause sure enough the place was crawling with cops - Like I said it would be! He must have slowed down enough cause we were not stopped, after passing 2 Sheriff and 2 State Troopers. It was nice to turn off on hwy 24 and get away from the fuzz as it where. There the road is pretty much strait and we all opened it up a bit, and to my surprise the Bandit wasn't pulling away!! Wow its got 400 more cc's why wha whe why?? I guess its because the vfr is a good bike, like I know it is! It was fun going fast for a while, then we turned at Hartsel and I just decided to whip it up some more on the tighter turns and I was gone. Whew that was fun but I did not have enough rebound damping cause I was getting all kinds of chatter in the forks, I had to stop and crank it a few clicks to get it to settle down. It wasn't long before we where in Canon City again and I took the guys up Skyline Drive for some fun and a rest Mr Dude had to go home and be a domestic Dad so we said goodbye and Craig and I turned back up Hwy 9 and went over to Guffy for a drink and some snack. Adding another 100 miles to the day on High Park Road into Woodland Park and on home down Ute Pass.