Riding Independence Pass
Entry posted by HispanicSlammer
1,900 views
Independence Pass New Video
Mr Dude calls me last Monday and says "hey Dude lets go riding" - I say "meet me in Penrose around 10:30 - how long can you ride for?" Dude says " one O'Clock" ???? I was thinking well that should get us about 50 miles? Maybe he was mistaken? So I take off for Penrose around 9:30 and meet Mark in Penrose at 10:50 - he says he underestimated the ride time from Pueblo West to Penrose. Ok off we went - strait into Cannon City on Hwy 50 - its packed, Dude decides lets short cut into the side streets - just as the traffic jam recedes and we end up behind all the same cars again out of town. Heh - well here comes my lecture on "DON'T FORCE IT" but maybe another time! I take the lead and turn off on Hwy 9 toward Hartsel. Mr Dude says "hey Dude I had to stop gotta take a Leak" so he heads up the hill behind the buildings, but the shop keeper comes out and he has to detour behind another building, she follows him and so he goes around another building - suffice it to say he walks for a while to find a place to go! HEH I am laughing about his marathon trip to the bushes when he comes back. I say "now I gotta go" and walk into the store and use their restroom, buy a drink so as not to freeload on services and come out washed and everything - again "DON'T FORCE IT"!
Now we have some open road between us and hwy 24 so we make a couple of top speed runs, his Bandit has me on top speed, its a 1250 after all but surprisingly the vfr hangs in there, Mr Dude is still somewhat of a new rider so his forays into speed consist of top speed runs on strait roads yet. Add a tight turn and some rain and I am stopping to see where he is in my mirrors. Mark is a good guy, kind hearted and fun to ride with. Everything is still new and he never seen most of the places I take him so its pretty cool - I like showing people around Colorado.
Anyways I decided we should top up in Buena Vista where gas is $4 a gallon instead of $5 in Aspen and we head for Twin Lakes, where it rain has started to spit a bit on Hwy 24 up to the turn off, so far the roads have been easy sweepers you can take at 80mph - but Independence pass is bumpy and tight in places it is so narrow its only one lane wide. So I decide to put the bike in scenic mode and enjoy the scenery I hope you do to!!
Twin Lakes
Mt Elbert 14433 from Twin Lakes
Wildflowers
Wildflowers
THE MAP
Once we start up the Pass the scenery does not disappoint, there is still snow on the peaks and along the road in places, I made a snowball and pelted Mark as he was looking over the side.
Twin Lakes La Plata Peak
Mountain boy park My bike in the foreground
Lackawanna Gulch Mount Champion
Casco Peak
La Plata Peak
Independence Peak
Aspen Groves all these trees are of the same root system making them one giant organism
Mr Dude and his Bandit 1250 stopped for a drink
Independence Ghost Town a historical stop on the way to Aspen
Independence Pass at the Summit looking east toward Mt Elbert
Independence Pass at the summit Looking West from the Road
Independence Pass from the summit looking west
Ski Gondolas In Aspen
Lunch Stop Aspen awesome sandwiches
Pikes Peak as seen from Guffy Heights
I know not much story this time around but the pictures speak for themselves, I did however make a new video, here is the you tube version and the high resolution wmv below.
THE VIDEO
high resolution wmv, music by Pat Metheny Quartet this is not a knee dragger vid its about the scenery.
8 Comments
Recommended Comments