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The Last Day Of Good Riding Weather


HispanicSlammer

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Juniper Pass

I took a day off from work and also from my bicycle training to take out the Veefalo one last time before the weather turns ugly, supposed to snow the rest of the week and possibly start sticking to the ground along the Colorado Front Range. I took a leisurely pace up hwy 105 toward Morrison and got reacquainted with the bike since its been over a month since I took any sort of twisties on it at all, hwy 105 is a scenic ride along the front range between Denver and Colorado Springs, its mostly easy fast sweepers and lite traffic so its a favorite road of mine when going north. Then I have to negotiate a bit of traffic near Highlands ranch and up hwy 470 into the mountains. I decided to take the Morrison Exit and try either Lookout Mountain or head up Golden Gate Canyon - this time it was Lookout Mountain, I was sort of making it up on the fly as I went along. Lookout Mountain is my old bicycling haunt from my days while I was working at Coors, its a killer ride and all uphill - I don't think I could do it today If I had to, not quite there yet! I saw a whole bunch of riders doing it though and wished I was in shape enough to be there doing it as well. 30 more lbs and I will be able to do it! On this day I would do it on the Veefalo instead.

 

 

 

 

I took a video from the gateway to the top at the Lookout Mountain State Park, getting past riders, the guy in the green jacket actually pretty much astounded me with how far he had gotten in the short time it took me to set up my camera, some 3 miles at least and up to the gateway from the turn off at hwy 6! Amazing I thought. I took the first two turns slow then got more comfortable as I went up further, till I was doing well, I made some gearing mistakes and took the tight 15mph marked hairpins in the wrong gear so I lugged it a bit on one or two. Still enjoyed it though and then got off at the top and hiked over a rock outcropping for an overview of the road for the pictures below.

 

 

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Lookout Mountain - Golden Colorado

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Zoomed in

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Lookout Mountain Park top of the mountain

From there I headed up interstate 70 to Idaho Springs for a beer at the Tommy-knockers brewery, I was the only customer in the joint - slow day for them so they treated me like a king! I got a nice tour of the place sort of impromptu, they made me a nice Pastrami sandwich on rye and with the brown ale it was fantastic. I must say the beer is much better there than in the bottles - its always good at the brewery. I am glad I stopped

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Tommy-knockers Brewpub Idaho Springs

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Idaho Springs Colorado

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Mashtuns and fermenters

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Rows of fermenters

I finished my lunch and since the road to Mount Evans is right there I headed up Squaw pass hoping to get in some nice pictures I wasn't expecting what I found, ICE IN ALL THE SHADY PARTS

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Icy patches on Squaw Pass definitely taking it easy on that road

There were some section where the ice covered the whole road for 300 yards or so I had to roll through it with my legs out to help keep the bike from sliding and falling over, I took it real slow. A Ford pickup was right behind me so I pulled over to let him pass but the guy was going slower then even I was so I pressed on - in places where I could see I just cut over to the oncoming lane and out of the ice where the sun was shining on the road more, but some places there was not alternative so I just had to go slow, good thing it wasn't slick but rather they tossed some gravel over the worst parts so I had some traction!

I did stop for pictures in all the best spots

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Echo Lake at Mount Evans showing off my new plate

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Elephant Butte Park and Denver

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Close up

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Veefalo on Squaw Pass

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Juniper Pass

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Juniper Pass

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Mount Evans

My route A is home B is Tommy-knockers

 

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11 Comments


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  • Member Contributer

What a perfect day you must have had. Good weather, great bike, and a nice brew to boot. Sign me up brother.

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  • Forum CEO

I was comming out of the mountains in Bear Creek Canyon just past Ideldale when I saw a bunch of emergency vehicles at a turn off parking area, all these people were pulling off and I could not figure out why the hell they were getting off? The road was open and nobody was even directing traffic yet the harleys in front of me both turned off - I suppose jus to get in the way and gawk? The parking area was already jammed with cars and emergency vehicles with their lights on, I just kept on going...

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Guest JCRecline

Posted

Slammer,

Thanks for that ride report and photos. I also got out on my VFR for a couple of hours yesterday, great day for a quick ride in the mountains. Got up this morning to a few inches of snow. Looking out the window, I was real happy that I rode yesterday!

John C

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I went from Castle Rock to Monument via Perry Park road,  did I25 to Garden of the Gods then up to Woodland Park.. from there up 67 to Pine.   Took 285 to Morrison and then headed home on 470 and Santa Fe road....

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The weather here in NE Ohio is starting to really turn.  I rode to Cleveland and back the last couple nights, and Monday the temp as I got home dipped down to 40.  We'll still have a few decent days in the 50s where I can get a good ride in, if I'm free one of those days.  I'm hoping to get at least one more long day in, but if I don't it's still been a good riding season!

 

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  • Member Contributer

No pics, but I managed to get out on my '98 for a few hours yesterday to enjoy the unseasonably warm 64 degree F afternoon we had in Central VT yesterday. Probably my last good ride for the year, but I always try to squeak in a few short, low mileage rides in November also. 

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  • Member Contributer

Ha! Rode to Mudgee and back (600km) in 40C, at end of November. Might be getting too hot to ride Down Under!🥵

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