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HispanicSlammer

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  1. HispanicSlammer
    The Barbie Scooter
    This is what I came expecting to see and I did find it, riding some 2000 miles round trip on my vfr I was expecting to find a rally representing somthing like this. I wasnt expecting to find a bunch of skin heads 6 foot five in vintange british clothes and wayfairer glasses listening to ska music turned way up riding 80mph down the highway on a souped up scooter! Now that wasnt what I was expecting - bashing on the plastic scoots this MOD crowd came with all kinds, young and old alike the atmosphere was rather different from what I thought it would be. There was alot of drinking, alot of music, alot of patches, alot of color and alot of attitude. It reminded me of my college days listening to ska music from England wearing my thin black tie and tight suit with a fedora on top. I couldnt beleive they had the English Beat booked to play that night at the Tropicana Ballroom - now I was really taking a trip back in time.

    Things to know about scooter people

    Vintage is better than new
    Italian nuff said
    Metal is better than plastic even if its half rusted out it will still pass you going 80mph on your Kimco any day of the week
    Tikibars are a way of life
    funny haircuts are normal

    These scooter people they seem to come from everywhere all ages all shapes and sizes, even more so than motorcyclist they are more female friendly too, lots of women ride scooters,

    Tropicana Hotel Las Vegas

    What a typical scooter motor looks like all one peice - motor and swingarm

    People where all tribal about thier scooters and thier clubs

    An old Lambretta series 1 I am not sure - not a scooter expert

    The Vintage scooters where the real draw

    A nicely restored Lambretta

    more scooters arrive from a group ride

    A large contingent of British came out to the event aka Quadrophenia style

    The newer scoots were quarantined

    Modifications were considered normal

    For the brits more mirrors more horns more lights

    Now this is a racing scooter stripped down and customized with custom exhaust and fitted with a water cooled head

    another racing scooter note the upgraded shocks the flatside carbs (dirtbike carbs) and no frills stripped down

    stripped down cafe racer bars

    A fully restored vespa two tone paint and blue accents
    Now we took off to go hang out a Tiki bar the 6 of us from Denver but not before the girls did some scooter judging of thier own

    more comments from the East German Judge

    The girls were doing thier own judging this one is unofficial though

    Most people called it a cooler the glove box that is, cause that is where the booze was

    This guy is a true enthusiast he is probably older then the scoots he owns too

    This restored Lambretta just needs somthing a Dalmation sitting on it perhaps

    This is what Vespas look like now days

    High performance exaust on a vespa? hells yea!

    The freaks dont only come out at night really nice guy stopped and posed for me

    I think a pin ball wizard owns these

    I like this one classy

    The judges have spoken
    There were a few of these three wheeled things too

    Dont hold back tell us what you really think

    wow thats red

    I loved the restored scooters made me want to go out and scour the classifieds for a beater to fix up

    Wha how did that viffer get in there

    Mine wasnt the only one this guy is a member of the scarab scooter club though

    My buddy Andy was out snapping me 4 to 1

    Lavender vespa

    Another look at the fire truck again in the morning this time

    this guy spent 5 hours polishing and preening this one

    This one was rescued from the scrap yard

    Again they quaranined the new ones banished

    Want a margarita?

    The Margarita Mobile courtesy of the Heat Siezed Scooter Club of Las Vegas

    This Stella was full of hope

    Kermit came out for a Margarita too he was busy gaurding the tires though

    wow Metzler makes sport scooter tires

    This one has been pressed into military service

    If I had to guess I would say wavy gravy owns this one

    I couldnt get enough of this color I must have taken 8 pictures of this one

    Another souped up Lambretta nice color too

    Hey I may have found Pedrosa's ride for next year just his size - he might even be able to stay on it.

    This one looks like it should have been in a production of Grease!

    I think this would be Dutchinterceptors if he owned a scooter

    Vendors where out too A cute Canadian couple selling one of kind patches you cant get anywhere else

    I bought this one

    come on now Andy - back away from the dumb I had to knock some sense into the man - 50cc's man what are you thinking

    Andy kept telling me how rare the color of his vespa was well looky there hmm truely rare

    It seems the Lambretta club is into performance

    The British invasion 2009

    thats what I call mod

    Custom seat and hand drawn pinstriping

    Same scoot it was souped up too

    OK this one is just cool

    yup Dutch would have this one

    The helmet makes it art complete with a before picture before it was restored

    This one comes with central plumbing

    What this sticker is from my hometown looks like its on the colorado college campus

    This is one of Andys friends ACE scooter club out of Denver entered in the buildoff contest

    This one was just finished the paint wasnt even dry

    The Lambrettas really looked cool

    1966 Starstream

    This made me laugh

    This one wins the wtf award a wii in a trailer - behind a classic vespa wtf?

    Loading up the Vespas Me on the other hand was headed to Arizona on the BIKE
    The funny thing is Andy took his bike off the truck to rejet it for the weekend, replaced the jets and then he rode it 20 feet and some car backed out and hit him smashed up the fan/flywheel and took off all the cooling fins. so he had to stay close for short rides only GEEZ 20 feet and he gets hit? It was a great rally and one of the best organized I have ever been too some 500 people came from all over the country and it was a lot of fun
    http://www.highrollersweekend.com
  2. HispanicSlammer
    NEW VIDEO BELOW - updated chapter 4
    I had a forced vacation from work for two weeks so why not take a trip, the roads west are full of sand and snow so I decided to head east where Spring has already taken hold. The original plan was to leave early Thursday March 29th and make it as far east as possible but Rapidsnipe convinced me to stop over in OKC to spend the night and ride to the Ozarks together. So as usual I woke up at 4am all messed up turned on the weather channel to see that a tornado hit Holly Colorado and ripped the place apart, looked on my map and sure enough I was scheduled to ride through there about 10am, then a local report from Denver showed the TV weather man standing in about 4 inches of snow along I-25 so I panicked and rushed to the window to find somewhat clear skies and no sign of snow. Denver is only 65 miles north of here so its close enough but there is a natural weather break at about monument where the weather seems to change for some reason. I could be blasting snow here and Denver will be sunny and warm or vise versa, I imagine those folks in Monument Colorado and east of there get the worst from both sides of the divide. It just seems to funnel between Mount Evans and Pikes Peak right into that place!
    In any case when I finally left at 7am the sun was shining but it was cold as a witches tit! I had my farkles on full blare and not so comfy as 30 degrees seeps in every nook and cranny of my Aerostich it can! My hands where warm on the bottom from the grip heaters but my finger tips were frosty. It wasn't till I made it to Lamar that it started to warm up to about 55 degrees, then I could relax a little and take my hands off the grips to stretch. I cant stand the cold too much, I would rather be roasting that freezing any day! Riding in that kind of cold just makes you stiff and miserable, but I knew that the Ozarks were waiting. I was approaching the Kansas boarder and finally came within about 5 minutes of Holly Colorado and did not see any sign of massive devastation?
    The weather channel said that there were reports that the tornado that hit Holly was a mile wide! I did see a water tank toppled over but no debris lying around? what gives - then I could see that they had a traffic jam up ahead in town, the closer I got to the center of the little town the worse it got, a house would be missing roof tiles and there was a lot of mud in the street, then closer you would see broken windows and more debris till ground zero, right at the RV park. Why do tornado's zero in on trailer parks?? It was totally destroyed, trees ripped from the ground, aluminum siding wrapped around bushes, no trailers to speak of that I could even recognize and wood and what looked like a home but only the foundation left. There was a tree ripped in half with one half of it upside down hanging upside down across the street and 500 yards away on the power lines above. HALF THE TREE! wow then as soon as I was in Kansas it was all back to normal again!

    I was getting hungry so I stopped in Garden City (not so aptly named) who's main industry seems to be feel lots and a huge Tyson plant on the west side. I saw what looked like an authentic Mexican food joint, so I stopped. Everybody was speaking Spanish in the place so I figured hey must be good right! NOPE! It was awful! At least my server was nice to look at, a sort of J-Lo look alike complete with big back-end like hers! I was pleased to find that it was now 75 degrees outside! So I shed my jacket, vest and glove liners for something less bulky!
    I could see a big storm off to the north but my route just had me skirting the edge of it the whole time. Lots of slab lots of wet roads but no rain.

    Typical Kansas Your average small town this is Minneola KS

    Big Wind you know how they call Montana Big Sky well KS is...
    BIG WIND

    The closer I got to Oklahoma the less boring the roads got, they were becoming rolling hilly tree lined roads with all these great pink trees that just seemed to dot the land scape, along hwy 160 in southern KS there is some interesting red clay landscapes that were rather pretty. I was surprised at how nice it was, but then over the hill the smell of yet another feed lot would just ruin it! Finally in OK I just cruised into OKC fresh and ready for bed, I would get off the main roads and take a little detour off into some sleepy little place such as Calumet OK just west of OKC nice place that is!

    Thursday
    I soon had Rapidsnipe and his wife knocking on my door at the motel to take me to what would be one of the best steaks I have ever eaten in my life, hes a young guy and they are a very young couple very cute together, and shes got him on a very short leash! UMM maybe you shouldn't show her the video Chase! There I met Gary Swanson and his family he would be joining me and Chase the next day into Arkansas.
    THE VIDEO!
    I took great pleasure in building this video its rather long at 21 minutes and it has highlights of the best the Ozarks have to offer, Oklahoma, Arkansas and Missouri all are part of the mountain range that extends across the region and makes for some great riding. I could not beleive that these guys were not out there every weekend riding these great roads!!

    The Ozarks a video oddessy - 6 guys 500 miles of some of the best twisty roads Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri have to offer. Highlights of hwy 62 out of Eureka Springs, Push Mountain, Talimera Skyway, and the heart of the Ozarks Hwy 16. Music from the Breath Sunshine cd, Tori Amos, John mayer, New Order, and Paul Desmond.

    Day two Oklahoma
    Chase and Gary met me at my motel and then we went across the street for breakfast all suited up for the worst. It seemed that my very presence created a high pressure zone in Oklahoma that was pushing the wet weather off and to the northeast. It was overcast be we did not see much rain at all, stopping in some half closed town for gas I once again shed myself of my over gloves and jacket - unzipped the vents on the stitch cause well it was getting downright hot. Following Rapidsnipe (Chase) I could see that he was using the route I had programmed in my Garmin but for some reason I had no clue what direction I was going, east, south, west for all I knew I was so disoriented that I couldn't get my bearings. I again was awake at 4am, a byproduct of working nights and sometimes I just lose all track of time. I pride myself on having a great sense of direction, and can read maps rather well. However when you lose track of time you cant tell direction, since morning seems like evening and vise versa. The first time I was in Tennessee riding to the Texasmac with Kevin in his Jeep I could have swore we were heading west cause it seemed like the sun was going down, I mean I was awake and for all intents and purposes I head into work after I wake up - WEST. I get all confused now. So there I was just happy to follow along, and check my gps once in a while to see if we were going to go pioneer for a bit and go local? Nope right on course.
    Rapidsnipe suggested we make a detour to go ride OK hwy 2, said it was a good road, so we headed northeast on hwy 270 to Limestone, that seemed to me like a rather boring road till we made it to the hwy 2 turn off and headed south. I could see the squiggly lines on my gps and was happy to see the first twisties in 700 miles! The road did not disappoint as Rapidsnipe was soon rolling on the throttle and leaning it over into a very sweet and long sustained sweeper, I could tell he wasn't just some squid like he described himself to be, no he can ride! I was twisting the throttle for all she got just to keep up he wasn't gonna lose me! The after that a series of tighter turns and some blind right handers had us bunched up behind some slow moving campers out for the weekend. We passed them all one by one and I soon realized it is just like Colorado slow movers don't let faster vehicles by here either! I guess that only happens in TN, CA, Montana, and northern Texas? great turn after great turn would pass by slowly till we could see enough daylight to get by them one by one. Chase stopped at the turnoff to hwy1 to let Gary catch up to us and soon the horde was again in front of us, since it took a while to get my gloves back on. He was right it was a good road but too much traffic. We decided to wait some more and just let the Mongol horde get far enough ahead that we could have the road to ourselves. It wasn't long before we were at the entrance to Talemera State Park, they have a nice visitors center there where you can de-water yourself in peace. I set up the camera and let Chase take the lead. I think it made him a bit nervous to be on camera, I usually don't tell people I have then on camera so that they just ride their normal ride, but it was obvious I was going to film the Skyway, it was beautiful. He rode rather well if I can say so.
    The Talimena Skyway ( hwy 1 east/west) is split into two sides 3/4 of it is in Oklahoma and the last bit is in Arkansas, with it being intersected in half by hwy 259 (north south). It is an exciting road with nice fast sweepers throughout and stunning scenery approximately 2000 feet in elevation and a 1000 feet above the valley below. I has some breathtaking scenes that rival the Cherehola Skyway - not as long but certainly just as beautiful and fun if not more scenery. You can see more below from the road than the Cherehola, but then again the trees were not leafed out as of yet. I was enjoying it, particularly one section that had us heading down a steep hill where you could see the road on the other side ramping up the next hill.

    Talimera State Park Oklahoma/Arkansas boarder hwy 1

    The Talimera Skyway Talimera Talimina who knows what it is?

    Somewhere on the Talemira
    Chase took us off the road and over to the Three Sticks Memorial on hwy 259 on the opposite valley you could see the Talimera from there rather well it has some great turns up the mountain.

    Gary stopped at the three sticks memorial
    I could see that Chase was a bit ruffled from me riding behind him with the camera on, so I asked him if he wanted me to lead, which I happily did, making them both go back to that spot on the Talimera so I could get that picture above. There were some nice tight ones just before the turn off at 259 that I wanted to do again, I must say that is one of the highlights of my trip the Talemera is a wonderful ride. I am a bit more experienced rider so I was soon a bit of a ways ahead of the two of them when an interesting rhythm section came up 4 successive tight esses that I could see though to the end, I did not slow down - my mistake cause I had to trail brake through the first one and that had me off my pace and I was crossed up a bit into the next three trail breaking it the whole way till on the last turn I was barely going 10mph - it seemed to me like I was going to fall over! I did not cross the line at all or otherwise blow any of the turns but my aggressive braking has scrubbed off so much speed it caught me off guard when I had no power in 5th gear to round the last corner, lugging it hard till I could fumbling with the shifter to get some power to the ground and not fall over. It must have looked pretty stupid from behind. The guys were about a half minute behind me so they did not see any of it! Heh me lugging the last turn must have looked awful.
    Like I said they looked easy but were much tighter than I had anticipated oops!! Who knows why they put them there - obviously did not need them as you could see all of them, it is just enough to make you slow down to half speed. There were some nice down hill turns on the back side to Mena where we had some lunch at Wendy's.
    I said "we must be in Hill Billy country",
    Gary said "whys that"
    "cause the women are wearing overalls" pointing at the woman behind him
    The further we got into the Ozarks the more Redneck things got, teeth didn't look so strait, shirts were optional, as was women with shoes, hair no longer seemed to be combed and strange sightings occurred regularly. Wild turkeys running out into the road, and turtles run over, of course the ubiquitous skunks are everywhere. It was the airport phone booth converted into a mailbox that had me laughing out loud though - most definitely redneckish! What was it it about this place that says wear overalls with no shoes, and have a straw hanging from your teeth? I don't know but I was relaxed by it, seems to me do as the locals do! We rode some back roads and took a merry long way around to Hotsprings where Dutch was waiting for us. His gixxer buddy pussed out - his loss too bad he didn't meet us in Oklahoma to ride the Talemina with us!
    Now here is the strange part neither Chase nor Hondalover drinks beer - so I started in with the teasing. Telling then that they must be Zima drinking pinky flipping guys who don't drink beer! HeH! Then Dutch, and Gary, Chev started in on them too!

    Dinner In Hotsprings Left to Right - Rapidsnipe, Hondalover, Chev, Dutchintercepter, HS, GSwanson.

    Thursday

    day three Arkansas
    we woke up to a steady drizzle of rain and so it took us a bit longer to get situated, everybody was donning rainsuits and I was digging out my overgloves that are supposed to keep my elkskin ropers dry. They worked out ok but for some reason as usual my farkles started to fail. My gps kept saying aquiring satalites and not zoning in on the route, which is strange it didnt work untill we made it all the way to Ola where we stopped to fill up and respite from the rain. I asked Rapidsnipe to take the lead since his was working, but I think any of us could have it was rather simple to stay on hwy 7! There was a really nice section of highway 7 right before that near Hollis, lots of nice banked curves and a few decreasing radius off camber turns thrown in for good measure. It was a bit tricky because of the rain - we wanted to go faster but the painted lanes seems much narrower than normal and some of us blew a few turns, slipping on the yellow paint. It eased up in Ola and so RapidSnipe and Gswanson peeled off to head back to OKC when we made it to Russleville. Two riders down 4 left, we headed up hwy7 ever climbing into the Ozarks on those fast sweepers passing the slow traffic as we could, it was pretty much double yellow the whole way? I really think those yellow lines are painted for RV's with no concept that Motorcycles can pass safely and quickly in shorter stretches? I wish the law could see it that way too? I mean it was solid double yellow for the entire stretch from Dover to the hwy 16 turnoff! Crazy!

    Somewhere on hwy 7 my camera could not focus on the hills in the background
    In any case we did what we did.
    The rain stopped enough for me to film part of hwy 16 to Witts Springs where it started to come down hard. I fell in behind Chev for most of it but he was struggling with the bike in the tight turns so I passed him and caught up with the other two, Chev and Hondalover had communicator on so I knew that if Chev fell too far back he could radio us to stop. It was at lunch later that I felt his front tire and the massive cupping he had on that old bias ply on his vfr1000, 16 inch wheels with heavy cupped bias plies and 3 guys on sport radials makes for a tough day for Chev, I could feel the tire fall off on the sides about 15 degrees sharper than the middle too, it must have felt like riding in a dingy boat in a hurricane trying to keep us with the rest of us?? I know a bad tire will ruin any ride, he was riding much faster than I would on those things!! I think they were the OEM TIRES?? Dunlop bias plys would have had me worried right off the bat! Then he was into the tread indicators too! JEBUS! OH man hes got more balls than..............
    We stopped in Tilly for a picture stop.

    Hwy 16 wet wet wet

    The sky was getting ready to open up on us
    We continued on with me in the lead while it rained we team-worked lead duty. I lead pretty much the rest of the day from then on, my gps was working again. Hwy 341 Push Mountain was the next great road, not that those in between were bad, but that road is a monster, lots of tight turns and long straits that suck you in faster than you want too. I sort of took off a bit alone as my tires were just sweet in the rain, I was getting some great feedback and took it almost as fast as if it were dry. Never slipped once I felt confident the whole time. The clouds finally parted in Mountain home where we stopped at the first restaurant we saw, dripping wet and very hungry it was almost 3pm when we made it there. We waited an awful long time for our meal so plans to continue to Missouri were shelved in favor of a more direct route to Eureka Springs, we found some interesting back roads, and managed to salvage the rest of the day on some decent roads. We pretty much headed west from Mountain home till Harmon then did some back roads to a strange road 281 near the Missouri boarder, it as mighty twisty in places and long 270 turns that seemed to never end, and a up and down a steep hill I was glad to have found it, very interesting riding there. Turns out it was a typical Missouri road as they all seem to be like that in the Ozarks up and down roller coaster hills that dive off one way or another into a thick forest area it engages you completely! This is where the skill level seems to shake out on those iffy roads, your either comfy or your not! I liked it but rode it cautiously. Then the gas gage was showing near empty with only 156 miles on the clock? So we stopped in Ridgedale and Dutch and Chev came out of the bathroom looking absolutely disgusted. I decided to just hold it right then and there. then it was over hwy 86 and west again to Eureka Springs over the bridge at Table Rock Lake we soon encountered a car that had driven off the road and down the embankment about 20 feet below the road. I guess whoever it was was hurt cause there was an ambulance. There was a bar/nightclub on the hill above us - my guess is a drunk came down the driveway and went across the road and down the other side!
    We took MO hwy 86 all the way to 23 and headed east to Eureka Springs it was starting to get dark already and when we made it to the Traveler's Inn there were a hundred or so dual sport bikes there. It must be the motel of choice for motorcyclist, the owners were sure friendly to us. The place was a model of convenience - a Pizza Hut on the right, a Liquor Store to the left, and across the street a breakfast buffet! What more could you ask for?

    Saturday

    day 4 Missouri
    We had a nice breakfast in Eureka Springs then rolled down the hill to the train depot.

    Train Depot in Eureka Springs This place reminds me of Manitou Springs where I live

    Spanning the generations

    Ideal setting indeed Eureka Springs is a pretty town

    Underway
    ATTACH
    I have attached the entire route I took from Colorado to the Ozarks in back, and put place markers on all the best roads. MS Streets and Trips

    VFRS parade the town

    lots of bikes in Eureka Springs hundreds of them
    We started out Sunday with a quick jaunt up hwy 62, as seen in the video, lots of traffic though and small towns in between makes it a ride you should be cautious on. It was soon after crossing the boarder that the road got interesting, Hwy 112. Southern Missouri in general is full of great roads that all share one thing in common, they seem to be like a wild roller coaster ride. You can't help but get sucked into taking the turns just a bit faster then you should. Cresting a hill and then diving off in one direction or another, I always roll off near the top of hills cause well who knows whats there or which way it goes. In Colorado there is often gravel from a driveway at the top of hills so I am conditioned to slow down before cresting a hill. Its the quick acceleration of rolling down then back up thats so much fun, however Missouri seems to mix in a few sweepers in between and then a few tight ones - just enough to make the road that much more unpredictable. Its the unpredictable nature of this kind of road that can put you in a ditch though so be prepared for whatever.
    I had my GPS set to take the "Shortest route" I have found that it often takes me to great roads I would not have known about, but sometimes it leads me to a dead end or a dirt road. Such was the case with the Roaring River State Park , the GPS showed a clear route back to hwy 76 from there but it was not the case - we ended up stopped at the fish hatchery which well was pretty interesting, not planned but interesting. There were hundreds of people at the park all fishing, it seemed like it wasn't even sport but there they were none the less.

    Roaring River State Park MO one wrong turn on hwy 112 had us stopped at a fish hatchery
    Once on Hwy 72 we headed east, its sort of a road that skirts the tops of hills sides and dives up and down past cow pastures its very pastoral and in itself a very pretty road, we were starting to see a number of other bikes as it was the weekend and at one section two Ducatis were railing a corner and came right into my lane a bit. I cant comment on the speed but if you cant stay in your lane your out of control! I saw them coming and took the turn a bit wide cause you could tell they were hauling ass. Then we rolled in behind a couple out for the day on a nice Black Goldwing, looked like they were having a lot of fun, they even stayed with us a bit after we passed them, we all got caught behind a fairly fast moving Toyota truck and when I saw an opening I took it, then the road opened up into 4 lanes as we went under an overpass and the rest of the guys got by. I guess me passing the Toyota took the wind out of his sails cause he slowed down right after I did. I wonder if he was pushing it at 9/10ths or something? Heh I sure wasn't!
    76 to 160 is very interesting in these parts but its a main road so there is some traffic - not much cause its rather rural out there but more than side roads. their is a curious 180 degree loop that slings back around and up a mountain side at Walnut shade that you can really rail on if that was what you like to do, but I could see that as one hell of a speed trap for motorcyclist, there are houses on both ends so you have to slow down before and after.
    Then I turned off on Road H, its all chip sealed with the familiar white chip rock that they tend to use around there, it can glare in direct sunlight but it is very grippy so I upped the pace a bit. lots of fast sweeper all the way up to the Mark Twain National Forest, looks like some good off road around there too as we passed a number of trailers hauling dirt bikes and ATVs must be off road heaven back in there! I loved it, canopy trees covered the area in places then you would see glimpses of rock ledges overlooking valleys below. Its very pretty there, and the roads are challenging. Looping back south on 125 all the way to Garrison Chev and Hondalover peeled off to go home. We stopped for a good bit and counted the sport bikes that went by.
    I was dumbfounded that neither Chev or Hondalover had been there before? Its only a half days ride for them to get there? I suspect they will both be returning very soon! It was actually my second trip into the Mark Twain and it was different the second time, I recognized some things but most things no didn't, I think I was off the main path for a while the first time. Hwy 76 intersects the road and you dog leg off a bit for what I consider the best part, its gets tighter on the southern side of 76 and its banked so you can go really fast and just have a total blast, Me and Dutch were just flying in that section waving at the bikes coming the other way. It wasn't too long before we were on the Ferry to head back to Arkansas.
    Since we could not do the entire route we planned the day before we decided to do the Missouri part back wards and track back to Russelville in the opposite direction. The ferry ride was very cool, more bikes on the ferry then cars, and it is FREE!

    Peel Ferry bikes outnumbered cars trying to cross Bull Shoals Lake
    Hwy 125 intersects hwy 14 where we turned east and that is when Dutch decided to wick it up a bit on those great sweepers, for a good half an hour we were just blasting it with out a single car! It was great, I was just really enjoying the faster road - from the tighter turns on 125. The Ozarks has it all.
    Lunch in Mountain Home was a banquet, we stopped at the Exxon station and the clerk recommended "the Steak house" in the middle of town - still on hwy 62 When we got there the place was empty, seemed abandoned but after we went in it filled up. Glad we did! It looks like it might be a chain - I have never heard of it but it was a good stop.
    "The Steak House"
    859 Highway 62 E
    Mountain Home, AR 72653
    Tel: (870) 425-8515
    Lunch menu is more like dinner - I asked for bread and they brought me a freshly baked loaf of bread! Salad, fix 'ns its was a huge meal for a great price.
    I ate so much that I was tired afterward, I was loafing a bit so Dutch took off to go find some chain lube by himself I told him I would catch up to him back at the Exxon. Then we were off to go ride Push Mountain Again. I took the lead and the GPS routed us through some strange back road that ran for 5 or 6 miles then turned to hard packed dirt, I just shrugged and kept going looked like we landed into some private redneck compound off to the right but it ended right at the foot of Push Mountain! I stopped to take a picture of the 'White River"

    White River at the base of Push Mountain hwy 341
    I started filming and was soon finding myself falling behind cause Dutch was in his element on Push Mountain, I found the pace to be pretty fast, but I could manage. Lots of long straits then afterward a hard left or right and a series of tight turns. I had to brake more than I like too, but I wanted to keep up, he was starting to walk away from me. The road is relentless and at the end I could tell I was not up to much more of it, I would have rolled off cause at that point I was pretty much beat from the 300miles of twisties we already did. I took the lead again and slowed the pace down a bit - seemed like I couldn't concentrate well I retraced the route we did before and stopped in Tilly to stretch a bit, Dutch got on his cell and checked in with his wife to tell her he was staying another night. I asked Dutch if he wanted to do the rest cause well I wasn't up to the task so he took over lead duties and we short cut back down hwy 27 to Dover and for an overnight in Russelville. It was one particular up hill road that caught me a bit off guard a bit, it was a very tight Esse Turn into a decreasing radius that had me almost blowing the turn. I took it way too fast and it scared me a bit, Dutch said some guy he was riding with had ran off the road on that very same turn its a sucker turn that is much tighter than the others so you are not ready for it. I managed to get through it fine but I really had to push the bike over hard to make it. That is when I decided it was time to find a place to sleep for the night.

    Lake Dardanelle Russleville AR right out side our rooms at the Days Inn on I-40
    hwy 27 was rather challenging by itself as well some tight hairpins on the way down, and cruisers in the way had us making quick passes, it was still challenging. The sun was setting and it was cooling off, a perfect ending to a great days ride.

    Sunday
    I have attached the entire trip from Colorado to the Ozarks and back in an MS streets and trips file, its marked with all the best roads
    Missouri into Kansas

    Dutch and I took off early retracing our path up hwy 27 from Dover to Tilly to ride that sweet section of hwy 16 together, I was feeling better this time and was ready to roll. 27 didn't seem as challenging going up but it was fun, then we had some fun on the sweeper at Ben Hur. Before we left Russleville we stopped at the Wafflehouse on I-40 for breakfast and I just couldn't help but notice that manager was a ringer for former President Clinton, same nose, same face, same accent, even the same mannerisms it was uncanny, but not so fat! Then we had a talk with a guy riding a Kawi zx14 - hes like me tours the whole country on the thing, with his wife on the back too!
    Dutch started having knee pain, and kept stretching his legs out. Not used to relentless twisties 2 or 3 days of riding can stress your knees pretty good. I was feeling pretty good and so we parted ways at the hwy 7 intersection, he said he took some back roads home so he managed to have some more fun. Me I continued up 123 to Mount Judea, this is my personal Favorite as its chock full of some nice turns - without anybody else riding with me I just took it easy or so I thought the pace was easy on the straits then for some reason I was leaned over all the frickin way in the turns?? odd heh
    I passed a couple out for a joy ride in one of those Mercedes roadsters, and just had a blast the rest of the way before the road gets super tight. Its right at Mt Judea that it becomes a very tight switchback decent into the town. Not much there a school, a few shops and one awesome café road stand, thats not much to look at either but the Bacon Cheeseburger is fantastic! A God fearing town the entire area is named after places and characters in the Bible. I stopped for a few pictures on top of Mount Judea

    Mount Judea I forgot how fun and challenging hwy 123 is in AR

    Hasty off in the Distance from the top of hwy 123
    I started heading west with the intent of just finding as many side roads as possible on the way, just playing it by ear and yes I found some great roads, I kept taking a stair step pattern in a north west route. The ride from Mt Judea took me to Hasty where its seems to be very rural very poor in terms of the condition of the houses around the place, it sort of was depressing to look at with such beauty around in the natural scenery. A dilapidated trailer with an ad hock roof built over and around it? Hasty seems to be the correct term. I managed to make my way to Jasper to fill up and again head west. I was riding in the hilly section - not so many mountains but more hills now. From Jasper I went west on hwy 74 and then North a bit on 27 again then I got on a main road 412 which I found to be boring so I headed north again on hwy 23 up to the next turn off on 127. I was pretty much all alone on both those roads.

    The only strait road in Low Gap

    A sign near Low Gap very true
    On Highway 127 (Rock Road) is a great convenience store/gas station with soft serve Ice Cream, the ladies were cleaning the machine so they were selling Ice Cream for half price, I couldn't resist, it was a nice store for such a lonely place! I gassed up and headed out again. The Hwy sort of snakes around up to Beaver Lake where the turns are very fun then you cross a bridge over the lake and completely avoid the bigger towns on the western edge of the Ozarks. There are large towns all along the north western edge of the Ozarks that make the ride a real bore. I managed to avoid most of it. Skirting the edge of Rogers up to Pea Ridge, its a strait road on the map and it has a lot of traffic but its very scenic none the less (hwy 94) then I crossed over into Missouri

    I Stayed away from the main roads here and headed west again on a fun road hwy from Jane to Noel, its a fun road, there is a spider web of great roads up near Pea Ridge you can have a blast on right on the boarder! Then the Ozarks were done! I had some Lunch in Noel where there is another cool convenience store with a nice overlook that views the river.

    Stopped in Noel Missouri great road hwy 90

    Elk River The gas station there has a restaurant in back that has bay windows that overlook the river.
    It wasn't long before I was in Kansas again and the wind was beating me relentlessly all they way to Wichita, nothing much to report about that!

    Monday
    the ride home

    Kansas sucks windy all the way from Whitchita, so much so I was leaned over going in a strait line, then the small town mentanlity there of - we dont need to provide bathrooms from passers by - I did fill up my bike. I came out of the bathroom to listen to the clerks and owners complaining about that. I guess it was me they where talking about, I guess they have never seen a motorcyclist before? I decided not to buy anything else and move on.

    Colorado hwy 94 87 miles away from Pikes Peak I could make out a faint outline of the mountain, I felt like Zebulon Pike himself when he first saw it

    Zoomed in you can see the outline of Pikes Peak vaguely I did catch up to that pickup later too! This was the first glimpse that I was almost home, yet it took me another hour to get to the city limits of Colorado Springs

    One whipped Pirrelli Diablo rear tire cords showing after 2600 miles, it was a great tire in the rain and never once slipped.

    Tuesday
  3. HispanicSlammer
    I don't know where to begin, it was such an epic in the making. A full year of planning, routes to be scrutinized, people to contact, motels to reserve. I still am not sure what to make of it, bittersweet as it was I will start from the beginning.
    THE BEGINNING
    There where originally three of us planning to do this, here we all are in the picture below ready to go - HispanicSlammer (myself), Motoman (Dan gixxer), and Colosprvfr (Craig) we stopped to get a before pic and after we then climbed on the bikes. Then Craig thumbs the starter and "click" nothing - an hour goes by, fairings removed and we all come to the conclusion the stator is shot and well thats the sad part - Craig stays behind! Bummer major freaking bummer! hes got perhaps 32k on the bike and has never had a problem, well one problem his thermostat got stuck open once before. Hes on the phone ordering parts next day but of course after talking with him we determine hes not gonna make it on the viffer, there is always his Shadow but he wants to rail just like we do. So Dan and I continue on. I replaced my RR just in case, 30k or so on mine and well no need to take chances. I got a Signal Dynamics led voltmeter that was acting up on the last ride - taking no chances I replace the RR before the trip, fresh mobile one oil, new chain, new Pilot Powers, gave everything the once over I made sure I was good to go. Craig said his battery went dead the week before - I wish I had known about that, cause we would have run the problem down and fixed it pronto.

    All ready to go! Little did we know!
    Well shoot - thats the bitter part - a good friend was unable to make the trip. Dan and Craig are rather close so he was bummed to no end. So we hit the highway on familiar roads om Colorado. While in Salida It seemed my bike was overloaded, I don't know why I should have dumped the extra gear I brought for us to sleep on - an air mattress for the odd man out in the double room, and othr extra gear. The Givi bags where a bit heavy and I wasn't used to it, on the high speed sweepers of HWY 50. So in Salida we stopped for lunch at this rustic looking place in on the main drag and wow. All I can say is "Wow" they grow them pretty in Salida, our waitress that is, she was a knockout! It was a sign of things to come, all our servers were just pretty as could be on this entire trip. We were soon heading over Monarch Pass, my first real test of the bike with this load on it. She wobbled a bit and it was rather unsettling so I added a click of rebound on the shock and it cleaned up a bit. We decided to run the Black Canyon and make sure - you gotta run the Black Canyon while in Colorado its required by state law! Hwy 92 treated us to some fine twisties and I was very comfy with the load by now, I was scrubbed up to the edge on the Pilot Powers, the back tire anyway.
    My signal dynamics volt meter was flashing red at the Utah state line, which had me alarmed - miles away from anything - wtf I just replaced the RR - not my stator too! I also had a mini mulit meter with me and well that was showing 13.5 volts so I was fine, I guess my SD led voltmeter is a POS! Damn can I find an on board voltmeter that actually works correctly? Dan said just unplug it and ignore the darned thing for now.

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    UTAH
    We rolled into Monticello UT around about 10pm and every thing was closed, the East Indian fellow at the desk of our motel said so, so it was chips and dip from the gas station for dinner, and 4% beer - they had "Gammys" (Polygamy Porter from the Wasatch brewery) a Lovely Utah local brew. We had discovered "Gammys", as we call them, on our last trip to UT. It was last summer on a road trip to Miller Motor sports park, we actually sampled it at the brewery in Park City. Its strong stuff man! The pool was closed so we just passed out in our room that night. The next morning up late we headed down to Blanding and over to the Bicentennial Hwy to cross the UT desert.

    Glen Canyon National Monument at the entryway

    Glen Canyon

    Utah Heat easily 100 degrees, my 2 liter camel bladder was empty already

    Glen Canyon bridge over the Colorado River

    Bridge over the Colorado

    Crossing the bridge
    Midday we were rolling into Fry Canyon, a name which undoubtedly means something, it was freaking hot, I had my lunch tote cooler with me in my Givi and I was dipping my bandanna into the ice water and then wrapping it around my neck, it only lasted for about ten minutes before it was bone dry.

    Glen Canyon a bit blurry

    Fry Canyon the gage said 110f

    Fry Canyon the further you ride the closer the walls get

    Hollow mountain convenience store Hanksville UT
    The hole in the wall store in Hanksville was a welcome sight, still 100 degrees there it was nice and cool in the mountain. I stocked up on Gatorade for the cooler and they kindly offered to fill my tote with more ice. Nice folks at the Hollow Mountain store. We saw a strange two seater car that ran on diesel, it was a division of Mercedes that makes it - it had Ontario plates - it must get better gas mileage than our bikes. Capital Reef National Park was just up ahead.

    lots of dirt in UT

    Entering Capital Reef National Park Near Torry UT

    Capital Reef NP is free along the Bicentennial Highway

    Capital Reef

    Domes for which the park is named for
    There seemed to be a whole fleet of these Cruise America.com RV's on the road, we saw a ton of them, one of them held us off in the turns at Capital Reef - every time we went around a right hand turn this RV was spewing piss water out a spigot on the left side of the RV. I wasn't about to pass this guy and get sprayed on!! After many miles and several gags, we finally found an opening and passed after which we gave the guy a rather unfavorable hand gesture as we did.
    Torry Ut, we stopped for a Burger at some road side stand in town, cute girls and interesting burger choices. I had a bacon burger and Dan had a fiesta burger he rather enjoyed. I can't remember the name of the place but it was good enough to mention. Torry UT it was the only place in town. From here we headed up the Pass on Hwy 12 into the mountains and I was on a tear, I seared the tires a bit going as fast as I was and it got a bit sketchy as the turns seemed to be bumpy in places. Soon we were at the Escalate Grand Staircase, a mesmerizing canyon of desert vegetation and sheer drops that can certainly be deadly if you go off the road

    Near Torry the rocks turn red

    Hwy 12 Escalate Staircase high above from the road

    Steep grades and sharp curves next 4 miles

    Escalate Staircase

    Dan gives the Grand Staircase a thumbs up

    Yours truly

    Awesome scope of it all Escalante Grand Staircase
    We had already been to Bryce Canyon on our last trip so - being that it was Wed we thought we would have a nice easy ride over to Zion - nope it was bumper to bumper going into Bryce Canyon, so we skipped it, thank goodness it was on the other side of the road, we had a quarter of the traffic heading out. Some Harley Davidson low sided and started a prairie fire at the turn off hwy 12 it was an unusual site. He was pulling one of those small trailers and must have lost control by running the trailer off the road in the turn. On to Zion we went.
    ZION NATIONAL PARK
    The entrance fee for motorcycles is $12 bucks - rather steep I thought but it was worth it, I decided to turn on the video camera and shoot the sights on video

    http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/videos/491/1236638195_zion.wmv.flv

    Zion National Park Dan and I pull off for a picture stop

    Zion National Park smoke from a fire burring in the north side of the park

    The setting sun on Zion National Park

    Zion National Park
    It was around 9pm pacfic when we rolled into Saint George, a fairly mid sized city and the place was on fire, an entire hillside was engulfed in smoke, it was 100 degrees out in the twilight and we were hot. We checked into the motel 6 and promptly jumped into the pool too cool off, there we found an that an entire touring buss of French students was there. They had a curious habit of hanging all their clothes out on the railing of the second floor? It was certainly hot enough to keep them dry! It seemed the entire second floor was full of laundry. We found a little taco shop in town and had some Carne Asada Tacos for dinner in the dark.

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    NEVADA
    Slab Slab and More Slab this was almost torture, hot and slabby Nevada must not have much by way of twisties and certainly its second to Kansas in unbearable slab! Windy too, poor Dan was getting a neck ache from the wind.

    Welcome To Nevada it should say welcome to slab

    More forest fires Right on the Nevada Border

    Its Hot

    The Brothel is now closed

    Our first view of the Sierras we were in 3 states in one day that day

    Westgard Pass it might as well be a roller coaster, you can easily catch some major air on some of the whoops. Trust me there is a road there.

    Westgard Pass tore up my tire 15mph hairpins, ten foot whoops, and tight sweepers - I had no clue what gear I should be in! CA Hwy 168 to Big Pine
    The highlight of the day was definitely Gilbert/Westgaurd Pass into Big Pine California, it made up for all that Nevada Slab. There are some rather depressing sites along the way too, Goldfield, and Tonopah are a couple of stops I would rather miss as they seemed to scream in desperation - "help us we are poor". As soon as we crossed into California the speed limit dropped but the road got much more interesting. Gilbert pass is chock full of 15 mph hairpins and a bit of dirt in the turns, and Westgard pass is simply a roller coaster with no rails. It is like somebody paved a dirt bike trail and didn't bother to flatten out the whoops. We entered a bit more slab up to Mammoth Lakes for the night, a nice COOL mountain/ski town - had some pizza and walked up to a beer tavern where I discovered a wonder German brew called Spaten. I am on the hunt for Spaten now!! What was strange was that it seemed that every body was rather unattractive there! HEH not a babe to be seen for miles, save one the teen girl we saw - but way way too young. Dan was a fish out of water! No babes or PUFFIES as he calls them.

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    CALIFORNIA
    Lunch at some foo foo place in Mammoth lakes - they had chili dogs so I ate that - it tore me up! Sad to say it did. So we gassed up and hit the road, over to June Lake and through there, no pictures but trust me its pretty. Then over to Tioga Pass

    Tioga Pass Gateway to Yosemite

    Tioga Pass 6 sport bikes tore it up right before we did

    Tioga Pass

    Lembert Dome we did not stop

    Yosemite

    Yosemite

    Bridalveil falls closer
    We headed south out of Yosemite cause the map looked squiggly but it was bumpy and had way too much traffic we endured it though all they way too, Madera into the central breadbasket of California, seems everything grows there. The smells were wonderful. Gorgeous Hispanic Girls walking the streets of Madera wow, I think Dan wanted to stop - he has a weakness for Hispanic Girls. I kept on going to Gilroy, there the road opened up into a three lane freeway and some guy on a Cruiser passed us doing 100plus, I let him go till the traffic started to back up going up a steep hill, naturally passing everything in site I tried to catch up to the cruiser but he schooled us the rest of the way, I finally caught the guy where the road split off 5 miles later - on his Roadstar! Wow these California boys can ride! The road into Gilroy was jammed packed on the other side, backed up for 5 or more miles it must have been excruciating for those motorist. Bad way to commute home for sure! Gilroy was our home base for the whole Laguna Seca Weekend and the Motel 8 was nice. But yet again everything closed up at 9pm! ON a SATURDAY??
    LAGUNA SECA WEEKEND
    It was abuzz with activity, Dan wanted to hit Big Sur first so we went part way down the Pacific Coast Highway before we hit the track.

    PCH Point Lobos State Reserve

    PCH

    Jake Zemkes bike

    Miguel Duhamels

    Ben's number one plate

    Corbin's 1098r smuggler

    I have no clue what Jelly Belly has to do with motorcycles b They make an energy jelly bean now!

    Cannery Row Its out of focus but thats the way it was

    Nicky Hayden qualifying coming out of turn 3 - 130mph in 300 yards!!

    The Andretti Hairpin - turn 3

    Valentino Qualifying

    Casey Stoner & Miguel Duhamel qualifying

    hs bls At Cannery Row

    CBR 1000 w/ vfr400 sss
    We met Rob veefer800Canuke and his riding partner Craig (CanadianCraig) - lots of Craig's on this trip - Rob hes Canadian EH and sos Craig EH Tits!! HEH Them two are a riot, it wasn't long before Craig steered us to the Beer tent where we watched the babes and the qualifying in relative comfort sipping on Nevada Pale Ale, I saw a Spaten Umbrella and got all excited for a brew but alas they did not have it. It was there I saw a goddess, she was magnificent, and Taken! Damn lucky guy too, she was all over him - he a sort of tall middle aged and not too good looking guy, it gave me hope!! Jebus that guy must have some money!
    We rolled over to Cannery Row to see the craziness there and met up with Busy Little Shop at Bubba Gumps for dinner, it was a mad house, the place was a zoo but Larry managed to get us all comped, too bad for you guys who showed up bit got discouraged with the crowd it was a great dinner, Larry is a sweet Gentile man and Mary is a great gal, they regaled us with stories of Valentino Rossi, Mick Doohan and racing in general. What a great ending to a great day.
    I just loop in both days since well tis much the same, the race was a bust, no Mexicans finished on the podium and we watched Nicky and Hopper tangle up right in front of us in turn 2. I got it on tape

    http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/videos/491/1236161240_seca07.wmv.flv
    The youngest Hayden brother had a great weekend though! We headed over to Carmel valley with Rob and Craig - and their tag along Lance (shoot I cant remember some Canadian guy they picked up on the road) he was a nice guy same age as Dan. And we had dinner together - the server was a hot hot red head girl who looked like a young Jane Fonda, man on man.

    The Laguna Seca Pits

    Camped out at Turn 2 Andretti Hairpin
    PACIFIC COAST
    Craig and Rob met us in Gilroy for a two days of riding up the coast, they made the ride much more fun. I lead with my Gps but managed to smack into the back of a Jaguar stopped into the middle of the road in Santa Cruz, I misjudged the width of my Givi bags and tagged the guys taillight. I got an earful from this guy - a transplant from New Zealand, he seemed to think we were locals cause he lit into me with an anti bike rant like you would not believe, I just listened and he calmed down. Thats what insurance is for right! I managed to keep her upright enough to get out of the way and do the right thing. It was over in less than a half an hour.
    On to Alice's Restaurant for lunch! The ride was brisk, me being a bit more carefully now - the traffic was lite up there in the hills, and it was fun.

    Hanging out at Alice's Restaurant Woodside California

    A 19 something something Packard This Fella just drives up in it with his wife and two friends and parks it right there.

    Bikes and food cant beat that
    We had a good dinner - bought some swag and headed toward San Francisco where it cooled off even more with heavy fog, thank goodness I liked the cool fog over the heat for a change. I was actually wishing for a bit of rain the last two days too cool me down.

    Golden Gate

    Alcatraz Island

    Rob inspects the old ww2 gun emplacements

    This is sport touring California style
    We followed the path that was layed out by a member here last month up into the hills above Salsalito and saw some awesome coast views, the road was almost all ours, Ridgecrest blvd its called. Wow that was great but it dumped us on the tightest bumpiest road in history Fairfax Bolinas Road, Jebus that was a nightmare!
    The up the coast too Stewart's point, it was rolling sweepers and tight up and down turns all the way, we were smack in the middle of two or three large groups of bikes all riding the same direction. We ended up mixing together a bit, I enjoyed the pace the group in front of us made. Too bad one had an accident and went down hard a few minutes in front of us, a woman we saw at the gas station near Point Reyes Station. She had blood all over her face, but several people stopped to attend to her, we stopped too but determined we were just in the way at this point and moved on to Stewart's Point.
    Here is where we met Skaggs Springs road, the highlight of my trip - Larry (BLS) told me in Cannery Row that this was a must ride road, and he said to me" it starts out a little leprechaun road" whatever that means but he was right, "then it turns into a race track with everything in between" wow gotta ride that eh! Me now a full on Canadian speaking idiot EH! I cant help it I just pick these things up as I go 'EH'!
    I must say that CanadianCraig was a good sport here cause his bike was running like crap ever since we left Gilroy it was just guzzling gas and idling rough - his big ZEDEX12 was not liking these tight tree lined California roads. He said he was more into high speed sweepers, I don't know but the back end of Skaggs springs road was all high speed sweepers, - the old ZED was running 98 miles on 4.5 gallons of gas!! OUCH! I will keep my viffer thank you!

    Point Reyes

    CanukeCraig, Motoman, Veefer800canuke Viewing Point Reyes
    VIDEO

    veffer800canuke does a wheelie

    skaggs springs road

    http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/videos/491/1236161217_skaggs.wmv.flv
    It was getting late so we decided to grab some gas and grub in Gyserville where some giant of a guy came up to Dan and said "Trick bike - and Oakland colors too" He must have been a bit slow cause he sounded like it. I said to Dan "don't tell him we are Broncos fans"!! His silver Gixxers is indeed Raiders colors yea! That lug really liked it too! Our Canadian friends kept quiet so as to not spark an awkward conversation. He was all instinctual and not much thought behind that huge face of his, he was a bit scary we just headed into the restaurant. Craig needed a smoke to calm down cause his Zed was pissing him off something fierce, but he gets a cigarette a bit of rest hes just as jovial as can be after that! Too bad cause Skaggs Springs road was definitely a great road.
    Now it was dark and well I cant see too well into the dark so Rob took the lead, thanks Rob - he started up hwy 20 to Fort Bragg right as the sun went down and little did I know I was going to be riding a Deals Gap in the dark! HOLY moly it was tight! I just focused on Rob, who was pulling a few lengths on me now, he was smoking it up pretty good here. Me I just had to look ahead and not get tunnel vision watching him - I finally calmed down - but then Rob would speed up more and I was right back into the kung foo grip mode on the handle bars. Damn I suck in the dark! Rob said he loved it - we pulled into this shit hole called the Seabird Lodge where they women at the desk did not trust us bikers. she almost shut the window on Robs hand thinking he was trying to break into their office - Grandmas both! EWW the place was definitely not worth $122 bucks a night! NO WAY, of course everything was already closed as predicted. Fort Bragg sucks. It was a huge day 400 miles

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    OREGON
    In the morning we decided to forget the coast highway, way too many cars, way too many small towns to slow us down so we decided to retrace our route to Willits and head up the 101 instead - on our way to Oregon.

    http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/videos/491/1236639580_hwy20.wmv.flv
    The second ride on this road revealed it was not so tight as Deals Gap but rather fun though I got some good footage.

    Giant Redwoods near Rio Dell

    Wild Flowers growing wild on the side of the highway
    Here it got foggy and a bit cold as we headed up into Oregon, the Redwoods were spectacular and we headed east a bit to get out of the fog on hwy 36. I enjoyed this road a lot and well I just took off a bit when it headed up a mountain side and sort of left the guys behind, I was in my element and let it all hang out. So much so I killed my rear tire, smoked it till it could not grip anymore at the level it was just the previous day. It was off in a big way. Rob took over lead duties into the Trinity Lake area and my tire just started slipping on the tight right handers, I had to back her down quite a bit as it just would not grip. Craig saw this and mentioned it to me that I was having a hard time at this point, he could see me slipping ever so much in the tight ones, I was dragging brakes to scrub off speed and not get dropped by Rob to no avail. My poor old tire was done! Too much weight too much speed = dead tire! It was blistering hot when I checked in on Hwy 36 - we stopped for lunch in Callahan and that gave it a rest, enough that it stopped slipping but I lost all confidence in it. It was way down to the wear bars too.
    I had planned on this and sent a new tire to Flailer, our host for the night a month back, he had it waiting in his garage for me that night. In the morning I slipped out to a local bike shop and had a new tire mounted, wow I really cut it close!

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    Flailer (Craig YEA ANOTHER ONE) was a great host, he opened up his house to four weary travelers and provided food, fun and the clothes washing, a nice spread ( his girl made cookies too) wow it was great, and hes got a nice house. Its for sale too if anybody is looking for house in Medford OR?? Thanks Craig I was so appreciative I gave him My Craig's extra tire to keep, The guy who's stator died on day one. He said he loves Pilot Powers. That morning we suited up and Craig showed us the way up to Crater Lake via some back roads, lots of yahoos seem to drive these things cause there was gravel in all the good turns! He sort of dropped me as I was not too keen on that being so far from home.
    CRATER LAKE

    Stopped at the Natural Bridge veefer800canuke (rob), CanadianCraig (Craig), and Flailer (Craig)

    Flailer said he timed it all for us we arrive just as two kayaks put in at the natural bridge to do the rapids there.

    The river exits an ancient lava tube

    Further up the river You can see the water enter the lava tube

    Hells Engineers Now playing at the dugout diner on hwy 20 - one half mile east of Emporia street, $4 cover

    Crater Lake check out the hawk

    Deep Blue water over a 1000' deep

    This fella snook into our group 1987 vfr700 - I cant remember his name - Shane from Seattle I think.
    Flailer said he arranged the Kayak exhibition before hand for our entertainment, it was almost 3pm when we made it up to Crater lake and Dan and I still had to make Winnamucca that night, we said goodbye to everybody and headed out on hwy 140, Craig said it was a drone so I was expecting slab - we found it but also found some nice sweepers and the coolest desert sunset in history wow it was fantastic. Then night fell, and Dan ran out of gas 40 miles from Winnamucca - I had to go on ahead and get a gas can and some gas for him, he was out in the desert for 45 minutes while I went for fuel. He motioned he needed something the town back - I thought he wanted to stop for a drink - thats the hand signal for drink to me! OH well we worked it out - no big deal but the guy at the gas station in Winnamucca NV pissed me off, "how you gonna do that"? he says - Watch me and mind your own business, I had it secured and I was gone!

    Dan and I were treated to a spectacular desert sunset hwy 140 on the OR NV border

    Not many on this road

    Sunsets and rainbows

    Even the moon made and appearance

    Typical rainstorm one minute

    Fiery apparition the next The longer we stayed the more spectacular it got
    There was one interesting thing about hwy 140 we had lunch/dinner in Lakeview then headed into the desert where there is a 1000foot wall we had to ride up, it was a long way down and no guard rails but twisty! very interesting in the middle of nowhere, you can see it on the map it just cuts a 90 degree right and then another 90 left at the top very close to the OR/NV border

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    The next day was all slab, the motel in Winnamucca had no AC so we suffered - I made a stink and so we got a free night, that is about it for a report other than ELKO has lots of pretty women, we had a sandwich at the local sandwich shop and did the math 2 women for every guy!! its a suburban oasis in the Nevada Desert with Women to spare apparently! Oh the Salt Flats were boring! But strangely pretty. I-80 all day!
    SALT LAKE CITY
    Our timing sucked - we hit the city right at rush hour and got stuck in a traffic jam, the great local steakhouse the motel clerk told us about was closed for vacation so we had a nice dinner at a chain steakhouse, Lone-star Steakhouse, we asked for some dark beer and the waiter told us about this local porter every body likes "GAMMYS" Dan wanted to go to the source in Park City but not me a Gammy is a Gammy - he shows up with this huge goblet of Polygamy Porter and I drink it up, the real stuff too not 4% and proceed to get a bit typsy. I promised I would go with Dan to Park City but woah that Gammy did me in, we got to the motel and the sky opens up and starts pouring like cats and dogs. I Park City was out, more bad timing, I passed out on the bed.
    NORTHERN UTAH
    We decided to head up the Canyon to Ruth's dinner for lunch - the biscuits are free and scrumptious, I love that place!

    Best Breakfast in Utah Ruth's Diner in Emigration Canyon
    It seemed the night before the rains really did a number on the roads, washing sand and gravel into the turns, we had to take it at 6/10ths to stay safe, and they were rather bumpy too, the switch backs were tight tight and bumpy. It wasn't till we headed up into the Wasatch forest that it cleared up and were railing turns yet again, hwy 39 to Woodriff is a nice road.

    Wasatch National Forest UT hwy 39
    A bit more slab on interstate 80 and soon were were on the road to the Flaming Gorge, where it was raining again. I filmed it but haven't compiled the movie yet

    Motoman takes in the view

    Bridge at the Flaming Gorge

    Green River Reservoir Flaming Gorge

    8 percent grade I was railing these switchbacks - that is until I spotted the police cruiser up ahead in the next turn - sounds like time for a picture stop.

    Flaming Gorge area

    Steinaker State Park 5 miles west of Vernal UT

    vfr bathed in sunset

    Two days in a row we where treated to a great sunset

    Full Size
    It seems UT closes at 9pm on Fridays too! Vernal all but shut down, we stopped at a local brew pub for dinner but the kitchen was closed, so we sampled a brew and went across the street to the Roadhouse café, special was prime rib $19, the food was good but the service was awesome, this young gal was right on top of things, Dan says it was only because it was closing time but never did I feel rushed, and she was sweet as pie. I was stuffed and passed out again at the motel.
    The ride home was well nice, I took no pictures and we had a nice lunch in Steamboat springs, but then Dan wanted to go shopping for his woman, I asked him when did you get your sex change operation? Joking that I hate shopping, he ignored me an shopped like woman for a good hour! OMG I almost left, shoot he could find his way from home surely! Just as I was about to go he shows up with all this shit he wants me to pack into my bags!! JEBUS he must have dropped his purse - I already had all is Laguna Seca swag in my bags and his two extra gammys - no way I am full - stuff in in your back pack! he did and we were off to rail Gore pass, wow it was just repaved and it was smooth I LOVED IT triple digit baby! then over Hoosier pass and home where the rain finally came, and boy did it and full two hours of rain!

    Full Size
  4. HispanicSlammer
    The Big Piggy at the river crossing
    I missed my chance to go riding when it was warm, Saturday it was 70 degrees out, but I was tired from working the night shift and so thought I could take a nap for a few hours (or so) then get up and go out and enjoy the sunshine around noon. When I woke up it was already dark out and I missed the whole day! Then Sunday it snowed and was cold out, Monday was sunny but still cold. Tuesday it wasn't so cold but it wasn't as good as Saturday. I get 4 days off every other week cause I work a compressed 12 hour day shift/workweek. Or should I say 4 nights off cause I always end up sleeping most days off. Tuesday (today) I was gonna ride hell or high water. I just installed a new 200 watt stator from Ricks on the piggy so that I could use my gps with it - and not drain the little nicad battery pack that came with the Baja Lighting/street legal kit. I installed the last year and I tried using the 100w stock unit but the lights would cut out as soon as I plugged in the gps about 15 minutes into the ride.
    I got this thing all street legal, its still a race bike but its got dot dirt tires, turn signals, a speedo, crappy little mirror, and now I have a stator that can power up this light kit, and my gps at the same time.
    I took off for Pueblo, via Meridian road from my home in Colorado Springs, it felt like 60 outside and the wind was blowin fierce. Dust from the dry winter was getting in my eyes and I haven't ridden this XR650r for months I had to get used to it again. Seems I have to get used to it every time I ride it, I am not a dirt devil by any means. My route would take me along dirt roads mostly except through the city of Pueblo, then off down Lariat Loop road onto another Dirt road called Little Burnt Mill road. I stopped at "Burnt Mill" but did not see a mill anywhere? I supposed thats because it was burned up?? Duh eh! I found this road last year on my trip to Santa Fe, looking for a way to stay off the interstate mostly and enjoy some back road adventuring. It seems to be well traveled though - I passed lots of cars on the dirt part. There is a creek that runs along the length of it and ends up at a Reservoir called Saint Charles Reservoir, thats the name of the river too the Saint Charles River - though its barely a creek really.
    I really like the hilly bluffs around the southern side of this road, it got me out of the wind and the sunshine seemed to warm it up a bit. However when I reached Burnt Mill I found that it was much colder the higher up I got in elevation. Pueblo is about 4000 feet and Burnt Mill was about a thousand feet higher up. I live at 5200 feet so I was basically riding the bowl formed by the Arkansas River basin. Everything seems to flow into it from this area. It is always windy in Pueblo too because of this, the wind follows the same path as the water does.

    Little Burnt Mill Road Greenhorn Mountain in the background

    Little Burnt Mill Road I love the bluffs along this road and the old cottonwood trees.
    When I got to Burnt Mill I decided to keep on going and go get a burger in Colorado City, there is a burger joint along I-25 Called Max's its a very homey small town home grown restaurant, where most everybody seems to know each other. However since its off the interstate its always packed with the lunch crowd. I managed to find a small table by the window. The burger was just as good as I remembered, I do enjoy this place, and the owner, the staff, and the customers always seem to be the same as when I left them the last time.

    Max's Diner Colorado City
    After eating my burger I got back onto the bike and the temp dropped another 5 degrees so I unpacked my heated vest, thinking I would shut off the headlight and plug it into the battery charger wire. NOPE the gps died, the speedo died and no heat! I guess 200 watts is pushing it? I unplugged the vest and everything came back on again - the vest did warm me up though since it was 45 degrees out with the wind blowing 25 mph it seemed like 30F! I was feeling much more confident and took Burnt Mill road at a clip of 75-80 that is until I passed a cop on the paved section, a left turn and back onto the dirt part again and no sign of cops - I was back up to speed.

    Saint Charles River More like a stream than a river - this is at Burnt Mill
    THE MAP
    [map=AARTsJqsy-Wml_D8KxNwkqaChK_ZMM-3IA]http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=11755780299001803584,38.777368,-104.777133%3B16171332272027393792,38.732540,-104.726979%3B7362721521074245626,38.564255,-104.608400%3B15580941568504734239,38.442820,-104.589546%3B2336215332259686766,38.346156,-104.697861%3B9429582127590062000,38.249760,-104.662010%3B9000269612217704604,38.182150,-104.679665%3B3944433312485290856,38.143896,-104.701113%3B10777289495694964411,38.051492,-104.794646%3B3030382981191587853,37.961130,-104.799980&saddr=S+US-85-87+%4038.777368,+-104.777133&daddr=S+US-85-87+%4038.732540,+-104.726979+to:S+Meridian+Rd+%4038.564255,+-104.608400+to:CR-501%2FOverton+Rd+%4038.442820,+-104.589546+to:38.42347,-104.610443+to:N+Purcell+Blvd+%4038.346156,+-104.697861+to:CO-45%2FS+Pueblo+Blvd+%4038.249760,+-104.662010+to:CR-230+%4038.182150,+-104.679665+to:CR-230+%4038.143896,+-104.701113+to:Waterbarrel+Rd+%4038.051492,+-104.794646+to:CO-165+%4037.961130,+-104.799980&mra=dpe&mrcr=0&mrsp=4&sz=10&via=1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8&dirflg=h&sll=38.449287,-104.69696&sspn=0.622712,1.496887&ie=UTF8&ll=38.414862,-104.916687&spn=1.246001,2.993774&t=p&z=9[/map]
    Looking at the terrain map you can get a sense of this bowl effect the Arkansas River vally forms, wind just pours down the valley into Pueblo
  5. HispanicSlammer
    Garden Of The Gods Pikes Peak
    So I am mostly done, since it seems that this paint job is a never ending time of fixing drips, scratches, redoing messups and well there are plenty of mess ups to fix yet. However the bike is back together and running after a bout with not starting and replacing parts. So I figure I put about 120 man hours into it this winter here is the final accounting
    Replaced fork oil Replaced fork seals Replaced wheels Powdercoated wheels Powdercoated rear swing arm Replaced swing arm axle Replaced all swing arm bearing bushings dust covers Replaced chain sprockets Replaced stator cover, the gasket, fixed oil leak Rewired accessories moved all forward to make more underseat space Fixed busted plastic plastic welded cracks and dedumbo the front signals Replaced exentric hub bearings Replaced wheel bearings dust covers Rebuilt rear brake caliper new bolts, seals, bleeder bibs Painted mirrors Painted frame part of it Painted plastics Took tank to the bare metal and repainted Replaced tank gaskets, vent hoses, fuel hoses, fuel filter Rebuilt Ohlins shock Powdercoated rearsets Powdercoated pegs Powdercoated passenger hangers and pegs Rewired signals Replaced dash lights with LEDs Replaced fuel hoses cleaned and rebuilt thottle bodies and fuel rail new seals on injectors Replaced exahust studs, replaced copper exhaust crush seals, new seals in the down pipes, drilling out broken studs was a bitch thank goodness for carbide drill bits taps! Sanded and refinished stainless Staintune exaust muffler Installed new rear cargo mount from Kanadian Ken the beefy version Cleaned fuel system with seafoam treatment Cleaned fuel injectors Rebuilt seat latch mechanism new spring Replaced ingition key system, helmet, and tank locks thanks Baileyrock for providing the parts New tires New red anodized wheel 85 degree vavle stems from Kurvy Girl New st1300 tank pad (yet to install) New vfrd graphics on the plastics New bolts on the brake calipers Powdercoated chain drive hub New rubber drive chain dampers New copper and steel spacers bushings all over Replaced head cover gaskets Valve check and shim swaps, sanded shims where I had to too for tight vavles Replaced coolant hoses that cracked Drilled and tapped leaky water pump drain hole Replaced coolant Painted mirrors Installed SAE Mount for battery charger Installed steering column powerlet and rear powerlet
  6. HispanicSlammer
    Latest Veefalo mod
    I have been wanting to get a "vfrd" plate for my vfr for years, but the old girl she was fine with the orginal plate, the Veefalo on the other hand was a group effort and it would be a very nice touch to get a plate that says "vfrd" on it since that is where it came from

    new plate
    I havent ridden the bike for over a month, just to work since it needs new tires. I got maybe one good long ride left in her rear tire. I have a new set in the shed ready to go for Texasmac 2011! Mostly been riding my Cannondale roadbike these days trying to lose wieght. After riding around for 4 days with a bunch of in shape and healthy Canadians I found out when I got home my over exuberant diet had costed me - wieghing in at over 245 lbs the most ever! Since then I am down to 225lbs but I think that was from my tooth! Just kidding, that was my Halloween costume I went as a Jack-o-lantern.

    Jack-O-lantern
    Lots going on for the bike next year, a fork upgrade hopfully and new tires, then its just ride ride ride and with me in shape and hopfully down to my goal of 195lbs by May I will be riding it much better too.
  7. HispanicSlammer

    Jim Dillard's Vintage Motos Vintage Motorcycle Museum and Restoration
    I had the opportunity to visit my old college friend in Denver Tuesday - he suggested we go visit this vintage motorcycle museum in Lo-Do down by Coors Field. We jumped on his two scooters and headed across Capital Hill and made our way across downtown Denver on two vintage Italian scooters. I couldnt remeber what they were called if you tourchered me about it? All I know is it shifted funny, and I kept honking the horn every time I tried to use the turn signals. Anyway I had a lot of fun riding that little thing with its left hand shifter (on the left handle bar, it rotates as it shifts). Andy says it gets 100mpg where abouts on a full tank of about a gallon and a half. It was rather large for a scooter and it had a spare tire bolted to the back, Andy says he sunk about 3k into it all together with a chrome frame protector and rack. I usually don't like motorcycling in a large city but dadgum it if that wasn't a hoot riding that scooter. Andy was riding 2up with his Girl Friend Joann on the back. She was visiting from L.A. out for a ski trip to Vail, Steamboat and Winter Park. Andy had her whole 2 week vacation all planned out for her in advance, she said she was so busy doing stuff she hadn't had a chance to sleep! He also had our day planned out as well.
    So the three of us headed downtown and met Jim Dillard and looked over his collection of vintage euro bikes and scooters.
    Vintage Motos
    2762 Walnut St
    Denver CO 80205
    (303) 993-7693
    jeducati@vintagemotos.com
    http://www.vintagemotos.com

    Parts shelves Carbs, magetos, suspension components

    Jims Cleaning area

    Ducati Scooter Hybrid

    Looking east

    Jim Dillard's Vintage Motos Vintage Motorcycle Museum and Restoration

    Bennelli Being restored

    1955 BSA Bantum

    Morini 500 SEI-V

    Mondial 175

    Bianchi Aquilleto Motorized bicycle again notice the dual lever front suspension - BMW did not invent this technology with the k1200

    Bennelli

    Bianchi notice the Springer dual lever front end - Hossack like

    Moto Guzzi Scooter Jim called it a toaster motor

    1938 AJ's Identical to the Matchless

    Little Ant 1956 Moto Rumi Formichino

    Parrila Scooter circa 1950

    Ace Marchi Scooter

    1972 Moto Guzzi Facon Sport

    Ducati Desmo

    Cagiva 750 by Ferrachi circa 90's Center Research Ducati (crd)

    1984 Bennelli 900 SCI

    Honda Dream 50 I beleive these were sold as collectors items as late as 2006 by Honda

    1950 IMME R100 100cc

    1974 Ducati sport Bevel Drive

    1938 Binelli 250cc sport Race bike

    1933 Puch 250L featuring direct oil injection

    KTM 80 Pro Lever

    1974 Laverda 750 SFC Twin Jim's most expensive bike
    I was talking to Jim about a number of motorcycle news items, the way AMA has squadered the American series - how the 600 class has changed into the premier class and the relative ease these bikes are to ride compared to the bigger more powerful bikes. He gave me a bit of a tour of the bikes talked about how he started collecting, side stepped a question about the value of his collection (understandable) and then he had to work on a photo backdrop for his website, photographing his collection. The museum is relatively new having opened this last September. It is not hard to find, if your in Denver, its about 1 block south of Erico Motorsports where he has even more bikes on display. Take Park Avenue to Walnut and head north about 5 blocks and turn east on 28th is on the side street, with a ducati sign in the door window, go down the stairs.
  8. HispanicSlammer
    Skyline Drive Ryan and Jason above Canon City
    I have been riding with a guy from work lately a young fellow who recently purchased a used CBR 600 - that was in need of some work. He was riding it with a race take off front tire and a decent Bridgestone rear. I dont often ride with guys who ride other bikes but Ryan seemed like he had the natural ability to ride well. Which after 3 rides he does. I took him along on my annual 500 mile ride to the Black Canyon a few months back and he did well, keeping in pace with my Buddy LDSRIDER. The two of them kept together and Reddog and I took off ahead waiting up at key places, then riding together in the slab.Its worked well, Ryan came over to my place and we fited a new tire on last month, new chain and set his sag correctly since I rode it I could tell it was set up all wrong. Sombody had dropped the forks in the triple clamps and it made it a bear to turn. Fighting that for 500 miles must have been a PITA so I loosened the clamps and slid the forks back into stock postion. It made a world of difference and the next ride - there he was right behind me in the tight stuff, he never showed me a wheel but he was taking up an awful lot of my rear view mirror this time around. Of course it was raining and there was all kinds of crap on the roads from heavy rains but still much much better! Monday he calls me up - says there are 3 of them going to Bishops Castle for a ride. Right off the bat There is Ryan out of gear and no gloves - appearantly hes not prepared for a day ride, thinking they were just going around town. I guess with Ryan ATGATT has not settled in yet as the mode of transport for bikes. So we take off, tennis shoes and no gloves, long sleeve tee. And of course I take it easy. Its all guys from work I know, Dave (out of work at the moment from Atmel after a layoff) and Jason who works right next to me all night across the tunnel in photo, and Ryan a diffusion tech who works on furnaces and FSI cleaners. Me I work in etch as a work flow coordinator just like Jason is in Photo. We all ride, but I think I take it more seriously then the rest. I come to find out this is the longest ride Jason has ever done! A lousy 250 mile ride! Hes decked out in his Honda Jacket, Shoei Helmet (a nice one), and TENNIS SHOES. Darned squids - I mention to Ryan he might want to grab some work gloves at the Gas station in Florence at least! I think I talked him into getting a Roadcrafter suit from Aerostich, like the one I wear. He likes how easy it is to get on and off and that its also your rain gear!

    Bishops Castle l-r Dave, Ryan, and Jason in white.
    I had to yell Jason about 4 times cause he talks so much he could not hear me - hes always talking, even at work!Yea thats a Hysong behind that CBR 650 V twin Dave rides - sounded great with the carbon fiber Two Brothers can.Dave had to go back home at this point since he had chores to do at home and was supposed to be back at noon, I looked at my clock and it was 11:30! Heh I think your late man! So he left the group and the rest of us carried on. We rode over to Texas Creek to get a burger only to find out it was closed, so I said lets get some Tacos in Cannon City - only to find out the Taco place was closed too! So at last we went to the Mission, a mexican joint and had some lunch. It was alright but not as good as the Taco joint, sad to see it was closed forever! It is different riding with new guys - especially ones who dont ride all the time, and who think that 250 miles is a long ride! It is a different mind set, I felt like I was just getting warmed up, and these guys are just about done! Wrist hurts, butt hurts, yada yada yada, I know Ryan can take it but Dave and Jason - nope! I kept trying to tell the guys to at least wear BOOTS. Me I just had some fun, I took off on the good stuff of course, the twisty parts - I let them know I was going to first, and to ride at thier own pace cause. I would wait on the straits for them when there was no place to lean over - which I did. I had a good time though, just riding slow I can look at scenery too ya know. We had to stop a moment and take it in cause well we were talking too much about work! Ryan was staying way back this time cause he had no darned gear!
    Jason who was on non stop jabber would have to be prodded to put his helmet on cause it was time to go, he crackes me up - like a stream of conscienceness, all the time 24 hr Jason live! He even talked when he had his helmet on and I had my earplugs in, I just nodded yes and reved up the v-4! Funny guy very funny guy. On the last leg home I rode sweep and they gave me a lesson on how to pass, which I wont be taking next term, I think I am going to drop that class! Scary stuff! I dont like-a-da-traffic-a-so-much.I am hoping Dave gets a call back from Atmel and comes back to work - it seems the sales crisis has abated a bit and are hiring back 100 people who got laid off. I am pulling for ya Dave! It is a good thing we can go for a ride and just have some fun for a day.
  9. HispanicSlammer
    It all started like this... I PM Reddog..."any thoughs on a fathersday ride"? This ride is somthing that Bill and I have been doing for the past 4 years now and this year it was a bit of a Cluster *&&^ to get it going. He writes back that he has things to do and perhaps we can do it on such and such a date, and I write back "no how about such and such", and he writes back "nope cant do that". Then I write back "well what about this weekend?" and he says OK. The of course then I change it cause some guys from work want to ride too, and of course they cant do that day. Reddog comments that usually our ride plans consist of a few grunts and a place to meet, nothing this rediculous, we took of on 3 day rides with less than 4 words!
    Well it all came together for yesterday 4 riders - one of us was new. Reddog Myself LDSRIDER and our newcomber Ryan all met up at the Texas Creek Diner at 8:30am. Well OK thats not quite true, LDSRider, Ryan, and I met at a gas station in Colorado Springs then rode the hour and half to Texas Creek to meet Bill (Reddog). We had a bit of fun on the way. Passing vehicles that is, Ryan got stuck behind a slow mover in the canyon and LDSRider got away for a about a mile or so. I slowed up to let him catch up because the diner was comming up soon and I did not Ryan to miss it. Just as we slowed up we saw a State Pat-troll on the side of the road tucked in behind some trees WHEW just in time I looked at my speedo and it showed the speed limit right on the dot! GOOD THING We waited for Ryan or he would have been waiting on us!

    Texas Creek Cafe the meeting place

    LDSRider - Ryan - and Myself we arrived first
    We had some breakfast at the diner and introduced Ryan to Reddog, he is a fairly new rider on a F4 CBR. He was riding much more mature than most guys his age and well within his limits from what I saw, but he had some difficulties getting around the slow moveing cages. The breakfast was good it was starting to get up to an hour we decided we had a long way to go yet and mapped out our stops, when Ryan would need gas cause he had the smallest gas tank amoung us, and off we went for Monarch Pass.

    Monarch Pass Our First stop at the top of the pass

    Monarch Pass LDSRIDER and Reddog
    Reddog had mentioned that he was a bit rusty at the breakfast diner - only putting on 6k miles in the last year. He said he had slowed down his pace from our usual (yea right ok) - I will believe it when I see it! Reddog says "I dont ride like that anymore"! HEH yea if he slowed down any I guess I have too! We determined that Ryan and Scott (LDS) would ride pace with each other, then Bill and I would rail for a bit and wait somwhere up ahead when there was a stop, or a turn, or when the road just plain got slabby. It worked out well and there was no issues with getting lost, missing turns, or anybody riding over there limits. The Slab was about equal to the twisties, the slab is scenic though, jostling with cars and trucks on the all too few broken dotted lines to get ahead. You know the boring parts! Well I think the Black Canyon would just not be as sweet if it was so easy to get too, you need the build up to really appreciate it for what it is - a great road. Boy was it sweet, the road was clean for the most part and the wind was minimal, no rain and it was warm! You cant ask for better conditions, all day long, and we had at it
    Comming down Monarch Pass we encounted a State Pat-troll who had pulled over a car in the turns on the downhill section? What, I never have seen that before and it soon became appearant why, CONTRUCTION CREWS. A land slide had to be cleared and so we had to wait a good 20 minutes for that to happen. I have only once been stopped by any cop in Colorado in a twisty section, because it is dangerous for cops to stop in areas where they can not be seen, and the twisties usually can not accomidate a parking area. Not only that cars dont usually speed in the twisties so why would they stop there to collect speeding taxes? I read about Deals Gap and well that makes sense, it gotta be a gold mine with all those speeding bikes every weekend. Oh yea the public saftey and all of that too. Monarch Pass? No it does not qualify, the bike to cage ratio is much much less than Deals Gap or Angels Crest Highway. I knew there was somthing comming up down the road, and sure enough the construction sign was just around the next turn.

    Stuck on the pass waiting for crews to clear a land slide
    THE VIDEO
    [vid]94[/vid]
    I got a little carried away with the length of this video, its a long one but it has excerpts from all the best parts of this ride. We were stopping a bit more than usual, what with the extra gas stops for Ryans bike, more riders than usual, and picture stops it was still a very good day so far. I was again very excited to be on my favorite road of all time. (MINE ALL MINE) Heha boy do I love hwy 92.

    The Damn at Blue Mesa the guys take a look

    Black Canyon goes on from here Gunnison River below

    Looks good already Colorado Hwy 92
    There was NO traffic in the Canyon at all, none that we encountered anways except there were a few bicyclist and a chain gang out from the sherrif cleaning up the road. They were not friendly when I waved as we went by nobody waved back and I think I heard the F word. OK well then dont do the crime boys!!! Maybe you would be out on a motorcycle too if you stay out of trouble! I was really enjoying it the more the turns came, and the more miles into it we went, Reddog had somehow managed to shake off the "Rust" he was talking about and was going what I thought was a darned good pace, perhaps a bit slow in the straits is what he ment cause it sure seemed like I was all the way leaned over in the turns! I managed to scrub in my new tire all the way in anyhow. When the rest of our group caught up to us LDSRIDER took off his glove and put out his hand. It was visibly shaking cause he was so darned pumped, a Black Canyon virgin he was - he had the same reaction I did my first time. Positively overwhelmed is the word I am looking for, but loving it.

    Reddog and I waiting for the others at the overlook

    Marrow Point Reservoir

    San Juan Range

    Reddog and Ryan
    We tried to find a new lunch stop this year, another place in Crawford I tried last year but nothing was open besides the Boardwalk Cafe. The same place we always stop, last year the food was a bit lax and dissapointing but they more then made up for it this time. I think I inhaled my burger it was so good! Perhaps the ride was so good that I did not care but it really hit the spot, the company was good too. I caught up on what was going on in the Reddog Household and Scott and Ryan were just as forthcomming. Ryan was looking for a ring finger on the young woman serving us cause she was rather cute. "Cornfed" he said and well she filled out them blue jeans as good as any city girl could! I think she was married to the cook cause he sure was eyeing us, well keeping an eye on Ryan anyway!

    McClure Pass

    McClure Pass
    We took off for Paonia after lunch and were a bit on a tight schedual cause we had dilly dalleyed a bit too much the first half, so we picked up the pace up McClure pass and past Paonia Lake, I love that section too the sweepers there on Hwy 133 at the bottom of the pass are so sweet you can do your best Valintino Rossi imitation and crack a huge smile as the speed and those turns are just right for the sweeper reapers! The ride up to the top of the Pass was sweet too but we all stayed together cause I did not want them to miss the incredible view of the other side. I was surprised they did not feel the same way about it as I did, perhaps it was getting too late and they were tired but I am always amazed by that view from the top of McClure pass.
    We had to endure a bit of slab into Aspen then the weather got worse and colder but for the trip over Independance pass but it was not so bad, I never ride well when I am cold so Reddog started to pull away from me in the tight stuff, I had to gas it a bit in the short strait areas to catch up. I guess my issues with the really tight stuff continue on from the Texasmac, I did not get dropped though just was not so comfortable.

    Independence Pass

    Twin Lakes Reddog and I wait for the others
    It was here that LDSrider said he had noticed his Concours was showing his rear tire pressure low, I KNOW! The bike showed him he had low pressure in his rear tire! It has a pressure sensor in the tires? OK wow - well thats really cool, so we looked and found a screw embedded in one of the treads on his brand new Pilot Road 2! He starts pulling out a kit and its one of those gunked up thead kits, Reddog pulls out some fix a flat - but I had my Stop and go kit with me so we decided to use it. I went to work for about 40 minutes reaming it out like I had practiced, the first plug failed I did not insert it correctly but the second one went in like a charm. Then I pulled out my mini pump and we had him up and running in no time!

    Repairing LDSRIDERS tire he caught a screw somewhere in Aspen
    The ride from here was a lot of slab but at least the traffic was low, going up hwy 285 was a lot of traffic I decided we should wait till the turn off at hwy 24 then pass any cars who turn off as well its wide open there. Then it was the usual easy going riding to Woodland Park but LDS was running late so he picked up the pace and so did I, I took off after Wilkerson Pass cause it felt good and was soon by myself. I decided to pull out and wait for the rest when we came to Lake George and ride in together. Reddog pulled out in Woodland park for home and the rest of us continued down UTE pass - but somehow we had an extra bike with us? I thought for a moment I misscounted but we managed to catch on to an interloper squid guy who was messing with the formation the whole way down, going ahead, merging into us, slowing down, then pulling out? He was annoying me with his in and out routine, we just took it easy on Ute pass cause we all know its patrolled by the State guys alot. I noticed the traffic was really lite for a weekday, it was actually really low and so I decided to take the canyon section at pace and keep my eyes peeled for cops on the sides. I hit the first turn at 80 and the squid thought he would follow, I did my thing and was having fun when I noticed squid guy had overcooked the 4th turn and went way wide so I rolled off right quick so he wouldnt try to continue to keep pace - I was pulling ahead of the guy rather easily but I wasnt expecting him to do that so I thought I should shut it down and just roll into Manitou Springs with the guys. After that he stayed well away from me and the other two of us caught up. The sun was going down and we where back in Colorado Springs. I dont usually school Squids but I was going to ride it anyway like that, cause its not often that the Ute Pass Canyon is free of heavy traffic, so I took a chance the cops were taking a break and ran it. I pulled the bike into the garage and noticed wow I was really really tired! Thats a sign of a great day of riding - when you ride all day long and dont notice how tired you are till you get home!
    The Map

    Full Size
    for some reason google maps does not recognize Indepenance Pass as a road so it routes around it.
  10. HispanicSlammer
    Two guys from work Motorcycle enthusiast
    My old boss Nate had just been recently reassigned to my shift again after working days for a year, and we got together to go for a little dual sport ride. Half forest service roads and half pavement. Nate invited another one of the guys a supervisor from day shift and the three of us headed out up Rampart Range Road for some teeth chattering washboard dirt road riding. Mostly easy to moderate riding, some sections definitly unimproved but nothing we couldnt handle. I have been on some much more challenging trail than this but it was a bit hairy in spots.
    Heading up Rampart Range is like jumping stait into cold water - right away its a climb and washboard rained out tight curves (by sportbike standards anyway) - not so much for a dirt bike, its an easy road lots of cars. We decided to keep Monolo between us since he said his bike had cut out on him on the way to the Starbucks where we met. Whatever it was must have shook out on Rampart range cause he never had an issue again. Nate said that he was very impressed riding behind the big beemer cause it seems like its just riding along a paved road, while his DR350 was sliding and bucking in the washboard turns.
    Me too the piggy was bouncing around since I had the suspension set up for street riding mostly but not so bad. I am not a fast dirt bike rider by any means, not at all. You can say I am really slow, but I usually dont get stuck, just plug along at my own pace. I was not riding so fast keeping Monolo in my mirror but I could barely make out Nates headlight so I focused on Monolos bike.
    I was gassing it hard on the wash board parts to smooth out the 4 inch ruts and ride over the top of them when a deer popped out right in front of me and thought better of it and backed back into the bushes, I just about pissed myself on that one! I put a larger front brake disc on this thing a year ago cause the brake was weak and now its pretty good but not THAT good! Then a few more turns and some kids on a red neon were power sliding into a turn on the way down right into me so I headed for the very edge of the road and they missed me by a few feet. Nate said they were completely sideways when they went by him like rally racers or somthing. Woodland park kids out on the road. I was using alot of the road up till then but decided I was getting close too close to town to be doing that anymore.
    Then up in Woodland Park we topped up the DR cause his tank is small and headed for Painted rocks, another easy but steeper road. This one has some challenges mostly long sand bars in the bowls of the road, deep ones that you just have to keep it steady on, the Piggy is built for that stuff but I am not! I hate how the front end goes loose in the deep sand! I climbed a steep hill and looked in my mirror and no Monolo? Oh shoot I hope sombody did not go down in that sand back there, nope Monolos licence plate came off! Nate broke out a zip tie and all was good! Then a bit more pavement at Westcreek to Deckers and we went right by a couple of cops who where sitting there with radar pointing at us. I was going 50 indicated on a 45 mph road, we all went by and no cops followed us. Man lots of police presence on CO 67 from Westcreek and past Deckers at the foot of Horse Power Hill. I counted 3! Lots of cops for a backroad to not very much - I must admit the road has gotten busier with more traffic this year then I have seen before. In any case I know where they are patrolling now.
     
     
    Google Map
     
     
     
     
    We stopped at Deckers and had a break the DR seat was staring to wear on Nate, I then told them that the easy parts were over and now it was gonna get into more moderate roads, unimproved passes and a few water crossings, you know the brochure GS picture type water crossings. Off we went and I got lost once and missed the turn for Stony Creek Pass, so we ended up by Cheeseman lake which is completely closed off now, no access at all? OK so we turned of and this was the longest section of the day all the way to Wellington lake it was unimproved and narrow, deep ruts but still a road. I was suprised Monolo handled it in stride and the big bike was doing very well. I am impressed too! good bike! Still easy by trail bike standards but now its a jeep road, a car could do it but very slow! I mean we passed a camper with a 4x4 camping on the side, if he can make it - all dirt no rocks. Then I knew I was on the right road when the first water crossing came up, a puddle really about a foot deep. We all went through it well - then about 10 minutes later the second one and this time Monolo hit a rock in the creek and he must have shifted his bike into neutral cause it stalled on the way out of the creek. He started it back up and off we went, I think the guys were liking this part the best! Challenging but not too crazy! Fun mostly, and then the road got easy again and went on into some very nice scenery the Aspens are already yellowing up in the mountains, a few weeks and they will be bare! Luch at the cut throat was good but they have a problem with flies that I found disgusting. I dont like flies in resturants especially that many! Food was great though as usual. Then we decided to just take pavement all the way back cause the ride was going on longer than expected, and I got to supermoto some tight curves on the way from Pine Junction to Pine! fun stuff at 70 mph! All and all a good ride!

    Nate and Monolo Monolo has never done a dual sport ride before

    Thats me in front of Pikes Peak I look like a dork

    Our rides GS1250 XR650 DR350
  11. HispanicSlammer
    Me and the Veefalo ready for the Million Dollar Highway
    So My Buddy Scott from work, better known as LDSRIDER here on the forum, says he is taking vacation to go visit family in Arizona. He really really wanted to ride his C14 down there instead of the usual minivan thing. So he tried is best to convice the wife that its safe to ride alone - but shes not buying it and so he enlists me to ride with him, if just for part of the way. So I agree! I ride a part of the way to Utah and Back. Mexican Hat is our destination. So we get new tires on the Connie - Angel ST Pirrellies that he read about on the COG forum. The COG guys are saying it the best ST tire since well who knows they are always saying that. I read a review about an all day Lemans race where they averaged 130mph for 24hrs on these things! wow thats some serious tire life and good grip too boot? First thing I notice is BOY the Connie has some heafty wheels! We spooned off the Pilot Road 2's and wow the Angels are heavy too. Serious sidewalls! OK heis all set to ride and so am I. I spend the night farkling up my com system and Radar detector since its 4th of July weekend and I am sure the State Pat Trolls are out in force!

    LDSRIDER on his Connie 14 this is his first time on the Million Dollar Highway
    LDS says hes never been on the Million Dollar Highway so guess what thats where I took him. It was a Ho hum ride over to Montrose, it was hot and there where lots of bugs, a good breakfast in Texas Creek settled my stomach and Monarch Pass was good this time around. Finally no more delays! Seems theres always somthing going on on Monarch pass! The pavement was good on the way down but tar snakes on the way up heading west.
    The scenery started to get really awsome right around Ridgeway and the canyons closed in around us. I notice my riding buddy is slowing down a bit, soaking it in or maybe just a bit freaked at the situation, no gaurd rails, tight road and 500 feet strait down? The Million Dollar Highway is no place to play around unless your an idiot, so I take it easy.

    Ouray Colorado
    This trip I am out on a hunt for a new logo picture for the website, trying to recapture the magic of the famous vtec on Molas pass pic, I can never quite top that one. However I tried.

    Molas Pass You old timer members might recognize that shot
    I am gassing up every 150 miles even if I dont need it, the ride past Silverton gets a bit more bumpy so I wait more for Scott. It is a bit busier too so there is no point in carving up too much cause you end up just waiting behind another set of cars and RV's. Durango is our next gas stop and Scott calls to make sure they havent given away our rooms, 170 more miles to go. I switched bikes to see what the C14 was all about, its rather quiet too with that 4 foot bazooka on the side. The big I-4 is revy especially at take off, I feel like I am over reving it to let out the clutch. I am surprised the riding postion feels upright just like my Piggy back home - a dirt bike like riding position its easy to get used too. The seats more plush then the viffer, however the gauges are more - well just more stuff going on there. I could not concentrate on it, so I ignored it. She rolls under you when turning like riding a barrel. I felt like that once before riding an ST1100 5 years ago on a test ride. I think its rather raked out too cause it soaks up bumps like its raked out. Lots of power but surprisingly I felt the VFR was more powerful! I got used to it really quick its an easy bike to ride!

    Trying to recreate a new version of the old logo same place different bike
    Then we switched again and were soon in Cortez and Scott figured out why I did not want to stay overnight there, small and touristy, mostly fast food and bland! No charactor for a SW four corners town. We press on into indian land - I take a short cut over to Aneth and its bumpy as hell! I am slowing down where I cant see the next turn cause the road was very bumpy with a frost heave like depressions on the bottom of each hill, gravel in turns too. I end up following a woman indian driver who knows the road very well. Shes flying for the conditions 70mph in some places and gassing it in and out of the turns. I decided to follow close since she knew every turn and bump, I watched for her brakes light and sure enough a hidden bump was there, or a gravel strewn blind turn, she knew it well. I got a bit concerned when she tried to drop me though by crossing into the oncomming lane in places so I backed off not wanting to force an accident - I was just having fun not racing, I did not want to pass I wanted to follow cause well she knew the road!

    Utah Desert Indian Country near Aneth

    Comming up on Bluff Utah

    The Mexican Hat
    In Mexican Hat Scott and I had a nice steak dinner on the swinging grill and enjoyed the evening in the Utah desert, Scott said he was going to take off early around 5am and so I said farewell, and I slept in. The beds there at the Mexican Hat lodge are very comfy. I always sleep well. Especially after a couple of Wasatch Brewery Polygamy Porters - only availible in UTAH.
    The ride back I took a route to Telluride, its a rolling sweeper road all the way past Rico and so its fast, I averaged 70-80mph mostly and I watched row upon row of car and RV heading home the other way, It was like this for miles all going the other way - me I had my lane almost to myself, passing easily the stragglers in 6th gear since the vfr has so much torque to pass in 6th gear. I dont have to shift down anymore to do that!
    I was getting hungary after a gas stop in Cortez - there was a Dennys right next to the gas station that looked like an old 50's Diner, it was all decked out in stainless steel, but the place was packed with a 15 mintue waiting line so I pressed on. I rode on over to Dolores 15 miles away to see what they had there. Lunch was a treat in I ate at the Ponderosa inn, a small wood paneled homey place with ceramic plates covering the wall as decorations - reminded me of Grandma and her plates hanging on the walls. The Hostes looked like she was in her 70's - here hair was colored flaming red and she wore a peach colored sport suit, and her penciled in eyebrows sort of followed around to the side of her head, I though it looked kind of wierd. I dont think she liked motorcyclist comming in her place but she was a good hostess, she put her initial reaction aside and decided to treat me like all her customers after I sat down and took off all my stuff. The whole mad max leather thing might be a bit scary for a woman of her age? I dont know? At first I was the only one there but when I left I the place was packed, a bunch of bikers stopped in, then a whole family of locals, and then more locals soon it was packed! I guess that shiny beautiful VFR parked outside drew in a few people? Ha I dont know I would like to think so! The Burger was great and the Onion rings were scrump-dilly-umptious.
    The ride was pretty uneventful from there on, the roads near Telluride are in poor condition so I did not ride too fast, passing a couple of ST bikes pulling trailers, they were old bikes I had to pass them twice since I had so many bugs on my visor I just had to stop and clean them. My ass was killing me too, the Stock seat is good for about 300 miles then its a bit hard after that. I might scoop out a bit of foam and make it more bucket like as a future modification, the vynyl is just stapled on and glued in. Hit it with a sander and shape it better maybe soon?
    I did not stop since there was so much traffic north of Telluride I did not want to have to keep passing the same people over and over again. Dallas Divide was spectacular - blue skies and fast sweepers going down to Ridgway CO. It was a nice ride. Monarch pass was sweet too, I love riding up the west side its really really fun if you have clear road. Its 2 lanes so you can pass slower vehicles but they sometimes think they own both lanes so you have to watch out in the corners! I was passing cars like flies. I almost made it clear the way to the top with open road but half way down I caught the steam train. Cars lined up as far as you could see behind semis and Rv's I was in for a slow one down. So I did not want to continue on like that into Salida so I stopped off for some Mexican food in Poncha Springs, cant remember the name "the sunflower" but in spanish I think? Good food and cheap.
    It was getting late and the sun was waning and I remember that the Arkansas river canyon gets critters in the evenings crossing the road so I slowed down, I remember my buddy Craig 7 years ago waxing a young deer at this very time of day and going down on the pavement next to the river. Jumped out from the bushes right into him.
    It was a good couple days ride.
     
    Google Maps
     
     

    Valley Of the Gods

    OH OH .. that would make a nice logo!

    Now we got it! Logo pic for sure - stich in a few more pan shots and ..

    I had to take the new bike up Skyline Drive Canon City

    all stiched up
  12. HispanicSlammer
    The Sawtooth Mountains Stanley Idaho
    Continuing on from my last blog entry - I spent the night in Waldon Colorado - then early in the morning I packed up and headed out on the veefalo north. I just blindly followed my GPS that for some reason had switched to automatic route recalculation which sent me over the pass into Laramie. I had it figured out just about the time I found some really great sweepers on the Wyoming side - I decided not to turn back but rather to find out just how far this rabbit hole would go! I was enjoying the 30mph marked turns at double that speed and it was rather chilly so I only hit the good ones in the sun and not so fast in the shade. I dont ride too well when I am cold. I suppose a racing career for an overwieght 45 year old is out of the question so I will just stick to touring and writing in my blog and keep my night job.

    Sheep Mountain Waldon Colorado

    Balloons in Waldon 7am - 45 degrees out - still cool air perfect balloon weather
    So having figured it out that I had basically added 50 miles to my route with this stupid zumo reprogram job. I figured I needed to gas up in Laramie and grab some cash at the wells fargo ATM since I was already in town. Which sent me to an interesting gas station - tackle shop - gun store - candy store - resturant where the owner had fish bait and chewing tobbacco on the same shelf. Helpful though he pointed me in the right direction to the wells fargo with detailed directions right down to the shape of the windows in the Taco Bell next door. Right by the Wyoming Cowboys stadium he said. Sure enough there it was. Then 100 or so plus miles of super slab on I-80 to Rawlins. It was here I discovered my bike was covered with oil encrusted dirt pellets all over the forks, swingarm, and radiator. So in Rawlins I cut over to a car wash to get that crap off, and the 1/4 inch high pile of dead bugs on the windshield.
    Rawlins is the sort of place I like to just pass through, if it were not for the gas situation I would have! It did get me off the interstate and that dueling semi nonsense for the last hour or so - they always seem to look in the mirror and see me comming then try to pass each other before I get there - nope - snails dont make for good racing! So I would have to haul it down to below the posted speed limit and wait behind the chain of cages that also are stuck behind this 18 wheeler fiasco - interstates might be the fastest way to cross the USA but they sure are a pain in the ass on a motorcycle.
    I turned off for more slab, but this time it was 2 lane slab for another 150 miles till I hit the edge of Dubios Wyoming where the scenery took a turn for the better. Here it started to get interesting - I should have stopped for more pictures cause the whole way from Dubios to Jackson was very scenic. Too bad the highway department thought different. Togwatte pass was all tore up to the dirt and bumpy as hell since it was being repaved. It was all tore up for a good 15 miles and after that there was mud all over the brand new pavement. All the way into the Grand Tetons National Forest. Turning the corner and cresting the hill and seeing my first sight of the Grand Tetons was amazing, it took my breath away it was so spectacular!

    Dubois Wyoming pretty little town

    Grand Teton Range impressive sight

    Grand Tetons

    Veefalo at Grand Tetons

    Jacksons Hole Wyoming

    Jacksons Hole
    I was going to try to make it to Idaho City but it was getting late and the sun was about to go down so I found a place to stay in Jackson, it was expensive so I did not splurge on food opting instead for a burger at the DQ and an ice cream. I walked over to the Cowboy bar and looked at the strange wood fixtures - mutant wood with what looked like wood tumors all over it and saddles for bar stools. I had a bottle of beer and walked around downtown Jackson. It reminded me alot of Durango where I went to school. Only a bit smaller. Its a tourist trap too in the summer time.

    Full Size
    I got up early and headed out, I had a room just below my bike so I could just lift my bags up onto the pavement and not have to carry them so far. I wound my way over Teton Pass passing scores of cars 5 at a time which was easy since the grade was 10% so they were barely moving 30mph at most. I had a little of the pass to myself just in time to catch a whole nother line of cars and pass them too. It was too busy to really do anything fun. Lots of traffic heading over to the Tetons and up into Yellowstone. I was glad to get off the main highway and over to Pine Creek Road where I had it all to myself. I really enjoyed the 50 miles of that road - and stopped for breakfast at a little run down joint run by a mother daughter team. The lady behind the grill looked just like my great aunt Jenny I am sure I made her uncomfortable they way I was squinting to see if it was really my grandmas little sister - and the daughter - she was very pretty too. Good food and plenty of it, pork chops eggs and homemade salsa. The daughter was a good conversationalist if a bit unnattentive as a waitress, Mom though set her strait a few times, "get the coffie honey" she said, and "bring those plates back here" gentle but firm. She seemed more annyoned at having to finish up the night shifts work than being a waitress. Aw but the food was special.

    Starting toward the pass to Idaho

    Balloons on the Tetons

    Angus Cafe Swan Valley Good breakfast but he outside is a little run down Swan Valley Idaho

    Swan Valley Idaho
    From here it got slabby again and into the city of Idaho Falls I ran into a 10 mile length of constuction with crazy 4 inch pot holes that I had to aviod. The car infront of me was going so slow I had to back off way back to get a good idea when the next pot hole was comming to avoid it. The cars behind me where no comfort!
    From there I gassed up in the boring town of Idaho Falls - note to self any town in the west out on the planes with the word "falls" in it is probably a sink hole! On my way into Atomic City Idaho I passed Harely Davidson after Harley Davidson after Harley Davidson. They seem to think that a 115 cubic inch HD can hold off a 1200 vfr? Not even close! I would pass with a simple 6th gear roll on and be done with them in a hurry. This thing cruises at 100mph while they struggle at it. Try twice the rpms and more HP its not much of a match, add in turns and its all over! I might see you on the way back.
    So I looked up some maps and headed up north a bit to hit the Salmon River roads stopping again in Arco to gas up since I have no idea where the gas stations are gonna be. It seemed prudent andnd once again in Challis since this was a back way or so I thought going along the Salmon. Nope it was busy, busy with all sorts of anglers fly fishing the river and driving along the twisty road. It was fun and fast. Then the canyon opened up and I saw the Sawtooth Mountain range for my first time and it Rivals the Grand Tetons in scope if not as sharp but massive, I stopped to take a pic.

    The Sawtooth Mountains Stanley Idaho
    Then I turned on what I thought was going to be the best road of the day and it was strait as an arrow, so my Uncle Told me! For a good 20 miles it was strait then slowly it started to get a kink here and there, then after 40 miles it was getting better and better, pretty soon I was enjoying it alot. Passing everything in range I was having fun on the fast sweepers, it was all good chip seal the kind that is done right and not loose anymore - not scrapped off by snow plows either just good chip seal. Its grippy and confidence inspiring.
    The at Lowman Idaho I turned a corner and the temperature went up 20 degrees and I started to sweat and then all of a sudden - whammo - tight tight twisty - deals gap of the west road! My Uncle had not set me wrong!~ I am glad he pointed this road out on the map to me at Christmas - this is some good stuff here! Wow I was not so sure about this bike up till now and I just leaned forward and gassed it smooth and let her rip and bump and lean and pitch. Flicking the bike side to side just like as if I was on the old girl. I think it was this road that made me think that I do have a good bike! A bike I can ride now, I was riding it well and it was responding well. I was happy with the veefalo all at once and completely focused on this road. I was having fun railing it and it was responding like it was too! Wow moments like this are a real treat, its not always you feel like your one with your bike or that its just an extention of your will, it was handling and turning like it was a sport bike! OH Harley guys try and follow me now!
    I looked down at my gas gauge - uhh oOHH its blinking! Aw shoot, 15 miles to Idaho City.. will I make it? The road started down hill and switch back after switch back melted away with ease, a little slower down hill I am still enjoying myself but trying to conserve gas. Then sweepers again till I saw what looked like a small village and a gas station on the side. I pumped 4.2 gallons and went over 150 miles, that last gas stop in Challis all they had was ethonol blend and I dont think I filled it to the rim, just topped up. I was really reving the pants off the bike for the most of 75 miles - and another 40 along the Salmon river. I really ran that section hard.

    I think your brother is all over my windshield
    Stange looking Zebra beetles in Idaho City they where everywhere - never seen bugs like them before? Cool looking especially when in flight. I stopped and fueled up and fueled up my belly with some Red Bull Cola and an Ice cream. I was only 50 miles to my Uncles place and was really happy with the bike! I feel like I broke an invisable barrier on that day!

    Full Size
  13. HispanicSlammer

    Busted!

    By HispanicSlammer,

    http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/videos/491/1236587658_busted.wmv.flv


    Come take a ride with me up the Central City Parkway and watch me get rewarded for doing it. This last summer I rode to Rist Canyon and well rode all over tarnation and back not really knowing where I was gonna end up, just that I was gonna ride and I was gonna ride all day long! Seems that all summer long when I took the vfr out for a day ride I ended up getting busted by the cops! My luck seemed to have run out in that regard and this day was no exception. This was just before high noon and I had just turned off Interstate 70 to head to Central City on the "Central City Parkway" its a 4 lane freeway for about 6 miles where it ends up at the top of the mountain in - you guessed it. This video actually continues on the Peak To Peak highway where I met a wonderful LEO who wasnt pulling punches on that day!


    Full Size


    A = Central City Parkway
    B = Busted Flat - feeling nearly faded as my stich!
  14. HispanicSlammer

     

    Last summers August adventure had already started, (see previous blog post) I had made my way to my uncles house in Boise after spending a restless night in Ogden UT, a place I am not so impressed with - being that it is the home of the IRS, or at least that is the place where I sent my tax returns? I was surprised at how pedestrian the place was - not nearly as nice as SLC just south of there, but not ugly by any means - its just the opposite of Colorado the mountains are on the east side! I am used to them facing the other way, but mountains none the less, I dont quite feel grounded without mountains within sight. After a ho hum meal at the restaurant next door, I decided to forgo any evening entertainment and just hit the sack and get up early and get to my uncles place in Boise, shoot I already wrote about that part - Albion Idaho - I should note the restaurant I like in Albion is called the Sagebrush Grill, I got it wrong about 20 times on my last blog post.

    In any case I made to my Uncle Lonnies place and we spent a day together catching up with the goings on in the Mayo clan, him? ~ not so great just another one of the many many folks in the "land of the laid off" currently looking for work, hes an IT professional who formerly worked for the state of Idaho as a contractor, that's the worst part about contractors - the contracts run out. So we went over to his favorite bar and shot the breeze for several hours and I met most of buddies. It was nice hanging out with Lonnie, I have never really spent that much time with him before other then Christmas and Thanksgiving surrounded by everybody else in the family.

    So the next day I had one more solo trip up to Coeur d'Alene. Thats a name I cannot spell to save my life. I always have to google it first! Coeur d'Alene, Coeur d"Alene - freaking frenchy names get me every time! Just like the Cache La Poudre in Colorado, just means lots of snow! They can make a turd sound good, or Grand Tetons - you can guess what that means! French place names always seem to resolve to something usual. Oh but NOT Coeur d'Alene, that was a name given to the local indian tribes by French fur traders and it means simply Heart of an Awl. Hey for once a name that has some thing a bit more interesting, it means "heart of an awl"? They found the locals to be shrewd traders apparently, but the indians they called themselves by the name the Schitsu'umsh which brings us back to stupid names again, it means (The people who are found here) aww jeez! I might as well be called "fat dude on a bike"!

    So I found every twisty road that lies between Boise and Coeur d'Alene on the map and took it, I headed a bit backwards at first going up to Idaho City on hwy 21 a great twisty road that finds the tightest twisties just south of Lowman Idaho. The road is a bit bumpy and in need of repaving on spots, lots of repairs but I took it fast, catching and overtaking several bikes along the way RV's and what not, I was having a good time on that road - then I turned west at Lowman and headed along a river bank, winding along with even more cars and RV's - it was the weekend and it seems all of Boise turns out to go to the mountains - that road was too short and soon I was on hwy 55 heading north to McCall, a good road if it where not for all the traffic! Thats the main road north in Idaho so there really is no getting off it, just plug away - I found it useless to pass the cars since there was so much traffic up ahead I was just wasting energy, it was more then I could see, once out of the mountains and onto the high plains the highway department slapped up 30 mph signs all over the place for 40 miles as they chip sealed the road - of course not on the weekend so NO CONSTRUCTION CREWS OUT but the cops were - handing out tickets for speeding over 30! I just sat behind a car that had gotten fed up and took off, I hung back far enough to save myself if the cops should see and well a rabbit is a rabbit is a rabbit, let the coyotes get the first one out of the gate! It was like this all the way from the point I turned off to McCall, all 64 miles of crawling along at 30 miles per hour, I was going insane! Finally in McCall I pulled off for gas. At gas stations the Veefalo seems to be a draw with its beautiful lines or some say ugly lines!

    I had to talk to every idiot who had never seen a bike before in their whole lives! Already irritated by the 2 hour ride up there - the obvious questions and idiotic warnings from total strangers about how "dangerous motorcycles are" - proved to be more than I could take. I retreated into my helmet and pretended I could not hear what they were saying to me. Hand gestures to my ear - just get back into your car woman and leave me the hell alone! Yea yea OK I will ride safe yea OK thanks - as I sat there waiting in line behind the next guy for a free pump, trying not to notice she just stuck a cell phone up to her ear as she drove off.

    Some people don't understand that unsolicited advice to a motorcyclist is not welcome! Especially if your going to get in your car and drive off with a cell phone to your ear! I hit the Detour button on my GPS since McCall was a total parking lot at Noon on a summer Saturday, I found an offshoot road to the west and was so glad to be free of that nonsense! I was a bit exuberant when I found some twisty roads just west of town and got on the gas and started to dip the bike into the corner, just in time to hear my Radar detector go off and a sherrif flashed me with his lights as I went past at some twice the posted speed limit! OPPS I saw him begin to turn around but I rounded the next tight turn and got on it hard! HEH the sight of open road ahead sort of shot down my hopes of getting away but to my surprise NO SHERRIF was behind me now? I guess he gave up and did not want to do any paperwork, its one thing to hit it in tight twisties and another to try to get away on a strange road that is strait as far as I can see! I thought I was toast! Well that was good for a thrill and it certainly took the foul mood right out of me, a scare can do that for ya! I was happy to be alive and enjoying the open road again!

    I pushed on up to Coure d'Alene at a better pace, I found a great road called Greer road, after Koosia pass I was really finding some nice roads now, Greer road Cavendish road all northern Idaho roads seem to be pretty good.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     

    All in all it was a great day of riding minus that McCall Nonsense, I had a good day soloing, but I was ready to ride with friends, I made it to Coure d'Arlene in one peice and thats where I met Radar, Fay, Craig, and Didit. We were about to go on another great adventure in the summer of 2011.


    Full Size


    Stay tuned next up - the Spiral Highway, stators, Rattle snake grade, Enterprise - ALL OF OREGON.
     
     
  15. HispanicSlammer
    http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/videos/491/pigchasingpirates.mp4
     

    I was itching for another out of state ride, the NY ride was going on around the same time up in the Catskills but boy I just could not swing that much time off it takes 4 days just to get there reasonably and no way I am gonna ride interstate the whole way out there! I decided I wanted to ride the Ozarks again. So I contacted a bunch of vfrd people who live relatively close to the Ozarks and a few who live close to me and low and behold found out that a bunch of Texans lead by Dutchintercepter where already going. Turns out they were all from around the Tyler Texas area and have known each other for years. I have known and ridden with Dutch for a few years myself so I asked if I could tag along. "Sure" he said and soon I was on my way to Arkansas.

    It was a bit of a gamble since I would work the night before leaving, I asked my boss if I could leave at 4am so I could get in a nap and he agreed it was OK, so I would be somewhat awake. I found out from an email list that one of my favorite musicians was playing in Lawrence KS so I bought tickets and headed for Lawrence Thursday morning, I skipped my nap and headed strait for KS in the pre dawn moonlight. I was excited I would get the chance to see Pat Metheny play again - I have seen him once before in Denver 15 years ago and was delighted. I was going to head into Oklahoma and pick up gswanson and then head to the Ozarks but the Pat Mentheny gig was too tempting. Lawrence KS is the home of KU the Jayhawks and its not too far from Topeka KS where Lee2002 lives and he asked me more then once to come and stay with him. I thought a good deal about it but did not think it was fair to show up at 3 in the afternoon and then go strait to bed for 3 hours! So I headed to a motel in Lawrence and did exactly that. The trip out to Lawrence was rather windy and well crazy. I was blowing gusts of 50 mph in Colorado as the sun came up, and cold about 40 degrees on the plains near Kit Carson Colorado I was freaking cold I ended up stopping to put on a layer of clothes under my transit suit and thicker gloves.

    Colorado was the worst part since the road was 2 lanes and bumpy, bumpy and windy is a sucky combination and will it plays havoc with your gas mileage! 130 miles and my tank gage was flashing already! Good thing there was a solitary gas pump in Kit Carson, I filled it up and was rather amazed at the amount of traffic there was at 4 and 5 am in the morning on the way of of Colorado springs, lines of cars rolling into the Shriver air base and into Colorado Springs it was crazy, folks live out in the sticks and a whole bunch of them, commuting every day from out there must be a real chore!

    I made my way strait east to Oakley KS for another fill up since well the wind was still blowing 30mph but more steady and not so gusty and the smooth interstate made for a much nicer ride to be honest, the wind wasn't so bad anymore and I could cruise and listen to music for the rest of the day. Only my ear buds stopped working! Jeez, I pulled them out and stuck in foam ear plugs and boy everything got quiet and serene - even the 30 mph wind was quiet and I just cruised down the interstate with 50 miles more per tank then I got in Colorado! All damn day long the wind was relentless! I stopped again in Hays for a burger at a steak burger place called Freddie's good stuff! I like that place, not so much Hays but the burger made for a nice meal. Then I put my head down and settled in for the rest of the ride, the further east I went the less windy it got, so much so that each town would get a little less brown and a little more green, more trees popped up and the moisture in air became noticeable, still windy mind you it did not go away but it wasn't killing me anymore!

    I could see signs up for places like Abilene KS - good place to live and have a career? What? OK good for you Abilene, I suppose it goes along with the Abortion is a sin signs on hwy 50 - Kansas is a conflicted state, strait up bible thumping fire and brimstone side by side with heartland hospitality? I guess the further west and windier it gets the crazier it is! By the time I made Topeka I waved at Lee thinking "well hello sorry I will see you come next summer summit", I really wanted him to come along on the trip but hes only go so much time off and family matters pressed the weekend out. So I rolled into Lawrence on some back road to avoid the toll on I-70 and had to stop for a crazy accident , a car had gone off the road and over an embankment cops everywhere! I finally rolled into the hotel and got my key then laid down and set the alarm for 6pm and dosed off for a nap, up for 24 hours is not good! But I think I could have rode another 300 miles if there were some twisties to keep me awake!

    I woke up and headed for the Theater and was surprised to see Lee standing on the corner waving at me to park his bike next to his! Wow I did and walked up to him in disbelief I was not expecting to see him there? He chastised me for not staying at his place and I explained myself and well it worked out - turns out Lawrence has a first rate brewpub its right next door to the Liberty Hall theater where Pat was playing so we stopped in and got a brew and talked for a bit, Lee just sort of had a little did not even have a drink really handed me his beer after I finished mine, he had to go to work at 11pm so he was just being nice. I was glad he stopped over, way way out of his way to come meet me. Lawrence is a nice place, and there was a very large group of folks at the show, it was amazing, I said goodbye to Lee and walked in sat down and 2 seconds later Pat came out and started playing a whole list of my favorites and a few new ones, just a duet and a scaled down version of his Orchestron, a one man band computerized synthesizer that he did some amazing music with. Just him his guitar and a bass player, and the Orchestron. He is a very gifted musician. He even played my favorite tune of his.

    Great show and afterward I walked next door and sampled another beer from the Free State Brewery again, and listened to the local conversation about meth labs from a biker dude out on the patio, bantering back and forth with a lady about the state of the justice system and drug policy in the USA. In any case I had enough and went back and finished off the night with a big mac and fell asleep with the tv on back at the hotel.

    Up early in the morning surprised to see the parking lot mostly empty - boy these Kansas people get up early in the morning! I took off south and looked for back roads into Missouri apparently another vfrd member from Kansas saw the veefalo as she headed out of Lawrence while he was on his way to work at KU, Huskysooner saw me leaving and pm'ed me asking if that was really me! YUP! I met him a few years ago at Lees Kansas meet in Topeka.

    I stopped in Baldwin City KS for breakfast knowing I was gonna be alright speeding when I left cause just about every cop in the county was having coffee in the restaurant in the next room over from mine, I had some eggs and listened to the locals joke - some guy comes in he says "hello darling" to the lady at the table next to mine and she says "well if you call me darling what do you call your wife"? He says back "old bag"! Then he says "maybe thats why I have been married four times"?

    Like I said all the cops were still drinking coffee so I made my escape from Kansas in a big hurry doing some good time on the back roads trying for Harrissonville MO - but somehow I got ahead of myself and had already turned off just blindly following the gps route I made the night before and passed right through it without even knowing it! I was gonna look for a new set of ear buds since my singing to myself was getting tiresome! That area of Missouri is a bit flat, but allot of trees and the further east you go the more the roads get like roller coasters, not many turns just a lot of undulating up and down and some of it quite dramatic you can catch some air if you are going fast! And I was - and I did! Thrills come cheap on a motorcycle! I just kept on going and going and going then I turned on a familiar road I have been one 3 times before or so I thought I did? I ended up taking a frontage road and not the main road and had to double back, strange place called Tightwad MO! Lakes around there are nice, and further up the road I missed the turn, and ended up going through Warsaw a couple of times cause I missed the right turn on hwy 65. Then I turned off that road again onto hwy 7 another road I know from before - this one still is a roller coaster but it has some turns in it. Unfortunately the locals like to think they can race you when you get behind them and proceed to make their vehicles go faster then they are capable of safely driving! Dude in a beat up Chevy pickup tried to hold me off as long as he could and the oncoming traffic is the only reason I waited patiently behind him as he drover over the double yellow a number of times and then onto the dirt shoulder in the right turns, what an idiot. I saw a dotted line and clear lane and was past him so fast he had no idea - then he disappeared in the mirrors just as fast!

    I stopped in Lebanon MO at the walmart and was back in business with tunes when I picked up some JVC mushroom buds, the fit just right and isolate the sound just as good as the foam earplugs I was using, best of all my rendition of "landslide" by Fleetwood Mac in my head was finally over - why do I torture myself with the same tune over and over again, who knew you can make that song last 3 hours if you sing it half assed half remembered lyrics and made up lyrics to fill in the parts I did not remember! Thank goodness for walmart!

    Well I have had just about enough of the up and down roller coaster shit of Missouri and well almost 1 mile into Arkansas the road started to turn RIGHT AND THEN LEFT - oh yea I forgot what that was! TURNS THESE ARE TURNS and good ones too! I turned off at hwy 178 to follow along Bull Shoals Damn and ran smack into a nightmare of traffic? I don't know why all the businesses were closed and 80% of the buildings were shuttered? It was depressing but I did get to see the Bull Shoals Damn! I am sorry for the bad pics the camera was set to low resolution quite by accident.
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     

    The road got interesting after I got past the lake, and the traffic thinned down, I got behind a caddy of all things that was keeping a very good pace in the turns, I got around him soon enough and he stayed with me a bit until the turns got tighter and tighter then I was gone, and there was Yellville up ahead - I pulled into the Carlton Motel and saw a bunch of bikes from Dutch's Tyler Texas group and talked with the guys, then about an hour later Gswanson pulled in with 2lthr (Gary and Steve) and then Dutch himself pulled in on a KLR? I see he tells me hes parting out the black viffer cause he cant deal with all the electrical issues and wont sell it outright cause he does not want to pass that mess on to somebody else? Rumor has it hes gonna pick up Gswansons old Betty? Gary got a RWB vtec last year but still has his 5th gen in the garage. Its already black!

    Then here comes flavadave and his girl on the back 2up, we walked over to the bbq joint down the road and had some grub. Dutch joined us, it was good, the food in Yellville is OK but not great, but the BBQ was the right price (CHEAP).

    The next day the Texas crew took off onto destinations their own and I had prepared a route for the viffer group, down the fast sweepers on MO 14 and over to Push Mountain for an early morning romp - we actually ended up behind one of the Texas guys Dutch's buddy on his Bandit, he lead us up to Push mountain and said he was just going to run it a few times and go back. I was rocking it pretty good on the veefalo when all of a sudden a fast moving red blur went by and I could swear it was another vfr1200! sure enough it was but he did not stop. Everybody thought I had turned around and was coming back since I was leading and got ahead just 2 of use alone for a while me and Steve.
     
     
     
     

     

    Then we headed over to North Fork and took in the sights at the North Fork Damn
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     
     

     

    Then we settled in to some great roads all day long for 350 or so miles of Ozark bliss! I call it the Ozark lullaby since some of the roads just sweep back in forth like a waltz, and you just get a great rhythm going, then we came up on hwy 16 and then the fun started it was more challenging and technical, I did not remember it being so much fun I love that road, one of my favorites and I think I like it best of all of them personally, Pulled in for a stop at Pelsor and then we hit hwy 123 as seen in the video above, those pirates would not get out of the way! I had to pass the whole group on a long bowl between two hills with a mile long passing lane at full speed, full speed cause the lead pirate tried to speed up his HD to hold me off? I guess 110 hp and 170hp v4 is a big mismatch! He got small in the mirrors too! The only thing in them anymore after the next few turns was 3 vfrs behind me they all made it safe around the pirates!

    Douche bags on Harley's think they own the road? Why not just let the faster bikes pass and be done with it? Jeez? Back to the motel and more food at the café down the road it wasn't bad - it was a buffet! Then beer and sleep! Most of the Texas crew was already back so it was an all night party and BS session! Good folks these Tyler riders, most of them are on two wheeled Texans a bigger site then vfrd and they all know each other!
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     

    The next day I found out that the pirates were a small percentage of the Harley's in Arkansas that weekend - Blues Bikes and BBQ was in Fayetteville for the weekend rally some 10000 cruisers in the Western Ozarks - good thing they limit themselves to 200 miles or less cause we were far enough east to avoid them for the most part except that group on hwy 123, its a famous road and is featured on most sites and motorcycle maps as a destination, the 10mph hairpins on Mount Judea are the attraction. I personally like the sweepers better especially when there are no Pirates on them!

    Too bad we had to go west past that bunch of vagabonds! I decided to head into Oklahoma with Gary and Steve the next morning and stay in OKC with Gary - hes always such a good host. We took 100 across, and I made a route full of back roads and side trips off the main drags and for the most part we missed the horde! But it added an hour or two to our ride some 500 miles back to OKC! I lead from Yellville into Oklahoma and then Gary took over from there, and took me past Tinkiller Lake and cool side track with hills and turns in Oklahoma I was not expecting, good to know! Then 200 miles of strait boring road into Edmond, then Steve cut out for home and Gary and I made our way to his house and I got a great home cooked meal of beef stroganoff - Garys wife Cathy is a great cook, and a dog lover, they have so many dogs I cant remember how many there are, she liked the tee shirt I was wearing of my local brewpub cause it has a picture of a Lab on front! Laughing Lab the beer is called and so I told her when I got home I would get her one and send it in the mail!

    Gary had to work in the morning and always commutes on the bike when the weather allows so we were up before sunrise and I was off on the road myself back to Colorado, and sure enough the further west I got the more the wind started blowing soon it was like Kansas all over again! I headed across the Pan handle and that bumpy mess - budump..badump..budump..bang (a big pot hole) badump.. for about 2 hours strait! I was relieved to be back across the boarder and into Colorado but the very south eastern tip of it, meaning another 2 hours to go at least. I found a road that skirts along the Comanche National Grasslands into into the Northern tip of Pinion Canyon and enjoyed a western change of scenery after 6 hours of plains plains and more plains, but then I was back onto the plains when I came out of it.

    I stopped in Rocky Ford for a cold drink and was sitting in the shade by the side of the gas station, on a milk crate when an old Hispanic man came up and walked past, then a few minutes later he came out of the store and stopped to talk to me.

    He says "did you see that couple arguing at the gas pump"?
    Me "No sir"?
    He says " the woman was yelling at him.. its your baby I know it is yours"!
    Then he says "the guy was yelling back.. its not mine.. no its not"!
    Then he hits me again "the woman yelled and said I know for a fact its yours...the other 3 I am not so sure about"?

    He completely blind sided me with a joke and so I must have laughed for an hour strait! Old fart sucked me in, and got me! What a way to end an out of state ride.... come back home to jokes!
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
    pig chase.gpx
  16. HispanicSlammer
    Every year I take at least two long out of state trips - usually associated with vfrd in some fashion or another, this last year 2011 was no exception. August is usually the time sombody organizes a PNW rally, usually in Canada or in Oregon - Superfunk, Choco, or Didit being the characters most involved with that in the last 3 years. I try to come when I can, time and money are the only thing holding me back, and usually those things are not so bad. I am thankful to have a decent job with lots of Personal Time (PTO) as they call it - I usually dont take time off for other things at all so it accrues rather generously for me for the most part, and I love my motorcycle adventures across the USA and Canada - perhaps in the future that will expand to other places as well, I have still a lot of the USA to explore, and Northern California was on that list for this trip.

    I decided in this blog entry to just write about the "getting there" part and include the video above of the Old Spiral Highway to show you all why I wanted to go! The roads in the Pacific North West are simply superb - and along the way too. The company I keep is second to none - most of this is true about VFRD members I have met, but this group is special to me since we have one hell of a good time together.
     
     
     
    http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/videos/491/osh11.mp4
     

    I did all my usual getting ready to ride stuff, oil change, new tires, check over the bike, do any scheduled maintenance, and pack - then unpack and remove any crap I don't really need and then do it again, (because most of the time you don't need half the stuff you bring). I remember meeting a guy on an Aprillia a few years back, stock seat, full leathers, did not even bring a back pack, just stuffed some underwear under his seat and brought his phone - he borrowed my charger even - NOW THAT IS SPARTEN sport touring. I have not yet come to that - no I bring at least 3 changes of clothes, cameras, mini lap top, phone, extra gas - (veefalo she has such a small tank), walking shoes, and shaving kit - OH AND TOOLS. So well I have not made that jump just yet! However I have come along way! He was riding from Oregon to Laguna Seca with lots of places to get stuff along the way, me I usually have to travel across some great expanse to get to where I am going with hundreds of miles between gas stations.

    Well anyway back to the story - I called my buddy Jack, a guy I met in the winter who rides a Connie 1998 vintage and hes a real character, perhaps not the fastest guy around but fun to hang out with for sure, and long in the tooth and gray as hair can get. I like him. He tells me meet up in Cripple Creek so we can take advantage of the $2 casino breakfast - Cripple Creek Colorado is about an hour away from my house in the mountains behind Pikes Peak and its a gambling town.
     
     
     
     

     

    So Jack and I sit down and bullshit over ham and eggs and an orange juice from a can (hey it was $2!) and then we take off toward hwy 50 to go ride the Black Canyon. Its an easy day, nice and sunny and a bit hot actually, Jack is riding close enough and I am not pushing it so we are having a good time, up and over Monarch Pass - its a good thing we were going slow cause a rare state patrol officer was on the pass in full patrol mode. My radar went off just as I had slowed down to get behind a car, I was ready to pass at the first opportunity so I got lucky. I did not say I was riding like a saint, I just said I was not riding as fast as I normally do, I had a bit of fun going up and down the pass. The thought of Jack behind me rolling along kept me from really burning it up and perhaps getting a ticket, I am not used to seeing State Patrol on the pass, usually they are in the plains down below and close to Gunnison.
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     

    We stopped in Gunnison for a sample of brew at the Gunnison Brewery (eww not so good) and a bite to eat and took off cause it was so so to not so good! Cant say I enjoyed that meal but Jack kept me entertained as usual with his stories. Hes got a lot of them and they are pretty good ones, the dude knows motorcycles thats for sure. Then we hit the Black Canyon and had an awful time there too cause well they just chip sealed the damn thing and left all this loose chip all over the place and so it was more like a dirt bike ride then a sport ride. Oh well we decided to forgo the Grand Mesa when we got to the stop at the half way point and just turn around and make up some time, the road was not much fun in that condition and to keep on going at that pace would have had us in Grand Junction at 9pm. The first 3 miles of the Canyon were good but after that NO.
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     

    So we just slabbed it from the Black Canyon on over to Grand Junction, we found a cheap motel and Jack talked the guy into $25 bucks apiece, and it was worth about that HEH. Oh who cares I slept good, and we went and got a great steak at wwpeppers, it was incredible - my boss told me about that place and it was worth the $$!

    Cheap room = good meal money!
     
     
     
     

     

    Then we walked over to the local brewery and had some excellent beers and talked up the sassy bartender, she was a hoot. Jack was in his element, funny as usual.
     
     
     
     
     

     

    In the Morning we took off early, I split with Jack and headed to Utah, I decided to make a morning trip into the Colorado National Monument right there on the west side of Grand Junction
     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     

    I thought I had gotten there early enough not to pay but they got me on the other side! Then speeding over the Interstate to get off and do Douglas Pass at incredible speed, I was having fun, but boy there was a lot of cars on it? One every minute it seemed but no cops! Most going the other way, so I did not have to pass too many cars. Into Utah I grabbed some lunch in Vernal and enjoyed the stuff on the walls, some really nice guns on display. Then I took off over the Flaming Gorge and had some fun riding up and down that, its really pretty the sand stone rocks and the cool blue water.
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     

    I shot over the pass and around that road all mired in RV's and Harleys. Shot past so fast those RV's with that big 12k cc engine pounding out the miles one by one - passing was just a matter of rolling on the throttle in 6th gear even up hill it was more then enough torque to get around those RV beasts, but the HD took a shift down to do that. It is mostly slab from then on, until I got to the Sawatch mountains, I was rolling into Mountain View Wyoming, just in the Utah notch there coming in and out of Utah, you got to go through Wyoming a bit - anyway the Radar was blasting so I slowed it down to a crawl and sure enough the local sherrif deputy was sitting in a ditch were you cant see him and hitting everything - he pulled out and followed me till I pulled in for gas and and just wanted to see the bike. Turns out he owns a 2006 vfr and wanted to see the new one, never heard of vfrd though? Jeez the word is not spreading! I dont think he is an internet type of guy anyway.

    So I pushed on over I-80 into Utah again and turned off Evaston to go ride the Sawatch. I took no pictures from here on to Ogden UT cause I was pushing for time and really really enjoyed coming down why 39 it is a fun road in the mountains east of Salt Lake, mostly nice sweepers and good chip seal. I like chip seal when its done right - its grippy as all get out when done right.

    Ogden is not my favorite place, big bad uncle sams bankers work there and its sort of just a strip mall with no so great resturants, well I haven't found any yet to put it more accurately, I found a decent motel and camped out for the night. I was on my way to Boise, and to spend a day with my Uncle Lonnie there, but on the way I would stop in Albion Idaho to my favorite resturant in Idaho - the Sage Brush Inn
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     

    It was a slow day so the owner came over and sat with me for a half an hour and shot the breeze very nice guy and he told me about this place called the city of rocks about 10 miles south of Albion I should go an visit, it is a rock climbers dream, world class climbers come from all over the world to scale the rocks there he said so I went and took a look!
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     
     

     

    It was mostly hard packed dirt road - that is untill I climbed out of the park and into the valley below then it was chipped rock spread out over hard packed dirt road and slippery and slidy for 20 miles. I had a death grip on the bars cause it would slide out way too easy - but after 10 miles I relaxed and got used to the loose feeling a bit but damn dont let off the gas or use the brakes cause then you were tank slapping your way though 2 inches of loose rocks! I was glad to be back on the interstate after that and just cruised up to Boise and there my I met my uncle at his door, he let me in and we spent a good day catching up on things. The next part I will continue later, the ride to meet my Canadian riding buddies!
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
  17. HispanicSlammer
    Well I dont know if they are Dutch or not but they are from Pennsylvania for sure, I was minding my own business (making the forum not work as I tried to install my gallery post tool) when I get a pm from CCVFR. From what I have learned most of the orginal settlers of Pennsylvania were actually of German Decent than Dutch and that the phrase "Pennsylvania Dutch" is a misnomer of Duetch meaning German not Dutch.
    Anybody who knows me knows I can not refuse an offer like that to be Colorado's motorcycle ambassador and so I gave him my cell number and invited them to come ride with me
    Google maps
    we met at Denny's near my house if only because it is easy to get to - however I forgot its actually located on an access road called Harrison road and not on Circle drive like I told Curt he figured it out and they were there waiting for me

    The Pennsylvania Crew Tammy Curt Kevin rode in from Pennsylvania for a vacation not expecting me to usurp their riding time

    Still in City Limits - Helen Hunt Falls up a narrow steep twisty road for 5 miles

    Breakfast at the Pantry Restaurant in Green Mountain Falls - sorry Tammy I could have warned you

    Kevin and Bacon - not the movie star Actually I think he was wondering if the 6 foot tall 300lb Mastiff or Saint Bernard sitting at the table just down the way - well if he was going to eat us

    Goldfield CO great view of the south face of Pikes Peak

    My Piggy and a nice RWB Thats Kevin's RWB 25th Anniversary edition VTEC

    Curt and Tammy rode on this horse ST1300 with peg lowering blocks from BLS - I did not know he made lowing blocks for such heavy bikes?

    OK now thats a proper picture Shes a trooper and hes got a VTEC back home

    I would never do this! Bungee swing out over the Royal Gorge

    Royal Gorge Bridge as seen from the east trail overlook

    Taking a nice break at the Royal Gorge
    I rode them all over tarnation finding every bumpy road I could find and twisty within a 100 miles of Pikes Peak which is basically the route I took them - in a big circle around Pikes Peak. I can only ride about 100 miles on my piggy before it becomes a torture device anyway so it was a good ride 9am to about 4pm with lots of stops and breaks along the way. We saw the biggest moth I have ever seen in the general store at the turn off to High Park Road, did the "don't hit the cows roller coaster road ride" on High Park Road, then over to the tourist trap known as the Royal Gorge but I know all the free places to look at it!
    Then I took them up Ridge Road in Canyon City and showed them the Dinosaur foot prints in the shale and of course stopped at the overlook - but I neglected to take pictures! Good day and good riding - great company.
  18. HispanicSlammer
    Colorado Highway 92 a NEW VIDEO - riding with Motoman
    Riding Hwy 92 to the North rim of the Black Canyon is one of my favorite rides in Colorado. It is 30 miles of some of the best sweepers and scenery the Western Slope has to offer. I rode it 3 times this summer - this video below being one of the times. It was actually on the route we took (Motoman, Dan) and I took on our way to Laguna Seca this last July. Traversing Colorado on Highway 50 into Utah, Hwy 92 shoots off to the North West around Gunnison, we rode it and then turned around and did it again the other way then continued on west on Hwy 50 again. I was wary of my bike being so loaded down - fully dressed with Givi bags stuffed with riding goodies and a cooler inside full of drinks for the long hot road through the Nevada Desert. It was a bit wobbly and I wasn't sure if I was gonna be able to go the speed I normally go with all that stuff. Dan was equally as loaded down, only he had on a cumbersome backpack as well.
    The initial sprint north up the highway was a feeling out venture, and then we filmed the way back, being much more comfortable with the load on the bikes. We were able to lean it over with confidence in the tighter turns. I was beginning to feel good about the side bags and not noticing the extra weight so much. It wasn't until I was all the way in Monterey Bay - Cannery row that I got the sense of just how much weight I was carrying until I sat on MR. RC45 Larry had parked at out in front of Bubba Gump Shrimp on the Row. His bike felt like a feather!

    Dumbass cam
    THE MAP

    Full Size

    http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/videos/491/1236355822_hwy92.wmv.flv
    This video was supposed to be a test video to see how my double viosport camera setup would work. About a third of the way through there were a couple of riders taking our picture on one of the scenic turnouts. Then half way we had some wild company on the side of the road that raised the alarm a bit, you can see for yourself when you watch the video. I soldiered two camera wires into one and made a flip switch on my mini tankbag to change shots mid ride. I liked the way it came out - however since then the soldier has came apart, and I am working on a more rugged version. 72 MB wmv format - no sound, I shrink wrapped the mic on accident and it did not pick up much sound, so I added music, and worked some editing magic on the transitions. I hope you enjoy it.
  19. HispanicSlammer
    video preview
    I was putting away some of my videos into boxes for storage today and came across this slice of the Texasmac ride from 2006, it is footage from Deals Gap to Fontana Village. I tried to identify all the riders in the video and I think they are as follows, perhaps sombody can correct me if I am wrong, Baileyrock, mq105, jeremy556, vtecal, vfrmonkey, intAceptor, and Billyjackjimbob who was in front of me. I think it was from the first day Thursday right after riding Deals Gap - Enjoy the video!
    :media:
    Crossroads Of Time Video
    5 min runtime, wmv 1mb/sec sample, music by the "Smashing Pumpkins - Rocket" 32mb file size

    google earth route
  20. HispanicSlammer
    Part 2 - Craig takes the camera this time as they ascend and descend the Devils Slide at Rampart Range, trail number 676. ATV tracks mostly up steep climbs, whoops, rocks, tree roots, tight switchbacks. Craig on a Honda XR400, Dan on his Yamaha yz400. A few stalls, some rain and lots of good trail!
    THE TRAILS

    THE VIDEO

    Video Preview

    Devils Slide Video
    Runs about 12 min 768kb/sec wmv
    ...................
    Info on Rampart Range
  21. HispanicSlammer

    Emory Pass

    By HispanicSlammer,

    video preview
    This is a video cut from the second part of the "Gila Monster" ride my two buddies and I took to the southern part of New Mexico last August. Emory Pass is part of hwy 152 and is situated smack in the middle of the Gila National Forest. We happened to be doing the road on a busy weekend, labor day weekend and found the road well traveled, I decided to take it easy passing while my buddy was a bit more furious when he passed. We ended up doing two passes that day. I love this road but for its remote location, its one of the best I have ever done.
    :media: Emory Pass Video
    The video is rather short, about 3 minutes featuring the music of James Cotton, blues man extraordinary - "Cut you loose". 1 mb/sec sample rate wmv format
    THE MAP
    [map=AARTsJrsAVA4vcdZ3NLQ4qJuamB-Tr_SkQ]http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=2855967962099858914,32.905010,-107.751740&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=NM-152+%4032.905010,+-107.751740&daddr=32.892273,-107.829781&mra=mi&mrsp=1,0&sz=12&sll=32.88939,-107.692795&sspn=0.166923,0.374222&ie=UTF8&ll=32.90683,-107.789955&spn=0.083445,0.187111&t=p&z=13&om=1[/map]
    Photos from the trip

    The Gila Monster

    Scenic Overlook

    This is the Monster Tail

    Kingston NM

    White Coyote Cafe - T or C NM

    Reserve New Mexico

    Late Lunch in Silver City

    Vertical Profile from my GPS
    :media: Gila Monster - the first part - video
    :media: Gila Monster the trip the year before
    low res you tube

  22. HispanicSlammer
    Every Fathers day my friend Reddog (Bill) gets a kitchen pass from his wife to take off on a ride, and each year I usually go along. This year I completely forgot about it, until he mentioned it the night before in PM to me. I was at work so I did the mental checklist, bike works - check, oil changed - check, tires - uh oh! I had spanked pilot powers on and needed to change them first. I had a good set (made in Spain - read the home page is your pilot powers are made in France)!!! So I got off work at 7am, got home - put on my tire changer and slapped on some new tires, called Bill and said I was going to be late perhaps we could meet at Texas Creek instead of where he lives? He agrees but I misjudged how long it would take me to clean up and get ready and showed up in Texas Creek a good 45 minutes later than I told him! Hes a forgiving guy and let me slide - actually he figured I wouldn't be there at that time anyway knowing I screwed up. He took his time pulled into the cafe and ordered breakfast waiting for me to show up - he had gotten there only about 10 minutes earlier than I.

    Texas Creek Café A lovely home style joint right along side the Arkansas River hwy 50

    VFRS rendezvous with Reddog at Texas Creek
    Texas Creek is a mecca for outdoor activities, the BLM runs a huge trail system just north of the park where you can Jeep, ATV, hike or motorcycle up to about 11,000 to the top of Table Mountain. Then the Arkansas river runs along hwy 50 where you can river raft on the rapids, or fish. Hwy 50 at Texas Creek is full of fun sweepers - we call it Texas Creek International Raceway. If your outdoorsy Texas Creek is a great weekend getaway.
    here is a link to the BLM pamphlet on Texas Creek
    http://www.co.blm.gov/recweb/documents/TexasCrkBroch.pdf

    Texas Creek BLM Area Directly to the north of the café the BLM manages an off-road park with several trails winding up and down the mountains in the area, there is rafting in the Arkansas River as well. Its an outdoor playground for sure.
    I ordered breakfast and we watched all the Harley's pass by, Bill was itching for some homemade Coconut Cream pie, I having sampled the Dutch Apple pie before on another trip and wasn't interested in the pies. So I stepped out to take the pictures above - don't get me wrong the food at the café is wonderful, breakfast is awesome, the bacon is like some farmer just cut a fresh hunk off a pig! However the pies are a bit disappointing. He come out smirking being a bit disspapointed in the pie. We rolled out around 11am and headed up Monarch pass. Ever since last year the pass has been repaved smooth on the sunny side and its just awesome to ride, I got in a good clean pass on some cages and just took off down the mountain. Bill was not so lucky when I passed a pickup pulled out to follow me and then thought better of it and so he got stuck behind a few cages till the next strait, by then I was gone! I waited for him at the bottom, having almost caught up to me - hes fast.
    We decided just to gas up in Gunnison and go do a "There and back again" ride up to the Black Canyon hwy 92. It is a lot of slab to get there but the wait is worth it, I consider it to be the best road in Colorado but each year they seem to muck up the road with tar snakes, last year they chip sealed it, this year it was stable and quite grippy but they allow Cows to Graze along the side of the road on the South End, they were eating the grass along standing right on the road and of course we had to slow way down - not knowing what they might do as we pass. The cows were here and there, laying on the road, pissed me off, first time I ever saw livestock on the road before, being as busy as it was this weekend they could have moved them to other grazing spots?? Oh well it was only one mile of 25 that they were in the road.

    This is where you end up if you happen to blow a turn
    Bill lead the first run and I followed close by, having gotten a bit faster over the last two years I was glad to be able to keep up with him for once! He usually smokes my ass after the first good turn. He always wants to do the Black Canyon on Fathers day but he says he can never get into a good rhythm on the on the canyon road. Unless its raining - 2003 he just blasted it in the rain and left me way behind. I have come to love the dipping hairpins and the sweeping hidden turns, I know it quite well and know where to slow down cause of the ever present gravel. One particular turn the road rises sharply and dives off to the right where there is a hidden drive to a camping site. There is always gravel in the middle of the road right at the top and I know exactly where it is. Bill knows it is there somewhere but always forgets where and blows right into that turn, which of course destroys his confidence in the road for a mile or so. Heh I know its coming so I always slow down - not Bill - full steam ahead and OH S**%T!

    The route
    We thought we would ride to the end of the canyon and play it by ear. There we would figure out if we should make a loop out of the ride or just go back once we reached the end. I was getting sick of being pelted by wasps, damn they hit hard at 70mph so I wanted to carry on with the loop - must have been a thousand of them along the way. Bill wasn't happy with that run he did and wanted to do it again he decided to let me lead the way back, he SAID he was going to take it easy and just sight see it this time and let me go. I took off and sure enough he was right behind me - so much for sight seeing!! This pass we both felt much more at ease and just cranked it over turn after turn. Stopping once for a few pictures of the San Juan mountains in the distance.

    Blue Mesa Reservoir

    Blue Mesa Damn Gunnison River Below

    Bluff at Blue Mesa

    San Juan Mountain Range off in the distance

    San Juan's zoomed out
    Like I said before Bill always rides on Fathers day since 2003 we have hooked up for a ride, the first year we did Rocky Mountain National Park but later that year we discovered the Black Canyon and have come back ever since.
    Fathers day rides from the past

    Fathers day 2003 Rocky Mountain National Park

    Fathers day 2004 Black Canyon

    Fathers day 2005 Black Canyon
    2006 I did not go cause I went to Miller Motor sports Park instead to go to the AMA races there, but this year we had another great ride. On the way back we stopped in Salida and enjoyed the local scenery -[perverts] heh however we are invisible since we are over 40. Then back on the bikes, where Bill was supposed to peel off and home via High Park Road, with me going back hwy 50. Right about 10 miles past Salida we encountered a fairly fast Harley rider cruising about 80mph and doing the turns around 65mph, the easy sweepers there - he was going fast enough for us at the time, passing cars along the way.
    He was going fast enough for a while until Bill got sick of how slow he was going in the turns and passed him, so did I. He though he could keep up with us as we cruised the slabby parts around 80mph. We would pass the cages in formation and this guy would wrap it up and get awful close to me after passing the cars, like he couldn't slow down or something - he was making me nervous. We went like that for a good 20 miles then we both dropped him in some tighter turns around Cotopaxi leaving him a good mile off - basically not slowing down for the turns. But of course there is more slab to Texas Creek and he caught up to us again and he was soon getting too close to me again. We started to pass a line of cars and the dude went before me and luckily I saw him and pulled back into line - I let him get between us, had I gone he would have plowed right into me he was so close - having had enough of that shit I just passed him and Bill at the same time and took off.
    Bill saw what I was doing and followed but I had the hammer down now and was pretty much wanting to drop this clown all together. Which we did - gone we were just gone. No more HD jerk to make things difficult I really sort of enjoyed that part, it was the good part of Texas Creek International Raceway anyways and we always wick it up there. I decided I needed some more turns cause that was exiting so I followed Bill up High Park Road too and we tore up the tight ones there too. But here I noticed my voltage light was blinking red - OH NO my RR must be going out! Sure enough - I had noticed it on the last ride when my engine was running hot. I just put it on last year??? OH YEA I PUT 30k miles on last year - DUH!! I unplugged a head light and the volt meter showed green again, but it would drop to red when idling at stop lights. I anticipated this and ordered a new RR which is sitting in my garage, time to install it now!
    A FEW old VIDEOS of our Fathersday rides
    :media: Black Canyon Loop
    :media: Fathersday 2005 Black Canyon
    :media: Fathersday 2004 Cotchetopa Canyon
    Streets and Trips file
  23. HispanicSlammer
    Long Scraggy Overlook
    Mrdude - or Millertm as he is named here at vfrd - Mark by everyone else said hey lets go riding! I says "where" he tells me that he was up on Horsepower hill 2 weeks ago that it was clear. Then he told me a story of how he smoked some guy on a CBR or some such thing liter bike going up HPH. On his 1250 Bandit that he has piped, sliponed, big sprocketed, and fuel thingy adjusted to give him more torque and HP. Big Horsepower for Horsepower Hill. Anyways we head up the interstate to Hwy 24 and make our way up the Canyon into Cascade. Mark is hanging back presumably at the speed limit cause hes unemployed at the moment (layed off like half of America is right now) and he has to keep his driving record clean to get a truck driving gig. Me I take off for a few turns and wait for him on the straits. Its a short set of double lane twisties that is way overcrowded anyway and sometimes patroled but not often going up. More cops on the down side than the upside but either way its not worth a ticket, then it opens up near Cascade and you just have to Cruise to Woodland Park. Its not a freeway but it might as well be, split like a freeway with 2 lanes going up and down.
    It starts to become clear there is a lot of snow near Woodland park, its melting all over the road with cars spraying up the wet muddy water thats streaking across the road. So I try to stay far enough behind the cars that I dont smudge up my visor with overspray. Its always a chore from Cascade till your out of Woodland Park. I dont know maybe 6,500 live up there? Mostly White guys who drive SUV's, wear baseball caps and chew tobbacco. The girls are cute but not too friendly - in other words I dont fit in there! Well maybe thats not true but I avoid the place if I can, but its difficult since I have a couple of friends who live there.(both white guys who wear baseball caps, drive sub's and chew tobbacco HEH) REDDOG YOU KNOW YOU DO!
    THE MAP

    Full Size
    A) Colorado Springs
    B) Woodland Park
    C) Deckers
    D) Horsepower Hill (I dont know we just call it that)
    E) Pine
    F) Pine Junction
    G) Bailey
    We finally get past the the last remnant of Woodland Park the golf course (which looked like it would be fun on a snowmoble today) and are following a few cars north on 67 for about 10 miles till the road turns into the hills, so far your just on the high mountain plains till you get to Rainbow Falls where it gets curvy. We are weary of the gravel on the road so we follow a few cars down the hill into the creek bed - Westcreek its called - where the road is fun. It follows along side the creek for a good 5 miles again afraid of gravel I followed a truck for a mile till I finally said "F THIS" and went around him only to find that there was a whole chain of cars basically spaced 1/4 mile apart, I get them all one by one. Mark follows cautiously behind and soon we are passing Deckers - no more cars! I hate the part from Deckers to Horsepower hill it always has gravel in the turns, no matter what time of year, no matter if it is in the sweetest part of summer it always has had gravel in the turns. I baby it and Mark is right on my tail.
    I was expecting him to take off at the base of Horspower hill since he was talking about his CBR encounter just that morning, I see its rather clean and so I hit it - seeing triple digits for a good couple of minutes and Mark is about a 1000 yards back basiclly mirroring my speed, I slow down toward the top cause its not so clean I am thinking but its is clean! Its clean all the way to Pine! Matter of fact the climb from Pine to Pine junction is super clean! I enjoyed that alot, Mark was nowhere to be found cause well he is more into sweepers that the tight turns. Any way I stopped at the top of Horsepower hill at the Long Scraggy Overlook

    Millertm Mark and his Bandit

    Me New knee pucks - nope not even close this ride
    I sent my suit into Aerostich to have it repaired and had them sew on some knee puck velcro, not sure I will ever get a knee down or not? I ride fast enough but I just dont toss my knees out far enough to do it? I am hopeing to get in a trackday and learn - I do ride fast but my form can use some improvement. In more ways than I can count starting off with the wieght!
    I stopped at the light and waited for Mark at the top of Pine Junction, he pulls in about 30 seconds later and I say lets go to Bailey and get a burger at the Cut Throat Cafe! Hes good with that and so we head west for about 7 miles to Bailey - going slow cause the road is busy and there are construction crews out, the hwy 285 cooridoor is rather congested in the mountains all the way to Grants where it opens up, thats bascially where most of the mountain communities end, the commute to Denver is too far from that point to be reasonable, which its not reasonable anway, some 20,000 people must live along that route? I dont know its all strung out along the highway. Its beautiful up there in anycase, but cold in the winter.
    We pull into the Cut Throat Cafe and find its closed, a fire it says forced a shutdown - shoot! I love that little joint too. So we go across the road to the bar and it is closed as well! OH hell back to Pine Junction and we finnaly find some food at the Junction Resturant. Good food there! We hang out for an hour, seems like a good place just to hang out and talk! Alas we are 70 miles from home, Mark says he needs gas? I am like HUH? Gas after 70 miles? OK he says he can wait till we get back to Woodland park. My bike has at 3/4 tank and he was at 1/3rd? Jebus man that thing is thirsty!
    On the way back I am not so scared anymore and know where the worst parts are and proceed to basically run it at 80% pace of my normal summer speed. Its much more fun for me the way back, going down HP hill I get a good view of the snow on Pikes Peak and enjoy the twisties much much more, I just run it my speed and check to see if Mark is still back there every once in a while, he is! Its all good, it is great to be in the mountains once again!
  24. HispanicSlammer
    Skyline Drive
    I once took a dirt road from hwy 9 last summer just to see where it went, along the way I passed a road that headed west and there was a sign that said "Salida 40 miles" I did not have time to explore it, instead I was looking for back way into Cotopaxi, which I never found. I was on some forgotten dirt road some developer had cut for houses that never got built. It ended and I had to turn back. I never forgot that sign though and though well "some day"! Last tuesday was the day, and after looking at the map I found it was named "ute trail" so I packed my tail bag, aired up the tires on the Big Piggy, topped up the motor oil and headed up Old Stage road to Salida.

    Cripple Creek

    Sangre De Christo Mountains in the Distance

    Aspens Changing above Cripple Creek
    I was getting my fillings knocked out of my mouth from the bone jarring waves of bumps that happen on the downhill sections where the grader had once smoothed out the road but the rain had made a nice row of shallow bumps. It makes my teeth nash together so I jumpped off and softened up the rebound a bit on my shock. It worked but then my bike was a bit bouncy on the pavement. I would say all in all I did 40 % dirt 60 % pavement on this ride.
    riding from Cripple Creek to Guffy was all pavement and surprisingly I was going faster than most the cars even with my back end bouncing around when I turned hard, I passed a mess of cagers going down hill to the High Park road turnoff, and then I was soon on the roller coaster we call High Park Road. Its fun but dangerous cause its open range and cows like to stand in the middle of the road. You have to slow down on the crest of the hills or you could plow into one on the blind downside! A woman riding with our local sport bike group lost her life there 3 years ago doing just that!
    Anyway I tunrned toward Guffy and headed west all alone at this point, seems nobody goes to Guffy anymore, all the resturants were closed and up for sale, seems the place is abandoned all except for the antique stores. We used to stop there for a drink on the way home from Hwy 9, then short cut over to Woodland park. Not anymore the resturant is closed now.
    I headed north west on hwy 9 till I found the turn off a couple of miles down the road to get to Ute Trail, a dried up mudd road called co-88 it was full of mud ruts and somewhat tricky to handle, I turned west on what I thought was the trail but ended on some private road. I turned around and headed south again to Stirrup Ranch where Ute Trail picks up. I thought I was alone so I was riding somwhat slow. I saw the horses at Stirrup ranch and took a picture turned around to see a huge ford Bronco right behind me, oops didnt hear them or seem them way out here. They stopped and asked me what I was doing, I guess they saw me turn off on that private road and were watching me - I did not think I was tresspassing but those cowboys were a bit cautious about me. I just said I missed the turn and then saw the sign and turned back onto the road. "I just got lost for a mile or so thats all". They offered me a cup of coffie which I declined and they pointed me to the correct road to Salida. Thanks apparantly some folks have been trespassing on thier land and dumping trash. I guess I can understand where they where comming from, I saw the sign and went no further, turned back and got back on CO-88 - so they followed me to make sure I got out. Co-88 goes into private land but the road is a public road.

    Horses at Stirrup Ranch

    Aspens Changing at Mud Creek

    Whitehorn CO

    All the Essentials Satalite T,V Shower, Hole in the ground - an outdoor paradise!
    Once on the Ute Trail they followed me some more but I was aware of them now and just twisted the trottle and left those cowboys in the dust, I was all the way at the bottom of the next valley before I saw them top the hill I had just come, by the time I was past the next valley I was long gone. I found a strange shack out in the boonies near Whitehorn, it was just particle board painted red and slapped up like an old box car, there was a tower with a 50 gallon water tank on top for showering I guess and a hole in the ground for when nature calls. It was definitly crude, but they had a satalite dish!! HEH
    I was soon into the mountains around Salida and heading down the Pass on Ute Trail where I was witness to a breathtakeing view of the Collegiate Peaks across the valley.

    Ute Trail - Salida Colorado

    Ute Trail - Salida Colorado Mt Antero and Mt Princton

    Ute Trail - Salida Colorado Collegiate Peaks
    It was 112 miles on the trip meter at this point and my 4 gallon tank was getting low, I am sure I can go alot further but the plastic tank is sort of divided by the frame, and so I would have to syphen the gas from one side to the other once it gets too low. I stopped at a gas station and filled up. Some construction workers where sitting on the bench and waved hello, I went inside and got a cold drink, came out and they where having a full blown shouting match about which was more powerful, a 450 4 stroke or a 250 2 stroke? Heh it was funny I just kicked the bike started and headed into town to the 1st Street Cafe. A Black Labrador Retriever greeted me at the door and I sat down at a table where I could observe my bike, I had forgotten to bring a lock! The house specialty was jerk chicken with sweet potato fries and cole slaw on the side. The chicken was tender and the jerk sauce dip was spicy enough to make me cough! The sweet pototao fries where a bit too much for me though - the flavors in combination was a bit overpowering and it left me a little unsatisfied with the meal, and I hate cole slaw, expecially since they seemed to have added horse radish to the slaw! I ate it all up though cause I was really hungery! I had not ate all day!
    I headed east on hwy 50 to Cotopaxi behind a guy on an old yamaha crusier, inline twin - no gear at all and he was going around 70mph in the sweepers, my boucy shock was leaving me feeling a bit too unstable and he got away from me - if I was on the VFR however he wouldnt have seen my taillights for more than a few seconds before then cause I routinely ride that section at 90+ one handed and ready for sleep! Oh well Cotopaxi came up soon enough and I stopped at the general store and got some beef Jerky cause I was still hungary. I though ok now I am going to find that elusive back way to Ute Trail from here! rode strait north and the pavement went on for at least 15 miles, which surprised me! I thought as soon as I got past the town it would turn to dirt! then I found a fork in the road, one said Salida 25 miles and the other said Mt Wudiga so I took the Mountain road! past about 12 deer feeding on the weeds and headed up the hill. then the road got worse for wear and it was definitly dirt, and I saw a No Tresspassing sign! Shoot I guess I could head back to that fork in the road and head for Saliada, cause I saw where it came out by that strange shack a few hours back but that puts me too far west on Ute Trail I would have to back track some 60 miles? It was getting late and I did not want to be one some strane road so I went all they way back to Cotopaxi and took hwy 50 to Cannon City!
    Canon City well I might as well go up Skyline Drive and watch the sun go down!

    Skyline Drive

    Skyline Drive Canon City Colorado

    Skyline Drive
    THE MAP
    [map=AARTsJoQUUI5Xu3Ku4P49UUR_K0MmYCHSA]http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&saddr=CO-115&daddr=Gold+Camp+Rd+to:Park+County+Rd+102+to:Unknown+road+to:Highway+2+to:W+1st+St%2FCO-291+to:38.368041,-105.696716+to:Waugh+Mountain+Rd+to:Skyline+Dr+to:Highway+123+to:CO-67%2FPhantom+Canyon+Rd+to:CO-115&hl=en&geocode=FWKITwIdpLDA-Q%3BFcgiTwIdZH---Q%3BFShKTwId1t61-Q%3BFWbvTQIdSl6z-Q%3BFfq-TQId1yCz-Q%3BFXULTAIdtKiu-Q%3B%3BFV90TAIdEniz-Q%3BFaS0SgIdpAW6-Q%3BFWXfSgIdi8G7-Q%3BFdTeSgIdVBm8-Q%3BFQ-DTwId6rDA-Q&mra=dpe&mrcr=4&mrsp=6&sz=11&via=4,6,9&sll=38.46488,-105.682983&sspn=0.310754,0.725098&ie=UTF8&ll=38.636182,-105.380859&spn=1.240048,2.900391&t=p&z=9[/map]
    Attached is the gps tracks and a google earth file of the path
  25. HispanicSlammer
    NEW VIDEO riding the sweepers with Motoman
    It is snowing here in Colorado and when the bike is stowed away for the winter months I turn to my dv tapes and start reliving the rides from the season past. This ride was part of my long trip to go see the US MotoGP with my friend Dan (Motoman) we where two days away from home, already we had 350 miles on the day and we had come to the turn off to the Flaming Gorge Uintas Scenic Byway. It had started to rain when we stopped in Manila UT, but we pressed on. Rain in the West is usually a sprinkle here a shower there. Not very often do we just get all day drenching, but it usually rains every day in summer somewhere.

    video preview
    :media: The Flaming Gorge Video High Resolution
    10 minutes wmv - Dan and I started up the pass up and over the plateau and back down to the bridge.
    The Map of the route
    [map=AARTsJraQnUrbLnpvhEPWjcvt66k6FYXfg]http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=6571286530006078049,40.949402,-109.711592&time=&date=&ttype=&saddr=UT-44+%4040.949402,+-109.711592&daddr=40.908583,-109.435501&mra=mi&mrsp=1,0&sz=12&sll=40.927003,-109.436531&sspn=0.11595,0.31929&ie=UTF8&ll=41.197257,-109.497986&spn=0.923778,2.554321&z=9&om=1[/map]
    Low Res YOUTUBE

    Some more pictures from the area


    Flaming Gorge area

    Steinaker State Park 5 miles west of Vernal UT

    vfr bathed in sunset

    Green River Reservoir Flaming Gorge

    Bridge at the Flaming Gorge
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