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HispanicSlammer

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Blog Entries posted by HispanicSlammer

  1. HispanicSlammer
    Ice Racing Rainbow Falls Park Colorado
    Harry's Roamers Motorcycle Club is the oldest motorcycle club in Colorado established in 1929 they are known for putting on an ice racing series. This years event at Rainbow Falls Park brought hundreds of folks out to the mountain lake one of the four Ice racing events they organize each winter. It was really a hoot to come out on this cold Sunday morning and watch all the different bikes go around the oval shaped track, spectators were outnumberd by participants 2:1 - now thats what I call a real sport!

    http://harrysro.poww...hrmc/index.html
    I remember comeing out to this lake as a child to ice skate with my grand parents but this is the first time I have attended the ice races and boy this seems like alot more fun! My buddy Craig and I piled into his four wheel Toyota and headed up Ute pass for Woodland Park, Rainbow falls is just about 15 minutes north of there on Hwy 67 I embedded a map if your wondering where exactly! We had just come off the night shift, restless, looking for somthing to do. He saw a line in somthing he read about ice racing here in Colorado so we looked it up and sure enough - IT WAS ON. We were not sure what to expect, 2 feet of snow or what so we dressed up like Eskimo's and headed out, there was hardly any snow up there by Rainbow lake we where thinking it might be a bust but sure enough the road headed slightly down hill into a lake depression and we saw all the cars, the lake was frozen solid! The Track was layed out and there were bikes and trailers littered everywhere. 8 bucks to get in seemed like a cheap date for a half days fun and we gladly paid the entry fee. We walked out on the ice and studied the curious fenders and inspected the oddly studded tires and wondered just how go you get those things in there - these where the screw in from the outside type!
    Once the raceing started we noticed not many racers where spinning out its seemed like flat track racing with similar sliding and slipping as if on loose dirt - just colder!

    KTM

    KTM

    Homemade Fenders

    Some more homemade than others

    riders meeting

    DONT..KICK..THE..CONES
    I was getting tickled at the organizer who was holding the pre race quote "bitch session" as Craig called it, he said the times he raced there is a similar type session at all of them! HEH pay to play I gotta say! It was over soon enough and everybody knew they were serious about safety and the CONES!

    ATV Tires studded for maximum grip

    Lay out the green carpet

    Speedway bikes

    speedway bike rotated engine forward for better handling, CG moved forward

    Got Milk

    speedway bike

    one more
    I was facinated by the speedway bikes, stripped down to almost bicycle like frames, small aircooled engines, no brakes just pure sideways fun having motorcycles - they harken back to the days of board track race bikes, and to me look like living history.

    On your mark, get set!

    The name of the game? get the hole shot!

    battleing for position

    Way out front

    ice pits

    2 strokes

    Classics

    Even raced UTILITY ATV'S I think if they could put studded wheels on a washing machine they would race it.

    classics race
    http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/uploads/videos/491/1236584620_icerace.wmv.flv
    THE MAP

    Full Size
  2. 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.
  3. HispanicSlammer
    Juniper Pass
    I took a day off from work and also from my bicycle training to take out the Veefalo one last time before the weather turns ugly, supposed to snow the rest of the week and possibly start sticking to the ground along the Colorado Front Range. I took a leisurely pace up hwy 105 toward Morrison and got reacquainted with the bike since its been over a month since I took any sort of twisties on it at all, hwy 105 is a scenic ride along the front range between Denver and Colorado Springs, its mostly easy fast sweepers and lite traffic so its a favorite road of mine when going north. Then I have to negotiate a bit of traffic near Highlands ranch and up hwy 470 into the mountains. I decided to take the Morrison Exit and try either Lookout Mountain or head up Golden Gate Canyon - this time it was Lookout Mountain, I was sort of making it up on the fly as I went along. Lookout Mountain is my old bicycling haunt from my days while I was working at Coors, its a killer ride and all uphill - I don't think I could do it today If I had to, not quite there yet! I saw a whole bunch of riders doing it though and wished I was in shape enough to be there doing it as well. 30 more lbs and I will be able to do it! On this day I would do it on the Veefalo instead.
     
     
     
     
    I took a video from the gateway to the top at the Lookout Mountain State Park, getting past riders, the guy in the green jacket actually pretty much astounded me with how far he had gotten in the short time it took me to set up my camera, some 3 miles at least and up to the gateway from the turn off at hwy 6! Amazing I thought. I took the first two turns slow then got more comfortable as I went up further, till I was doing well, I made some gearing mistakes and took the tight 15mph marked hairpins in the wrong gear so I lugged it a bit on one or two. Still enjoyed it though and then got off at the top and hiked over a rock outcropping for an overview of the road for the pictures below.
     
     

    Lookout Mountain - Golden Colorado

    Zoomed in

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

    Tommy-knockers Brewpub Idaho Springs

    Idaho Springs Colorado

    Mashtuns and fermenters

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

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

    Echo Lake at Mount Evans showing off my new plate

    Elephant Butte Park and Denver

    Close up

    Veefalo on Squaw Pass

    Juniper Pass

    Juniper Pass

    Mount Evans
    My route A is home B is Tommy-knockers

     
    lookoutmtn_hd.mp4
  4. 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
  5. HispanicSlammer
    Its been a long while since I rode with bill (Reddog) here in Colorado, usually its an email with two words lets ride and then we are off on some 3 day adventure across New Mexico and Arizona. Ok maybe not that casual but it did happen like that once! We have been riding together for going on 12 years now and wow I can believe all those small kids of his have already graduated high school and moved away? WTF happened to the time? Things move fast if your not paying attention, but one thing has been constant - riding season - we dont always ride together a lot but we always ride right around the beginning of the season and then one big ride for fathersday, I usually drag him on some 12 hour monstrosity to the Black Canyon and its an all day thing. This year we opened up with a ride to the top of Mount Evans a 14,000 foot peak with a paved road to the top of it and matter of fact its the highest paved road in the USA, at least it is billed that way - however Pikes Peak just finished paving that road to the top and it may now be the holder of that title so I dont know it depends. The Mt Evans road stops a bit short to the very top with a walking trail going all the way up another 200 feet up. At that elevation its a lung burner!

    Anyway Reddog says he might meet me on the "blue one" huh? Blue one he says? What happened to the 02 vtec - so I show up and hes got a liter bike fz1 with brand new pilot road 3 tires mounted on it and a paper plate indicating its just been bought recently. I am wondering where is the vfr? Dont worry he says he still has it and is not going to get rid of it either! GOOD NEWS hes got multi bike syndrome now! Just like me, except his dirt bikes and now two street bikes out number mine quite a bit!

    So off we go and up the road on hwy 67 we take it easy as long as we are in Teller county since he says he was busted a week before by a cop hiding by the painted rocks area and so we take it easy. I am not very fast on this road since its usually full of tar snakes and loose chip seal and the new pavement always has gravel in the corners cause pickup trucks with dually wheels cant seem to keep off the shoulder and always kick up gravel just as you are about to accellerate out of the apex of a good turn! Bam your sliding all over an riding off into a ditch (yup it happened to me 7 year ago on the old girl) SO now I wait till I can see out of the turn first before hitting it too hard up there, ALWAYS ALWAYS has gravel after the apex?
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     

    We roll past the stuff I hate and up Horsepower hill and he nails it, and so do and that little thing just walks away from me for a bit till I reel it in, wow it accelerates hard! Turns pretty good, so at the top we trade bikes and I take it down the bowl and down the strait into the town of Pine then up the mountain to Pine Junction into those great tight turns there, and 3 turns in it was like I had been riding it all summer and was hitting the turns hard as I do my own bike! Even faster since this thing is 150lbs lighter then the veefalo! Bill is disappearing in the mirrors like I did when I was behind him? Very easy bike to ride, somewhat small faring but adequate strait up and down seating position like a dirt bike, matter of fact I felt like I was on a short dirt bike! I kept looking to shift after already being in 6th gear though and it was a bit buzzy up top in the 10k rpm range but that is where most of the power was, not much torque down low, well relative to the vfr1200 anyway? So it must be the weight of the bike that lets it just accelerate so good on power roll ons? Or he was just kicking the gears down and then slamming the throttle open, while I was rolling on in 4th? I dont know? I like it, fun bike! Here are some pictures and a couple of videos from the ride
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
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  6. HispanicSlammer
    Every year for the last 9 years Reddog and I have done a run across the state of Colorado for an all day 500 plus mile ride. Usually its a ride to the Black Canyon and Back and its always right around fathers day - he gets a kitchen pass every year to go. This year was no exception, I invited a few other riders but life got in the way and it was just Bill and I again this time. We had to make a decision since half of the state of Colorado is currently engulfed in smoke from wildfires we had to figure out how we were going to do this.




    This year we had to avoid the smoke from the Springer fire that was burning on the backside of 11 Mile Canyon so we just headed up hwy 24 and avoided the closed roads and all the smoke we could then looped over to Pagosa Springs and did the loop clockwise. I recently bought a set of blue tooth Sena communicators and well Bill wasn't too interested at first but warmed up to it after a 100 miles in and decided to give them a try. I bought a set so we clamped the thing on when we got to Gunnison and boom we were talking and riding and they performed very well, I had mine on the whole ride 11 hours and it worked great! I listened to music, spoke to Bill and pointed out road hazards when I lead and he the same, wow its so much easier to figure out whats going on when you can just push a button and start talking about what is going on!

    I dont think we ran into a cop anywhere we usually expect them, and the ones we did see were marked well ahead by our two radar detectors, I could actually hear his detector go off since he has a speaker in his helmet so I could watch my flashing indicator and hear his. I have yet to figure out how to get the sound of my TPX radar to work with the Sena? Maybe somebody reading this has already solved that problem and can pass along the secret? His radar kept giving false laser signals every time the sun was behind us, we figured it was probably the sun reflecting in his rear view mirror and the way he had it mounted on his tank? Bill was getting annoyed with it not sure if he figured it out yet? Sena sells a bluetooth adaptor for inputs signals but its a bit pricy, I might have to go that route for the radar but I think I will wait a bit first.
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     

    As you can see from the pictures Bill was riding his 09 FZ1 and not his VTEC, he said he needs new clutch plates for the vfr before he can ride it, it was sort of an enigmatic ride on the FZ1 this time riding roads he is not as used too so he couldn't get his body position right for some of the tight sweepers we were riding, the wider bars and more upright position was giving him fits and he was inadvertently making steering inputs on the bars and making some turns unstable due to being in an uncomfortable position he said, we usually take the Canyon about 10 mph faster in some of the turns - well I charged a few corners too hot myself but all in all we always take it easy in the straits around 70-80mph and just dont slow down for the turns so its challenging but not a brake fest, just a pace type of ride - this road hwy 92 will bite you in the ass if you dont show a little respect, its a long way down to the bottom!
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     

    Bills FZ1 gets about the same gas range as the veefalo so we both tried to fill up at the bottom of Monarch Pass - but the gas pump was filling up so slow I barely got a gallon after 10 min, we gave up on it and decided to ride over to Gunnison and fill up there and get something to drink. There was a group of HD riders from Texas filling up also that we had passed and they pulled in after we had settled in a bit and I went over and talked to them, headed to the 4corners area they were in for a treat riding the Million Dollar highway -none of them had ever been on it before so I am sure they were about to be very pleased with their day!

    It wasnt much longer we finally turned off onto hwy 92 and were on the Blue Mesa the Gunnison river below flowing into the Black Canyon, I love this road and was hoping that the chip seal they did last summer held up over the winter, it had indeed and was grippy and very good, a few spots I already knew about where the road had buckled from frost heave was still there and with the communicators I was able to point it out to Bill before we got there, so yea the Sena was great for that too. We had a safe but fun pace up the Canyon. I took video from the Damn up to about 3/4 of the way of the road to Hermit Point, cutting out the strait and boring parts.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     

    Then it was a hot and fast ride to Paonia for some lunch and then we headed up McClure pass past the Paonia Lake area for some more video, this time we attached it to Bills bike but it shook like a leaf on a tree and the video card came out about 5 min into it and we missed the fast parts. There are some sweepers right after the lake that the veefalo just eats up, 60, 70, 90mph the bike just keeps creeping up in speed and eating up those tasty sweepers - many of my friends consider it thier favorite part of the ride, I sure as hell love that part all the way to the top of McClure pass on hwy 133. Too bad when it ends there is a mob of traffic and slab all they way from Carbondale to Aspen.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     

    Lunch was pretty good in Paonia, just a mom and pop joint and a burger very tasty and great service, seems the only resturant in town and everybody including the town chief of police was there, it was funny a kid in a souped up ricer car was reving up his engine outside and the Chief got up out of his booth and went out and yelled at him BY NAME. Small town no doubt! The dude must have been 6 foot 8 and probably pushing 300lbs - Big dude I wouldnt test him!

    Riding over to Aspen was tourture, it was hot and the traffic was thick, in town it was the worst, but we did see a few Aspen hotties on sidewalk, the scenery is great in Aspen in every aspect. Then we rode up Independence pass and got held up by a soldier in a Subaru who absolutely refused to use any number of the pulloffs as he drove just barely above the speed limit, the pass is very narrow and tight and lots of traffic coming down the other way so we just waited till the first opportunity, I was trying not to be disrespectful of the cagers all day but this guy was just not budging - first time we saw dotted line the RPMs maxed out and we were gone. Then was stopped at the top for a few shots and then back down we got in front of a VW golf what was not doing so bad following us, he would catch up on the super tight 10mph hairpins that drop off the side of the mountain and then we would be gone till the next one and finally he gave up chasing us down the mountain. It was actually very fun ride down this time, the bumps were smoother and they repaved some of the worst parts, the chip seal was in good shape on the Aspen side it was actually a fun ride over the pass. I cant complain other than the slab into Aspen it was a great ride all day long! We stopped one last time in Buena Vista for gas and I talked to a couple from Arizona riding together him on a KTM 990 and her on a Monster 650 they both seemed to be good riders. Must be nice to have a wife who can not only ride but keep up with you in the twisties! Super fun time - for those of you coming to the Summer Summit in August I can say that the Black Canyon is back up to standards!
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
  7. HispanicSlammer
    https://contour.com/stories/bishops-castle-run-to-wetmore
     

    I have not been to the Greenhorn highway all summer, the road to Bishops castle - its always fun railing the turns on that fast sweeper road, then the tighter stuff down to Wetmore. I met up with reddog in Woodland Park and we checked out the sky and thought well maybe we can go around Pikes Peak to a turn off at Twin Rocks and avoid the angry looking clouds sitting over Pikes Peak. We got lucky and missed most of the rain. Heading south on High Park road we saw a rare site, motorcycles holding up cars! We figured it was a new rider and sure enough it was a woman on a metric crusier and her husband not far behind riding 15 below the speed limit - of course in a section with no sight lines for at least a mile, we had to pass 3 cars and 2 bikes.

    Reddog was saying over the blue tooth sena communicators they should pull off - but honestly I am sure she was so white knucked kung fu grip on the handle bars she probably had no idea there were cars behind her! I did not mind too much cause I know the road well and knew we were going to be into a passing zone soon enough.

    Then over the back road to Cripple Creek we were soon on hwy 50 - Reddog was astonished at how bad they messed up that road with tar snakes, the hill down to the Arkansas River was so full of tar snakes it was like riding over a slip and slide water park as wide as the road. It was awful - sections we did over the years at a 100 plus are now very dangerous and not advisable to ride much over the speed limit if even that.
     
     
     
     
     

    Lunch was a bacon cheese burger with weird maple syrup flavored bacon? It sort of ruined the burger which was very tasty but the maple syrup was just too much. Hit the spot though after we both peeled that stuff off. Then back on the road to Westcliff where we finally got some rain, just enough to clean the bugs off the visor. They dont call them the wet mountains for nothin!

    Then soon we were pushing the speed up a bit and turned off on the Green Horn hwy at McKenzi Junction and then I rolled on the throttle and let her rip all the way to Bishops Castle - thats a very fun fast ride for 15 min or so of good stuff. There is more good twisties if you keep going but the best stuff is on the way to the Castle. Bigalow Divide its called is the best part.
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     

    Map of the video ride


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    We rode into Flornece and the heat on the temp gauge showed 100f, only in Colorado can you go from 65 to 100 in a matter of 12 mintues! We looked back at the wet mountains it was just covered with rain clouds, we hit it at the perfect time!
     
     
  8. HispanicSlammer
    Probably the most photographed mountains in Colorado Maroon Bells National Monument near Aspen Colorado
    I found a great photo of this spot at work and was admiring it when a coworker friend of mine asked me if I had taken the picture, she said that it just fascinated her. I tried to explain to her just how the picture did not do it justice because the two 14k peaks just tower over everything so the perspective is never quite right in a picture.

    Maroon Bells Aspen Colorado borrowed this picture from work

    map.jpg this is the map from Independence Pass to the Monument

    The route we took for the day trip

    Stop In Twin Lakes

    Heading Up Independence Pass

    La Plata Peak Waits around the corner

    Maroon Creek Road

    One Right Turn to awesomeness

    Maroon Bells just tower over everything

    Sievers Mountain

    The Path to the parking lot along Maroon Lake.JPG

    Pyramid Peak.JPG
    I was just thinking of the several trips up and down Maroon Creek Road I have taken over the years, its always like visiting a foreign country to me cause its so incredible - there is a ranch at the bottom of the road that usually is covered in Dandilions so the meadow is just full of this pretty yellow Dandilion Patch and the owner lets Llamas run in the meadow but they like to sun themselves on top of an old shed along the side of the road so you get this pastorial feel before you meet the magesisty of the Rockies and its just a wonderful expierience for a day trip, stop at Maguires Sandwitch shop in Aspen on the way and get a great hoogie before you go up to the monument

    Lunch Stop Aspen awsome sandwitches
  9. 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

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    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!

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  10. HispanicSlammer
    My employer has come into hard times - just like the rest of the world and closed the plant for 2 weeks forcing everybody to take a vacation who works there in an effort to reduce inventory and save money. Two weeks is a bit of a hardship for most but I am in pretty good shape having saved up my tax refund since last year and this years refund I had a good bit of money to go travel. My friend from College (whom I roomed with after graduation for a couple of years) recently moved back to Denver from LA and we have been getting back into touch with each other. He was also taking a vacation around the same time. Andy is an avid scooterista and he had booked a trip to Las Vegas to attend the 10th annual High Rollers Weekend scooter rally at the Tropicana - he offered to split the room with me and we could go have some fun.
    So I put on a new back tire and headed out to Vegas!

    Mt Mestas Near La Veta Colorado

    The Spanish Peaks heading up La Veta Pass hwy 160

    La Veta Cross Mountain snowcapped in the background

    Historic Fort Garland once commanded by Kit Carson

    Fort Garland with Mt Blanca towering over it 14345 ft
    My first day on the road started out really cold in the 40's so I broke out my Gerbing heated liner for the first time - it performed well keeping my arms and chest warm - even hot! I was warm as I climbed the sandy and snowy Cumbres Pass, liner heat, seat heat and heated grips. I was heading up into 30 degree 30mph wind at the top of the pass, but I was as comfortable as you can get on a bike in those conditions.

    Cumbres Pass The Colorado side facing north

    Cumbres Pass The New Mexico side facing south - much more snow on this side
    I crossed the Colorado Boarder into New Mexico with the intent of heading west on hwy 64 to stay out of the Colorado High country. I stopped in Chama to get some water and shed my liner since it was around 60 degrees there. It felt down right warm after riding sub 45 degree winds all morning. I was wearing my leather jacket and some tourmaster over pants that I had stuffed my old stich tf2 pads into. I reused my aerostich, I sewed the shoulder and elbow pads into the liner of my jacked before leaving. I was really missing my stich since it was in Duluth MN getting repaired and fitted with brand new tf3 armor. While in Chama I was greeted by a couple of travelers from Minnesota who just happened to live in Duluth which I thought was a bit of a coincidence. They saw my license plate and asked me a few questions on the best route to take into Colorado. They where all paranoid about going up McClure Pass but surprisingly had no qualms going over the million dollar highway. To which I thought was probably more dangerous to a traveler this time of year then McClure pass. I said it probably was going to be OK to do both - since the sun had been out for a week now. I recommended a lunch stop in Durango and pointed them in the the right direction. Then I headed west into indian country, where I found there is allot of Oil and Gas exploration/development going in near Farmington - it seemed to be to be booming. Oil Trucks and construction going on all over North West New Mexico.
    I hated Farmington with its 4 lane safety corridor that dragged on for 15 miles into an oblivion of industrial parks and road side businesses. Folks where pulling out incessantly in front of me I was covering my brake lever as best I could. Safety corridor my ass these drivers were nuts! In Farmington I looked for a good lunch spot that was local - so after riding around downtown and having found nothing satisfying I settled on a burger at Wendy's. I was sporting my new high and tight haircut (thinking I would be immune to helmet hair with it *wrong*). I seemed to fit in since I look just like a Navajo Indian - even have the same haircut - most Navajo males all sport buzz cuts. I was not local though its still a small town and everybody recognized I wasn't from there. The woman at the counter started talking to me in Navajo which when she realized I did not understand she changed over to english, I really got a kick out of that. I had the same thing while in college in Durango the local Navajos would talk to me in Navajo all the time till I realized I am Hispanic. My girlfriend though was 100% Hopi indian and she would do all the talking, all of it, all the time. Good girl and I was really in love, too bad I let her get away. I was glad to make a friend like Andy back then, he will talk to anybody anywhere and he can be spontaneously funny, me I am a bit shy. So I make up for it by hanging out with guys like Andy who are not shy than I get to know people through them and feel more comfortable getting involved.

    Shiprock New Mexico hwy 64

    Shiprock boring riding out there

    Vally of the Gods Utah hwy 163

    Valley of the Gods Monument Valley way off in the Distance
    I stayed the night in Mexican hat the Mexican Hat Lodge, the famous swinging steak, I have featured it a few times before. This is my favorite stop for the night in Southern Utah, good company good food and great atmosphere. It makes you feel like your on some kind of cattle drive or something complete with old Gene Autry movies on the tube before you go to sleep on the comfy beds they have, not a 4 star hotel but its authentic as it gets. I drank beers with the family who own the place and discussed all sort of things while they cooked my steak over an open fire on their one of a kind swinging grill. With beans cooked on an old wood stove out on the patio. This is the sort of place you go to get unplugged and away from everything.

    Mexican Hat Lodge home of the swinging steak - as seen on the food channel

    Mexican Hat Lodge next best thing to roughing it

    Monument Valley early in the morning hwy 163

    Monument Valley at a road side indian art display

    Monument Valley

    Setting Hen

    Monument Valley Stagecoach - King on his thone - Brighams Tomb

    Top of Monument Pass hwy 163

    Hwy 98 to Page AZ I stopped cause my phone rang - gps bluetooth thing went off - this horse was all alone watching my every move

    Phone calls out here?

    Colorado River down stream from the Glen Canyon Damn in Page

    Navajo Bridge at Vermillion Cliffs Marble Canyon - Lee's Ferry
    I stopped in Page to get a burger at some local joint, lots of kids there and it was a bit greasy but it hit the spot, allowed me to stretch my legs but nothing to go on about. I was surprised to get a phone call out in the sticks on the way there from Andy - I had no idea there was cell coverage out there, my Zumo made a funny noise and it had a phone icon on it so I pressed it but the call sounded like hell so I pulled over and tried connecting with the hand set - no luck I had to wait till I got to Page to let him know what was going on. I wasn't going to make it all the way to Vegas in one day - not since I planned on hitting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon along the way. It was a bust since the road was closed at Jacob Lake on hwy 89 up there at 7k feet there was allot of snow on the ground but I was happy to see some curves on the mesa going down into Fredonia where the road took a turn for the worse - boring and windy again.
    I avoided the traffic and cold into Zion NP and headed into Colorado City (est 1985) on a lower route - a low road and a high road to the same place as it is! I couldn't believe they would even put that on the sign (est 1985?) - the place was an eyesore next to some pretty rocks - nothing but dirt roads carved into the hills and ugly houses mixed in with warehouses it was just a hodge podge of disorganization and sprawl. I wouldn't call it an establishment at all. It wasn't long before I headed down the hill to Hurricane an equally unappealing town next to Zion National Park its just one long 4 lane enterprise zone to nowhere that goes on and on with stop lights every 2 minutes your more then happy to be riding on interstate 15 as soon as you get to the end of it. Now thats not saying much - interstate was more appealing to me than Hurricane. I stayed in Saint George for the night and I do like that place, its got pretty scenery and its not so much stop and go traffic to endure as Hurricane and it has a lot more to offer.
    I ate at a steak house right next to the motel and enjoyed the food, but there was an obnoxious family sitting in the next booth. Parents constantly slapping the kids down till I got sick of listening to it I ask to be moved, two parties in the place and they sit them right next to me? I drank my beer and got the hell out of there.
    The next day I had 150 miles to Vegas and I chose to take the Road to Lake Meade, I pulled off and recognized where my Busa had broken down 6 years ago leaving me stranded in the desert for 2 hours till a tow truck came along. I patted the tank on my viffer cause I know that wasn't going to happen again! It was starting to piss me off since I was again traveling in stop and go traffic in these small towns near the lake going 30 mph behind some local pickup trucks, one would pull out in front of me, turn off and another would take its place. ON and on like this for 15 miles till I was finally out of town but then I ran smack into road construction for another 20 miles - stripped down to bare dirt and following a string of RVs behind a lead vehicle with a follow me sign on the back. I was thinking I was never going to get to Vegas!
    Then the road got good, new pavement, lots of shoulder and good sweepers I was starting to enjoy it, two days of crap and now finally some good road. Still I was thinking about what Toddulu told me - the Feds patrol that area and they hate speeding bikes so I kept it under 90mph, for the most part. It seemed like they could hide anywhere in those bushes and bust you. You have to be going 110mph there to really lean it over but I was just cruising at 80mph hitting the brakes when I saw something that looked like a car.
    I finally rolled into Vegas around noon following an R1 on the freeway from Henderson that began the overheating water boiling weekend of riding in Vegas! Me and Andy on his scooter we resorted to lane splitting and pissing off the 100's of taxis on the side roads along the strip. I over ate, over drank and over partied for 2 days in Vegas and later met up with Tod and Ben for a ride around the city for a half day ride.

    Fremont Street Las Vegas

    Golden Nugget right on the mall

    Street Musicians everywhere

    The Light show at Fremont street KISS theme

    I have seen this on TV its huge

    The pool at the Golden Nugget

    Day Ride with Toddulu and Canib we went where ever it wasn't raining - around Lake Meade

    Red Rock Park near Lake Meade
    I must have spent $500 bucks in Vegas even though I had not planned on it, its too easy to drop money there. I said goodbye to Andy and Tod and took off to explore Arizona

    Heading out of Vegas I stopped at the Hover Damn

    Bridge construction above overlooking the Hover Damn it was huge too

    Lots of Concrete I need a wide angle lens to see it all
    Once the again the wind was blowing and it wasn't quite cold but it sure wasn't warm, I rolled into Kingman on Sunday and fell into line with the truckers on the Interstate 40 with plans to go ride some twisties in Arizona near Prescott. I turned off toward Phoenix and found a back road hwy 97 that resembled a roller coaster ride the whole time I was on it, I kept expecting to see cattle in the road when I crested a hill so I was worried about going too fast. I took out the camera and did some video.
    [vid]82[/vid]
    I ended up in Prescott around 4pm and decided the cool wind had gotten the best of me - I found this great old hotel in down town Prescott and enjoyed the night sitting at the bar of the Bistro there. Met a bunch of people and talked most the night with a couple who were living in Boulder Colorado - he was a scientist she a homemaker and they retired there after living in San Jose for many many years. The Bar tender was a good kid who was also a transplant from California, they apparently have a homeless problem there so they have a lock on the bathroom door that uses tokens - which was kept in a cup by the bar. I must have handed out 20 of them sitting right next to it, I thought I would give that bartender a break and just hand them out to whomever came looking. A big family was having dinner in the Bistro after a wedding - a young couple just married - the groom in his Dress uniform from the Army. I decided to buy them a drink so I could toast the newly weds I was having a great time in Prescott.

    The Historic Saint Michael Hotel In Prescott AZ

    Public Library Prescott AZ

    Historic Downtown Prescott lots of tourist at the St Michael
    The hotel had a parking garage in the alley behind it so there is where I locked up the bike for the night, old elevator, old everything but it was very cool. I headed for some more twisties toward Jerome AZ and into Sedona, my buddy Craig told me to head to Sedona. It was definitely pretty there but I was again stuck in urban sprawl stop and go traffic there with 15 miles of road construction I was going to spend some time there but decided the place was an eyesore next to those great rock monuments, like it was just piled on top of the place hodge podge but with allot more money than Colorado City, It would be great if it was a National Monument with none of that crap surrounding it but thats just me. I hate to see million dollar houses sitting on top of beautiful bluffs it just ruins the landscape no matter how much money they pour into it it looks horrible. The 15 mile per hour speed limit for and hour wasn't much fun either I was glad to be out of there and I crossed the Interstate on hwy 179 and encountered 11 miles of dirt road to the turn off at hwy 260. To my surprise it was rather smooth and 40 mph on smooth dirt road is way better than 15mph of traffic in Sedona any day!
    I was soon into some enjoyable mountain riding for the next 3 hours, passing into Payson for a gas stop I stopped and ate at a road house in Overgaard on hwy 260. Nice joint with good food but It was pricey so I cant recommend it - it was a bit steep in price for a burger and onion rings and a Dr Pepper $17? Rim Café I think it was called,
    I ended up staying the night in Sprigerville AZ on the New Mexico boarder I was lucky to find a room since the had no vacancy signs on all the motels, construction people they said. I couldn't for the life of me figure out where the work was going on? But I found a room, I met a couple of riders at the gas station headed to Santa Fe like me. They warned me it was supposed to snow the weekend so I made plans to stay with my sister for the weekend in Santa Fe over the phone, I could go see her new home they had built. The guys were staying in Socorro - a place that is alright but the last time I was there some drug dealers took over the motel 6 where I was staying at. For 4 hours they were selling out of a room on the first floor (last year on a trip to Silver City NM). Guys with guns in the doorway, they were menancing looking 5 of them out in the grass of the yard. I decided there was no way I was going there again.
    In Springerville I walked across the street to the Mexican restaurant and had some great chili relleno for $7 - and $4 corona = cheap food and expensive beer? OK it was good though. I was on my way to Santa Fe the Next Morning 9am. Once again 50 degrees out and windy like it had been the whole darned trip. I took out the Gerbings again and got comfy on the slab. I was surprised to see some good scenery near Grants though

    El Malipas National Monument New Mexico hwy 117 at a place called the Narrows

    The Narrows along the La Ventana Trail

    La Ventana Natural Arch

    The Highway Borders the Acoma Indian Reservation

    INFO

    This is a seldom traveled road
    I gassed up in Grants and got a meatball sandwich at the Subway, to warm me up. Sat next to some really really old folks who did not even recognize I was there, boring conversation anyway! I minded my own business. When I went outside it had warmed up to 65! Yea I stripped down and took off my over pants too. Headed to Santa Fe

    This is a seldom traveled road

    Madrid New Mexico

    Madrid NM on hwy 14 called the Turquoise trail

    Arrived at my Sisters new home in Santa Fe her family just moved in this month - its huge inside
    It was great to see my sister though she was sporting a cold, the kids looked great, grown a few inches and my brother in law was exited about his new home. We took a trip to go get a new couch that weekend but mostly I just hung out with my Sister for 3 days at home. I had to wait a few hours when I arrived in Santa Fe so I took in a movie - then I went to the school they both teach at and sure enough there was my sister Laura in the Parking lot waving at me as I pulled in. Kind of nice both their kids attend the same school too. I waited out a snow storm then headed home Sunday on some boring route to avoid the cold, again found myself in Fort Garland and I stopped for lunch at the Old West Café - wow it was cheap and it was great, the food on the menu all looked great and affordable I couldn't decide so I asked the waitress to just get me a burger and she brought out the best green chili burger I have ever had! good and scrumptious! Then I made it home and found I a sore throat - my sister had given me her darned cold! So I have been camped out in my room reading vfrd and blowing my nose for 3 days. Good trip all in all!

    My lunch stop in Fort Garland I needed a break from the cold - wonderful menu - I had a great green chili burger good service too
    trip log in gpx form attached
  11. HispanicSlammer
    This is my first real ride on the XR650r this season, having only ridden it to and from work a few times and once to the movies it has been languishing in the bike shed all winter. I had recently outfitted it with a Turbo City Sequoia Rack and some Tourmaster bags it was ready for some touring. I saw an opportunity to also attach a plate for my mini givi top bag and so I installed a plate last October. I had been having fits with it for the 3 years I have had her, always out of tune, broken subframe, melted plastics, and sub standard tires IMHO. The bike would just start racing at stop lights or when ever I stopped cause I could never get the darned OEM carb dialed in correctly. I switched out needles and slow jets and main jets till I turned blue from playing with the carb so much I finally broke down and bought a Pumper carb from Endelbrock. Good old American made carb made all the difference. It was a snap dialing it in, no jets to replace just a main needle what actually has a real dial you turn to tune it - you just dial it in. It was easy as pie, just a few runs to check for smoothness - a few times pulling the spark plug to look at it for fuel condition and I was set - it runs perfect now! I don't count my self as an expert carb tuner but I dont think a pro could have done better on this one.
    So once more this summer I planned to spend my forced vacation days on a bike, 3 days to the western slope of Colorado down to Silverton and back via mostly dirt roads. I would say I spent probably 65% of the time on backroads and the rest on pavement. I have documented the paved parts many times over so the pictures are of the back roads in this report. I took off late in the day and headed strait into the mountains on Old Stage road a 30 mile dirt road that climbs its way west from Colorado Springs to Cripple Creek. I don't think I saw more than 3 cars on that road - but I did see an unlicensed motorbike - he passed me in a turn when I wasnt expecting it and startled me. He had is green forest service tags but no licence plate - surely a no no that could get him in trouble. I did not even know he was there but being an experienced rider startled did not equal out of control. I just kept my line, slow as it was and watched him power up the hill on past me on his 400. I found him stopped at the top and I just kept going. There are a few trails up there that allow unlicenced motorbikes and atv's but this road is not one of them. This is the sort of thing that puts our rights in jepordy and citizens action commities rail against us then government has to clamp down. Come on people ride where you are supposed to or get your bike set up street legal like I did. Getting passed on that wide open easy paved road proved to be a bad omen for the rest of the trip there was more to come. I know I am not the fastest dirt rider, nor do I care but jeeze would it kill you to try the strait? I dont go that fast in the straits either?

    Ute Trail Part of the Trans American Trail on the way to Salida

    Colligiate Peaks at a place called School Section Spring on the Ute trail - land for sale

    Mt Ouray from across the valley Poncha Springs/Salida

    Mt Ouray and Chipeta Mountain Named after the great Ute indian cheif and his wife

    Sangre DeCristo Range starts here South ute trail winds down the mountain
    It did not take long to get out of the cripple creek area and onto the Ute trail to Salida, it was near 2pm and it was the hottest part of the day, however being at 8k feet it wasn't all that hot up there. I was pretty much alone the whole 40 miles or so of the Ute Trail only seeing one pickup on the way up the pass from Salida - it was expected being so close to town.
    I found a restaurant at the base of Ute Trail and had a good burger there, cant remember the name of the place it was attached to a motel. It was rather sparse for decorations, but the food was good. I had wondered if the girl who served me, if she was the only one there cause I saw nobody else, she must have cooked the meal too? She was nice and so I tipped her good. I could afford to spend money on food since I was camping for free. It was getting to be around 4pm by the time I was finished eating and I was soon on my way to Marshall Pass after gassing up in Poncha Springs. I bought a few powerbars (nasty things they taste awful no more ever again) for breakfast in the morning.

    Sheep Mt and Antora Peak as seen from Marshall Pass

    Windy Peak from Marshall Pass

    Camp site just off Marshall Pass

    I went exploring a deer trail

    Aspen Groves 10k feet elevation
    I found a little road that turned off Marshall Pass and ended about a quarter of a mile into a campsite just off the main road, it looked good to me so I unpacked the camping gear and set up my Kermit camp chair and relaxed in the evening reading and walking around a bit on some narrow deer trail to see the sites. I couldn't see much because the Aspen trees were so thick - I read a little bit then passed out in my sleeping bag. The mosquitoes were not an issue since I brought some OFF but the Bee's mane the Bee's all these damn Bee's buzzing around the tent all night long. I finally put in my earplugs and went back to sleep. They did clue me in on seeing the milky way in all its glory. Nothing like seeing the stars in the high mountains, they are incredible how many and how much brighter they are up there in the night.

    Mt Ouray from the other side the sign says Ouray Creek

    County Rd-14PP Looking North

    County Rd-14PP Approaching Cotchetopa Canyon

    County Rd-KK14 heading into Cathedral
    After Waking up I headed down Marshall Pass into Sargents a strange little village with a gas station at the base of Monarch Pass on Hwy 50 its built right ontop of a flood plane full of marshes - mostly log homes with that old rustic look to it like cabins but not quite all strewn together with dirt streets. I gassed up after 80 miles and only used maybe 2 gallons probably less much less. I was impressed my gas mileage increased with the new carb too. I have a Clark 4.3 gallon tank on it, and usually I only get 150 miles tops per tank I could tell I could top that easy. I worked out the milage on the old carb to 38-42 mpg on a good day, I was getting around 51 mpg on this trip and no issues, starts on the first kick too.
    I spend some time riding the high plains along Cotchetopa Canyon, or rather above it and along side. I like the canyon but it scares me a bit on the vfr since it was the site of an awful crash on a ride I was leading. It is not a road you can take it easy on it demands all your attention and respect. I was soon heading toward Slumgullion pass on some more back roads and into Lake City

    This was a surprize A Harley on a bumpy dirt road
    Harley guy stopped to ask me where he was, I couldn't hear him over his bike cause he was very soft spoken and so I just warned him the road was about to get a bit more technical - and he took off down the road. I had stopped for pictures already and left my keys on the dirt and had to turn back around and go find them, only to run into this guy. Sure enough at the first sign of difficulty the Harley rider had stopped and I rolled on by. I took another hour to get to Lake City for lunch at a place called Southern Vittles - a Texan replant owned the place and he served up Dr Pepper from the fountain from Dublin TX - a real treat cause I am a Dr Pepper drinker since I was a Kid. Pure cane sugar and the original recipe - too bad his fried chicken did not live up to its southern fried claim. I have been to the south and this wasnt nearly as good as what I had in Tennessee. A bit under seasoned and lacking in salt the breading was hard too. Oh well it was decent though and it cured my hunger I left the greasy french fries on the plate. I put on the Stich and headed up Engineer pass for the difficult part of my trip.

    Start of Engineer Pass the easy part

    Historic landmark at Henson CO

    The cabin had a bit of a draft

    my steed

    This is how rivers are made in Colorado

    The pass begins to narrow a bit still easy at this point

    A look back
    I missed a turn and headed into the wrong direction and the road just ended there, so I had to double back and turn up a steep rocky section and found myself teeth chattering along on a jeep only road, it had a sign that said 4 x 4 recommended past this point and with good reason. This is what my guide book called "moderate" I was behind a few jeeps now and motored on past at twice their speed since the XR was digging in nicely if not teeth chattering its way up the steep embankment. I just kept up the momentum and she powered up just fine. The only serious difficultly was stopping for Jeeps on the way down, they were numerous and it seemed always ended up in the way at the Switchbacks. I had to find a place to get off so they could pass cause the road was steep and narrow at this point. It was more challenging but nothing I could not handle.

    Engineer Pass as soon as I reached the tree line the road got steeper bumpy rocky and much more challenging

    Snapped a picture while waiting for a caravan of jeeps to come down the pass - too narrow to pass safely I had to pull aside

    typical switch back this one was easy - no rocks but steep

    The top of Engineer Pass this was the easy part

    OHH Boy its raining over on this side actually I had a small rain at the bottom of the pass - this is looking north west

    This is directly west of Engineer Pass Telluride is one the other side of that range

    A information marker at the top Engineer Pass

    I made my way across the tops of the mountains
    California Pass turned out to be more of a challenge, the rocks were more numerous there where hoards of ATV's now, each of them with a child on the back it seemed and moving faster then the jeeps but slower then me. It seems I was the fastest guy on the mountain at the moment which I found hard to believe after all I am used to getting passed on the XR. California pass seemed easy compared to Hurricane Pass because this mountain was covered in snow and it was all melting on the road which looked more like a raging creek bed than a road. It unnerved me to be on the rocks as a steady stream of water spewed out of the melting snow at 12,000 feet up. One jeep caught me off gaurd on a paticularly tough switch back, it was all wet with runoff and it was steeper than the others with an 8 inch step - he was in the way so I had to back into the snow drift and darned if my motor stalled. He rolled on by and waved thankfully but I was a bit miffed about the stall and may have been a bit short with the guy. Kickstarting a bike in a tight switchback at a 25% incline at 12.5 k up is not easy. I managed but I was completely out of breath when I made it the half mile to the top.

    California Pass this was tougher than Engineer - melting snow made the road a creek bed in places

    California Pass a bit steeper more rocks and lots of snow melt

    Oh ok down there then there were trails going all over the place

    From where I just came going down Engineer and up California pass proved to be much more challenging

    Xr650 weighed down with camping gear and tools

    California Pass even more challenging now more rocks

    California Pass

    California Pass

    Poughkeepsie Gulch the trail was blocked by a huge snow drift at the top - a completely smashed up car sat there as a warning to all who enter

    Finally at the top this road winded around quite a bit and lots of jeeps made for some interesting encounters
    I looked down to see there was yet another pass and by now I was getting winded because of the lack of air and the increasing difficulty of the road, Hurricane pass turned out to be the most difficult for me, since I was a bit sore in the shoulder from sleeping on the hard ground the night before in an odd way. I was crawling up it now and going down was worse, California Gulch looked easy from above but it was rocky and wet too. I just plowed through it from the top. Going down was hard for me being loaded down there were places where the snow jutted out and cut the trail in half and the edge had a drop off that spelled disaster. I just kept my eyes on the road and tried not to look over, it was a bit scary in places. OK allot scary in places.

    Hurricane Pass much more difficult either that or I was getting tired

    Even the sign was in bad shape

    The view however was worth the trouble

    looking back up at Hurricane pass I had to stop cause my rear brake overheated too much load

    The start of Corkscrew Pass I decided to head to Silverton instead - 3 more mountains to pass - I could see it comming down Hurricane and it looked challenging
    Hurricane Pass was the worse off all but it was short, the ride down was really bumpy and I overheated my rear brake - nothing on the petal I just slammed to the bottom with no stopping power I had to pull off and let it cool off till I got rear brake again. Some guy on a CRX stopped and asked me if I was ok I just waved and he rolled on by me at 3 times my speed - I was back to being a slow ass again. I was not going to try Corkscrew at this point I was pooped after being on the bike for 9 hours. My butt was starting to really hurt too, the widening of the seat and the Sheepskin cover helps but not after 9 hours! I just rolled into Gladstone on the big wide dirt road that seemed like a super highway at this point and soon I was getting blasted by all sorts of pickup trucks and jeeps now. I am no dirt track racer so I don't care if you pass me, I even pull off to make it easy. It was raining hard now and Silverton had nothing I wanted in it, so I headed up the Million dollar highway into Ouray where it was still raining - beautiful as ever Ouray has got to be the most scenic place in Colorado. Now I was getting tired so I decided to find a camping stop somewhere up on Owl Creek Pass cause the rain was every where around me except east of Ridgway where the pass is. I stopped and gassed up - got a sandwitch and some drinks and headed for the mountains again.

    Heading up Owl Creek Pass East of Ridgeway

    Chimney Rock this was my choice for a good place to camp

    Alpine meadow after the rain

    The blooming bush

    This was the view from my camp chair

    Weeping flowers

    more wild flowers
    Camping up there was wonderful not as many bee's or mosquito's as Marshall and it was very scenic, the stars were even brighter up there. I was surprised to see a whole slew of bikes roll on by at twilight, a few GS beemers, a KTM, and a V-stom leading the way in the dark. They stopped and talked to me a little while - but did not want to crowd the camp site, it was wide open as far as I was concerned but I think one of the beemer guys was more interested in a motel. So they left and gave me a beer as a parting gift for pointing them in the right direction. Its great to make friends on the road - even on the back roads.

    I woke up and saw an Elk across the meadow

    Leaving camp Chimney rock in the morning

    This rock is just like the rock in Alberta The rockies are the rockies after all

    The summit of Owl Creek Pass 7am

    Views from the road

    Turret ridge

    Views from the road

    Turret Ridge

    Rock formation at High Mesa

    Looking back to Owl Creek pass at the cross roads

    One last look at Turret ridge

    Cimmaron Ridge at Silver Jack

    Silver Jack Reservoir

    Wild blooms on the side of the road
    It was here off Cimmaron Road I had an encounter with a Ford pickup 4 x 4 - a big one. I was on the road where they had sprayed down Magnesium Chloride and it was still wet and slippery, this asshole passed me in a turn and brushed me in the elbow then gassed it and sprayed me all over with that stuff. This sent me into a rage and for a short moment I was a dirttrack racer - overtaking him and I made sure to spray the hell out of that nice white paint with that Magnesium Crap they had on the road, and I rolled on the power into the rest of the turns and left him in the mud. I had a few moments where I was out of control and a bit scared he might run me down. I did it anyway and well it was childish and stupid but I was pumped after that and could have ridden another 600 miles that day. I turned off on hwy 50 and ran smack into a bicycle tour with what seemed like a 1000 riders. They stretched all the way from Cimmarron Road - to Gunnison and even turned with me up to Almont 45 miles long a least. Big bike tour I guess. I got gas in Gunnison even though I did not need it and headed for Cottonwood pass. Oh boy the tourists were all over the area here, Lake Taylor was full of tourist and fishermen in the creek by the damn.

    Cimmaron State Wildlife Area Cimmaron Road

    Taylor Reservoir

    Taylor Reservoir

    The 3 apostles and Ice Mountain

    Cottonwood Pass looking on the east side of the continental divide

    Cottonwood pass the east side is paved - the west side is hardpacked dirt

    Some fun for a vfr here

    One last look at the western slope

    Across the valley American Flag Mountain stands out in the center

    Cottonwood Pass west side
    I pulled into a gas station in Buena Vista that had a diner in it and had some lunch the waitress was right at eye level when I sat down and I did not take notice till I went to pay that she stood barely 4 feet tall. She was very pretty but boy was she short. She was making fun of me cause I kept asking for odd stuff, I made her work for her tip - and I did tip her well. I think she was surprised how well cause after all it was a truck stop but I was a bit demanding service was good and the food was good.
    Then I found a back way on the map to get to the ute trail again and so I took that way, it was only a mile up the road from the gas station and oops I had forgot to fill up, 80 miles already on the odo, I thought about it and figured out I had plenty to make it to Cannon city anyway.

    Badger Creek off the Ute Trail wildflowers grown on the high plains Agate Mountain to the left
    It started to rain on me at the end of ute trail and I had though of tracing my path back to Cripple creek but the rain looked worse there so I headed down the mountain to Cannon City and boy it was hot there, 95 degrees out hot, I was melting in my stich so I found the nearest Baskin Robbins and had an ice cream in the air condtioning. Then the rain rolled into that place and cooled it off too. Wow the last part home was pavement and uneventful but I could barely sit up cause my butt hurt so much, 500 miles on a dirt bike can be painful
    Day one

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    Day two

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    Day three

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    I am also attaching my gps tracks and a google earth path file so you can view it in 3d if you like.
    d Lakecity_tracks.gpx
    Lakecity_path.kmz
  12. HispanicSlammer
    Somebody said they saw Bigfoot here according to Google Earth so I marked it on my map and went and looked for myself.
    I like to look at maps, I can spend hours pouring over a topo map. Then I downloaded Google Earth - wow this is a map lovers wet dream. I was logged onto Google Eath last week clicking along a few roads I know. They got this nice feature where you can click an icon and see a photo somebody uploaded of the place. I was clicking along this dirt road I love, called Phantom Canyon. Its north of Canon City and a bit west of Pueblo, hwy 67 is its number and takes you up this dirt road to the old gold mine area of Cripple Creek/Victor. Anyway I was clicking on the pictures and so I clicked on this other icon, which popped up a Wiki reference to BFRO? What the Hell is BFRO? So I kept on clicking and found this
    http://www.bfro.net/GDB/state_listing.asp?state=co
    Some Yahoo reported seeing BIGFOOT at that spot and it was marked as such on Google Earth! I about fell out of my chair laughing. Freaking Bigfoot? Aww I gotta go see this place! What better way to go scare the crap out of yourself on Halloween than to go looking for Bigfoot eh? I read some more, there were more sighting on Rampart range too.
    So it was about noon and so I packed my gear and my tent and went out to go look for Bigfoot. First I headed to Rampart Range Road, a nice mountain back-road that takes you near Denver, its popular with offroaders, somebody reported a Bigfoot sighting there too. I had to go see.

    Rampart Range near Devils Head, you can see Signal Butte and some smoke from a fire up near Florrisant

    Devils Head Rampart Range Road Pikes Peak

    Mount Evans off to the north Rampart Range

    Hwy 285 corridor Rampart Range Road campsite
    There were so many campers and dirt bikes out there I concluded NO WAY would Bigfoot hang around here! Way too many people to be a good spot to chill and eat Bigfoot Big Macs! So I got off Rampart Range Road and headed south on hwy 67 to Deckers, it travels along the Platte River and its nice and windy, I was just cruising it at 50mph or so. You can lull yourself to sleep on those turns its mesmerizing. Then I headed up further to a fire road near Westcreek, only to find that 7 miles into it that it was closed. I had been battling with snow the whole ride, every time I got into the shade of some trees I would hit a patch of snow and ice and the Big Piggy would want to swap ends, this thing is heavy and it hates snow! That was the really scary part, heading down a 15% grade on snowy icy dirt road! But I managed.
    So I know this Westcreek Road well enough but I wasn't about to turn around, I stopped in the village at Westcreek and looked at a map posted at the volunteer fire department and ran into two fellas out riding around in a John Deer ATV. They said they knew a short cut to Divide and to follow them for some 5 miles up the road to the turnoff. SO I did, at an incredibly excruciating pace of 25mph> boy I was getting antsy, then a Suburban assault vehicle rolled in behind us and started tail gating me - naw I wasn't having it, see ya guys I will find it myself. I turned off on cr road 33 and headed south and low and behold I found this familiar trail 717! I know that trail! My friends took me up here last summer! Off I went on the trail, and Jobs it was bumpy! Whoops whoops whoops as far as the eye can see nothing but whoops. I stayed on it till the next fire road and got the hell off of that shit! Every time it went down a gully I had to push the damn Pig out of mud and snowy icy crap!@ Whew I survived it! That was the real scary part being alone on some semi expert trail on a big ass XR650 I had to find this road!
    after an hour or so on the trail those fire roads seemed like gold paved dream roads! I was soon in Divide and heading toward Cripple Creek/Victor. I have been in Phantom Canyon several times up always heading up it - never down it. This time I would go down. It seemed like a completely different road to me.

    Rolling Hills near Cripple Creek

    Victor Colorado Hwy 67

    Phantom Canyon hwy 67

    Phantom Canyon

    Not many leaves left on the Aspens Phantom Canyon

    Some Jackass said they saw Bigfoot here according to Google Earth so I marked it on my map and went and looked for myself.

    There are tunnels in them thar hills Nope no Bigfoot hiding in the tunnel

    Phantom Canyon near Victor

    BigPiggy - Bigfoot maybe they saw the XR and not a big furry animal?
    I rolled down to the point where the Bigfoot sighting took place and wondered around for an hour or so looking at Cow tracks, cow poop, and beer bottles. I saw some dog tracks, and deer tracks, I think I even saw a cougar track but no BIGFOOT tracks. The Mountain Lion track did sort of alarm me, it was getting late and I set up camp further up the road. I slept under the stars and heard every little thing that went on. Cows mooing - the wind in the trees - and a skunk smell ewwww. I managed to be rather entertained by the whole experience. Bigfoot where ever you are - I owe you a beer dude!
  13. HispanicSlammer

     

    I really look forward to my summer trips, saving up and planning for the winter to get on the bike and roll across roads I have never been on or rarely get the chance to see. This past summer I took a trip to Northern California by way of Utah, Idaho, Oregon, and Nevada some 4000 miles on my vfr1200. This is the continuation of the trip left over from my last blog entry.

    I had met with Radar, Didit, Fay, and Craig and we were starting out the day in Redmond Oregon, with our destination for the day to be a sleepy little place called Shady Cove where the rest of our party (Axle7, Tammy, and Jeff) was going to meet up with us. We headed west with a little bit of slab to Sisters Or, it was a very scenic bit of slab and out in the country a bit but very pretty. Didit lead us to this funky road called the McKenzi highway into a volcanic lava field that cut right into it ending with a very tight down hill section that was fun if a bit cautious since it had gravel strewn into all the right hand tight turns. Seems Oregon has its share of Yahoos to that cant keep their tires on the pavement and toss a bunch of dirt and gravel up into the road!


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    Didit was still having issues with his stator so he was riding without his headlight plugged in so we decided to stay off the main roads and go down some serious back roads to avoid getting stopped by the police. The Mckenzi highway was a bit narrow and the trees came right up to where the pavement stopped so I took it a bit cautiously till I could get a feel for the road, I turned on my camera a bit for some video.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     

    So we had a great time rolling down the McKenzi Highway and we originally was going to head over to Eugene and then roll back to Crater Lake but instead we turned off at Rainbow and headed down this incredible road called Aufderheide Dr that skirted the edge of Cougar Reservoir - a fun road with deep long extended turns in and out of the hills that had me scraping pegs - Radar led the way and kept up a challenging pace - then it headed up the mountain side and into some shady tree lined back roads that just kept going on and on and on. I was having a blast, we saw some kind of wildcat cross the road on a rare strait section and then we stopped at the end to check out a neat little covered bridge in the village of Westfir Oregon. Then we rode another 5 miles to Oakridge and stopped for breakfast at some tiny little cafe called Mannings Cafe and had a very good breakfast. 2 hour already into our ride it was shaping up for a great day of riding - I got the tip to ride that Cougar lake road from http://www.oregonmotorcyclist.com/ - a great resource for the motorcyclist planning a trip into one of the best motorcycling states in the country.

    So after that we had a hundred more miles or so of strait slab till we could enter Crater Lake National Park
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     

    Crater Lake was a hoot, goofing off quite a bit we played around the park for a good hour or so then headed down the road to Shady Cove to meet the rest of us! Not much of a narrative this time but the photos speak for themselves
     
     
     
     
     
     
  14. HispanicSlammer
    Jack on his 98 Connie
    So last Monday I was out riding my Cannondale road bike with the intent of getting in a few miles to improve my fitness, and well it being May in Colorado there was was a May shower however it was was white and it was COLD! I had already done 20 miles and needed to get out of the snow, so I petaled the mile or so up Tejon and opened the door to Bristol Brewery the local Colorado springs brew pub - I love craft brewers and love Bristol cause its my home town brewery.

    Bristol Brewery
    So I went in and found the place empty nobody there, not even the bar keep who was helping with some bottling, so I just sit at the counter and try to catch my breath take off my backpack and gear and in walks this older fella with a southern accent and he sits right next to me and starts talking. We get to sipping on a nice pils they just released and out comes the word motorcycle and it was over! I liked this guy - his name was Jack and what was supposed to be a short get out of the snow shower detour turned into a 2 hour discussion on motorcycles and what not, then we started seeing the place fill up and soon it was packed, US army personnel picking up kegs, and they were selling growers strait out of the box! We got to looking and decided that these Bristol growlers just did not look too distinctive at all, not after seeing a fella come in with this fancy nice grower from the Tommy Knockers complete with pewter handle and ceramic lid! We asked the guy where he got it and soon Jack hatched a plan to combine our love of motorcycles with our desire to get one of those fancy Growers. A few phone calls later and I had my old buddy Reddog and his wife in on the idea too! Well at least the ride part!

    Yup my growler situation needed an upgrade

    Tommy Knockers Growler imported from Germany

    Bill and Analise 2 up Reddog on the forum - stopped on Squaw Pass

    Mr Jack McDaniels on his new to him 98 Connie

    Tommy Knockers a big dining room not sure why I took this pic

    Bill and Analise on Squaw Pass

    Growler Run My veefalo on the Squaw Pass
    Jack was telling me about this hwy he wanted to ride 105 near Idaho Springs and I of course can not remember a number to save my life so I start checking my Droid for this hidden hwy 105 and it turns out to be Squaw pass, I know it very well and some of you members who came to the Summer summit two years ago do too! So we rode up that puppy, and took a few pictures at the top of Juniper pass where the mountains are in clear view. It was such a nice day, lots of Bicyclist out riding the pass too, I don't think I am in quite good enough shape to do that - or at least survive it intact! A few more months riding around without snow on my two Cannondales will cure that . But for today it was a motorcycle ride. We sat in Tommy Knockers some 2 hours after leaving Woodland Park sipping on a low alcohol Porter for me which tasted very good, I am so proud to live in a state with such a fine tradition for brewing, its a real treat.
    Lunch was scrumptious I had a hot pastrami sandwich on Rye and a half pint of Porter it was nice, and a couple of sodas. The place was packed too since it was Saturday. Reddog and Annalise decided they were gonna head over to Central City and gamble a bit after lunch so we split off and Jack and I headed back since I was on hour 17 of wide awake, I got off work 7am took a vitamin and headed up Ute pass to meet everybody so at this point I was starting to feel sleepy. I thought well the only cure is to find the twisties and have at it! Which always works for me so I took Jack on every twisty road I could find between Idaho Springs and Connifer! I was enjoying it right up to the point to where we were on the good part of High Point Drive (Pleasant Park Road) - its a twisty switchback pass with a 300 yard climb up the mountain, it was full of gravel in all the corners and it became clear why when the Honda Passport in front of me was trying to gap me by crossing all the way over the double yellow on every left turn and then riding two wheels into the dirt shoulder on all the right hand turns! No wonder there was so much crap in the road these people cant stay in the lane, the sad part is that this clown in the Honda lived at the top of the pass and I am sure he thinks hes a great driver cause he was able to hold us sad motorcyclist off with that spectacle of crappy driving! It was sad! I am just glad nobody was riding the other way when he was all the way into the oncoming lane. I wasn't even really trying to push the guy I actually rolled off several time just to leave a big gap between us just in case he busted over the guard rail I could stop and help! What an Idiot. I hope they get a sweeper up there this summer cause it is a mess, might was well be a dirt road!
    Any way at Connifer I asked Jack to take over lead and he rode a good pace on down the hill, but we got stuck behind a row of Harley's near Woodland park and pace slowed down dramatically it lulled me to sleep the slow pace and the undulating road, I needed some more challenging twisties to keep me awake so I told Jack that I wasn't going to stop just bomb home before I fell asleep. I was pretty tired by the time we made it to Woodland park and the ride down Ute pass to home was just awful so many cars that I was just a passenger it seemed.

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  15. 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!
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
  16. 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
  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
    Kootenay National Park Calagary Crew fall in behind me
    It occurs to me I never posted the second half of my trip to Canada from 2008? Sheer tiredness prevented me from finishing it up last year, so many picture so many stories. Stories I can't remember anymore, but I still have the pictures, the wonderful ride pictures from that trip home. If you bear with me I will show you the best of the best pictures, and try to remember the good things that happened on the road.
    It all was part of the Kootenay Hottenanny 2008 in Nelson British Columbia, a wonderful place that reminded me a bit of Colorado, yet it had a very european feel to it and definitly foriegn to me, loonies and all ya know. Still I can understand english rather fluently so it was not that much of a stretch. Sort of like visiting a cousin who lives all they way across the map. You can see somthing familiar in the eyes and ears, the funny walk and yet you know they have different parents. That was Canada to me like visiting cousins, beautiful cousins in fact. I was amazed at the all the pretty people there, everywhere we went pretty people. The few fat ones like me unmistakenly had tags from the USA? Heh - I come expecting biting wind and fuzzy hats and I find a heat wave and beautiful pretty people? Go figure - I like pleasant surprises so I was pleased. It just seemed to be a really laid back place to be, much more easy going and a somewhat slower pace of life, yet not without sophistication at all. Canadians are certainly a complex sort, more than willing to give you an educated opionion about what they think of you or what your doing. It all seems very much like a perpetual small town. Even complete strangers seem to settle into a familiar ease of live and let live. The money thing though is a bit steeper then I was ready for, who would have thought the land of Aspen and the Home of Broncos would have a lower cost of living? There we go with that cousins thing again, you cant help but compare hands and feet, counting toes and fingers and such, it seems to be the natural thing to do.
    [vid]67[/vid]

    Kootenay National Park

    Near the boader Banff National Park
    After the wonderful gathering in Nelson - a large contingent of us gathered together to ride to Calgary, well mostly to Calgary anway, Craig and I would be stopping in Canmore for the night then heading back into the USA the next morning. The ride across British Columbia was fun, the trip across lake was fun too, never been a boat that big before. I am land locked you know, I know mountains but I dont know water.

    Me

    The Moxie Kaslo BC

    Kaslo

    On the Ferry Lake Kootenay

    Kootenay Bay

    Kootenay Bay

    Craig Soaks in the scenery
    I might have some of the pictures out of order, in any case I can vouch that the real thing is much more scenic than what any camera can capture. The pristine lakes against the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains is somthing to behold, It takes your breath away at the incredible beauty of it. The Crew, that is to say the "Calgary Crew" chose me to lead the way, which of course for a guy with a gps is not too difficult but it sure was odd. I did the best I could and passed cars that were annoyingly slow, and they all followed gulping up the miles with ease. I tend to be a bit of an Iron butt so I may have gone on a bit far in places without rest - and yes I heard about it later when we did stop. Hey I was drafted, you cant complain about that now.

    Calgary Crew Fueling up in Creston

    Bicyclist seeking refuge from rain Near Fairmont Hotsprings

    Near Canal Flats
    The day was over and our party of motorcycles disbanded, it was just Craig and I headed back to the USA now, we took a road that Superfunk recommended to us and bypassed Calgary, it was not all that twisty but boy it was scenic.

    Canadian Rockies knife edge rocks

    Banff National Park

    One of the most photographed mountains in Banff Mt Rundle

    The View from the Lodge in Canmore Alberta

    The Worldmark Lodge In Canmore My uncle is a member he let me use his points.

    The Incredible Canadian Rockies at the Seebe Junction of Canada transhighway 1 and Alberta Highway 40

    Craig dusts off his camera for a shot

    Alberta Highway 40 I enjoyed this road more than hwy 93 through the Kootnays there was hardly no traffic at all.

    Hwy 40 Alberta this view topping the crest of the hill took my breath away

    I was going gagga over the view I did not notice the deer on the right side of the road getting ready to cross right in front of us a car flashed me and thats when I snapped out of it and slowed down for them (Cagers helping motorcyclist wow)

    Not very twisty at all but your too busy looking around to care

    Each turn brought more incredible scenes

    Peter Lougheed Provincial Park

    Craig in tow

    look this way somthing cool - look thatway somthing else

    Alberta hwy 40 has got to be one of the prettiest the scenery was spectacular

    Craig takes over lead duty after scurrying off into woods for a rest

    Longview Alberta stopped to stretch our legs
    It did not take long to get out of the mountains and onto the grasslands and farms of southern Alberta, where it seems it was just like Montana, and in return not that much different that the farm land in Colorado, it all seemed to be familiar to me.

    Pastures haybales and the Rockies

    Sharp as a razors edge

    Rockies haybales and pastures this time

    Haybales Rockies and Pastures

    Its hard for a typical American who has never been to Canada not to imagine a snowbound scene, its not much different than Montana really

    hwy 22 seemed to go on forever reading off the Kilometers instead of miles I had no idea just how far left to go.
    We crossed the border into the USA at the Peace Park, the woman did not even ask us to open up the bags it was clear that 911 had subsided in these parts - not that I was all that concerened, but then again we had passports and they had a computer and must have figured out we were not Taliban - no sooner than a bottle of water was downed we were back on the road and riding again. Honestly the stop on the way into Canada was more rigerous.

    Back in the USA Chief Mountain Glacier National Park

    Dupuyer Montana Nothin absolutly nothing open for a drink
    The Second half day of riding in Montana was all plains, all the way into indian country of the Blackfoot Nation, and into Great Falls. The town was dull and we had a fast food dinner, and my riding partner Craig was I think overwhelmed with the trip at this point. He miss judged the sturdyness of his rear tire and was worried he wasnt going to make it home, in need of a new tire. We scoured the internet for a place to change his tire, on my netbook. He looked to no avail and wasnt interested in my plans to find him a tire, so we settled on a parting of ways at this point and I left early in the morning to ride more twisties and he off on his own to get a new tire. Too bad it went this way but I was not about to miss out on Bear Tooth Pass, not a second time. (my first time I could only ride half of it since it was washed out on the Montana side 2 years earlier). I said goodby to Craig and left before sun up to ride as much of Montana and Wyoming as I could in one day.

    Sluce Boxes State Park Montana 5am

    Montana Hwy 427

    Montana Sunrise

    Rosco Montana

    Roscoe Montana I had to pull off and take a moment, after narrowally missing both a deer and a wild turkey in less than a quarter mile up the hill

    Bear Tooth Pass Beckens

    Montana Rockies

    Red Lodge Monatana

    Entering Bear Tooth Pass

    Bear Tooth Pass

    Bear Tooth Pass a popular motorcycle route

    First Leg Bear Tooth Pass completed

    Top of Bear Tooth Pass Wyoming and Yellowstone ahead

    I followed a 929 most of the way up thats him ahead

    One Last Look at Montana

    Montana Side Bear Tooth Pass

    A bumpy and challenging road down Wyoming

    Bear Tooth Pass more motorcycles ahead

    Wyoming vista From Bear Tooth Pass

    Cheif Josheph Highway Wyoming

    View from the summit Chief Josheph Highway

    Entrance to Shell Canyon Big Horn Mountains Wyoming

    Shell Canyon Incredible road here

    Top of Shell Canyon
    I actually ran into Craig again on I-25 in Sheridan, at the gas station the next day. I was still trying to ride more scenery and he was not trusting his new tire he got from Billings so he stayed on the interstate, me interstate? No way I have too many lonely roads yet to ride. Lonely for sure, scenic? well ok my route was not so scenic after doing Beartooth the day before. I spent that night in Ranchester a small ranch community just north of Sheridan, just at the bottom of the hill from an awsome road comming out of the Big Horn Moutains. I stopped at a little dive of a hotel and walked to the liquer store across the road and found it was a bar and grill. It seemed most the town was there for supper. It was steak night and so I shared in the beer and steak night with the local folks and watched the Olympics on the TV with them, I had a great time and a great supper. I wont soon forget the fun and freindly folks of Ranchester Wyoming. Too bad the ride across Wyoming the next day was so forgetable, I cant really recommend any roads south of Casper as I have yet to find anything worth riding. North Wyoming is a hoot though, just watch out for the small towns - they take the speed limits very seriously.

    Medicine Bow Wyoming

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  19. HispanicSlammer
    Continuing on in this blog entry with more of the story of last summers California PNW adventure! Its not often you meet people you just click with - and certainly this is rare with individuals but even more rare with a group. This close knit group of Canadians are just the best (well most vfrd people are the best) but something special cannot be denied! I just love riding motorcycles with these folks, I trust them and its always a blast - even when everything goes wrong! This time is no exception!

    I finally made it to the sharp pointy place the french called Coeur d'Arlene. There is a sleepy little motel there called the Flamingo we seem to patronize as a group every time we pass through. My second time there they actually had a room for me this time. Complete with a fat cat that likes to jump up on your bed before it is touched by human hands to claim it as his! I am a cat person anyway so it does not bother me. Some cats act like dogs this is one of them!

    So I was the first to get there, then Radar showed up with Fay on the back - then Didit rolled in with Craig in tow and we almost had a complete set of Canadians at that point - just missing Axle, Tammy and Jeff our Vancouver contingent, we would meet up with them in Oregon in two days!

    My original plan was to ride with these guys for 3 days then head up to Canada for the meet going on up in Nelson that weekend, it was really ambitious for sure with 500 plus mile days in the middle to make it there and home! I dont know what I am thinking some times I bite off more then I can chew but things sometimes dont work out as planned and you just roll with the punches. I had a night planned at the McMinnimins hotel in Portland along the way too I was looking forward to another sample of that raspberry ale I liked so much when the PNW meet was in Troutdale the year before! OH well - when you plan too far ahead, something always gets fouled up! I sort of like the aspect about motorcycling of not knowing what to expect, sometimes I pull up lemons and sometimes I pull out sweet surprises from the hat.

    We soon got on with this vacation get together by walking over to a restaurant a few blocks away and had a wonderful dinner as Didit smoozed his way into the heart and minds of the servers and wrangled up a nice patio table out front, we came a bit late it seemed and just about everybody in Idaho was in Couer d'Arlene to get dinner the same time we where. He charmed his way into getting us a great spot. We had a great dinner and we needed it since we were in for a long day of twisties from Idaho to Enterprise OR, to go ride the Old Spiral Highway and Then do Rattle Snake Grade, it was not too far but it turned out to be a strange adventure none the less.


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    Our first leg of the day was the ride around Couer d'Arlene Lake - a 20 mile twisty road that runs along the lake side. All I can say is its a great way to start a motorcycle ride. I set up my video camera under my headlight, I tied the tether cord to the attachment on the camera (good thing I took this precaution). Then rode about 100 feet as it fell off the mount and then dangled there for the entire length of the lake route. Damn luck! It was a fun ride though and we took it at a good clip! Didit and Radar switched up the lead and I followed for the most part because video is better with a subject in front to focus on, of course the subject turned out to be a shot of the front wheel as the camera dangled by a cord for 20 minutes! Jeez it would happen that way. Then we rolled down a pass behind a chemical hauler semi truck hell bent on not letting any of us pass. We waited patiently for what seemed like hours for a safe and legal spot to pass which turned out to be the end of the good stuff! Jeez 30mph in lonely twisties with a semi blocking us for 15 minutes was hell!

    So it was still early and time for a bit of breakfast in Saint Maries Idaho, it wasnt bad at all - the company was better, lots of laughs.. Me just realizing my camera was dangling by a thread! So all the passing they did to get around me to get in the shot was all for nothin!


    We had a bit of very nice country side to go through to get to the next major highway, still out in the sticks we had one pass coming out of Saint Maries that is really good with lots of sweepers. Usually it has too much traffic, I say usually since I have done it once before so I don't really know what I am talking about, so I expected much traffic on it and it WAS there just as I thought it would be! However its two lanes going uphill so I passed a ton of cages and trucks to get to open road and everybody followed suit.

    Being that we were about 100 miles into the ride I should have filled up in Saint Maries! My bike only has a 4.8 gallon tank and I hate worrying about gas, but I did not do that - so I slowed it down a bit except one really good part on hwy 6 about 5 miles north of a blink town called Harvard Idaho, its a railer of about 2 miles, just hard right then hard left then hard right, very predictable but the turns are very very deep so you can sustain leaned over position for a long time the hard over to do it on the other side for a while, back and forth they just keep coming! Great little stretch of road going up the hillside, and lots of trees around you, a they have concrete rails up on both sides so it feels like your in tree tunnel just leaned over as fast as you can turn the bike back and forth. Jeez that is a fun road, and just a bit scary going down hill cause you can get into to it way too fast and then you have to brake so you have to brake carefully and not upset the suspension.

    So we stopped for gas and then the fun started, Didit's bike would not start! Aww Jeez, I think we push started it and to the gas station down the road cause Didit needed a phone, or he needed a place where his phone worked in case he needed a tow. He filled up down the road and tried to start it again and nothin! The station had jumper cables so we jumped the bike started and then we unplugged his headlights and let it idle for about 20 minutes to charge the battery, they also had a multi meter they let us use - or maybe one of us had one? In any case the bike was charging without the headlights plugged in so Didit just left them unplugged, we would head to a dealership down the road!

    First we found a motorsports shop in Moscow, but they pointed us to a Honda dealer over in Washington just across the state line 11 miles away in Pullman WA. It was there we found his RR connector was all burned up.
     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     

    The dealer loaned us some wire, soldier, and a heat gun to try to fix it, which we did, but it did not solve the problem. So we said lets keep on going, the bike was running fine with no headlights so we pushed on after a short lunch at a bar next to the dealership. Next up we hit the Old Spiral Highway and had some fun going down it!
     
     
     
     
    http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/videos/491/osh11.mp4
     

    Didits bike was just barely limping along and it was clear we had not fixed it with the connector so he decided to call around for parts and ended up getting our very own Tightwad from vfrd to send him a new stator and RR overnight to the hotel we had booked in Eureka CA. I had planned to ride with them all to Eureka then head north - but it seems plans and rides never seem to work out exactly as expected. We had one more section to do that day and then spend the night in Enterprise Oregon one more good spot of riding on Rattle snake grade then we would roll into Enterprise for the night.

    I spent most of the time looking in the mirror for a blue bike since we had no idea if the thing was going to make it, but it did! 2 days with a burned up stator phase, and no headlights. I think we tried to plug the lights back in and thats what killed the battery? So we left them unplugged till we could get the parts from Texas. Tightwad was a lifesaver!
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     

    We decided next time if there is a next time we stay in Enterprise we will check out the motel in town instead of the Best Western, the quality is there but not for the price?

    So off we went after spending a frustrating 20 minutes waiting for a clerk to let us pump gas, Oregon has a stupid law about pumping your own gas, YOU CANT. Most the time they just let you anyway but they need to see if your doing it right first? 50 states in this country and each one is different! It is the law in Oregon that gas must be pumped by an attendant and there is no self serve! It freaked me out the first time I was there to see some dude stop me as I tried to pump my own gas, he noticed my Colorado plate so he did not go off on me - I am not used to being approached from behind and tapped on the shoulder pumping gas, I almost sprayed gas all over the guy cause he started the hell out of me. Thankfully I was expecting it this time around.

    We headed out of town behind a circus it seemed, an entire trainload of rv's and cars lined up for a mile it seemed and we passed them one at a time along the long straits out of town. Didit and I swapped mp3 cards so we could listen to something new, his wife prepared a whole playlist of songs I had never heard before. It was interesting, mostly club dance or workout songs, lots of fast music that made me want to ride at 100mph all day long! I had to slow myself down on several occasions. Today we were headed for Redmond Oregon.


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    We just had to stop first in Elgin, I had to pee so bad I could not stand it, and every RV we passed flew by us as we hung out at the gas station there, oh well! We decided to make it a long stop and just relax and let them all get way way ahead! Which was a good thing since we did not see most of them again after that. So we sat down and talked and took pics in this tiny little place
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     

    I just plugged in Didits route into my gps without shaping the points any or looking at the route, he had originally had us headed down the interstate in La Grange but I did not see that and my map sent me right into town for a 15 minute stop and turn around and go back waste of time. He was not happy about that, but oh well - when we all use different gps units they don't always translate the same. So we got back on and then turned off to some podunk place called Ukiah Oregon, a dumpy little stop in the middle of nowhere - and we had to pump gas from an old style pump and pay cash to the kid in the wheel chair with no legs and only one working hand? That was a bit akward cause I did not know if he wanted help or if he was sort of one of those militant handicapped types that get all offended if you try to help? I just said f'it and let him do his thing an walked into the dumpy little store. From there on out the roads are really good, we took back road after backroad, and I was really feeling good with the bike and letting it get deeper and deeper into the turns as we went along. It was a good 2 hours more of riding before we stopped for lunch in Service Creek. It seems if you are a motorcylist riding along the John Day rider it is imperative to stop in Service Creek for lunch, the food is good and its a very relaxing place to be, if not a bit hot. I had no idea but the middle of Oregon is mostly high desert, and it gets very hot in the summer!
     
     
     
     
     

     

    We still had about 100 or so miles to go and I needed gas - I was on fumes actually not far from Service Creek I was worried about running out but we pushed on all the way to Prineville and I still had half a gallon left in there and was not in any trouble, but I did stop and fill up the tank along the way with my spare gas can I had stored in the side bag, turns out I did not need it at all! Oh well better safe then sorry.

    It was just another 30 minutes to Redmond - and there we fought over who (Didit, Craig, and I) about whos turn it was to sleep on the couch, (ME). I had the room all to myself in Couer d'Arlene so I got the couch this time.
     
     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     
     
     
     

     

    We walked over to a great little restaurant down the road and had a great time - my steak was good Madalinas Grill is the name of the place it was just up the road from the Hotel. Another Best Western but this time much better value! Then Didit and I took in a movie from across the street, shoot I cant even remember what movie it was? There was a very nice Moto Guzzi sitting across from the theater.
     
     
     
     
     

     

    So far the trip was turning out to be pretty good, as long as we left Didits bike headlights unplugged!
     
     
     
  20. HispanicSlammer
    http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/videos/491/black2011.mp4
     

    Most of the time I have known him Reddog and I have taken off on a run to the Black Canyon around fathers day, now that hes got an empty nest it seems we were on again for our annual 500 miler to the Black Canyon. This year we did it counter clockwise and headed up to Independence pass. I invited a number of folks but only three of us made it. Millertm my old buddy from work who now lives in New Mexico came up for the ride and to spend some time with his Dad who lives on the other side of Colorado Springs from me. Of course Reddog and I also.


    Breakfast at the Hungry Bear Woodland Park


    My server I work with her sister

    I met Mark (Millertm otherwise known as Mr Dude to the folks at work) and we had a scrumptious breakfast Eggs Benedict for me with Hollandaise sauce on top of ham eggs on a bed of toasted English muffins. It was good but rich very rich I finished it off in good style I don't normally eat breakfast but I was hungry. I work with a lady who sister works at the Hungry Bear and she always lambastes me for not stopping at the Hungry Bear when I am in Woodland Park.

    We had an uneventful ride up hwy 24 just some construction a the top near Wilkerson Pass nothing too crazy - lead duties switched up quite a bit everybody lead today and it was great it just sort of happened. The construction bunched up a huge line of cars and we had to endure the slow pace all the way down Wilkerson Pass to the flat valley below then we blasted them 2 at a time till we had open road. We stopped in Buena Vista for some Gas then again in Twin Lakes to pile on a few layers for the ride up Independence Pass its at 11k in elevation and already in Twin Lakes it was 50 degrees Bill said his temp gage was at 32f at the top. Mark lead the whole way up to the top and down. Bumpy but for the most part the pass was very clean it was nice.


    Twin Lakes nice little village


    Twin Lakes


    Twin Lakes Lake to the east


    Funny Sign Twin Lakes General Store


    Millertime La Plata Peak in the background

    Then I got waved ahead in Aspen, no stopping in Aspen and then we slabbed it over to Carbondale for gas and some lunch it took us a long time to get over to Aspen over the pass and we did stop at the top


    Reddog


    Millertm



    32 degrees at the top freaking cold up there


    Independence Pass


    Aspen to the west


    Reddog with the mountains in view


    Millertm and Reddog at the top of Independence Pass


    Independence Pass looking South

    We saw a few cops but none of them took any interest in us thank goodness, lunch was good Bill wanted to find a new place this year so we decided on Carbondale and it did not disappoint


    Lunch In Carbondale


    Red Rock Diner cool little joint in Carbondale CO

    Fat and Happy I was ready to rail McClure pass and the sweepers at the bottom to Paonia Reservoir they have a great road along the lake its nice and tight I was enjoying the pace and I had found a nice rhythm. Lots of gas stops cause Mark and I have small gas tanks. We could have gone further but the stops were welcome and it staved off any butt aches. It was funny cause I thought I was being a bit too cautious about my gas mileage but I was averaging 43mpg! It was a nice pace anyway but in the station at Crawford we saw a long line of cruisers pass on the way to the Black Canyon and I said to Bill "hey looks like we will have to pass some rolling pylons" we hung out longer and had something to drink hoping to get some distance between us and them but sure enough as we rolled to the start of the Black Canyon we caught them so I pulled off and put on my contour camera and we waited again. It was a good ride right up to Hermit Point where it really starts to get good them BAM smack into fresh chip seal! It was packed down but lots of loose chip floating around still and not swept off? So we pulled into the over look at Hermit Point and took pictures.


    Hermit Point taken with my droid


    San Juan Range


    San Juan Range


    Marrow Point Reservoir on the Gunnison River


    Millertm


    Hermit Point Hwy 92 on the Black Canyon of the Gunnison


    Reddog at Hermit Point


    Lots of bikes at Hermit Point too bad it was all new chip seal for the next 8 miles loose chip seal


    Hermit Point look at the paint shine on my veefalo


    We must have passed this goldwing 5 times stop start go again


    Hermit Point taken with my droid

    We caught and passed a Goldwing then we would stop and he would pass us, all the way from Carbondale we must have passed that guy 5 times! We waved and he was always good about letting us through.

    So Bill takes off into the loose chip seal and I am following Mark and we are both going slow so Bill gets ahead one turn, then 2 then soon hes a good half mile ahead and a dot, then he disappears. Then the chip seal clears and Mark is still in chip seal mode a bit so I passed him and railed the twisties trying to catch Bill, 8 miles of trying I finally catch him at the very end only cause he had slowed down. Man that was fun! I really enjoyed the Canyon even though they ruined 8 miles of it with half done chip seal, and too bad to cause there was a huge pile on the side of the road at the end too so its not done yet, maybe I will visit again in August but not till then its just a bit dangerous on that loose stuff. They should at minimum at least sweep the loose stuff, Ideal would be another layer of tar over the top but thats expensive. I hope they sweep it at least! Chip seal in the rain is great though!


    Hwy 92 in the process of chip sealing the entire length of the good stuff - might wait a couple of months to run this again


    Blue Mesa Damn


    Blue Mesa Reservoir

    Then we slabbed it over to Gunnison and had a few turns along the Blue Mesa that were fun, we were saving a run up Monarch Pass. Mark and I switched bikes up to Monarch cause he wanted to ride the veefalo - his bandit has an upgraded suspension and I had ridden it before, much tighter then before and more compliant, lots of power but the veefalo is faster and well just better in my opinion but I am biased, I am really starting to love my bike.

    Well anyway Mark got tired of getting passed by me and thought that if he got way ahead on Monarch he could hold us off, but Bill and I had other ideas and well it turned into a squid fest up the pass sort of half ass-ed racing, half pace since we were not really pinning the throttle much but it was a bit stupid. I had hella fun myself but thats me, I love to rail Monarch pass Bill said we were morons or some such thing when we stopped at the bottom "F'n crazy" he said. With a big smile! He has been trying to change his ways and well he got sucked into that. So we split off at Salida and Reddog went home to Woodland Park and Mark and I stopped for a steak at Quncys in Salida. I have been wanting to try this place forever but never had the chance and it did not disappoint it was great.


    Steaks in Salida! it was very good


    Dinner at Quincy's Salida Colorado we rode for 12 hrs 7am to 7pm when I got home

    Then Mark lead us home and slowed the pace way down cause was getting to be critter time, and we found them for sure. Deer on the side of the road, when the sun gets low in the sky the deer start moving and often times right into the road. It was relaxed but smart and Mark has much better eye site then me so he lead. Great Ride, Videos to follow later.


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  21. HispanicSlammer


    I began with a strip down of the basic plastic removal around 3am in the morning, I work nights anyway and well it is a quiet time for me with no interruptions from nosy family members! That took no time at all I am getting pretty good at removing the plastic.
































    Yes you have to remove all that just to get to the front spark plugs, lucky they use high mileage iridium spark plugs with a 30k lifetime so you are going to have to inspect the valves before hand before you have to replace them - I did that and they all looked fine. I had all of my exhaust valves just out of spec those are the rocker roller set, and one of the bucket under shim intakes was loose but still in spec. Just as I figured the roller rocker design would be more apt to be out of spec then the bucket under shims would be, just like the CRX dirt bikes! Its a simple elegant design, less rolling mass with only one cam shaft and the cam chain does not need a huge bend in it for a powerful cam chain tensioner this design uses a spring loaded bow tensioner instead of a massive punch design like the vtecs use.










    There are two marks on the timing cover I suppose its easier then the 4 I had on the old girl, you watch the cam shaft on the rear set for direction ques as you turn it to make sure the engine is in top dead center for the cylinder your inspecting all marked out in the manual but the manual has very small pictures for the cam shaft positions so its hard to read. I managed it though. They have 3 measurements for the Valve Clearance

    Exhaust Valves have a roller rocker design with a roller on one end and a screw driver and lock nut on the other with a square head for the driver. They were all out of spec all of them!

    The manual has two sets of measurements for the exhaust side

    Valve side with the lock nut 0.03 + or - 0,02 mm or (0.012 + or - 0.001 inches)
    Roller side 0.21 + or - 0.02 mm or (0.008 + or - 0.001 inches) my gap strips were in listed in both but came stepped up in inch sizes so I use the inch listings

    Intake side is the shim under bucket design

    0.16 + or - 0.003 or (0.006 + or - 0.001 inches) on one was loose at .007 but still in tolerance and most likely to go tight as it wears.















    Source: VFR1200F Valve Inspection
  22. HispanicSlammer
    The Old Spiral Highway at Lewiston Idaho on the WA/ID border
    The PNW 2010 was a great event, I really liked the venue, others did not as much. Two days $158 for the historic hotel wasnt so bad, no TV no Airconditioning was the only draw back but to be able to walk downstairs and get a growler of Ruby Ale was really a huge plus. I got very used to the Edgefield Inn Brew in a hurry! Dinners were good, the company was great, and the bed was so comfy I did not toss or turn at all just out like a lightbulb. Maddog and I pulled into the parking lot and there were already vfr's in the parking lot.

    Sparrow The first vfr I saw at the pnw 2010 meet

    McMenamins Edgefield Inn
    We had our fly by hosted by Didit and Choco gave us some route suggestions, I had not planned to ride on Saturday but TimandCass talked me into it and I said give me an hour to shower and get my gear on - (OK DIDIT hour and a half) and we were off. I had no idea I was holding up 10 people? Sorry about that guys I thought it was just gonna be a few of us! So Tim took us into the great Columbia River Gorge and it was awsome, never been there and never seen how spectacular it is before. America just keeps it commin! No shortage of wonderful motorcycling in the place!

    Veefer800Canuke Claims His Piece Of The Veefalo the front valve cap

    Pacific North West Meet 2010 Columbia River Gorge on the historic scenic Hwy 30

    CassandTim takes us down Historic Hwy 30 Scenes from the Vista house of the Columbia River Gorge

    Vista House On Historic Hwy 30

    Multnomah Falls On the East Crown Point Highway

    Rest Stop at Multnomah falls

    The Porsche Museum in Mosier
    It was here we stopped in Mosier to visit the Ice cream shop and Porsche Museum - a cool little roadside joint that is a tourist delight, great way to spend the day, then off to the famous Rowena Curves for some twisties. Tim gives us a few pointer about where its dangerous, and shares a story about a local rider who for some reason got into a scrape with a bycylist who thought that petals own the road and not motorcycles? The way I understood it the bicyclist pushed the motorcyclist off his bike while riding, for me it sounded like the motorcyclist was riding aggresivley and tried to pass the guy in a turn? I dont know about you but in a turn is no place to pass on the street especially a tight gravel strewn one such as the ones in Rowena so who is right who is wrong? Beats me I wasnt there and its all hear say so - anyway I was freaked about gravel in the turns so I just played it safe on the way down and took it slow, then rode it up a bit faster. I took a video of it below if you care to watch in HD or non hd (click the hd button to turn it off)

    http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/videos/491/rowena.mp4

    The Fameous Rowena Curves hwy 30 from Moiser to Rowena

    The vista at Mayer State Park just next to the Rowena Curves

    VFR's we all assaulted the Rowena Curves one by one
    I was definitly feeling the lag of riding 3 x 400 miles days so soon after working a 12 hour night shift. So After riding the Rowena Curves I told everybody I was heading back on the interstate to the hotel - I had noticed that the Gorge had formed a funnel effect on the wind and it was getting very very windy along the highway. One good thing about being socked in with overcast clouds, at least the wind is not so bad then? So I said goodby and headed west on the interstate. Wow pretty scenery along the interstate even but boy interstate riding sucks! I had no idea I was so far out at this point thinking it would be a half an hour or so to get back - wrong I was a good 70 miles in at this point and I had to just sit there and grind out he windy windy miles! Some jackass in a rice burner with a coffie can for an exaust blasted past me and shoved his car past me with maybe a foot of room to spare? Then he sat there in front of me at 55mph? So of course I backed off and got into the slow lane but rv afer rv after semi trailer forced me back behind him till I found some daylight and took off at 70mph - the posted speed limit! Rice burner did not like that and got like 3 feet behind me for about 2 miles till I had enough of that too. Then I thought I would see what a 1200 vfr could do on the interstate when you roll on the trottle. lets just say rice burner became very small in the mirrors till I ran up behind a semi, then I worked in between and around them and the mirror got very small again. Turn off in Troutdale and waited for like 10 mintues for a flunky to come pour my gas? Jebus I hate that stupid Oregon Gas bullshit! What a stupid law!
    I was getting hungry and I needed cash so I pulled into the safeway atm and saw a chinese resturant - its been months since I had chinese so I grabed some take out and put it in the top back and went back to the hotel for some lunch and an afternoon nap. Yes General Tao and Ruby Ale go together very well! Lights out and well I did not wake up till the vfrd get together was over. Darn it! I was really tired!
    I asked my friends Radar and Did it what was on the menu for the way home and it sounded very good so I attached a line to the back of Didit and hauled along with the Canadians into Idaho for two more days of great riding. We rode some interstate again and then turned off on the only bridge for miles across the Columbia, and into Washington. We took some remote back roads into Bickleton where they say is the oldest Saloon in Washington? Is it Washington or Oregon I have no idea I was just following along and enjoying the hell out of myself.

    The Oldest Saloon In Oregon

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    Then we had to slow it down cause some of us were running on fumes all they way along the north side of the Columbia into Payson were we found an unattended gas station - no frills to say the least, but it had real gas! No Flunky to pump it either for you leaving you standing there for 5 minutes waiting to get served. It was the complete opposite of Oregon so yea I guess Bikleton is in Washington! I remember seeing Jeff and Axle 7 wizz past the rest of us on the sweepers of hwy 142 up the pass and seeing those two 2 up was like watching art in motion they looked so smooth together. I had witnessed this once before a couple on the Cherehola skyway holding off Baileyrock at the orginal fall meet - that was on a Kawaski with a liter engine so I must say to ride that that together on an 800 with a bad shock well its some darned good riding! HEH I am not that fast - I am not sorry about it either good stuff Derric and Tammy look great on that "Tamgerine" color vfr!

    The only gas for 50 miles an unattended gas stop in Paterson WA
    Lunch in Umatilla at a mexican roadside resturant was awsome, wasnt expecting good mexican food so far north, it was like back home in the southwest - a tex mex type resturant for sure. Lots of food and almost too much, well it was too much actually. They treated us good. Then off into the amber waves of grain of Eastern Oregon again, on some more back roads.

    The Moon over Enterprise Oregon

    Enterprise OR
    It was an awsome day of riding and the next day was even better - we found a great road up to Lewston that opened up into a huge canyon and well it was a little hairy comming into it cause it looked like gravel all over the road in the trees but as soon as we rounded the turns into that canyon it got very very good.

    http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/videos/491/lewiston.mp4
    The day had only been an hour into it and we had already found some good stuff! A bit of slab from here into Lewsiston to ride the Old Spiral Hwy - a motorcycle destination mecca itself. I took more video there

    http://www.vfrdiscussion.com/forum/videos/491/spiralhwy.mp4
    The Old Spiral Highway

    The Canadian Crew and Me at the lookout on the Old Sprial Highway

    Axle7 Solo's the Spiral Highway
    Then we found some more great roads to go up after that, a great sweeper road just would appear out of nowhere and challenge you for a half an hour or so then scenery then into Coeure D'Alene we found a tight tight twisty road hwy 97 that hugged along the lake for 20 miles, it was deals gap tight and it plumb wore me out! I was done and rolled off a bit and let Jeff and Didit go on ahead - And I just slowed down and looked at the pretty houses and boats along the lake. 30 mph turn followed by 20 mph turn followed by 15mph turn all at 60mph just wore me out after 11 miles or so. Big bike I got here takes some muscle to do that stuff for 20 miles on mile 300 for the day. I just needed a rest so I took it. I always ride my own ride anyway so I dont much care if you pass or get on ahead, some days I am the guy who gets away some times I am the slow poke, sometimes in the same day its just sport touring with friends - tis all good!

    Tammy shows of her Muscles hamming it up
    They all had resevations at the motel already and it was all booked up so I had to go get a place a few blocks away and we walked to the resturant - blue moon brewery and it was good, spicy too and I was smitten with the waitress she was captivating to me! Oh well Apricot ale was good and the company was awsome, Tammy was cracking me up the whole night she was really allot of fun! No she is not shy! HEH Good times good riding I was having the best vacation I have had in a long time! The next day half of us would split off for Montana and the other half up North!

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  23. 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.
  24. HispanicSlammer
    The Kansas Crew Lined up in front of Pikes Peak Crystal Creek Reservoir
    It was a year in the planning, planning done by committe of which I was only involved in as the official route guide. In that I really must thank Didit, Radar, and Volsfan for thier work in getting this thing put together - the lions share done by Didit of course. I knew when I stood up and asked the Candians at the Kootenay Hootenany if they would be willing to ride to Colorado for a national meet sombody would jump on it, and Didit sure did! It was a great success and I enjoyed myself! It was really a big deal and thanks go out to the local guys and those few with trusty GPS units who served as ride leaders too. Not one accident, not one lost rider, one ticket though and a group got the sherrif warning but all in all a safe and fun rally in Dillion Colorado.
    My experience started at home in Colorado Springs where I would lead the flat land boys from Kansas Nebraska Oklahoma and Missouri to the top of Pikes Peak and into Dillion. We had some fun the night before at one of my favorite resturants in the Springs - its Craigs favorite place and the owners always treat us well so we thought we would take everybody there for a margarita and mexican food at La Unica in Old Colorado City.

    Waiting for road crews to finish work before heading to the top of Pikes Peak

    Devils Playground Pikes Peak Summit

    Colorado Springs Down Below Pikes Peak Cog Railway tracks in the foreground

    Lee2002 found his way to the summit sign

    Hoosier Pass Summit on the way to Dillion
    I did not take many pictures at the hotel, some members had much better cameras than I took care of that, lining up the bikes and getting shots with wide angle lenses and all. I just took some shots of my group and the ride out afterwards.

    The Scenic Group stops at the summit of Loveland Pass

    Loveland Pass Radars group stops at the overlook - you can see the chairlift from Arapaho Basin Ski Area

    Loveland Pass Punchy Rider scurries to get out of the shot - too late I got ya

    Historic Downtown Central City Opera House Yes that is a no parking area - we did not stay long

    Mount Meeker

    The Chapel on the Rock

    Waiting for somthing to eat at the Peak To Peak diner

    Rocky Mountain National Park from on top Rainbow Corner

    Mt Chiquita Yipsilion Mountain and Fairchild Mountain from Rainbow Corner

    Longs Peak Looms above Mt Wuh

    Me and the Big Piggy Baileyrock was out for the day on my vfr appearantly losing ingition key on some backroad somwhere

    Scenic Overlook

    Takeing a shot of Longs Peak

    Elk on the alpine tundra

    The Lava Cliffs

    Never Summer Mountains

    Our Last stop in Rocky Mountain National Park Trail Ridge Road the highest continuous road in the USA
    Dinner was great, everything except the food that is, people and beer is all I need really. I never foget a face but I will forget your name in 2 seconds flat if you dont repete it to me about a million times. So I learned a few, forgot alot and remember everybodies face! God help me putting together real names with forum names - thats a lost cause there!
    We had some good breakfast, Baileyrock didit Craig and Radar - we hiked up the dillion lake trail to some lodge joint up the road about a mile and were accosted by the waiter for asking for water, Craig pretty much got a smack down for that - in ski bum summer colorado punk style! It was clear this gig was not the waiters main thing! It was funny though and we made sure to let Craig know we thought it was funny. I was glad to have Baileyrock there since he had always been so gracious to me on my trips to Tennesse to go to the Texasmac for the last few years. Baileyrock was haveing a bit of fun with Didit over the last few weeks - egging him on pulling his leg and such, if you know BR you know he is just kidding. Them two together was a hoot - the back and forth half insults and jokes. Guys will be Guys no matter what border you cross.
    The Day before I took out a group and Baileyrock took out my VFR to go ride with Sfarson and the fast group and I guess my key wiggled out and got lost, so that ruined half of thier ride, running around looking for a lost vfr key. It was lucky they made it back to the hotel cause the gas cap was locked. Dutchinterceptor loaned me his bike and I went home and got my spare key. It took forever casue of the weekend traffic and I forgot my wallet on my desk and had to double back to get it. It was not fun untill I got some alone time on a part of Hoosier pass on the way back, I was rather comfortable on that VTEC at that point and let it rip a bit. Not my bike so I kept it sane.
    After the meet I was looking for somthing to do so I hooked up with didit and radar for a couple of days and rode with them down to the western slope on the southern end to go do the Black Canyon and the Million Dollar Highway and back into Telluride. We stopped in Montrose for a couple of nights and based out of there. The silver loop is what its called. We rode over Independence pass and had a fun time trying not to dump it on the loose chip seal, hate that stuff! I took some video but it seemes my battery packe for the helmet cams was comming unhooked and it was skipping parts. That was too bad cause when we started up McClure Pass a fellow on a KTM 990 dirtbike took off in front of us and we gave chase for 20 miles all the way down to Paonia Lake, where he turned off. That dude was fast and he had that thing leaned over as far as I could imagine those dual sport tires could go! 80 Plus in some of the tight sweepers he was holding me off pretty good, he stopped racing us near the lake and was acting like a ride leader by then cause well were all there right there! Pointing at road debris and giving hand signals, boy I wish my camera had caught it on tape! It was a blast and we gave him a salute when he turned off. Then we stopped in Paonia for lunch and then rode my favorite road in Colorado (of all time) hwy 92 into the Black Canyon. Didit said it was the hardest he had to work the whole ride from Canada. I am sure some of the roads he is riding now in California are that way too but hwy 92 is definitly there!

    Radar and Didit at the Golden Burro in Leadville

    Radar poses at the hairpin of Independence Pass

    10am at the top of Independence Pass

    Independence Pass the first switchback

    Mountain Boy Park

    Radar and Didit on the Black Canyon hwy 92

    Radar and Didit starting up Red Mountain Pass on the Million Dollar Highway 550

    Stopped on the way down to Silverton we stopped to let everybody we passed go by so we could do it again

    Lizard Head Pass a bit wet and slippery

    Lizard Head at 50mph

    Riding into the eye of a storm

    Sheep Mountain

    Yellow Mountain Radar

    Radar gets out ahead as I dig for my camera near Telluride
    [vid]109[/vid]
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