2008 Summer Journey

[Biff's R]

Colorado Springs is absolutely beautiful. It is hard to believe now, but at one time the Air Force Academy was #1 on my college list.

So the R doesn't like 12,000 ft elevations?

[GypsyRR]

You are right. CS is beautiful, but too congested, and especially bad now with vacationers. I'm staying away from the biggest tourist areas.

My RR would probably do better with altitude and snow with a proper tune up. I need to take a couple of days for maintenance issues for myself and machinery I'm traveling with. Plus, I need to do a weeks worth of work in 2-3 days, so I'll work while bike is checked and truck brakes are checked and trailer fitted with a spare. That will also give me a chance to have internet so I can get to the best parts of this report. So another installment coming soon (with actual ride report included)

[Sunbeemer]

Can't wait!

[GypsyRR]

Phantom Canyon, Colorado

After dropping off my daughter for her summer job in Colorado Springs, I ended up looking for a place to stay for the night. I had a tentative plan for the week, and knew I needed to be in the Canon City area for the first two days, so I headed out of Colorado Springs via State highway 115, which intersects SH 50 just east of Canon City (pronounced ‘canyon’). This is a nice short cut to 50 rather than having to straight south to Pueblo to pick up 50. The great scenery and twists and turns on 50 begin just west of Canon City anyway, so the shortcut is a valuable time saver. As I drove, I kept looking for any kind of sign that mentioned camping and perhaps if lucky ....... showers as well.



Driving along, almost to Canon City, I saw a sign signaling Phantom Canyon just a few miles ahead. I had remembered a friend of mine who lives in the area telling me about a great road through the canyon. Since it was early afternoon and I was ready to start my adventures, I decided to head that way and hope to find a campground.

Phantom Canyon road is actually 67. It runs north and south from SH 50 all the way to 24 near Woodland Park, Co, just outside of the Springs. However, there is approximately 25 miles of it traversing the canyon which are not paved. That was my destination.

Here is a google map link to the road:
Phantom Canyon Road

And here is what it looks like via satellite:



I pulled down 67 and found the first part to be very promising for a great ride. Now - all I need to do is find a campground~








I felt like I had just discovered some unknown secret road. No motorcycles on this road at all. Hardly a car even. As I headed further north on 67, I saw the sign I had been wanting to see: “Campground - with showers” YES!! The pavement gave way to a meandering one lane trail of red dirt which I followed for quite a while it seems. It was probably merely 2-3 miles, but you know how it is when you are trying to get somewhere; those miles go on forever!! Looking around me, I reminded myself that this looked like rattlesnake country, so “be careful and choose wisely.” Ha!!! The longer I am on my own on this trip, the more I find myself talking to myself. Not something I’ve had the pleasure of hearing before. However, I’ve decided I have some things worthwhile to say to myself, so I’m listening a little closer these days. (and laughing at myself a whole lot more as well).

Here is what I drove down to find the promised campground with showers.





I really would like to give the name of this campground, because it was absolutely perfect for me, but there is a story about my arrival there that I’d like to tell, and I’d hate for it to be coupled with the campground itself, because all in all, it did end up being a great place and one I would love to visit again.......... but maybe not the right time for me to do so. I’ll give the name of it later, because if you are ever in the area, you really would enjoy this canyon and this campground is a great staging place for rides in the area - especially with it’s showers and bathroom facilities,and the privacy at the tent sites is tops!

When I arrived in the F350 4x4 Diesel pickup with a tandem trailer and two bikes, I got a few stares. I suppose you’d expect a guy to step down from the rig instead of a woman in Capri pants and sandals. So it did cause some questions. Questions I have had to answer a few times on this trip - “Why are you traveling alone?” “Why do you need two bikes?” “Don’t you get scared by yourself?” “Why are you traveling alone?” and then “Why are you traveling alone?” Yes, periodically, I get that one more than once from the same person. Perhaps because I assume that unless I volunteer the information, it’s none of their business, and for safety reasons, I always like to leave open the possibility in their minds, that I don’t intend to be alone the whole way. My standard answer, when I don’t feel threatened or in a potentially bothersome situation, is: “because I can.” That usually stops further questioning. The two bikes with one person - me, driving a big truck by myself through the Rockies seems to be especially bothersome to the officials who take your money at National Park entrances. Unless I’m on my bike, when they look at the truck with 2 bikes on a trailer, they assume I must have some male stashed away somewhere, so I get quizzed a bit more in those situations. They certainly wouldn’t want to be cheated out of their additional $3.00-$10.00 entrance fee. And I certainly would not do so. Eventually, unable to produce a male amongst my belongings, they realize that some women really are capable of travel on their own. However, if they did actually ever produce a male adequate to travel with me, I would not complain, and would gladly pay his entrance fee into the park.

So - I pulled up to the office, a plain rectangular terra cotta colored building with many voices and chatter coming through the wooden screen door. I was greeted by a lady who apparently was running the campground for the day. I asked about a tent site, the facilities, the cost, and all other information I felt I needed to make a decision. By then, a couple of other women had joined her and a man about my age. They all had a familiar look, and sure enough it turns out that they are all related. There are so many related people around me by this time, that I feel like I must have walked into a family reunion. I did. But not theirs. The answers to my questions about the campground were sufficient for me to decide to stay. The women all turned to do their part in getting me registered, while the man stood and talked to me a bit about the bikes. He saw my cameras and we talked about photography. He had some photos of the moon and some photos of animals he wanted to show me later, and some drawings he had done, and some poetry and ................... pretty soon, one of the women called to him, “ ______, come back in here.” And off he went. Now - honestly, there didn’t seem to be anything wrong with ____ in my opinion. He seemed a little ‘country’ and maybe not well educated, but certainly nothing that should frighten me. So I was surprised and gradually became a bit worried as his aunt, then another aunt, and then his mother, and eventually an uncle all said to me at different times when he was not around, “Don’t be afraid of ______. He’s a bit retarded (their choice of word, not mine), but he won’t hurt you. He talks with a lisp, but he don’t mean you no harm.” The part about the lisp being thrown in there never made the connection in my mind about being retarded. I was kind of laughing on the inside, but also kind of wondering - ‘why would they think I would be afraid of him? Has he done things before that would make women afraid?” But, judging for myself, he was probably not retarded at all, and certainly did not seem to be a threat to me.



After giving them money for the nights I intended to stay, they directed me up a hill to where I would be able to camp - separate from the RV’s parked right near the pool and showers. “Way up there?” “Yes”. Hmmmmm. “Are there any other tenters up there?” “Well, there is a men’s group, but that’s all.” Hmmmmmm. I decided I’d let instinct lead when I got to the tent area. I mentioned that I could use some help getting the RR out of the chock later, if someone could come by. No problem. Later, ______ came by to help me unload the bikes. Still no hint that he was a dangerous person or even retarded. He was there only 5 minutes helping when a cousin showed up to oversee the situation and then to drive him back down the hill to the office area. I could tell by the way he helped unload bikes, that he was not lying when he mentioned he had grown up on bikes and worked on them many times. I was grateful for the help. And then they were gone. You are probably wondering if there ever is going to be a part in the story where their remarks about ____ proved true. Sorry. None. Their comments about him more odd than he was. The day I left, he did pull out a portfolio of things he had built, drawn or photographed. He was a gifted welder and builder. He was a pretty good artist as well, and he had collected enough in a portfolio that he had plans on approaching a publishing company with an idea of a coloring book from some of his drawings from Biblical stories. Whether or not he was retarded or had anything wrong with him, I could not tell. But at least he never felt judged as such by me. Sometimes people get labeled early in life, and it ends up being the people who should be giving the most support and encouragement who do the most damage in holding them back. I wish the best for him and his dreams.

The camping area was stark, and certainly rattlesnakes would love living in this area. But I didn’t intend on hanging around the campsite all day, just sleeping and eating there, so it was fine for me.



For added privacy from the ‘men’s group” across the way, I parked the bikes up close to my tent. It turned out they were a church group, and so probably nothing to fear. It was the drunk men from the family reunion that decided to camp 50 yards from me who concerned me more.





After setting up camp, I got on the RR and rode into Canon City about 11 miles away to get some gas before going into the canyon. When stopped, to fill up I noticed red final drive fluid covering the final drive, and splashed on my wheel - leaking from the vent cap. Great!!! All the talk and chatter on the forum about final drive failure came to my mind. I moved the bike away from the pumps after filling it, to clean it up and to assess what was happening.

The bike was running fine for those 11 miles. Not a true test, I know, but it seemed that if something tragic was happening, I would have known pretty soon. There was no foul smell (it seemed I had read somewhere that a foul smell indicated problems) and the fluid was fresh. It looked like it was merely an overflow, but I dont’ know enough about my bike yet to fully trust myself, and to go into a canyon alone on a bike which might be having a problem didn’t seem real wise. So I put out some emails or call or text messages to 3-4 people on the forum who have offered to give me mechanical advice if they can while I travel. Only one was available. My thought was that the altitude had caused some expansion of fluid from a recently filled final drive (by my dealership - who probably overfilled it) and that was why it was coming out the vent. That’s what it’s suppose to do, right? He agreed and sent me a link after a search on the forum that answered some of my questions as well. But in the meantime, I had help from 5 or 6 strangers, all who were very kind and helpful and had tons of knowledge about bikes - but none about the BMW. Every single one of them told me that the altitude would not do that to final drive fluid. I may be completely wrong here, but I looked at that fluid, felt that fluid, and it was certainly thinner and lighter than my toothpaste, and yet my toothpaste had undergone the same situation and made it’s way out the cap into my toiletry bag - so I don’t know why final drive fluid could not do the same - especially because there was a built in vent for it to do so. But they all assured me that cannot happen.

I needed help in two areas after being assured by a member of the forum that my assessment was probably correct and to just clean it up, remove some fluid, and go on my way with a watchful eye. The two areas: I needed help getting the bike on the center stand. A Honda owner helped with that. And I needed help getting the final drive fill cap off. Both required strength I did not have. Once the cap was off, this one guy just took the tool and started pushing final drive oil out onto the gas station’s drive area. I was embarrassed. I would have put down paper towels to catch the mess had I known. When the owner came out and saw the mess, the guy was already gone. I cleaned it up as well as I could, but did feel badly that it had happened that way. Here’s the mess that was left after I cleaned up the wheel, tire, and final drive and tried to wipe up the ground.



I got back on the bike, rode another 10 miles and no fluid showing. So I felt comfortable about heading into the canyon. But - it was starting to get late, and after a few miles, I realized I would probably want the DR to make this trip. But it was an incredible first taste of the fun to come the next day.

Heading into the canyon I started to see white flakes streaming toward me. I knew it was going to be cold that night, but it certainly wasn’t cold enough for snow yet!! I slowed to get a look - The Cottonwood trees were blooming - and these little white particles were everywhere I went for a while in Colorado. I tried to capture it with the little point and shoot - kind of cool.




Here’s my first view of the canyon before the road turns to dirt. I was so excited to have found this so easily. I never saw another bike on this road.



Since it was already late, I turned back just after three miles and headed to my campsite while it was still light.

Once back at the campground, and assessing the family reunion drinking binge going on as well as the promised drop in temperatures to 34 degrees and the news that there was a bear in the camp while I was gone - I decided that even though my tent was already set up - that perhaps tonight would be a good time to try out sleeping on the back seat of this truck. So I fixed myself some dinner - Beef Stroganoff MRE and made a ‘bed’ in the back seat. It got very cold that night, but I managed to stay warm enough - and safe. The bear was reported to have climbed into the back (bed) of a truck the next morning. I can imagine how scared I would have been had that been the truck I was sleeping in. The whole next day, different people working at the camp had a shotgun with rubber bullets always at the ready. That ought to make a bear really mad!!!


The next morning, as soon as the sun was up, I was ready to explore the canyon. But clouds moved in and rain seemed imminent. I readied the DR650 for a canyon ride and then waited to see if the clouds would move out. They didn’t. I rode into town to fill up the bike and check the pressure in the tires, hoping the clouds would move out. They didn’t. I went back to camp and waited. Still - the clouds lingered. Once in a while a small sprinkling of rain would fall, but never anything more. Finally I decided, if that is the only amount of rain, then I don’t need to fear a wash out in the canyon, so I headed off on the 650 for Phantom Canyon, just a mile up the road.




Around the first bend, two mule deer sprang from the creek on my right, bounding across the canyon dirt road, but the canyon wall stopped them. Rather than turning back to the creek, they instead kept looking for a place to up the canyon wall. And before I knew it, I was chasing mule deer down this canyon path. I don’t know what got into me. It just seemed like the right thing to do at them moment and certainly not something I would get to do very often.



A little further up the road, I saw this sign. It just seemed like something you would enjoy seeing.



So - now - some shots from the canyon. This road could be ridden on any of our BMW RR bikes or even the K bikes. But since I had not ridden it before, I was unsure what I would find, so I took my dual sport. Toward mile 14, the road gets a little more rocky, but nothing an RR could not handle. Cars travel this road. They have a length limit of 25’, but still, they are traveling this road often. I saw several cars - and most not 4WD, but never a motorcycle. Here are some scenes from the canyon. An incredible ride that I will do again when I’m back in that area the first of July. There are so many shots I took, it is hard to pick just a few. Every turn yielded another shot that I had to take.













There were two of these stone tunnels. Very cool.



(and because I have recently been accused again of not really being the person riding in these reports - here is an attempt at a self shot with the camera perched on the seat bag)



Here is what the road looks like when it starts to get a little rough as I was climbing up to around 8000 feet.



I had gone 16 miles on this road and the clouds were moving in when I saw this sign:





I decided to go a bit further just to see if it would ever turn to pavement, but by mile 18, it was still dirt and getting late, so I turned back shortly after crossing this cool bridge.




I look below at the road I had just ridden




So I turned back and just started riding and not taking as many photos. I was having a blast - almost too close to the edge a couple of times and that scared some sense into me - but not enough. I had come to a flat, more open area and started playing around on the 650 - something I should not do when alone in a canyon in the late afternoon with storms threatening. Lesson learned. But sliding to a stop was fun.



So then I decided sliding OUT of a stop - throwing some dirt on taking off would be even more fun. What was I thinking? This bike is too tall for me to let it spin out! And although certainly not as heavy as the RR, I found that I could not control the weight of it on the spin out, so it laid down while I stood standing trying to keep it upright. It wasn’t technically a “drop”, I just could not hold the bike up any longer in a leaning spin, and with one leg planted, I had to lay the bike down.



Trying to get it off the ground, was impossible for me. I tried every method taught and nothing was working for me. In fact, I pulled something in my back. Thankfully, I don’t have lower back problems, so I knew some anti-inflammatory and care the next day would have me feeling right again soon. But I did try for several minutes to get the bike up. No good. I was within minutes of pushing the ‘help’ or the 911 button on SPOT, but kept thinking I would see a car sooner or later as I had seen at least a dozen on my way up the mountain already. So I waited.



Eventually an older vacationing couple from Ontario arrived. He got the back end of the bike, I got the front end, and together we lifted it. While doing so another car arrived. This time it was a young couple from the area. How fortunate I was. Steve and Mary both rode bikes. He had a Ducati and a Yamaha dual sport. The 650 was flooded from laying on it’s side that long. Steve showed me how to open up the carbuerator and let out some of the gas, let in some air, wait a couple of minutes and voila - the 650 started right back up. But to make sure everything was going to be fine, they waited with me while I put the tail pack back on the bike and got my gear on - moving kind of slow because of my back. They didn’t mind at all when I asked if I could take the picture of those who had helped me.



To be sure I stayed safe, Steve and Mary drove behind me for a few miles to make sure I had no more trouble with the bike. None at all. In fact, there is not even a mark on the bike from the lay down. That’s the differnce between dirt and cement!!!!

Coming out of the canyon, the sun was setting and the canyon walls began to glow. I did not stop for many pictures on my way out, but I couldn’t pass up this shot of the sun lighting up the mountain rock wall in this photo.



That’s Steve and Mary taking off ahead of me now, once they saw me stopping for photos again. Thanks again to them and the couple from Ontario.



Back at the campsite, I knew my back was hurting pretty badly. I was not sure if I would stay there another day or not because I had plans to photograph a cowboy shoeing horses the next day. I feared if I waited till morning to load the bikes, my back would be too sore, so just in case, I loaded them that evening - sore back and all, and settled in for another cold night waiting for the Aleve to kick in. It took all of the next day of taking Aleve and alternating cold and heat, but by the evening, my back was fine again.





If interested in the name of the campground near Phantom Canyon, send me a PM. It really is a nice campground and I would readily recommend it to anyone. In fact, later on, I met a man who had hosted a group ride and they stayed at this very campground. And as I said earlier - although I took a dual sport on this road - it is completely doable on the RR, and really worth your time to do so. I found out when I returned to the campground that once I saw the sign stating 16 more miles to Victor, that there was actually only 5 more miles of dirt road before I would hit some nice pavement. I just didn’t go far enough. A nice loop would be 67 to Cripple Creek, then 102 west to Guffey (story of that place coming up soon), or you could take 11 west (Gold Belt Scenic Historic Byway), until you hit 9. 102 also runs into 9. Go south on 9 to Canon City, then east on 50 back to 67. Only 22 miles would be dirt, the rest is wonderful paved winding, twisting mountain roads, with interesting towns along the way - as well as interesting people.


More to come of more roads in Colorado. Next - Highway 50 to Montrose, Colorado and the Black Canyon on the R1150R.

[Dr. Strangelove]

To your usual high standards. thank you

because I have recently been accused again of not really being the person riding in these reports

Is it so threatening that a woman can do this?

They need to get a life and, failing that, should vicariously enjoy yours.

Illigitimi non corborundum est, Gypsy.

Ride on and be safe

JOhn

[1MPH]

+1 with what the Dr. said Gypsy.
Nice write up and pictures. Thanks for taking the time to post.
Glad your back is okay. Nothing to fool around with.
Looking forward to rest of adventure.

[Max Continuous]

Gypsy

I always enjoy and appreciate your writing. Thanks so much for taking the time.

Paul

[Sunbeemer]

WOW!
That has to be the coolest road I've ever seen (and great pictures of it BTW:>)
Thanks for posting again. We're staying tuned for your future adventures.
And please be careful out there!

Up on Cripple Creek, she sends me...
If I spring a leak, she mends me...
A drunkards dream if I ever did see one.


Edited:
Good Golly Miss Molly,
I Heard it Through the Grapevine from a
Fortunate Son who may have been
Born on the Bayou
that this song is actually by The Band

Sorry for the miscredit. It must have been A Bad Moon Rising...

Before You Accuse Me, thanks Doc, for Looking Out My Back Door
As Long as I Can See the Light.

Now, Who'll Stop the Rain?

[GypsyRR]

"Up On Cripple Creek" - by the Band, huh? I know Bob Dylan mentions it in a song on his Bootleg Series. But other than the famous folks, I was first introduced to Cripple Creek as a young child.

While growing up in Kansas, my grandfather would take us to Colorado each summer. He would rent one or two cabins, depending on size, and we would spend time in a different area each summer while we were young. Once my older siblings became teenagers, that ended. So being the youngest, I got short changed on the Colorado Vacations, I think. I'm making up for lost time now!!!

Cripple Creek is ahead in my journey though.

Catching up: so after packing up one morning from my stay in the campground in Phantom Canyon, I decided to head west. I had heard that the Black Canyon in Montrose was suppose to be absolutely beautiful, and so I wanted to see it. I needed to download some photos to my external hard drive first, however, so that required stop by the camp office for electricity and some wifi to check email. It was 2:30 before I got away from there!!! Taking US 50 from Canon City all the way to Montrose was going to have to be a non-stop, don't you dare stop for photos kind of trip if I wanted to arrive before dark.



So I finished up at Indian Springs, said my good-byes, and I was off - to the west.

My first stop was 11 miles away in Canon City (pronounced 'canyon'), for cell service to return calls, and ice for my cooler. Canon City is a nice town. It use to serve as a place for people heading out for the Colorado Gold Rush's to stock up before plunging into the wilderness areas around it. Canon City makes a good base area if you want to ride many of the great roads of Colorado and/or fish some of the great trout waters in that area. It is also a big prison town. There are prisons everywhere in that area, for some reason. I think I saw more prisons in Freemont County during my short time traveling through there, then I have ever seen in total in my life. Okay - an exaggeration, but they do have a hefty lot of prisoners there!!

Once I had ice, gas, and calls returned, I head west on US 50, one of the famous coast to coast highways of the US. There are few places to pull over on this canyon road for the first 50-60 miles. There is constant traffic at most times of the day and days of the week, and many of them are white water rafting companies carrying their rafts or shuttling people to sites to put in. So........ because of that and because I was trying to arrive in Montrose before dark, most of the photos are road shots. But the canyon is so narrow at points, that a simple road shot covers the canyon area!!!

Before getting too far out of Canon City, you come to the Royal Gorge tourist area. I typically stay away from tourist areas, but the Gorge had a nostalgic call and so I wandered that way for a peek. My dad tells me I saw this a couple of times as a kid, but being the youngest of the litter, I just don't remember it. I probably had fallen asleep in the car and was left behind while they went on the tour!!!

That is one long, high bridge!!!







I didn't stay long. Just long enough to say I had been there again for my father to be satisfied, and then I moved on toward Salida, Co.

Along US 50, the Arkansas River is running fast. This area draws many whitewater tourists. You will see many rafts floating down the Arkansas River during the summers in Colorado. If you can see their faces during some fast water - it's worth the time to try to pull off and watch a bit. I didn't catch their faces in this photo and didn't have time to wait either. I needed to get back on the road because not only was there mountain passes with which to contend, but there was also road repair work along 50 before Salida.






Here are looks at the great ride this road affords a motorcyclist.















Eventually the canyon opens to a valley, and agricultural and livestock areas appeara. It too is very beautiful.



About the time it flattened out for me, I was sitting in a long que waiting my turn at the one lane road caused by road repair. I think the road repair went for 7-8 miles, and I was behind a string of 10-12 cars.

Once I got to the other side of Salida, though, things opened up for me and I was on my way to Monarch Pass. Brrrrrrrr.



The Aspen groves were fully green and the rustling of their leaves in mountain breezes sounded like chimes to my ears.





When I got to the top of Monarch Pass, the temperature registered 51 degrees F. Quite a change from the 107, I had noted when I rolled into Midland, Texas a few days earlier!!!!! I was reaching in the back seat to find my BMW jacket quick!!!




Once you start the descent, things look greener and the temperatures feel cooler than on the eastern side of the pass. I was amazed by the shades of green.








At the bottom of the pass, I noticed a stream 'snaking' through a valley. It looked like perfect trout water, and I needed to check it out. I pulled to a side road and found myself on a road to White Pine, which I believe is a ghost town; previously a gold rush town. This was a beautiful valley and wonderful short road - perfect for riding on a late afternoon!!














It was absolutely stunning. The road ended at this coral, and so I had to turn around and head back out. But, the nice thing about mountain roads is that they always look completely different when you go the opposite direction. So..... more scenery treats on the way out!





Once closer to Gunnison, the valley enlarged and farmland appeared. I liked this area of Colorado the best so far.










By the time I reached Gunnison, it was 8:20 and I needed a break and some gas. My intent was to be able to visit the Black Canyon of the Gunnison the next morning. The temperatures on this side of the continental divide seemed to be a bit cooler. That meant, if I stayed in Gunnison for the night, that in the morning, I would be too cold to ride the next 70 miles to the canyon and I would end up wasting a half a day waiting for the weather to warm. I decided to push on to Montrose, knowing that it was unlikely that I would find a place to camp in the dark and so I would start looking for a motel room once I saw the city lights. That would give me a warm and early start to see the canyon.

I drove the next 60-70 miles of mountain roads in the dark. I could tell I was missing some pretty incredible scenery though, so I vowed to come back through that area during the daytime just to see it.

I finally arrived in Montrose about 10:00 p.m. There seemed to be plenty of motels. Now - just need to pick one that looks safe. I went up and down the street a couple of times and finally came to a stop at one that had a police car sitting in the parking lot. That looked like a safe place for me to spend the night! So I checked in, and I was so excited to have electricity and running water and heat all in a room after a week in a tent, that it was hard to fall asleep............ the first 3 minutes.

Next - the Black Canyon and the sights between Montrose and Gunnison.

[NAIAD]

Just a short note to give a heartfelt thanks for posting such a terrific travelogue with such excellent photography along the way...in one of your pm's to me you made a comment about how much you might have liked having a career like the one I'd had in Forestry. I have to tell you that I'm highly envious of your chosen path...very creative way you are enjoying the experience of your life. Not waiting like so many others do for fun things to come along.

I'm particularly enjoying your travel through the high country of the Rockies! I've had 9 heart surgeries and just can't contend with those high mountain pass elevations anymore. And unfortunately, never took the time to visit there while I was still able to do so. Oh well, I am still around to enjoy my grandson, so not a lot of regrets!

Now...a little factoid? Why do those Quakies (species "Populus tremuloides") Quake? Next time your near a grove, stop and take a close look...and if you look closely enough you will probably notice that ALL of the leaf stems are flat, rather than round like most deciduous tree leaves. And that those flat stem surfaces are all oriented perpendicular to the leaf surfaces. So, in any sort of breeze, there's always a flat surface to catch the wind to make the leaves tremble. Some dendrologists believe it's an adaptation for a broad leaf tree to successfully compete in sunny high elevations, too much direct sun would tend to cause the leaves to dry out...I think they're probably right, the trembling allows them to gain sunlight but dump excess heat...but it's a pretty smart design, doncha think!?!?

Meanwhile, take care to not let that 650 fall over again, okay? And keep up the good work, or play, or whatever ya'll call it!

Thanks muchly!
Bill J

PS. Hope you're not seeing to many of those darn snakes!

[wncbmw]

Excellent report and pictures as usual! I am especially interested in this part of the country, since when my son returns from the sandbox, his entire division is relocating to Fort Carson, Colorado, south of Colorado Springs. Should make for some more interesting visits than Kileen, Texas! (No offense to Texans)

Might even call for a bike trip visit!

[Dr. Strangelove]

Some of us are old enough and were off drugs long enough to remember this

Up on Cripple Creek
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“Up on Cripple Creek”
Single by The Band
from the album The Band
Released 1970
Recorded 1969
Genre Rock
Length 04:30
Label Capitol Records

"Up on Cripple Creek" is the 5th song on The Band's eponymous second album, The Band. It was released as a single and reached #25 on the Billboard pop chart.[1] The song seems to refer to Cripple Creek in Colorado, which has been associated with mining lore since a gold rush in the 1890's. "Up on Cripple Creek" was written by Band guitarist and principal songwriter Robbie Robertson, with drummer Levon Helm singing lead vocal.

A live performance of "Up on Cripple Creek" appears in The Band's live concert film The Last Waltz, as well as on the accompanying soundtrack album. In addition, a live version of the song appears on Before The Flood; a live album of The Band's various concerts and shows with Bob Dylan whilst touring together in 1974.


And for fans of live perfomrances The Band's "The Last Waltz" is a keeper. Directed by Jonathan Demme, I think. He also did the Talking Heads's "Stop Making Sense," which was just as good and well done.

Continuing very fine report, Gypsy. Look forward to the next??

John

[Sunbeemer]

Wow Doc, I could barely remember some of the words! I thought Dylan sang this too, but then thought I must've imagined it...

Anyway, Gypsy, thank you! That is wonderful scouting for us vicarious mountain riders. I drove the "Million Dollar Highway" (I think that's the name for SR550) between Ouray and Silverton several years back, at night, and remember thinking the same thing, "I must be missing some gorgeous views!" All I could see was inky void on a newly tarred, unstriped, 2-lane, without guardrails. I vowed to go back to see it in daylight and haven't yet, but...your report is stirring me! Keep 'em coming!

It seems the nicest roads are the ones I've been lost on...the problem is I can't find my way back to them!

[taosports]

Gypsy...you tease us with a photo of a splashing fish, and then photos of that beautiful looking trout water.

Don't tease us like that!!! Where are the flyfishing pics and stories???

I know you have them.

Can you tell it's been way too long since I've fished myself?

[Biff's R]

Gypsy, I will trade you summer trips. Mine are long weekends.

I won't camp in Canon City, since my brother in law lives there. I guess I need to take him up on the open invitation.

[GypsyRR]

Gypsy...you tease us with a photo of a splashing fish, and then photos of that beautiful looking trout water.

Don't tease us like that!!! Where are the flyfishing pics and stories???

I know you have them.

Can you tell it's been way too long since I've fished myself?

Michael - I swear they are coming. It takes time. I went completely camera happy when I got here. I'm scenery challenged in Houston, so I can't stop myself. I need a support group!! So consequently, I have way too many photos to cull, and then there is the painful time consuming job of uploading to Photobucket. But there will be fishing photos coming, I promise. And isn't that bowing river incredible??? But Colorado and Montana both have so much privatized waters and so many regulations. I'll be happy when I get to Wyoming and the regulations are not so difficult to figure out and the waters are more open. If they can just keep you Californians and the Texans from buying up everything and then privatizing it!!! (btw, I think they still prefer a Texan over a Californian up there. But not so in Colorado!!!)

Gypsy, I will trade you summer trips. Mine are long weekends.

I won't camp in Canon City, since my brother in law lives there. I guess I need to take him up on the open invitation.

HA ha ha. I thought you meant you would not go to Canon City, because your brother in law lives there. You just mean you can't camp, right? You do need to take him up on it. But take a bike with you!!!

Having so much time to think these days, I'm thinking about hosting a ride in Colorado next summer. Any takers?


And - a side note. I have had to take a short detour from my plan this summer. A health problem, and some other issues I needed to deal with caused me to have to return to Houston this weekend for a short time. I'm back on the road in two weeks and will be traveling through NM, AZ, UT (or Colorado again, haven't decided) and then on to Wyoming and then returning to Houston around mid-August.

But, I'll have access to internet now, and will be able to roll out the rest of the reports of my time up there so far, pretty quickly.

Came across this one today.

[GypsyRR]

The Black Canyon

Once I arrived at the motel in Montrose, before getting too settled in my room, I went ahead and loosened the straps on the bikes so the shocks and forks would “relax” from the stress of the straps. Once the bikes were loosened and the trailer was secured, I went to my room. I was fast asleep by the time my head hit the pillow; anxious for tomorrow to begin.


I woke early, because I wanted an early start to avoid mid day sun in the canyon. But also because I needed to keep my eye open for an able soul to help me get the RR out of the chock. Still a problem. Even when I let gravity work with me, I’m just not strong enough to yank that beast free from the grip of the chock! So while I was loading the bike and loading my bags into the truck, I kept an eye open for anyone who looked like they would be of some help. Finally, a Sysco truck drove up to deliver to the restaurant on the property. As soon as he was done with his delivery, I asked if he could help me, and he gladly agreed. All I need is for someone to stand in front of the RR and push against the forks while I yank back while seated on the bike. That breaks the grip and drops the back part of “the cage” and I can take it from there. I’ve not had anyone say ‘no’ yet, so it’s working out okay.

I finished loading some cameras, water, and snacks in the tail pack, and headed out. I was on my way!!!


Heading to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.










Once inside the park from the Eastern Portal, you have two choices: Right - a 16% grade 5 mile descent to the Gunnison River, or Left - a ride around the rim of the Black Canyon with 12 overlooks. Quoting Norman McLean’s book A River Run’s Through It, “I am haunted by waters”, so I headed down to the Gunnison first! The road was fantastic. Steep, scenic, tight twists, and vacant with plenty of pull outs for more views. But the pull outs were gravel or just grassy areas and steep with severe drop offs. Got a little too close at one point, and this is not the place to drop a BMW! Here’s some views of the ride down and a look at the Gunnison from above.

First, a beautiful field with Lupine blooming with the canyon in the distance. They look like Texas Bluebonnets to me.







And now the descent














Reaching the bottom of the canyon and seeing the mighty Gunnison was a treat. I saw a 1200 GS parked near the river. I hoped that the person I saw fly fishing, also owned the GS. A great combo: fishing and riding! (that report coming soon). I sat and had a healthy snack: Nutter Butter cookies and a coke. Then I headed back up the narrow steep road, on my way to the other side to ride the rim of the canyon and take a look over the edge.

The experience I had when I saw the canyon for the first time is unlike anything I have experienced in nature before. Perhaps it was a culmination of a few events, but it was definitely unique. I am a avid seeker and spectator of the glories of nature, but this one encounter on the eve of my birthday with the Black Canyon impacted me so instantaneously and powerfully, that I was overcome. I’ve seen a lot of things in nature in varied landscapes of countries over the past few years, and I’ve had many wonderful opportunities to be right in the center of ‘the wild.’ But never has there been a time when grandeur in nature ‘took my breath away.’ However, when I parked my bike.............




.............and walked to the edge of the Black Canyon......... not even the Grand Canyon, just one of the smaller canyons in North America......... when I walked to the edge to see the canyon, it actually DID take my breath away. There was an audible gasp for air, as I tried to catch the breath that escaped me when I saw the sheer expansiveness and incomprehensible magnitude of such a stunning chasm. I will never forget that experience. Later I realized why it caught me off guard. When I tried to photograph it, the untenable dimensions of it could not succumb nor limit itself to mortal mind or equipment. A canyon such as this and the Grand Canyon cannot be adequately photographed. How can the finite capture and cage within pixels something so infinite within space and dimension? The depth and breadth and intricacies and crevices cannot be perceived in the two dimensions of photography. Words cannot describe and photos cannot adequately convey the splendor and majesty of a canyon like that. Perspective is lost. Comprehension is stilted. And I was undone.

The Black Canyon is one of the steepest, darkest, and most rugged of canyons in the US. At places, the canyon is only 1500 feet across, yet it’s depth reaches over 2000 feet. The narrow gorge walls are illuminated by sunlight for only a short time. The jagged, ageless and menacing rocks which form the narrow gorge walls mock our mortality. Who was I, celebrating an inconsequential birthday, in the presence of the ancient who celebrates eons as well as milliseconds with every passing molecule of water from the Gunnison that collapses against it’s igneous ebony walls?

In breathless gaze, I stood before a great teacher. The canyon left me feeling helplessly inadequate and shamefully unprepared to even view such wonder. I was hopelessly and frightfully small in comparison to it’s majesty. I had been beaten, and I KNEW IT. I am a speck of dust compared to the vastness of a canyon. I am as fleeting as a vapor. I hold no glory within my frailty. All the confidence I had been building over the past couple of years crumbled on the edge of the canyon, cascading below into that abysmal ravine with an echoing and reminding crash. Standing there, so small, so vulnerable, so “unmajestic,” my perspective which had become somewhat askew, was set right again concerning myself........ This caliginous canyon was reminding me that I am not as strong, not as confident, not as prepared, not as smart, not as lucky, not as good, not as right, not as sufficient, not as clever, not as able, not as interesting, not as fearless, not as astute, not as wise, not as independent, and not as whole as I think I am. I am but an insignificant speck and a fragile vapor in the universe. A universe that does not even revolve around me.

Yet instead of leaving me feeling depressed and immobilized in insignificance, I felt enlightened and empowered by this understanding and renewed wisdom. The stronger I become, the more I realize how weak I really am. And yet, the more I realize my weakness, more strength I gain. The more I learn, the more I realize I have not learned enough. And yet, the more I know that I don’t know, the more wisdom I acquire. The more courage I gain, the more I recognize true fear. And yet the more I face fear and danger, the more courageous I become. This - I learned when I peered over the edge of a deep dark black canyon and had my breath taken away by it’s greatness.

The photos I took of the canyon are inadequate. I should have done better. I couldn’t. They remind me of the lessons I learned there on the eve of my birthday. Humbly, I share a few.














Leaving the Black Canyon of the Gunnison





After riding the rim on the eastern portal, I rode my BMW RR back to the motel in Montrose where the truck and trailer were parked. Rather than staying another night, I sensed I needed to move on. I loaded up the bike, tighten the straps on both of them, took a shower, and then readied the trailer to leave Montrose and head to Gunnison. However, as I was doing my double check on the trailer, a migraine headache set in, and my departure was delayed until the aura left and my vision restored. I finally pulled out of Montrose around 2:30 p.m.

[mnnden]

Gypsy, Just Great, I think you should shop around for a publisher, I think there is a book in the making, Thanks for sharing Den

[Sunbeemer]

In breathless gaze, I stood before a great teacher. The canyon left me feeling helplessly inadequate and shamefully unprepared to even view such wonder. I was hopelessly, frightfully and unashamedly small in comparison to it’s greatness. I had been beaten, and I KNEW IT. I am a speck of dust compared to the vastness of a canyon. All the confidence I had been building over the past couple of years crumbled on the edge of the black canyon and tumbled below with resounding crashes in that abysmal ravine. Standing there, so small, so vulnerable, so “unmajestic,” my perspective which had become somewhat askew, was set right again concerning myself........ This caliginous canyon was reminding me that I am not as strong, not as confident, not as prepared, not as smart, not as lucky, not as good, not as right, not as sufficient, not as clever, not as able, not as interesting, not as fearless, not as astute, not as wise, not as independent, and not as whole as I think I am. I am but a speck in the universe. A universe that does not revolve around me.

Yet instead of leaving me feeling depressed and immobilized in insignificance, I felt enlightened and empowered by this knowledge and renewed wisdom. The stronger I become, the more I realize how weak I really am. The more I learn, the more I realize I have not learned enough. The more courage I gain, the more I recognize true fear. This - I learned when I peered over the edge of a deep dark black canyon and had my breath taken away in the presence of such greatness.

That is a fine piece of wordsmithing worthy of a novel! I relate to it empathically by substituting the word "ocean" for "canyon"!

Wonderful pictures, but having been there too, I agree, they can't possibly bring the dimension of that gorge to reality.
It is deep, man (in the vernacular of the '60's)

And I'm sure we all join in wishing you a very, very

HAPPY BIRTHDAY GYPSYRR

May you continue to grow, and never grow up!

Here is my birthday present to you:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k4MPyX0Q ... re=related
Step by step: http://www.pinkribbonrides.com/dropped.html
Another view: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sP3cqKb ... re=related

Not recommended: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T7Np6yL ... re=related
(It makes my back sore just watching her lift that way!)
Or you can do it Georgia's way...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPjYweKeiLk

[GypsyRR]

HAHAHAA - thank you Rich. I needed that!

Den:

Actually, I do have a publisher I'm in communication with now, and am working on a project to present to them. I'm going to clean up this writing and then send it to them for possible publication in one of their magazines first. If they are happy, I will write several articles over the next few months for a compilation work. After reading what I wrote so late last night I saw some incongruities and things I didn't like. But, as long as it is written, I will continually want to re-write it. That's just the nature of writing. I did clean it up a bit though and will work on it even more over the next few days

Thanks for reading, and thank you mostly for the encouragement. I have more roads to show you guys from Colorado and more to tell. And there are those trout I've promised.....


But for now, let me continue where I left off:


This day, on the eve of my XXth birthday, I was heading to Gunnison after being transformed by a marvelous canyon, to spend a night and day just resting and making the day wait on me. I was still nursing a migraine somewhat, and yet I was anxious to see in daylight all I had seen in silhouette against the moonlit night when I passed this way less than 24 hours earlier.

I took US 50 back to Gunnison. I had passed through Gunnison the night before and thought it looked like a comfortable town and probably a good place to spend the day catching up on rest and just sitting back and enjoying growing another year older. Yeah, right!!! It’s funny how we grow a year older all in one day! That’s how it feels to me, anyway. I’ve tried to ignore my birthday annually since I turned 16. I remember crying on that birthday because it seemed life was fleeting and I was not ready for days to pass so quickly. I guess a sense of urgency for living has always been with me. It’s a gift, really. No day slips by me without an awareness that it is packed with possibilities. And so I live expectantly.


The road from Montrose to Gunnison is full of contrasts and is breathtakingly beautiful.
US 50 winds through landscapes of buttes, woodlands, grasslands, and reservoirs in the 64 miles between the two cities. There is a steady flow of traffic, but not to a point of hindrance and it is quickly dismissed when you see sights like this




In this interactive map, you can see the varied terrain as US 50 passes by both Morrow Point Reservoir and Blue Mesa Reservoir following the Gunnison River. The link is here: US 50 between Montrose and Gunnison

Here’s some of the varied and colorful landscape along the way:



















I pulled into the first motel I saw in Gunnison, the Roadway Inn on the west side of town, and after getting my key, I was in a room on the far south end and collapsed on the bed. Migraines wipe me out. Plus the hurried pace I kept while in the canyon, and the limited sleep from the night before contributed to my desire to do nothing more than stay in bed the rest of the day. Perhaps I’d at least look at the map again to see the big loop south of Gunnison that I had my heart set on riding the next day. But for now - I was just going to take something for my headache and enjoy the rest of my day and night doing nothing but relaxing, knowing there was no place I had to be, no tent that needed to be set up, not bike to load or unload, no camp to strike, no emails to send, no work to finish, not even photos to download. I was totally carefree for the rest of the day and night, and it felt great!!! Really great!

I woke the next morning at ??:?? o’clock. I have no idea. I unplugged the clock, and left the curtains drawn. I just woke when I was done sleeping. But when I walked outside, it was cold. This side of Colorado seemed colder to me. I liked this side of the divide best, but it seemed to be cooler in the mornings than on the eastern side. Perhaps it was just a weather pattern for that week, but the cool air kept me from riding early in the mornings since I did not have adequate gear for weather below 50 degrees. In actuality, I probably did have adequate gear, but not for a body that is not use to weather below 70 degrees!!!


Here is the loop I wanted to ride today:




Or here is an interactive map of the same area: 114/149 Gunnison Loop

250 miles of smiles, I’m sure. Gradually, as the sun started to warm things to 50 degrees, I started to move about. I’m just not use to weather this cold!!! I was interested in this route because it went through the town of Creede, Colorado. The last vacation I took with my parents and grandparents was to a cabin in that area. I think I had a cousin who owned the grocery store and a couple of other stores in Creede back then. I had good memories of the big cabin we stayed in, and of catching rainbow trout on gold spoons in the waters just west of Creede. Although everyone else tried, I was the only one catching fish!!! Even when I stopped fishing and gave my rod/reel to another family member, they could not catch the fish! I knew then I was destined to fish the rest of my life!!! So I was anxious to see the area again and perhaps try fly fishing those same waters. That’s not my earliest memory of fishing, but it is one of the earliest.

I loaded up my bike with the usual - camera, water, snacks, extra fleece if needed, rain gear .......................





.........................and headed first to a motorcycle dealership I had seen on my way through the night before. KTM, Yamaha, Kawa, Honda, etc - on the west side of town on the north side of US 50. I needed warmer gloves than what I had brought or perhaps some glove liners. As usual, the stock for women my size was nil. I ended up just buying a pair of liners - the smallest they had (M), and hoped my heated grips along with these liners would help on this cool cloudy morning in the Rockies.

I had lost most of the morning just chillin’ (literally), and I was cold, so I thought maybe only part of the 5-6 hour loop would be feasible for today.


gotta quit now (i’m tired).