Colorado with The Eldest

 My oldest son, Will, has purchased a new-to-him Yamaha FJR and suggests we go for a ride/trip. 

So we map out a weeklong ride in Colorado. This might become an annual thing as it was just two years ago we had a very nice ride down to Acomo Pueblo in New Mexico with Will on a different bike.

( https://2mbstonestravels.blogspot.com/2019/08/acoma-pueblo-1.html )

So...bikes are packed, riders are prepped and READY to go.

Finally departure day arrives! We head out on a warm Wednesday morning and point our bikes toward Steamboat Springs, Colorado. 

We will be staying in lodging with a kitchen....so it will be "home cooking" as opposed to eating out. I prefer to either cook my own food or know the person who cooks it so I'm good with that! I did take a cooking class a few years ago, unfortunately I don't think I learned a whole-heck-of-alot.....

Stopping for lunch near Vernal, Utah Will found a playground to work out the kinks of a long ride....

We arrive at Steamboat Springs where we will stay for three days. 

Unfortunately our ride plan needed tweaking as the roads on our list are still closed from winter snows....no big deal it is easy to find other roads to ride.

And the first road we found is north over Rabbit Ears Pass;

but first we hike up to Fish Creek Falls near Steamboat...

Then we ride the C14 from Steamboat over Rabbit Ears Pass, and on to the small town of  Walden. Walden bills itself as, 

"The Moose Viewing Capital of Colorado"

And sure enough a few miles later we saw a moose, then a bit later two more. 

There are plenty of other wildlife to view in and near Walden as well.

For our second day ride out of Steamboat we go south on C131 toward Leadville, making a stop on the way in the tiny town of Red Cliff to take a picture of  this bridge on the road leading out of town...

Then we make it to Leadville where we stop for lunch.

returning to the condo we ride north-ish on C91 and C9 to Kremmling where we take advantage of a photo-op with a mini Lady Liberty

The third day was a no pix day as we re-located to Pagosa Springs.

Our first day ride out of Pagosa was to Taos, New Mexico. 

We stopped on the way into town at the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge

Then into town where Will made a new friend.....

Near the town square..

We also stopped for a moment to look at the Eco friendly "Earthships" near Taos.

I had hoped to get 12 to 15 thousand miles out of my front tire, but it kind of melted away much faster than anticipated and after just 10,000 miles I had to get a replacement tire.

Moto-Cafe in Durango came through for me in a big way. He charged me a very fair price and had the tire mounted and ready to ride in about an hour.... THANK YOU Moto-Cafe!!!

Plus....his shop is right at the foot of the Million Dollar highway so, new tire mounted, we rode up to Silverton

where the "Christ of the mines" sits above the town on the Anvil Mt. The road getting there is dirt and a bit gnarly, but Will's "Adventure touring" FJR handled the climb with aplomb!

We grabbed some lunch in Silverton then rode back to Pagosa Springs.

The Coal Bank has a great Philly Cheese Steak!

And then it was time to head for our homes. After 7 days of excellent riding we point our bikes northwest.

Stopping at this tourist shop I met a very pretty young lady named, "Bean".... She told me her Dad is coming to Colorado to ride and asked for some suggestions for good roads. Somewhat distracted by the afore mentioned Bean, I mumbled through some suggestions and Will added a couple more...then we left.  I hope we helped.

A quick stop in Green River, Utah for dinner and then back on the road. We arrived at our homes after 540 miles of mostly good riding (a little freeway).

All in all a wonderful week! Thanks to Will for getting me out on a great ride!

2384 miles.

Beverly, Bison Ranch and Beyond..

 Bev and I decide to take a week and go south. Bison Ranch, where we decide to go, is near Show Low, Arizona.

Bev is going to drive and I'll ride, because at the end of the week she will return home and I'll wander south and east to bag a few of the "15 Best roads in America" that SCMA puts on each year.

The bike is packed and I'm all set to go, aaaaaaaaaaand it is snowing! That's ok, I hit the road anyway and hope the Sun will soon show his face and warm up the roads..... I rode through a few squalls on the way to Moab. 

After Green River I ride the excellent SR 128 and then go through the "Ghost town" of Cisco on my way to Moab.

The annual Easter 4 wheel drive gathering is taking place so Moab is even more crowded than usual, so I'm not able to find lodging, but I call Bev and she manages to find me a room at this B&B. Bill and Tammy run an awesome BnB!!

Beds and Bagels

The next day at the break of mid-morning I'm loading the bike and waiting for the Sun to warm things up when I pull a real bone-headed move; I lock the BnB key inside my room before I have all my gear out...Good Grief!!

Bill and Tammy don't normally hang out at the BnB so I was kinda stuck. I sent an email to their online site and luckily Tammy saw it and just a few minutes later all was right in the world.

Off I went to ride the cool La Sal loop, at least as far as the snow would let me.

This was where I turned around.

Next up was the Needles overlook south of Moab several miles.  The turn off is about 33 miles out of Moab. The out-of-the-way round trip is about 40 miles, but it is well worth it!

After oogling at the Needles scenery I head south again to meet Bev in Bluff, Utah where we stay overnight. The next day I follow her to Bison Ranch, taking some pixs along the way.

During our stay at Bison Ranch we do a lot of hiking and also take a drive on the "Devils Tail" aka US 191.

Near Clifton, Az is the Morenci mine. We stop at the mine overlook and across the way is a train that was parked by a cliff....several rocks had fallen and hit this train car.

Then we drive down to Clifton and check out the historic part of that cool town, Chase Creek Street.

The City is doing work on the street - moving all those power lines underground. Workers actually had it blocked off but the super nice man we talked to let us go on the sidewalks to get these pictures. (The pic of the Church and bike were taken a couple days later).

So our week in Bison Ranch is over and Bev has driven home.

I'll spend the next two weeks doing the following rides; 

first I ride to New Mexico to ride the Geronimo Trail, then to Texas to enjoy the Twisted Sisters....

Geronimo Trail

The Twisted Sisters

Then to Mississippi to ride the Natchez Trace.

Following that I go to Arkansas to ride the Pig Trail.

One of several lunch stops.

And then it is time to go home.

I hit some more nasty weather between Mississippi and Kansas...so I mostly just tucked my head and got the miles done.

I can't remember what this town is....Kingman, Kansas maybe...

The weather had calmed a bit, but temps were still nippy.

A nice ride, many cold days and a couple pleasant days. I was ready to be home, so the last day I ride 450 miles from Pagosa Springs, Colorado to home arriving at 5pm.

4,909 miles total. 

Some of these pix will show up in the "15 Best Roads" post when I finally get them all done.

Dancing and riding...

Noooooo, I'm not dancing! 

My Grand-daughters are into dancing. Every year for several years they have been going to St George in March for a dance competition....this year is no different other than I went with them this year. Well.....when I say I went with them I mean I rode down and then rode around the area while they were dancing.

SR 14 near Cedar City...brrrrr!

The Incredibly beautiful Zion National Park

More Zion NP

Somewhere east of St George....a license plate pole!

And are there really ZOMBIES in Southern Utah??????

On my way home, about 50 miles out of Delta the weather got very ugly. By the time I reached Delta I was cold....nothing I haven't been through before, but it was a cold wet day.

So I pulled into the Maverick gas station on the east side of town and I had just finished fueling when a woman approached me and asked with obvious concern, "Are you alright?"

I assured her I was fine, then she said, "Here you take these" and she held out two packages of handwarmers!

I told her I really was 'ok' but she insisted, so I took them, we chatted for a brief minute and she left.

I then pulled the bike up to the store curb and went inside to get a cuppa and a burrito. Standing outside I had scarcely finished my burrito when I heard a male voice say, "Here Sir, these will help you out".  I turned my head and a 30 something guy was holding out two packages of handwarmers!

Again, I assured the man that I was in good shape with electric gear etc. He made certain I was ok, then he said, "have a safe trip" and then left.

I might have been shivering a little bit, but at least my heart was very warm due to the kindness of those two Strangers!

And I WAS cold and it WAS snowing hard enough that I got a room in Delta and rode home the next day in better weather......30 degrees, but at least it wasn't snowing!