12 days, 9 states and 14,000 ft

[sapest]

Day 9

Exhilarating. Scary. Spectacular (& theyre real). May cause labored breathing.

Dunlop Roadsmart III are Mt Evans certified. We made it all the way!!

It took way too long to fight thru traffic to get to the start of the road to Mt Evans. I HATE Denver traffic. They try to kill motorcyclists.

I-70 to Idaho Springs. Ugh. Then 103 to Echo Lake.This first third of the journey is a great ride all by itself. Get your hooligan on on this segment of the trip. Broad sweepers, tight sweepers. Lots of variety and fun times. The next third begins at the pay station. $3 for a motorcycle. Right out of the gate you encounter 2 tight switchbacks to give you some practice for whats coming up. Then start up. And up some more. The road surface starts to break up about the time you get to Summit Lake. The last 5.5 miles is where the fun really begins. I dont think any of this road is level in elevation. The road surface is terrible. Like a paved off road test track. I lost count of the switchbacks. Guardrail, we dont need no stinkin guardrail.

Note the traffic in the rearview mirror. Even on Evans, too much traffic!

Yes, that nut is on a bicycle.

View from the top.

Just a day at the office for these goats.

Not many parking lots need this sign. Not many signs need this many rivets.

We had pretty perfect weather, sunny, no wind and about 55F. We spent about half our day today above 10,000 ft. Beartooth, 10,950. Trailridge Road, 12,200 ft, Evans 14,130. I think I will turn in my motorcycle license for a pilots license. Its funny to think that I jumped out an airplane at 12,000 ft. Would have been a tough landing if I had done that in CO.

Do this ride, but practice switchbacks, and no dodgy suspension bits!

Estes Park, on the way to Rocky Mtn Park was the lunch stop.

The bitch giveth, and she takes away. We were near drowned leaving Estes Park.

Pretty ride, pretty scenery, but a bit pretentious. In the PNW we grow our mountains from sea level. We dont start em at 6000ft.

We stopped at Hot Sulfur Springs to get out of the biblical rain. The Shell station guy said we could stay until it got busy. (4 pumps) About the time the rain let up, 2 cars showed up at once and we had to go.

And onto Craig for the night. Saw some nice rainbows near Steamboat Springs, rain cells behind us all the way on 40.

-Steve

 

[sapest]

Day 10, another 3 state day

Well all the exciting stuff is over.

Three 450 mile days to get home.

Left Craig CO this morning.

Think they do much hunting?

The hotel was full of these guys (https://nationalrifleleague.org/matches-page/high-country-precisions-mile-high-shootout/)

No chance of a robbery at least. They hang out in the parking lot and bullshit while they load ammo for the next day.

Lunch at Subway in Heber City UT. What else is open on Sunday in UT?

What is happening to the world when the receipt is longer than the sandwich?

Bunking down in Burley ID, in the Snake River Canyon. Todays temps were 80s to low 90s. Too hot for me.

-Steve

 

[sapest]

Day 11

Burley ID to Moses Lake WA.

An interstate day, I-84.

Nampa to Baker City is an enjoyable bit of interstate. Elevation changes and big sweepers. Nice scenery. Who knew?

Todays highlight is the Spudnut Shop in Richland.

The Spudnut story. 71 years in business.

Those in the know order ahead. Dont assume donuts will be available after noon.

The chocolate sprinkle. A classic.

Mmmmmmmm

-Steve

 

[sapest]

Day 12

Last day - heading home.

I-90 to 97 to 2 to I-5. Over my friends Blewett & Stevens Passes.

Stopped at Wild Horse Overlook (I-90W mile 139)

The horses are not where you might think they are.

Dick & Janes in Ellensburg. Clearly they have too much time on their hands.

I rode 7128 Kms (4429 miles) 44.9 mpg overall. Cheapest gas, $2.51.9 in Estes Park CO, most expensive, $3.49.9 in Moses Lake WA.

Didnt get to see;

Dry Falls Cataract (WA) 3.5 mile wide falls with no water.

Chimney Rock (NE) most famous landmark on the Oregon Trail

Minuteman Missile Historic Site (SD)

Best quotes of the trip -

Yall riding a motorcycle? (Multiple times when entering a restaurant, in full gear carrying helmet)

Do you get bugs on your visor? (gas station conversation)

Will you take your hat off ? (Border Guard when entering the US on the motorcycle, helmet on)

Let me put this on your thing. Female Nat Parks agent offering to wrap proof of pymt ribbon on handlebar

I like my roads like I like my women, curvy with slippery sections. Older, tattooed, bandana & ripped jean jacket wearing dude at gas station in Sturgis, while rolling a smoke.

Weirdest thing -

While waiting in traffic in Golden CO, I got a facefull of washer fluid from the vehicle in the next lane cleaning their windshield.

Can you find the two Easter eggs in this thread? (Both from TV shows, one US, one Canadian)

-Steve

 

[RichDoyle]

Mt. Evans was an occasional entertainment when I lived in Clear Creek County, CO. I'd go up to the summit and watch for cars with plates from, say, Illinois. Folks get out of the car, take 10 steps and sit right down on the pavement

. By the way, coming from Denver, you can duck some of that I70 traffic by getting off at El Rancho and go to Bergen Park, where you pick up Hwy 103 at its other end. Lots of twisties in that route, also.