Scouting BMW club poker run

Today I helped with fieldwork for the Houston BMW Club "poker run" (google it). First time for me and I learned a bit about what makes good check points. Went to places around Schulenburg, where the club rally will occur in October. Here are a few photos.

Colorado impressions (video)

Here is a video of portions of our ride. Sigh, when can we go back?



Berthoud Pass, Independence Pass, Georgetown, Leadville, Rocky Mountain National Park, et.al. in no particular order. I'm still learning how to take good video from the bike, so this is just a rough cut. Best watched in 720p High Def.

Ride, she said

Leaving Steamboat today we ran through some rain an cold; now back in Georgetown as I post this. GT will be out base for 3 days as we do independence pass, Estes Park loop, and Squaw Pass. We seem to have propitiated the weather gods and anticipate cold but sunny days.

Best day of all. Long (200+ mile) loop from Georgetown to Estes Park and over Trail Ridge Road. Stretch from Central City is one of the best motorcycle roads I've seen. Great finale to our trip; tomorrow starting back to Houston. — atRocky Mountain National Park Trail Ridge Road.

Steamboat Springs

We've spent a few non-riding days with friends in Denver and Steamboat Springs. We parked the trailer in Georgetown and rode to Steamboat in a glorious sunny day over Berthoud Pass and highway 40. Visited Vail, Beaver Creek, and other parts by car.

The Dalrymple Estate, Steamboat Springs

Sightseeing at Vail et. al.

Georgetown

After a stop in Denver to visit friends, we make Georgetown our base

Colorado, one more time

We try again a Colorado adventure: Manitou Springs, Denver, Georgetown, Steamboat Springs



We purchased a Kendon motorcycle trailer, thinking to escape the heat and tedium of riding out of Texas. This idea worked out very well, although we had to rent a pickup to tow it (owning only a Prius).

Here we are hangin' with our bros at a truckstop in Amarillo.

Made it to Manitou Springs, a pleasant resort town near Colorado Springs

Manitou Springs

Some great restaurants there:

Hungarian Goulash

Polish Pieroges

So far we've trailered about 1000 miles and got the bikes on and off the trailer without dropping them or incurring skeletal fractures. Looks like we are getting the hang of it. 

We warm up with a curvy but easy half-day ride and sightseeing in mining towns Victor and Cripple Creek.


"Goin' down Cripple Creek,
Goin' on the run;
Goin' down ' Cripple Creek,
Have a little fun."

Overlooking Cripple Creek, CO — with Bettie Anderson atCripple Creek Historic District.

The Devil You Say

We ride the "Devil's Highway" along the eastern border of Arizona. One of the most sublime motorcycle roads in the world.

At Hannagan Meadow

Hannagan Meadow Lodge

Green chile cheeseburger at Hannagan Meadow lodge.

Salida Views 2

Buffalo

Flash: stranded in freak snowstorm, mountain guide turns 5 clients into beef jerky. News at 11.

From this boggy valley the mighty Rio Grande arises.

This man left Houston Investors Association, Houston Early Music, and a loving bluegrass star wife in Houston to come on this ride.

Salida Views

Bishop's Castle. Built by one very eccentric man

Old Salida

Arkansas River runs through Salida.

 with Kenneth Webb at Salida Gateway Inn and Suites.

Dinner with un-rally riders — at Fiesta Mexecana.

Green chile stew

More bikes arrived today. Some riders from Florida or Oregon.

En route to Salida

Funky little private museum in Folsom NM.

Funky little private museum in Folsom NM.Funky little private museum in Folsom NM.

487 miles, 8 hours in the saddle. Fabulous little twisty road from Folsom to Raton. And now, Colrado! — with Kenneth Webb and Mike Loomis inTrinidad, CO.

Salida trip log

Heading to Salida, Colorado on Saturday for a BMW rally. Four days of riding Colorad twisties.

411 miles, 104degrees. You have to pay your dues. Sweetwater Tx 

487 miles, 8 hours in the saddle. Fabulous little twisty road from Folsom to Raton. And now, Colrado! — with Kenneth Webb in Trinidad, CO.

Made it to the un-rally motel. Fabulous ride this morning on the Green Horn highway. View track athttp://tinyurl.com/spotgla — at Salida Gateway Inn and Suites.

Tuesday: curves, Arkansas river canyon, curves, historic mining towns (Cripple Creek, Victor), curves, buffalo, and curves.

Wednesday: group ride. Up the Arkansas river valley toward Leadville, over Independence Pass through Aspen, down the Crystal River canyon, lunch at Redstone, over the pass through Paonia, onto CO 92 and the north side of the Black Canyon, then through Gunnison and back to Salida. 330 miles, 7 hours in the saddle, 10 total.

Thursday: another superlatves-fail-me ride on CO192 south of Gunnison. Stopped at mining towns Lake City and Creede. 7 hours on bike, 357 miles. I'm almost getting enough riding. 

Friday: the BMW rally is over and bike riders depart to their several ways. Ken & I rode west to Montrose, over "The Million Dollar Highway" to Durango then Cortez. No photos, just tried to keep the bike from going off the cliff. Tomorrow we plan to snake down the eastern side of Arizona.

Saturday: 500 miles, 10 hours on bike. wonderful ride, a few photos, vicious thunderstorms,the devil of a highway (500 curves in 30 miles). But details will have to wait getting up 5am tomorrow with intent to ride 900 miles back to Houston in 1 day. — at Lordsburg, NM.

Left Cortez and headed south to some roads (Indian Service Routes 12 & 13) running through the reservations. (We skipped Four Corners: didn't want to pay to see a cartographic concept. The Indians are still scalping the white man. I understand it's in the wrong place anyway, according to GPS.) Passed Ship Rock (doesn't look much like a ship from that angle but impressive as it thrusts above the plain). Crossed a marvelous range of red sandstone (Navaho Sandstone?) hills, winding curves and switchbacks, forests, free range cattle. Then down paralleling cliffs eroded in strange shapes, echoes of Bryce Canyon. No photos of any of this, too much fun riding.

Eventually connected with US 191 and the "Coronado Trail". Used to be called US 666 and the "Devil's Highway", until someone who takes the book of Revelations fare too literally decided the number had to go. Ascended to a lodge at Hannagan Meadow, lovely spot for lunch, or for staying a few days.

Then down the devilish part of the devil's highway. I've read various estimates of the curves on this road, but let's just agree there are multiple hundreds in about 50 miles or so, ranging in posted speeds down to 10 mph. Motorcyclists: imagine the curviest part of any road you have ridden; now imagine that part going on and on and on, with almost no straight sections. Ahhhhhh........

At the end (thankfully) we started hitting some serious rain and thunderstorms. Eventually made it in to Lordsburg NM and crashed (the bed kind) exhausted. over 500 miles of some of the most beautiful and challenging roads.

Sunday, not much to tell except the head defeated our 900 mile 1-day return ambition. Stopped overnight in Junction TX then home today (Monday)

Salida, Colorado

Heading to Salida, Colorado on Saturday for a BMW rally. Four days of riding Colorad twisties.

Some band photos throughout the year

All taken at Hickory Hollow

Family & Friends

At Karbach Brewry

With Iva Smith

At the Polo Grounds with Kamy & Emmie