Passes & Canyons Blog

Riding Cinnamon Pass, one option if you're based in Silverton.

We’re in the thick of the riding and event season and my email has brought me word of several more happenings that you may be interested in.

This coming Sunday, June 12, will be the ABATE Scramble Statewide Poker Run. This is an interesting sort of event, intended to make it easy for people all over the state to be involved without anyone needing to ride clear across the state to participate. (Although it does appear to be primarily the Front Range.)

The way it will work is you’ll go to one of the starting points where you will purchase however many hands you wish to play–$20 per hand–and you’ll be given a list of stops you can go to pick up a chip. You can go to any location and as many locations as you choose. It gets a little murky from there but I believe you then go back to your starting point or various other points and cash in your chips for cards, then play the hand.

Here’s a list of starting places.

Aurora: Scooters Bar & Grill, 13698 E Alameda Ave
Berthoud: Derby Grille , 110 Bunyan Ave. (start and end only)
Colorado Springs: Knuckle Tavern, 2627 Delta Drive
Denver: Bubba Chino’s, 5595 N Federal Ave (start point only)
Denver: McCoy’s, 4855 Federal Blvd (end point only)
Evergreen: Cactus Jacks, 4651 Highway 73
Ft. Morgan: Nick’s Place at The Queen, 112 W Kiowa Ave
Littleton: The Shack, 151 W. Mineral Ave
Pueblo: Tumbleweed Tavern 214 S. McCulloch Blvd

Then a little further in the future is the Rocky Mountain Adventure Riders Silverton Rendezvous, July 27-31. Mark Odette had been telling me about this Moab-based thing last year and this year they’re doing it in Moab again but also in Silverton.

This event’s goal is to raise at least $10,000 for “Colorado Trail Preservation Alliance” (TPA), so they can fight to keep your public trails open. All amounts raised over expenses go to the TPA!! With a sold out event, we will make this goal to $10k to the TPA.

The cost will be $250 per rider or $100 for non-riders and registration will close once there are 100 riders signed up. You’re basically looking at three days of terrific non-pavement riding in the Silverton area. Plus a whole lot of camaraderie. (Am I going to be there? I’d love to but this is exactly when the OFMC is going to be doing its ride this summer.)

Biker Quote for Today

I don’t have a bucket list but my bike it list is pretty long.

Not sure if this is vintage but it was definitely interesting.

I went to the annual Vintage Motorcycle Show today (I’m writing this on Sunday) and it was worth the trip. There were some very interesting rides on display.

It was a good trip, too. While this thing has usually been held at Heritage Square, that venue is going through some changes and the show got moved to Colorado National Speedway up by Dacono. A good bit further to go.

The distance was no big deal, but what hurt was the extreme shortage of shade. Heritage Square has trees and is a pleasant spot. The pit area at the racetrack is pretty much just sun. There were not a lot of people there when I was there, although they were always coming and going. I suspect many people were just like me: arrive and park, spend 20-30 minutes looking at the bikes, head out. I hope they can move back to Heritage Square or some other place more pleasant next year.

So without further ado, let’s look at some photos.

I believe this is called a service cart or service wagon or something of that sort.

This Vincent has some pretty slick body work.

A Harley cafe racer.

Almost a bicycle, but with a motor.

Of course, one thing about going to any motorcycle exhibition is that there inevitably are some interesting bikes in the parking lot as well. Here’s a heck of a rat bike. And notice that as hard core as this guy appears to be, he uses a helmet.

This is a hard core bike, and it wasn't even in the show.

Biker Quote for Today

Motorcycles: The brand is not important, the fact that you ride is.

The South has endless curvy roads.

We just got back from a five state trip (Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama) and I’m left with two big thoughts on motorcycle riding down there.

1. It doesn’t matter where you go, at least in the hilly parts of the state every road in every direction is curvy, up and down, and through endless greenery and beauty.

2. When all you see is trees on both sides of the road, trees towering above you so you can’t see anything else, it doesn’t take long for one curvy stretch of road to look exactly like every other one, as if you were going in a circle all day.

Really, as long as you stay off the big highways, it doesn’t seem to matter where you go, the good riding is everywhere. If there are hills–which there are plenty of up in the northern areas where these five states all cluster together–the riding is good. But even when you know you’re going up a steep hill and there ought to be a terrific view out over the valley, you almost never get to see that view because of the trees.

Judy and I noticed this a long time ago. We were in South Carolina visiting my mother and when we got back to Colorado we were both overjoyed to see the sky again. Back there, all you see of the sky is that narrow strip overhead between the trees on both sides of the road. And those trees are tall.

We cruised along the Blue Ridge Parkway a short distance and at least there they have deliberately managed the forest to allow for some views. But when we went up to the top of Clingman’s Dome, the highest point in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, you could see a long way but one tree-covered hill looks a whole lot like every other tree-covered hill. It was nothing at all like the kind of views we’re accustomed to out here in the west.

We did get one tip, however, that you might want to remember if you’re planning a trip down that way. We were at Little River Canyon National Preserve and all we could see of this deep gorge was trees. We almost couldn’t even see the water. But the park brochure explained that winter was a good time to visit because with the leaves gone you can see the rocks. And the fall is good because you get riotous fall colors and, when at least some of the leaves have fallen, you can also see some of the rocks.

So time your trip for the fall. I’m betting it’s pretty spectacular about that time. And with so many roads to choose from, if you pick an out-of-the-way one, you won’t have to share it with 10,000 other motorists.

Biker Quote for Today

Killing bugs is a full-time job.