Passes & Canyons Blog

Bill and I decided to run up to Black Hawk on Friday for lunch and some gambling so I got on the CB750 and headed west on Hampden. I soon had one of those encounters that remind you to stay on your toes.

I was in the inside lane and first at the light, stopped at Colorado Boulevard. The east-bound traffic got the green and the turn arrow and I got ready. The light changed and the car in the turn lane seemed to be stopping for the red. I started to pull forward and the car didn’t stop and was going to run full on through the red and turn in front of me. Then she saw me, a very startled look on her face, and she slammed on the brakes.

Yeah. Be careful out there. You never know when some driver is going to do something.

I got to Bill’s and he was figuring to just run up Clear Creek Canyon and come back down Golden Gate Canyon–like he always does. I like variety so I said let’s go up Coal Creek Canyon and then come down Golden Gate. So we did.

Oh man, it’s been a very long time since I’ve gone up Coal Creek Canyon and I had forgotten how nice it is. I mean, I’ve been down it from time to time but going the other direction is like an entirely different road. It was sweet! And it was a beautiful day to ride. Bill agreed enthusiastically.

We got to Black Hawk and ate and then played some machines and both walked out with tidy sums more than we came in with. Nice day!

I knew when we parked in Black Hawk that I was going to be going to Reserve before I got home, and I was right at the mileage where I generally have to shift to Reserve. So I just went ahead and flipped the lever. When we were leaving the bike coughed when starting at first, reminding me I had made the switch. Then it ran fine.

We ran down the canyon and turned our different ways and I headed home, down 93, and C-470, onto US 85, which becomes Hampden. I figured I would do the usual and stop at Costco off Santa Fe for gas. But I got to Costco and I’ve never seen such a long line of people waiting to get gas. What the heck?

I got back on what was now Hampden and pulled in the next gas station, only to find all those pumps busy and people waiting. Really, what the heck? Is something going on that I don’t know about?

No matter. My tripmeter was reading 185 and I know I can get 225 miles out of a full tank of gas on this bike. I would just go home and get gas the next time I take the bike out.

I got to Hampden and Tamarac–exactly one mile from home–and I ran out of gas. ???? How could that be? Did I not fully fill the tank last time? I have no idea. But at this point the tripmeter was still only reading 190.

I rolled off to the side of the road and kept trying to start the bike and this guy in this pick-up behind me starts honking. Like, dude, do you not see that my bike won’t run? I waved him around and then pushed the bike up onto the sidewalk. Thank goodness for those ramps now to accommodate people in wheelchairs.

I was jockeying it around and lost it and the bike fell on the left side. Not all the way down; it came to rest on the peg and the case guard. I know how you’re supposed to pick up a bike but I figured I could just grab it and wrestle it back upright. And I did. Three days later there are no ill effects, like in my back or something. I guess that wasn’t the smartest thing I’ve ever done but apparently neither was it the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.

Being just one mile from home, I called Judy and she brought me gas. Problem totally solved. But why the heck did it run dry at 190? That tank holds 5-1/2 gallons and I get about 45 miles to the gallon. That’s almost 250 miles if you run it totally dry. Now, at least for a while, I’m going to be really paranoid about running out of gas once I get into Reserve. Motorcycles: they’re so wonderful but they sure can be a pain at times, too.

Biker Quote for Today

Motorcycles are like women: Even though they are dangerous we need them in our lives.

When Colorado opened its first high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes it was easy: if you were on a motorcycle you could use them and you did not have to pay. There was a brief period of confusion when they said even a motorcycle needed a transponder but thanks to the efforts of groups like ABATE of Colorado that requirement was eliminated.

In the meantime, though, there has been a proliferation of roads that are tolled in one way or another and because I was personally so confused over which ones I could ride on a bike I just quit using any of them. I decided it was time to clear up this fog, so that’s what I’ll do as best I can here.

One of the clearest bits of information is found in that image here of a portion of a chart found at https://www.codot.gov/programs/expresslanes/using-the-lanes. Basically, what this is saying is that all of the express lanes on I-25 and the lanes on US 36 to Boulder are free to motorcycles at all times. And they’re also saying that the express lanes on I-70 into the mountains are tolled no matter what vehicle you are in or on. E-470, of course, is a toll road for everyone.

Another good resource is this CDOT page: https://www.codot.gov/programs/expresslanes. On this page, in a section called WHERE EXPRESS LANES ARE, AND WHERE THEY’LL BE, there are links to maps showing you exactly what roads they’re talking about. I mean, heck, do you know what road they mean when they talk about the I-25 South Gap Project? I didn’t.

There is also a downloadable fact sheet here: https://www.codot.gov/programs/expresslanes/assets/motorcycles-express-lanes-fact-sheet.pdf

This is especially good except there seems to be a discrepancy. Here’s the map on the first page of this PDF.

See down there on C-470, where it’s blue. The legend says “ExpressToll account, pass and toll balance required to avoid higher license plate toll charges for motorcycles.” But the chart says C-470 is free for motorcycles. And on this page specifically about C-470 it says “Motorcyclists can use the Express Lanes for free without a pass.”

So I’m a bit confused, although I tend to suspect the map is wrong and you can ride C-470 with no issues. If anyone can confirm or refute this conclusively PLEASE let me know. Thanks.

I hope this clears most of this up for any of you who, like me, was unclear before. I guess I’ll start using the express lanes again.

Biker Quote for Today

All my friends have life goals . . . and I just want to go faster.

Sometimes the best tool for the job is not the one designed for that purpose, but the one – the only one – you have.

Take dual-sport riding, this business of taking a motorcycle down the highway to get somewhere, and then taking that same bike onto the dirt when you reach your destination. Years ago, when motorcycles were less specialized than they are today, riders were far more ready to take their street bikes in the dirt. Nowadays we have dirt bikes and dual-sport bikes, and most street bikes never see more than a short stretch of gravel here and there. Many never see anything but pavement.

I went dual-sporting awhile back in the area around Gunnison. The two Suzuki V-Stroms we were on were provided by my friend Kevin, who used to rent V-Stroms out of Gunnison. And there was a third person with us, Kevin’s wife, Janet, and she was riding her Kawasaki Ninja 500R.

The Ninja is a sportbike, the antithesis of a dual-sport or dirt bike. Whereas the V-Strom has 6 inches of suspension travel in the rear, the Ninja is limited to 3.9 inches. On rough roads those 2 inches make a huge difference. And ground clearance on the Ninja is only 4.9 inches, compared to 6.5 inches on the V-Strom.

We headed out of Gunnison on the highway, went up and over North Cochetopa Pass, and then coming down the other side we turned off on an unpaved county road. It was pretty good gravel, hard packed and stable, and well maintained. The V-Stroms, like any good dual-sport bike, were right at home. And the Ninja just cruised along, too.

As we began to climb up to Carnero Pass things got a bit rougher. There was washboard, a few ruts, and some stretches of badly disturbed surface. The V-Stroms ate it up. The Ninja took it slowly, navigating around the bigger holes, following the smoothest path. Not a problem.

Over the top and down and we followed a ranching canyon to its outlet onto the prairie. The road was once again good hard-packed gravel. Then we turned onto an unpaved county road that was broad and flat . . . and deep in loose gravel.

“That sucked!,” Janet said when we stopped in town. “That mountain road was fine. I had no problem with it. On that flat road I didn’t feel comfortable going above 40. I knew that if I screwed up it would hurt.”

“Deep, loose gravel is hard, I don’t care what you’re riding,” Kevin replied in agreement.

So the rougher, less-maintained road was really better for the Ninja.

“The suspension on the Ninja was fine. I absolutely felt confident on it. I feel very maneuverable on that bike. I can move it anywhere I need it to move to avoid obstacles in the road,” Janet explained.

That said, she added, “I’d rather be on the (paved) road.”

Janet is a serious mountain bike rider, but has only started riding motorcycles in recent years. She chose the Ninja because it was one of the only bikes she could handle considering how short her legs are.

“Now I’m thinking, ‘Oh, I want a dirt bike because I want to start doing all these gnarly roads around in the mountains.’ I want to get up in there without having to be in a car. It just catches me off guard because I didn’t expect motorcycling to get under my skin. And when I ride it gets under my skin. When I’m not riding I’m like, ‘No I don’t want to do that, I want to ride my bicycle.’”

Janet has taken her Ninja over other mountain passes on gravel roads. “It’s the only bike I’ve ever had. If I want to go somewhere it’s the bike I ride.”

It’s just that simple. For Janet, it’s the best tool for the job.

Biker Quote for Today

I need men for some things; riding a motorcycle is not one of them.

Don’t you love it when you find new roads to ride? Of course you do. So do I.

Well, this one does require that you be willing to do a little gravel but it’s good gravel. Heck, I’ve even ridden my Concours, which notoriously hates gravel, on part of this stretch once before. But no question it’s better with the V-Strom.

Judy and I wanted to get up in the hills away from the heat the other day and we headed up Golden Gate Canyon Road out of Golden. There’s a point where you come on a small lake or pond–Kriley Pond–just a short ways before you get up to the Peak-to-Peak. Immediately past the pond you’ll see a dirt road going off to the north. Take it.

This is Mountain Base Road and it takes you along the western edge of Golden Gate Canyon State Park, just inside the park. This segment is just 3.5 miles to where you hit County Road 2, also called the Gap Road. Turn right onto Gap Road.

One of the first things you’ll come to on Gap Road is Panorama Point. This is a high spot where the view is expansive, and there’s a viewing structure as well as toilets here. Be advised that you are in the park and while there is no park fee for using the roads, if you stop you are technically required to get a day pass, for $10. So use your own discretion if you choose to stop.

Heading east on Gap Road it only stays gravel for a couple more miles and you hit pavement. And where do you suppose this pavement brings you out? In Coal Creek Canyon. Who knew there was a road connecting Golden Gate Canyon and Coal Creek Canyon? I sure didn’t. And It’s a really nice road, very scenic, very pretty. Also very twisty.

The total distance is only 11.8 miles, of which roughly half is very good gravel, the rest excellent asphalt. Not a big deal but hey, when you’ve ridden pretty much every road in the area multiple times it’s really nice to find something new.

Biker Quote for Today

An intellectual is a man who doesn’t know how to park a motorcycle.

I’ll get to the answer first. I asked last week if anyone actually uses the RSS code in the sidebar and I got an answer. Yes. There are at least some people who still do, and the code apparently is still working. So I won’t be deleting it. Good to know.

If there is one thing motorcyclists recognize when they see it it’s a good day for riding. Saturday was one of those days and we were out in force.

The RMMRC did a ride and it was finally not in the high 90s temperature-wise. Then we went up in the hills and it was downright cool. How welcome that felt!

Starting out from the Phillips 66 in Morrison, a dozen of us, broken initially into two groups, crossed over past Red Rocks to Golden and then headed up Clear Creek Canyon. Through the vagaries of traffic we ended up in one group in spite of ourselves as we made our way up to Idaho Springs and lunch. One of the older members of the group remarked at lunch that he believed that was the first time he ever rode up Clear Creek but I find that too hard to believe. You don’t live in Denver for decades and never go up that canyon. Especially if you’re a motorcyclist.

One thing I found puzzling in the group I started out in was that the leader, who was not Bob, acted very Bob-like in that he took the lead position in the right side of the lane. I know Bob does that, and I finally got an explanation from him as to why, but here we go again with someone else. Isn’t it the norm that the leader takes the left position? Not for everyone, apparently.

Leaving Idaho Springs we gave up on breaking into groups and just headed out en masse. We ran up and over Squaw Pass. Although I’ve done Squaw Pass many times, I rarely go west to east, which is what this was, so it was pretty interesting. I’ve heard it said that going the other way on the same road is like taking an entirely different road and there is some truth to that. That kind of doubles your options so things don’t get too same old, same old.

Reaching the Evergreen Parkway near Bergen Park we split, with some heading south to Evergreen and the rest of us jogging north to the turn-off to Kerr Gulch. That is so much nicer than fighting the traffic in Evergreen. Then Idledale, and back to Morrison, and each in his own direction. Nothing special about the day, other than it was a really nice day to ride and everyone recognized it.

Biker Quote for Today

A truly happy person is one who can enjoy the scenery while on a detour.

For the first time in quite a while I have added a new page to the Passes and Canyons: Motorcycle Touring in Colorado website. The new page focuses on the numerous good motorcycle roads that lead to Cripple Creek, and I have named it “Roads to Cripple Creek.”

I don’t add many pages to the site these days because I’ve basically got it built out. It’s not like the roads in Colorado change all that often. I did add a new page for Guanella Pass when they finally paved that road all the way. But that’s not a common occurrence.

I first started thinking about Cripple Creek when I read somewhere that the high point of the road coming into town from the north, from Divide, is considered Tenderfoot Pass. If it’s a pass, I figured, I ought to have it on the site. But it’s kind of iffy as a pass. There is some more or less official registry of geographic place names in the U.S. and Tenderfoot Pass is not included on this list. And as many times as I have been over that road I never thought of it as a pass.

But then I got to thinking. While the road out of the north does have some good twists and turns, and goes up and down, and has some terrific views in places, it’s really probably not the nicest motorcycle road to get to Cripple Creek. There are others I would rate higher. So how about a page focusing on all of them. That’s what I did.

The other paved road into town is generally considered the back way, coming up in a roundabout manner from U.S. 50 a bit to the west of the Royal Gorge. If you’ve never been on this road you really need to do it. It has some terrific twists and lots of changes in elevation. Definitely better than the main road.

Then there are two gravel roads, both along old railroad beds. One comes directly into Cripple Creek, and that’s the Shelf Road, which comes north out of Canon City. Then the Phantom Canyon Road comes north from U.S. 50 a little to the east of Canon City and runs up to Victor, which is just a few miles east of Cripple Creek. Both of these are really nice, scenic road and are ride-able on street bikes as long as your bike is OK on decent gravel. For instance, I would not hesitate to take my Honda CB750 on them, but I would never consider riding them on my Kawasaki Concours. And of course, my Suzuki V-Strom loves that kind of stuff.

The page is not yet complete; I still need to add photos of these four roads. I have some already and just need to add them. For the others I’m going to have to go ride these roads again and get some shots. Oh the horrible burdens I bear!

Biker Quote for Today

The ride keeps me sane. I would like to call it my church.