Passes & Canyons Blog

Let’s see. Sixteen motorcycles with a total mileage among them of less than 500 miles. Yep, that guy’s a poser. Or at least he was, and except for one time each year you have to wonder if he still is.

I’m talking about Herschel Walker, who plays football professionally and has a lot of money to spend on bling. He and a bunch of other monied folks came through here Tuesday on the 15th annual Kyle Petty Charity Ride. Walker and the others on the ride paid $10,045 each for the privilege of participating, according to Darrell Andrews, who told me he has been riding with Kyle for years and has been on every one of these cross-country rides.

So OK, it’s a charity run and they raise a lot of money for good causes. I wrote about that on Examiner.com and you can go there if you want to know more. What I’m interested in here is Herschel Walker.

First off, let me make the point that I didn’t talk with Walker while I mingled with the group at the Chick-fil-A in Aurora where they stopped for lunch. (Chick-fil-A is sponsor of the ride.) I’m drawing my basic information from an article in the Steamboat Pilot newspaper. Here’s what the article said.

When he first participated in the ride four years ago, Walker said he took some ribbing because all 16 of his motorcycles had a combined mileage of about only 500 miles.

So clearly he’s put a little more mileage on at least a few of his bikes since then. This year’s ride will cover 3,500 miles. What I’d like to know is, does the guy ever ride at any other time? Is he still a poser for whom motorcycles are no different than gold rings or necklaces, or has he found that riding a motorcycle is more enjoyable than just owning them and hoping people will think he’s cool because they’re his?

I shake my head and try to think of what else to say, but there really isn’t anything else to say. So I’ll shut up.

Recent from the Denver Motorcycle Examiner
Run For The Wall rolls out of Rancho Cucamonga

Biker Quote for Today

One bike on the road is worth two (or sixteen) in the garage.

Billed as a redefinition of motorcycle sport-touring, the Motomarathon Association will hold its inaugural event in Colorado June 12-15.

The Motomarathon concept is to ride “as many twisties as possible, over four full days. Routes are kept secret until the night before each event. Through a series of self- recorded check points, riders verify completion at the end of each day’s ride. This endurance ride promises to be a pass-bagging extravaganza with the best elevation-changing, rip-roaring twisties the central Colorado Rockies have to offer.”

John Metzger, of Boulder, used the Iron Butt Rally as a starting point in devising what he hopes will catch on as a new sport. He says he “soon realized that fatigue-riddled riding at high speed at night in a straight line on Interstates wasn’t my cup of tea. For me, it was all about making turns.” Just this year, the Motomarathon Association was formed.

Additional events are currently being developed and the association will post standings among the riders and a champion will be designated at the end of the season. The association currently has 19 members signed up, including Metzger and moto-journalist Brian Catterson.

Riders will be mounted on Ducati’s Multistrada, Hypermotard, and Monster bikes and Ducati is a sponsor of the event.

Describing the event, the association’s website says:

The Motomarathon Association’s goal is to establish a series of organized rides with the most challenging routes in the nation and around the world, giving members the chance to share the camaraderie surrounding the best experience in motorcycle sport-touring. Members are encouraged to chase points by participating and finishing in as many events as they can over an annual season. An overall championship will be awarded each year to individuals, and will eventually include teams.

Though some Motomarathons can be elaborate affairs with hotels, meals, support vehicles, mechanical assistance, celebrity bikers and umbrella girls included with additional fees, the basic philosophy is to make each event as automated and self-regulated as possible. The Colorado Motomarathon, for example, requires only that riders join the Motomarathon Association, pay an event fee of $75, have their own bike/gear/camera, make their own hotel arrangements, take care of their own meals, carry their own tools and luggage, and rely on themselves or the kindness of others if they get lost or run into mechanical problems.

The association is encouraging its members to develop their own ideas for events and will consider those submitted. Ultimately they hope to have half a dozen events set up around the country. The second event now being planned is Centopassi Colorado, a motomarathon scheduled for September 11-14, 2009, that is expected to include routes into Southern Colorado and Northern New Mexico.

Biker Quote for Today

Ride hard or stay home.

Hard to believe, but the road to the top of Pikes Peak is already open for the season. I know we haven’t gotten much snow this winter along the Front Range but I thought the mountains were getting hit pretty hard. I’m really surprised.

Some of the best roads in Colorado are seasonal, which means that they are not maintained, or even open, during the winter. These include:

• Trail Ridge Road
• Independence Pass
• Mount Evans
• Pikes Peak
• Kebler Pass
• Cottonwood Pass

If you’re thinking about riding any of these seasonal roads the best place to find out about conditions is the Colorado Dept. of Transportation website. You’ll want to go to www.cotrip.org/roadConditions.htm and then click the “Travel Alerts” tab at the right. Then scroll down to see whether any of these roads are marked “Closed for the Season.”

For a review of road conditions around the state, use the “Road Conditions” tab just to the left of “Travel Alerts.”

While most of these roads are open by the time out-of-state bikers start arriving for their summer vacation, unless it’s the dead of summer it’s always good to check. While a road may open in May, a blizzard one week later can sometimes close it again until they can get it plowed. Or if we have an especially snowy winter some roads may not even open until June.

In the fall it’s the same thing. A road may not be closed for the season but an early blizzard can shut it down anyway. It’s best to check, and if one of these roads is the centerpiece of your planned tour you’d better figure to come June to August. The shoulder months of May and September can be iffy. Usually they’ll be fine. Usually. No guarantees.

But Pikes Peak is already open! That’s amazing. I’d guess the rest won’t be far behind.

Biker Quote for Today

The World is small… get on a motorcycle and ride around it.

If you’re planning to ride Colorado and want a base of operations from which to take day rides, where should you stay? This is a question I received twice recently so it occurred to me that I ought to post my answer here. In this case, I’ll be responding to this particular question.

We will be trailering our bikes to Colorado from Florida and plan to ride from August 1st through August 8th. We’ve been out west to ride in other states and usually stay in two separate locations. This allows us to ride a different route each day and really see the area. What would you recommend as the two best areas to stay in while doing day rides?

This was my reply.

I would suggest these two spots as your home bases: Ouray and Breckenridge. Here’s my thinking.

Ouray, first of all, is gorgeous. Of all the cool places in Colorado, Ouray stands out. If you end up not staying there you must at least go there. Of course, Ouray is at the northern end of one of the best roads in Colorado, Red Mountain Pass. (By the way, this photo is of Red Mountain Pass approaching Ouray, although it’s not usually so crowded. This traffic resulted from a construction blockage.)

That also positions you to take the loop and do Lizard Head Pass and go to Durango and Mesa Verde. You can also go north to Montrose and then visit the Black Canyon of the Gunnison and take the Unaweep Canyon road.

And there’s a lot more in the area. You could spend your entire vacation there.

Breckenridge gives you access to a whole other part of the state. Go south over Hoosier Pass into South Park and take any of several roads that converge there. Or, go north of I-70 and loop up through Steamboat Springs over Rabbit Ears Pass or go east over Trail Ridge Road.

Also from Breckenridge you’re very close to Loveland Pass and Mount Evans.

En route from one base to another you might want to make a point to go via some route that takes you over Independence Pass. This is another of the very best.

So there are some ideas to consider. If you have questions I’m happy to address them to the best of my ability. Truth is, though, you really can’t go wrong riding the Colorado mountains, wherever you go.

Biker Quote for Today

Don’t ride so late into the night that you sleep through the sunrise.

Is cruising the Colorado mountains by motorcycle a dream of yours, but it’s just too dang far away? Maybe you should consider signing up for a tour. Depending on the tour company, they’ll either provide the bikes for you to ride or connect you to someone who will.

Those of us in the OFMC take pride in riding our bikes to whatever distant state we choose for our summer trips, but let’s face it, we live in the heart of great riding. But you notice we never ride the Smoky Mountains or New England, not to mention Europe or Australia or so many other places. If we ever decided to do that we might be looking for a tour.

There are a number of options for tours if you do want to see Colorado in that way. Here’s a list of the companies I’m aware of and a little about each of them.

Turkey Creek Tours
Turkey Creek Tours is my sentimental favorite of the Colorado tour companies, mainly because I’ve had some interaction with these folks, Tom and Lynn Matthews. It started when they called me one night to settle a debate they had been having. The question: where was the photo on my home page taken? I can’t remember where Lynn was guessing, but Tom was right, it is Independence Pass.

Turkey Creek Tours is a homegrown outfit and they’ve been around for a number of years, so that says good things about them. They don’t provide the bikes themselves but will connect you with people who will. They have six tours on their calendar for this summer and are also happy to arrange custom tours. Check them out.

Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Tours
I’ve never met them but Bob Herman and Lisa Scalise run this outfit. They strike me as being similar to Tom and Lynn of Turkey Creek Tours, so this is probably another good option. Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Tours also has six tours scheduled this summer, and they also do custom tours.

Freedom Tours
Another local tour company, this one run by Mike and Linda Broadstreet. Probably comparable to the first two. As I go along on this I’m struck with how little I really know about any of these so I guess I’ll just give you the list and the links and you can explore them on your own.

Monkey Gripper Motorcycle Tours
What’s different about Monkey Gripper is that they offer dual-sport tours, meaning you get to go off the pavement and explore some of the places other tours don’t go. Dan Patino, the operator, has been a dual-sport tour guide in Alaska and also worked awhile as a Forest Ranger in the Rampart Range, Colorado’s dirt bike haven. One of his tours requires riders to be experienced dirt bikers but the rest are accessible to those with less experience.

GO2Wheels
GO2Wheels is run by George and Andrea Ofiesh. They offer their trademarked RideVentures as well as motorcycle rentals. The website says that:

RideVentures are offered in three ways:
1. RideVentures include lodging and meals (various options).
2. Tag-along – Ride with us but make your own arrangements.
3. Self-guided – We will plan and give you all the information you need for a great ride.

EagleRider
No surprise here, this is the touring site for Harley-Davidson. Of course they’re happy to rent you the Harleys to ride.

Colorado Motorcycle Tours
Another small, local outfit, run by Greg Hartley and Evan Mandell. One thing these guys offer is one-day trips in addition to the longer ones. On their site they promote the idea that hey, if you have just a day free in Colorado, let us take you on a great ride. Not a bad idea.

Ball O’ String Custom Adventure Tours
Willie and George (Jungle) Fuhrman run this outfit out of Eagle. In addition to custom motorcycle tours, they also offer sports car tours. The Fuhrmans lead tours in Colorado and neighboring states and various other countries.

Western Dual Sport Motorcycle Adventures
Here’s one more I only just discovered does tours. I’ve had them listed as a motorcycle rental company on the website but apparently they do lead tours as well. I don’t know anything more about them.

American Motorcyclist Association
Of course if you know the AMA you won’t be surprised that they offer a Ride the Rockies tour.

Biker Quote for Today

Ride the roads that make you giggle in your helmet.

An interesting news report about the Fort Collins Chief of Police. He was up on Stove Prairie Road and went down on his buddy’s Road King. He suffered a broken pelvis but got back on the bike and rode into town to the hospital.

“It was very apparent something was really wrong,” said Chief Dennis Harrison.

Yeah, I guess. Call me a wuss but I think I would have waited for the ambulance. Oh, and no mention about the condition of the bike.

No place is a good place to go down but Chief Harrison did pick a nice place to ride. I’ve been on that road many times and I strongly recommend it. What it is best is a way to avoid going through all the sprawl of Fort Collins when you’re on your way up the Poudre Canyon. The Stove Prairie Road runs over the ridge from the Buckhorn Canyon to the Poudre. Here’s a map showing the area.

What you do is head west out of Loveland on US 34, like you’re going up to Estes Park, except just a bit west of town, as you get past the hogback, you go north on CO 56 to Masonville. At Masonville you go left at the T intersection. Right takes you down by Horsetooth Reservoir and into Fort Collins. Left takes you up the Buckhorn.

You don’t need to worry about finding the Stove Prairie turnoff because that’s the way the pavement goes. Where the Buckhorn road and the Stove Prairie road diverge the Buckhorn road turns to gravel. So stay on the pavement.

The road rises up to the tiny community of Stove Prairie and then heads down into the Poudre. A left takes you up the Poudre on CO 14, over Cameron Pass, and down into North Park. A right takes you very quickly to the Mishiwaka Inn, the best bar in these parts, and then down to hit US 287 just a couple miles outside of LaPorte.

There’s one other good riding option you might want to be aware of, and that is the Rist Canyon road. From up on top, at Stove Prairie, the Rist Canyon road (Larimer County Road 52E) takes you directly down into LaPorte. Once you come over the crest it is a very steep downward run that is reminiscent of coming into Golden on the Lookout Mountain road.

It’s all good riding. But you’ll enjoy it more if you keep the rubber side down.

Biker Quote for Today

Never ride faster than your guardian angel can fly.

It’s getting to be that time of year. The road to the top of Mount Evans has closed, so that means other roads can’t be far behind.

Others that close for the winter include:

• Trail Ridge Road
• Kebler Pass
• Independence Pass
• the Pike’s Peak Road
• Cottonwood Pass

You can keep tabs on which of these are still open, as well as get real-time info on road conditions around the state at the Colorado Department of Transportation site.

The other roads are maintained all year round but you never know when they’ll be getting snow. The truth of the matter is, although I ride down here on the flatland all year round, I almost never ride in the mountains after October. There are more hardy riders than me, though. Redleg comes to mind. He seems to ride anywhere he wants any time he wants. You’re a better man than me, buddy.

Biker Quote for Today

Winter is nature’s way of telling you to polish your bike.

I wrote just three days ago about the conditions on Guanella Pass, so with that on my mind, when my wife wanted to head for the high country the next day I knew where I wanted to go.

The last time we were up there was two years ago, and what we saw then was what I described. Well, there is a lot that has changed in two years.

For one thing, the reconstruction work I mentioned has begun, and going up from the Georgetown side the road is horrible. Horrible! It’s one lane in several places, with traffic signals stopping you or letting you pass, but the road surface on most of it is so bad it’s amazing. I can hardly believe the county would let it get this bad, although I wonder if perhaps it is the heavy construction going on that has torn the road up like this. If that’s the case then of course they won’t want to repair the road surface until the heavy work is done. The project won’t be completed for another couple years.

After awhile you get past the mess and then the road is pretty good the rest of the way up. It’s mostly paved, although still rough, and just as you near the top it turns to gravel. It’s definitely passable. We couldn’t really tell what the condition was two years ago because it was all covered with snow at that time.

And it is beautiful up on top! It was beautiful last time, too, but it was an all-covered-with-snow beauty. I had forgotten just how spectacular it is when the snow is gone.

Heading on down the other side it continues as gravel and gets to be a lot of washboard. Then abruptly, about a mile from the top, you hit nice new asphalt. We guessed that this was where we hit the county line. If you look at the picture I included in the last post and you see the poor surface, that’s all been redone. The new asphalt continues for several miles and then you get back to the older surface and intermittent gravel. It’s all very passable, although if it has rained you will face mud.

So bottom line on all this, I still wouldn’t take a Gold Wing on this road but anyone who doesn’t mind doing some dirt would find this a really nice ride. You’ll need to go slow on the part where the surface is so bad but you definitely can do it. Just try not to get caught in a thundershower.

Consequently, I will be adding this road to the Dirt Roads and Side Trips page of the website.

Biker Quote for Today

Patience is the ability to keep your motor idling.