Passes & Canyons Blog

Marijuana tourism is a very real thing that has hit Colorado since pot was legalized, so it shouldn’t surprise anyone that someone is now offering motorcycle tours hitting the high spots (I didn’t really intend that pun) of the industry.

And wouldn’t you know it, that enterprising person is my friend Dan Patino who runs Go 2 Motorcycle Tours. I’ve remarked before that Dan is one of the most entrepreneurial people I know and here he goes again.

Dan wrote me the following email:

Ken,
interested in doing a story on a overnight tour I will be offering? It is the only one like it in the world. I will be the first motorcycle touring company embracing the Marijuana industry. I will be offering a overnight tour that visits dispensaries, and the world’s first legal Cannabis Club in Nederland. Overnight stay in Nederland with a shuttle to the club. I am about to post the info on FB then my website. My emphasis is to show a openness to the industry but also a responsible motorcycle operating. No guest will be operating under the influence but may wish to consume on the overnight.

Of course I had to say “tell me more.”

Dan’s reply:

I posted it on my FB page. I assume this click will let you view it. I want to emphasize a few things. One the reason, uniqueness of the tour, and responsibility.

The reason is the demand for visitors to want to visit and see a legal operation industry. Like ClubNed they get calls from all over the world inquiring about their operation and the industry here in Colorado. ClubNed is the only legal cannabis club in the world in operation.

Now the Uniqueness being Go2moto now the only touring company highlighting the industry in a private tour via motorcycle. To the only Cannabis club in the world.

Responsibility, upmost concern because we don’t ride under the influence. Like all tours, we don’t allow consumption of alcohol or and drug while operating a motorcycle. I get it. Cannabis tour via motorcycle, red flag! Like visiting Coors it can be done! Pictures, and knowledge of the industry is the focus of the tour. However the overnight stay in Nederland would give those an option to consume after the riding is done. A shuttle or a short walk will get those back and forth to their lodging, so no operation of bikes will be allowed until the following day. Specific on pricing will be available on upon request this being a private group tour. Prices depend on size of the group of riders.

Just from my experience talking with people from outside Colorado, I have no question there is a lot of interest in this legal marijuana thing. Dan may be on to something here. This is going to be very interesting to watch.

Biker Quote for Today

I have a fever, and the only prescription is more moto.

David from Ohio stayed with us last week, another Motorcycle Travel Network member passing through. By the time he got home he had been out for three weeks. Not an excessively long trip, but I guess for him it had been a long ride.

David has recently developed some unfortunate health issues and he was on a bucket-list ride. He had taken old Route 66 from Chicago to Santa Monica. His take on it was different than any I had heard before.

What he found particularly striking about that route is how old and worn out so many of the buildings were. Route 66 was once a happening place and then the interstate took over and the old route faded. All these motels and restaurants that did booming business in their hey-day were now rotting hulks.

What must people from other countries think about the U.S., he wondered, when they come here to ride this road and see all this decrepitude? He talked about how someone referred to some of these places as “ruins” and how he had always thought about ruins in the sense of Roman ruins or Greek ruins. But these absolutely were ruins, just from a much more recent era.

He said following the old route was pretty difficult at times, which doesn’t surprise me. I did an article a few years ago about an outfit that leads a Route 66 ride every year and the main guy told me that in some places the official route changed as many as five times. Each year he would vary things by taking different segments.

At other times, said David, the old road ran right alongside the new road and he figured out he could cut short some of the longer, more boring stretches by taking the new road. He’d still be seeing the exact same things and passing through the exact same countryside. Is that cheating? Some games you don’t really have to play by someone else’s rules, you get to make up your own. Especially if you’re riding alone.

One of David’s biggest disappointments about this ride was also interesting. He was passing through Springfield, Illinois, and stopped at the Lincoln Home National Historic Site. This is a several-block area of old Springfield that has Lincoln’s home and all his neighbors’ homes just as they were when he lived there. An interesting coincidence here is that I was set to work on that park unit the very next day in my job at the National Park Service.

So what disappointed him is that he really wanted to see the actual original Gettysburg Address. And it wasn’t on display. They told him it is very fragile and is only available for viewing for short periods each year. I don’t remember exactly but they may also have told him that when it is on display it is not on display there, but somewhere else.

The next morning David rolled on across Kansas headed for another MTN stop out that way. We’ve become something of a route. Michel, our last MTN guest, headed out for that same Kansas stop after leaving us. And those Kansas folks have stayed with us previously. Everybody says the same thing: The Motorcycle Travel Network seems to be getting smaller and smaller. It may eventually sputter out. What a shame that will be if it happens.

Biker Quote for Today

Drive?! Why?! Cars have too many wheels… just makes me feel… awkwardly stable… I’ll ride thank you!

Michel showed up a little later than planned on Tuesday night but was still in time for dinner. We ended up sitting at the dinner table talking with him till long past the time when we’re usually headed for bed. It was another good time with a Motorcycle Travel Network guest.

After five and one-half months touring the U.S. and Mexico, Michel is headed back to Toronto–but not before riding for a few days in Colorado with a buddy from Montreal who flew in today. And he’ll probably be staying with us one more day before he mounts the bike and starts the blast back home. Oh yeah, and what he’ll be mounting is a BMW 800 GS, not a Honda as I said before. Turns out his profile on MTN is wrong.

Of course he had some good stories to tell. Are you familiar with Mexico’s Copper Canyon? It’s like their version of the Grand Canyon, only bigger and deeper. And it has a road that runs through part of it.

So Michel was on his way to a town down there and saw some signs that the road was closed from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. That can’t be right, he figured, it must be incorrect or old or something, and he kept going. Twice he stopped and asked people and they assured him he could get through. I mean, he’s on this GS, so of course he can get through.

In the meantime, the road is getting seriously bad in places. On one side it is nothing but gravel about a foot deep and on the other side it’s hard-packed but there is a drop that goes a very long way down, with no guard-rail, of course. And it’s raining and getting foggy.

Then he encountered a guy going the other way in a truck who asked him where he was going. “You can’t get there,” he said, “the road is closed.”

“Sure I can,” said Michel, “I’m on this GS.”

“No, you don’t understand, we’re dynamiting. The road is really closed.”

Oh.

“Of course, you can get through after 6 p.m.

“On this road? At night? Oh, no.”

So he had to turn back. But he didn’t have enough gas to get back to the last town. And he couldn’t get there before dark.

Nothing to do but to do it. He did find gas along the way but toward nightfall he could only find a place that seemed to rent rooms in season but that was closed at this time. There was a shed so he figured he’s spend the night there. As he unloaded and took off wet clothes a woman and child came around the house. He asked if he could please stay the night in their shed and the woman replied, “Well, yes, but do you want a room?” Salvation!

There was no heat, and it was cold, and he was wet, but it was a place to sleep. In the morning he pulled on cold, wet clothes and gear and set out, reaching the town he had left early the day before just as it started to snow. Two days of tough riding and he was right back where he had been, and he couldn’t have been happier.

These are the kinds of stories we’ve heard so many times from our MTN guests and hosts. We’re really sold on this organization.

Recent from National Motorcycle Examiner
Product review: VikingCycle Warrior jacket warrants a big thumbs up

Biker Quote for Today

Quoth Dorzok, it’s a BMW. Just activate the levitation function that’s part of the optional accessory outer space adventure package.

Got an email Saturday from Michel. He said he was in Cortez, heading toward Denver on his way back home to Toronto. Could he stay with us a couple nights?

Michel, of course, is a member of the Motorcycle Travel Network, as are we, and that’s what the network is all about. You join and then when you travel you have other members to contact about staying at their homes. Or you are at home and someone comes to stay with you. We’re all into motorcycles so there’s never any doubt about a conversation starter.

Just from what little I know so far, it’s going to be very interesting hosting Michel. He has been on the road for five and one-half months, in the U.S. and Mexico. Do you supposes he’s going to have some interesting stories to tell? I’d bet my three bikes on it.

Truth is, we’ve never had guests who we did not find interesting, or enjoy getting to know. And we (or I, traveling alone) have never had a bad stay with other members. So we’re looking forward to this.

Of course, one of the better points of the Motorcycle Travel Network is that you can check out the person who is coming to your place before they get there. I went to network website and looked Michel up so I know a bit more about him. Not like AirBnB where you’re dealing with total strangers.

He’ll be arriving on Tuesday and staying with us two nights. Judy read my mind and said she foresees some blog posts coming out of this visit. Well, this is the first one but there will be at least one more soon. And depending on how it goes, maybe more. Stay tuned.

By the way
Totally unrelated, I just want to make a note here that in case anyone reading this blog would like to register to have it emailed to them each time it is published, that can be done but you need to email me to let me know. I used to have it set up so anyone could register but I was forever getting scores of spammers who signed up just so they could get their links on my site. It never happened because I always deleted them before any comment went up, but that didn’t stop them from registering and entering a comment. I got tired of deleting them so I changed the settings now so I am the only one who can register someone. I’m really sorry for any inconvenience this may cause a real person but if you email me at that address at right I’ll set you up.

Biker Quote for Today

He who rides alone can start today.

You’ll never get everyone to agree on what the top 10 motorcycle roads in the U.S. are, but there’s no need to. Everyone has different ideas and appreciates different things.

Nevertheless, it’s always interesting to see someone else’s list of what they think are the best. My friend John, one of the original OFMC riders, sent me this item from the Discovery channel and part of what I find interesting about it is that I’m really not familiar with a couple of these roads.

I don’t think they are ranked, but they’re presented in a 10, 9, 8, . . . sort of fashion that suggests #1 is the best. I don’t think that is what they meant, but that provides more grist for dispute if you choose to see it that way. I’ll take it from the top.

10. Route 50, The George Washington Highway, West Virginia
My first assumption was that this was the George Washington Memorial Parkway, which runs out of Washington, D.C., but then I saw that this road is in West Virginia. Hmmm. Never heard of it. Of course I’ve never spent much time in West Virginia, so I guess I’ll just add this to my list of places I need to get to.

9. Needles Highway, Black Hills, South Dakota
Oh yeah, this one I can vouch for. In fact, we’re going to be on that road again this summer on the OFMC trip. We’ll be spending three days in the Black Hills and there’s no way you’re going to skip this one.

8. Tail of the Dragon, Deal’s Gap, North Carolina
Everyone knows about the Tail of the Dragon. I’ve never been there but frankly, from what I hear, it’s gotten a bit blown out of proportion. I know they talk about 318 curves in 11 miles but heck, I was on a road down in New Mexico a couple years ago that ran a lot longer than 11 miles and probably had just as many curves per mile.

7. Blue Ridge Parkway, Virginia
It has been a whole lot of years since I’ve been on the Blue Ridge, and never on a motorcycle, so this one is definitely on my list. That along with Skyline Drive, through Shenandoah National Park. I wasn’t really familiar with Skyline Drive but I just worked on Shenandoah last week in my job at the National Park Service and decided then and there that this was another one I have to get to.

6. Beartooth Pass, Wyoming
Oh yes. Fabulous. We’ve been on this one a couple times. Dress warmly. Even in July and August.

5. San Juan Mountain Skyway, Colorado
Another big oh yes. Red Mountain Pass, the route between Durango and Ouray is one of the very best roads in Colorado. What more can you say?

4. Tunnel of Trees Road, Michigan
This is a different sort of one. I would never have heard of it except that we ran across it while coming down through Michigan in 2012. This road runs along the western shore of the lower peninsula portion of the state, and it’s about as curvey as the Tail of the Dragon. Just as with the Tail, you can’t really do much sightseeing because you’d darn well better keep your eyes on where you’re going. And don’t go too fast.

3. Cherohala Skyway, Tennessee
This is another one I’ve heard of but have never ridden. We lived in Tennessee many years ago so it’s possible I’ve been on it but that would have been as a kid. Now I want to see it as an adult.

2. Arkansas Pig Trail, Arkansas
What? I have never heard of this one. What? Where? They say it’s “the Arkansas Dragon.” OK, it’s in the Ozarks, so that tells you something. Add it to the list. I’m sure I’ll be back in Arkansas some day.

1. The Three Sisters (aka The Twisted Sisters), Texas
At least I’ve heard of this one, though I don’t really know anything about it. I see that it’s down west of San Antonio, but it’s been so many years since I’ve been to San Antonio that I forget what that country is like.

But this is why I don’t think the real intent in counting down, rather than up, is intended to rank these roads. I don’t think anyone would say the Twisted Sisters are better than the Beartooth. I also have to question the selections for this list. (Like I said, everyone has their own ideas about these things.) I’d like to ride the Twisted Sisters but is this ride really better than Trail Ridge Road, which is not on the list? Or how about the Going to the Sun Highway up in Glacier National Park? Or the Pacific Coast Highway through Big Sur?

No, I think they tried to balance the list across the country, not really pick the real top 10. But I don’t care. I like the list. I like getting turned on to some places I didn’t know about. And considering I’ve only been on 4 of these 10, that gives me some riding to think about. And plan. And do. That works for me.

Biker Quote for Today

When you stop chasing dreams, that’s when your getting old…until then enjoy the ride.

I’ve talked about the Motorcycle Travel Network (MTN) previously but this time I want to flat out promote it. I’m not getting paid or anything, it’s just an organization that I strongly support and hope that a lot more people will join.

I mentioned it last week, saying we were going to have our first guests of the year this weekend just ended. Robin and Glenda came out from Lawrence, Kansas, and spent Friday and Saturday nights with us. As has been the case with everyone we have hosted, we really liked them and enjoyed having them here. Our one regret in this case would be that we didn’t have enough time to spend with them. They were tired from driving all day so on Friday night they went to bed fairly early. Then Saturday night we had plans for the evening and by the time we got home they were in bed. And they were up and gone before we got up on Sunday–they wanted to get home in time for the Super Bowl.

So what’s the deal with the MTN? It’s a group that you join and then when you travel you contact other members and arrange to stay with them instead of in a hotel or motel. Or they contact you about staying with you when they’re traveling in your area. The cost to join is $40 for one year, $60 for two years, or $120 for five years. What you pay (or receive) is a “gratuity” of $15 per night for one person, plus $5 per night for each additional person.

That means that Robin and Glenda paid $40 to stay two nights here in Denver and they had a comfortable room and bed. And rather than staring at the TV in some motel room in the evening they had other folks who share their passion for motorcycles to talk with, swap stories, and just generally have a good time with. Also, usually, the host(s) provide breakfast for their guests but Robin and Glenda had other plans for breakfast so we never fed them. We would have been happy to do so, and we generally invite our guests to have dinner with us, too, but that didn’t work out that way this time either.

Of course, Judy and I have stayed with other MTN people when we’ve been the traveling pair. We have stayed in some incredibly nice homes and met some wonderful people. Plus, we have saved a bundle of money and had locals who ride to direct us to some of the better roads in the area. How could you not love this situation?

Trust me, I understand the reluctance someone may feel about taking total strangers into their home, or staying with total strangers in their home. My first experience was as a guest of a couple in Utah. As I drew near their town I started fretting. What if I met them and we had a total personality clash right from the start, and then I was stuck for a long evening and night? What if they were super religious (which I’m not) and insisted that I participate in their devotional practices? What if . . .? The list goes on and on.

But you know what? They weren’t. It didn’t happen. They were just regular people, they were super nice, I had a great time, and I’ve been sold on the whole thing ever since. Then, the first time we were the hosts, I think Judy had some qualms but that particular couple was so much fun that we were very sorry indeed to see them go. She was sold.

At this point we’ve stayed with MTN folks in Minnesota, Michigan, and Florida, while I on my own have stayed with folks in Utah, Arizona, and Nebraska. Robin and Glenda told us they stayed with a whole lot of MTN folks in Canada and Alaska when they rode their Harleys to Alaska. Folks who have stayed with us have been from Nebraska, Germany, Montana, Iowa, Wisconsin, and a bunch of other places I can’t call to mind at the moment. And you don’t have to be on your bike; all you have to be is a member.

Which brings me to the point of why I’m doing this plug for the group. I may have had a vague sense of this but Robin stated it flat out, that it appears to him that the Motorcycle Travel Network is dying out. Some people don’t renew their memberships and not a lot of new people join. And yet, for those of us who are members, and who host other members and stay with other members in their homes, it’s such a great thing. Don’t let this die out! It’s such a great thing!

So what are your travel plans this year? If you’d rather stay with friends than in a motel, you really should consider this. They may not be your friends yet, but chances are excellent they will be by the time you leave. And who doesn’t enjoy making new friends?

Recent from National Motorcycle Examiner
Only a biker knows . . .: Motorcycle Wit and Wisdom, #30

Biker Quote for Today

To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries. — Aldous Huxley

It’s going to be a few more days before I can post my riding mileage for 2013 but there’s no question the numbers are going to be lower than the last few years. Having a full-time job will do that to you. But I’m hoping to start pushing those numbers back up in 2014.

For starters, I’m looking to cut my hours back starting early next year, from 40 a week to 32. I’ve been hoping and suggesting to my wife, Judy, that she cut her hours and she has finally said she’s giving it serious consideration. Once she does I’ll definitely do the same. More days away from work will equate to more time on the bike. It’s the law!

And with more days off work I’ll be able to get out and up in the hills more with the V-Strom. I bought that bike for a reason–to ride the almost endless miles of unpaved road in Colorado–and I can hardly even say I’ve scratched the surface. More like run my fingernail across the surface testing to see how much pressure would be needed to actually cause a scratch.

Of course we’ll be doing the annual OFMC trip. That’s always guaranteed. Come on July.

I’m going to be pushing myself to ride to work more often. There are two routes I can take, a southern and a northern route, and I don’t like doing the northern route on a bike because it involves dealing with heavy commuter traffic on I-25. I’ve done that numerous times but that’s just a set-up for lane changers who don’t do a head check, and then pull into the lane I’m in.

No, I prefer the southern route, but the whole of this past late summer and fall that stretch was under major reconstruction, and the one time I did ride that route during that time it took me an extra 45 minutes due to that construction. Well, the construction is finished now and that’s the route I took when I rode to work last Wednesday. My new year’s resolution is to ride that route a whole lot more in 2014.

The key, though, is going to be having that extra time off. Of course my earnings will take a 20 percent dip when I cut my hours 20 percent, but that will give me more time to focus on freelancing again. Of course more freelancing by definition means more riding. I’ve been making a list of rides I want to do and try to sell pieces to Rider or whoever else would be interested. I saw recently that Suzuki has just created its own Suzuki owners magazine and I just happen to have recently purchased a Suzuki, so there may be potential there. Of course I would hope to continue selling to Kawasaki for their publication. Good that I own a Kawasaki.

Rider is the big one, of course. I’ll have another article coming out there in the next issue (I believe). That means it’s past time to be pitching Mark Tuttle on the next piece. And once he accepts the proposal I’ll just have no choice but to go do the ride. Once again, it’s the law.

So I’m definitely looking forward to 2014. This full-time job business is cramping my style.
Biker Quote for Today
Bikes are better than women because you don’t have to convince your motorcycle that you’re a motorcyclist and that you think that motorcycles are equals.

Part of this relates to the simple fact that Alaska is the only U.S. state I’ve never been to. Then, to not only go to Alaska but ride around there on a motorcycle is, in my mind, about the ultimate.

So the boys at Butler Maps have been there and they’ve really done that in a big way. And then they sent me the map so I could drool.

One thing you notice right away looking at the map is that a large portion of the state is left out, essentially the entire western portion of the state. I understand that, though. Working as I do at the National Park Service (when we’re working, which we’re not as of this writing thanks to the government shutdown), I am aware that while there are several national parks and other federal lands over there, they are only accessible by air or water. There would probably be a whole lot more routes on this map if that were not the case.

And I should also add that the map does give you a lot of routes in British Columbia and the Yukon Territory as well–no extra cost! Basically, it shows you some roads to get to Alaska from the Seattle area, as well as some side trips along the way.

Another thing that can be deceptive at first is that unlike so many other Butler maps, there are not a lot of big stretches of yellow-highlighted roads. Those are the best, so you want to see a lot of yellow on your map. But then if you think about it you realize that this is Alaska. It’s huge. And it’s on the same size map as, say, Colorado. So those numerous little yellow squiggles actually encompass hundreds and hundreds of miles of choice motorcycle roads. And connecting the yellow squiggles are a lot of red squiggles, which are the merely great rather than stupendous roads. And oh man, is there a lot of red!

Frankly, I’ve never heard of Haines, a little way south of Skagway, but the biggest single stretch of yellow is the Haines Highway that runs northwest from that town. Now you’ve really got my interest. That’s one of the very best thing about these Butler maps. They tell you where the good stuff is.

On the back side of the map there’s a lot more information. Enlarged maps show sections highlighted on the overall map. If you’re riding a dual-sport or adventure motorcycle to/in Alaska you’ll want to pay particular attention to the Dual Sport Adventure Roads Reference Guides that are included with several sections. Not only are these routes pointed out, there are some tips that are very useful.

For instance, on the Elliot Highway/Steese Highway section it tells you you had better have at least 161 miles worth of gas or you’re going to be in trouble. On the Dalton Highway you need 250 miles worth of fuel.

• Road to Rampart: This road has many stream crossings and marshy bogs. It is more appropriate for 4x4s but doable on a bike if you want a challenge.
• Alascom Road: Another short but stunning out and back ride. Treat yourself to 360 degree views.
• Grogg Creek Road: A ride up Grogg Creek Road is a great lesson in stream crossing.

OK, now it’s time to commence dreaming. And now my dreams can be a lot more specific. I think that makes them more likely to come true, doesn’t it?

Recent from National Motorcycle Examiner
AIMExpo will debut in Orlando Oct. 16-20

Biker Quote for Today

Get lost to find yourself.