On the Shelf Road, Finally
For the first couple years that I was working on this website the focus was entirely on paved roads. I didn’t have any off-road experience, plus there was plenty to keep me busy just putting up info on the paved roads, so I didn’t touch the gravel.
Then I got an email from Larry Matkovich, who runs Larry’s Custom Cycle in Canon City, suggesting I add some info on gravel roads (“dirty” roads as he called them) and he offered to provide me the scoop on some, along with a rating system he had devised. Thus was born the Dirt Roads and Side Trips page on the site.
The very first dirt road Larry introduced me to was the Shelf Road, which runs north out of Canon City to Cripple Creek. And although I’ve had it listed on the site for probably three years now, I had never been on it. Until yesterday.
I’m here to tell you, this is a good ride. Using the system he devised, Larry rated this road a 2, “Doable but not recommended for sport bikes, full dressers, some cruisers especially 2-up.” I might be a little more generous, maybe giving it a 1, “Fair gravel road, a bit more skill required, but OK for all bikes.”
Either way, it is a little rough in some places, with a good bit of washboard, but it’s doable. It’s better on a dual-sport, but if you’re on a street bike you can just take your time and ride around the potholes. Kind of like my friend Janet Linn does when she goes over mountain passes on her Ninja.
And boy, yesterday, with the fall colors, it was a beauty, as you can see in the photo. The weather is getting dicier so any of this kind of riding you intend to do you’d better do soon. Yesterday was a good one. It may be the best we’ll see for awhile. Hope you were out riding.
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October 18th, 2011 at 2:59 pm
I was going to try the Shelf Road on my Road King last year, but ran out of daylight on the day I was in the area. Looking at your picture I regret not trying it. I have a question. What is washboard? I have never heard of that over here in the UK. Cheers. Gary
October 18th, 2011 at 3:31 pm
Gary–Washboard is when the surface of the road ripples in a series of small ridges. Generally you’re talking maybe two inches high, 2 or 3 inches apart, creating a very bumpy ride. It looks like a washboard, thus the name. If it continues for miles it can shake you to pieces. Once on a lot of washboard over about 50 miles of gravel it shook my bike so badly that the rear rack broke apart. I had to have the joints rewelded.
October 19th, 2011 at 5:50 am
Ken,
I think a bike and the rider makes a big difference in this instance. I would take my cb5550k from ’78 on this, no problem, actually, I’d take it with my wife on the back and probably blow out my fork seals. It sounds like a lot of fun. I would probably hate it on my ’09 Concours, though. The connie is a hell of a lot better in the corners, but there is little forgiveness at lower speeds compared to a dual sport. Plus, I’ve low-speed crashed the old Honda a couple of times. It holds up pretty well to gravel.
Rating systems are tricky, but I can see why this guy would error on the side of caution. I also want to get on gravel next year. Seriously, I had a small amount of off-road riding this past year and I’m completely hooked. Now I just need a new group of friends…
Brady
Behind Bars – Motorcycles and Life
http://www.behindbarsmotorcycle.com