Passes & Canyons Blog

I hadn’t been on a bike recently because about 10 days ago I had minor surgery that makes it very uncomfortable for me to sit down for too long. But I’m planning on doing a four-day RMMRC ride in a bit less than two weeks so I was feeling a bit uncertain. Figured I’d better go for a ride.

I plan to ride the V-Strom so that was the bike I went out on. I was figuring it has a nice broad, flat seat so maybe that will be OK. Well, I got about two blocks and was already uncomfortable. Not a good sign.

So I wanted to see, would the discomfort get worse, diminish, or what, and how quickly? I checked my watch before I left.

Certainly I did not want to go a long way away and find myself in pain and have a long way to return, so I headed out, went a ways, and made a right turn. Now just go straight until I’m feeling like I ought to do another right turn. One more right turn after that and I would be home.

The good news is that the discomfort did not increase. The not so good news is that it did not diminish either. And hitting bumps was not more uncomfortable as I thought it might be. It was just a stable level of discomfort, but I have the strong suspicion that if I were to do that all day it would get a lot worse and then maybe I wouldn’t even be able to walk the next day.

OK, that answered my question. And I was only out for 35 minutes. Now, I still have 10 days before we leave. Surely I’ll be feeling a lot better by then, right? I mean, heck, I did three weeks straight on the Concours just two months after having heart surgery. This will pass, won’t it?

It better. I’m set up to share motel rooms with Alberto on this ride and I don’t want to leave him holding the bag paying in full for rooms he had expected to split. But if we were leaving tomorrow and I was feeling like I do today there’s no way I’d be going. We all know about monkey butt. Well, this is monkey butt to the max. It’s got to be better in 10 days.

Biker Quote for Today

They say treat yourself right, so I bought myself a motorcycle.

OK, rather than a motorcycle-related post here I’m doing a blog-related post. Specifically something I have long tried to figure out about this blog.

Why does almost no one ever comment? If you look at that screen shot of my blog dashboard you’ll see that there have been 1,780 posts which garnered only 698 comments. I look at other people’s blogs and they’ll have multiple comments on every post. I just don’t get it.

For one, I’m wondering if I have this thing set up in a way that makes commenting difficult or even impossible for people at times? Something I could fix. Could I move the comment button somewhere more convenient?

Or is what I write so complete that no one has anything to add? Or so boring that no one cares? Or is it something else I have no idea about?

I know, for instance, that up at the top right, below the photo of me on the Honda, it reads “Entries (RSS) and Comments (RSS).” And I know that is not functional; I need to remove it. Is that it? Do people click on that Comments link and get nowhere? The Comments link that does work is at the bottom of each post. You read the post, you get to the end, you want to offer a reply, and you click the link there. Is that not clear enough?

This has frustrated me for a long time. Anything anyone can do to help me out here will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Biker Quote for Today

You can’t get good by staying home. If you want to go fast, you have to go where the fast guys are.

Back in the very early days of the OFMC Bill and John and I headed to the northwestern, Yellowstone-Grand Teton, corner of Wyoming, across the Beartooth Pass, through the Bighorn Mountains, and made our way on east to the Black Hills. Leaving the Black Hills we came south into Nebraska and stopped soon after crossing the state line at a rest area.

We got a bit of a surprise then when a fellow we met at the rest area informed us that “Nebraska is a bucket state,” meaning helmets were required. And we had not been wearing ours. Oops.

Of course, this was back in the days when we often did not wear helmets. We were much younger and we were immortal and helmets were just too confining. But we also didn’t want to get tickets so for the rest of our time in the state we rode with helmets.

Well, this is not new news but that all changed on January 1 of this year. Last year a bill was passed unanimously through the state’s unicameral (one house) legislature and was signed that day by the governor. No more helmet requirement, provided you meet certain prerequisites.

First, you have to be 21 and, second, you have to wear eye protection. No problem.

And third, you have to have taken a basic motorcycle safety course. OK, that’s something you want to pay attention to.

First off, there are plenty of people who have been riding for years who have never taken a riding course. I personally know plenty of people who would scoff at the idea of doing that because they figure they know it all already. Well, you don’t. I have taken numerous riding courses and even the Basic Rider Course (BRC) can introduce you to ideas and riding techniques you’ve missed along the way. It’s worth it, and now if you want to ride helmetless in Nebraska it’s required.

Second, having taken that course is probably not going to do you a lot of good if you’re stopped unless you are carrying the card they give you upon completion. Oh, yeah. Maybe the cops aren’t just going to take your word for it. Good thing to take along. Stick it in with your driver’s license.

Now, this is no longer relevant for those of us in the OFMC. We long ago grew cautious enough that we no longer ride without helmets, ever. But back in 1992, when we took that trip, we would only have met two of the three criteria, age and eye protection. But if you want the wind in your hair just remember that you’ve got to take a class. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Biker Quote for Today

Wind therapy has always worked miracles for me. — Eric Trow

Let’s see, second Tuesday of June . . . something going on, isn’t there? Oh yeah, it’s Ride to Work Day.

You know, for some of us, riding to work is an impossibility because we don’t work. I’m retired. But when I was working you bet I made it a point to ride my bike to work on this day. Now I just get out and ride. Nobody knows I’m not going to work and besides, the work part of it is not the main point. The main point is to flood the streets with motorcycles and make drivers conscious that we are out there and they better be on the look-out.

I mean, when was the last time someone started pulling into your lane in your space because they didn’t bother to do a head check to make sure there was nothing in their blind spot? Yesterday? The day before? OK, maybe it doesn’t happen that often but I know that every one of us has had that experience numerous times.

And now, with lane filtering on its way, we’re really going to need to make our presence known. What better time to get started than on Ride to Work Day?

Of course, you know, another way to make drivers aware of us is not to blend into the scenery. I ride with the RMMRC a lot and most of those guys always wear high-viz fluorescent-colored vests and clothing. I finally gave in to peer pressure and bought a bright orange vest. You can stop ragging on me now Roy.

Biker Quote for Today

Under my helmet, dreams come alive, and I make them real on the road.

If you’re like me and the your main riding group of buddies (in my case the OFMC) doesn’t do as many rides as you might like to do, joining a public group can solve that issue. For me, that came a number of years ago in the form of the Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Riders Club (RMMRC). Nowadays I ride a lot more with the RMMRC than I do with the OFMC.

Well, you can, too. At this moment the RMMRC has four multi-day rides planned and posted on the site. Club membership only costs $12 a year and all sign-up is handled through MeetUp.com. Here’s a quick run-through.

2024 BMW National Rally — While officially a BMW rally, in reality all makes are welcome. The RMMRC does this rally most years because so many club members do ride BMWs but it’s really just an excuse to go somewhere. The plan is only to spend about half a day at the actual rally.

The group going will be leaving Denver on Monday, June 10, and returning on Thursday, June 20. Each day’s ride will be in the 300 to 350 mile range.

Colorado Scenic Highways — I’m going to be going on this ride, which leaves on Thursday, June 27 and returns on Sunday, June 30. The three overnight destinations are Crested Butte, Grand Junction, and Durango. Then the only long day’s ride is coming home from Durango.

Glacier & Banff National Parks — This trip will run from Monday, August 5, to Friday, August 16. It’s kind of a skinny loop so that means no actual back-tracking, which is nice. Sometimes on these rides you have little choice but to return on at least some of the roads you went out on. I won’t be going on this ride, partly because it doesn’t work with my schedule and partly because I did a very similar ride a few years ago. About the only place we didn’t get to on that trip that this trip will hit is Calgary. I’m sure it’s going to be a really good ride.

Colorado 4-Corners Tour — This is a 4-day, 3-night tour starting from and returning to Morrison. Total tour is just over 1,000 miles with daily mileage between 250-340 miles. The stops are Walsenberg, Farmington, and Ridgway. Departure is Thursday, September 19, and return is Sunday, September 22.

So hey! Not getting in enough riding? Here’s your chance. You’d be very welcome. What are you waiting for?

Biker Quote for Today

You are not alone bro, your bike is with you.

I had seen an article about the opening of a REV’IT! store in downtown Denver. Really? There is enough demand for an actual bricks and mortar store of REV’IT! products in this town? I had to check this out.

Then I took a quick look at Google Maps to be clear on my destination and noticed two things. First, the REV’IT! store was right across the street from Erico Motorsports, which I’ve been to previously, but also, right next door to Erico was a RevZilla store. I didn’t know RevZilla had physical stores either, and there it was in a cluster with the other two shops. More and more interesting.

It was morning and I saw that REV’IT! opened at 11 but RevZilla opened at 10 so I headed down figuring to go to RevZilla first. I parked in front of REV’IT! next to an Indian, crossed the street, and went in RevZilla. There I met Scott who gave me a tour of the place and told me this store had been open about three years. It was the first bricks and mortar store RevZilla opened. They now also have shops in Philadelphia and Newport Beach.

Curious, I asked Scott if, like China Town and Little Italy, did this area have a nickname? It seemed suitable. Yes, he said, it’s called Octane Alley. OK, that’s fun.

RevZilla primarily carries gear such as jackets, pants, and helmets, plus some supplies like oil and cleaners. Other less common items can sometimes be special ordered.

Next, heading over to REV’IT! I was greeted upon entry by Meg, who is the owner of that Indian out front. The sole focus in this store is on REV’IT! products, which consists of boots, gloves, jackets, pants, and riding suits. Plus, this location is the US Headquarters for REV’IT!. Meg not only showed me around the shop, she took me in back to the offices.

I inquired about a replacement insulated liner for my REV’IT! pants but Meg confirmed what I had been told by corporate that something like that can’t be had individually. That was what I figured but it never hurts to ask. What the heck ever happened to my liner? Corporate had suggested I purchase a pair of their insulated inner pants (don’t call it underwear! the tag read) so I asked to look at these. They didn’t have my size in stock, though, so I didn’t try them on. This is just the sort of thing I would like to try on before buying.

The atmosphere around Octane Alley seems pretty collegial. Meg said she knows Scott over at RevZilla and she told me how John, at Erico, was hoping to convert a small space between the Erico and RevZilla shops into something of a gathering spot offering seating, shade, perhaps concessions. That would be nice.

It was a good visit, nice talking with these folks. And now Octane Alley is a place in my mind. And yours.

Biker Quote for Today

Never sacrifice style for speed.

OK, this is just for fun. I saw this headline the other day that I just had to click through on: Czech president injured while racing motorcycle.

Oh wow. Do you really mean the Czechs have a president who is cool? Apparently yes.

In this story from the BBC it tells us that “Czech President Petr Pavel has been taken to hospital after injuring himself while riding a motorcycle.” And it also says, “Czech police said they were not investigating the accident because it happened on a closed racing circuit – not on the road.”

That’s right. He wasn’t just riding a motorcycle, he was racing. And yeah, he had an unplanned get-off, but nothing serious. They just took him to the hospital for a couple hours for observation, in case something cropped up that was not immediately apparent. That happens. In the crash scene management class I took awhile back they talked about how someone may feel just fine immediately afterward only to have shock set in a little later. But he was fine.

So I was just letting my imagination go on the idea that we would have a president who rides motorcycles. Can you picture Joe Biden on a motorcycle? Nope. He’s at an age when not many of us are riding anymore. When the reflexes are gone it’s time to hang up the keys.

What about Donald Trump on a bike? OK, I could visualize him riding bitch with someone else at the controls but I don’t think I’d like to be that person. Don’s got some weight these days and I’ve had one experience riding with someone like that and I don’t want to do it again.

Back sometime soon after John and I first got our bikes we went over to Al’s to drink some beer and play some music. Al wanted to go for a ride and he climbed on my bike behind me. Now, I weighed about 140 then and Al had to have been close to 190. Not fat but large and solid. And Al was very excitable, meaning he didn’t just sit there passively being a passenger. No, he was shifting his weight and turning this way and that, throwing me way off balance and making me fear we’d crash. We went just a few blocks and I stopped and insisted he ride behind John, who is bigger. John didn’t care for it much either so we didn’t go very far.

Let’s go back a little further. How about Barack Obama on a bike? Now, that I could see. He’s a lot younger and he’s athletic. And here’s the funny thing. I Googled “Barack Obama on motorcycle” and I got a lot of links to photos that people have Photoshopped to make it look like he’s riding a motorcycle. Humorous.

But the Czechs have an actual president who rides his own. The BBC article says he rides a BMW R1200 GS. Cool. Maybe some day we’ll have a biker-in-chief.

Biker Quote for Today

“You see, I don’t know how to ride a motorcycle, actually.” — Henry (the Fonz) Winkler

I got my 1980 Honda CB750 Custom back from the shop Wednesday and it’s running great. But I’m totally baffled.

I took the bike over to Colorado Moto Service specifically to finally get work done to stop it from smoking like crazy whenever I fire it up. It’s been doing this for years and lately had gotten a lot worse. Spend the money and get it fixed!

Well, I took it in and they told me they were not seeing any smoke. How could that be possible? I had all kinds of theories: Maybe the guy would just fire it up and hop on and ride away, thus leaving all that smoke behind him and much more dispersed. I don’t know. But I was determined to start the cold bike myself and then have them watch while it warmed up and started producing blue clouds.

So I told Judy not to leave as soon as she dropped me off–she might be taking me right back home while the bike stayed there. And I didn’t tell them I was coming so they couldn’t “get it ready” for me by warming it up in advance.

The mechanic who worked on it was very nice and totally deferential: “You’ve had this bike a long time and you know it better than anybody . . . ” And I was determined to show him what he should have seen immediately.

I threw my leg over and laid my hand on the engine to make sure it was cold. It was. I set the bike upright, turned the key, pulled the choke, and pressed the starter button. It turned over nicely but didn’t catch and he realized he had the gas turned off. So, gas flow enabled, I pressed the starter again. It turned over and caught. I told him now to wait a moment because the engine had to warm up before it started burning oil out of the cylinders.

And we waited, and I revved it, and it ran nicely . . . and it never did start smoking. Never. I just have no idea what to make of it.

But that’s OK! If this issue somehow mysteriously solved itself now, finally, and I don’t have to pay $1,000 or whatever to have it fixed I’m fine with that. In the meantime, they synced the carburetors and the bike is now running like a champ. Plus, miraculously, while they had it, the ignition switch developed a problem (what better place for that to happen) and they diagnosed that and fixed it. Heaven forbid it had happened to me out on the road.

And I got out of there for less than $600, whereas I was sure I was going to be paying about a grand more by the time they finally found the problem I had taken it in for.

So now there’s just one more hurdle to pass. It’s parked in my garage now but the next time I take it out to ride will it smoke? If it does I have only one theory: they parked it on the side stand and I always put it on the center stand. Is it at all possible that that somehow makes the difference in oil getting somewhere it isn’t supposed to be? If that happens heck, I’ll just start parking it on the side stand. Problem solved.

I’m going to be very curious to see what happens.

Biker Quote for Today

I’d risk the fall just to know how it feels to fly.