Passes & Canyons Blog

On the road to California.

Colorado has a newly instituted law prohibiting hands-on use of a cellphone while driving and from all accounts it is doing some good. Distracted driving is of great importance to motorcyclists because we know far too well how easy it is not to see us even when you’re not distracted.

Well guess what. That’s just as true on a motorcycle as in a car. Case in point:

On this recent (aborted for me due to sickness) RMMRC California trip we immediately got separated from one guy. Alan, who was leading, pulled off at Idaho Springs to try to find out where he was. He called and found he was in Evergreen so we just agreed to meet up at lunch in Eagle.

In order to make this call, Alan pulled into the parking lot of a restaurant and we all followed him. I tend to be fairly conscientious and so as not to take up a lot of parking spaces in this small parking lot I pulled into the same slot as Alan, a bit behind him.

Alan got on the phone and made his call and got the matter settled. At this point he was in communication with the other guys because we all had Cardo communicators but we had been unsuccessful earlier in trying to get me paired into the group. So I was not connected.

Well, Alan was so involved in making his call and then talking to the other guys that he apparently had not noticed that I was behind him. So we’re ready to roll again and I started to roll back but Alan came rolling back faster than me and though I scrambled to get out of his way he backed right into me. Down I went.

Now, there was no damage and I was not hurt but my point is, he was busy on his phone–his communicator in this case–and not paying attention to his driving. What if instead of me on my bike, there had been some person walking to the restaurant behind him? That person could easily have been hurt. Or heck, I could have been hurt. I wasn’t, but I could have been. Clearly he wasn’t looking very carefully where he was going.

So yeah, hang up and drive. Or maybe just look where you’re going. It applies on a motorcycle as well as in a car.

Biker Quote for Today

As long as you are on planet Earth, you’re not lost.

In Utah on the second day of the ride.

When you start riding with a new bunch of guys it is incumbent on you to become acquainted with the ways of the group. For instance, the RMMRC is very focused on safe riding and thus, if you wish to ride with this group you need to wear a helmet and don’t plan to make any stops that include drinking.

Another thing the RMMRC is pretty serious about is that a time is set for kickstands up (KSU) and when that time comes you are expected to be geared up, on your bike, and ready to roll. On a day ride, if KSU is at 9 a.m. and you arrive at 9:05 you will probably arrive to find an empty parking lot.

On longer rides, however, such as this recent California trip, if you are signed up to come and you’re not there we’ll generally wait for you, but a late arrival will not be appreciated at all unless you have a really good reason.

So it was that KSU was set for 10 a.m. on this trip and the rest of us were ready at 10 a.m. but one guy–I won’t name names but will refer to him as HE–was not there. Alan called him and HE was at Hampden and University, which was still 20 minutes away from where we were. Not a good way to start off.

So we waited and HE finally showed up. But HE needed gas. Fine. We waited. When HE was done at the pump we hit our starter buttons but HE pulled over behind me, parked, and got off his bike, and started wandering around. That was too much, so we pulled away from our parking places and lined up ready to pull onto the road. HE was digging through one of his bags. We left. Later when we stopped in Idaho Springs, Alan called him again and HE was in Evergreen. Fine. We’ll see you in Eagle.

We regrouped in Eagle and rode on to Fruita, our stop for the night. We all gathered for dinner but HE did not join us. Your choice, but not particularly social. Nor did HE join us for breakfast but at least HE was there ready to go at the appointed hour the next morning.

HE did not join us for dinner in Loa, either, that night, and while HE did not have breakfast with the group the next morning, HE was there at the spot for KSU. Except as we all sat astride our bikes ready to roll, HE announced that he needed to go get gas. And off HE went.

This was when sickness engulfed me and I had to tell the guys to go on without me. The last thing I heard on my Cardo as I rode back to the motel was Dave telling the others that “I’m going to the gas station and glare at him while he gets gas.”

OK, he’s new to the group. If I had stayed with the group I’m sure I would have had a word with him about the significance of KSU. And perhaps Dave did later. Dave’s the sort of guy who would make a point to have that talk, perhaps in sterner terms than I might use.

But you owe it to yourself and to the others to learn the ways of the group if you want to fit in. And really, making everyone else wait is never a courteous thing to do in any circumstance. Just practice common courtesy, OK? What’s so hard about that?

Biker Quote for Today

As I turn off the pavement and onto the long stretch of dirt ahead, the rear tire spins and kicks up rocks through first and second gear. I click it into third, and that’s when she really opens up to breathe.

At a rest stop along I-70 in Utah.

I spent a day sick in bed in Loa, Utah, while the other RMMRC guys continued on their California trip. By the next day I felt able to ride so I planned to turn back eastward, to Grand Junction, where my brother lives. I hoped I wouldn’t start out and then 50 miles along start feeling just as sick as I did just before we were set to roll the day before. But if I did I figured I’d just struggle my way to Green River and get a motel there.

From Loa I needed to take Utah 72 to I-70 and then go east on I-70. I had no idea what to expect on 72 but it was a lovely, somewhat cool, morning and a nice day to ride. Plus, this little two-lane was so unbusy that I think I saw three cars the whole time I was on it.

The road wandered through several small farming/ranching towns, through some very nice valleys, and then started climbing, but not a lot. At least it didn’t seem like we were climbing a lot. Already cool, it got cooler and with some alarm I wondered if my electric vest was starting to die. I’ve had it for a long time; nothing lasts forever. Then I came to a sign announcing the summit of Hogan Pass, at just a few feet under 9,000. Wow, no wonder I was cold.

They have several vista points on top of Hogan Pass and the vista is worth the stops. This is just beautiful country. And from here it was downhill all the way.

I ran on a ways and then very abruptly found myself at I-70, running parallel to the highway until we reached an interchange. Then it was I-70 to Green River. The wind was blowing pretty hard, promising a less than pleasant ride.

I stopped at a rest area before Green River because I was feeling a little rocky but 20 minutes of lying in the sun on a nice smooth rock helped me feel better. In Green River I ordered a bowl of soup in a restaurant but couldn’t get it down. I did drink a glass of milk, and then I lay on their lawn another while till I was again feeling good enough to ride. After that I made it all the way to my brother’s.

In fact, I was feeling pretty good when I got to Fruita, where I needed to leave the slab to take the more direct back road to my brother’s house. I considered going on as far as Eagle to where my friends Willie and Jungle live but decided while I might feel good now, another two hours on the road might not leave me feeling good at all. Let’s just take the wins when you’ve got them.

And yeah, even hanging there at Rick’s, by the time two hours had passed I was not feeling good at all. Wise choice.

Feeling reasonably good the next day I came on home. The ride across the mountains on I-70 was uneventful with really nothing to report. And there I was at home 5 days after leaving on what was to have been a 15-day trip. But man was I glad to be home and it was another 4 days before I felt halfway decent again.

Biker Quote for Today

It’s a beautiful world. Get out there and discover it.

Heading to Loa the day before.

On the morning we were pulling out of Denver on this RMMRC California trip my body did not want to get out of bed. I forced myself and figured I’d get fully awake after a while. And I did. Then we rode to Fruita–not a hard day’s ride at all–and I was exhausted. I crashed before dinner and then after dinner crashed again, getting a good, long night’s sleep.

On Day Two I was glad we had a short day ahead because that allowed me to sleep late–because I was still not feeling wonderful. Then the ride to Loa was not at all hard but when we got there I crashed again. After dinner I was back in bed and during the night I had a fever and chills. Around 2 a.m. the fever seemed to break and I felt better but I did not get much sleep the rest of the night. But come morning I figured the worst was over so at 9:30 I was in the saddle ready to ride.

Just then I was overcome with a wave of sickness and sprawled across my tank, telling the guys via our Cardos that “I can’t do this. I’m going back to the motel.” This was no longer a 15-day trip for me.

Back at the Snuggle Inn I walked in and up to the desk and before I could say a word the guy at the desk looked at me and asked, “Is your heart OK? Are you having a heart attack?” That’s how bad I felt, and I guess it showed.

I was pretty sure it was not a heart attack because I had spoken to Judy the night before and she had told me that the same day I didn’t want to get out of bed to go on this ride, after I left she spent the whole day in bed, apparently suffering from the same thing I was. But these super kind folks at the Snuggle Inn were incredibly solicitous of my condition, offering to loan me their car to drive to a nearby clinic or even to drive me there themselves if need be. All I wanted at the moment though was to get back in bed.

And except for going down the street a block to the grocery store so I’d have something to eat, that was all I did the rest of that day. The guys went on to St. George as planned and my room in St. George was paid for but empty because it was too late for me to cancel. Meanwhile, later in the day as I was feeling at least a little better, I made a bunch of phone calls cancelling all my other reservations for this trip.

I considered mapping out a very different trip for myself that would bring me back with the group on their return but really all I wanted was to get home. Being sick on the road is the worst.

Biker Quote for Today

Any idiot can ride a motorcycle but it takes a special kind of idiot to ride 1,000 miles in one day.

With scenery like this it was definitely time for a photo stop.

On the second day of this RMMRC California trip we were in no rush leaving Fruita. We were only going to Loa, Utah, which if you go straight there would be only 197 miles and less than three hours. But it would also be almost all interstate.

That’s not something anyone’s interested in so we decided to get off I-70 at the Cisco exit in Utah and take Utah 128 south to where it goes into a canyon carrying the Colorado River down to Moab. This is a really nice ride and while I had been through that canyon many times, some of the guys had never done it. Plus, it only adds about 60 more miles to the day’s ride but you get off the interstate.

Gene had been talking about what good roads Utah has so he was a bit defensive when the first stretch of road off the highway was quite a bit less than smooth. Soon, though, we intersected the portion of the road coming from the next exit to the west and we turned south and then it was all nice, smooth asphalt. And it was quickly getting pretty darn beautiful.

We reached the canyon and went down into it and now the scenery notched up a big step. We’re in red rock country Utah. Utah, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful states in this country.

At one point we’re coming down this road with high cliffs above us on both sides and there, dead ahead, was a snow-capped mountain rising right out of the center of the canyon. It was agreed we had to stop for pictures.

This was a nice thing about this trip. Five of the six of us were connected with our Cardo communicators so we could actually have these conversations. The last time I’d been on a long trip with this group there were only a few connected and nobody was stopping for what would have been great photos or simply to take a break. This is much more my style of riding.

There was talk of lunch in Moab but I cautioned about going very far into that overgrown mass of congestion so we decided to just take the right turn when we came out of the canyon (US 191) and immediately head north again to the interstate. Lunch in Green River.

After lunch we got back on I-70 just a short distance to where we headed south toward Hanksville (Utah 24). We were headed to Loa and Loa is on US 24 but between Hanksville and Loa is one big section of terrific scenery: Capitol Reef National Park. We had covered quite a few miles at this point and probably everyone wanted to take a break but finding a good spot was tricky. We pulled off at one place but I objected that shade would be preferable. It was a hot day. Yeah, but is there some place with shade or are we just going to keep riding? We went on and in about two miles came to a really nice shaded spot. Much better!

We got on into Loa and though this is a very small town in the middle of just about nowhere, the Snuggle Inn proved to be an amazingly nice place. Talking later to some friends who have been there they said yeah, this place is renowned for being the best motel you’d never expect to find.

So we got settled in and later walked up the street to the only cafe for dinner. It was the only cafe for breakfast, too, so we agreed on KSU here at 9:30 the next morning. And then to top off the day, walking back we encountered this wonderful, big golden retriever who was thrilled to see his best buddies and who we were equally pleased to say hello to. Who’s a good dog?

Biker Quote for Today

And so it goes on those days when the demons begin to creep in. I pull the bike out of the garage and strap on my helmet. Slip on some gloves, adjust the goggles and start up the engine. I feel the roar of the beast beneath, rumbling and ready to carry me away to god-knows-where.

The usual starting point in Morrison.

By the time we were taking off on this RMMRC California trip our numbers had risen to six, though two were only along for the first few days. Bruce would be with us just until St. George, Utah, while Paul was coming as far as Las Vegas, where he has family. The rest included me, Dave, Alan, and Gene.

I got to the meeting spot early so that Alan and I could pair up my new Cardo communicator with the group but despite everything we tried we could not get it done. For this day at least I would just not be connected.

Kickstands up (KSU) was set for 10 a.m. but come that hour we were lacking one person: Paul. At 10 after Alan gave him a call and he said he was at Hampden and University, on his way. That’s 20 minutes away. Not appreciated. He did get there and we did get off but not together. Paul got himself separated and we went off figuring we’d see him later. There’s more to this story and I’ll fill in the details later.

From the Phillips 66 in Morrison we generally go into town but then take the right fork that runs up Hog Back Road past Red Rocks and pick up I-70 at the top of the hill. We did that with no sight of Paul so by the time we got to Idaho Springs Alan decided to pull off and give him another call. We pulled into a parking lot, with me pulling in behind Alan.

Alan got Paul on the phone and he was in Evergreen. OK. We’ll just meet you in Eagle for lunch. Talking with the others via the Cardos, Alan was apparently unaware I was behind him and as I frantically tried to roll out of his way he backed into me. My bike went down, but no damage done. Alan helped me up and we were rolling again.

This first day had always been the one most likely to be a problem, what with changeable weather in later April. We got lucky and had a good day and while it was darn cold going up through the tunnel and then over Vail Pass, the roads were clear and dry. I was just glad to have all my electrics on.

At Eagle we went to this restaurant that, while easily visible, can be hard to find just how to get to it. We had all been there before but Paul had not so of course it was 10 minutes after we saw him before he came walking in. At least we got reconnected.

Then, leaving, we went across the street to get gas. Dave filled his tank and then rolled his bike forward so Gene could use the pump. And Dave’s bike went crashing to the ground. Seems he had unknowingly knocked his kickstand out of position rolling the bike forward so when he let go there was nothing to stop it. Again, no damage and there were people there to help him get it back up. As I said, things were not exactly going smoothly.

The rest of the ride was smooth, though. Leaving Eagle we were into summer and layers were coming off. And it continued to be a beautiful day. We were headed for Fruita and getting there was uneventful. Great. What time should we meet for dinner and where should we eat?

Oh, and after dinner we again tried to get me paired up with the other Cardos and this time it worked. Now I would be connected for tomorrow’s ride.

Biker Quote for Today

Motorcycle rides, ice cream, and beach sunsets . . . it must be summer.