Passes & Canyons Blog

Update: Mom died on December 22. I’m back. The Passes & Canyons Blog resumes on Monday, January 1. (If it seemed odd that there was a post after I put this one up it’s because I forgot I had one already queued up.)

Pre-update:
I have been publishing this blog for more than 10 years on a regular schedule without interruption, but that changes as of right now.

I am currently in South Carolina at my mother’s place and she is very ill. I simply can’t handle this task until things resolve themselves here.

I will be back.

OK, this is quite a ways in the future so you’re probably hearing about it here first. My friend, the very industrious and promotion-focused Alisa Clickenger is organizing another history-oriented women’s motorcycle ride, this one for 2020. This one will be the “Suffragette Centennial Ride” timed to coincide with the passage of the 19th amendment to the U.S. Constitution, giving women the right to vote.

You may recall Alisa’s last event, the “Sisters Centennial Motorcycle Ride,” which came through Colorado and went up Pikes Peak. That event commemorated the cross-country ride in 1916 by Augusta and Adeline Van Buren.

So it appears Alisa feels she has found her niche. She loves to ride, and she loves encouraging other women to ride as well. Her events are targeted as much as anything at simply persuading women who have considered riding but never taken the plunge to go ahead and take that plunge. If you can make a living out of organizing and then going on these sorts of rides, wow, good for you.

Unlike the Sisters ride, this Suffragette ride will have 10 starting points, including Denver. They will all head to Washington, D.C., in August 2020 “to celebrate American women’s right to vote in elections and honor the Suffragette movement that led the charge.”

While the routes will mainly follow the pavement, several will offer adventure riding sections as well.

“My passion for the past ten years has been adventure riding,” says Alisa. “Given the stunning beauty and remote areas of the country, and the many new full-size and exciting ‘light ADV’ models being introduced to the market, we know that there will be an interest in these unique touring opportunities with newfound sisters.”

The routes will all have unique stops and historical features relating to the Suffrage Movement, historical women in motorcycling, and of course the 19th amendment.

I’m sure there will be a lot more information available on this event as it draws near. To keep up with matters:
“SCMR2020 was envisioned to inspire women to choose to ride in an epic journey alongside other women and couples who aspire to challenge themselves as well as to respect and honor history. Riders and future riders can sign up for an email list at www.centennialride.com (please enable pop-up windows). Interested organizations, potential sponsors and media can connect via info@centennialride.com.”

Biker Quote for Today

I know I ride like a girl . . . so try to keep up!!

With this terrific December weather–and portents of cold to come–I’ve been getting in a lot of riding. And lately that has meant exploring. I love exploring. Generally I just follow my nose and go.

On Saturday I headed out on the Honda with kind of an idea that I might ride up Deer Creek Canyon, cut over by Tiny Town, and then come on back down on US 285. But my plans got thrown off.

First I headed west on Belleview but I had forgotten that a little west of Federal you run into Bow Mar and can’t continue. I jogged north to Quincy and continued west as far as Wadsworth and then turned south on Wadsworth. That got me to thinking, “Where does Wadsworth go, way far south?” I kind of had the idea it came out at C-470 near Chatfield Reservoir but couldn’t remember it all exactly. So I went south.

Sure enough, I crossed under C-470 and there was Chatfield on my left and I was running on south along its western boundary. My (perhaps incorrect) recollection was that this road ran down to Martin-Marietta and to Waterton Canyon, where you had no choice but to go up the canyon, and I was pretty sure that was closed to vehicles. Which is to say, that the road ended. We’ll see. Can you go all the way around Chatfield?

There’s a point where the road bends to the right if you’re going to Martin or you can turn left onto Waterton Road. It looked like it might go through. Sure enough, it goes around the south end of the reservoir/park and hits a T-intersection with Rampart Range Road. Really? I’ve only ever gotten to the Rampart Range via Sedalia. I’m going to have to check this out someday, but for now I was interested in getting around Chatfield Reservoir so I turned left.

Rampart Range Road goes north until it bends right, now heading east. This was now Titan Road, which hits South Santa Fe/US 85 at that fairly new interchange (marked “Titan Road” oddly enough!). So I’d done it. I never knew you could go around Chatfield ever before.

Heading north then on US 85 I was going to just hit C-470 but I came up on Highlands Ranch Parkway and decided to explore some more. I had been on this particular road before but only parts of it. I had no idea where it came out on the other end. Time to find out.

This parkway winds its way through this whole, large development, now passing houses, now passing through massive, sprawling shopping districts with their all-enveloping smell of fried chicken. I passed Lucent Boulevard, then Broadway, then University Boulevard. Where the heck does this thing go?

Well, right after University I found out. It bent sharply north and I suspected I was on a different street. I looked at the first sign I could see and–holy smokes!–I was now on Colorado Boulevard. Really?

OK, so the rest of the way home was pretty standard: Colorado to Orchard, to DTC Boulevard, and home. But that was a fun ride. I went places I’d never been before. Did I ever tell you I love exploring?

Biker Quote for Today

I might look like I’m listening to you but in my head I’m riding my motorcycle.

I had to take advantage of the great weather we’ve been having in early December so I headed out Friday to put some miles on my Honda CB750 Custom. Not sure where to go but following my nose I decided to follow Smoky Hill Road out as far as it goes–and find out where that is.

Smoky Hill goes a long way. I know I’d been out that way before but at one point I got to where I was pretty sure I had gone east on some other road and so staying on Smoky Hill meant something new. Well, a short while later it ended at the entrance to some big country club housing development. So I wandered on through and found my way out the other side, onto County Line Road. What do you know.

I turned east on County Line and it was just a short distance to the eastern edge of the development, and that was also the eastern edge of development in this area. On east it is all prairie. See the photo above.

That eastern boundary is Delbert Road. I was interested in going south but was just a bit more interested to take it north and see where it went. So I turned north. But it didn’t go far before it became a dirt road and I stopped. I was on the Honda, and the Honda can go just about anywhere as long as it’s not too extreme but this road looked dicey.

Plus, this all looked familiar. I was convinced I had been here before, though having arrived from a different direction. Doing a search on this blog I found this post from January 2016 that confirmed it.

But here’s the thing: when I wrote that post nearly two years ago, I was coming north and ended up going west. That means I’ve never been further east on County Line Road than right there. That’s some place new to go sometime soon.

This time, however, I headed south on Delbert Road, unknowingly reversing my path from last January. I was looking for a paved road headed west so I turned onto Buckboard Road but that soon turned to dirt. No matter, the Honda can take this. I then wound around and found myself right back where I had been, having just navigated a large circle. The area is full of ranch-style homes with lots of acreage–horse properties, I presumed.

Having looped back I ended up going back out the way I’d come in and continued south on Delbert. This brought me to East Parker Road and I headed west to CO 83 and from there on home.

So yeah, technically I was revisiting ground I had been over before but you know what they say about a road looking totally different when you go the other direction. Plus, there has been a lot of development out there in just two years. And who knows, maybe the next time I try following Smoky Hill Road to its end it will keep on going. Heck, five years from now I’d bet on it.

Biker Quote for Today

Whether you are sad, lost, lonely, or broken, there is always a fix . . . motorcycle.

I did what I said, I just made the decisions for next year’s OFMC motorcycle trip and told the guys where we’re going. They think it’s a great plan. Fine.

And I think it’s going to be a good trip. We’ll be going some places the group has never gone before and with any luck we won’t roast in southern New Mexico in July. I suggested we move the date to a cooler time but nobody else agreed with me. Don’t complain if it gets hot, OK?

We’ll start out headed for Lake San Isabel. The lodge there has numerous cabins large enough to accommodate all of us so that will be an inexpensive night. And it’s a nice place.

Next day we’ll head on to Angel Fire, New Mexico. There are not a lot of options there so we’re pretty much stuck with the Lodge at Angel Fire.

Then on to Ruidoso, and this stop encompasses several things that are mandatory on any OFMC trip. We’ll stay at an Indian casino where there is gambling, we’ll stay two days and play golf one of those days, and it’s posh. I’m not into posh but the rest of the guys have gotten pretty snooty over the years and they like this kind of thing. I can live with it.

From there we go to Silver City and this is much more my style. We’ll be staying in one of the old, but nicely renovated, hotels downtown. Downtown Silver City is a lively, funky place with a lot of artist types. This will be nice.

Then there’s no really good option so I chose Gallup. When John and Bill and I stayed there one night many years ago, when it was just us three on the trip, we ended up in a totally skanky place because the only other options were mucho expensivo. Fortunately, over the years they have built several much nicer, run-of-the-mill chain motels so we can at least stay at a decent place without forking over our childrens’ inheritance.

Next will be Ouray. Ouray is my favorite small town in Colorado and somehow the group has never stayed there. I’m looking forward to that one. Of course, this is very near where John lives–John who is an original member of the OFMC but who has given up riding due to health reasons. So maybe John will drive on down and join us for a night.

From there we head home, going only as far as Buena Vista. Somehow we have never stayed in Buena Vista before, either, so this will be a first.

And then on home. And maybe for the 2018 trip I won’t be sick and end up cutting my ride short after the second night, the way I was forced to do this year. That was a total bummer. I’m looking for 2018 to be better–a lot better.

Biker Quote for Today

Some do drugs, some drink bottles; we solve our problems with wide open throttles.

It’s that time of year when, for the last however many years, John has emailed us his plan for next year’s OFMC trip. When you have a large group going you can’t just roll into town and expect to find rooms, and you can’t wait to the last minute to make reservations. So John has generally sent out the plan in November or December, with assignments as to who makes reservations in what town.

Well, John’s health issues have led him to sell his bike and so, if the OFMC is to continue its 29-year tradition then someone else has to step up to do the planning. I stepped up.

Have I ever mentioned how John so very frequently griped about people not reading his emails and not answering questions he needed answers to before he could proceed with planning? It took me less than a week to fully appreciate the reasons for his irritation.

Judy and I came to understand long ago through our jobs or other outside involvements that for the most part, people just don’t read email. If you send an email asking four or five questions you are almost guaranteed to receive replies–if you receive replies–speaking to the first question. The other questions do not exist.

We’ve tried various strategies. Number the questions, and then say in the email that there are X number of questions and please answer them all. Send only very brief emails with only one question. Whatever else you can think of.

So this year the guys in the OFMC agreed that we might be interested in taking two trips, the usual week-long trip that guys with jobs are limited to, plus a longer trip for those with more time.

Now then, here I am trying to develop some plans and wondering whether to plan two trips or one, when to plan each of them for, and where to go. I sent the guys a note asking about five questions. In the week following I received two replies, and in each case the person responding spoke to exactly one of those questions. Finally a week later I did get a reply from Friggs, who actually answered all questions. And even he didn’t read all of my email and so one of his answers was based on a mistake in understanding.

So I’m doing what John always did, which always annoyed me: I’m making all the decisions myself. I’ll present them with a done deal. From now on I guess this is my trip.

Biker Quote for Today

Always go with the choice that scares you the most. Take the road that has more curves, because these are the choices that are going to require the most from you. Never stop challenging yourself.

I took another potentially “last ride in the hills for 2017” yesterday. The weather was so nice, and I knew the roads were clear, so what else could I do?

While it was very warm in the city, as soon as I turned up Clear Creek Canyon, with the deep shade cast by the steep canyon walls, the temperature dropped about 10 degrees. That’s OK, I had my electric vest on and had finally found my misplaced winter gloves, the ones with a Thinsulate lining. I was cool but not uncomfortable.

Cruising up the canyon, however, it soon also got quite windy. When the wind comes howling down a canyon it can really turn into a blow but this was moderate, though gusty. At one point I passed a guy on a Harley heading down the canyon and I was convinced it was Bill. Bill lives right off CO 93 and runs up to Black Hawk to gamble frequently and this guy was dressed like Bill dresses, had the same open-face helmet, and even looked for all the world like Bill. We waved.

Reaching Black Hawk I stopped for a belated lunch and texted Bill. No, he and his wife were busy planting tulip bulbs they had just brought back with them from a trip to Holland.

With a free lunch in my belly and a little extra pocket money, courtesy of the Lodge Casino–thank you very much–I got back on the bike. And I noticed immediately that the temperature had dropped while I was inside. Plus, I was going to be climbing for a while. Thank goodness for the electric vest.

Getting further up on the Peak-to-Peak I was as last in the sunshine, though the wind was whipping. Initially I had considered going all the way to Nederland and the Boulder Canyon road but had long ago ruled that out. And at the higher elevation it was colder and I was now reconsidering my plan to cruise over to the Coal Creek Canyon road to head down. But I’ve been up and down the Golden Gate Canyon road so often lately that I really, really wanted to do a different route. So I blew on past the Golden Gate turn-off when I got to it.

It seems I wasn’t the only motorcyclist who had the idea that this was a day for the hills. This was mid-day on Wednesday but there were still a good many bikers up there.

And it got colder. By the time I reached the turn-off for Coal Creek Canyon my fingertips were getting numb. Thank goodness for the electric vest! And now I could start losing elevation, although I still had to climb up to Wondervu. Would that road be icy? There was melted snow running across the road in numerous places along the Peak-to-Peak and sooner or later that snowmelt would definitely be turning to ice.

But the road was OK and I got over the hump at Wondervu and headed down. And it was really nice to be going down Coal Creek for a change. And despite the cold it was, still, a great day to be out riding.

So I came down to CO 93 and turned south. Of course, this road between Boulder and Golden is notorious for high winds and on this day it lived up to its reputation. I rode close to the right side of the road to give myself all the room possible whenever the gusts would try to push me into the northbound lane. I came through the west side of Golden and past the Taj Mahal then turned south to get on C-470.

It was when I had just crossed over I-70 and the southbound lanes were converging that the most powerful gust of the day blasted me relentlessly across my lane and into the lane on my left. Fight it though I might, resistance was futile and I had only a split second to check my mirror to see that while the car behind me to my left was close, there was room for me in front of him. If he’d been 10 feet closer it would have been hairy.

And oh yeah, it was right after this that it occurred to me that my fingers were no longer cold.

The rest of the ride home was uneventful. Chalk up one more ride in the hills for 2017. Will this one be the last? We’ll see. I’ve got all winter to ride the prairie.

Biker Quote for Today

If you don’t like motorcycles then you probably won’t like me, and I’m OK with that.

I turned south on Quebec from Belleview, figuring I’d cruise down toward Daniels Park. It occurred to me I’d never much been south on Quebec south of Arapahoe Road so it would be interesting to take it further. Then I thought, “Where does this road go, anyway? Where does it end?” So I decided to find out.

Turns out Quebec goes a lot further. Past C-470, which I knew, but even on past where University Boulevard has bent east and become Lincoln Avenue. Is this going to take me all the way to Daniels Park?

But then a little further, when it hits McArthur Ranch Road (a road I’m totally unfamiliar with) it changes suddenly and is now Monarch Boulevard. And keeps going. From here we’re no longer going straight, but instead curving all over and the further we go the more it curves, even heading due east for awhile. Are we going all the way to Castle Pines Parkway? That’s the road that runs west from I-25 to Daniels Park.

Yes we hit Castle Pines. And Monarch was still heading south. Holy smokes, where does this road go?

Not much further, as it turned out. Yet.

Monarch curved around a bit through a neighborhood and then ended abruptly at the dead end in the photo above. But a sign nearby announced that soon it will be extended into the new Lagae Ranch area now filled with bulldozers shoving dirt around, which you can see beyond the sign.

So I found the end. I headed back to Castle Pines Parkway and went east to I-25 and then wondered where that road goes as it continues east past the interstate. Well, let’s find out.

I think I’d been on this road before, though. It arcs northeastward first above and then in front of the relatively new Rueter-Hess Reservoir, and the road itself became Hess Road apparently just on the other side of I-25. Hess Road, I knew, comes out on Parker Road a little south of the town of Parker.

But I got there and saw Hess continuing east and wondered, “Where does this road go?” I guess I’ll find out.

Hess itself does not go far at all. It almost immediately intersects with Hilltop Road and I knew where that went. It bends south and then east until it hits a north-south road that runs down to Elizabeth.

I didn’t want to go that far and just have to come back so I took the first turn I found, which led me into The Pinery. I don’t know if you’ve ever been in The Pinery but it is labyrinthine and easy to get lost in. But I knew that Pinery Parkway will take you back to 83 so I just meandered around until I hit that road and took it out of the development.

Now I was back on 83 and there was nothing to do but head north and home.

I call that a good ride. I love exploring and finding out where roads go. I’m one of those riders who doesn’t pick a destination but instead, just picks a directions and goes. And I never seem to run out of roads that make me ask that question: Where does this road go?

Biker Quote for Today

Four wheels may get you there, but two wheels will make the journey memorable.