Passes & Canyons Blog

Dave and I loaded up and rode across the street to join the rest of the RMMRC group on our four-day ride the second morning. While I parked, Dave disappeared. After a few minutes it occurred to me and I asked Susan if they had all already gotten gas. She said yes and I realized that was probably where Dave had gone. I figured I’d better do so, too.

I filled up and used the facilities one last time and as I came out I saw a group of bikers heading down Horizon Drive toward the westbound I-70 ramp and then realized it was my group. They were leaving without me. I guess I should have said something to someone other than Susan about getting gas.

I hopped on and blasted away to catch up but this is a fast group of riders so that didn’t happen at all quickly. Meanwhile I considered the situation. I recalled some discussion of riding Colorado National Monument. Our ultimate destination this day was Ouray so it would make the most sense if you’re going to ride the monument to start on the Fruita end. But they might not; could I get to the exit to the other end before I lose sight of anyone? Regardless, I figured if I didn’t find them I would ride the ride I considered nicest, which would be to go to Fruita, ride the monument, and then meet them all at lunch down in Gateway.

Just as I got to the exit to the non-Fruita entrance to the monument I caught a glimpse of riders ahead on the interstate so I figured that was them and I cranked the throttle even harder. Just as they were exiting at Fruita I pulled up alongside Charley, who was riding sweep with his wife Karen on behind. Charley waved me on ahead of him and I was back with the group.

We rode the monument, stopping a couple times so Ralf, a hydro-geologist, could give us a little education on plate tectonics and uplift and erosion. Ralf is very knowledgeable so these were interesting presentations.

Leaving the monument we headed down US 50 to Whitewater, where we turned west on CO 141 toward Gateway and the Unaweep Tabeguache Scenic Byway. The Paradox Grille in Gateway is excellent, but also on our agenda was the Gateway Auto Museum. I’ve been to Gateway numerous times, eaten at the Paradox several times, but I had never been in the museum. Let me tell you it’s worth it. They have some amazing cars in there.

The road to Gateway is very nice but the road south from there to Naturita is spectacular. If you are familiar with the canyon country of Utah, this is a small area where the canyons crossed the state line and made their way into Colorado. Beautiful country and a beautiful ride.

We stayed on CO 145 until Placerville and then took CO 62 on to Ridgway. From there it’s just a few miles south on US 550 to Ouray. Coming into town we saw signs warning that 550 over Red Mountain Pass would be closed for construction beginning at 8:30 a.m. the next day. Oh, oh. We’re going to have to get an early start. And it’s going to be cold.

Biker Quote for Today

We know you’re a poser if you set at least one mirror, if not both, to reflect yourself.

From Durango we had a short day in store so we were in no hurry to take off. Dennis and Bill paid a visit to the local Harley dealer while I made a stop at the local Honda shop. I wasn’t riding my Honda–I was on the Kawi–but I had noticed a small pool of oil beneath my bike and spotted a drop of oil hanging off the fairing, ready to fall.

This caused some concern. I had just had the oil changed and a complete tune-up done on the Kawi just before we left. Had Joel not tightened the drain plug sufficiently? Had he overfilled the oil reservoir so it was throwing out the excess? I put the bike up on the center stand and checked the sight glass but couldn’t see anything. This suggested overfill because I’ve see it when the oil is low and you can see the inside of that chamber.

I called Joel, my mechanic, and asked him diplomatically how many drain plugs he had pulled. The Kawi has two and I made the mistake once myself of only pulling one and then when I went to put the new oil in it got overfull on less than the prescribed amount. Joel assured me had pulled two drain plugs. As for filling it, he said he doesn’t measure, he looks at the sight glass and stops when it reaches the right level.

Joel asked how big the drip pool was and told me it was nothing to worry about if it was only a little puddle about three inches across. So just to play it safe I went to the Honda dealer and bought a quart of oil, which I carried with me the rest of the trip and brought home unopened.

So about 11 a.m. or so we headed west on U.S. 160, through Mancos, to Cortez, and then northwest on U.S. 491 into Utah, to Monticello. This was about 105 miles and this was our stop for the day. I had planned it this way because other than perhaps going to Moab there was really nowhere else to go around here. But I figured there must be something to do in or around Monticello because in consulting maps of our previous trips I saw that we had stayed there two nights once, many years ago.

It turned out I had misread my own writing. We didn’t stop there for two nights, it was where we stayed the night of day two of that year’s trip. And I tell you what, Monticello is a really small town. We walked up to one end of town and got ice cream, later we walked to the other end of town for dinner, and that was Monticello. We did a lot of hanging out that day.

The next day we walked next door for breakfast and while we were there the skies opened up and a deluge poured down. It was over by the time we were finished with breakfast but the sky still looked very threatening so we suited up and headed out. Now we were riding north on U.S. 191 through the desert and anyone who lives out in these parts will tell you the desert is at its most beautiful right after a rainfall. That was the case this day and this ride was one of the best of the trip. The smells and the colors are something you have to experience to understand.

After 30 miles on 191 we turned east on Utah 46, which crosses back into Colorado and becomes Colorado 90, to Naturita. If you have never taken this bit of road you need to work it into your route some day. It runs across the south face of the Monte La Sal mountains and then drops precipitously into a lush canyon and finally out into ranching country. This is a hidden gem that I suspect most people have never seen.

We then turned north on CO 141, the Unaweep Highway, which is also very, very scenic. We followed it to Gateway and turned east to meet up with U.S. 50 at Whitewater, a little south of Grand Junction. Then a jog south to Delta and a turn east to Hotchkiss–home for the night.

I’m going to do a little naked promotion here. At Hotchkiss we stayed at the Hotchkiss Inn. Kris and Andy Bartol, the owners, advertise on this website. But that’s not the point. The point is, they have an extremely nice place here. I routed us through Hotchkiss a few years ago and ever since then the guys have raved about how much they liked it. So they were very pleased when I told them we were stopping there again this year. OK, promo over. And so is this post.

Biker Quote for Today

Why motorcycles are better than women: Your motorcycle won’t wake you up at 3 a.m. and ask you if you love it.

Recap: Steve and some buddies are coming from New Zealand in 2009 for some motorcycle touring in Colorado and Utah. This series of posts lays out their proposed routes, with my comments. Your comments are welcome as well.

Day 4

Leaving Ouray this morning, our Kiwi band heads north on US 550 through Montrose, and Delta, and on up to Grand Junction. Their plan is to ride the Rim Rock Drive route through Colorado National Monument, and then head back south, taking the Unaweep Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway through Gateway and Naturita, past Telluride and over Lizard Head Pass down to Cortez. This is going to be a bit of riding, totaling about 335 miles. Here’s the map. Click to see a larger version.

The ride up US 50 is uneventful and fairly fast. A significant portion of this road has been made into four-lane divided highway in recent years. Once they reach Grand Junction it will be necessary to enter the town and stay on the US 50 bypass on the south side before turning off onto Glade Park Road, the road that leads to Colorado National Monument. In the Monument, Rim Rock Drive is clearly marked, winding its way though and exiting to the north toward Fruita. Colorado National Monument is described as being a little bit of red-rock Utah within Colorado, and that’s not a bad description.

That’s not the only bit of red-rock Utah in Colorado that our crew will see today, however. Leaving the Monument they will head back east on I-70 to rejoin US 50 and backtrack a few miles to the south, to CO 141 and the Unaweep Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway. Along this road you’ll pass through farmland, areas of wild rock formations, and ultimately to a stretch that you would swear was Utah, except that red-rock cliffs don’t stop at the state line and this is still Colorado. Who knew? Additionally, one of the more interesting historical sights is the hanging flume, an old water channel built onto the sheer-rock cliffs. This is one of those things you’ll look at and wonder “How in the world did they do that?”

For a while after leaving the river this route crosses some high prairie and you’ll probably make some pretty good time. A little east of Naturita you leave CO 141 and pick up CO 145 to Norwood and Placerville. After passing through Placerville you start going up and what you’re really doing is coming around the back side of the mountains that enclose Telluride. Telluride itself is not actually on CO 145, so you have to take the county road about 5 miles to the town. Do. The setting for this little mountain town is simply awesome. And if you have the time, take the free gondola up to get a good look from above.

Heading south from Telluride, the next pass is Lizard Head Pass. Off to your right, high up on the ridge, you’ll see the rock formation that gave it the name. From there it’s down hill, down the valley, on to Cortez, where today’s ride ends.

Alternate Route

I have just one suggestion for this day, and it really only works when you consider the route the remainder of this trip will be taking. This is Day 4 and on Day 5, Steve and crew are heading over into Utah. When they return to Colorado on Day 7 there is not a lot on the agenda as they head for a night in the Eagle/Vail area. It might make good sense to skip Colorado National Monument on Day 4 and swing through there on Day 7, starting at the Fruita end and coming out at Grand Junction. Then on Day 4 you would just come north to the turn-off to CO 141 and the Unaweep highway. That would trim about 50 miles and at least an hour and a half off an otherwise long day, and add more interest to Day 7. Just a thought.,

It’s hard to believe, but we’re leaving on our annual bike trip in less than three weeks, June 15. This is kind of early for us, but we’re going south, to Arizona and New Mexico and Nevada, so it will be warm. There will be nine of us this year in this Old Farts Motorcycle Club excursion.

We’re going to ride the Unaweep Highway, which several of us have been on, but other haven’t, and it’s a good one. Then we’ll head on down through the Monument Valley and on to Fraser, AZ. In case you’ve never been to Fraser, let me tell you about it. It’s an old mining town not far from Sedona, and it sits up on the side of a mountain so steep that the road zig-zags back and forth through town. The front of a building faces the street in one direction and the same street passes by on the back side of the building. There’s no such thing as a cross-street.

From there we’ll head on to Laughlin, NV, where we’ve been a couple times before. It’s a lot like Las Vegas was before it got huge, and it’s on a river just down from a dam and reservoir. Nice place. Then we’ll work our way on home again, spending a couple days in places in Colorado that we’ve passed through but never stopped at.

Less than three weeks! Hot dang!

We just got back from a week’s vacation and of course it was a working vacation. As soon as possible I’ll be adding a lot of new information to the website, filling in a few of the blanks. I’ve got new info and pictures on Unaweep Canyon, Lizard Head Pass, and Cuchara Pass. And I’ll be adding info on a number of additional motorcycle-friendly campgrounds. Also have a few eateries to list as recommended and one or two motels. Anyone who wants to recommend (or pan) restaurants and motels/hotels just send the information along. The whole idea with www.motorcyclecolorado.com is to provide useful information for others around Colorado.