Black Hills and Colorado Rockies Ride

[1TRAK]

Finished a great trip a couple weeks ago.
A friend and I rode out to South Dakota, Wyoming and Colorado to spend some time exploring the mountains and great riding those areas have.
Without getting to winded about it I'll post a few pics of SD and CO.

The NT worked great most everywhere: the handling, comfort, reasonable weight, and overall economy were a fair tradeoff for the lack of power above 10,000 feet.

Great bike to travel on, spent 11 days riding in 10 states for a total of 4300 miles. :smile: Steve

 

[karl]

Great pictures, looks like a great time from here. What a great world we live in that we can toddle around in such beauty.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Thanks for your post and pix, Steve. Sorry we didn't get to connect.

 

[taldric]

Based on some of those pictures we were obviously in the same places in/around the Black Hills - just separated by time. It is too bad we couldn't make a connection. Looks like it was a fun trip.

 

[1TRAK]

+1 Karl, we are all truly blessed to have such beauty to enjoy.
Perhaps they'll convince you to have a Colorado Rally in early June next year Phil, if so I'll see you then!
Thanks Paul and greatdanez, photography is a great way to share the joy of riding.
Timing is indeed everything taldric, I would have enjoyed riding with you folks. Maybe next year!

 

[vacanefan]

Great Pictures, Steve. Thanks for posting.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Guys,

I'd be happy to expend at least as much organizational energy on a Colorado Rally next summer as I did on the Black Hills rally this summer.

Let me know if others are interested. Early June can be an interesting time for motorcycling in the Rockies. In any given week, you might have a day of rain/snow. But if you do, you can usually count on the next day being rideable after a couple of hours of sunshine. In '08, we had a COG Rally in Frisco during the 2nd week of June. We had good weather except for Thursday, when it snowed 2-3" of slush at our 9,000' altitude. By the next morning, a man on his way to ride Randy Bishop's Two-Bit Rally (250 miles, six hours; roughly a quarter of a 1000 mile, 24 hour rally) was in the shade coming up toward the Eisenhower Tunnel at 11,000+ feet and hit a patch of black ice and dropped his BMW R1200RT, dislocating his shoulder and doing a bit of damage to the Beemer.

By the time we headed out on the Rally at 9:00AM, I rode over 12,000+' Hoosier Pass with no difficulty.

But early June usually has lower hotel rates than later in the summer and much less traffic.

 

[1TRAK]

Guys,

I'd be happy to expend at least as much organizational energy on a Colorado Rally next summer as I did on the Black Hills rally this summer.

Let me know if others are interested. Early June can be an interesting time for motorcycling in the Rockies. In any given week, you might have a day of rain/snow. But if you do, you can usually count on the next day being rideable after a couple of hours of sunshine. In '08, we had a COG Rally in Frisco during the 2nd week of June. We had good weather except for Thursday, when it snowed 2-3" of slush at our 9,000' altitude. By the next morning, a man on his way to ride Randy Bishop's Two-Bit Rally (250 miles, six hours; roughly a quarter of a 1000 mile, 24 hour rally) was in the shade coming up toward the Eisenhower Tunnel at 11,000+ feet and hit a patch of black ice and dropped his BMW R1200RT, dislocating his shoulder and doing a bit of damage to the Beemer.

By the time we headed out on the Rally at 9:00AM, I rode over 12,000+' Hoosier Pass with no difficulty.

But early June usually has lower hotel rates than later in the summer and much less traffic.

We experienced temps from 37 on Trail Ridge Rd RMNP to 85 in Gunnison that week. Mostly sunny was the norm with one short bout of rain and pea size hail by Co Springs one day. I really enjoyed the cool evenings camping next to the waterfalls, with a fire and the stars it was really special.
Colorado is truly spectacular and I'll be back next year.
If you have enough interest and do a early CO Rally let me know Phil, not sure how but I'd like to help.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Sounds like a groundswell of support for a Colorado Rally!

 

[Chucksklrst]

550 ain't bad, but try Trail Ridge or MT Evens. There are some real drop offs there.

 

[1TRAK]

Here's a few pics of the San Juan Skyway, which includes 550 from Ridgeway down to Durango.

 

[Phil Tarman]

Wow! What a beautiful state I live in.

 

[Chucksklrst]

Just wanted to post a couple of pic's from back up here in the Black Hills. Attending NatSTOC here at Spearfish. Rode the Wee and am camping in the Park at Spearfish. great place.

 

[1TRAK]

Great pics Chuck, we didn't have time to see Spearfish Canyon. We really enjoyed the camping in SD, Custer State park was a great place.

The Wee Strom looks nice, I hope to have one sometime.