A CRF250L in Colorado

[rboe]

Maybe I'll get a used one. The 650L is nice but she is huge! I had a Quota for doing stuff like that, discovered she was too big so the 650 seemed like a step in the right direction. Just needed to make a few more steps.

[Ole_imp]

my Benchmark Atlas showed two dirt roads that would get me to Eagle
the sign said "impassible when wet"
I gave er a shot



another shower was coming



it frigging poured and hailed
I had to drag mt feet for ten miles up to the pass
that road was pure clay/snot and with hail on it, I could not stop
did not think I could get going



it stopped as I hit Crooked Creek Pass then the road was downhill and gravel sand mix. man oh man that up side was ten miles oh hell





but it was fun



nearing Eagle

[the Ferret]

Geezalou, fantastic stuff. (Two thumbs up emotion inserted here)

[rboe]

I'll second the Ferret Approval.

[Ole_imp]

Thanks for the nice words guys. I didnt do anything special, I just look at the maps and go. Whats the worst that could happen?

Clear Creek Res Road goes right up to a whole bunch of 14000 foot peaks. Ought to be some dirt up there? And two old ghost towns.





rode the jeep roads to the trailheads for those big peaks





14er Huron Peak where several years ago a medical helo crashed upon it. All were killed and someone had made a nice memorial for them



there was this lil museum back there










next morning paved it to Cottonwood Pass then it changed to dirt





Taylor Park





and res



did Kebler and Ohio Pass over by Crested Butte much dirt over there





it is hard to find any bad riding in Colorado if one stays west of I-25



it was very nice over there


went through Parlin, Pitkin, and Tincup on the way over Cumberland Pass













and back home over cottonwood
today was 300 miles about 210 were dirt


Old Monarch and Marshall Pass was the agenda today







more nice "ranches" but no cattle just horses? weekend ranchers maybe?











these are the mountains I was up in yesterday

[Ole_imp]

I had to be careful when beering at my Buena Vista campsite. The ground had flesh eating plant life.



My last four Colorado days were in The San Juans. I camped above Lake San Cristobal 8 miles from Lake City. It got very cold at night. They had been getting some rain so had to be on lookout for these



Found some dirt on Los Pinos Road off of Slumgullion Pass



Once I got around her, she crossed the road and in the mirror I saw she had a calf with her



filled my water bottle at a campground out of this



kinda cool to see it was made in my hometown, that foundry is our largest electric customer (I work for the city water and light)



I avoided this



my campsite was three miles up this valley past the lake on Cinnamon Pass Road






I made a big circle over Cinnamon and Stoney Pass with a gas/donut stop in Silverton





the jeepers were still sleeping



Cinnamon is up there



not quite 13000 feet and bike ran great. had to keep her wound up to use second gear tho so mostly stayed in first up high







went down to Animas Forks an old gold town






from Animas, one goes down even further to get to Silverton



old mines were everywhere up there those guys were tough dudes to mine that high in winter I must say



then turned around and got high again going over Stoney Pass



helped a guy change tire on his van here



Stoney pass was better than the more popular Cinnamon





it was very remote

[the Ferret]

Golly its one thing to stop at an overlook and see these mountains, and another to ride up amongst them. I will never look at a mountain the same way again. Thanks ole.

[rboe]

Ufda!

[enzo_imp]

Ole, Ole, Ole...........the remoteness makes it the best.......
What camera are u using?

[Ole_imp]

My camera is an old Canon SX100. 6 years is very old in digi cam life.

I came off Stoney Pass and headed for the Rio Grande Reservoir.
All dirt and some trails the jeepers were not allowed. You had to drive through this metal ramp/gate thing that was only 50" wide.





it turned into a typical Colorado rock garden
some places it was so steep down, to control the bike, I shut the engine off and used the clutch to slow me down via engine compression cuz the brakes were no good on loose baby heads







Rio Grand Res was dry, last year when I was here on a street bike this was all water







found some water near the dam



they had a big fire earlier in the year that started near Wolf Creek Pass and came a long way


The beetle killed trees were everywhere







when those small fires hit a beetle kill area, they become large fires fast
The guy camped next to me said Wager Creek Gulch was a good road. It went to a ghost town and the Continental Divide



this was right across the road from my campsite and I didnt even know about it



shouldn't surprise me there are dirt roads in abundance in CO



Carson ghost town the kids had it all painted up with crap









to the Divide