Riding the Rockies (long overdue post)

[flynrider]

So around the end of June this year, I had a flying/camping vacation to Montana and Idaho planned with my flying buddies. Just before taking the runway, my preflight checks indicated that my alternator had quit making electrons and I watched my friends fly off to the north without me. After an attempted fix later in the day I tried to launch again but the alternator was still intermittent. On top of that, my engine suffered a mysterious power loss as I arrived back at the airport (not related to the alternator) and I ended up flying a glider back to the runway. Clearly, the gods were not in favor of this trip. Not wishing to waste my week of vacation chasing two mysterious malfunctions, I decided to repack my camping gear on the CB11 and make the best of the time I had left.

I was equipped with my new Sony video/still camera, but had lent my lanyard cam to a friend, so I could only take "side of the road" pics

Day 1

I departed Phoenix at 4 AM to avoid as much of the desert heat as possible. My goal was to be about 500 miles away in the cool mountain town of Silverton, CO by that afternoon.



The long haul from Phoenix to Durango was mostly across relatively uninteresting desert. I rolled into Durango at around lunchtime and stopped for a bite and about a bucket of iced tea. Now that I was in the Rockies, this is where the trip really started.

From Durango it's just a 50 mile ride up US 550 to Silverton, but it's a pretty impressive 50 miles, including two passes above 10K ft. Here's one of them.


I've been riding this road since around '85 and the CB11 with it's fuel injection is by far the best high altitude bike I've ridden. Looks right at home among the 13K ft. peaks.


As the first day came to an end, I found a nice spot to set up camp next to Mineral Creek, just a few miles from Silverton. It was down 3/4 mile dirt/gravel road, but the CB11 handled it nicely.


After a tasty steak at the Brown Bear Cafe in Silverton, I headed back to camp and had a fun night hanging out with my camping neighbors around the campfire.

Day 2

I decided to leave my camp set up and spend the day riding the local area. I decided to ride to Norwood, which didn't seem to have anything of interest, but it looked like a great ride getting there (It was!). Following that I decided to visit the popular ski town of Telluride.


Just down the road from Silverton, looking back the way I came.


Even though it was almost July, the snow came right down to the road.


This section of US 550 is called the Million Dollar Highway. It started as a toll road for wagons supplying the mining towns. Much of it is cut right into the side of the granite cliffs and lacks guard rails. If you're not comfortable with heights (like me) this road can be a bit unnerving. It's not unusual to round a curve while looking 2,000 ft. down to the canyon floor.


CO 145 is a fantastic little road that follows the San Miguel River, then climbs right up the side of a cliff to Norwood. No pics of the dramatic cliff section as there was really no place to pull over. Just a straight drop off to right of the white line. Here's a pic of the lower section.


The view of the mountains just to the east of Telluride was pretty impressive. It's hard to concentrate on the road with views like these.


That's it for tonight. I'll pick it up with day 3 tomorrow.

[Rick Froscheiser_imp]

Awesome pictures and write up. Looking forward to day 3.
Thanks for sharing.

[Pterodactyl_imp]

That is sensational. Well done Flyn'. I'm with Rick, bring on day 3. One comment. I saw that you had a steak at the Brown Bear. When I saw your camp photo it occurred to me that might be a good spot for the brown bears to get a steak. A Flynrider steak, extra rare. .

Cheers

[Rocky_imp]

Lovely pictures
In 2010 I spend several days riding in the Canadian Rockies and had a similar experience.
Your post brought back some great memories of that ride.

[the Ferret]

Dang, what a beautiful place to ride a motorcycle.

[curlyjoe]

Great pics Flynrider! The last time I was in that part of the country was in 1987. My wife to be and I went cross country in my '86 mustang GT w/ T-tops and spent a week in the rockies. I'd like to get back there on a motorcycle.

[emptysea]

My wife and I drove almost the same route you're taking in SW Colorado 20+ years ago. The mental images of that part of our trip are still nearly as vivid as your fantastic photos. As was just said above, we hope to take our bikes there someday.

Looking forward to the next installment(s)

[HikerToo_imp]

cool, what life is all about....

[Doug_imp]

That is some beautiful country there, I would love to get out that way again someday. In the late 90's I went with a friend on a Jeep trip on the Alpine loop. Only time I have been there. That last pic it looks like Black bear road zig zagging down the cliff. I've never been on it but I hear it's not for the faint of heart. That's a good bit of snow for late June. I would guess the nights were still pretty cold up there.

[drodg33]

Beautiful pictures