Cheese Weasels Get Rocky Mountain High

[Stichill]

Four members of our little motorcycle club and I started planning a fly-n-ride back in December 2019. We decided to ride southern Colorado since one of our members moved to Colorado Springs about a year ago and could be our tour planner and guide. The target date for the ride was mid-July 2020. Little did we know then that Covid-19 was looming on the horizon and would threaten to wreck the best-laid plans.

Thankfully, it didn't. We managed to sneak the ride in between waves of pandemic panic.

One of our riders is a pretty decent amateur graphic designer and came up with a new club sticker (on the left) and a ride T-shirt that included the new club logo.

On the T-shirt below, notice the coronavirus is chasing us!

The plan was to fly into Denver for the meet-up on Thursday, stay overnight in Denver to enjoy the city's amenities, then pick up the bikes on Friday and literally head for the hills.

I contacted LongRanger to see if we might also meet up sometime on Thursday, but as the date approached I realized that our Colorado Springs buddy had really missed us and everyone in the club was looking forward to hanging out with the old group vibe. So I got back in touch with LongRanger and he was - of course - very gracious about it and we agreed to meet each other another time. So, I still have something to look forward to next time I'm out in Colorado!

Next installment: Thursday arrival and checking out the town.

 

[The A-man]

More please, plus pictures!

 

[the Ferret]

You go Weasels! Have fun, stay safe. Hope the c v doesnt catch you. Report in when you can.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Stichill, sorry we couldn’t meet up, but yes, next time! Hope you had some wonderful riding while you were out here!

 

[Houtman_imp]

So you weaseled yourself out of meeting Longranger

 

[Stichill]

No worries, ferret, trip is in the books and I'm back home now on my couch!

So here's air travel 2020 style (me on the left):

We took the RTD train from the Denver Airport downtown to "Lodo" or Lower Denver, where we had an AirBnb condo to stay in as a group. Masks were "optional" if nobody else was in the car with us.

Union Station has been beautifully restored.

Our downtown hipster pad:

We were on the corner of the second floor (ground floor = first floor).

Me sporting the new Weasels shirt:

After we dropped off our big, heavy duffel at the condo, we decided to head over to the Eagle Rider at Foothills BMW Triumph to check out the bikes. We out-of-towners again took the train and our local buddy rode his bike over. The train was actually a great way to get around Denver for us.

Our Colorado Springs buddy:

Here's my ride, a Yamaha MT-07. Smallest bike in the group, because A) I'm the shortest guy in the group and B) I actually like the way small bikes handle. Unfortunately, this particular MT-07 was an exceptionally ugly bike! Blech! Most MT-07s are just plain old standard ugly.

Keyshawn was the Eagle Rider bike attendant. Young kid, didn't have anyone helping him. We decided that we needed to arrive early at 10:00 am Friday to make sure Keyshawn had enough time to get all of us out no later than 12:00 and if possible by 11:00 am.

Next installment: Thursday night in the Mile High City.

 

[Cormanus]

That MT07 may be ugly, but it has good hoon points.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

I’ve bought three bikes from Foothills over the years, including my two ex-‘07 F800ST’s. The shop changed ownership about 4-5 years ago and is now part of a multi-dealer conglomerate, mostly with HD stores. I know the GM very well but, honestly, I’ve been taking my BMW’s elsewhere for service ever since. They’re a huge supporter of the Colorado BMW club and sponsor the annual 100,000 Foot Ride every August (a bucket-list ride if you like the mountains and have never ridden around here.

Stichill, I work across the street from Union Station but of course we’re WFH right now.

 

[Stichill]

That MT07 may be ugly, but it has good hoon points.

If only it looked as good as it rides! Yamaha seriously needs to put away the ugly stick they keep beating their bikes with. It's actually a very nicely engineered machine in most respects; only the suspension seemed to fall short of the rest of the kit.

I’ve bought three bikes from Foothills over the years, including my two ex-‘07 F800ST’s. The shop changed ownership about 4-5 years ago and is now part of a multi-dealer conglomerate, mostly with HD stores. I know the GM very well but, honestly, I’ve been taking my BMW’s elsewhere for service ever since. They’re a huge supporter of the Colorado BMW club and sponsor the annual 100,000 Foot Ride every August (a bucket-list ride if you like the mountains and have never ridden around here.

Stichill, I work across the street from Union Station but of course we’re WFH right now.

So funny you mention that, because it had that same "we have better things to do than talk to customers" atmosphere that you find at HD outlets. There will be more to say about their Eagle Rider operation in upcoming installments.

Downtown Denver was very nice, if a bit on the sticky / stinky side here and there due to transients, etc. We were all impressed with the vibrancy of the younger crowd, even though everything was relatively subdued in the aftermath of the city-wrecking Covid catastrophe. Our local buddy said places we went to were absurdly free of crowds when usually you can't elbow your way into them. We saw lots of healthy-looking, attractive, prosperous young people and a lot of people with well-behaved urban dogs. We saw a plethora of newly-developed apartments and condos in that characteristic "Lego" style, which made us wonder what used to be there before the new buildings were erected.

 

[LongRanger_imp]

Lodo (“Lower Downtown”) is a model of gentrification and urban renewal. Thirty years ago, you wouldn’t want to be caught walking through there during the day, let alone at night. The 16th Street pedestrian mall was developed in the 80’s to bring folks downtown. Nearby Coors Field (home of the Colorado Rockies) was built on blighted, neglected, industrial property a few years later and became the impetus for rapid development in the area (mostly residential). About six years ago, renovated Union Station reopened, the “A Line” light rail to the airport began service, and Colorado voters approved the possession and recreational use of cannabis. With these events, the area (and rents) exploded. Today, it’s a hipster paradise. Residential and retail development (mostly bars and restaurants) has been nonstop and young people are moving in, with their urban dogs and rented scooters and well-paying jobs. The ones who marry find themselves looking at suburbia as a more desirable locale to call home.

 

[the Ferret]

Interesting history lesson LR

 

[Stichill]

Ah, LR, Lodo >> Lower Downtown.

It seems like the motivation of young people moving to the city is to escape the monotony and social isolation of the suburbs where they grew up, as well as all the driving time that keeps them away from their phones. In the city we saw weird scenes of, for example, three young women sitting together in a public space but all three were looking at their phones vs. interacting with each other. We also saw older Gen X and younger Boomers, probably empty nesters who got tired of cleaning gutters and fighting dandelions out in the suburbs, now wanting to live in the city with more things to do with their newfound spare time.

The tragedy of Covid (and election-year unrest) is that so much of the attraction of urban life has been diminished just as an urban renewal was starting to take hold across the country. I'll bet a lot of city people are re-thinking their lifestyle and choice of residence.
So on Thursday afternoon, we left Foothills BMW Triumph and made it back to our hipster pad in Lodo, where we uncorked a bottle of Maker's Mark 46 and toasted our 2020 Cheese Weasel reunion and ride.



Then we headed out to prowl around the town to find someplace to get dinner.

We decided that happy hour at Rio Grande Mexican sounded great, and the outdoor seating was even better. We all had tacos and beer, for surprisingly very little money. Note our server on the way with refreshments.



After we left Rio Grande, we just walked around enjoying the sights and the weather. We decided to stop into Henry's for a nightcap. Because it had started to feel a bit warm and dry, I ordered a mojito, which turned out to be a double...I took my time finishing it.



Inside the men's room at Henry's, Covid-mania was on full display.





We went back to the hipster pad, first stopping off at our buddy's bike in the garage so he could grab a couple things from it.



The next morning, the weather was bright and beautiful. Everyone was getting excited about getting the bikes and hitting the open road.





We made our way back to Union Station to a breakfast place called Snooze. The young women hosting put a couple of tables together and then whipped out a tape measure to ensure that the 6-foot rule was strictly adhered to.



I ordered huevos rancheros, which were exceptional:


Next installment: picking up the bikes on Friday and heading for the hills.

 

[Stichill]

Friday - Day 1 of the Ride

So after enjoying a hearty breakfast at Snooze, we gathered our stuff at the hipster pad and boarded the train out of Union Station, back to Foothills BMW Triumph / Eagle Rider. Official check-out was noon but we arrived at 10:00 to "expedite" the checkout process.

After much asking and searching, some beat-up factory bags were located for the MT-09 Tracer. No bags were available for the Tenere 1200 nor the MT-07. We anticipated the bag situation with the MT-07 and were prepared, and thankfully the guy on the Tenere was also prepared for no bag joy on his ride. One guy was supposed to be on a Tiger 800, which was nowhere to be found, so they put him on a 1200 GS with cast wheels.

Here is Keyshawn (left) of Eagle Rider checking in the bikes that we were scheduled to immediately check back out. Working alone, he did the best he could to perform safety and functional checks, and he also lubed the chains.

The checkout process was tediously, agonizingly slow. Supposedly we had all "Checked in" online but we were still forced to scroll through rental agreements, signing in three or four places, showing driver's licenses (even though we'd submitted pics online), and affirming / denying insurance and roadside assistance. We made our escape around 11:15, 45 minutes ahead of schedule!

Our leader, a savant when it comes to finding shade, the natural habitat of the North American Cheese Weasel.

It was really hot, in the 90s F, and we were anxious to Get Out of Denver.

Our destination for lunch was Fairplay, the real-life setting of the fictional cartoon series South Park.

The ride up US 285 was not awesome. Being a Friday, everybody was trying to get out of Denver. The road was filled with pickups and Jeeps pulling pop-up and teardrop campers / caravans, as well as Subaru and Audi wagons with bicycles up on their roofs. The only saving grace was that it was a divided highway and we had opportunity to pass, although many of the campers also enjoyed camping in the left line for miles on end.

We stopped at a gas station once the road straightened out a bit to top of tanks and check straps. There was a group of Chevy Nomads already there, and we ended up following them all the way into Fairplay.

We rolled into Fairplay where it was...hot.

Get out of the gear.

A sandwich and ice cream shop was blissfully air-conditioned. We went in with masks and came out with food. Friendliest employees!

The sandwich shop owner came out and converted a bench into a table in the shade for us.

Cool and delicious!

 

[Cormanus]

I'm enjoying this adventure. I like the look of the croissant, too.

 

[the Ferret]

Cool. The rental seems like a lousy operation to me.

I think LR, Offroad and I ate at a restaurant in Fairplay. Little Brown something or other?.

 

[Stichill]

It was the Silver Scoop Creamery, ferret.

 

[the Ferret]

No not yours lol, the one we ate at. Maybe LR will see it and straighten me out. I remember it was a long skinny restaurant and there was a courtyard outside

 

[Stichill]

Brown Burro Cafe probably.

I'm enjoying this adventure. I like the look of the croissant, too.

Not as engaging and eloquent as a CC or MTC account, but I'm trying!

 

[Cormanus]

Not at all, Stichill. It's good stuff.

Interesting about Eagle Rider. I recall it took a long time to go through the check in process, but the bloke was really helpful and efficient, we got the bikes we ordered. They were great about getting a new tyre when we were away from their shop.

I guess it's a franchise and patchy?

 

[Stichill]

Exactly so, Cormanus. Our first experience at Eagle Rider was Euro Cycle in Las Vegas. Absolutely perfect. Could not have been better. Our second experience was at Cowboy Harley Davidson in Austin, Texas. Not perfect but very good. We rather expected a good experience at a BMW Triumph dealer, but twas not to be...