Canyons & mountains

[Brent]

I rode through Silverton, CO with Cody on his XJ. Beautiful. The million dollar highway really is paved with gold. XSiting in that with no guard rail, no shgoulder, and a long steep drop, No amount of protective gear would save you if you ran off the road. The following report was from the long distance riders list. It also includes Silverton CO And some very pretty canyons and arches.

Not my ride, from long distance riders list. but nice pics, advice on photography: a good report .

Date: Tue, 12 Feb 2008 10:02:53 -0800
From: H Marc Lewis
Subject: [LDRider] Digital photo triage...
To: LDRiders
Message-ID:
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed

Steve Hobart wrote:


> You need to take lots of picture to get a few good ones. My computer
> is filled with a lot of crappy shots in order to get a few good ones.

35 years ago a close friend who was a semi-pro photographer told me
that
even though I had a good eye for composition, and a reasonable mastery
of the camera (a 35mm SLR) that I should be discarding about 19 out of
every 20 shots I took.

That's considerably easier (and cheaper!) to do with digital cameras,
and I still find it to be good advice. Spending an hour or two learning
about composition, and reading your camera's owner's manual at least
once a year, will increase the proportion of good shots.

But you still need to throw most of them away.

A couple years ago between the mid checkpoint and finish of the IBR I
rode southwest and took these photos, which are the best of perhaps 500
shots:

http://www.hmarc.com/trips/CanyonCountry/

--hmarc


I hope this link works. It is worth a look, if only for the photography.

Brent in Ga

[DJinNH]

Some awesome scenery in those photos. That's one ride I wish I could do someday, maybe even my first choice, but it's a loooong ride or drive if I tow, from New England.

Thanks for sharing the photos.

Don

[Brent]

Originally posted by DJinNH
Some awesome scenery in those photos. That's one ride I wish I could do someday, maybe even my first choice, but it's a loooong ride or drive if I tow, from New England.

Thanks for sharing the photos.

Don

It can be done. I rode from GA met Cody in OK, Bohn in Kansas, miles in Colorado & the four of us rode to XS rally in South lake Taahoe...then San Francisco, up the Pacific coast Hwy to Oregon & back. 14 days for me, 12 for Miles 13 for Cody, Longer for Bohn,as he went to visit daughter in Wyoming. Never been to New England. Perhaps this summer.

[trbig]

Awesome stuff Brent. I have always wanted to ride around Colorado. So.... when are you leading me through there??


Tod

[Brent]

Originally posted by trbig
Awesome stuff Brent. I have always wanted to ride around Colorado. So.... when are you leading me through there??


Tod

I believe summer '09 would be a good time. There are some XSives who live in CO. Perhaps they will host a rally. The million dollar hwy is really paved with gold. Riding it is on my list of things to do in THIS lifetime...now riding it again.

If you can find mountains & twisties in Oklahoma, imagine what you could find in Colorado

Brent in GA

[Jerry]

Actually, we had a Colorado rally in 2001. I tried floating the idea of having a fall rally based out of Durango during the Aspen color season (generaly 3rd - 4th week of September, varies year to year) but didn't get lot of response. Would be glad to ride with anyone who happens out this way. I've been on most of the roads pictured, some many times, but never to the bottom of Black Canyon. Couple other roads worth while, including Dolores Canyon (Lizerd Head Pass, 10,322 feet), Creede (Hwy 149, Slumgullion Pass, 11,361 feet). If you want to ride on hard-packed dirt - been dust controlled so many times it is nearly pavement - try the loop between Crested Butte and Paonia. Been on that a few times with no problems, nice vistas. Great in color season.

The Grand Mesa, out of Grand Junction, tends to turn earlier than other parts of Colorado and is a good loop road. Gets up to almost 11K feet, nice summer ride since temps drop by about 20 deg F from the valley.

Front range trips include getting through Rocky Mtn Natl Park over to Grand Lake area and come down the back side. Road through the park will get you up over 12K feet. (Trail Ridge Road). The Peak-to-Peak highway is almost always a nice ride.

Anyway, several good trips regardless of the part of the state you are in. Since I am in western Colorado I tend to ride more in the west - southwest, but did the front range when I lived in Boulder.

If you are going to ar through this area, drop me a line and we'll see of we can meet up.

[trbig]

Hey Jerry,

Ever consider trying to have one somewhere in July/August time frame? Seems to me that it would be hot everywhere else around here and no fun to ride, but up at those elevations, it would be what... 20 degrees cooler at least? Less chance of rain then also. Whatcha think? Maybe in '09 like Brent mentioned?


Tod

[Jerry]

I have considered basing a summer rally out of Durango in SW Colorado. There is a campground there that biker-friendly, and many hotels / motels in the area. Some reasonably priced. Many eateries there also. Grand Junction could be another location to base out of.

An issue with another Colorado rally is distance...not only from large population centers, but daily rides tend to be long, as there are few loop or cutoff routes. Average speeds are slower than other locations, so it takes you longer to go that 150 - 200 miles. Some routes tend to include quite a few interstate miles such as to Moab, UT and back. Nice ride along the Colorado River and through the Lasalle Mountains, but you have to spend a couple hours on I-70 to get there and back from Grand Junction. The trip to Silverton and Durango is doable as a 1 day trip, but is a full day with lunch on the road.

Anyway, i have considered it; if anyone has thoughts about an '09 Colorado rally in the western part of the state, let me know.

[trbig]

It almost sounds like it would be better in a road-trip style then.... carrying your stuff on the bike and staying in a new spot at night, not looping back. Maybe 2 or 3 days cruising good roads with a freeway ride back on the last day?

I don't know... starting to sound more like trip for Brent and me than a rally.. lol. It is an option though. I'm interested, no matter what.


Tod

[HobbyMan]

Strange things Tod, I spent the better part of yesterday planning out a trip to Colorado for June/July before I saw this thread. Its not set in stone yet but I had a great time out there last year. I camped the whole way and stayed a Mueller state park for a while, Nice place. We have got to get some XS/XJ shots on top of Pikes Peak. The paved part of the road going up the mountain is AWESOME when there is no traffic on it. I have a buddy that wants to take trip with me and possibly my dad again. It is either Colorado or OKLA/ARK again for 10 days.

[Paintman]

Road trips

Hmm Co would be fin for me since i live in western SD. and have friends in loveland, CO Springs , and Grand Junction.I o alot of riding in the Black hills here and im about 40 mins from Sturgis so im at the rally every Yr if anyone plans to make the rally this yr let me know would be great to meet up with a bunch of folks .
John

[DJinNH]

Originally posted by Brent


It can be done. I rode from GA met Cody in OK, Bohn in Kansas, miles in Colorado & the four of us rode to XS rally in South lake Taahoe...then San Francisco, up the Pacific coast Hwy to Oregon & back. 14 days for me, 12 for Miles 13 for Cody, Longer for Bohn,as he went to visit daughter in Wyoming. Never been to New England. Perhaps this summer.

If you do end up riding in New England, one ride I think most people would like is the Kangamangus Highway which runs East/West up in the ski resort areas of New Hampshire. Very beautiful scenery with rocky streams, sharp sloping mountains, covered bridges, etc. Long and winding road....just watch out for the moose crossing the highway! They could put a severe damper on your ride.

Of course, the best time of year for that ride is the fall when all the leaves are colorful.

Mount Washington is not too far away. That is a trip, even in a car. The road twists up the side of the 6,283' summit, most places don't have any safety railing keeping you from plunging thousands of feet. It's a pretty wild ride, especially coming down but at least there are many places to pull over to let your brakes cool.

Don

[29desertniteyes]

Pictures

I was looking at different magazines online and came across this magazine called Behind Barz Magazine and it is quite interesting. I thought maybe different ones could take some pics of different rides. From what I could understand the pics are free. Please check it out. I think it is cool for I received a magazine for March/April, and I really liked it.
Check it out.

[Wildkat]

Really nice pics!

One of these days... I want to be able to go on one of those rides too...
For now though, I will continue to live vicariously through those of you whose children have grown and gone...

Thanks for sharing, Brent!
(I want to be you when I grow up )