2016 Colorado/Western Rally

[Jerry]

The group had split into two; one wanted to se the Air Force Academy before going to Pike's Peak. We had an ex-AF officer in the group at that time, 2001, and he was able to get people into the Officer's Club for lunch and arrange a better-than-tourist tour of the Academy. So we had two groups riding PP but at different times, and at least 2 folks had problems that required getting to the Yamaha dealer in Colorado Springs and did the peak the next day. (One tire replaced, can't remember the 2nd problem but it involved parts.) Having the coupons available just saved a lot of hassle...each group (or pair) simply presented a coupon and received the discount when they made the ride.

Back in those pre-internet days you had to do all this by mail and it took a little time so it was better to prepare in advance and have the paperwork at the ready. Now you could probably show the ticket folks the e-mail on your phone... but I am old-school (maybe just old) and like to have details checked off so I don't forget anything. It is kind of like following the old Boy Scout motto: Be Prepared.

[Bonz]

"Be prepared", best advice ever given!

[edwardruth]

Hello all, I am interested in attending. It would be my first rally kind of thing although I've been riding for years, mostly locally though. I have to wonder how many of you ride by my house as I live right off of Highway 89 at the Utah/Arizona border. lol
If it ever comes to it and you're close, I have a parts bike I could help with. For emergency use only, I'm not selling anything. It was actually my first street bike 16yrs ago and it has come back to me about 4 times now so, it's gotta mean something, right? haha I'll be looking forward to hearing more about this. Pike's Peak was fun in a car, on a bike sounds awesome.

[BA80]

Hello all, I am interested in attending. It would be my first rally kind of thing although I've been riding for years, mostly locally though. I have to wonder how many of you ride by my house as I live right off of Highway 89 at the Utah/Arizona border. lol
If it ever comes to it and you're close, I have a parts bike I could help with. For emergency use only, I'm not selling anything. It was actually my first street bike 16yrs ago and it has come back to me about 4 times now so, it's gotta mean something, right? haha I'll be looking forward to hearing more about this. Pike's Peak was fun in a car, on a bike sounds awesome.

Rode right through your neck of the woods last spring when a few of us visited the North Rim of Grand Canyon last May. Then we headed up into the canyon lands of southern Utah and wandered about a while. Escalente, Glenn Canyon, then headed south again and rode down Moki Dugway onto Mexican Hat and down to I 40 back home. Great country! I want to do it again.

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44038

[edwardruth]

Rode right through your neck of the woods last spring when a few of us visited the North Rim of Grand Canyon last May. Then we headed up into the canyon lands of southern Utah and wandered about a while. Escalente, Glenn Canyon, then headed south again and rode down Moki Dugway onto Mexican Hat and down to I 40 back home. Great country! I want to do it again.

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44038

It might be sad but I haven't been to the North Rim and only to the South Rim for work. lol I live right next to Lake Powell/Glen Canyon. If you plan on coming this way again, give me a heads up so I can ride with you.

[BA80]

Pretty sure I remember passing through Page. trbig would know for sure, he had the route and has a better memory than I do.

[edwardruth]

Rode right through your neck of the woods last spring when a few of us visited the North Rim of Grand Canyon last May. Then we headed up into the canyon lands of southern Utah and wandered about a while. Escalente, Glenn Canyon, then headed south again and rode down Moki Dugway onto Mexican Hat and down to I 40 back home. Great country! I want to do it again.

http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=44038

"still not enough coffee, I wanted to throat punch him" hahaha Understandable.

Yep I see my lake in your pictures. You were right by ADOT. It is so, so low right now. I'm just a few miles down that road.

[edwardruth]

I'm from Page but now live just across the border in Utah, 15 miles away.

[BA80]

Muley Point...........




Moki Dugway.........

[Bonz]

Hi edwardruth, welcome and I hope you do join us! Gotta start with a first rally, so you can get to the second, etc...

This is my third rally, first one was attending in Durango 2011, then "hosting" the 2014 Colorado Rally was my second. Good riding, guys stay together and the pace is to bring us all back home with no pucker.

You a tent guy or will you look at a hotel/motel in Canon City?

Good to hear from you!

[edwardruth]

Hi edwardruth, welcome and I hope you do join us! Gotta start with a first rally, so you can get to the second, etc...

This is my third rally, first one was attending in Durango 2011, then "hosting" the 2014 Colorado Rally was my second. Good riding, guys stay together and the pace is to bring us all back home with no pucker.

You a tent guy or will you look at a hotel/motel in Canon City?

Good to hear from you!

Thanks for the welcomes. Tent or Hotel, kinda just depends on my finances and how well I can plan from here on. I would probably prefer a Hotel for at least one or two nights. I will probably bring a tent anyhow. Honestly, I'm not very experienced with long rides and preparing for them. So far, I know to bring layers of clothes, a tent, and tools. Any suggestions are most welcome. lol

[Bonz]

Temps can vary for sure from 40-50 deg lows either in the morning or at higher elevation, to 90's during the day or anything in between. Layers are a good plan. For me a good set of rain gear is one of the most important items I have with me. It keeps me dry (thus warm, and gets cooler quick when it rains) and is a good layer to put on if it does get chilly to block the wind. Plenty of sunscreen for your face, even in a full face helmet your face will feel the effects of the high elevation sun.

2014 Colorado Rally had a monsoon hit us for probably a half hour or a bit less on the back roads coming back from Pikes Peak. I have never been in a harder rain on a bike in my life. Most of us had windscreens to tuck in behind, so keeping going probably kept us drier than if we had stopped to put the rain gear on and the initial onslaught of rain had hit us standing on the side of the road gearing up. Making those extra miles riding toward the head of the storm vs gearing up seemed counter-intuitive, but I think worked out well when all was said and done. Man, it was a strong rain, wind, hail, et al.

[edwardruth]

Temps can vary for sure from 40-50 deg lows either in the morning or at higher elevation, to 90's during the day or anything in between. Layers are a good plan. For me a good set of rain gear is one of the most important items I have with me. It keeps me dry (thus warm, and gets cooler quick when it rains) and is a good layer to put on if it does get chilly to block the wind. Plenty of sunscreen for your face, even in a full face helmet your face will feel the effects of the high elevation sun.

2014 Colorado Rally had a monsoon hit us for probably a half hour or a bit less on the back roads coming back from Pikes Peak. I have never been in a harder rain on a bike in my life. Most of us had windscreens to tuck in behind, so keeping going probably kept us drier than if we had stopped to put the rain gear on and the initial onslaught of rain had hit us standing on the side of the road gearing up. Making those extra miles riding toward the head of the storm vs gearing up seemed counter-intuitive, but I think worked out well when all was said and done. Man, it was a strong rain, wind, hail, et al.

I hear ya, The monsoons are no joke! We have them here where I live. I've been caught in it once or twice. In the desert it can be a nice, sunny, t-shirt riding day out cruising, good times... then BAM, out of nowhere the skies get dark and it pours or dumps big drops of rain that feel like little balls of lead being dropped from the nearest flying space ship... yeah. Not fun. I tend not to ride much after 3 or 4pm during monsoon season anymore. Rain gear, noted.

I live in the desert at 4,000 ft elevation in Arizona, how does that compare to high elevation sun? Is it worse or more intense with long exposure? I think my farmers tan is well adapted to the sun but I don't know anything about high elevation sun.

One thing I've been wondering about but haven't noticed anyone mention. I'm kinda concerned about the elevation and my fuel mixture/jets once you start getting up there, like 14,110 ft up. Does it have that much affect on the XS11?

[edwardruth]

Oh, another question. The guys who load just as much or more than you could fit in a trunk, are they some sort of engineers or are there some tricks to it? lol Really though, I'd like to better understand how it's done correctly so that I don't imbalance my self off the road or something. The info is much appreciated. Thanks.

[BA80]

Pack as light as you can and load the heaviest stuff at the lowest point possible.