2021 Colorado Rally, July 15-19

[JeffH]

That's great. So bring the cold weather riding gear.
Only an hour ride from Rally Central to 'the Booth' so we all should be able to make that with a 7am departure.

Good NEWS ............

Be interesting to see the burn areas from the East Troublesome, Williams Fork & Cameron Fires. Those were some horrific & devastating big fires.

Jeff

[Bonz]

Copy that on the cold weather gear. Riding from Kremmling up to the entrance to the park even in the middle of July can be in the high 30s or low 40s. By the time we leave the park, it can be 70° or higher for the ride back to Kremmling once we get to the gate, so bring layers you can peel off and stash on your bike.

[JeffH]

Only a couple weeks and a couple days left until Rally time.
I am still planning on making the trek.

Planning to leave Atlanta on July 10th in case I hit weather gremlins crossing the flat states. Nothing worse than having the top of your helmet being the highest object within 100 miles during a severe thunderstorm.
As usual, planning an off the beaten path back roads ride west. ETA Kremmling is Thursday afternoon July 15th at the 8.

Probably do a Bonus Ride after the Rally to ride 141 up the Dolores River. Red Rock country. A favorite to ride when i can.
Even got a magic Mt Evans Timed Entry pass for noon on Wed 21st. Then boogie back home after that.

Got a bike ready. Not the one I want, but got one ready for a 4,500 mile trip

Hopefully everyone that is thinking about making it to the Rally will be able finalize their plans and be able to get there. I think we have new xs11 riders in ID & CO that hopefully will be able to attend and some in UT we haven't seen in a few years. Bummed to hear that Ray can't attend this year. Was looking forward to seeing you Ray.

Thanks Bonz for making the arrangements and organizing our ride & Rally opportunity.

Jeff

ps. already have the below 40 degree riding gear packed on the bike. Otherwise I'd certainly forget it while packing & loading when it is 100 degrees.

[rdmycguy]

Greetings Flatlanders, I am just about ready for some high country hijinks, Am looking forward to seeing you all again this year and maybe some new faces,As Howard mentioned I have been thinking about getting a Yamaha Mt 09.....I'm kinda tired of riding these old dinosaur xs 11"s....However there isn't a new one to be had, all of the ones coming in are already sold and my local dealer doesn't know when any new ones will be arriving....Damn it !Hopefully it won't be too long.....Hey JeffH, I guess we will both be going to the top of Mt Evans at the same time, I just bought my ticket !Maybe after I can show you around some of my local roads.

[JeffH]

Greetings Flatlanders, I am just about ready for some high country hijinks, Am looking forward to seeing you all again this year and maybe some new faces,As Howard mentioned I have been thinking about getting a Yamaha Mt 09.....I'm kinda tired of riding these old dinosaur xs 11"s....However there isn't a new one to be had, all of the ones coming in are already sold and my local dealer doesn't know when any new ones will be arriving....Damn it !Hopefully it won't be too long.....Hey JeffH, I guess we will both be going to the top of Mt Evans at the same time, I just bought my ticket !Maybe after I can show you around some of my local roads.

Joe, that sounds great. Be fun to meet and ride up to Mt Evans Summit on Wed 21st hen ride around after. I'd likely get a sandwich in Idaho Springs and picnic stop on the journey up.

Ride on Squaw Pass / 103 would be great. Winter Gulch sure twisty. Forest Fire on Upper Bear Creek last year when I was there so that was closed. Heading to Franktown / Kiowa and all points east after that.

See ya in Kremmling.

Jeff

[Bonz]

Hello XS'ers, All Call for the Colorado rally 2021! July 15-19 in Kremmling Colorado. It would be great to see anyone who is interested in coming. I keep in touch through text and email with the 13-15 guys coming, so don't think there's limited participation by what you see here on the forum. We cover some miles, have some fun for sure and see some beautiful sights.

See the first post and the link in my signature or PM me with questions.

[JeffH]

Hello XS'ers, All Call for the Colorado rally 2021! July 15-19 in Kremmling Colorado. It would be great to see anyone who is interested in coming. I keep in touch through text and email with the 13-15 guys coming, so don't think there's limited participation by what you see here on the forum. We cover some miles, have some fun for sure and see some beautiful sights.

See the first post and the link in my signature or PM me with questions.

A week to Go ................
Time to get serious about getting packed up, gear loaded & ATGATT for the ride.

So looking forward to the Meet & Greet at Rally Central at the campground in Kremmling next Thursday afternoon.

Jeff

It sure is an A+ great ride weekend if you can make it to the Rally

[motoman]

Sitt'in at a 103temp here at my place at 6p.m. today. Will be looking at a 105temp tomorrow(Fri.). Since knowing the Rally area well(born in Kremmling), you all will be looking at daytime temps in the mid 80's. You all ride safe!.....ATGATT

[Bonz]

Thanks motoman! Front range is going to be breaking some records tomorrow on heat, weekend is looking nice here in Palmer Lake at 7200'. Next week for the rally up in Kremmling looks like you said, mid 80s and high 40s at night. Stay cool out there my friend!

[BA80]

Sitt'in at a 103temp here at my place at 6p.m. today. Will be looking at a 105temp tomorrow(Fri.). Since knowing the Rally area well(born in Kremmling), you all will be looking at daytime temps in the mid 80's. You all ride safe!.....ATGATT

It's 80 at night here in Oklahoma.

[Bonz]

Don't forget to bring your pajamas and nightcap Greg.

[JeffH]

and as Jackie Gleason said "and away we go"
for me that is heading to Colorado.

Left Atlanta this morning expecting to play thunderstorm dodge em' but didn't have any troubles in GA or TN.
Had a marvelous ride into middle Tennessee. Tennessee has fantastic motorcycle roads and are always sure to please a twisty's rider. Almost no traffic at all for 4 hours on the back roads. Did get close enough to Lynchburg to smell the barrel aging Jack. They wouldn't give me free samples for the Rally.

Rode 325 miles today. Changing plans for tomorrows ride as stalled out warm front will likely be problematic for my ride towards Hannibal. So implement Plan B and cross the Mississippi at either Dyersburg TN or Wickliffe KY into Cario IL then boogie west and see where the storms are brewing and adjust from there.

47 mpg on the 1st top off and 46 mpg on the 2nd so that's not too bad a deal.

May post a pic or two tomorrow. In Central Time Zone so that's progress.

Jeff

[Bonz]

Great start to a great trip! Be safe when you get on the road tomorrow.

[JeffH]

08:00 this AM the storms from Saturday finally started to fizzle out. Roads wet and still drizzling but left at 8:30. Revised my ride plan to get away from that lingering pesky low pressure. Glad I did as it saved me getting wet this afternoon.

I had a very enjoyable ride across NW Tenn and Western KY. Wonderful smooth scenic back roads with nice curves and some not so nice surprise curves. Crossed the Ohio River into Illinois. Rode about 3 miles in ILL and crossed the mighty Mississippi into Missouri. Pretty much kept moving to avoid todays grey and black clouds that kept building. No rain gear required. Temps bounced 72° to 77° all day. A nice 72° when I parked it here at 4:30. Chilly riding all day really.

So enjoyable day I guess like 340 miles. Got it parked in Willow Springs MO. A pork salsa Verde with draft Dos XX and its sleep time.

About 1,000 miles left to Kremmling. Getting back to my original route tomorrow afternoon on US36.

jeff

[Bonz]

Nice Jeff, sounds like a great finish to the day with the food choice! I will be heading to Kremmling Tuesday evening to meet Bob and his friend Tim trailering in from OK. Going to ride with them down to Durango Wednesday and back to Kremmling for the rally start on Thursday. Joe will be arriving to command central at the campground earlier on Thursday, so if anyone arrives there will be someone to go hang out with. Thanks Joe!

It will be pretty casual on Thursday as guys arrive typically later in the afternoon. Let's plan on meeting at the campground ~6 pm and go get food for the guys that are there. Most of us are in touch via text as things get closer, but not too late in the game for anyone to join in, so want to make an "official time" for Thursday to meet.

Friday ride will be Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain National Park, a shorter day mile-wise but need to be fueled up, eat bkfst and kickstands up at 7 am to get over to the entrance around 8 am, to get into the park before the park reservation requirement kicks in at 9 am. It WILL be cool to cold in the mornings, expect temps in Kremmling in the low-mid 40's at 7am so please have gear accordingly. It could dip into the 30's through the canyon on US 40 heading to Granby, and will be cool as we ride up to over 12,000' on Trail Ridge in the morning. You have been told! Depending on the time we come off trail ridge road, we could do lunch in Grand Lake, Granby or head back to Kremmling.

Friday evening we will have the official meet and greet at 5pm at the campground, and head to a local restaurant (a number to choose from) and eat.

Saturday and Sunday rides will be determined based on any weather potential, but for dinner on Sat and Sunday, we will do a collection for the guys that want to bbq burgers and brats at the campground and make a grocery run. Eating locally is always an option, so feel free to do that if bbq isn't your thing. But plenty of time to hang around in the evening at the campground and socialize. For the hotel guys, bring a camp chair as most of you are trailering in, for the evenings at the campground.

Safe travels all!