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I have never ridden Colorado and am leaving tomorrow! My plan is to ride to Colorado Springs and up Pikes Peak. From there I'm not sure where I'm going but have Dean routes and advice and will explore the area. If anyone is interested here is my SPOT page. http://share.findmespot.com/shared/face ... 0t3lpSo4ho

I'm PUMPED!

dude be safe and have fun. I like the spot tracker device. I wish I had that in Cambodia.
Don't miss Garden of the Gods.

Just saw some pics on ADV from today at Aspen Ridge near Salida, aspen trees are just starting to change. I see you're in CO now,have fun!

So little time so much to see.

I have always wanted to ride to Pikes Peak so I plan on that tomorrow. The Garden is another place I am interested is visiting as it the Grand Gorge, Leadville, Crested Butte, etc., etc. I will have Friday, Saturday and some of Sunday to explore.

It has been an adventure so far. As I was riding in eastern Colorado I could see a huge storm NE of me that got bigger and bigger. It had that part of the sky black with lots of lightning. On the edge was a tornado that I watched from mile away and riding towards it. When I got close and hit the edge of the front and the wind kicked up and the rain poured down. I turned around and found cover. It about 30 minutes the stormed passed. While I waited the storm 2 Massachusetts rides pulled in to the same place. They saw me turn around but continued on. They got pelted with huge hail and almost have the bikes pushed out from underneath them. They got smart and turned around.

From Crested Butte head down to Lake City and up into the Alpine Loop. Don't get too technical, but over to Animas Forks and down to Silverton should be doable on your beast. Definitely 4WD roads. Head north out of Silverton and take Ophir Pass and then north to Telluride. IIRC, Imogene and Black Bear are your two options to get from Telluride to Ouray. Black Bear is suposedly a beast. Imogene ... did a few years back on the LC4 loaded with gear. I was impressed meeting a guy on an F650 up there ... not sure I recommend it. So maybe don't ... or go for it!

A much less technical ride is to head south out of Crested Butte and turn east at Almont. BTW, a few miles north of Almont is a scenic shortcut "Jacks Cabin Cutoff"... Head up the Taylor River to Taylor Park. Easy way is up and over Cottonwood Pass (name?) to Buena Vista. A Prius can do this. Harder way is over Tin Cup pass. Some loose rock. Hancock and Tomichi are probably a lot too much. There is a hunting resort/lodge/gas station up at Taylor Park.

The Wet Mts SE of Westcliff (south of Salida and Canon City) have some really nice forest roads. 96 E out of Westcliffe, 165 S, Ophir Creek Rd turns off to the right at the really sharp switchback. Take that up until it becomes Gardner Rd. An out and back would be Greenhorn Mt Road. Nice views. Gardner Rd goes south to Gardner. No gas there.

Safe travels, enjoy.

safiri wrote:...96 E out of Westcliffe, 165 S, Ophir Creek Rd turns off to the right at the really sharp switchback...

Oh...and if you keep heading S on Hwy 165 just past Ophir Creek Rd about 1/4 mile, you'll hit Bishop's Castle. I think you'd enjoy seeing that, Eddie. One man's stand against THE MAN.
http://picasaweb.google.com/wolf.troy/BishopSCastle#

Black Bear is one way only, I did it again about three weeks ago and met a rider coming UP at the stairsteps, he was wearing a big backpack and hung up on a ledge. I waited for him quite a while but finally came down when he went out of sight, met some SAR 4wd rigs further down and realized he must have been an SAR rider.
I see Eddie's been up Pike's Peak and to Cripple Creek today. Go Eddie GO!

I have wanted to go up Pikes Peak from the first time I was saw it. I loved it. I'm in Cripple Creek. I enjoyed the ride to town but the town is all casinos. At first you see the neat old buildings but once you scratch the surface it is all casinos. There is not a place to eat that is not associated with a casino. To me that is sad because there are no locals to talk to about the area/ Everyone is an import.

ajayhawkfan wrote:I have wanted to go up Pikes Peak from the first time I was saw it. I loved it. I'm in Cripple Creek. I enjoyed the ride to town but the town is all casinos. At first you see the neat old buildings but once you scratch the surface it is all casinos. There is not a place to eat that is not associated with a casino. To me that is sad because there are no locals to talk to about the area/ Everyone is an import.

At least 25 years ago our family camped in a campground that was at the end of the road above Cripple Creek. There were no casinos at that time and it was a beautiful little place. Sometime I'll have to tell you some funny stories about the few days we spent there.

I'm not wild about Cripple Creek myself, light the afterburners work your way west. The neatest stuff that's GS friendly is west of 285. Make time to see St Elmo, Tincup Pass wasn't too bad this year. I may be out moving the kc photo tag but will have my cell. 816-668- eight-five-one-six

I'm back and had a great time! It was the first time I had been there on a bike but it will not be the last!



If anyone is interested you can see my photos here. http://picasaweb.google.com/ajayhawkfan ... Sept372009#

Dean, thank you for all your advice. It was very helpful and made my trip much easier.

Excellent trip and photos. The road south out of Cripple Creek ... Old Stage?? ... is very scenic. Glad you got up to the Taylor Park area. I have ridden there one day and kayaked the Taylor River below the dam many times over many years. I keep wanting to get back there on the EXC. Tin Cup is a quaint little town. Your route south out of Tin Cup to Jaunita brings back some fond memories.

Did you do Schofield Pass, or just to the top and then back to Crested Butte? I haven't done that one, but have heard it is a beast.

Hancock has/had a mud bog near the top, just as well you didn't try that.

safiri wrote:Excellent trip and photos. The road south out of Cripple Creek ... Old Stage?? ... is very scenic. Glad you got up to the Taylor Park area. I have ridden there one day and kayaked the Taylor River below the dam many times over many years. I keep wanting to get back there on the EXC. Tin Cup is a quaint little town. Your route south out of Tin Cup to Jaunita brings back some fond memories.

Did you do Schofield Pass, or just to the top and then back to Crested Butte? I haven't done that one, but have heard it is a beast.

Hancock has/had a mud bog near the top, just as well you didn't try that.

Thanks I had a great time.

Out of Cripple Creek is Phantom Canyon Road. I was on part of Old Stage to Gold Camp Road from Colorado Springs to Cripple Creek.

I did not do Schofield Pass. I was planning on doing it when a guy in a jeep came up and recommended that I skip it because I was alone and it was getting late. I took his advice.

Like Schofield Pass I was planning on going over Handcock but when I got up there it was too rough for me to want to attempt.