Labor Day Ride to Estes Park

September 1, 2008
Fort Collins, CO

Labor Day Morning Ride to Estes Park

I made the comment a few posts ago that Tim was not getting out of the driveway again without me if the destination was Estes Park.

He didn't. We were both tired from the ride yesterday, but the call of a bright Colorado morning was too strong.

Our ride took us through Loveland and up the canyon that borders on The Big Thompson River to Estes Park. This is one of my favorite destinations. We've made this drive countless times in a vehicle but this was a first on a motorcycle. I have no words to describe what riding through the canyon with the big sky overhead and the road roaring by below is like.

• I can tell you this. This ride has ruined every road we've ever driven in Colorado until we get to experience each one on a motorcycle. Ha!

As we left Loveland, I finally got a little more confidant with my comfort zone and braver with the camera. We made the canyon drive without stopping until we made the Visitor Center in Estes Park. We stopped the bike, had some coffee and rested our butts (mostly my butt) a while. We picked up wind just before we arrived. And on the horizon were the type of clouds that are the harbingers of wind preceding a cold front. Normally, we would stop and walk main street, shop a little, snack a little and enjoy the mountain atmosphere. This time, we opted to move on. We planned to take the road through Lyons on the way home, but the road was blocked (still don't know why) and we had to return the way we came. That made the trip a bit shorter but still very pleasant.

I learned being a passenger on a motorcycle is a little more work than one would think. But defying gravity comes naturally! Ha!

Tim and I had a blast over the weekend... we're already planning where the road will take us next weekend. I can hardly wait to take a Fall Foliage ride, except I will be patient because aspens turning means Fall has arrived and winter is on our doorstep.

Below are some photos, the majority of which were taken from the back of the bike.