Sunday Buckhorn/Stove Prarie/Poudre Canyon Ride

June 3, 2012
Colorado, USA

We rolled out of the drive about 9:30am. The idea was to ride away from clouds and stay out as long as weather permitted. Along the rural routes farmers were busy plowing fields just in case Mother Nature decides to play nice and give us a bit of rain.

The skies were spitting rain as we stopped at the Beaver's Den (the best leather shop in the area) (on Hwy 34 just west of Loveland) and visited a bit. One of Tim's buddies from work and his brother were having patches sewed on. We shopped some and sure a couple of things found their way to the tour pak.

Afterwards, with an eye to the volatile skies we slowly made our way towards home. In the small community of Masonville we decided we were just not ready to park it so we decided to turn left and ride the Buckhorn/Stove Prairie Road (CO 27) north to the Poudre Canyon (CO 14). (Little did we know that this beautiful stretch of road would soon be altered by a devastating wildfire.)

We rode the Poudre Canyon east from Stove Prairie Road. Normally we would turn west and ride over Cameron Pass to Walden and beyond. Actually, we did turn west but the little black cloud around the first bend was shotting lightning bolts so we made a u-turn. We knew it but were sorry to see the Hewlett Gulch wildfire had done considerable damage in the area.

We rode out of the canyon and tempting fate, stopped for ice cream on the way home while the skies rumbled a warning. We reluctantly brought ourselves home thinking we would get the rest of the Poudre Canyon ride in next weekend.

Today's ride = 139.3 miles

Slide show of todays's ride (90 photos):

Alternate link for this slide show

VIDEO
Sunday Buckhorn/Stove Prairie/Poudre Ride
June 3, 2012, 2012

UPDATE: These are photos of the Buckhorn/Stove Prairie/Poudre canyon area just days before the huge High Park wildfire ravaged the area beginning June 9, 2012. June 27, 2012 the High Park Fire is still raging and the majority of evacuees have yet to return to their homes and properties. July 6, 2012 the fire is contained but most of the area is now ravaged by flash flooding and Hwy 14 is closed due to a mud slide. The river is running black and sooty which is death to the fish and other wildlife. Stay tuned...