Sunday Ride to the Springs

August 9, 2009
Fort Collins, CO

The sky was blue, it was supposed to be a warm day with only the typical slight chance of thunderstorms forecast for the afternoon. Yippee! This did not mean we could leave the leathers at home as the morning temp was still in the low 50s and it has been unseasonably cool in Colorado this year.

We rolled out of the drive at 8 am, thinking what a grand day to ride down to the Springs (Colorado/Manitou Springs). Better yet, let's take one of the back ways in... so we rode South to Golden and turned west onto Hwy 74. This ride took us through Morrison and up one of the best canyon rides in Colorado (RE: Turkey Creek Canyon) which winds precariously through the small towns of Idledale, Kittredge, Evergreen and eventually Conifer. The turns are sharp... many of them blind with speed limits of 15-20-25 mph and the road is shared with many, many cyclists. Traveling can be quite hectic through this area, especially on weekends. Impatient Denverites (mostly) are always rushing to somewhere other than where they are. Of these towns, Morrison and Evergreen seem to be the most popular, having busy Main Streets full of shops, eateries, bars and a lively night life. Just past Conifer at a stop in road known as Pine Junction, we turned south on Hwy 126/67 which winds along the Platte River to Woodland Park.

We haven't driven or ridden Hwy 126/67 since just after the horrible Hayman Fire in 2002. The Hayman fire, June 8, 2002, was the largest in Colorado's history. The devastation was caused by a reckless human. We were living in Lakewood, a western suburb of Denver at the time and smoke and soot from this fire - many miles away drifted over the city. Over 100 homes were destroyed and 137,760 acres burned. The fire was not officially listed as controlled until more than a month later, July 18, 2002. This once pristine forest area will sadly, never be the same in our lifetime. Since the fire the road is notoriously known for mud slides. The endless reclamation work goes on and many have bravely rebuilt on what are now sunny mountain sides. The Upper South Platte River is known among anglers for Gold Medal fishing waters. Along the way are the tiny mountain communities of Pine (elevation 6818), Buffalo Creek and Deckers. Pine was established in 1886 and is home to rustic cabins and other early lodge structures. It's also known to rock climbers for the nearby Sphinx rock formation and the turn off is here, down a narrow, dirt and rock road that leads to the infamous Bucksnort Saloon.

Pine Valley Road (Hwy 126/67), even with the burn area is still a great ride and the road has been well-maintained. It has troublesome areas with mud slides and gravel on the road after rain, and you will encounter many crotch-rocket riders on the weekend but otherwise the traffic is light and the ride is easy.

A few miles up from Pine is a scenic overlook so we pulled over for a stretch of the legs, cup of thermos coffee and a brownie snack. From here we had a good look at Long Scraggy Peak and the surrounding mountains which were shrouded in mist this morning. The pullover was inhabited by other motorcyclists on what we call crotch-rockets (at least two were Ducati models). A particular group of three, two young guys and a girl were in high spirits. A few minutes later, they zoomed out of the parking lot but the other people with them remained. We didn't think much of it until a few minutes later the three came screaming back up the road which allowed the ones who stayed behind to take pictures of them in a full, high speed lean. Recklessly high speed. A few minutes later, they came screaming back to the pull off. We spoke with a couple of older guys, also on crotch rockets. It was agreed among us old farts that of the three, the girl had the best form or the least fear - whatever. It was an amusing diversion, but we much prefer our more laid back rides.

Not long after the other bikers parted ways and we gave them a good head start, we rode on into Woodland Park (elev 8465). We fondly remember Woodland Park as a sleepy little mountain town in the 80s. It is now a thriving, much-too-busy town with some severe growing pains. Part of its original charm remains in a couple of blocks of old town. All you have to do is ignore the traffic. We rode on through to Manitou Springs (elevation 6412) which is a great ride, despite the distraction of some popular tourist attractions along the way which include most notably the North Pole, Cave of the Winds and the Manitou Cliff Dwellings. Manitou Springs is also a huge tourist attraction and a fun place to shop if shopping is your thing.

Ourselves, not being shoppers we rode on through to Old Colorado City, where everything is a bit more laid back. We stopped at Bancroft Park where we've lunched many times. This was another low-budget excursion, so we packed a poorboy picnic. We consumed our bologna sandwiches, chips, fruit and cookies while watching the steady stream of traffic, including a good many motorcycles go by. Our dining experience was enhanced by sixties pop music, compliments of some wanna-be biker dudes who apparently had nothing better to do on a Sunday afternoon than to hang out in the park. I say wanna-be biker dudes because they had the look down. All were sporting Harley shirts and some rather impressive tattoos but not a single unoccupied motorcycle was in sight. One actually rode off on a bicycle. There's nothing wrong with this scenario, many of us are bikers at heart.

After our picnic, we rode the short distance to Garden of the Gods where we stopped for a couple of strolls. Garden of the Gods is a free park in the heart of Tourist Central, Colorado. It is a must-see and one of my favorite places on earth. This is your pic, Mom - I was thinking about you. We watched some rock climbers for a bit, but spent most of our time dodging tourists and their noisy children. Goodness me people! How about we enjoy nature without trampling it underfoot and trying to drown it out! While we enjoyed our visit, it was too busy this day for us. We will return in the off-season for a more serene visit.

By this time, we had shed our jackets and as soon as we got through the traffic leaving Garden of the Gods, we found ourselves in Old Colorado City again, looking for a cold drink and ice cream. We stopped at the Colorado City Creamery. The banner out front said they were celebrating 30 years in business. We enjoyed ice cream in home made waffle cones at a table in the shade.

It was getting late in the day so it was time to start heading north again. There are many ways home from the Springs, but instead of a hectic ride up I-25 or a really long roundabout ride we opted to return the way we came. As always, we watched the skies and there they were, those pesky little black clouds rolling over the mountains. With the clouds came a decrease in temperature. We stopped in Conifer to put on our jackets. Bikers were doing that all along the way. Some were pulling on their rain gear - they needed it for the ride into Denver. We rode out from under the clouds three times I think, got splattered on our way through Golden and rode the rest of the way in dry. Those same clouds dropped torrential rain and hail in Denver. We were lucky in our timing I guess.


We rolled into the drive just after 8 pm with a sunset over our shoulders... Twelve hours, 360 miles says my numbers man.

We finished the day off with home grilled burgers and our usual B&M (Beer and Mike's), already talking about where the road would take us next weekend. We already know... been looking forward to it all year - grin - stay tuned...

The slide show is long... almost 100 pics... enjoy

Colorado Weekend - Day Four - Road Home

September 24, 2008
Fort Collins, CO

Colorado Weekend - Day Four - The Road Home

We were less eager to rise this morning, because this was the day we had to return to reality and home.

After a continental breakfast, and a last chat with our new Georgia friends, we packed up the bike and suited up for the ride home. We thought about going back the way we came but, nixed that idea. Been there, done that. We thought about the route through the mountains which would take most of the day, but storms were already building and agreed that wasn't such a great idea. Finally, we decided - ride I-25 to Denver and we'll figure it out when we get there. The ride went well. It was early so the traffic wasn't bad. It was cold at Monument Hill and going over the Palmer Divide.

We stopped for donuts and coffee at the Krispy Kreme just off of C-470 and I-25 in Denver. There, we decided to ride C-470 around the south end of Denver, go through Golden and take Hwy 93 on to Boulder. This was a pleasant drive, one we've made several times - just never on a motorcycle. We stopped for a coke and a short rest in Boulder and made the trip into Fort Collins fairly quick.

It's been a long time since we've had such a good time in the mountains. We have The Ride to thank for that. This will likely be the last long weekend of the summer, but there are plenty of short rides just out our back door and we're looking forward to each and every one of them.

Total trip Mileage = approximately 616 miles

Colorado Weekend - Day Three - Bishop Castle

September 23, 2008
Fort Collins, CO

Colorado Weekend - Day Three - Part Two - Bishop Castle

More about Bishop Castle
http://eagleriverpewter.com/history.html

Colorado Weekend - Day Three - The Ride

September 23, 2008
Fort Collins, CO

Colorado Weekend - Day Three - Part One - The Ride

Once again, there are too many pictures for a single slide show so I've split this day into two posts: The Ride and Bishop's Castle.

We rose a little later than the day before, grabbed a quick bite at the continental breakfast bar at the motel, said hello to our new friends from Georgia and headed out about 9 am. Today, the idea was to head south toward Canon City and San Isabel Forest...

I won't say we were lost (because, as Dad always says, we still had gas), but we spent a while driving the streets at the base of Cheyenne Mountain. We found the entrance to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Seven Falls, noted the direction of Helen Hunt Falls, drove past the vast estate of the Hotel Broadmoor, I saw the statue of Will Rogers on the side of the mountain and more. We finally back-tracked to where we might have made a wrong turn and sure enough found Hwy 115.

It was a great morning to be on the road. By the time, we neared Florence, it was time to gas up and stretch our legs. We stopped at a Shell Station, apparently the best place to fill up a motorcycle because there were about twelve in the parking lot and at the pumps. We filled up, and rested a while at a picnic table while many more bikes stopped or passed by in groups and pairs and singles. One biker we met, pulled in next to us. While chatting, Tim found out he was originally from Wichita Falls. He had been in Colorado about twenty years.

Next stop - San Isabel Forest and Bishop's Castle. The morning had warmed, so we shed our leather jackets, a decision we somewhat regretted a few miles down the road. The road near Westcliffe turns south into San Isabel Forest. We had forgotten the road went over Bigelo Divide (Summit about 8000 or so in elevation) so it got cold quick. Bishop's Castle is about 12 or 13 miles into the forest on the west side of the twisting, turning road. It was a great ride. We haven't been to the castle for several years and were eager to see the progress.

Soon, we rounded the bend in the road and laid eyes on the castle. Across the highway, was a long row of parked motorcycles and lots of people walking around in leathers. The castle has grown considerably over the years and the story is interesting. It is a castle, made from native stone, the handiwork of three generations of the Bishop family over nearly 40 years. The castle started as a stone cottage for the Bishop family in 1969. They lived in primitive conditions for many years. We explored and climbed and marveled like most of the kids running about. We did not climb to the top. It is 160 feet to the top of the tallest tower.

We enjoyed the visit until some liberal left wing lunatic started spouting anti-American hate speech to the crowd. We made the last few rounds and left along with the rest of our fellow bikers before we killed the SOB. We drowned him out with the horn and the sounds of motorcycle engines. Too bad. The castle operates off of donations... they didn't get any money from most of us that day.

The road took us past San Isabel Lake, as peaceful as ever, eventually out of the forest and onto the high plains into Colorado City where we stopped for a stretch at the rest stop beside I-25. We met a couple at the rest stop, up from Austin and on their way to Estes Park for a week. The man graduated from Old High (WFHS) in the sixties.

We rode I-25 north into Pueblo. I said we have to stop at The Cracker Barrel to eat. Imagine my surprise, when Tim drove past the Cracker Barrel to The Outpost - Harley-Davidson Dealership. The place was packed with bikes and people. The dealership was having their annual open house, HOG party and bike rally. We mingled in the crowd for a few minutes until the too loud rap music drove us inside. We bought a couple of t-shirts and left soon after. I threatened Tim with his life if he rode past the restaurant again. ha!

After a good meal and a little rest at The Cracker Barrel, we rode I-25 back into the Springs. Relaxing in front of the motel for the last evening, we visited with the folks from Georgia and a biker lady from Iowa who pulled up a chair, with her cigarette and mixed drink and asked if we knew a better way back to Iowa than through Kansas or Nebraska. We thought this was a trick question. Tim showed her the east-west highways out of Colorado on the map. Nebraska requires the wearing of a helmet across their state so we figure they took I-70 east across Kansas. We watched two young deer haphazardly cross the street at dusk and graze for a while in front of the motel. We were still full from our late lunch so we walked to the Subway down the street and had an ice cream in a waffle cone before turning in for the night.

Total mileage - Day three - approximately 195 miles

Colorado Weekend - Day Two - Garden of the Gods

September 22, 2008
Fort Collins, CO

Colorado Weekend - Day Two - Part Three - Garden of the Gods

Colorado Weekend - Day Two - Cripple Creek

September 22, 2008
Fort Collins, CO

Colorado Weekend - Day Two - Part Two - Cripple Creek

More about Cripple Creek

http://www.cripple-creek.co.us/

Colorado Weekend - Day Two - The Ride

September 22, 2008
Fort Collins, Co

Day Two - Part One - The Ride

I have too many pictures for this day to put in a single slide show so there are three associated with Day Two: The Ride, Cripple Creek, Garden of the Gods.

We were up early looking out the window at Pikes Peak, wondering how the weather was and where The Ride would take us. We didn't have much of a plan - head west and up - figure out which direction to go once we got to Woodland Park just a few miles away. The morning was chilly and bright.

We had a continental breakfast at the motel before leaving. We met a group of four couples out of Georgia. They have been vacationing together in a new place every year for twelve years. They were friendly and fun, the way southern folk are. We enjoyed their company. They were going to ride the COG Railroad up Pikes Peak that day.

The road north and west out of Woodland Park took us past Divide to Florissant with a good view of the new fallen snow on northwest face of Pikes Peak. We stopped at a point of interest near Florissant to stretch our legs and warm our fingers. From Florissant, we could tell the mountains would be too hazy for good pictures that day. The panoramic view from Hartsell, a little further west is fairly amazing on a clear day.

The road to Cripple Creek is out of Divide so we back-tracked a bit and took one of the most scenic 18 mile back roads in Colorado. We were delighted to see the aspens were beginning to change and there was color in the scrub oak as well. It was a cold drive. Cripple Creek is nestled in the high country on the west side of Pikes Peak. It is an old gold-mining town. Main street used to be lined with curio shops, antique stores, restaurants, bakeries, ice cream parlors and museums. Now, it is a casino town and while many of the original buildings are there, very little remains of the charming old city. Even the Brass Ass is all slot machines now, folks. We looked for a restaurant, finally settling on a mediocre breakfast and decent coffee in Buffalo Billy's Casino.

Nope. Neither one of us cared about the slot machines. Didn't drop so much as a nickel.

We saw some interesting characters on the early morning streets. Notably, a white-haired woman with a heavily painted face, in her seventies if I had to guess, not much taller than I am, dressed in a red mini-dress, white windbreaker (longer than the dress), skinny legs sticking out of black cowboy boots. We saw several men who were a throwback to by-gone days, long hair, handlebar mustaches, whiskers, dressed classic cowboy style. Yeah, they could have been casino employees in costume - but I don't think so.

I took some pictures of a Soldier's Memorial sculpted out of sand. Parts of it have been destroyed but the detail and size and scope of it was fairly awesome. I was glad to see the Old Homestead (whorehouse) Museum on Myers Avenue survived and is nestled up against the parking garage of one of the casinos. The train still runs to Victor, but we didn't ride it this time. We thought we might ride the motorcycle to Victor but as we were suiting up, a soft, slushy hail and rain began to fall. It was a cold, sort of damp ride part of the way back to Woodland Park. The leathers protected us well. Actually, it was all rather exhilarating. The ride to Cripple Creek was everything I thought it would be and more.

As we descended into Manitou Springs, we noticed the sidewalks of town were packed, with school kids sitting on curbs (we honked and they cheered - ha!) and teenagers marching down sidewalks in large groups with green and gold painted hair. The streets were lined with vehicles all the way to our motel (several blocks). We had thought we might walk the streets and window shop but decided against it when we found out it was Homecoming.

Instead, we stretched our legs, waited out a rain shower and made the short ride to The Garden of the Gods. We walked the paths, took pictures, watched rock climbers and enjoyed the rest of the afternoon at one of our favorite places while storms built over the mountains and rumbled a warning that echoed off the rocks. The Garden of the Gods is hard to describe and pictures don't do it justice. If you are ever in the Springs - see it for yourself. Entrance to the park is free forever according to the wish of Charles Elliott Perkins, whose children donated the land to the city of Colorado Springs in 1909.

Garden of the Gods: http://www.gardenofgods.com/education/index_175.cfm

It did not rain on us, but soon our legs grew weary. We went back to the motel, and again relaxed in our lawn chairs with a beer while the sun sank low and storm clouds obscured the view of Pikes Peak. Again, we walked the short distance to Savelli's for dinner. We noticed the pasta dishes going by the night before as we were enjoying our pizza. We ordered two spaghetti dishes and split an eggplant Parmesan dish and bread sticks. Scrumptious!

As we talked about our day over dinner, we decided the day and this vacation was not about cities or shopping or any destination - it was about the ride. We enjoyed it thoroughly and looked forward to the next day's adventures.

Day Two Mileage = approximately 109 miles

Colorado Weekend - Day One

September 21, 2008
Fort Collins, CO

We started a mini-vacation otherwise known as a Colorado Weekend (4 days) last week. We had a blast riding to and from and in and around Colorado Springs for four days.

Thursday, 09/18/2008 We left a chilly Fort Collins about 7:45 am. Our plan was to get to the Springs without going through Denver (I-25). So, we rode Hwy 287 south to Longmont and Hwy 52 east to Fort Lupton, stopping for a quick cup of coffee and a brownie snack at a gas station before getting on E-470 (the toll road) which would allow us to bypass the Denver metro area. The $6.75 it cost was well worth it. We stopped at a Village Inn in Parker for coffee after the toll road. From there it was smooth riding into the Springs via Hwy 83.

The ride was great, the morning bright, the weather cool but comfortable since we were in our full leathers. Hwy 83 is a gentle ride through predominately rural areas. Pikes Peak was visible from a long way out.

Once in the city, we had a quick jaunt on I-25 to Hwy 24 and arrived about noon just in time for lunch at The Mason Jar in Old Colorado City. We were hungry! I had a chicken salad croissant sandwich and Tim had a French dip sandwich. Delicious! After lunch, we rode through Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs, looking at prospective motels. We settled on The Silver Saddle Motel in Manitou Springs sitting basically between the two cities. Josh, the host, went through a list of discounts we might qualify for -- when we couldn't come up with anything (AARP, Senior Citizen, Military, Police, Firemen and half a dozen others) - Tim said how about a Harley discount - Bingo! That worked. Yep - we got a Harley discount -- too funny. Josh handed us the key so we could check the room out before booking three nights. It was clean, cozy and did not smell of smoke. You could see Pikes Peak from our west-facing room and the Kissing Camel Rock in the Garden of the Gods from the parking lot. Perfect!

After checking into the motel, unpacking the bike and settling in, I called the folks to let them know we made the trip just fine. We got back on the bike and rode back into Old Colorado City for some window shopping and a stroll to stretch our legs. This was my first ride without a helmet, just sun shades and the studded H-D do-rag the Folks sent me a while back.

Tim dropped me off at the motel and went on a beer run. There was a tiny fridge in the room that needed beer, of course! Ha! We relaxed with a beer in the lawn chairs in front of our room, watched the sun set on Pikes Peak and several more bikers check in. One group of four Firemen bikers stayed in a single room across the way. They were noisily in and out of the parking lot more times than we could count. We found out later that the Traveling Firemen Memorial was in town with a whole weekend of memorial services, a fire truck parade and other related festivities going on. There were lots of Firemen in town from all over the country. I guess about half a dozen other bikers checked in and out over the weekend.

After relaxing a bit, we took a stroll at dusk to Savelli's Italian Deli about a block west. It was chilly and pizza sounded good. It is a small mom and pop hole in the wall restaurant, quaint and not too pretentious -- just like we like it. The parking lot was filled with locals (always a good sign). The pizza was excellent.

We were back in the room by 8:30. By 8:45, Tim was snoozing.

What a great day!

Day One mileage = approximately 166 miles