7 days, 12 states, 3500 miles.

[Grayrider]

Our Trip

 

This is my first, but hopefully not my last trip report since joining this board. First off let me say that thanks to this board planning this trip was a lot easier. Some on this board offered several suggested routs and one in particular, sorry I forgot who, suggested a great place to eat once we arrived in Durango, CO. So here we go.

 

Day one can best be described as Missouri, or as we began to call it, Misery. We pulled out of Louisville, KY just as it was getting light and headed west on I-64 with a final destination of Lawrence, KS. Missouri was the highlight/ Low point of the day. It just never seemed to end and traffic was really congested. But finally we arrived at our destination of Lawrence, KS.

 

We prefer to say at a motel within walking distance of a good local eatery. The nice young man that was working the desk at our motel suggested Montana Mike’s stake house as a place to eat but was quick to add that it was too far to walk. Taking his advice into mind we arranged for a cab to pick us up and take us to our dinner. Well the Cab arrived and we all piled in. One minute later and less than a quarter mile we arrived at our dining location. Needless to say, the restaurant was well within walking distance and we felt like we had been had. The cab driver was a little embarrassed and let us off the hook for only seven dollars. We gave him ten and called it even. Lesson learned; while the others are checking into the motel send one bike out to scout for places within walking distance to eat. We didn’t make the same mistake twice.

 

Day two can be described as Kansas, more Kansas and more Kansas. As the day went on I was beginning to think that Kansas was the state that was never going to end. I-70 was a good road to ride on. It was well maintained and the 75 MPH speed limit made the day go by even faster.

 

One picture of Kansas says it all.

 

After spending the better part of a day in Kansas we pulled into Colorado Springs, via CO 24. We just missed a thunder storm and I was able to get a cool picture of my dad and a rainbow in the back ground.

 

 

 

 

Driving into Colorado Springs we could see the first goal for the next day, Pikes Peak. While planning this ride my dad said that he always wanted to drive to the top of Pikes Peak so we decided to give it a try.

 

Oh one more thing. While getting gas just off of I-70 this good old boy driving a pick up truck pulled into the parking lot. He saw us and it quickly became apparent that he was coming over to speak with us. So as the conversation progressed and the usual questions were asked he suddenly said this. Excuse the language but this is what he said, “guys on BMW’s don’t [censored] around.” He went on to tell us about how when he see’s BMW’s he knows that the rider is serious about riding. Needless to say we left with a smile on our face and hoped that we would not to let his expectations down.

 

Day three. It’s kind of hard to find a word or phrase to sum up our day but I’ve settled on unforgettable. I’ll never forget this day and it will be hard to beat. Today we our route would take us from Colorado Springs to Durango, Co via, Pikes Peak, CO 24, US 50 and then south on the million dollar highway.

 

Breakfast at our motel did not start until 6:30 so we got started a little later than we wanted. As we pulled into the ranger station to pay the toll for riding Pikes Peak Highway, I was concerned that we may not have on enough clothing for the weather at the top. The ranger quickly told me that our clothing was not going to be the problem, the road conditions were going to be the problem. He described the road at the top as extremely muddy and slick and he would not suggest riding a motorcycle to the top. He further suggested that we turn around at mile marker 15 and then added that two motorcycles slid off of the roadway the previous day.

 

After a quick group conference we decided that we would ride up to Glen Cove and then make our decisions there.

 

 

 

Here we are at Cascade Lake.

 

 

 

 

 

Once we arrived at Glen Cove we stopped a dump truck driver who was doing road construction and asked him for advice. He too informed us that the roadway was very muddy and slick but said that if we were going to go we needed to go now before the mud thawed too much and it became even muddier. After another group discussion we decided to try it and that if it became too bad we would just turn around.

 

Word alone can’t describe the trip up. At first when the pavement ended it was well packed, not too muddy and it didn’t have too many potholes. But that all quickly changed. The roadway quickly deteriorated on us. My off road skills are lacking and to say that the ride up was a challenge is an understatement. But in the end we all made it to the top.

 

Once at the top we were greeted by windy conditions, 34 degree temperatures and thin air. I was amazed at how difficult it was to breath. Quickly we snapped a few “we were there” pictures and started back down the mountain.

 

 

 

 

 

It was worse than it looked.

 

Back on the pavement!!!

 

 

 

 

On the tip back down we were lucky enough to find ourselves stuck in a construction zone. We sat in the middle of the roadway for at least twenty minutes before they opened the road.

 

 

 

 

The dump truck driver was right, the road conditions were getting worse as more traffic traveled the road and the temperatures warmed. On the way down we passed this fellow RT rider who was on the way up.

 

 

He was more of a rider than I to attempt the trip in those conditions two up.

 

We stopped in Woodland Park for Breakfast and discussed our trip up Pikes peak. It was decided that we were lucky that none of us dropped our bikes on the way up and that had we known how bad it was going to be, most of us would not have made the trip. It was a challenge but I was glad we did it.

 

Just before we left, Colorado Springs Police Motors pulled in on their new ST1300’s. They looked sharp.

 

 

So off to Durango we headed. We rode CO 24 west until we picked up US 50 through Gunnison valley. Monarch Pass was great. Going down the west side was great. I would have taken a few pictures of the road but I was having too much fun in the twisties.

 

From US 50 We turned left on US 550 and headed south on the million Dollar highway towards Durango.

 

Speechless! Yep, that just about describes what I think about the Million Dollar Highway. In my short 33 years of life I’ve never seen a more beautiful stretch of roadway. If you know of better road, let me know because I want to ride it! For those of you who have never ridden this road, pull out your calendar, mark off a few days and head to the Million Dollar Highway. You won’t be sorry!

 

Here are a few pictures that fail to do it justice.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With much anticipation for our dinner arrangements we pulled into Durango for the night. Someone on this board suggested that we eat at Serious Texas Barbeque. I don’t remember who that was, but if we ever meet I owe you a beer! This place was great! Just remember that when you order your meal that it does not come with sides, you pay extra for them. When I asked about sides the young man that was preparing my meal told me that it came with “just white bread and lot’s of smiles!”.

 

 

It was GREAT!

 

 

 

 

Day four can best be described as windy. We pulled out of Durango about 6:30 and set out for the Four Corners Monument and then on to Monument valley. The weather report for the day include sustained 30-40 mph winds with gusts up to 50 mph. Well, for once the weather man was right but by the end of the day I was really wishing that he had been wrong.

 

We rode CO 160 out to the Four Corners Monument where I picked my wife up a nice “chunky” turquoise bracelet. The Monument was not all that, but I was glad to have seen it. This was one of those places that I’ve always wanted to visit and I can now check it off of the list.

 

 

On the way to the valley we pulled off the road to take some pictures of Mexican hat rock. On the way back to the road look what happened:

 

Dad dropped his bike…..I really should not have taken this picture, well yea I should have. Luckily no damage was done to the bike or my dad, maybe just a little to his pride.

 

 

After leaving the Four Corners Monument we headed over to Monument Valley via, CO 41, US 191 and UT 163. Monument Valley is another place that I’ve wanted to visit all my life. Well, today I made it!

 

The haze that you see is all the dust that was blown up in the air from the heavy winds.

 

 

 

 

 

Remember the weather forecast for the day, winds? Yep, they were right. It was really, really windy! So windy that it became a real challenge just to keep the bike on the road at times. So much dust had been kicked up that the clouds had a pink tinge to them and the view was obscured by the dust.

 

 

After eating lunch at the Burger King in Kayenta we headed south on Indian Route 59 and then turned south onto US 191 before heading to Gallup, NM on 264. That leg of the trip was one of the toughest rides that I’ve ever ridden. The wind was blowing hard out of the west and as we drove south it absolutely kicked our butts. At times I just had to laugh out loud. When looked back in my mirrors everyone was leaning hard into the wind and it looked like they were entering a curve but we were driving straight.

 

By the end of the day we pulled into the motel in Gallup, NM. My ‘stich was covered in red dust and I could taste the grit in my mouth.

 

 

Day 5 we pulled out of Gallup at 0630 and set our sights on Oklahoma City. When we pulled out of the parking lot the temperature was a very cool 38 degrees. By the end of the day we experienced a 50 degree change in temperature. That was a first for me. Another first for me was 49 and 50 miles per gallon on two tanks of gas during the trip. The winds were still blowing pretty hard from the west giving us a nice tail wind and dropping in elevation from Gallup to Oklahoma City probably helped my gas mileage out too. Too bad I can’t drive down hill with a tail wind all the time….

 

Day 6 we set our sights on Nashville, TN. By the time we hit Memphis we were felling the heat and humidity of the south and for the first time during our trip we shed our aerostiches and pulled on our First Gear Mesh jackets. Man what a difference it made! The last leg from Memphis to Nashville went by very quickly and we safely arrived in Nashville.

 

Day 7 was bitter sweet because our group was splitting up. I was headed north on I-65 back to Kentucky while my dad and the other two headed back to Virginia. For the first time in seven day’s I found myself traveling alone knowing that the tip of a life time was coming to an end. We all made it home safely that afternoon and have already begun to plan another trip for next year. This one will be hard to beat but I look forward to the ride.

 

Oh, one more embarrassing moment. Pulling out of the motel parking lot I choked the engine and promptly dropped my bike. Nobody saw it happen but darn it sucked. Thanks to the engine guards I came out of it with no damage. Now hopefully I’ve gotten “the drop” out of my system and it won’t happen again.

 

Some other pic’s

 

Yea, I know my choke was on. I rode like that for about an hour….

 

Just outside of Bluff, NM.

 

 

 

In the end I traveled trough 12 states and logged just over 3500 miles on my RT.

 

Lessons learned:

1. Sitting anything on your bike and turning your back is a bad idea. My cell phone, camera and brand new helmet fell off of my bike at some point during the trip and I have the chips to prove it.

2. One way to stay cool in the desert heat is to wear a cool max type shirt under your gear and carry an extra bottle of water to douse your self with as your riding. This proved to be a very good way of staying cool while riding.

[BeniciaRT_GT]

Great tale, even if it weren't a first, well done!!!

 

Several amazing places on that ride!!!

[W8NONU]

Nice report. My first trip out to those places gave me the same feeling. There are lots of other places to go, so now you have to look for your next adventure.

[Highway41]

Great tale and pics and to be able to do it with you Dad!!!

How many of you did it take to pick up the Light Truck? Three is the minimum we've found from experience.

Bill