blaisew Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 After pouring thru the various threads on the next UN I see a bit of chatter about some dual sporting but nothing definite. I really hate to get all the way out to Salida and not take the opportunity to enjoy the back roads. I could trailer my RT and one of my dual sports, or just ride one of the latter, if there is going to be any like-minded company. If not, taking the RT and remaining on the pavement is always a winner. Salida: too much good riding and I can only be on one motorcycle at a time. My finger is in the air to see what others are thinking of..... Ken Link to comment
OoPEZoO Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 I'm tossing a TKC80 on the front and a Heidenau K60 on the rear of my GS with the hopes of getting off the pavement. I don't know what people are getting in to, but I wouldn't be upset to spend most of the week in the dirt. Considering the area......if I had the choice between an RT or a dual sport, I would want the dual sport. Just my $.02 Link to comment
eddd Posted May 31, 2012 Share Posted May 31, 2012 I'm bringing my XT250 and Ducati. Not sure when I'll be offroad since I'm spending some additional days in the area. The last I heard Bill Ferron will also have his dual sport there. Link to comment
TEWKS Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 You go, we go! Heard this in a movie once. Negotiations are still ongoing with the GT & GS as to who rolls west in July. Pat Link to comment
lawnchairboy Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I think I am bringing the DR and the GS. Link to comment
eddd Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I think I am bringing the DR and the GS. You do realize they have pine cones in Colorado? Link to comment
roadscholar Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Negotiations are still ongoing with the GT & GS as to who rolls west in July. Don't want to sway you one way or the other, but Link to comment
SageRider Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I'm working on being "IN" with a GS.......... Link to comment
lawnchairboy Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 I knew you would be there to perform the pre-ride pine cone protection ceremony in the parking lot for me. Link to comment
TEWKS Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Negotiations are still ongoing with the GT & GS as to who rolls west in July. Don't want to sway you one way or thin other but, Too late for me, damage is done! Now, if I could just talk my butt into a relationship with the new Sargent seat I'd be good to go. Pat Link to comment
TEWKS Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Bill, could you tell us where this might be? BTW, BMW owes you big time! Pat Link to comment
big-t Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 ..and if you want to bring something a little smaller.. Not saying you couldn't do this on a GS,but its a whole new world when you have to pick it up at 12k feet.. I may even show up for a bit,but it will probably be on a 250. Link to comment
lawnchairboy Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Pat: I am pretty sure this is alpine tunnel, an old railbed which I will be riding again in the near future! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpine_Tunnel Link to comment
Endobob Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Negotiations are still ongoing with the GT & GS as to who rolls west in July. Don't want to sway you one way or the other, but I've ended up on roads like the one above on my K1200RS. Link to comment
Paul Mihalka Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 "I've ended up on roads like the one above on my K1200RS. Did your GPS take you there? Link to comment
roadscholar Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Pat: I am pretty sure this is alpine tunnel, an old railbed which I will be riding again in the near future! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpine_Tunnel That's it. I try to avoid dead end roads but this one's an exception, it runs up the west side of the CD off the Pitkin/Cumberland Gap Rd. At one spot a wall was needed to shore up the RR bed. Was just up there again last week, there were some boulders and a couple snowbanks on the road but will be gone by July. This is the only pic I got of Chris up there, sorry it's not better. Because our loop made it 110 miles between fuel (the Pitkin General Store closes at 4 off-season) I asked Chris to get a head start and try to coast the 10 miles back down. He had to add some peddle power at times. Dave on the Super T. Not sure if coasting was the difference but we did make it to the gas station in Sargents. Link to comment
OoPEZoO Posted June 1, 2012 Share Posted June 1, 2012 Damn it.....STOP IT!! Is it July yet? Link to comment
dhanson Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I learned to ski years ago, notice how I still lean into the hill, not recommended on the new shaped skis. :-) Link to comment
TEWKS Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Thanks Chris & Bill! I wonder if Mapsource goes that deep? Thinking a bit here, taking the population of the country into account & the amount of people that actually get to travel roads like that, I think I can safely say you've gone where few men have traveled. Pat Link to comment
roadscholar Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Yes, that loop is one of the routes along with some others I'm sending to Randy. PM me an email and I'll send it to you. That is the concept, but I'm a relative noob in the Rockies and just scratching the surface, there's another world beyond this but you need something small and light and a lot of padding, and maybe oxygen. The point is though there's tons of stuff a big bike will be comfortable on. Link to comment
TEWKS Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Yes, that loop is one of the routes along with some others I'm sending to Randy. PM me an email and I'll send it to you. Done, thanks! Pat Link to comment
Bob Palin Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 there's another world beyond this but you need something small and light and a lot of padding, and maybe oxygen. Hmm, maybe the CRF rather than a KLR after all... Link to comment
roadscholar Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Yes, tough choice. Haven't been up here yet but planning on it, er thinking about it. Borrowed these off a friend's smugmug site. big-t knows a few high altitude trails too. Looking down on Hancock Pass. Link to comment
blaisew Posted June 2, 2012 Author Share Posted June 2, 2012 Wow, I kicked over a hornets nest! Looks like I'm going to have to choose between my Husky TE630 and the Yamaha WR250R. I was saving new knobbies for a long ride this summer, but it looks like they are going on early and will get changed out on the ride somewhere. Yep, this UN will include some dual-sport time, for sure. Link to comment
Bob Palin Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 What is the license plate situation up there? I can't see any way I'll have the CRF street legal again in time, I will have my truck to transport it if necessary to the staging point. Depending on whether Janet is going to kick our butts on her dirt bike maybe I'll bring a KLR and the CRF. (Looks like I may need the trailer...) Link to comment
roadscholar Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 I'm guessing dirtbike is the same as 4-wheeler (OHV), they seem to be legal anywhere that's not paved and I think crossing highways is legal. Might check Colorado DMV regs. I know they have efficient law enforcement, one of them chased me down a long and winding dirt road to tell me I had a brake light out. Link to comment
roadscholar Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 Blaise, sent you and Bob a PM. Link to comment
lawnchairboy Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 real men ( from the east ) trailer through Kansas! Link to comment
Whip Posted June 2, 2012 Share Posted June 2, 2012 real men ( from the east ) trailer through Kansas! Real men don't buy dual sports that don't have to be trailered. Link to comment
blaisew Posted June 2, 2012 Author Share Posted June 2, 2012 Rev Ray, looking forward to seeing you again. Was it Torrey last? Whip is just being a pill; how am I going to ride two bikes to Salida? Ken Link to comment
Whip Posted June 3, 2012 Share Posted June 3, 2012 Rev Ray, looking forward to seeing you again. Was it Torrey last? Whip is just being a pill; how am I going to ride two bikes to Salida? Ken Take the orange pill. Trade em all in on a Katoom and you won't have to worry about it. Link to comment
blaisew Posted June 3, 2012 Author Share Posted June 3, 2012 Ahhh, another orange Kool Aid drinker, He he..... Link to comment
dhanson Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Hmmm, what to bring??? These all look the same size, and we all got there at the same time! Link to comment
lawnchairboy Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 front fender looks pretty there... Later after Alpine tunnel: top of cottonwood pass where the pic of the S-10, the KLR and the DR was taken: I want to do that exact route from this day, on the DR, with some extra gas so I can add old monarch pass and make it a 5 pass day Bill. Is it time to leave yet? Link to comment
roadscholar Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 I want to do that exact route from this day, on the DR, with some extra gas so I can add old monarch pass and make it a 5 pass day Bill. We can do that! Chris, speed up just a little. Link to comment
blaisew Posted June 4, 2012 Author Share Posted June 4, 2012 Looks like a good time to me! Link to comment
roadscholar Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Ken that Husky will be just the ticket. Chris, fuel shoudn't be an issue. Pitkin GS will be open. Link to comment
TEWKS Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 Noticing Dave's bash plate there, would the stocker on a GS be a risky proposition? Bill, thanks again for the routes! Pat Link to comment
dhanson Posted June 4, 2012 Share Posted June 4, 2012 I did get some big hits (small loose baby heads), but on another road which we will refuse to go up, should be okay on these trails. I broke my fender I thought on hitting some very abrupt embedded square edge rocks (too many to avoid all). But on later inspection, the "Fender Extender" actually caught the top of the bash plate and broke the fender. The Super Tenere forum has now advised cutting about 1-1/2" off of the fender extender. Problem solved. Link to comment
blaisew Posted June 4, 2012 Author Share Posted June 4, 2012 I'm not familiar with most of the proposed routes (new is good!) as this will be just my second ride in the area. Well, the TAT goes thru Salida, but that doesn't count. Hancock, when I went up there several years ago, had a boulder field that had to be ridden over. No way around, just suck it up and bounce over. Much easier on a small bike! I presume that most of the trails and roads change with every winter and every major rain event. 'Keeps things interesting. Link to comment
OoPEZoO Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 OK......so I swapped on a K60 Scout and TKC80 last week and rode about 150 miles of dirt and gravel this past weekend at the RCR in WV. Had an absolute blast. It took me a while to get used to riding this big pig in the dirt, but it wasn't long before I was cooking along almost as fast as I would have been of the trails were paved. Its not exactly one of my old dirt bikes, but i was really suprised how well it handled. Sooooooo.......which of the mountain passes in the Salida area are big bike friendly? I'm dumb enough to try riding just about anything, but I would also like reasonable chance of riding it home to PA . Link to comment
roadscholar Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Had an absolute blast. It took me a while to get used to riding this big pig in the dirt, but it wasn't long before I was cooking along almost as fast as I would have been of the trails were paved. Its not exactly one of my old dirt bikes, but i was really suprised how well it handled. Sooooooo.......which of the mountain passes in the Salida area are big bike friendly? I'm dumb enough to try riding just about anything, but I would also like reasonable chance of riding it home to PA . Nice, glad you're putting the GS to good use. And thanks for the reminder to get busy and finish up the DS routes. Just got back from out there recently so will post some new pics and areas for riding. In the meantime though here are some doable ones on a big bike: Marshall Pass, Old Monarch Pass, Black Sage Pass, Waunita Pass, Cumberland Pass (although it has more exposed rocks than last year), Alpine Tunnel (same as Cumberland), Cottonwood Pass (east side paved), Aspen Ridge (somewhat rocky in spots), the Ute Trail, Phantom Canyon, Shelf Rd. (haven't ridden it). And some a little further away: Cochetopa Pass, Los Pinos, Carnero, Buzzard Divide, Owl Creek Pass, Last Dollar Rd., Divide Rd., and Kebler Pass. How much time you got? Link to comment
lawnchairboy Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 will be staying in Ridgway 17-21 July before the UN, lots on the list for that area....anybody around then shoot me a PM. I will try and do last dollar, engineer, imogene etc. I don't think I have the cajones for black bear. Link to comment
dhanson Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 Skip Black Bear, most have to walk down it anyway, and the rest of the ride is nothing compared to Imogene (my farvorite). Link to comment
blaisew Posted June 11, 2012 Author Share Posted June 11, 2012 I have plenty of time before the UN; it's just a matter of not breaking the bank on lodging. I've been thinking of riding up near Telluride to do Corkscrew, California and Cinnamon. I would be interested in what you have in mind. Are you camping, moteling it, or??? Link to comment
OoPEZoO Posted June 11, 2012 Share Posted June 11, 2012 How much time you got? Not enough, but I want to make the best of it. I'll be in the area Sunday or Monday, and will be heading back East on Friday. Thank you for the leads. I will begin investigating. Link to comment
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.