Ouray Adventure Ride Day #3

Click on the Map for a Full View of the Trip.



Day three in Ouray found us lazy, tired....not wanting to get in a hurry. I headed back out to main street for fresh coffee and a Rocky Mountain Breakfast Sandwich, which I brought back to Audra for breakfast in bed.

Finally, we packed up the bike and headed out of Ouray, riding up HWY 50, the Million Dollar Highway.

Ouray


The American Alps


One of the old mines in the area


Red Mountain Pass


The Famous Million Dollar Highway


Big Horn Sheep


The San Juans to the South


Black Canyon


Hay fields in the Paonia area


A rest and a coffee in Aspen


Independence Pass


Enjoying Mexican in Buena Vista


Wilkerson Pass


Rolled the bike over 20k miles on this trip



All said, it was an outstanding trip. In three days we totaled 915 miles on the bike and experienced some amazing sights. The highlights were Ouray, the Uncompahgre Wilderness and Black Canyon.

Ouray Adventure Ride Day #2

After some delivery some hot coffee and fresh baked Croissants to Audra for breakfast in bed, Saturday morning found Mike and I riding up the Million Dollar Highway at 8am, hanging a left at Cork Screw Gulch.

Before hitting the rough stuff we stopped to look at the map and lower our air pressure.


Heading out


Heading far above 10k feet


This is why they call it Cork Screw


Stunning views and thin air!


Hurricane Pass


Cinnamon Pass


California Pass


Tundra


An Old Mine


Shelf Road


Lunch at Poker Alice's


Riding north toward Blue Mesa


Uncompahgre


High Mesa


Chimney Rock


Back toward Ouray


We finished the day off with Prime Rib, a draft and live mountain music. All told, it was 110 miles of riding that took just over 10 hours. The San Juans are amazing and we will continue to go back for more.

Ouray Adventure Ride Day #1

For the past several months, Audra and I have been planning a Motorcyle Adventure Ride to Ouray, CO. On day #1 we rode from Colorado Springs to Ouray. Day #2 found me and a riding friend, tooling around the San Juans, while Audra took in all that Ouray had to offer. And Day #3 was the long loop home through Aspen.

For the scenic part of our ride on Day #1, we rode south from HWY 50 on Big Cinnamon Road, up over Owl Creek Pass and down into Ridgeway. It was about a 40 mile detour of nothing but dirt and moutain roads. This ride/drive is one of the prettiest in Colorado.


Benson's in Salida...Good Stuff!


Sweet Potato Fries!


Gas and a rest in Gunnison


Resting on the Big Cimmaron Road


Uncompahgre Wilderness


High Mesa


Owl Creek, 2-Up


Chimney Rock


And finally, we ride into Ouray for a steak dinner and a very cozy hotel room. By the end of the day we had riden 290 miles, with about 50 miles of Forest Roads.

4th of July Ride and Colorado Search and Rescue!!!

For the past two weeks, the boys and I have been planning a ride, with my friend, Matt. Our plans kicked off this morning, right on schedule. We started off with a great breakfast at Wade's Cafe in the Springs and then headed out for a ride on Rampart Range.

The boys following Matt and I on Acadmeny Blvd.












Unfortunately, we didn't get far, as Matt ran into electical problems with his GPS. After a short 30 minutes, we were back on the bikes and riding up Mt. Herman Road.










After about 5 miles on Mt. Herman Road, we passed a pickup on the side of the road. Just past the truck, we came upon a washout in the road and a woman standing on the edge. She was noticably upset and pointed down the hill... as her husband had just started down the hill..... Then I found the guy and the kid. A 19 year old....who had spent the night on the slope, heavily injured and in need of major help. The kid had crawled out of his Jeep and up the mountain about 100 feet, before he couldn't go any further.







There wasn't much left of the kids Jeep. The kid, 19 years old.... had driven up on Rampart to camp. We think he tried to get home in the dark, after a heavy rain and plundged down a wash-out.










A look up the washout where the kid and the vehicle fell. Yeah, we had to use the climbing ropes to get back up the slope.
















Colorado Search and Rescue, hauling the kid up the slope.










A pic of the "mule train', as I called them. The bunch of Search and Rescue folks that pulled the kid up.










Finally, they get the kid to the top of the road. An ambulance ride down the road and then a helicopter ride to the hospital.










Once we did our duty.... we headed down the road on our ride. Here is a pic of Matt and the boys. You can see Pike's Peak in the background.















We had to cut our ride short, due to time, but we stopped for a sandwich.

Thank God for safety and security!!!!