Ah… November is coming up quick, and October just in front of it!
I’ll be leaving the Springs within the month, and I only have one regret… I wish I bought my bike sooner than I did. Like, when I first got here.
As most things go I know I did things when I was finally ready to do them, but still now that I’ve been planning for this trip and doing my practice runs through the mountains, I wish I had more time to ride around before I leave. I want to take a trip to Kansas, down to Texas, then through NM and back, camping each night and doing a hotel stay every third if I’m out that long. I want to explore alot of these backroads that are literally all over Colorado. Phantom Canyon yesterday was challenging, but awesome… I wish I had friends that I could have shared that experience with. I don’t want to wait until I’m retired to do all this stuff… I’m young, and I need to do this now.
It’s funny… I never thought about camping until I started seriously considering what I’d do for vacation. Camping was always something these silly CO natives did, and I just never thought to try it. The few times I went camping as a kid my family always brought a ton of food with them and made it like a stay instead of just camping on the way to someplace… thus I always thought camping would be an ordeal. Not so… I’ve realized all I need is a tent, a sleeping bag, and a relatively clear place to put down camp for the night. Perhaps it’s not as hardcore as some would want, but that’s all I need. I don’t want to cook or catch my food or whatever, I’ll leave it up to the roadside diner to refuel me. Maybe someday, but not now.
Went on another run today, this one I did solo to test my loading strategy for Vegas in two weeks. I think I’ll be prepared to undertake the COS to LAS via Grand Canyon run.
Map of today’s excursion
Some items worth mentioning… the trip between points D and E on the linked map were by far the most challenging and fun part of today’s trip. This was my first real attempt at traversing a gravel road, which motorcycle riders know must be treated with the utmost respect as traction is reduced greatly due to the lack of a firm gripping surface. Things like cornering I ended up taking on 2nd gear if I was going around a blind turn. Surprisingly there were a couple cars coming down the path, but even more surprising I didn’t meet a car in one of the many one-lane sections of the road… I would have hated to back up through a narrow path to let a car through. Also,my new eTrex H apparently tracks GPS signals while in my jacket pocket. Nice. 
What I didn’t care for was the first leg of my trip, heading down I-25 towards Colorado City. It seems that once I passed Academy Blvd at the north end of Ft. Carson there was a particularly strong crosswind all the way down to Colorado City. I felt like I was riding alot faster than I actually was… the wind was pretty strong and blowing against me. I hope that’s not a common feature of the wide-open space south of Colorado Springs, but if so I guess I’ll be able to handle it, since Walsenburg isn’t too far past Colorado City, and the crosswind effect dissipated once I got off the freeway. Maybe if I plot properly I can even avoid the I-25.
Read the rest of the post to see pictures w/ GPS coordinates.
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Here’s the google map of what I plan to do for the 18th. Note that Tsegi Canyon road is unpaved, and I’m ending this day at the south rim of the Grand Canyon.
Folks, this trip is spiraling into all sorts of challenges that I didn’t plan on before. When I first decided to go to Vegas, it was purely just to go and play for a weekend. Today’s excursion with Mr. EP, however, has really opened my mind to the possibilities for adventure for the approach to Las Vegas. I went out and bought an el cheapo GPS receiver and am planning to take pictures at regular points in my trip to post to Google Earth.
One major hurdle for this plan is the packing. I have to pack a tent and sleeping bag, both of which can fit on the back of my bike, but I also have to pack shower gear and 4 nights worth of clothes–5 sets of underwear, socks, and shirts, 2 jeans, and walking shoes… not that much really. I think I can cram that into my gym bag, and my gym bag can be tied down with some bungee to the seat behind me, if it can’t already be tied under the cargo net. On top of this I have to ride down Tsegi Canyon, which looks to be a windy dirt road.
I’m going to practice on Sunday. I’m going to load my bike with what I plan to bring with me to Las Vegas, and I’m going to take it out on a dirt road down the 24, only an hour away from my place through the mountains. There are some dirt roads out there that I would call “easy”, as in they’re mostly straight with very gradual turns. Long, slow braking and easy turning is key from what I can say, as I treat riding over dirt like driving a boat in water, and I don’t want that boat to move sideways, so… really really easy turning.
My only wish is that I had a riding buddy of sorts that would watch my back. I guess I just forge ahead on my own, like always.
Wow, I’m pooped!
We ended up making an oval path, and instead of going to Gunnison, we went down to Salida, then up to almost Buena Vista, at which point we turned towards home. Point C on the map is where we took our mid-ride break, stopping for a drink (water and coffee), fuel, and just a break from the riding position. We went our separate ways once we hit downtown Colorado Springs.
I was personally tempted to embark on another journey, but I was feeling pretty tired on the way towards Woodland Park near the end, so I just went home after grabbing something to eat in town. All in all a fun ride. I was glad as usual that I had a full face helmet, as Mr. EP apparently took a bee to the face while we were in Cañon City. As for myself I have a collection of bug carcasses all over my faceshield, jacket, and pants.
Some notes for the ride to Las Vegas, I think it’s going to be colder as we go into the fall season, so I better see about buying some sweatshirts. I only have my UCLA one and my flight hoodie from basic training, and now that I’m moving to Ohio next year I’ll have to get some more cold weather clothes. Also, Mr. EP recommended a route that involves hitting the Four Corners, Grand Canyon, and Hoover Dam. I’m looking into it now, and am pretty excited about the prospect of riding through the desert and some NA reservations.
Good morning!
Today I’m going to meet up with a friend from work, Mr. EP, in 1 hour and we’re going to ride out to Gunnison, CO. I don’t know what’s out there, but as is the way with motorcycle rides the journey is more of the point of this excursion than the destination. I think it’s alot of parks and mountains in Gunnison, not sure if there’s an actual city, although they do have their own website.
Anyway, I’ll try to practice more riding skills in preparation for the Las Vegas run–i.e., taking breaks regularly, remaining calm and relaxed, etc. This’ll be my first “group” excursion, as all my previous trips I’ve been solo riding. I’ll be back in a couple of hours!