Riding the Rockies

[waterman]

Originally Posted by tomm

Hi Waterman - Have you done the ride over Guanella Pass from Georgetown to Grant? I understand it is definitely a must do, but also that it is unpaved and the back side into Grant can be pretty rough. I don't mind a dirt road and a smattering of potholes, but the Nomad isn't a great dirt bike. Any insight?

Tom

This is one I haven't driven over as of yet. There are a couple of passes that I would do on the bike but I don't know about that one.

http://www.coloradodirectory.com/maps/guanella.html

Here they talk about it taking 2 hours for the 22 miles. Probably not something I would do on the Nomad.

[schoeney]

Tomm,

Maybe another option would be for you to ride the bike(without trailer) and have your wife fly to Denver to do the west rides with you?

Cheaper or at least the same (40MPG on bike vs. 15 in car? Airfare) , simpler, and you get to ride the bike more. Might even be quicker?

Good luck either way.

[flavor]

Start as soon as you can after sunrise and try to end the days ride BY 5. That means planning where you're putting up for the night before you start your days ride. You don't have to hold to that regiment but it makes it easier for not getting caught out too late and wearing yourself down. (Especially in the real rural areas). You have to have some recovery time at the end of the day.

With the trip you have planned trailering works for me though I'd rather ride. There's an equation to how much time you have, expense and depending how long your days are, physical endurance.

You know being from the northeast and wanting to see as much as you want to see, I know where you're coming from. You are trying to do everything out west you can. Those week trips will never get you out there and for one reason or another you don't know if you'll go that way again. Maybe I shouldn't speak for you but I've been lucky enough to have taken a similar trip and don't know if it'll ever happen again.

Have fun and I'll bet you're getting excited just thinking and planning this trip EHH.

Oh.......one other thing......if anybody on this board wants a companion for a trip as such, I am for hire.

[tomm]

Originally Posted by waterman

This is one I haven't driven over as of yet. There are a couple of passes that I would do on the bike but I don't know about that one.

http://www.coloradodirectory.com/maps/guanella.html

Here they talk about it taking 2 hours for the 22 miles. Probably not something I would do on the Nomad.

11 miles an hour on a steep, winding, unpaved, pot-hole filled road riding 2-up on a fully loaded Nomad for two hours doesn't really sound like a lot of fun, regardless of the scenery. Guess I've lost a bit of my sense of adventure. I'll check with the locals in Georgetown for latest conditions when we actually get there, but I can see passing on this one.

And thanks for that link. I've already spent quite a bit of time on it. Lots of good information.

[tomm]

Originally Posted by schoeney

Tomm,

Maybe another option would be for you to ride the bike(without trailer) and have your wife fly to Denver to do the west rides with you?

Cheaper or at least the same (40MPG on bike vs. 15 in car? Airfare) , simpler, and you get to ride the bike more. Might even be quicker?

Good luck either way.

Hi Schoeney - My wife and I talked about that as an option. Either way though, we still only have a month, and any time / cost / energy spent on one side has to come out of the other. Besides, it is our 30th anniversary this year, and as hokey as it sounds, we'd like to do the whole thing together. We may be in a cage out and back, but it doesn't mean that that part of the trip isn't still part of the adventure.
Tom

[tomm]

Originally Posted by flavor

Start as soon as you can after sunrise and try to end the days ride BY 5. That means planning where you're putting up for the night before you start your days ride. You don't have to hold to that regiment but it makes it easier for not getting caught out too late and wearing yourself down. (Especially in the real rural areas). You have to have some recovery time at the end of the day.

With the trip you have planned trailering works for me though I'd rather ride. There's an equation to how much time you have, expense and depending how long your days are, physical endurance.

You know being from the northeast and wanting to see as much as you want to see, I know where you're coming from. You are trying to do everything out west you can. Those week trips will never get you out there and for one reason or another you don't know if you'll go that way again. Maybe I shouldn't speak for you but I've been lucky enough to have taken a similar trip and don't know if it'll ever happen again.

Have fun and I'll bet you're getting excited just thinking and planning this trip EHH.

Oh.......one other thing......if anybody on this board wants a companion for a trip as such, I am for hire.

Hi Flavor - We started thinking about this in 2009, but now that we're actually in 2011 and this trip is only about 6 months away, the excitement is really starting to build.

I've been thinking pretty similar to you around a typical day. Certainly don't want to be driving after dark. Too many critters I would think. Getting in late afternoon every day leaves time to look around and enjoy wherever we happen to stop, have leisurely dinners, and be fully rested for an early start the next day. Don't want to speed through the whole thing and have to look at pictures my wife took while sitting on the back to see where we went (although I'm sure we'll take plenty of pictures).

As I think I mentioned to you, a friend and I caged around the country the year I graduated from high school. 13,000 miles in 4 weeks. 500 miles a day, every day. Somewhere in there we had to cross the Rockies, but I sure don't remember seeing them. Must have either been at night or my turn to sleep.

Anyway, I'm hoping there will be more trips ahead, but you're right . . . you never know.
Tom

[flavor]

Originally Posted by tomm

Hi Flavor - We started thinking about this in 2009, but now that we're actually in 2011 and this trip is only about 6 months away, the excitement is really starting to build.

I've been thinking pretty similar to you around a typical day. Certainly don't want to be driving after dark. Too many critters I would think. Getting in late afternoon every day leaves time to look around and enjoy wherever we happen to stop, have leisurely dinners, and be fully rested for an early start the next day. Don't want to speed through the whole thing and have to look at pictures my wife took while sitting on the back to see where we went (although I'm sure we'll take plenty of pictures).

As I think I mentioned to you, a friend and I caged around the country the year I graduated from high school. 13,000 miles in 4 weeks. 500 miles a day, every day. Somewhere in there we had to cross the Rockies, but I sure don't remember seeing them. Must have either been at night or my turn to sleep.

Anyway, I'm hoping there will be more trips ahead, but you're right . . . you never know.
Tom

I'm excited for you and it gets my blood pumping even to hear about a trip like that. Too many things I missed and someday maybe get another trip in as I missed yellowstone and glacier to mention only a few.

Talk later.
Jim

[pronghorn]

Tomm, Just found your post sounds like a great trip. I have ridden all the roads in Colorado you have listed on my Nomad except Guanella Pass. It is a very scenic route and I've ridden it in my truck and an off road bike, but I don't think I would ride my Nomad over it. Colo.149 between Gunnison and US160 is a real Gem if timing is right stop at the Tic Toc in Lake City for eats or dessert. I live in the Denver area and might be able to help with parking and travel. Let me know when you get closer to riding.

[tomm]

Originally Posted by Pronghorn

Tomm, Just found your post sounds like a great trip. I have ridden all the roads in Colorado you have listed on my Nomad except Guanella Pass. It is a very scenic route and I've ridden it in my truck and an off road bike, but I don't think I would ride my Nomad over it. Colo.149 between Gunnison and US160 is a real Gem if timing is right stop at the Tic Toc in Lake City for eats or dessert. I live in the Denver area and might be able to help with parking and travel. Let me know when you get closer to riding.

Hi Pronghorn - Thanks for the tip on Guanella Pass. You're the second person to say that it might not be so good on the Nomad, so I guess that seals it. May actually be a moot point. I was reading that the road was closed last year due to a potential rock slide, and didn't see anything indicating that it had been re-opened. But either way, this one is out.

I got the idea for it from a book I bought on riding the Rockies called Motorcycle Journeys Through the Rocky Mountains. There is a series of such books published by Whitehorse Press. I have a few of them and find them really helpful and informative. One of the suggested routes in the 'Rockies' book covers Route 149 and says some pretty awesome things about it. Will make it a point to stop at Lake City.

http://www.whitehorsegear.com/motorc...ocky-mountains

I will PM you once we have all the details finalized and the date gets closer. Would look forward to meeting up and riding for a bit. There are at least two or three others who we hopefully will be able to meet and ride with as well.

Going to be a great trip!!!!!
Tom

[flavor]

Originally Posted by tomm

Hi Pronghorn - Thanks for the tip on Guanella Pass. You're the second person to say that it might not be so good on the Nomad, so I guess that seals it. May actually be a moot point. I was reading that the road was closed last year due to a potential rock slide, and didn't see anything indicating that it had been re-opened. But either way, this one is out.

I got the idea for it from a book I bought on riding the Rockies called Motorcycle Journeys Through the Rocky Mountains. There is a series of such books published by Whitehorse Press. I have a few of them and find them really helpful and informative. One of the suggested routes in the 'Rockies' book covers Route 149 and says some pretty awesome things about it. Will make it a point to stop at Lake City.

http://www.whitehorsegear.com/motorc...ocky-mountains

I will PM you once we have all the details finalized and the date gets closer. Would look forward to meeting up and riding for a bit. There are at least two or three others who we hopefully will be able to meet and ride with as well.

Going to be a great trip!!!!!
Tom

Telluride is just west as the crow flies. Biggest blue grass festival in the world every yr. I happened to be there on my trip in '09 about a week before it started. People were piling ihn at the time. Expensive area that the wealthy have homes. Town is kinda cool. It's nestled in a valley and coming in form one direction you're on a winding rd along the side of mountains and you're looking down at the town as you're coming into it. Not too far from the million dollar hwy. Look into the Moab area as well. I stayed at a motel that John Wayne stayed in (to only mention a few actors), while he was making a movie in the area. I think Canyonlands is in that area as well as Goosenecks state park.

Moab is in UT just a little north and right over the border.

PS. Get gas whenever you can in that area.

[tomm]

Originally Posted by flavor

Telluride is just west as the crow flies. Biggest blue grass festival in the world every yr. I happened to be there on my trip in '09 about a week before it started. People were piling ihn at the time. Expensive area that the wealthy have homes. Town is kinda cool. It's nestled in a valley and coming in form one direction you're on a winding rd along the side of mountains and you're looking down at the town as you're coming into it. Not too far from the million dollar hwy. Look into the Moab area as well. I stayed at a motel that John Wayne stayed in (to only mention a few actors), while he was making a movie in the area. I think Canyonlands is in that area as well as Goosenecks state park.

Moab is in UT just a little north and right over the border.

PS. Get gas whenever you can in that area.

Hi Jim - Even with the time we have, there won't be anywhere near enough to see all the things we'd like to see. However, with the adjusted plan of leaving the trailer in Denver and doing everything else on the bike, I'm planning on starting with the Colorado rides first, and then heading west into Utah after we cross the Grand Mesa. I don't expect to get all the way to the Bryce area, but should be able to catch Moab, Arches, Goosenecks and Canyonlands at a minimum before heading north towards Salt Lake and on into Idaho and Montana. And I've already been to Bryce, Zion, the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, etc although not on the bike, so those aren't as critical for this trip. But never been to the Moab area.

And Telluride sounds like cool place to maybe lay over for a day. I'll check it out.

Good point on the gas. I've already noticed some pretty long stretches of highway without even a ghost town on them. Not looking to repeat that scene from Wild Hogs with the vultures walking behind those guys in the middle of nowhere. Fortunately my Nomad does pretty good on mileage, at least around here. I can usually squeeze at least 40 mpg riding two up, and 44 if I take it really easy. Not sure about out there though. (I do have my AAA with RV/Motorcycle just in case.) But you can bet I'll be watching that mileage between fill-ups really closely.
Tom

[flavor]

Originally Posted by tomm

Hi Jim - Even with the time we have, there won't be anywhere near enough to see all the things we'd like to see. However, with the adjusted plan of leaving the trailer in Denver and doing everything else on the bike, I'm planning on starting with the Colorado rides first, and then heading west into Utah after we cross the Grand Mesa. I don't expect to get all the way to the Bryce area, but should be able to catch Moab, Arches, Goosenecks and Canyonlands at a minimum before heading north towards Salt Lake and on into Idaho and Montana. And I've already been to Bryce, Zion, the Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, etc although not on the bike, so those aren't as critical for this trip. But never been to the Moab area.

And Telluride sounds like cool place to maybe lay over for a day. I'll check it out.

Good point on the gas. I've already noticed some pretty long stretches of highway without even a ghost town on them. Not looking to repeat that scene from Wild Hogs with the vultures walking behind those guys in the middle of nowhere. Fortunately my Nomad does pretty good on mileage, at least around here. I can usually squeeze at least 40 mpg riding two up, and 44 if I take it really easy. Not sure about out there though. (I do have my AAA with RV/Motorcycle just in case.) But you can bet I'll be watching that mileage between fill-ups really closely.
Tom

I think it was rt 145 going north in western CO before going west toward UT, that I traveled well over 100 miles before the next gas. Saw 5 cars in that timeframe and had the though since I was by myself, that if anything ever happens there is NO ONE around and I'd be screwed. (Rt 141 might have been involved as well). Those routes are not roads to make time on and when I planned how many hrs. it would take me to get to a place to pull in for the night, I really miscalculated how long to get from point a to b. So I was much later than I wanted.

(Don't like not being in a motel by 5 or so. The animals are large, and as everyone knows,, they become real active at dusk and dawn).

[elvis]

Hi Tom,

If planned well, one can cover a lot of miles. We did a 5000-mile trip through 11 states and beautiful B.C. in 3 weeks last year.

http://www.vulcanbagger.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?t=18145

The previous year on the other hand, we were all over the map. We went to Yellowstone then Glacier NP and after that Crater Lake and back up north again.

You might like to check out this thread: http://www.vulcanbagger.com/phpBB3/v...ic.php?t=20217

[b2]

Tom,

I rode some of these routes in the summer of 2009... in some ways is seems like so long ago, but in other ways is seems like just yesterday. I did 14 days, 2 guys on 2 bikes, 50% camping and 50% motels.

We rode north from Anaheim up to Canada, on the way passing through Boise, route 55 to McCall, route 12 up to Missoula and through Glacier NP. It was a fantastic trip. GNP and route 12 were definitely highlights.

Here are my tips for you based on my experience.

1. We rode the 14 days without any rest days. With stopping for photos, leisurely lunches at riverside cafes and generally being able to "stop and smell the roses", I found that about 350 miles per day was a nice average. We did a couple of days over 500 miles and enjoyed it, but if you want to be able to stop and see things then you have to lower your expectations.
2. I purchased a set of Scala Rider headsets before we left. 100% worth the investment I would say.
3. We left on about July 3rd and out of the 14 days we had at least some brief rain on 11 of the days. On the first day when it rained we pulled over under the roof of a gas station. On the second day we rode on a little before pulling over. On the 3rd day we realized that (a) we were never going to get anywhere if we stopped every time it rained, and (b) if we had our Frogg Toggs on, it didn't make any difference anyway! From that point on we rode through rain, sleet, snow and sunshine as if it were all the same.
4. We rode through Glacier and loved it, but it rained the entire day and even snowed on us for a while. There was construction on the road and we had to frequently stop and just sit there being rained on. It wasn't really that cold and the snow didn't accumulate, but be prepared for anything up there. I think in 2009 the road didn't even open for the summer until the last week in June.
5. Pack your clothes, then put about half of them back in your drawers and leave them home.
6. Maybe the most important I think... Be flexible. We had a route in mind when we left but only booked a hotel or camp site after lunch each day, so that we were free to change the schedule as we wanted. I'm normally a big planner, but this was a MUCH more relaxing way to go... if we wanted to keep riding or stop at 3pm, we were free to do so without having to worry about our reservations or keeping on schedule. On about the 6th day, after Glacier, we ended up totally changing our route because of the ongoing rain and snow in Calgary/Banff area at the time. We didn't even really know where we were heading, but in doing so we went through the north Cascade mountains in WA, which was perhaps the best road on the whole trip.
Good luck and enjoy.

Brian

p.s. I agree on the AAA RV thing... I have that and had to use it to get my bike home from Reno to Anaheim when my clutch failed. No one in Reno could fix the bike for at least 2 weeks and AAA paid for me to rent a Uhaul truck and trailer to bring it home (about $750) as well as my hotel and meals while I was stuck in Reno for the few days.

[tomm]

Been really busy at work so haven't had much of chance to check back in on this thread for a couple of weeks.

Thanks for the links elvis. The slides are awesome. Looks like you had a great trip. Looking at them definitely gets the blood pumping in anticipation.

B2 - Thanks for your insights. Your reply brought out a couple more things. Sounds like some new rain gear might be in order because we could be using it pretty much daily. What we have now is fine for the occasional ride in the rain, but I wouldn't want to be wearing it every day. Too heavy and bulky, and doesn't breathe. Also, wondering about pre-trip maintenance. Bike has about 22,000 miles on it. Should I be worried about things like the clutch, cam chain extenders yet. Last did the drive shaft and swing arm around 15,000, and regularly change the oil, gear oil etc, as well as other routine maintenance, but wondering if there is anything in particular that tends to act up between 20,000 and 30,000 miles. Next is I was thinking of getting a tank bag. Thought it might be a good place to carry water, lunches and other things that are nice to have handy. Especially if it was one of those that converts into a backpack. Would be nice for those short hikes along the way. However, I've never seen a Nomad with a tank bag. Anyone have one that they like? Also looking at communications. We have an IMC setup that allows the two of us to talk and listen to music on an I-Pod, but wondering about a CB radio. Would that be helpful, especially given some of the comments that Jim (Flavor) made about the distances between services and the scarcity of other vehicles in some places? The J&M setup looks really nice, but awfully expensive when you add up all the pieces. And finally is heated vests and cooling vests. Sounds like some places could be really hot riding (Hell's Canyon) and others could be pretty cold (Glacier). Or is that overkill?

One of the nice things about the way this trip is evolving is it is becoming much less structured that what I had originally envisioned. Bottom line is that while we are planning four weeks, there really isn't anything that requires us to finish it in exactly that amount of time. If we end up taking a few more days, no big deal. So while we have the general route laid out now, we'll be finalizing the details along the way, like a day or two in advance. And the daily mileage will turn out to be whatever it is, depending on where we are and what we want to do and see.
Tom