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Sep 2020 Colorado Trip (with pictures)

lee

Debbie's Servant
The first trip was in July to meet a group from another forum.
This trip we met the Wasserboxer Forum group http://rswasserboxer.com/R1200RSforum/index.php
We left Iowa on Sep 3rd and returned on the 15th.
The weather was good except when it wasn't :)
Gunnison (6).jpg

We spent the first two nights in Broken Bow Nebraska because it was our anniversary.

Creston to Broken Bow.jpg

Most of the trip was 2 lane with fairly short mileage.
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We had a nice place with a small balcony overlooking the town square.
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The windows on the first floor is the paring area. We parked next to Billy Bob.
Arrow Hotel Broken Bow (7).jpg

The free motel breakfast was much better than other motels during Covid.
Arrow Hotel Broken Bow (3).jpg

The next travel day was through the Nebraska Sand Hills to Torrington Wyoming.
Ne. has a National Forest :)
Nebraska.jpg

We visited Scotts Bluff National Monument. We rode up to the top but did not do any hiking trails because it was 100F.
Scotts Bluff National Monument (1).JPG

Scotts Bluff National Monument (2).jpg


Day four was Torrington Wy. to Walden Colorado.
Torrington to Walden.jpg

We had hoped to take Pouder River Canyon, hwy 14 on the way but a large forest fire had the highway closed. We cut across southern Wyoming to get to Walden.
Hwy 210 and 130 were great rides. 130 goes over Snowy Range Pass.
Hwy 210 in Wy.

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We took a little detour to check out Saratoga Hot Springs.
It was too hot to get in the hot springs so Debbie settled on cooling her feet in the creek.
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The hot springs emptied into the creek here.
Saratoga Hot Springs (1).JPG


Day five was Walden to Gunnison to meet up with the other RS riders.
We went over Gore Pass, Tennessee Pass and Cottonwood Pass on the way.
Cottonwood Pass was paved for the first time the end of last year.
Walden to Gunnison.jpg

Picture from July
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We had a little smoke this day.
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The pass in July
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The first day at Gunnison Colorado we only had time for a short route because a major winter storm was moving in. We took one of our favorite roads in the area, hwy 114.
The plan was to ride up to the pass, check the weather then head for Saguache to have breakfast if possible.
A group of nine or ten bikes headed out before us. We waited for 30 minutes or so before heading out. We don't like riding in groups and I knew the restaurant was small and did not want to cram in with the group to eat because of Covid.
Debbie is in close contact with a couple hundred people a day at work so we tried to keep our distance from others on the trip.
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To be continued
 
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Part two

PART TWO

The weather looked like we had time to continue on for breakfast so we headed to Saguache.
4th Street Diner Saguache (3).jpg

We sat at the anti social table :)
4th Street Diner Saguache (1).jpg

Good food
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I was thinking of taking a different route back to the motel and go over Monarch Pass but the lady at the diner told me it was already snowing in that area.
We went back over the same pass on the return.
When we dropped down into the canyon the wind got a little nasty. Brush and trees were leaning one direction on one side of the road and the other direction on the other side.
Made it back to the motel with only sprinkles and flurries.
We were not back for long when the snow started. 13 inches by the next morning. I found out later the west side of town was without power a couple days and emergency shelters were set up for some of the residents.
Lucky for us our motel and restaurants close by did not lose power.
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It was only one block to the BBQ place that night but Debbie wished she had dressed warmer. It was also the one time she forgot her mask.
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I could not brush off the snow the next morning because there was also a layer of ice I could not break.
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No bikes moved the next day.
I don't remember if it was Wednesday or Thursday that duccrazydave and Kent escaped the winter wonderland and headed to Arkansas.
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I think I was the only one to ride Thursday and did a short 75 miles to Tayler Park Reservoir in the afternoon.
Temps were 40 to 45 F and the roads were dry except where melting snow was running across the road.
I stayed below 10,000 feet just to be safe.
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No surprise to see the pass was closed.
Taylor Park Reservoir (1).jpg

Friday everyone left but it was a nice day so Debbie and I stayed another day to ride the area.
Still a little iffy to do the Slumgullion Pass loop so we did a loop that included the Black Canyon of the Gunnison.
Black Canyon route.jpg

We stopped at the overlook on the north rim of the canyon.
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It was not long before two large groups of bikes pulled in.

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To be continued
 
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PART THREE
Saturday we left Gunnison and headed to Naturita Colorado. 141 is a fun road plus we wanted to visited the Auto Museum in Gateway and stop to see the Hanging Flume on the canyon wall.
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hwy 141 Hanging Flume (1).JPG


1980
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You can see the supports on the smooth part of the canyon wall.
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To be continued
 
PART FOUR Sep Colorado Trip

PART FOUR

Saturday night we had a good private owned motel in Naturita with a restaurant attached.
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No breakfast on Sunday mornings so we had that in Telluride.

Today's route was Naturita, Telluride, Cortez then Durango.

Naturita to Durango.jpg

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Watched a few hang gliders while we ate.
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145 south of Telluride is a good road and very scenic.
Telluride (4).jpg

Didn't check out the Durango sites like I thought we would, just hung out. Didn't even go eat because of our big Mexican breakfast at Telluride.

Sunday we headed to La Junta Colorado and took hwy 12 on the way because we liked that road when we took it in July.
Durango to La Junta.jpg

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Butt break on hwy 12.
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A couple July pictures on hwy 12.
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Tuesday we headed east to Alma Nebraska.
The Wallace museum in Kansas was a good rest stop. The building was much larger than it looked from the front.
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Good place for burgers in Alma, Nebraska
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Wednesday we arrived home in Creston Iowa.
Stopped a few times on hwy 6 to get a close look at the center pivot irrigation systems.
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Here's some of the riders that met in Gunnison. This is another group meal we skipped because us Covid.
Pictures taken by Bob and Wayne.

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Bob's picture Bruce,Dawn, Ron, Mike, Michael, Darrell, Bob.jpg
 
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