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A Cold One Handed Ride - 115 miles, 28f Degrees, 8000ft. Elev, No Heated Gear

sfarson

New member
Did have heated grips though :).

And actually, it was only one handed for two minutes while I risked having my name submitted to the Darwin Award Committee, holding the digital camera in movie mode and recording two minutes of sandy sweeper transit :). Link down below.

Been a historical winter in much of Colorado. Record snow and top ten coldest. Together, quite a punch. With the driveway frozen this morning escaped before the sun started its daily effort to thaw the ice and permafrost. Paid a muddy price when returning mid-afternoon, but the getting out tax was worth it. Main roads are in pretty good shape. It is getting to the main roads where a challenge is presented to many.

Images will tell most of the tale of today's ride. Here's the location of the following content. The highlighted road is one of the finest in Colorado, offering curves, hills, scenery, streams, etc. for 50 miles. The destination is a gourmet lunch in Woodland Park. 28 degrees when I departed. 28 degrees when I returned. The images below are of the ride going to and coming back.

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First pause of the ride is when I crossed the road to a pullout for a pic looking back where I had come from. The video link below rides these curves...

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The long descent to Deckers is known as Horsepower Hill. Of course, the Munich thing enjoys tests separating the men from the boys. We're heading down Horsepower here, but turned the bike around for the pic. Thunder Butte is on the left, Pikes Peak in the distance. Can you see the ski runs below timberline on Pikes Peak? From a small ski resort closed decades ago. The abundant snow you can see is courtesy of the largest wildfire ever in Colorado, the monstrous 130,000 acre Hayman Fire of June, 2002...

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Maybe six years ago I came by this place on a ride once and law enforcement vehicles were parked along the side of the road. Learned the next day V.P. Cheney was there fishing the gold medal trout found in the Middle Fork of the South Platte. Exclusive fishing club is here...

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Some of the place is no longer in use. Holding tanks for young fry or (very big adult fry :)) have seen more active days...

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Today's temps have a way of separating the enthusiasts from the casual, or is it the crazy from the sane. Works for fly fishermen...

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And it works for motorcyclists. Normally this halfway stop at Deckers is populated with two wheeled transportation devices during balmier temps...

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OK, the fingers are feeling it as I continue to pull off the gloves for the pics. Gonna ride straight for the gourmet lunch destination and warm the 20 digits. More content on the way back. OK, not a gourmet destination and I'm easy to please. Snow from last night is melting...

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As I order and sit down I'm soon joined by 30 youth hockey players, parents, coaches as they come to celebrate their team's season! It is me and them. They all laugh and come by hoping I don't mind. Not at all! Consumed the garlic bread then took a pic of what is piping hot baked spaghetti underneath the cover of sauce and cheese. Mmmmmm. BTW, don't know about you but I can't stand to eat alone and have nothing to read...

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On the return pausing on the other side of Thunder Butte. The Hayman Fire roared across the road here, and it was so hot the asphalt caught on fire. Road resurfaced. BTW, as you know, big difference in snow cover whether a slope is north or south facing...

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The effects of the wildfire continue years later. Last July a thunderstorm dumped heavy rain on the baked soil. With the water unable to penetrate the hardened dirt, it ran off into the creeks, creeks became raging torrents, and anything in the path was blasted away, including this road. Took almost three months to rebuild about five miles of the road and here is a part of the finished work. Let me tell you, when the sand and grit is clear, and the temps higher, this is one sweet road for two wheels, and it's not too bad on days like today...

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We're above Horsepower Hill now continuing the journey back. Around the bend ahead is a scenic pullout for the canyon below and Long Scraggy Peak above. It's a fun climb. This is a fun road...

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OK, the pic above is where I had a spur of the moment idea. Why not put the digital cam in movie mode, ride with one hand on the throttle, hold the cam in the left hand and keep it steady while making sure it is recording the road ahead, keeping the bike out of the sand and through the curves up ahead. Sanity check aisle five. Sanity check aisle five. So here it is, two minutes of the road ahead. BTW, note what I hit at 2:02 of the vid. Couldn't tell during the ride but the camera mic picks up a slight "thwack"... though due to the wind noise just a delightful 2:15 song accompanies...

A Cold One Handed Ride - Video

Just before Pine Grove saw this plump thing fly to the line above on my left. Made a U-Turn to see if it would cooperate for a pic. Took one pic from far away, zooming in, then started to move the bike closer but a truck coming by unnerved this Red Tailed Hawk and it flew off...

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Anyway, this was the memory delivered today by the BMW.
 
A beautiful ride and thank you for sharing the outstanding pictures. But there must some some first class pizza and chili closer to home?

Hey Snoone, did you "catch" the shot of the fly fisherman? Just about one month to go.
 
Dang, no electrics? Nice winter report, you should get a job with the tourism bureau, I want to move every time I see your videos! :)
 
A beautiful ride and thank you for sharing the outstanding pictures. But there must some some first class pizza and chili closer to home?

Hey Snoone, did you "catch" the shot of the fly fisherman? Just about one month to go.

I would'nt be surprised if that fisherman is my best friend DJ who lives in Woodland Park. He fishes these waters all the time. In fact I'll be there the 3rd weekend in March for 2 days skiing, one day fishing!

Hey Steve did the fisherman have a Gordon Setter with him?
 
very nice report

I see we belong to same MC, I hope to meet you one day at the club meetings.

dom
 
Great report, thanks for sharing the photos with us. I haven't been out that way in 20 years, (wow, I'm getting old!) but I'd love to get back and see those mountain ranges (in person) again sometime soon.
 
Dang, no electrics? Nice winter report, you should get a job with the tourism bureau, I want to move every time I see your videos! :)

Thanks Gail... it was one of those, "Oh look, the sun is out, I'll leave the 'lectrics behind. Yeah, it's 28f but with it being in the morning surely the temps will rise." Ooooops.
 
I would'nt be surprised if that fisherman is my best friend DJ who lives in Woodland Park. He fishes these waters all the time. In fact I'll be there the 3rd weekend in March for 2 days skiing, one day fishing!

Hey Steve did the fisherman have a Gordon Setter with him?

Thanks everyone. And snoone... looks like you have fine plans in a few weeks! There wasn't a Setter with the fisherman above but do believe I've seen a dog or two hanging around with fishermen before in the area. Maybe your friend!

FWIW, was standing on the Deckers bridge when taking the pic of the fisherman. I then turned and faced north taking the pic below. Sometimes I stand on this bridge watching the fat trout in the clear water below, with them seemingly chuckling amongst themselves at the attempts of the fishermen to tempt them with the lure of a fly. And sometimes I just watch the poetry of motion of the fly fisherman casting the lure.

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I miss Colorado

Great job and wonderful production. I was born in Kersey, grew up in Wiggins (well partly at least--Still working on it) High School at Greeley. I have ridden almost every mountain road in Colorado and still love the beauty. Retired now and living near Tucson (Oro Valley). Great places to ride in the winter and a cold day here is below 60 degrees. Anyone coming down contact me for info, help or if not busy a free guided tour of the beautiful places to ride here
 
Great job and wonderful production. I was born in Kersey, grew up in Wiggins (well partly at least--Still working on it) High School at Greeley. I have ridden almost every mountain road in Colorado and still love the beauty. Retired now and living near Tucson (Oro Valley). Great places to ride in the winter and a cold day here is below 60 degrees. Anyone coming down contact me for info, help or if not busy a free guided tour of the beautiful places to ride here

jaherbst... I might be coming down to Tuscon one of these springs! I have an affinity for baseball and would have a great time taking in the Spring Training games, especially the ones at Hi Corbett and the Rockies! Would try to have two wheels with me.

Steve
 
Bravo!

Steve, another great report. I appreciate the way you spend the time to add music to your videos and background text to explain the pictures.
 
Hey Steve,

Almost a year to a day when I flew into the springs, got picked up at the airport, stopped at my friends house in Woodland Park, went to fish the South Platte in Deckers, next stop, the Dream Stream near South Park, then to the Arkansas near Buena Vista, then over Monarch or in warmer weather Cottonwood Pass to Gunnison/Almont/Crested Butte, ski for two days then fish the Gunnison, Taylor and East rivers for two days, then finally fly back from Gunnison.

I'm about to make that same trip again in about 2 weeks and can't wait, so it was great to see your video.
 
Cold ride

Very nice, thanks for sharing
Am jealous !!

Awaiting my first BMW (R12RT), prior rode Harley Ultra and own heated gloves
Do the heated grips really work ? Not cold top of hand with wind ?
 
And I have ice on my driveway, in my nighborhood and the temp today is -1. Maybe Friday or Saturday i'll be on the road again.
 
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