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Autumn's End

Vagabird

A wandering Bird
It was looking like this may be the last nice day for a while, so I put everything aside and headed up to the mountains for a day ride before the rain and snow knock all the leaves off the trees.

Leaving town I tried for the first time to take pictures while riding. (I got my armpit a few times, but IÔÇÖm learning.)
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Toward the edge of the Laramie Plains there is a little lake.
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I continued toward the hills.
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Up past remote ranches
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Welcome to Colorado.
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Finally, leaving the main (dirt) road
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Heading higher
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Into the woods
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Finally reaching an area above the aspens and cottonwoods
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Up in this area, the only ÔÇ£autumn colorÔÇØ is caused by pine bark beetles killing the trees.
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There was just a dusting of snow in the woods, but finding this at mid-day means more snow is coming.
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Hmmm. :scratch IÔÇÖm out of cell phone range, IÔÇÖm traveling alone, no one knows IÔÇÖm here, and I havenÔÇÖt seen another vehicle for over an hour. Time to turn around.
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Back to the county road. They may not plow it, but itÔÇÖs better than that forest road. (And if IÔÇÖm lying in the middle of it, someone might come by before next weekend.)
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Besides, the scenery is pretty good here too.
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Uh, what does that sign say?
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To be continued...
 
WhatÔÇÖs this?
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Oh.
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If thatÔÇÖs Nebraska in the distance, I must be coming out of the wilds.
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The rocks and plants are changing as I head down.
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Oops. :stick Note to self: Pay more attention to the road and less to the scenery.
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Fortunately both of us were both wearing protective gear. Oddly enough, after not seeing another vehicle for almost two hours, seven cars passed within ten minutes after getting Giselle upright and underway.

Definitely getting back to lower elevations here.
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And lower still. (Note that IÔÇÖm now separating the task of riding from that of leaf peeping.)
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Goodbye leaves.
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Back to civilization.
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The road seems boring after crossing the mountain through the forest.
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Goodbye mountains. See you in the spring (or next week, if the weather holds).
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Now IÔÇÖm REALLY back to civilization.
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Enough of Colorado, letÔÇÖs head back north to Wyoming.
The pronghorn are moving to lower elevations and gathering in larger herds ÔÇô a sure sign that winter is coming.
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Back in Wyoming.
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And back to Laramie.
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wow... great ride and report. the photos are excellent... thanks for posting.

what roads were you on?

ian
 
Very nice, thanks for sharing your ride. I hope to get out that way on the cycle someday..............
 
Good stuff!! Love that part of the country and hope to retire there some day.

Thanks for the great report :thumb !
 
Nice pics and reports. Love riding through WY & CO. Also have seen your touring hints in the mag.

Larry - Next-Door tent at Gillette
 
wow... great ride and report. the photos are excellent... thanks for posting.

what roads were you on?

ian

I rode WY 230 south to Woods Landing, and then WY 10 into Colorado where it becomes dirt and CR 103. At a place called Four Corners, which is just a crossroads in the middle of the high valley, I headed up CR 162 (Dead Man Road). I tried going down several Forest Service roads, but each one sooner or later got beyond my abilities (not hard to do). County 162 ends at CR 74E (Red Feather Lakes Rd) in the lakes area, where the pavement starts again. I took that down the hill to Livermore and US 287. Then it was just 287 into Fort Collins and back to Laramie. The pretty section is between Woods Landing and Red Feather, which is old ranches and forest and out of the range of second homes.
 
Nice pics and reports. Love riding through WY & CO. Also have seen your touring hints in the mag.

Larry - Next-Door tent at Gillette

Hey Larry, stop by next time you're through this way! There're some nice roads in this area, even though most of them will be closed soon.
 
Thanks for posting the pictures, it brought back some memories of the great riding we did around WY this summer. I rode out to Gillette for the Rally and spent some time riding around the area. Really enjoyed the state, probably will try to work WY into a trip next year.

Steve
 
Beautiful area and great photos! Thanks for taking the time and making the effort to share with us!
 
Thoroughly enjoyed the pictures. The simple narrative truly highlighted the vast west and really worked well with the content. Definitely got the " cowboy spinnin' a yarn" from your report. Loved it, thanks!:thumb
 
Thanks Vagabird for sharing the pics, I grew up in Livermore in the 50's and 60's. Great country, I rode out to see my sister in Fort Collins the last part of May, I was dis-appointed to see that the place my family built in the early sixties had burned down, it was that place on the west side of 287 just on top of the hill from the Forks hotel. Last May was the first time I had been back since 1987, many many changes.....Thanks again...........................Mike
 
many many changes.....

I've only lived in this area for seven years and have already seen lots of changes - mostly houses filling in the beautiful empty spaces. I love the little church in Virginia Dale that burned down and was rebuilt exactly the same. Now I'll give a little wave to The Forks each time I go by. :wave
 
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