SUMMER RIDERS

[bonfy]

What fun that was checking out your videos and pics, DNK!   I can't believe we were cavorting in the same vicinity yet no rondevoux.  Kind of like the posse on the trail of Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.  Well, here is how my trip played out.

Started up toward Alamosa with WannDucBad on Sunday afternoon.  Had to hitch the ponies under a tree to put on the raingear right off the bat.  Notice the difference between WDB's and bonfy's payload.  That gym bag wasn't even half full yet my bags were overflowing.



Stopped in Ojo Caliente to put on my raingear.  I rolled it up under my jacket so as not to ruin the look.



Got into some serious weather up by Alamosa so stabled the ponies till the next morning.  WDB and I parted ways at that point. 

This was the road up to the West Willow Creek trailhead of San Luis Peak.  It was 9 miles of gravel so that put a fine edge on my nerves of steel.



Trailhead by Equity Mine and there is that daggummed storm cloud already threatening:



Lance begged to carry the backpack for awhile so I let him: 



He wanted to keep going, but the summit is over there to the far left and we still had a good 2 hours of climbing left to make it.  I was skeered of the lightening so down we went.   



More to come...

[bonfy]

Moving right along...

This was the road back out which kicks out at Creede:



After that I took 149 up through Lake City and over Slumgullion Pass.  I love that road.  It was the first time I did it on a bike though.  Of course, I got pounded by the same storm system that robbed me of the peak. 



Wet, but happy:



Stayed in Gunnison and had a nice dinner and warm bed for my birthday.  Thanks to everyone for the birthday wishes!!  You guys are great!

Next day, up through Crested Butte to do Kebler Pass.  I did this in the early 80's with my ex-husband.  I was on a GT550 Suzuki and he was on a GS1100E Suzuki.  My memory must have lost some parts of this road or its just easier to do it with someone along.  My nerves were all but shattered by the time I kicked out at Paonia.  But I know my bike alot better now.  I kept it upright but at the beginning of the wet stuff, I didn't see how I was going to get out of there without utilizing the framesliders. 

It was 27 miles of dirt, mud, and gravel.  I didn't even see any BMR's or Tigers up there.  One KTM.  This was at the beginning, no big deal:



Incredible landscape, I could barely keep my eyes on the road:



All was going swell as I made the summit of Kebler Pass:



Then came the water trucks...

[bonfy]

Meanwhile, back on Kebler Pass there were tons of aspens and different peaks coming into view around every curve. 



Then I noticed the road was getting moist and then somewhat muddy.  A few miles later, I saw the reason why as a water truck approached.  He was kind enough to turn off the spray about three yards before he passed me.  At that point, I resigned myself to picking up the bike sometime between then and the next 17 miles.  I never went much over 10 or 15 miles an hour because it was all downhill and I envisioned hanging by my termis from the upper branches of a tree on some of the bends.

I pulled over here for a photo op, but I swear it was way worse in the corners.  I was too freaked out to stop for pictures.  I know, Lance already told me I'm a big weinie.  If I had been on the Count's V-strom, this would have been a ton more fun.  Lance demanded to be put on the front forks for a better view of the impending crash at this point, but I convinced him that he would get more mud action if he stayed on the back:



It started raining the last 5 miles just to make sure that I had the full experience.  I don't think I could ever do that road in a cage now.  It would be like riding a merry-go-round in lieu of the rollercoaster.

Yeah, so if anyone wants to know how Kebler Pass is, there is still some gravel up there (on the corners):



Here we go, back on asphalt in Paonia and McClure Pass ahead.  Nothing but net:



Coming up through Marble, Redstone, and Carbondale, the Crystal was running high.  I used to go to the kayak races here:



Gas  $4.00
Carwash  $7.00
A seat-clinching motorcross adventure on a Monster:  Priceless



Not for the squeamish:



Mud on a Duc?

[DucMouse the Mighty]

   DAMNMNMNMN!!!!!  i have never seen so much  mud on duc before...... 

very ncie pics!!!! looks like spankin good fun

[kingbaby]

Kawboy, wish i could say i was holding the camera, but the gas tank did a better job than i could ever do.  The camera is the size of Zoolanders cell phone. Some of you will get that.

Bonfy, You smelly pirate hooker !!! You're makin' me look bad.  We started the Carbondale ride via Aspen.   
Once again that road, then continuing through Paonia then 92 east to hwy 50  is as good as it gets.   Looks like you had a moment, or should i say many that you will be remembering for many years to come.  Looks like the Palidin took good care of you despite Lance.   Oh yeah... where did you pick up that Calvin Kryin dress ?  that will go well with your C.F.M. kickstand plate.
Thanks for sharing your trip with us .  We loved it !

Ok Ducmouse, your up.  Just because there are no pics we'll let it slide this time. Or are there ?  I know you had an adventure.
 The crowd is on the edge of their seats.     or in my case 

[bonfy]

    I AM a smelly pirate hooker!  I love that!  Lance thinks it's hilarious, too.  How'd you know!


The original destination for the trip was Glenwood Springs so here is a token shot of the hot springs.



How is it hogs always find the duc and pen him in?



See that thing hanging off that Harley guy's handgrip?  For those of you who don't know already, that's called a get-back whip. I mean, of course, I HAVE one, but it never occurred to me to take it on the road.   If I were to want one for the road, I would like it to be at least 20-25 feet long, so I could warn cars in front of me with a flick of the wrist, that I am getting ready to pass.   I don't recall seeing one of those in the Dainese or Ducati catalogue.  I guess you can find them at Harley shops.  Since I have never darkened the threshold of one of those places, I guess I will have to use my termis to keep the cagers aware of my presence.   



 Chilled out for a couple days, then headed back yesterday around 1:30PM taking the Grand Junction route.  Went through Montrose, Ouray, and Durango.  I didn't run into the construction over the pass that DNK did because I went through around 7:45 so they were through for the day.  Man, that road is so much smoother than last year.  I missed the Red Mountain Summit sign and after passing all the slow traffic, it wasn't worth turning around to get the shot, then having to pass them all again.  So I got the next summit shot.  Lance is such a ham and he wants credit for every little thing he does.   



Looking back toward Ouray:



Never made it to Minnesota though.  Next trip.



I picked up another warning in Colorado.  The trooper motioned both me and a cager over.  He ran her stuff first while I waited and  then he came back and told me to go on because he had to do a bunch of things with the lady's "stuff".  What a relief, because all my paperwork was under the seat and it would've looked like a bomb went off in an outfitter's store if I had had to unload the bike to get to it.  He warned me to keep my speed down.  I was only 10 over which is nothing short of a miracle.  I swear it is the gear.  They just really appreciate people who wear it, I think. 

By now it was getting dark, but no way was I getting a room when I was three hours from home.  I got in at 12:30.  Just kept my eyes peeled and my speed down.  I did see two deer right before a bridge in Aztec.  Sucked the seat right up and it was a good remeinder that the signs are for real. 

[kingbaby]

Ladies & gentlemen...  This is the real deal.
Lets all get off our asses & ride.

But i would have to believe you could probably get your whip packed somewhere on that erection set of yours.     OOPS ! I meant erector.     
my devil duc made me say it  
 

[bonfy]

  DAMNMNMNMN!!!!!  i have never seen so much  mud on duc before...... 

Hee!  Hee!  Hee!   Ah know!  I am half expecting a summons before the Ducati Board of Directors about misuse and abuse of equipment.  I need a good talking to about alot of stuff ducati related.      I am trying to make my little Paladin into a dual-sport bike.  I took it straight to the carwash right after I got it unloaded in Glenwood.  I know it was appalling and I will choose another route next time.  Hopefully it is no worse for the wear and it certainly toughened me up.  I am not such a nervous wreck in gravel parking lots after those roads.

   About the whip, I used to have a real nice bull whip.  It disappeared mysteriously and I never figured out who it was that got tired of it.  For all I know, it was WDB.  I used all manner of disciplinary methods on those little hellions.   

[DucMouse the Mighty]

Ok Ducmouse, your up.  Just because there are no pics we'll let it slide this time. Or are there ?  I know you had an adventure.
 The crowd is on the edge of their seats.     or in my case 

i only took 2 pics!!

mojo my hero, fitting a six pack in her jacket 

and then another of Pepe and trent cozyin up in her garage!! 

we saw some spankin awesome places, but i was to busy with bloody mary, or chatting it up!!!

maybe next time i'll learn to bring a camera and get pics......but there will never be pics of the nite time hootin-nanny 

[bonfy]

E-bay, Girlfriend!  Git yourself one of these newfangled digital cameras for cheap!  Then you, too, can be a postin' fool!

I forgot to mention, the reason I didn't press on to Minnesota was ferret-based.  But I arrived home and found Boo in excellent health so the trip was an all-around success (with the exception not getting San Luis Peak).



Happy 4th of July, everyone!

[hunkypunk]

Sorry no camera tonight but let me see if I can paint a picture:

Cool summer twilight, skeeters hovering over the Ozark swamps in the ditches off to the side of the road. Rumbling down a twistie Rt 66 somewhere outside Springfield Missouri is the sound of a motorcycle not often heard in these parts, not like a hog, but more like the sound of a fine tuned, Formula One, deep throated, whistling and high fivin the sky, along comes an 05 s4r from behind a hill, up and over, the crows in the center of the road eating fresh armadillo road kill, take rapid flight as Hunky Punk soars thru, twistin the throttle, downshiftin before the curves and generally acting like a high desert hooligan out here in the bible thumpin road side prayin section of old rt66.
Then in town riding around the square, heads turning, I can see myself in a storefront window and my reflection can see me, I scope out all the cafes and cool spots I plan to hit in the morning, I pull up to a light, next thing I know out of nowhere Johnny squad car pulls alongside, he rolls the window down, I am actually worried the lights are coming on next.....he actually says "Hey oldtimer, my dad had a Ducati, a yeller one, single cylinder 450. We dont see too many of those around here....you drive safe now and have a happy 4th.

Relieved I got on Interstate 44 and drove about 30 miles back to my hotel, now dark, families and friends along side the roads gathered to light off fireworks together, drink and barbeque....well as I rode home the sky over the freeway was painted with fire and sparks and colors....I thought I was having a flashback to The Grateful Dead movie when the skeleton is riding down some acid dripping freeway pinball machine with the sky a tapestry of light, fire and rainbows....
Happy 4th of July everyone!

[Scottish]

You frighten me......

[bonfy]

He scares me, too!   

That was an excellent account of your day on the Monster.  Somewhere between Hunter S. Thompson and Norman Rockwell.  OK, with a little Stephen King thrown in with the scarey armadillo roadkill and twilight zone county mountie. 

We look forward to your arrival back to the Land of NMMR.   

[hunkypunk]

Well my trip has wound down to the last night, I am in Tulsa, OK and my trip wouldnt be complete without buying another vintage
1970s Italian bike that I found here so I am going to try to squeeze my purchase into the trailer in the morning and I should be home tomorrow night. I am burned out from driving and have 600 more miles to drive in the morning.

[DucMouse the Mighty]

Well my trip has wound down to the last night, I am in Tulsa, OK and my trip wouldnt be complete without buying another vintage
1970s Italian bike that I found here so I am going to try to squeeze my purchase into the trailer in the morning and I should be home tomorrow night. I am burned out from driving and have 600 more miles to drive in the morning.

ppppfffft, 600 miles is nothing 

i cant wait to check out ur new toy when u get back!!!