Solo to Colorado

[fotobo]

I have been going to Colorado pretty much every summer for a long time now. All my trips until now have been with a group or at least one other guy. This year would be different. I knew of several different groups that were going but their schedules did not coincide with mine. Then I was talking to one of my riding buddies and found out he was going but he was going with his two brothers and the significant others of all three. They were going to the Lake City area but along with their bikes, they were also taking a jeep and a Razor. Although I am not really into 4 wheeling I decided I would go to the same area and ride bikes with them on the days they rode.

I had a week to be gone, so I started to make plans. Actually the only plans I made was which bike or bikes to take. I am fortunate in that I have three motorcycles. An 08 KLR 650, an 09 KTM 400 (lights but not street legal) and an 09 WR250R. I wasn't sure exactly where I was going to be riding except that I knew I wanted to check out some single track that my good buddy Dickosaurous had told me about. I tried to get him to go with me but he had other obligations. I also wanted to do some dual sport riding while my buddies and their gals were 4 wheeling.

I seriously considered taking the KLR and the KTM but finally decided to just take the little Yammy and simplify things. It is street legal, extremely quiet and it is fuel injected so no worry about jetting. It is pretty much a compromise motorcycle. It will do everything the other two will do. The KLR is better for longer distances and the KTM is better for single track but the little Yammy is not bad at either one and it gets over 50 mpg. So I loaded the WR up and off I went.



Leaving Tulsa with the little Yamaha in the back of my truck.

[fotobo]

I really had not planned to do a ride report on this trip because I didn't think there would be much interest in it. After all, I am being a wuss and hauling my bike out instead of riding like a lot of other guys do. I wouldn't be doing any camping off the bike. I would be camping in my truck but returning after each days ride to the truck. I admire the guys that do that and am going to try it one of these days. That's what I keep saying anyway.

A lot of my buddies have been asking me about the trip so I figured the best way to tell them about it is to just do a ride report. Who knows there may be some other really bored people out there that might want to look at it too.



As I said earlier, I didn't really have plans but I began to form some as I went along. A couple of years ago when I was at Grand Canyon Natl Park and I was going into the entrance gate to the park I saw a sign that said lifetime membership to all the Natl parks for $10.00 to anyone 62 yrs or older. I had just turned 62 so I jumped right on it. I forgot to mention that I'm an old dude. That gave me an idea for a bucket list. I would try to visit all 58 Natl parks and purchase a shot glass from each one for a souvenir. As I was headed towards Lake City I saw a sign that said Great Sand Dunes Natl Park 16 miles. Since I had no schedule, I decided this would be a great opportunity to add to the bucket. So I took the 16 mile detour. It was definitely worth it.

[ScootTour]

I have to admit I am a member of the 'you should ride your bike from your front door' community but for me that is part of what makes trips fun. That said I used to ride my bicycle on questionable streets until it occured to me that just because I have the balls to do it doesnt mean it was fun, so I stopped because those routes were not fun.

I am planning a solo trip very soon, it will be my first solo. The fun part for me is that I have no idea where I am going until I leave.

[eakins]

have fun. great time of year to ride colorado.

[katbeanz]

No shame in hauling, just got back friday from a couple weeks in CO myself.

[mikem9]

Originally Posted by katbeanz

No shame in hauling...

I agree. To me that question is just a matter of preference, often determined by the motorcycle of choice for a particular journey. I think it's a little odd when some inmates give other inmates a hard time because they trailered their bike. Most people I ride with have done both. One friend rode his GS from Atlanta to the tip of South America and back. Then, the next year, he trailered his DRZ (non S version) out to Colorado to ride singletrack. It was just a preference thing.

I'm in. Look forward to your report.

[HighFive]

Guess I'm bored.....already. Count me in!


HF

[fotobo]

The sand dunes are really cool.





I got a map of the area at the visitor's center. By the way they didn't have any shot glasses at the visitor's center, so I had to settle for a fridge magnet. The lady at the visitor's center said there was a store down the road that had them but I didn't see the store as I was leaving so that gives me an excuse to go back.



The dunes very tall and steep.

I saw on the map that there was a 4 wd road going out of the park to the North. I asked the lady at the visitor's center what type of vehicles are allowed on it. She said street licensed vehicles only. I asked her about riding my bike and she said I could if it is licensed but that I wouldn't be able to go through the deep sand. It is mostly 4wd jeeps on it. I said well I will go as far as I can and turn around when the sand gets deep.

So I unloaded the WR right in front of the visitor's center. The great thing about a street legal motorcycle. Since the girl told me it was deep sand and I wouldn't be able to go very far, I decided to not put my riding boots on. After all I was just going to be riding down the road a little ways. That was a mistake. No, I didn't crash or anything but the deepness of the sand was over estimated. I was able to go as far as I wanted to. I only went about 10 miles up and back would have gone farther and faster if I had my boots on. You would think I would know better.









There was lots of signs to scare people. I found that if you could keep your speed up to about 30 or 35 it was no problem. You just couldn't go through it slow. It was actually a lot of fun. There was high banked turns that you could rail off of. I was really wishing I was on my KTM with all my gear on. I couldn't get too crazy though. Didn't want to get hurt on my first day.

[fotobo]

Originally Posted by HighFive

Guess I'm bored.....already. Count me in!


HF

When you guys did the Rainbow, did you ride all the way into the park? I know that's where the Rainbow ends. Have never ridden the Rainbow all the way, so I am not sure where it enters the park. It may enter on the road I was riding on.

[Vinduroman]

I'm in!

Can't get enough Colorado!

You sound like my kind of rider, fotobo. I prefer to trailer my dual sport bike long distances to save the wear and tear of traveling hundreds of miles on my bike/tires on boring pavement. No thanks. I have my touring bike for road trips.

FWIW: This same "trailer" thing (wuss for trailering/idiot for not) takes place regardless of the ride forum venue. Seen it on the HD forum/etc.

Post up and let's go!

V-man

[fotobo]

The aspens are starting to turn. This was my second day there. By the end of the week they had turned even more.

[OKlr]

i'm in.

[rangecon1976]

Fellow okie here, I'm in!

[fotobo]

Originally Posted by rangecon1976

Fellow okie here, I'm in!

Good to have fellow Okies on board.

[Newner]

Solo to Colorado........... All the cool kids are doing it.