Nice Ride on the Plains

oldmanb777 · 02-16-2013, 08:45 PM

We had a nice ride on the Eastern plains today. We met up at the gas station in Larkspur as planned, then headed east.

I don't think onyone got pix of the icey road just east of I-25. Nice county maintained gravel road, but with a supprise. The shady areas had ice and snow pack covering them.

but everybody made it up the hill with no misshaps.

It was a beautiful day, sunny, with promissing temps in the upper 50's. The wind was at our backs and we were destined for some county gravel.

oldmanb777 · 02-16-2013, 08:55 PM

We headed east on as much dirt/gravel as we could find. The vistas are amazing our there.

Not all these pix are in order. I should have started at the beginning, but thats no fun. So to back up a piece, When we left Highlands Ranch, it seemed logical to go over Daniels Park. so a photo op on top was good. besides we needed a pix of "newbie" Glen and his new (to him) KLR. Glen is a Harley rider, but we tried to be polite anyway.

Of course when he asked when we would stop at the bar for a burger, we just had to give him a bad time about that. after all we were here to ride.

oldmanb777 · 02-16-2013, 09:01 PM

I actually managed to get a pix of Rich in front of me on the frontage rd. And without crashing

Riding with one hand, and shooting the pix with the other is too much multitasking.

Then Larkspur to meetup and we were off.

We just kept heading east on whatever road seemed to look interesting. The wind kept getting stonger, but it was at our backs most of the time. Some of the bluffs and hills are real interesting. Some people even have thier own airport.

The runway is behind the bikes.

oldmanb777 · 02-16-2013, 09:08 PM

Heading South we passed a gravel road that looked interesting. Something about dry wash rd or something. So we took that until it ended at a nice retirement home

.As the day wore on, we found ourselves in Ramah. Interesting old town. We should have explored there a little more, but lunch was in order, and Simla is right down the road.

There is a good reaturant in Simla, so we pilled in, and had a great
lunch. I should have tired the pie, it was reported to be excellant.

TNC · 02-16-2013, 09:11 PM

I'd be ashamed to post anything about rides out in those eastern plains...what with the lesser prairie chicken's precarious situation out there.

Considering how far north you guys are, it looks like it was a nice day for a ride.

oldmanb777 · 02-16-2013, 09:13 PM

Then north to hwy 86. The Indian statue on that hiway is worth seeing. So that was the next stop.

Then back on Hiway 86. The wind sure seemed to be stronger heading west, since that was into the wind. All in all a nice day on the plains.

oldmanb777 · 02-16-2013, 09:19 PM

The inmates at a bridge that had a 1.5 ton limit. We made it accross anyway

rwhittak3 · 02-17-2013, 05:55 AM

Thanks for setting it up, Norm. I had a great time, and it was good to meet you guys!

radrak · 02-17-2013, 05:34 PM

Thanks again, Norm, for the great ride! I hope we can get a few more of these in this spring.
Good pics, most of them very similar to mine.

oldmanb777 · 02-17-2013, 06:12 PM

Here area few more pix that I posted for Radrak.

oldmanb777 · 02-17-2013, 06:14 PM

The last one has Pikes Peak in the background, and Glen and Myself in the pix. It was actually a very clear day, although it looks somewhat hazy.
But Pikes Peak is about 70+ miles away. This is the top of Daniels Park Rd.

BudLight · 02-21-2013, 03:45 PM

Sorry I missed this ride.....I used to ride those roads a lot. There is a lot of history on the eastern plains, and when better to ride them than on a dry winter day? Study up on the Smokey Hill Trail, or "Starvation Trail" as they called it. The southern trail was just a little north of Kiowa and Elizabeth. You can still see some wagon ruts across the prairie. I bet you enjoyed your ride!
Bud

oldmanb777 · 02-22-2013, 07:15 PM

So many miss out on what the plains has to offer. It's easy to go by the old wagon tracks, and not realize what they are. Some people suffered hard times to get here, and make a life here. Those tracks speak volumns if you care to hear it. the crys of places like Sand Creek, and Beacher Island will never cease in my brain, especially after visiting those places. Check out a website calle Fort Tours. Site doesn't work well, but show maps and info on lots of old interesting places.

wzd1a · 02-22-2013, 08:10 PM

There is truly a peaceful beauty out there. I could almost picture this wagon heading down the trail:

The Colorado Territory:

I took these pictures at the Elbert Co. Museum.

02-16-2013, 08:45 PM	#1
oldmanb777 ^OP Just say NO to socialism! Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Centennial,Co. Oddometer: 2,785	Nice Ride on the Plains We had a nice ride on the Eastern plains today. We met up at the gas station in Larkspur as planned, then headed east. I don't think onyone got pix of the icey road just east of I-25. Nice county maintained gravel road, but with a supprise. The shady areas had ice and snow pack covering them. but everybody made it up the hill with no misshaps. It was a beautiful day, sunny, with promissing temps in the upper 50's. The wind was at our backs and we were destined for some county gravel.

02-21-2013, 03:45 PM	#12
BudLight Gnarly Adventurer Joined: May 2004 Location: Centennial, CO, Silverthorne, CO Oddometer: 146	Sorry I missed this ride.....I used to ride those roads a lot. There is a lot of history on the eastern plains, and when better to ride them than on a dry winter day? Study up on the Smokey Hill Trail, or "Starvation Trail" as they called it. The southern trail was just a little north of Kiowa and Elizabeth. You can still see some wagon ruts across the prairie. I bet you enjoyed your ride! Bud __________________ 03 DL1000 V-Strom, 2012 Suzuki Burgman Executive 650

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02-16-2013, 08:55 PM	#2
oldmanb777 ^OP Just say NO to socialism! Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Centennial,Co. Oddometer: 2,785	We headed east on as much dirt/gravel as we could find. The vistas are amazing our there. Not all these pix are in order. I should have started at the beginning, but thats no fun. So to back up a piece, When we left Highlands Ranch, it seemed logical to go over Daniels Park. so a photo op on top was good. besides we needed a pix of "newbie" Glen and his new (to him) KLR. Glen is a Harley rider, but we tried to be polite anyway. Of course when he asked when we would stop at the bar for a burger, we just had to give him a bad time about that. after all we were here to ride.

02-16-2013, 09:01 PM	#3
oldmanb777 ^OP Just say NO to socialism! Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Centennial,Co. Oddometer: 2,785	I actually managed to get a pix of Rich in front of me on the frontage rd. And without crashing Riding with one hand, and shooting the pix with the other is too much multitasking. Then Larkspur to meetup and we were off. We just kept heading east on whatever road seemed to look interesting. The wind kept getting stonger, but it was at our backs most of the time. Some of the bluffs and hills are real interesting. Some people even have thier own airport. The runway is behind the bikes.

02-16-2013, 09:08 PM	#4
oldmanb777 ^OP Just say NO to socialism! Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Centennial,Co. Oddometer: 2,785	Heading South we passed a gravel road that looked interesting. Something about dry wash rd or something. So we took that until it ended at a nice retirement home .As the day wore on, we found ourselves in Ramah. Interesting old town. We should have explored there a little more, but lunch was in order, and Simla is right down the road. There is a good reaturant in Simla, so we pilled in, and had a great lunch. I should have tired the pie, it was reported to be excellant.

02-16-2013, 09:11 PM	#5
TNC Candyass Camper Joined: Mar 2007 Location: Tejas Oddometer: 3,341	I'd be ashamed to post anything about rides out in those eastern plains...what with the lesser prairie chicken's precarious situation out there. Considering how far north you guys are, it looks like it was a nice day for a ride.

02-16-2013, 09:13 PM	#6
oldmanb777 ^OP Just say NO to socialism! Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Centennial,Co. Oddometer: 2,785	Then north to hwy 86. The Indian statue on that hiway is worth seeing. So that was the next stop. Then back on Hiway 86. The wind sure seemed to be stronger heading west, since that was into the wind. All in all a nice day on the plains.

02-16-2013, 09:19 PM	#7
oldmanb777 ^OP Just say NO to socialism! Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Centennial,Co. Oddometer: 2,785	The inmates at a bridge that had a 1.5 ton limit. We made it accross anyway

02-17-2013, 05:55 AM	#8
rwhittak3 Adventurer Joined: Sep 2004 Location: Falcon, CO Oddometer: 93	Thanks for setting it up, Norm. I had a great time, and it was good to meet you guys!

02-17-2013, 05:34 PM	#9
radrak not so n00b Joined: Sep 2008 Location: south metro Oddometer: 29	Thanks again, Norm, for the great ride! I hope we can get a few more of these in this spring. Good pics, most of them very similar to mine.

02-17-2013, 06:12 PM	#10
oldmanb777 ^OP Just say NO to socialism! Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Centennial,Co. Oddometer: 2,785	Here area few more pix that I posted for Radrak.

02-17-2013, 06:14 PM	#11
oldmanb777 ^OP Just say NO to socialism! Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Centennial,Co. Oddometer: 2,785	The last one has Pikes Peak in the background, and Glen and Myself in the pix. It was actually a very clear day, although it looks somewhat hazy. But Pikes Peak is about 70+ miles away. This is the top of Daniels Park Rd.

02-22-2013, 07:15 PM	#13
oldmanb777 ^OP Just say NO to socialism! Joined: Nov 2006 Location: Centennial,Co. Oddometer: 2,785	So many miss out on what the plains has to offer. It's easy to go by the old wagon tracks, and not realize what they are. Some people suffered hard times to get here, and make a life here. Those tracks speak volumns if you care to hear it. the crys of places like Sand Creek, and Beacher Island will never cease in my brain, especially after visiting those places. Check out a website calle Fort Tours. Site doesn't work well, but show maps and info on lots of old interesting places.

02-22-2013, 08:10 PM	#14
wzd1a Beastly Adventurer Joined: Jul 2007 Location: Castle Rock Oddometer: 1,097	There is truly a peaceful beauty out there. I could almost picture this wagon heading down the trail: The Colorado Territory: I took these pictures at the Elbert Co. Museum.