Passed Out In CO & Washed Up In UT!!! Big Bikes Conquer The Elements Of The West!!!

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DAY 5: Lake City to Buena Vista (COBDR)
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9/10/13
Thank you Backcountry Discovery Routes for your awesome services!
Thank you Butler Maps for your awesome maps!





Well, after having a very solid and "smooth" ride yesterday, this day was shaping up to be a wet one! :eek1
We woke up to the distinct sound of loud and frequent pitter patter, the liquid kind, not the 2-legged kind!






At 8:30am we were all fueled up and braced ourselves for an all day shower.





Regardless of the rain, it was still a beautiful day to ride! Afterall, things could have been worse, much worse.
I couldn't take that many pics at this stage due to the wet conditions. I need to go buy a GoPro soon!











This scenery and this weather, a photog's dream! Wishing I had room for my DSLR.





















Customary cow pic!



"Burning Man" effect, but in Colorado, not New Mexico!







Fortunately, the weather was starting to cooperate again!



But we needed to watch our time and stay ahead of a storm that was just behind us. :eek1






We've been rolling on along the COBDR today rather uneventfully.
So, we decided to do a short and quick detour. The funny thing is, it was actually the real road we were going to use as a detour vs. the bypass on the route.
I think it was Home Gulch Rd and Razor Dome Rd? Mike, is this correct?



There wasn't too much mud, but it was enough to make things slip-n-slide fun!







One very happy man that got to play in a little mud.





As I was saying earlier, our day, albeit wet, was pretty much rather uneventful...



And then we ran into this guy... Jason from RawHyde...



And his group of 5 BMW GS riders...



Note to self: Be careful what you wish for because things are about to get pretty damn interesting.

I really loved your pictures, the overcast made for some great ones. Thank you for this wonderfull report.

Thank you so much, rongsx1100g! Jeremy and Mike took some great pics too. The overcast weather was absolutely perfect to shoot, when it wasn't raining.
I'm glad you're enjoying the report thus far.

Nice work on the RR, I'm enjoying every minute. The caged Badger was like a trip in the Way-Back Machine for me. My Dad had a Tasmanian Devil in a box when I was a kid, and at our frequent house parties, I'd pull it out for any new victims. Nothing better for a 7 year-old than scaring the bejesus out of drunk adults!

Great ride report, I had been thinking that you guys were going to be riding out and back. It's probably best that you hauled out.

Oh my, Hermy! You little Tasmanian Devil you! It was hillarious and totally made our day. It's one of my favorite moments! Thank you for tuning into our report! I am glad to hear you're enjoying it. I'll get back to posting again tomorrow.

Hi Hair! Glad you tuned in. If we had more time it would've been fun to ride out there and back, maybe next time. Glad you like the RR thus far.

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DAY 5 Continued: Lake City to Buena Vista (COBDR)
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Apart from the mini-detour we took to play in a little bit of slick mud, our ride had been pretty calm.

And then we ran into Jason from RawHyde and a group of 5 BMW GS Riders on our way to Pitkin. *I actually found the guys here.
I hope they chime in with pics and vids since I was too busy holding on for my life to take any!

We were all stopped at an intersection for a little break and they were waiting for 1 of their riders whom we passed about 10 minutes back.


Jason came over to chat and to get a closer look of the shorty that just got off Jeremy's bike! Was it a child?! LOL! I apparently, I gave him a good laugh!
It turned out we were all headed to Pitkin for lunch. We were going to go via Waunita Pass and they were going off course via a different climb and asked if we wanted to come along.

Now who would pass up on that invite?!
Not anyone there that day who was looking for a little something different and off the grid... we were in! be careful what you wish for...

I don't know exactly where we went and what it was called but...


...it was well past this marker...



...it was past a bunch of hay stacks...



...and there were lots of cows at the turn off...



...somewhere around here...



Does that help?



We got to the starting gate and we were off!



It started off innocent enough, nice meadow, rolling hills, wonderfully scented trees, nice cool breeze... and then...


ARE. YOU. FREAKIN'. KIDDING. ME?!!!






And before I could I open my mouth to say anything, engines were revving and we were moving! My heart was beating in accordance!

Jeremy yelled, "Hang on!" on the Sena and I hung on for dear life on the bumpiest ride we have ever ridden!


It's bumpy!
We're climbing!
We're getting air!
I'm sweating up a storm!
We're speeding up!
It's narrow!
It's rocky!
It's sandy!
Phew! Close call! He saved it! :eek1
We're dodging cow pie being hurled at us by the rider in front riding over them!
It's getting bumpier and it's relentless!
I'm bouncing in the air!
I'm hanging on!
........
Suddenly, I realize... "Oh $hit! We're racing! He's racing!" :eek1
........
So, I stay calm and then scream on the Sena, both reminding and encouraging,
"I'm still here!!! You're doing great, babe! Let's get through this in one piece! This is not a race!"
........
I hear him breathing and calmly say, "I got it, babe! Hang on!"
And we're bouncing again!
And I'm up the air!
........
Suddenly, I realize what this reminds me off, a runaway horse!... I was in Hawaii horseback riding and my horse got spooked and took off with me on board...
........
That's my strategy now, ride this out like a runaway horse! :dllama
........
I stood up a majority of the time absorbing the shock with my lower body.
And held on tightly to him as best I could with my short arm spam.
And I'm in the groove now.
And we're flowing as one rider on his bike.
And I'm comfortable enough to take in everything around me.
........
I couldn't see Mike and Russ as we had made our way and held on to 4th position.
There were 2 GS's right in our sight.
I thought "Wow! They ride on the GS's so effortlessly! Graceful! Smooth!
........
Suddenly, the rider in front of us crashed trying to avoid running into the rider in front of him who slowed down.
Even the fall was graceful!
We avoided crashing into him or running him over.
We stopped.
Phew, a little break for me.
He was fine. Jason helped him up and we were off again.
........
And it's back to my galloping wild horse!
Jeremy was doing great!
We could feel Jason on our tail!
We let him go!
He was big smiles as he passed us.
We were still in 4th!
........
And then the rode calmed and we were on our way to Pitkin!




As someone still new to this particular world of adventure, I was in shock!
I was relieved! I was overjoyed that we made it! I was astonished at the accomplishment - by everyone!

My arse was sore, my lower body was sore, my arms were sore, my fingers were still in the "death grip" mode,
I was sweating from the workout, my body was still intact and everyone made it through OK.


Now - it was time to eat! :dg:dg:dg





Mike and Russ had to wait a long time for their hamburgers and Russ' chocolate shake that they ate it up super fast as soon as it got to the table.
The store was cute and cozy, but if you're in a rush, know what you're getting before you get there and get your order in ASAP, otherwise, prepare to wait...



While lunching and discussing the final planned ride for the day, Jason mentioned Tin Cup.
He said, "Tin Cup is the ride you really want to do. It's one of the famous and popular passes in CO. You gotta do Tin Cup.
You did Black Bear and all those passes, so you're gonna love it. It might get sketchy 2-up though."
And with those last few words, I knew we were doing Tin Cup.



Jason and his guys were going to go a different direction and maybe do Tin Cup at the tail end, so who knew if we were going to see them again,
so I snapped a quick pic with him - soooo tall!



Just before he left, he yelled out, "See ya sweetie! HANG ON TIGHT! YOU GOT YOURSELF A WILD MAN!"
It turns out, the reason why he was all big smiles as he passed us on the trail = we/I was cracking him up, bouncing up and and down on the back hanging on for dear life!



We all packed up and were on our way!



En route, as we got to Cumberland Pass, we were all fully aware we needed to get to Tin Cup before the rain. Little did we know how critical it was to do so at that time.





And there was the marker for the turn off, we were all so excited!





It started off innocent enough, nice meadow,



rolling hills,



wonderfully scented trees,



nice cool breeze with an added beautiful lake...



...and then...


DEJA. FREAKIN'. VU!!!











VERY BIG ROCKS. SOME LOOSE. THE WHOLE WAY. FROM BEGINNING TO END. And we did not know that at the time!





I did walk a small section where it was too loosy goosy.






SO PROUD!



At this point we thought, we did it! The rest of the way would surely be nothing like this and would get better, so we pressed on.






There. Was. More!


This was BRUTAL!
I was so proud of Jeremy, Mike & Russ!
They were hanging in there on what proved to be a grueling day!
More so than planned!
Despite being 2 up, Jeremy was still fast, so we were in the lead.
We had the summit in our sights.
I looked back to check on Mike and Russ.
I saw them, they were moving along.
But, I also saw something else.
And after I said it, I realized I had just made a mistake!
........
"The Beamers are here! They're coming up!" $HIT!
........
Jeremy revved his engine and said, "Ohh no! Not today! Not this ride! We're gonna claim the summit! HANG ON!" $HIT!
........
And I'm back on a runaway horse with my wild man! :dllama
........
We learned a lot from the crazy wild ride to Pitkin.
We were one.
We had one very close call, but he saved it.
I did not panic.
I just hung on. And prayed.






*Not a very flattering pic of me, but Jeremy's pose is worth it!




We made it! About 5 minutes later, Jason and crew arrived and it started lightly raining. Plenty of arm shaking and high fives all around!




About 15 minutes later, I realized Mike & Russ had not yet made it and a couple of the BMW riders were missing as well. And it started to really raining.

I walked over to where I could see the climb, and sure enough they were all stopped just short of the summit within close proximity of each other.
I don't recall exactly what happened, but Russ was stuck in a rocky rut, Mike was just behind him parked on the side as well, and same with the other two.

I yelled at Jeremy on the Sena. Told him and Jason to go down there and help.
Jeremy was able to get Russ' bike out of the rut and ride it up and Jason did the same with one of his guy's bike. Mike and the other guy rode up on their own.
Everyone was OK.


The guys were beat! Get up Mike! We still have to go down! And it was going to be more of the same!




I won't tell you what they thought this should be renamed, but I think you get the idea.



It started coming down and we had to get down before it worsened. I did not want to be sliding down slick rocks! No pics on the descent, had to hang on the rest of way.
We said our "goodbyes" and "goodlucks" to Jason and crew. Jason and Crew, you guys are awesome! Thank you for the 411 -- made our day!


So long San Isabel National Forest!



Thank you for the memories!



Heeelllllooooo Buena Vista! So glad to be here!



We checked in to Super 8 and took much needed showers!



Mike's headlight had died on him during the day so he used Super 8's computer to check around for stores in Buena Vista or Gypsum, tomorrow's destination where he could find a light.



Then we went to pig out! :dg:dg:dg
The owner of Branding Iron Restaurant was just closing up when she saw us approaching and asked if we were there to eat.
We said, "Yes, please!" She was awesome and let us in as her last customers! We tipped well!




I was very proud of everyone! Everyone was proud of each other!
After all the passes yesterday and the grueling last half of today, they deserved a drink. And I was more than happy to buy them a round!
*Me in the pic & the other with Russ's eyes open.



:slurp:slurp:slurp:slurp:slurp:slurp

Cheers everyone! And congratulations on an AH-FREAKIN'-MAZING DAY!!"

:slurp:slurp:slurp:slurp:slurp:slurp

i just got back from colorado a few weeks ago and this rr makes me want to go back for more......

Me too, Joel! I want to go back soon! Let's go!

You guys are suppose to put those rocks back where you found them.

Yes, of course. It went right back where Russ is standing.

Great descriptions of the riding up the passes.
I guess we know why they call them the Rocky Mountains.
These bikes can do amazing things if you trust them and hold on!

Q~

Thanks, Q! I am still amazed at what these bikes can do! :eek1

Amen Questor! I could not believe the punishment this bike withstood for 2 weeks, day after day. Hard hits to the front and rear, bottoming the forks and shock, tires hitting the under plastic, water up to the headlight, buried in mud, big rock hits, tips/crashes, constant shock and vibration for weeks. These bikes are just incredible. We had ZERO mechanical issues and not even so much as a flat The 990 truly is the tank of motorcycles. I rode the 1190 R at the rally and it wasn't my cup-of-tea. Felt very street-oriented, I'd get a sportbike again if I wanted something like that. No upgrade for me this year...no sense messing with something that's working perfectly.

Jason and his boys on the GS Beamers are no joke, those guys could ride. Changed my whole perception of what a big 1200 could do. That side trail we did with them was a blast, there were cow patties, rocks and sticks flying all over and everyone was getting airborne on the whoops. I was behind one of the GS guys leading and he was getting huge air...both wheels way off the ground. I guess we were too, it was awesome. Big smiles and lots of high fives at the top. Next time, we need to take a GoPro. My buddy Steven works there.

I hope that KTM sees value in keeping the 990 Adv around to compete with the F800. I would love to see them bring back the SER. Maybe a 990 this time with a little more fuel range.

Great report. You guys are real troupers. Not everyone who comes west can do pass after pass like you guys are doing. Great riding, and Great report.

Great pics, videos and stories. Spent some time in Utah on a parks tour with my wife on her BMW a couple weeks ago but nothing like the riding you folks are doing. Reading a few ride reports I am definitely coming back to get off the beaten path.

Thank you, Hair! The guys did absolutely great. Doing this RR makes me want to go there again - and someday on my own bike.

Thanks, dryden_rider_54! Utah is so beautiful. Glad you guys were able to tour the parks before the shutdown. We did Utah after CO, so stay tuned for those posts - the fun continues.

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DAY 6: Buena Vista to Gypsum (COBDR)
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Thank you False Fire Alarm @ 6:00am!
We needed to get up anyway





9/11/13
Thank you Backcountry Discovery Routes for your awesome services!
Thank you Butler Maps for your awesome maps!







After that wonderful 6am "wake up call"...

*Thank you to all the Emergency Response and Services Industry Personnel! You guys rock!


...we ate breakfast! I never missed a free breakfast on this trip - afterall, it's the most important meal of the day!




When we went outside, it was raining pretty hard. Mike decided to look for a headlight in Gypsum as we needed to get on the road asap before the weather turned worse.


I must say, I love love love my Motoport Gear! It kept me warm and dry when I needed to be, and cool and comfortable the rest of time!
Other than my own sweat, I never felt a drop!



We were on our way! Missed the first turn by a smidgen.







A nice little water crossing to kick off the day!



First up = Test subjects, Jeremy & me
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Next = Mike
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Next = Russ
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After that nice little puddle, we were back on the road taking in the scenery.





The rain had picked up and we decided to stop for a bit and see if it would calm some before we continued.



While waiting, we met a very lovely couple who were doing the COBDR on their way to the KTM Rally too! Chris (c.vestal) and Kelly (Region Riley).
They had caught on to our tracks, some swirly.


Chris



Kelly



Chris participated in the Baja Rally on 10/5 & 10/6 and finished 5th! Awesome job, Chris!
http://www.bajarallymoto.com/
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=869867
If you're looking for a "functional, light weight, durable, bolt on, Rally Kit for your KTM", he is the President of Rally Moto Kit LLC


Kelly is awesome too! She's a shorty just like me and has her own ride, which I hope to have someday. Here's her Shortypants threads with helpful 411 for us shorties!
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=669666
http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=765940



The rain had subsided just a tad, enough for all of us to continue on with the ride. Chris & Kelly left ahead of us and we'd be on the lookout for their tracks.








And just when we thought it was getting better, the rain picked up...

Here's Jeremy and me 2up...
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The rain continued to pour...



Mike



Russ


...and the roads got wetter and slicker...






At this point, Mike and Russ decided to get off the COBDR and slab it direct to Gypsum, having had enough of the rain and mud which seemed at the time to be worsening.
While Jeremy and I would continue on the COBDR.
Well, actually we were going to "assess" and "see how we were feeling" and then "both agree" on what to do. rolleyes

Mike would text us the hotel info when he got into town.


Once again, we went our separate ways.



Did Jeremy and I make the right call?



Or was there going to be a lot of "Rough & Tumbling" ...sliding... ahead of us? :eek1
We kept seeing Chris & Kelly's tracks as we rode, except for when we each had our own "detour" and got just a little bit of course.



Another water crossing! This one was longer, but it was mostly shallow. No problem! This is also where we caught back up to Chris and Kelly's tracks!



And another fun water crossing!



Shortly thereafter, we noticed it had stopped raining. We made the right call!
There were drops, but the rain had pretty much subsided though the dark storm clouds loomed above us.







Fearing our luck with the weather wouldn't continue, we pressed on.











So, we thought there would be some kind of snack or store near/around Turquoise Lake - we were wrong.
So, Jeremy and I had a little snack on the road and were deciding if we would abandon the COBDR here and head to Leadville to eat and move on to Gypsum - or not.
We decided to go ahead and would make our way to Hagerman Pass where we would "assess" and "see how we were feeling" and then "both agree" on what to do.



On our way to Hagerman, I thought about how Mike & Russ' ride had been en route to Gypsum. Here are their pics.
It turned out that they got dumped on with rain :eek1, but were ok riding.
They made it to Leadville where they had a nice sit down lunch and checked into a hotel when they got to Gypsum.
Actually, there is apparently no public lodging available, so they went to Eagle where they found a nice Comfort Inn.










In the meantime, we were making our way to Hagerman.
I was starting to worry about the weather as the clouds above and ahead of us darkened. These passes for the most part are "impassable when wet".









There's snow!



I couldn't take very many pics as the trail was wet and loose, so I had to hang on tight!







Well... what do we have here... another water crossing. This one would be longer and a little deeper in the middle...











And... we have a video!
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We made it! The weather continued to be kind to us!
At the bottom of Hagerman, we had our 3rd (& final) tip over of the trip due to mainly fatigue setting in and loss of balance.
This time there was a couple watching and the man had to help Jeremy. I tried but we were at a slope and the bike was soooo heavy.
The left hand lever protector got bent and the lever itself couldn't move, so Jeremy had to muscle it in order to scrape off material and create a gap
between the protector and lever so the lever would be functioning again.


We got a little bit off course again. But at least we got to see Thomasville.







We turned around and got back on track.



The weather turned for the better and you could see the sun again!









What a great day this turned out to be!





Sooo red!!! Which happens to be my favorite color!









We made it to Eagle! (*There was no lodging of any kind that could be found in Gypsum.)



We pulled in and Mike was working on his bike's headlight and mirror. As we were chatting about our day, Chris and Kelly rode in!

We got ahead of them when they decided to go to Leadville and have lunch, while we continued on to Hagerman Pass.


*Best pic I could get of the group.



Dinner at Pastatively, which is walking distance from Comfort Inn, was UBER-DELICIOUS! The conversation was fantastic!
We all got to know each other better and talked about the ride today and tomorrow...


Apparently, tomorrow I would be finding out if these bikes could float! errr... glide!