No Particular Place To Go

Heading out this evening after work on my wife's V-Strom..

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https://spotwalla.com/tripViewer.php?id=748d51e342330c4ab

Give me a couple of weeks and I'll try to fix the embedding. *sigh*

John

Uploading pics now. Going to take awhile. Ran into so FF's out and about and had an excellent ride. Clicking the link above will show my SPOT track..

John

Plan is to leave town immediately after work Friday. I choose a pay lot near the buildings I'm usually in so that I can occasionally take a peek at the bike to make sure it's still there and of course to make sure I still have something left to live for to get me through the day.



The whistle blows and I'm out of here!

Some bits of weather to watch as I ride off into the sunset.



Dinner will be at a non-descript truck stop Taco Bell. I gotta make some miles tonight.



It occurs to me that I can kill two birds with one stone. I've always been curious about the Katy Trail, and I bet there is a bench I can sleep on.



Of course, it's a brazillian degrees and humid. I can't sleep and it's just as well because the facility closes a couple of hours ago. As I'm getting back on the bike, security comes to likely check me out. Heading up the road a bit, there's a Roadway Inn that's got my name on it. The guy who checks me in has a pile of Arduino stuff back on the desk and tells me all about it when I ask. Pretty cool, and I regret not getting a couple of pictures of it and him.

Not bad progress for an evening's ride.



John

I guess it means something, but I'm not sure what. I don't think I've ever had anti-perspirant melt before?



I figure it out and am on the road before too long.



Woohoo!



And some service area fixin's for breakfast..



Kansas, Baby!



Today it's a little bit warm.











Eventually Colorado makes an appearance..



John

So I'm keeping an eye on those clouds and that column of rain, mentally reconciling perceived distance and scale to the map in my head as the miles pass.



I pass just to the West of it at Limon, then soon mountains come into view..



And then I'm in 'em. People can moan and complain about I-70 all they like, but it has brought me to some very nice places over the years.



It's starting to rain, but I know a place. Turns out they've got new management this year and rates are up. Also turns out it's Labor Day weekend, and a Saturday at that, so I pays my money.



And gets a room off the back along the creek..





What a difference a bit of elevation makes..





Grabbed some Mooshi next door..



Then call it a night..



Oh yeah, no 700-miler for me today..



John

I sleep like a baby and the sun comes around the other side as it is wont to do.



Facebook does what it does and before I know it I'm looking at Salida. From Georgetown, one can take the pass and it's supposed to be scenic.



Woot! So off I go, up the hill past the joggers and dog-walkers and the small-yet-mostly-empty town reservoir..



This side of the pass is all paved, and it's a popular destination..





It's nice up-top though, jacket weather and just the right amount, too.



Nice views..







Did I say chilly?







Time to head down the other side..



John

Well..... The other side??? I'm in

After some miles the road becomes nice high-speed graded dirt, although this morning it's a bit wet and a bit slick..



Did I mention it's a bit slick?



But nice and scenic..



It pops out on a main road and I follow the front wheel more or less South..





Rolling into Salida and, what the hell?



Bike gets parked on some new-fangled motorcycle parking across the street nearly right out in front of Fat Tees..



Where a crowd will soon form...



John

Bumped into RTW Doug, did you?

Cool...ADVrs crossing paths...

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=910213

We chill with Hayduke and company..





Gawk at the rig a bit more..



Then I hit the road again. Looks like rain..







It gets better soon though, much better in fact..





Some tunnel business later..







And I find myself at Mesa Verde National Park..



Where I get to watch the rains instead of riding through them..



Home for the night..





John

The other side. I should have taken more pictures. The riding was enjoyable!

Yes! Serendipity and all that. It was a very good day!

I love it when it happens!

John

In as usual scarysharkface be it bike or Jeep.

I'm so far behind on this that when I look at the gallery on smugmug I have a hard time remembering where I took the pictures!

John

I sleep like a baby and am up before the dawn.



Perfect temp for sleeping..



Breakfast in the park..



The CADVR gang is well represented. I'm curious just how many of these things came out of the Neenah Foundry, because I see them all over the place..



This is one of those places where the speed limits are low for a reason. Deer are everywhere this morning, and barely even notice the motorcycle..



Nice road to start the day with..



And a nice view of where I'm not headed..



John

I've been toying with the notion of camping in Yosemite. The family grazed it in late June while on vacation, but I'd like to see more and with the fires I'm guessing there won't be as many people as in June. Well, how to get there from here, right? Looks like I've got a few options, but I'd like to avoid just making for I-80 for a couple of reasons. The smoke is alleged to be making life miserable NE of the park, so I need to enter somewhere South.. I kind of eyeball it and decide I'll take minor roads across Nevada. Okay, so now I've got to get from Cortez, Colorado, to, well, oh hell, I'll just head for Moab where I can look at a bunch of maps and be in Moab..

Getting there..







I love the idea of carving out a home from the rock. I hate the idea of turning it into a tourist trap.



I think this place may be the motherlode of maps..



I get squared away pretty quickly and easily. It looks like a run on I-70 across the state and then a bit of I-15 and I'll be able to get on some 2-lane roads across Nevada. Away from it all, if you will. I don't stay long.



More road work..





It's another great day to be on the bike..



Quick lunch in Green River, then some quality time with some chain lube not too far down the road..



things start to look swell..











Pit stop at the confluence of I-70 and I-15 brings me a better sense of self..



Then it's South again, back into some weather..



John

I skirt most of the rain, but get a little (it was good for a needed cool-down) as I blast down the interstate.



I find my turn and head West..



Beautiful..





Soon I'm in Nevada (if not already) and find fuel and a candy bar for dinner..



Lots of time to be in my own head out here. Nice..





Chain needs some more lovin' and adjustment..



I ride 5 miles South to top-off the tank, then backtrack to the start of The Extraterrestrial Highway..









Those mountains are at least 20 miles away..



The reverse angle..



More..







I'm not entirely certain what the rules of the road are, but I'm probably going to defer to the cow..



It's gotta be the aliens..



Of course, I'm doing my part...



Although there is nothing that makes riding into the light at dusk much better than bearable, light-wise when it's open range land..



I got a room at the Best Western in Tonopah and took a walk in search of vittles..

Kind of a creepy town after dark, and I didn't feel safe..





I ended up walking the other direction to the Shell station convenience store across from the motel. A couple of guys hanging around out front followed me inside, circled and one of them tried to chat me up. The guy behind the counter wouldn't take his eyes off them even while ringing me up for pop tarts and a gatorade (I paid in loose change). They followed me out and got on either side, so I ran out into the street in front of a serendipitously-timed car. It honked, they scattered and I ran back to the motel. It was not a high point of the trip.

But nothing happened so maybe I'm just reading too much into it..

Today's miles..



John

Nice open road... i'm in!

Enjoying the RR, nothing like taking off and riding by yourself.
Covering some ground too.