|
I left Penrose that morning heading west on U.S. 50. What a beautiful ride! I twisted through the mountains, and along the Arkansas River for many miles as I tried to decide how to head to Mesa Verde, CO. This area of Colorado is arid as you can tell by the pictures, but as you gain altitude, the mountains become greener and often snow patched, even in the summer time. I cannot express in words the awsome beauty of riding through here on two wheels.
I continued on towards Salido Colorado, where I had to decided which way to go, to the right was the high road, scenic and green, but quite a few more miles to get to where i wanted to go. I don’t generally carry a map, so I was reliant upon memory and if it got bad enough I would get out the laptop and check my gps coordinates. I decided when I got west of Salido, to just turn left onto U.S. 285. I was not familiar with this road, and unless you are in a hurry to get to a destination at one end of it, well, it is flat and boring once you leave Poncha Pass.  It can be a high speed ride to the turn I took near Center, CO. The road is flat and without turns, I thought for a while I was back home in Texas, but I was skirted on both sides by Mountains, and as I neared Monte Vista, I could see the Great Sand Dunes of Colorado. I was tempted to visit them, but I have been there several times when I was younger, and I didn’t really cherish the thought of that much sand near my bike today!!!
I turned right near Center and headed towards Del Norte, and I was beginning to need fuel, both for me and the bike. I found fuel for the bike and was told of a good place to eat there, but it was packed and I decided to keep riding to South Fork. It had been many years since I had been there, it has changed. I ate at a small Mexican restaurant there and marvelled at the stares of people as I dismounted the and remounted the roadpig.
I had been listening to thunder while I was eating, and though I hoped for the best, reality was setting in as I neared the Fun Valley Campground heading towards Pagosa Springs. I stopped on the side of the road in the rain to put on my rainsuit!! I am sure the 4 wheeled vehicles were laughing as they saw me struggling to get into the one piece suit I use. In fact, I was laughing in between mutterings that I will not repeat here!!
As I rode onward, I was reminded of a time, many years ago, with my parents, we were on our yearly summer trip. I can see it now, and as I passed the place, which I will never forget, I pictured our Chevy Suburban with travel trailer in the middle of the highway.. fuel pump out!! Yep, I was driving when it quit, the 454’s then had a tendency to eat fuel pumps in the 60k mile range, and ours made it to 61k on that suburban. We held up traffic for quite some time till we got a tow to the next pullout and I changed the pump on the side of the road.  memories..... We will have none of that breaking down stuff now!!!
I caught up with some other riders about halfway up the pass, and I could tell the rear rider was not liking the rain, it was also chilly up at the divide, but as we crossed over the sun began to peak out again and we all stopped at a pullout that overlooks the Pagosa side of the pass. The view was breathtaking, and of course I had to take a couple of pics of the bike. The trip is about the bike, right?
As I lumbered down the remainder of the pass,  I entered Pagosa Springs and headed on West. Pagosa has grown also, but there were familiar sites that I recognized. I will have to come back here on the bike again and ride around. Now I have to head towards Durango, and it was getting hot again! read more....
|
