Ridin' the Rockies  ... A long Road Home

Having grown up in Colorado, I was delighted to be going home after nearly 38 years. I had moved to the west coast at 16 and had only flown over it since. I was like a kid at Christmas ... in August. Nothing however prepared me for the first sight of those beautiful Rocky Mountains. I had just ...  forgotten, I guess.

We came into the state on hwy 522 from Taos New Mexico. As the mountains loomed in the distance, I began to realize how incredibly majestic they are. And actually purple, just like the song. Before we even realized we were in the state, we suddenly dropped into the quaint little town of San Luis. Proudly displayed on the sign as the oldest town in Colorado. It looked like it would be a very relaxing afternoon break. However, we needed to push on. We still had well over a hundred miles to go. Not to mention the gathering thunderheads were catching our attention.

We crossed the divide by way of La Veta pass at 9400 feet and running up the east side of the mountains, we arrived in Colorado Springs by 4:00 in the afternoon. Traffic was free flowing and we never ran into a jam anywhere in the state. In Colorado, they give you 75 on the freeways. Nobody messes with that. Everyone travels in the right lane moving to the left to pass only. No one is jockeying for position or riding your ass. On occasion you'll see someone speeding and it's usually California plates.

As soon as we checked in, the clouds opened up and we experienced the sweetest smelling thunder storm I had known in 38 years. In 30 minutes it was over. The skies were pearlescent as the sunset broke through and again, I remembered the old saying. "If you don't like the weather here, stick around 30 minutes, It'll change." I sat outside with the stars until I couldn't stay awake any longer.

 The next day was a tourist day and since this isn't the travel channel, I won't drag you though the entire grueling experience. I must say however, we could have had a week and not seen half of the attractions, monuments, parks, etc. just within a 5 mile radius of where we stayed. We did take the cog railway up Pikes Peak to 14,110 ft. Awesome view of things like ... Kansas and New Mexico! Yes, you really can see the next state. Be prepared for a temperature change of 40 degrees at the top. Take your jacket! We climbed through the Manitou Cliff Dwellings, road through the Garden of the Gods, took refuge in the Cave of the Winds during the afternoon thunderstorm, right on time, and climbed the Seven Falls. All in one day! I would recommend them all.

The next morning we were back on the road and this time up to the aspens. Hwy 24 is a beautiful ride up Ute Pass. We were awestruck by the greenery and water cascading down the mountains. "No sign of global warming here," my wife stated with the eyes of a newborn taking in her surroundings. This was her first trip ... well ... anywhere out of California, and she just didn't really know something like this existed. We were on our way to Cripple Creek. an old mining town with a colorful history. The town has undergone a revitalization over the last few decades and with casinos, has become a popular getaway. All the architecture however must be period to the gold rush era of the 1880s. All brick buildings. That law was enacted after half the town burnt to the ground around 1880.

Cripple Creek was hosting a visit of the Viet Nam Veterans Memorial traveling wall. A very moving experience and very indicative of the community. The city has a memorial park in honor of the POWs and MIAs from Colorado and patriotism was flying from every building in town. We paid our respects to old friends and went to explore the community.

There is but one sound on this planet that my wife can zero in on with total zeal and that is the tantalizing ring of a slot machine. She led the way into the Double Eagle, walked right up to a colorful one-armed bandit, sat down and stated, "I'll just be a few minutes". I took 5 minutes to peruse the gift shop and she was ready to go. "20 in ... 60 out. I like this place!" Unfortunately, or fortunately, as the case may be, we had a train to catch. It was about a 90 minute ride on the old narrow gauge steam railway. Up through the old gold mines and beautiful meadows filled with wild flowers.

Cripple Creek, Woodland Park and the entire Ute Pass area offers some of the most scenic riding I have ever experienced. This was my wife's favorite area and without a doubt one of the most beautiful I've ever seen anywhere in the U.S.

The next and last day in Colorado Springs was the most special to me. I grew up in Pueblo,  Colorado and learned to ride motorcycles in 3rd grade. My first best friend, Gary Yates and his brother Kirk, had trail bikes. They taught me how to ride. We would go up to their cabin in Westcliffe and ride these little motorcycles from dawn to dusk. The only time the folks would see us was if we needed fuel, broke something or was hungry. Gary and I lost touch in Junior High, as his family moved north to Colorado Springs.

As luck would have it, after 40 plus years, I spoke to Gary a month before this trip, and now, here he is, pulling up on his Heritage Softail. I can't express the moment. And in about 10 minutes, as if time had nearly stood still, I climbed onto my Road King, my oldest son, Ben, slid onto his Deuce and we were down the road.

Gary led us south west on the 115 through the pleasant farming community of Penrose. We stopped at Coyotes for an awesome breakfast burrito. Well worth the stop. Gary was leading us back up the mountains to Bishops Castle on Hwy 69, in the San Isabel Nat. Forest. Since 1971, this rather eccentric fellow has been building his castle. He has been using rock from the surrounding Nat. Forest and has the Feds rather pissed off at him. Well, he doesn't care for them either. Somehow they are at an impasse and he continues to build. Ben climbed the towers, about 60 feet or so. Gary and I, obviously older and of course much wiser, watched.

Gary looked at the sky and calmly said, "We should be heading back about now, I really don't mind riding in the rain, I just don't want to clean up the bike again". We agreed and since we had about a hundred miles to the barn, we saddled up and left. We made it back to Colorado Springs with plenty of clear skies to spare and enough time for a beer and a bit of catching up. However, there is no way one can account for 40 years in an afternoon so, I guess I have to go back soon. We all would have opted to just stay and look for a house however, we realized we had to go home and with a heavy heart I said goodbye to my old friend and prepared to leave.

Heading west, we had very little time and bypassed many of the sights available however, I would suggest seeing, The Royal Gorge, Florissant Fossil beds Nat. Park and the Black Canyon of the Gunnison just to name a few. We went over Monarch pass at just over 11,300 ft. and south to the Silverton and Durango area. Hwy 550, from Montrose to Durango is a beautiful stretch of road. It tales you through Ouray, near Telluride, up through another pass over 11,000 ft and down into Durango. These are all mining towns turned vacation getaways and once again full of friendly people. We met a couple with a shirt shop in downtown Durango. Mutt and Janine, California transplants and have been in Durango about 15 years. Mutts' Harley was parked out front and after 10 minutes and a few shirts, we had made two new friends. Drop in and see them at Half-Price Tees, 758 Main Avenue. At this point we were leaving Colorado and beginning to make plans for a return trip in the spring.

For those of you who have never seen Colorado, it is truly one of the most beautiful states in the union and offers some of the most scenic riding on the planet. For those of you who have been there, well, I'll bet this makes you want to go back. I know I'm ready! 

See ya on the road ....

Beej

 

 copyright 2007 rumblenews.com all rights reserved