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Colorado Trippin

Yes I'm thinking North Clear Creek. Your pics are obviously early in the season. Never seen quite that much flow. You must have hiked a little to get that angle. I've only seen it from where the folks are standing on the cliff.

Was over on the rocks. Here is another one you might like. Picture was taken in June 2015.
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Yes I'm thinking North Clear Creek. Your pics are obviously early in the season. Never seen quite that much flow. You must have hiked a little to get that angle. I've only seen it from where the folks are standing on the cliff.

This years model. Taken July 2016.
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Well a little slow :oops: in getting back on this....Day 4

We left Hotchkiss about 9 am, we are in no hurry. Hwy 133 northeast bound, had been on the road about 1/2 hr and get my first oh crap moment. Coming up to some trees I spy 2 deer on the right hand side of the road. Behind me is a goof that is a lot closer than I would like. Oh well, apply brakes to slow down fairly quickly because the first doe is moving to the road, at the same time the goof starts to pass me, I really get it slowing down. I watch in amazement how I never see the goofs brake lights and just how the deer & him didn't hit, I'll never know. Anyhow on up the highway is another pass
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As a side note, Monday they had found a dead body near there and shut the highway down, glad I missed that too. We continued up CO 133 to CO 82. Headed towards Aspen, never has been my favorite town. We get into the downtown area of Aspen and the road construction diverts us into the drive a block and stop downtown area, finally extricate us from Aspen traffic and head up CO 82 for scenery. Some of this road gets very curvy and very narrow. My photographer was not in the mood for pictures. We did stop shortly after that at the Weller Lake trailhead. From the parking area...
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We walked around the area, bridge to trail..
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the Roaring River was under the bridge...
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Well enough of a break, were off to Independence Pass.....
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what vistas there are when you ride through the mountains.
We round the bend and then spy where we are going ahead, the ascent up to the pass...
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if you notice the cut in the mountain, that's the road up there.
Once you are up there you get a great look at where you were...
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and just about the time you loose that view you've entered the tundra area, pretty soon you arrive at Independence Pass...
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12,095 feet. It is quit breath taking (literally) and a different world at that elevation.
We start the descent down the other side and the first (of many on the trip) 10 mph hairpins are encountered. Haven't figured out who makes the speed decision, because some you can do at a little over, some you feel like you need to stop and make it a three point turn. Figured out I'm a bit rusty at some of those less than turns as a couple I ran wide on, fortunately no oncoming traffic or maybe that's why I did it, huh???
Anyway you get to the point you can see where you are headed...
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Just before CO 82 runs out, you run into one of several lakes we saw, Twin Lakes....
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I don't know what it is, but seeing lakes that are very large at 8 to 9 thousand feet in elevation, just seem to be amazing to view.
We turn up US 24 heading to Leadville, that town has been an interest from the first visit I made as a kid. We had lunch at Wild Bill's Hamburgers & Ice Cream. The burgers were great along with enough fries for 2 people, needless to say couldn't do the ice cream, no room.
We somehow forced ourselves back on the bike and headed off. We got on US 6 at Silverthorne, CO. It really sank in how long it had been since I was up here, there used to be almost nothing here, not any more! Any way headed to Loveland Pass...and we made it...
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11,990 feet and very windy and cool (brrr)
The way to Golden, CO is the 2 roads in the distance, US 6 descending to I-70...
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We arrived in Golden to visit and play. While there saw one of the daughters and a friend that I hadn't seen in maybe 20 yrs. So needless to say a very little riding for a few days and lots of playing. More to follow.....
 
There's a pretty little waterfall about half way between Creede and Lake City on 149. Daughter used to always want her picture taken there.

Was just up there last week with Tourmeister, RSquared and Toe Jam.

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They say that the North Clear Creek Falls are the most photographed in Colorado. Just above the pine tree is Hwy 149. Because of the orientation you can't see the falls from Hwy 149. Most people pass this falls without even knowing it's there (except for the sign).
 
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Very nice, it was almost a year ago today that I was riding that day's route in reverse. I remember all of that well and have a few of those pictures taken myself. It was a good day, except riding through aspen and dropping my bike and breaking my mirror.
 
Hwy 133 is one of the few highways in Colorado I haven't been up & down. Need to add that to a near-future trip. Thanks.
 
Hwy 133 is one of the few highways in Colorado I haven't been up & down. Need to add that to a near-future trip. Thanks.
I'd love to tell you how beautiful it was, but thanks to a certain sports car I chased through there, all I can tell you is it's a very fun road. I was paying too much attention to the curves to tell you if the scenery was beautiful. That and it went by way too quickly.
 
Nice report,glad you two had a nice time. Bet it was a little tempting to ride across that bridge?:trust:
 
Hwy 133 is one of the few highways in Colorado I haven't been up & down. Need to add that to a near-future trip. Thanks.

I lived "up the road" on Hwy 133 for 7 years, in Carbondale, then Glenwood Springs. McClure's Pass is good ride, as is the road between Redstone and Carbondale as long as you don't end up behind slow moving vehicles. If you go, make sure you stop at the Redstone Inn for lunch. The coke ovens across the Roaring Fork River are also kinda cool to see.

It looks like they have also re-opened the "Redstone Castle" to tours and it was fun to see how the opulent lived back in the day. Up from Redstone, is Marble, which is a cool little town as well, with lots of artisans crafting marble sculptures, etc.

If you crave dual sport action, keep going past Marble, Lizard Lake to Crystal (which is only open in the summer). No electricity but no problem, the Crystal River is always cold enough to keep everything chilled. Keep going to the Devils Punchbowl and Schofield Pass a category 6 (the same as Black Bear near Ouray) four wheel drive back to Crested Butte.

As you may be able to tell, I miss that place. But, I married a Texan and I am very content with the trade-off! ;-) :-D
 
Nice report,glad you two had a nice time. Bet it was a little tempting to ride across that bridge?:trust:

Not even a little, to get to the bridge you drop down about 10-12' below the parking area in about the same amount of distance. If you were on a dirt bike it would be doable in both directions. Didn't look but I'll bet there is a no motorized vehicles sign somewhere :lol2:
 
Joe, I've been over Schoefield Pass from the Crested Butt side, but not much past that. There are some trailheads up there. One day when I'm feeling brave, I might go farther, but I've seen the "Devil's Punchbowl" marks on the national forest maps, and chickened out.
 
Okay finish this thing up, with a slight retreat :oops:, I'd taken one of those panoramic photos of the Loveland Pass & didn't post it so...
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Departure morning was cloudy & cool. Studied all the weather I could stand, worst showing headed south was overcast and sunny, depending on where you were in the state. No rain forecast, woo hoo. Loaded up the beast of burden, said the good byes, walked back out to the bike and started it, loaded ourselves and the drizzle started :wary:, we rode on (if you have to go, you have to go). Departing the Denver mess on US285, figuring that we'd ride the western side of I25. As we progressed we rode up into the clouds and colder temps, of course the drizzle got heavier! I'll bet it's pretty there, but you couldn't see but about a 1/4 mile. Eventually we rode out of the mess and hit the sunshine again. There sure are some nice areas over in this area....Cotopaxi
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We continued on to Farista, where I25 was the fare to Trinidad. On the way the weather looked like it was going to turn for the worse. Stopped and got the rain gear on & continued on the path. Soon after the rain began :thumbd: and about where the exit for US160 east was the rain decided to really pickup :eek2: The rain was pouring now and the speed was very slow so all the vent holes in the helmet were leaks. I had to barely open the shield so it wouldn't fog over, but the water was coming in faster than I could bail it out, so pretty soon I could feel water running on the inside of the rain gear :doh: I spied clearing weather to the east and poured on the coals, after a bit the deluge subsided and the drizzle became our partner. It's interesting how close the patchy blue sky appears but it isn't there. Fairly soon we're out of the rain and now it's just about 55*. Fairly cold when one is wet. As we're chasing the blue sky I happen to look to the right and behind and realize the weather we were in, is too close for comfort (I wish I could have gotten a picture of that, but everything was in it's waterproof container) so it was time to get going a little quicker. After about an hour I could tell the storm wasn't catching up to us and wouldn't be a threat after all. I must say that I've ridden "The Loneliest Highway" and I think this portion of US160 would give it a run for the money. Finally arrive Dumas, TX and stop for the night.

Next morning awake to cloudy skies, check all the weather I can stand and conclude that we're going to be riding in overcast and cloudy conditions, we leave the wet liners in the suits to ward off the chill of the morning temperature. Load the bike, get geared up, walk outside and there is drizzle (seeing a trend?). Heading into Amarillo the rain starts, make a coffee break at the loop figuring to let the rain subside a little. After the break it was a light rain so we press on, until the US287 exit it decides to rain again, no place to stop now. Basically all the way until Wichita Falls that became the norm, drizzle, rain, drizzle, overcast, repeat :roll: Once into WF the sun came out and decided to roast or steam us all the way home.

All this great weather left me with a small chore once home...
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It was a great trip and now that the bike is clean, I'm ready to go again, but there are things that need doin first, so till next time keep the :sun: side up.
Thanks for reading
 
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