2015 Colorado Adventure - TShelfer & Kickstand-Prophet Ride West

[_RG_]

Beautiful pix and a great report. Looks like way more snow than usual this year.

We came over the CDT from Lake City heading to the falls last summer and got just to the far side of this picture. Found a fence at the back of a little sub division and a gate saying end of the line. We had to hit the gravel from there to the falls.

 

[kickstand~prophet]

Thank you, Gina. And yeah - Earth to Drew. Where are you, Buddy?

Covered up like a three legged cat trying to bury something on a frozen pond.

 

[Yeeha! Stephen]

"Nice, easy 10-hour drive from Arlington to Raton, where we camped at the Summerlan RV park. Very friendly place. Tent camping was $15 a night – very reasonable. After the bikes were unloaded, we parked the Jeep/trailer for the week in their storage area for only $1 per night."

Did you set the parking up in advance or just show up?
I'm going to be up there for about 3 weeks and parking at the Raton Police Dept is $5 per day.

$20 vs $100 is beer money!

 

[tshelfer]

I called in advance just to be sure, but didn't have to make reservations. They have a "back 40" area in which they could easily park a couple of dozen rigs. Only thing is, if you're coming in after 8pm, it's good to let them know in advance, as that's when the office normally closes for the evening.

 

[Yeeha! Stephen]

Thnx!
I'll be in the area early in the morning. Overnighting in Clayton.

 

[kickstand~prophet]

Well here are a few pictures as promised. Most failed the download so we will have to try again.

Our first camp site in Raton.

Brother Tim at his favorite dinner in Raton.

No ride report is complete without food pics!

Nothing spicy for me please.

Our waitress who has worked there a majority of her life.

I believe this was right outside of Trinidad.

Random flower pictures. Some places had so many blooms that the air was fresh with scent all the time.

Move along no snow melting here.

We were surrounded by trees most of out journey. So different than most of Texas.

Same area stopping for Tim to snap a few pics.

Will post more when the rest download correctly.

 

[tshelfer]

Great pix, Drew. And they add an excellent different perspective to the trip. Keep 'em coming.

My food picture is the 'green chili burger' I've been buying at the El Matador for the past 25 years or so. They look awful, but I'm addicted to them.

 

[SpiritAtBay]

Great pix, Drew!

 

[kickstand~prophet]

Great pix, Drew!

More hopefully coming tonight if the down load will take.

 

[kickstand~prophet]

Some more beautiful scenery.

Some pictures of our second camp ground in Durango.

Driving the last peg.

Someone who kept us company

Some more snow capped peaks.

Look mom no guard rails.

Something you won't see in Texas in June.

Quick snap of Silverton.

Downtown Silverton.

Beemer posing.

One of many waterfalls we saw.

Getting ready to dive over the edge pic.

The waterfall in the same area off the million dollar highway. One of many scenic pull offs.

Ouray. Just passing thru.

What motorcyclist dream of. You will see plenty of these signs if you take the same route.

Waterfall number 3.

Heres one I really like.

Stop for late lunch in Delores.

View from their patio.

My selection. Better than what I thought. They called in country fried steak. Did not try the gravy it looked like runny dog food.

For you foodies. The sign. A lot of these small town the dinners were all closed down.

Did not turn out well,but this is for speed demon Tim.

The Black canyon of the Gunnison. The back side that tourist sometimes miss. A must road to travel two or four wheels.

Our third camp ground near Almont.

The Gunnison river just 15-20 feet from our secluded camp site.

Dinner in the big city.

Their award winning burger.

A few Crested Butte pictures.

More Friday night Stay tuned.

 

[tshelfer]

You got a picture of the cop? You dog, you.

 

[kickstand~prophet]

You got a picture of the cop? You dog, you.

Ya it did not turn out really great. I was hoping you were getting a warning.

 

[OMR]

Do you have any GPS tracks from your adventure?

 

[Viethorse]

Thanks for posting this thread. I will be there this July and hope I can see how beautiful this area is.

 

[achesley]

Ya'll sure make me miss my travels though out these areas. Enjoying the pics and narrations. Thanks for the work to share with us and revived my memory banks.

 

[Hail]

Awesome! Really wish o could have gone with you guys. Thank you so much for sharing!

 

[cdc]

Enjoyed your report, great pictures.

 

[kickstand~prophet]

So many flowers so little time.

I think Tim called these wild roses. They were all over our camp ground in Almont.

Dinner at the Ole Miner steak house in Gunnison.

Tims trout dinner. We normally would not have splurged but we only had ice cream I think that day for lunch.

My ugly mug.

Tim will have to remember where this was.
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Another water fall.




The other side not as often photographed as you would imagine.




Camera shy.


Our final camp location at Coyote Creek SP New Mexico. Tims' mean machine still dripping from the quagmire. It got all the way down to 45 degrees and pouring. Like normal the rain stopped as soon as I pulled under the roof. We got stuck for a while behind a logging truck going 5-15mph. He seemed to be blocking us intentionally. Check out all the water around the Wee.


The Beemer.


Trying to get the sun to dry off the gear.







50 in the morning and got back down to 46 as we climbed. Way better ride back without the fume bellowing logging truck in the way. Jetted straight to load the bikes for the drive home to Texas.

Thank you Tim for showing me around. I really had a nice time. Hopefully next year the other two can join in and enjoy the sites. If you are on the ropes about going to NM or Co don't wait till next year,head out now. You won't regret it.

 

[euromedic]

Thank you for sharing your experiences. Wishing TSHelpers mom well.

 

[kickstand~prophet]

Awesome! Really wish o could have gone with you guys. Thank you so much for sharing!

We could have used another rider to help swat mosquitoes they were on the attack most nights. You missed some incredible road ways. Views for most of the ride were as scenic as it gets. Hard to concentrate on riding with all the beautiful picture perfect acres that seemed to surround us where ever we turned.

 

[tshelfer]

Tim will have to remember where this was.

Drew, this was along Hwy 149, maybe 10 miles north of Lake City. The river there is the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River.

 

[kickstand~prophet]

Drew, this was along Hwy 149, maybe 10 miles north of Lake City. The river there is the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River.

That little waterfall picture was taken at the same area. There are so many of them where we were I lost count. The dirt back road to Gunnison had one but not really a good spot to pull over to take the picture. Maybe next time.

 

[ghostrider1964]

I was just thinking my friends John and Gail were there in their motorhome and Jeep...You got their picture....small world,,,they had left their bikes behind this time.

 

[jfink]

That little waterfall picture was taken at the same area. There are so many of them where we were I lost count. The dirt back road to Gunnison had one but not really a good spot to pull over to take the picture. Maybe next time.

The big waterfall is called the North Clear Creek falls. It's on 149 between Creede and Lake City. They claim it is the most photographed falls in Colorado. In fact I think I see the guy with the clicker right there on the left in one of your pictures!

 

[El Fenix]

I'm taking notes on all these places, as I'm about to head that way Thursday.