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Colorado 2008 motocycle trip
The statistics are:
| Distance |
4600 miles |
| Left |
August 26 |
| Returned |
September 13
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| Duration |
19 days |
| '07 Yamaha VStar 1300 |
47.9 MPG
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| '07 Yamaha FJR 1300 |
46.7 MPG
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This was a vacation, so except for a few days, the daily route was eat breakfast and be on the road about 8:30/9:00am, ride, stop, take pictures, have lunch, stop and "smell the flowers", check-in to the motel, have dinner, fall asleep, and repeat until done. The early and/or long days were leaving Reno, West Wendover, and Las Vegas to avoid as much of the heat as we could. Except for the Las Vegas to Paso Robles leg, it did not get as hot as we expected.
The trip was great, great scenery, and interesting countryside!! Some places we'd love to live if there was a way to support our "habits" and it didn't snow! The trip was only "spoiled" by having to go back to work and getting tired of eating out!! Saw numerous places where we'd like to spend more time.
Thanks goes out to members of Delphi Forum's _V Star 1300 Riders_ and The Motorcycle Tourer's Forum and FJRforum.com for their postings on rides in this area and 1-on-1 feedback.
Thanks to Scotty and Shawn at OTD Cyclesports Burlingame for working us into their busy summer schedule to do the 8,000 mile service on the bikes at the last minute - we were between the 4,000 and 8,000. On this trip the bikes went from sea level to 14,130 without missing a beat!!
Note - clicking on a thumbnail will open another window to see the enlarged picture. Some of these pictures may not dial-up friendly, I enjoy making panorama shots and can be quite large. I have limited their size from the original. By clicking on the enlarged picture, they will expand in the opened window. The panoramas are made without a tripod which would make them much nicer but a PITA riding a motorcycle.
| Day |
Destination |
Map
(click for route info and pictures) |
Discussion |
| T minus 5 minutes |
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We're ready to go!!! Where's our riders???
Three weeks of stuff in the duffels and side bags. No camping out unless you consider Comfort Inns or Best Westerns camping LOL
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| 1 |
Reno, NV |
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Distance: 240 miles
We generally use Reno as a jump off point when going East. We usually are working up to the last minute to get projects back to their owners and leaving later than expected. Nothing different about this trip, left about 4pm, dinner in Truckee, the some drinks and Pai Gow before going to bed.
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2
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Reno, NV
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Distance: 0 miles
A "lay around" day, eat, drink, snooze, gamble and pick up some new audio cables for Catherine's bike and make sure they and other "systems" are working.
Up bright and early tomorrow to head across the desert
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3
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West Wendover, NV
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Distance: 400 miles
Not nearly as hot as a couple of years ago; but warm enough. Kept the speed down since there was a headwind for the first third and LEOs were out in preparation for Labor Day weekend.
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4
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Vernal, UT
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Distance: 355 miles
We figured this would be a hot one too but turn out to be nice. Having seen the Great Salt Lake before, this leg was "boring" until just East of Salt Lake City. Things definitely improved around Park City and then from Fort Bridger through the Flaming Gorge and into Vernal.
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5
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Steamboat Springs, CO
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Distance: 360 miles
Dinosaur National Park is interesting but should be better in the future. From there to nearly Steamboat Springs, it is high plateau/desert.
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6
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Estes Park, CO
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Distance: 140 miles
Great country side and high mountains. Definitely some more roads and country to be seen.
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7
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Frisco, CO
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Distance: 182 miles
Sorta the wrong day to be on the on the road between Estes Park and Idaho Springs - Monday of Labor Day Weekend; too many cars and RVs. Nice country but not as nice as the previous day.
The highway to the top of Mt Evans was still open, lotas pictures!
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8
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Frisco, CO
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Distance: 182 miles
Sorta a lay day. Late breakfast and a later lunch. The road from Buena Vista to Minturn was very nice
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9
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Gunnison, CO
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Distance: 264 miles
Independance Pass was great. The highway from Carbondale to Hotchkiss had some very nice sections. Great ride between Maher and Blue Mesa Reservoir
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10
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Gunnison, CO
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Distance: 235 miles
One of those lazy start days. Got warned about speed traps around Saguache. Ran into an ex-'05 FJR rider, who looked longing at my '07.
Found a great section about 1/2 between Saguache and Iris
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11
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Durango, CO
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Distance: 230 miles
Great route. Need to go back again as we needed to get to Durango to get a new rear tire for Catherine's VStar.
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12
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Durango, CO
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Distance: 225 miles
Even better than I remember it 35 years ago. Definitely want to spend some more time exploring. Too many picture opportunities especially when your camera dies at the second stop......
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13
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Moab, UT
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Distance: 248 miles
Semi-lazy day finally left Durango about 11am after getting a new camera. Hot in Moab. Got into Canyonlands close to dusk, great colors and shadows
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14
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Brians Head, UT
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Distance: 326 miles
We forgo Arches NP and when Northeast on Hwy 128 along the Colorado River - up close and personal with the red rock canyon. Very pretty for the first 35 miles and "high desert" - spelled boring
Cedar Breaks National Monument was a real surprise!! Need to go back and explore this area.
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15
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Brians Head, UT
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Distance: 180 miles
Woke up to showers and high 30s. Fortunately was on the leading edge of showers until Glendale. Then it started getting warm.
Zion National Park was great and got to the Kolob section at sunset. Great color and pictures (if I don't say so myself!!)
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16
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Las Vegas, NV
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Distance: 202 miles
Time to get to "lost wages". The section of I-15 in the Northwest corner of Arizona is very nice! Unfortunately, no good pullouts or bike mounted camera.
Stopped in Mesquite for lunch, Internet access, and talk with the Nevada Tourism office. And then "straight and flat" to "lost wages"
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17
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Las Vegas, NV
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Distance: 10 miles
Lay-day. Siegfried and Roy's Secret Garden was well worth the $$. We spend 3 hours watching the dolphins, tigers, lions, llamas.
The disappointment was the "gaming" - I know the odds are against me; but don't take the opportunity away even it out.....
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18
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Paso Robles, CA
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Distance: 400 miles
The hottest leg of the entire trip. Great lunch at the Apple Shed in Tehachapi. Kickstands sank into the asphalt in Wasco.
Click to find out why stop in Paso......
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19
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Foster City, CA
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Distance: 186 miles
Time to get home!!! Damn CHP or the trip would have been faster....
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