Friends...and Family - Colorado 2023

[HotRodZilla]

I'll upload photos from Cs phone to Photobucket and see if that makes them better. I'm wondering if they're lo-res because she texted them or of they're that way in her phone. Emailing didn't seem to help, so I'm thinking it may have been a space-saving feature on her phone.

[HotRodZilla]

So my retarded ass tried to get a group selfie and Carrie is just a little shorter than the rest of us (see how I made it her fault, you know I’m married…LOL)










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Those pictures are so dammed funny. A little bit of her helmet. Then a little less, and a little less, until, just a logo. Then, "Oh, SHIT!!." Hahahaha!!

[wheatonFJR]

Lol!

Great photos. Great group trip.

[gixxerjasen]

You took a picture cutting C out of it, and yet managed to get yours, AJ, and Wheaton's ugly mugs in? Worst Photo Ever!

[Hppants]

Making memories. Good on all of you. Well done.

[FJRPittsburgh]

Excellent ride report and photos. Looks like a great time had by all. It's just beautiful out there!

[0face]

Can’t forget the food photos…












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[Hppants]

^^^^ allright - NOW we are getting somewhere....

[gixxerjasen]

I want those wings and mac n cheese.

[blind squirrel]

I love your white helmet Wheatie!

[Niehart]

Oface, not one picture of pie? What the ....

[0face]

Oface, not one picture of pie? What the ....

This might count…




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[Festus]

Whew.....asking Oface for pictures of his pie could have gone either way

[0face]

Whew.....asking Oface for pictures of his pie could have gone either way

And it almost did, but I didn't feel like fighting with Wayne today... he's just too sexy.

And btw.... that Mac & Cheese was insane... its that BBQ place on the corner in Aspen... just about the only reason to deal with the retard traffic in that town.

[gixxerjasen]

Whew.....asking Oface for pictures of his pie could have gone either way

I was expecting another latex thursday incident.

[wheatonFJR]

I love your white helmet Wheatie!

You obviously didn't read all of the posts that led up that discussion Scott. That's okay, nobody's perfect...but I appreciate your attempt! lol
I wish I was wearing a white helmet, but those weren't on closeout like this one was.
I will start updating this report, as meager as it is, it should all be in the dumper by the end of this weekend.

But it could be written like this...
1. Long awaited trip
2. Long days getting out there and back, assisted by veteran LD steak-loving, speedy shepherd
3. See great friends
4. Have great, awesome times
5. Ride fun roads in fantastic scenery under sunny blue skies
6. Have unexpected issue...that necessitates going home early
7. Ride long roads going back in warm weather.

Done.

[wheatonFJR]

So...here I am on a 4th of July weekend, thinking back to a trip I was finishing up a week ago in some heat. Louanne has, sometimes in the past,asked why it took so long to write ride reports...and I think that, for me, it takes awhile to get back into what I was feeling, what I was experiencing...because FJR trips are transformative to my mind and outlook, and I need to get back there to tell an honest perspective of the trip. If this was a travelogue, it would just end up being that one post summary above. Now, I don't pretend to think that my reports are some sort of masterpiece, or even good for that matter, but I feel compelled to try to give a glimpse of what the trip truly is...knowing I will fail every time.

This trip was an attempt to ride with people that I care about that went on a trip without me...that I got various ride reports during their trip that went something like this...



or this...



To them I say this...


and this...


...on to the rest of Tuesday, June 20th, my Day 4...

So, I just had my "mountain top" experience at Molas Pass, where I said my peace to Duane to myself as I spread some of Laurens, SC's best soil at that place. I reminded Duane that he was supposed to be here, and we were to share this together. The others couldn't hear, but I was getting emotional. I did not want to keep the others as we had plenty of miles to go that day, but they were patient and stayed as long as I needed.

It was good traveling with friends, these friends. People, like some of you, who in their lives have experienced great loss...and great joys as well. This trip was filled with great joy and great times just to be with these people, in the magnificent surroundings we were riding in. How awesome is that!

So, southward towards Durango, we continued, just in a scenery viewing mode, just a little uptempo -FJR-style. Headed west from Durango and took CO184 north towards Dolores and CO145NB...a beautiful climb, and cooler as the elevation increases. We stopped for a bit at the gas station in Rico, but they didn't have gas for Marty's machine, so after a pitstop, we continued on and headed towards Norwood, but they didn't have what we needed, so we continued on to Naturita. It is possible that I may have illustrated once or twice how not to pass a series of vehicles. AJ didn't say anything, he didn't need to, I was self indicted. All I know is that if AJ is the level-headed one in the group, we may be in a bit of trouble lol. By this time we had dropped from the pleasant higher elevations and things were getting a little toasty. We stopped there in Naturita and gassed up, while Marty had pleasant encounters with a woman driving an expensive car lol. Though it was little more than a gas station/convenience stop, they also made sandwiches there to order so we cooled down and ate a sandwich/beverage while the AC that wasn't working tried it's best. We continued northwest on the series of sweepers that the canyon is famous for. Sunny skies, if a bit warm. I was leading during this little stretch, so I was hoping I wasn't holding people up any. I waved Marty on by at Gateway and he took us the rest of the way to our lodging in Grand Junction. A nice one-story, old style motel where you park in front of your room. It was awesome. Friendly staff in the office...russian, I think? They only had single queen bed rooms, so no splitting rooms, but for only $90/night it was great.

After showers, naps, etc...we ventured out...so I could get a beer. And Marty could buy a side of beef at discount prices. I think we traveled too long between stops today, so will correct that in the days remaining. We ended up walking to a Mexican place and had some pretty good food if I recall...I remember being hungry.

I don't remember taking photos after Molas Pass, so if any of the others have some please add some.

Here is a rough idea of the route for the day...

[wheatonFJR]

Wednesday, June 21st - Day 5 of my trip.

So, my newfound condition reared it's ugly head again yesterday, and I am wondering what to do. I am living with it on this trip because I have no choice, but it is unsustainable.

Today, we are headed towards Aspen, Independence Pass, and ending up near the west end of RMNP...so we can get in early before 9am. Louanne, who also happens to be in Colorado during this week at her sister's place west of Fort Collins says that if you don't have a reservation, you can't get into the park after 9am. Thus, that dictated our destination for the day. Pretty darn nice itinerary for the day...I love Independence Pass...I have lots of good memories there and the surroundings are spectacular.

A couple of my favorite photos...from July 2013, with Louanne...




So we head out with our intrepid leader getting us out of town. Why does Garmin suck so much in cities lol? Anyways, we didn't gas up in town last night or this morning in town so we have Naturita gas in our tanks. We were going to gas up at our exit off I70, but no gas station exists, and we press on...a little doubt in my mind because I don't really have the first part of the itinerary visualized. Itinerary was AWESOME. I have never ridden over the Grand Mesa before and the views from 10,000 feet over the adjacent landscape is just breathtakingly beautiful. An unexpected surprise and delight. The road is bumpy towards the top of this mesa and on top, but I didn't mind it. The passenger on the back of AJs bike may have had another opinion...I'm guessing it was less pleasant for C. So that was pretty awesome, spectacular even. Once we got back down to the south side of this mesa, the roads seem fairly familiar to me as we get into Hotchkiss and points north of there towards Glenwood Springs. Fun stuff to ride on that road, if you've ever been there, you know what I mean. AJ was expert at getting our group to the front of road construction wait lines. He must just have this connection with the flaggers, because it happened more than once on this trip. Going through twisty, scenic roads in front of the pack instead of behind the wagon train is SO much better. THANKS AJ!

So, south of Glenwood Springs, we took the highway towards Aspen where everybody goes 80mph...before the 10mph crawl through town. I felt something inside my helmet on my hair...I'm pretty sure it was a bee, because this happened one time before. They get through a vent somehow, then crawl between the shell and the liner and I was feeling that and hearing the buzzing...trying not to think about it too much. I know we are stopping in Aspen, so I figured I would take care of it then...but this bee/hornet/something decided differently as it stung me top side my head! I pulled over immediately to the shoulder along this highway, and got my helmet off. I rubbed my hair all over to make sure it wasn't still attached to me. It wasn't. But I couldn't find it in the helmet, daggone it! I tried for awhile, but no dice. So I strapped it back on and headed down the highway, I know that they are waiting on the shoulder somewhere, but they could be in town...either way I was keeping my eyes peeled. As it turns out I saw a group of motorcyclists alongside the road, saw a funny adventure type of bike, but didn't see an FJR...so I kept going. As it turns out, it was my friends, but my 64yo eyes aren't werkin too well evidently. They caught up to me, and Marty warned me in comms that I just passed them, so the gang all headed together towards either gas, or a restaurant, or both in Aspen.



In spite of the Aspen traffic, we were able to cross and do a left turn/u-turn whatever to get parked in front of the restaurant. Marty said this was a good place...I've never stopped in Aspen for anything before, but he was right. Fried Pickles were a usual starter on this trip if Marty was involved, and this meal was no different. Cool AC, conversation with friends, great food, awesome times.

MacNCHEESE


Ribs and fried pickles in the background...


So after that stop, refreshed, we headed on to the real treat of the day, climbing up and over Independence Pass! Even though we know it's a wagon train, the scenery is stunning. We even get AJ to get us to the front of the line again. Evidently, he even has magic with traffic signals lol...




Being at the front of the line meant a fun pace for use almost all the way to the top...great fun and views. So we get to the top...


Marty/hijinks








I will always love this place...


For Lumberg...if he has his glasses on...


3 bikes, carrying friends to amazing places...


So...we headed down off that high pass, went through Leadville and took CO 91 to I-70 to our exit to get over to Winter Park. Once on I-70, my Chicago area multi-lane interstate instincts took over and I started to find the path forward in this 3-dimensional game of highway Tetris. I thought Marty was tired and needed someone to lead for awhile. As it turned out, he was just being patient...and I wasn't...lol. It wasn't late in the day when we found our rooms in Winter Park, but it was a full day of fun, considering. Marty has done all of the routing for this trip, but making it hard on himself by asking others' preferences. Looking back, it was about as perfect a routing as I could have come up with for a week with friends. Thanks Marty!

But the day was not done yet...we decided later to go to a restaurant/distillery next door. And Winter Park was pretty...June, before the snow melt is SO pretty!


The food was real good.
AJ had some sort of soup?


C had something, I had the same thing, it was spicy and good...but after the BBQ in Aspen I was so stuffed, I should have split with C.


Marty had something that looked good. They were really into food presentation at this place...


I ended up just wanting a cold beer instead of a whisky, and the IPA they had was tasty.


I also wanted ice cream and chocolate after that spicy food, so I got this...


I believe AJ got some sort of rum infused cake...


I'm pretty sure C helped AJ with that. lol

The map below approximates the route for the day.


I believe AJ was fighting mosquitos at the laundromat that night...but it was a good day...

...and tomorrow, a day in RMNP can't be all bad if the weather cooperates!

[Bugnatr]

Good stuff Wheatie. Didja eat at the Mexican restaurant just down the street from the Ruskie motel?

Was Marty yelling at the Tesla owners again?

[0face]

Good stuff Wheatie. Didja eat at the Mexican restaurant just down the street from the Ruskie motel?

Was Marty yelling at the Tesla owners again?

Yes and I never stop.