Bilco's Coast to Coast trip 2015
- Thread starter Sgt Bilco
- Start date
After the run up Pikes Peak, we head into Colorado and a day off in a cracking little town called Salida. No pics from me because I was too busy sorting the BBQ out but it's a really cracking little place for a day off. That is apart from Andy and Stuart playing paramedics after a vagrant dropped dead in the car park.......!! I'm sure one of them will be along with the whole story before long.
After Salida, a lovely run around some Colorado back roads and an excellent breakfast in Gunnison. This is also home to a a shop which sells guns and knives on one side and jewellery on the other. We reckoned it was a great idea because hubby can buy his gun whilst 'er indoors chooses so jewellery. A win win all round. Nice little town and stunning riding.
After Salida, a lovely run around some Colorado back roads and an excellent breakfast in Gunnison. This is also home to a a shop which sells guns and knives on one side and jewellery on the other. We reckoned it was a great idea because hubby can buy his gun whilst 'er indoors chooses so jewellery. A win win all round. Nice little town and stunning riding.
Attachments
Leaving Gunnison, I decided we should take a small highway called 92 which I'd not ridden before, Turned out to be one of the best roads you will find anywhere. Very twist with some stunning views right up to around 10,000ft. No surprise really as you can just about take any road around here and you'll be having the ride of your life.
I think everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves......
I think everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves......
Attachments
After a brilliant milkshake where both the spoon and the straw actually stand up on their own (yum yum), we head across through Ouray and onto the Million Dollar Highway. This is one of the most famous roads in the area and has to be on everyone's bucket list. It just winds along with 10,000ft passes and big drops for miles and miles. We stay in Silverton which we get to in a thunderstorm which really feels like your are about 100yds from the thunder.
Andrew mentioned he'd done one of Nick Sanders trips across the US and had actually ridden this road in the dark getting into Silverton at 9-30pm. Sanders must want his head looking at if he thinks that's a good thing. You would be missing the beautiful views and riding it at night is just bloody dangerous.....!!
Andrew mentioned he'd done one of Nick Sanders trips across the US and had actually ridden this road in the dark getting into Silverton at 9-30pm. Sanders must want his head looking at if he thinks that's a good thing. You would be missing the beautiful views and riding it at night is just bloody dangerous.....!!
Attachments
After arriving in a storm, we woke up to the most beautiful weather. Crystal blue skies and a perfect riding temperature. They wet road is because the spray with water to keep the dust down. Back onto the million dollar highway to durango. Imagine your favourite road ever and then double it gives you an idea of just how good this area is to ride. Pictures just can't do it any justice whatsoever.
Attachments
After seeing the lovely old Durango-Silverton steam engine on it's daily haul into the mountains, we stopped by at Basin Motorcycle Works in Mancos Colorado. I always call in when in the area and Harry is a brilliant chap. John had a problem with a weak return spring on his rear brake pedal so Harry dismantled it, rewound the spring and back together in short order. I think he charged a paltry $20. He's selling the business and retiring to rebuild old bikes if you fancy buying a nice busy independent workshop in a beautiful part of the world.
A nice coffee and warm Cinnamon roll swiftly followed.
A nice coffee and warm Cinnamon roll swiftly followed.
Attachments
Sorry chaps, I've been slacking on this report.
After a cracking breakfast and at the visit to Harry's place, we took a run up the Grand Mesa. This is a high butte and a great ride up and down. It would be a brilliant place to spend a few days hiking but the views up there were spectacular. there are a lot of old indian ruins up there which would be brilliant to hike into but still facscinating to see from a distance nonetheless.
After a cracking breakfast and at the visit to Harry's place, we took a run up the Grand Mesa. This is a high butte and a great ride up and down. It would be a brilliant place to spend a few days hiking but the views up there were spectacular. there are a lot of old indian ruins up there which would be brilliant to hike into but still facscinating to see from a distance nonetheless.
Attachments
Out of Grand Mesa, I took a different route as I needed to get the hotel in Mexican hat sorted and it was a spectacular ride. Very very hot though at around 45c and stopping at roadworks never helps. Talking to the sign girls is always a nice distraction. Some fantastic rock formations on the way to Mexican Hat and you can see why the small town is called that name. Looked like a huge storm coming but managed to avoid that little beauty as it would have been rough riding through that!!
Attachments
Mexican Hat is just up the road from Monument Valley so an easy little run down to the Valley. No matter how many times you see this place it is spectacular. There are better places to go in my opinion but none so famous as this. Pictures, as usual, do not do it justice and it looks like a painting from a distance. You can get pretty close to the butte's if you take the organised tour around the valley. Back up the motel in Mexican Hat and a lovely juicy steak at the Swinging Steak restaurant in the village. The guy gets the big grill swinging over the steak and it is lovely I have to admit. Accompanied by a couple of cold ones, texas toast and beans make for a feast.
Attachments
As views go from a hotel, this isn't a bad one and nice and cool at 7.00am. A really nice ride towards a a road which climbs onto the plateau and it's cracking watching the mountains come towards you. The road in question is called the Moki Dugway and is a dirt road which climbs 2500 ft in very short order. Easy enough riding though and Stuart cruised up there on his FJR no problem. Spectacular views across the valley..........
Attachments
lmg
Registered user
The Grand Mesa is a great place - was there riding around last year. Keep the posts coming Bilko 
Possibly one of my favourite places to ride anywhere in the US. It's Highway 95 which runs past Fry Canyon and I love it because it's big, empty and the views and colours change around every corner. Bloody hot though but these scenery changes take your mind of the heat. Just makes you realise how small we are in the great scheme of things.
Attachments
Easy to see why I love this road as we head west through Capitol Reef Park and then south on Hwy 12 towards Bryce. The scenery changes with every glance. Hwy12 winds it's way across the top of a range and you just get lovely views everywhere and it even gets green in high passes at around 9000ft. Because it was so hot, the overbidding was a little unnerving but no problem if you took it easy and why wouldn't you in this environment.
Attachments
After a good breakfast at this nice little diner we run down through Utah to the northern rim of the Grand canyon. A lot quieter than the southern rim and free from the hoards of XXL Americans in buses and RV's. The views are spectacular and different from the southern rim but you still get that feeling that it's not real. It's more like a painting as your brain doesn't really take in the scale.
Attachments
lmg
Registered user
hope you get to Zion National Park on your trip ....
As luck would have it.............
Zion is another beautiful national park and one of the great things about it is you are very close to the rock formations. The road is red as well which really blends in with the environment. As with a few of the parks, it would be great to spend some time hiking but time doesn't allow it for us so it's just a cruise through this glorious landscape.
Attachments
After Zion, we head down past Lake Mead towards Hoover Dam. Spotted this cracking Ford F150 Raptor and would love one of these beauties. This was one of the hottest rides I've ever had and although my temp said 45c, it got a wee bit hotter as we road along this lonely road. It's also a national park and they charged us $10 for the privilege of riding in a fan oven and one or two people really started to suffer. Luckily we managed to cool off at Hoover Dam which was a cool 42c!!
Couldn't really enjoy a good walk across the Dam as it was so hot but still worth a visit.
Couldn't really enjoy a good walk across the Dam as it was so hot but still worth a visit.
Attachments
Hey all, here is my daily blog throughout the trip, just my take on things...
https://usabiketrip.wordpress.com/
Dave
https://usabiketrip.wordpress.com/
Dave
Similar threads
