Colorado 2014

Oldschool

Oldschool

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Well I have made up my mind as to what direction this years big trip will take me. I am putting this up in the preliminary stages to help any other members here (Like Hail and Lytehouse) that may want to meet up somewhere along the way.

Dates: July 26th depart Calgary with the 30th for Steamboat Colorado (ETA). Returning to Calgary for the 10th of August.

Telluride Colorado on or about the 2nd of August.






Basecamp image of some of the Colorado tracks


Some of the fun bits. The RED track is the infamous Black Bear Pass!

I will add the gps tracks when I get home, now that we have that capability.

There will be most of the Colorado Back Country Discovery route included in the run: Done in reverse order with section 5 first. Like below.

Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route (COBDR)

COBDR - Section 5 - YouTube

COBDR - Section 4 - YouTube

COBDR - Section 3 - YouTube

COBDR - Section 2 - YouTube


There will also be some nice sections of pavement as well. Any FZ forum members wishing to add local advice, please feel free. Any that want to join some, or all of the Colorado part of the ride post up. This is a dual sport ride that is suitable for large bikes with semi-skilled (or adventurous) riders.

More to come. The attached file is complete and divided into days. It will give you something to work with . The Colorado sections are now complete, and running in the correct direction.
 
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Thanks

Dustin said:
That is going to be a great trip. June will be too long to wait for your wonderful photos and trip reports
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Thanks Dustin, But we will have your trip to watch first. I am really hoping to meet (and ride) with some of the members here along the way. It would help make the Trip report more relevant on the site, and much more enjoyable for me. I won't know until much further along if this will be a solo or multi-rider adventure. It is so much harder these days to get other guys organised for a big ride like this. Everyone has busy lives and lots of commitments so I just let the chips fall where they may.

Ian the guy that went last year (DRZ 400) is fairly definite for this trip so far. That surprises me since I got the distinct impression last year that I was pushing him too hard for miles each day. It seems he had a great time after all and said as much at the Christmas party.

I will strive to make the report as entertaining as you have come to expect.
 
You Won't

Hail said:
Now I am afraid I would hold you up!
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BAH! don't think like that, you never know until you try! Just make sure you have a good knobby front tire like the K-60 or better. I plan on camping except in really awful weather (why when you don't have to).

A KLR is in that group and your bike has much better suspenders on it (and everything else for that matter).


Black Bear Pass.
 
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I just did parts of Western CO summer 2013.

Cottonwood Pass was by far one of my favorite parts. From Buena Vista till the summit(12,000+ feet) it's paved and then on the western side (gunnison county side) it's dirt road. I did it on my Fz1. I would have loved to rip along on an adventure bike or dual sport. Didn't see any other motorcyles actually.

I posted video of me rambling semi-deliriously coming down the western side.

I'm on 2 wheels making it happen - YouTube
 
Weather

lytehouse said:
John & I will mark the dates on the calendar Lee! Hopefully we'll be able to meet up somewhere!
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How is the weather (typically) at the beginning of August? I just hope the passes are clear by then. I plan on doing LOTS of them; Cinnamon, Ophir, Hurricane, Black Bear....

I'll be starting in Steamboat and working my way south to Telluride. I was just looking at accommodations and Restaurants in Town there.
 
Oldschool said:
How is the weather (typically) at the beginning of August? I just hope the passes are clear by then. I plan on doing LOTS of them; Cinnamon, Ophir, Hurricane, Black Bear....

I'll be starting in Steamboat and working my way south to Telluride. I was just looking at accommodations and Restaurants in Town there.
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Off-road passes should all be clear by August. Most are passable by mid-June and the highest of the high are usually good by mid-July. Paved passes that close in the winter are all cleared by Memorial Day. July and August are our rainy season which usually means beautiful in the morning, clouds building after lunch and thunderstorms starting later in the afternoon depending on how high you are. Thunderstorms are often hit or miss, but the higher you are the more often you get wet. It is usually clear again by dinnertime, unless we are getting some kind of monsoon front like we did in Sept last year. Try and avoid being at the highest point of your route, if possible, during the peak thunderstorm time as there isn't much protection from lighting at the top of a 13,000 foot pass (a bigger concern of mine than getting wet).

I was hoping to do the COBDR this year on an 1190R, but I've been reading a lot of threads on ADV Rider and am now debating on waiting another year for them to work some bugs out on that bike. I'd rather not do it in my 450EXC. While it is a great choice for the terrain, I'm not a fan of long days on that bike. Plus, I'd need to put a bigger gas tank on it and add luggage. All temporary, since I'd be putting it back to a light weight off-roader as soon as the big adventure bike gets added.

I'll be following this thread closely. At a minimum it would be nice to have my 450 down in the San Juan Mtns (Telluride area) to meet up with you. That is one of my favorite areas on road or off.
 
Somewhat live

I am going to Attempt to post as a I go minus any pictures (since I won't be bringing a lap-top) But at least you should be able to see where I'm at. I will also be running a SPOT and will post the link so anyone that wants to can see my progress, and find me.
 
Rocky Mountain High

hellboy7 said:
Don't forget to try the new recreational... good stuff over there! Sounds like a blast~
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Not my kind of recreation. The only green stuff I'm interested in is the stuff to pitch my tent on (and that not a euphemism) . :poke:

I'll stick with good Scotch, I should be able to get that in CO.
 
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J_Slyter said:
Off-road passes should all be clear by August. Most are passable by mid-June and the highest of the high are usually good by mid-July. Paved passes that close in the winter are all cleared by Memorial Day. July and August are our rainy season which usually means beautiful in the morning, clouds building after lunch and thunderstorms starting later in the afternoon depending on how high you are. Thunderstorms are often hit or miss, but the higher you are the more often you get wet. It is usually clear again by dinnertime, unless we are getting some kind of monsoon front like we did in Sept last year. Try and avoid being at the highest point of your route, if possible, during the peak thunderstorm time as there isn't much protection from lighting at the top of a 13,000 foot pass (a bigger concern of mine than getting wet).

I was hoping to do the COBDR this year on an 1190R, but I've been reading a lot of threads on ADV Rider and am now debating on waiting another year for them to work some bugs out on that bike. I'd rather not do it in my 450EXC. While it is a great choice for the terrain, I'm not a fan of long days on that bike. Plus, I'd need to put a bigger gas tank on it and add luggage. All temporary, since I'd be putting it back to a light weight off-roader as soon as the big adventure bike gets added.

I'll be following this thread closely. At a minimum it would be nice to have my 450 down in the San Juan Mtns (Telluride area) to meet up with you. That is one of my favorite areas on road or off.
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^^^What he said, and Lee, just in case you didn't know, J_Slyter is my husband :)
He will ride some of those passes with you...me? not in a million years LOL
I have seen videos on you-tube...too hard for me. I'll stick with easy ones like Cottonwood and Kebler. :p
 
Thanks!

lytehouse said:
^^^What he said, and Lee, just in case you didn't know, J_Slyter is my husband :)
He will ride some of those passes with you...me? not in a million years LOL
I have seen videos on you-tube...too hard for me. I'll stick with easy ones like Cottonwood and Kebler. :p
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From the route that is up, and GPS track you can see which passes are along the route. You 2 know that area better than I ever will, I'm sure. You can pick and choose what area you want to ride long before I get there. As I have said, I will be easy to track on this trip and will post where I am camping / hotel-ing once into Colorado. I am very much looking forward to meeting you both!

By the way If either of you wants to try the 990, that can be arranged. It won't be all that different from the 1190 (balance and weight-wise). It might help with the 1190 decision. I had no idea that the Big KTM was in the works for your garage, very exciting!
 
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Bah, I'm gonna miss you guys ... I'll be riding up to Colorado Springs in September for the Firefighters Memorial with a friend of mine.
 
Oldschool said:
By the way If either of you wants to try the 990, that can be arranged. It won't be all that different from the 1190 (balance and weight-wise). It might help with the 1190 decision. I had no idea that the Big KTM was in the works for your garage, very exciting!
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Thanks for the offer Lee. Fortunately the dealer here has an 1190R that I can ride. I was going to decide for sure after test riding and comparing to the new water cooled GS, but I like the KTM much better on paper. As a BMW guy I know to wait a couple of years before pulling the trigger on a new BMW model. Based on some stuff I'm reading, I'm beginning to think this new big KTM is similar. Makes me kinda miss when bikes were simpler. A test ride might change my mind though...just need another warm day that doesn't fall on a Sunday or Monday.
 
Visual Motivation

Some shots from Fellow Adventure Riders.





Black Bear pass looking down on Telluride.


Imogene Pass


Cinnamon Pass


Engineer Pass.


Ophir Pass



Hurricane Pass.









All of which are in the planned route.
 
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