Mike and I arrived home safe and sound after riding approximately 1203 miles in five days. The bikes preformed well and the only mishaps along the way were a couple of my navigational errors. Also, due to road construction we did backtrack a ways on our first day out. All-in-all it was a good trip. I have been gifted with a special friend and pleased we were able to share this time together.

We saw some awesome country and all the experiences that go along with this sort of adventure. We spent the first night in a campground near the summit of McClure Pass. During our walk after dinner a light rain fell while the setting sun brightly illuminated the ridge near our campsite presenting us with a double rainbow. The second night was spent in a hotel in Cortez as it was raining when we arrived. Early the next morning we rode into Mesa Verde National Park, setup our campsite within the park and then spent the rest of the day checking out everything we could in the park. What wonderful place and my first time there. It had a mysterious feel to it as I tried to imagine in my mind the Anasazi people and the life they lived. We went on a tour of Cliff Palace and then rode around the loops, walking out to the sites and taking photos. On our way back to camp we spent a couple of hours with a bunch of other bikers at a cafeteria/gift shop as we all tried to find shelter from a heavy downpour, including hail and lightening. We were drenched! A cup of coffee, a sandwich and chat time with other bikers was the order of the day. An evening at the campsite amphitheater was a great way to finish our day at Mesa Verde.

Since I mentioned rain, this rain at Mesa Verde was our third straight day of rain and the heaviest. The fourth day we only received sprinkles while we had no rain on the last day of riding. Each day started out fine but clouds would move in later to cool us down and bring moisture. This was fine with me because rain showers bring out the contrast in natures colors for photography, clears out pollutants in the air, presents constantly evolving cloud formations and our sense of smell comes alive with the fragrance of wet sage brush.

While riding the last five days I came up some our goals on this trip and wanted to pass them along to you. First and foremost we wanted to ride together, time for Mike and me: check. We wanted to see and more importantly experience the beauty of this world we live in: check. And, as friends will often do we had a bit of friendly competition in making bodily-orifice sounds: check. (No winner but some great competition.) We expected to encounter some inclement weather: check. We knew it was possible to see some snow in the high country this time of year but scraping frost off the motorcycles seats at our campsite near Leadville was as close as it came: no-check. Take some good photos: check. Have a campfire, with smoke that always seems to know where you’re sitting: check.

The fall colors are appearing, telling of the new season approaching. There are many aspen trees showing a touch of lime green color in their leaves, while every once in a while a branch or even a small tree will teasingly display its coming gold. In two or three weeks the trees of the San Juan Mountains, the Rocky Mountains and Sangre de Cristo Mountains will be displayed in full color. In years past man, in his search for riches, labored hard for gold and other minerals in the Rocky Mountains while every fall season nature presents “gold”, in colors, to us free.

Here is a list of the mountain passes we rode over, if anyone is interested:

Day 1 Cameron Pass (10,276 ft)

Rabbit Ears (9,426 ft.) going west

Rabbit Ears (9,426 ft.) backtracking east

Gore Pass (9,527 ft) will ride again

McClure Pass (8,755 ft)

Day 2 Lizard Pass (10,222 ft)

Dallas Divide (8970 ft)

Day 4 Molas Pass (10,910 ft)

Red Mountain Pass (11,018)

Monarch Pass (11,312 ft)

Day 5 Freemont Pass (11,318 ft)

Milner Pass (10,758 ft)

Trail Ridge Road (12,183 ft)



Each time I take a motorcycle tour I learn something new or get a new idea. It’s a learning experience. I gained some insight about my camera gear. I took my gear and put it in my Lowepro backpack. The pack was way to bulky compared to individual lens cases and pouches I’ve used in the past. So, a lesson learned.