Taking a little ride....

[gulfxray]

Well, I broke my trend of headin' south of the Red River every time the gate is opened (hopefully I'll make it to the Hard 8 for BBQ if the semi-regular October date happens again this year).

Anyways, I am heading for Taos, Moument Valley, Durango, Million Dollar Hiway, Monarch pass, western Kansas, then home. Here is my approx route (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=&saddr=bartlesville,+ok&daddr=taos,+nm+to:US-64+%4036.934260,+-106.929100+to:farmington,+nm+to:kayenta,+az+to:blanding,+ut+to:durango,+co+to:montrose,+co+to:Walsenburg,+Huerfano,+Colorado,+United+States+to:la+junta,+co+to:dodge+city+to:bartlesville,+ok&mrcr=10&mra=pi&sll=35.953655,-103.088655&sspn=16.01723,27.597656&ie=UTF8&z=6&om=1)

Head out in the AM and should be home Thursday evening - a quick trip, but one that will take me to parts of the country I have never been before and help me 'clear my head' so to speak like only riding can; I'm leaving the laptop at home, so I'll me internet-free for a few days - that'll be a fair accomplishment in itself for me... :)

I'll stay in Taos Monday (eating at Michael's Kitchen of course :)), Blanding Tuesday, La Junta Wednesday,and then home.... Not a lot of time to smell the roses, but I enjoy being in the saddle anyways.

Hasta la Vista Amigos!

[2Wheelroadtrip]

Ride safe and watch out for the idiots. I send wishes for a great ride. It is the time of year I just get the wanderlust for the open road. winter is just aound the corner for us in the northland. I need a job with 36 bweeks of paid vacation. I shouldave been a teacher. LOL

[JPSpen]

Have fun Shawn !

Wish I was going with....

Later

John

[cfell]

Ride suggestion..

Come home safe, as sound as you can be (a whole other thread) and smiling....

[ljjohns]

Having driven I-40 from Santa Rosa to OKC more times than I care to remember in a car, I can't think of a more boring ride, regardless of the mode of movement.

The remainder of your ride sounds cool, but can't you come up with something better for the first part? (I don't know of any--I've always been trying to get from point A to point B on that route).

Anyway, enjoy....

[gulfxray]

Yeah, that is a mucho boring stretch, but sadly there is no better way really - at least I could move along at a good clip and get it over with quickly (sort of)..

Having driven I-40 from Santa Rosa to OKC more times than I care to remember in a car, I can't think of a more boring ride, regardless of the mode of movement.

The remainder of your ride sounds cool, but can't you come up with something better for the first part? (I don't know of any--I've always been trying to get from point A to point B on that route).

Anyway, enjoy....

[gulfxray]

Well, I made it back yesterday around 2:30 in the afternoon...

It was a lot of fun, but I think I rushed things a bit.

Miscellaneous (in no specific order naturally):

2228 miles in 4 days - not a lot of time to sniff the roses
LT definitely likes the higher altitudes when it comes to fuel mileage - WOW!
It was cold enough the morning I left Taos and the morning I left Blanding for the darn sensor in the brake fluid to give me the wig/wag lights. Once it warmed up, all was well.
On the ride from Taos west somewhere long US64, it got down to 35 degrees - was enjoying things so much I really didn't notice to much. Could have done without the BeadRider for that portion though...
Bumped into a few GS riders and another LT rider (not on BMWLT) at Monument Valley - fun to have a quick chat and hear where folks are from, where they have been and where they are going
FourCorners Inn in Blanding UT is a good place to stay - clean, relatively inexpensive. Restaurant next door is a rip-off though IMHO...
Tons of road construction in CO - love sitting in those lines hoping the guy coming up behind me is paying attention
Aspens were already starting to change - some of those mountain sides were gorgeous
Got to ride a mile or so in mud just outside (east) Dulce NM - road construction - and I thought gravel was fun! It wasn't deep, but was slick, rutted, holed, etc. - watching the dually in front of me dance around made me feel real good. Proceeded at a creep with feet on the pegs, loose hold on the grips, and virtually no throttle..... Had a kind of Star Wars thing going on "Use the Force, Shawn" (don't know why, but Obi Wan looked like Grif... go figure!)
Favorite road - US64 from Taos to US84 especially past US285; Second Favorite - HWY69 from US50 to Walsenburg (good for the view); Third Favorite - Million Dollar Hiway of course
Most boring road - HWY10 from Walsenburg to La Junta; Honorable mention - US50 & US54 from La Junta to Wichita (at least there was traffic to pass/play with); Honorable mention - I40
Smelliest road - US50 in western KS - man, those feed lots go on and on and on.... I couldn't hold my breathe long enough....
Most frustrating moment - watching helmet roll off seat at Monarch Pass...grrrr.....
Happiest moment - Seeing the wife and kiddo
Funniest moment - seeing a couple tour bus loads of Japanese and another couple tour bus loads of Italians at Monument Valley - don't know why it made me chuckle
Best meal - Had a great Rib Eye (and service) at Boss Hogg's Saloon in La Junta CO (if you don't like C&W music and good ol' cowboys, don't go)
I still suck in the twisties... :( But I don't have anymore knubbies on the sides of my tires... :)
Bike was flawless - have two minor problems to fix in the AM:
the Hellas under the chin went out - think it is a fuse
left rear turn signal is out - think it is some of my 'special' wiring come undone
Bike needs a MAJOR washing - where is the rain when you need it.

Special thanks to Radar41 for scaring the *^&)&% out of me 15 miles from home when he came out of nowhere and blew by on his RS just east of Bartlesville... I already told him he is lucky and didn't wind the ol' brick up and come after him... ;-)

[JohnnyBSurfing]

Outstanding run!

I know sometimes when you just go out to ride you have to just keep on moving past some awesome places where you could just stop for days.

I pulled an 11k trip this May-July through that area and much more.
YOu can check it out at :
GraceHighWay.WordPress.Com

I just returned from the Blue Ridge Parkway and The tail of the Dragon and I want to turn around and go right back!

Keep the rubber side down.....