Ride to Colorado/Utah

[Tigarddave]

I'm trying to talk a couple friends into a week or so ride: Montana/Utah/Colorado/then down into southern utah.
Any suggestions? I did this trip years ago in a cage and always thought it would be great on a bike.

I know that Southern Utah will be HOT, but if we go too soon then Montana might have snow still.
I actually did do Nevada-Utah-Grand Canyon in Late May (in 1984-New Wing)and did not enjoy all the snow on that trip.
Would June be OK?
Wait till July?

Suggestions?
Anybody want to go if we do it? The more the merrier, right? :bmw:

[avonfloater]

In the Rockies the June weather can be mostly good, but even a week or so makes a difference. You might think about hitting the southern portion of your ride first (beats the hot weather that comes on in the Utah desert in late June/early July) and finishing up in Montana at the end to give the snow a chance to back off. Colorado/Utah riding is great in May as well. Having done it in a cage, you'll love it on your bike. BTW, there's a great rally in Panguitch, UT in mid-June just west of Bryce Canyon NP and just north of Zion NP. It's hosted by the Beehive Beemers.

Denny

[Sereman]

I'm trying to talk a couple friends into a week or so ride: Montana/Utah/Colorado/then down into southern utah.
Any suggestions? I did this trip years ago in a cage and always thought it would be great on a bike.

I know that Southern Utah will be HOT, but if we go too soon then Montana might have snow still.
I actually did do Nevada-Utah-Grand Canyon in Late May (in 1984-New Wing)and did not enjoy all the snow on that trip.
Would June be OK?
Wait till July?

Suggestions?
Anybody want to go if we do it? The more the merrier, right? :bmw:

Greetings Dave: Sounds like a great trip. The SO and I are going to ID, UT, NM, CO, and then on to Gillette, WY for the BMWMOA rally (5 - 23 July). I too completed the same tour in late May before. My advice is to wait until after June 15 for the highest passes in CO.

Enjoy your trip!

v/r

Big AL

[Tigarddave]

Thanks guys-good advice. The only reason we we heading east 1st was to hit the "no speed limits" in Montana.....These bikes are not made for 55/65 :)
Just want to get some "speed" out of our systems.
I think you are right on the late June also....I was just trying to go before school gets out-should be a lot less gages around.

Let me know if any one else has ideas, or would be interested in making a trip,

Thanks again
(PS: I should be riding the new RT in a few hours! :dance:
Greetings Dave: Sounds like a great trip. The SO and I are going to ID, UT, NM, CO, and then on to Gillette, WY for the BMWMOA rally (5 - 23 July). I too completed the same tour in late May before. My advice is to wait until after June 15 for the highest passes in CO.

Enjoy your trip!

v/r

Big AL

[meese]

Just want to get some "speed" out of our systems.I thought that's what Eastern Oregon was for. And Nevada. :D

http://www.gifs.net/Animation11/Webdesign_Elements/Lines/motorcycle_2.gif

[2002redrider]

Just do it when you can. It will be spectacular. When it is comfortable in the high mountains it will be hot in SO Utah and vice versa. June should be a good compromise but take the proper gear for the weather.

[bflemingor]

Forget the $1M highway in Colorado! It's packed like a California freeway & rain/snow both times I was on it (both in August). That's also the time it rains in So. Colorado.

Mesa Verde is a MUST!!! Both for the roads & ruins... On our last run down there, we hit both parks in Utah & returned up the clover valley in NV (to ID Falls) - a road you would normally miss, and one that I'll always remember.

Anyway, I wrote an article for Motorcycle Cruiser, which was published & is available on line, if you care to read it. www.motorcyclecruiser.com

Only falls behind our Canada runs.

We're headed for Mt. Rushmore this year - returning via Jackson Hole...

[Tigarddave]

Great story Bill, Thanks!
I will share this with some riding buddies and see what they think,

Forget the $1M highway in Colorado! It's packed like a California freeway & rain/snow both times I was on it (both in August). That's also the time it rains in So. Colorado.

Mesa Verde is a MUST!!! Both for the roads & ruins... On our last run down there, we hit both parks in Utah & returned up the clover valley in NV (to ID Falls) - a road you would normally miss, and one that I'll always remember.

Anyway, I wrote an article for Motorcycle Cruiser, which was published & is available on line, if you care to read it. www.motorcyclecruiser.com

Only falls behind our Canada runs.

We're headed for Mt. Rushmore this year - returning via Jackson Hole...

[Mitch_Rider]

bflemingor
Re: Ride to Colorado/Utah

--------------------------------------------------------------------------"Forget the $1M highway in Colorado! It's packed like a California freeway & rain/snow both times I was on it (both in August). That's also the time it rains in So. Colorado.

Mesa Verde is a MUST!!! Both for the roads & ruins... On our last run down there, we hit both parks in Utah & returned up the clover valley in NV (to ID Falls) - a road you would normally miss, and one that I'll always remember"

I enjoyed reading your article and was tracing your route on the map. I see Hiway 93 going from Ely to TWIN Falls but not IDAHO Falls. I was wondering if this was the road you meant?
Thanks,

[ConspiracyofOne]

[QUOTE=bflemingor]Forget the $1M highway in Colorado! It's packed like a California freeway & rain/snow both times I was on it (both in August). That's also the time it rains in So. Colorado.
[QUOTE]

Having lived in Colorado for 15 years, I can tell you that this is not completely true. Yes, it rains in the mountains but usually only in the afternoon and only for an hour or so. As for the Million Dollar Highway being like an LA freeway; not a chance!! It can get crowded, but not really bad. Any rv's you get behind are usually easy to pass as there are adequate passing zones.

The one route you should do is HWY 141 from Whitewater (just south of Grand Junction) that runs over to Gateway and then to Uravan,Nucla, Naturita, then over to Placerville, then HWY 62 to Ridgeway. One of the top two motorcycle roads in Colorado. If you want riding ideas in Colorado, check out www.hcc.org. Click on the ride calendar and look at the rides listed. Most have maps of the best roads and some list the hotels used. Check each year, as the rides change each year.

[bflemingor]

Duhhh - sorry - got my trips mixed up. fortunately, I keep a journal for each trip.

When we took (93) that segment, we were headed to Nampa via Winnemucca on 95, & took the alternate on a flyer. What I remember about that segment was cresting a rise with some dirty grey hills in the distance - and a very nice road (totally empty) that ran straight to tomorrow.. The dirty grey was snow - the hills were 11K+ foot mountains, and the tumbleweeds were the size of small houses (watch for antalope). The rest will wait until you traverse the road & we can compare notes!

The three of us in the article (now including the son of one of us) do a 2,500+ mile trip every year - this year is #15 - where we avoid the interstates whenever possible. We've had almost every model of large displacement bikes over the years, now 2 of us are on K12s.

I totally agree that every trip is a gift.

Bill

[javandyke]

:confused:I could not find a ride calendar on the Hernando Computer Club site. Perhaps this is not the site you intended to list :) . The SO and I plan on spending several weeks in Utah/Colorado area this June and July and would be interested in any info available on good rides.

[ConspiracyofOne]

:confused:I could not find a ride calendar on the Hernando Computer Club site. Perhaps this is not the site you intended to list :) . The SO and I plan on spending several weeks in Utah/Colorado area this June and July and would be interested in any info available on good rides.


Sorry, fingers got ahead of my brain. www.cohcc.org.
Ray

[NOGILLS2]

Be sure to bring clothes for cold weather, Miss E and I went to Colorado in July and was snowed on three times. My friend in Co Sprgs recomended warm clothes to me, So I brought a long sleave shirt! That is warm clothing in Louisiana!!!! Just be prepared. Have a great trip, it was awesome for a flatlander!!!!

[bflemingor]

I'm always amazed by the comments from those from the East (I have never ridden East of the Rockies on a bike - and expect horrific weather this year when we do). We get twisties, fantastic scenery, rarely have humidity, and consider 85F to be really hot - and that's just on a quick breakfast run to Camp 18. By the way - I've made that 3 hour round trip several times without any significant bug debris either....

[SilverBuffalo]

My wife and I have done the Colorado Utah ride a few times, I wouldn't go in the summer,
those months are going to be very hot with a lot of other tourists,

The best time in my opinion is May (the windy month)
or late September October (we've done both)

Sure you're going to get some weather those times of year, especially at elevation.
that's part of the adventure, the advantages far outway the occasional discomfort.