A Little Tour in My Back Yard

[Colorado CJ]

Here's Profile Rock, aptly named



Heading up to Cameron Pass, roughly 11,000 ft. at its highest point on the highway. This is a GREAT area with a lot of camping/hiking/fishing you name it areas. There are tons of small and large lakes in the area (a lot 4x4 accessible only) as well as streams and the Poudre river, all which have excellent trout fishing.





Oh yeah, it rained, again. I guess I need to start these rides in the morning instead of the afternoon. I'll get better pictures and stay dry

[Colorado CJ]

Here's the turn off at Cameron Pass. Some good hiking trails are located here. The little GS does a great job in these high mountains. At 11,000 ft. the engine is running strong and smooth. (I still can't wait to get a V-Strom though)



I went a little further and decided to turn around at this point (my backside and legs were starting to feel the cramped conditions).



Still some snow above timberline

[Colorado CJ]

Saw a large doe just after this sign grazing on the roads shoulder, couldn't get the camera up in time though (sign says "Watch for Wildlife")



Small tunnel in the mountain (camera on the wrong setting again!)



Remember the sign last week about "open range"? I came around a corner and had to stop quickly. There were a couple of large bovines walking across the road (didn't get a pic) so I had to sit there for a minute or so. There were 50 or so head of cattle grazing along the shoulder and chewing their cud on the road. Here's one:

[Colorado CJ]

Out of Poudre Canyon heading for 287.



Heading south on 287 going into Fort Collins. This mountain always reminds me of the scene in Independence Day of the large alien ship crashed somewhere in Africa.



Some thunderheads forming east of town, tornado warnings on the radio.



Back at home, had to charge the camera to get this pic. The camera was on for about 5 hours so the battery died.



Well that's it for this weekend's ride. I need to work on my picture shooting some. I guess it would be better to stop along the way to take better, more interesting pictures instead of shooting blind on the move and hoping they turn out.

[simon kuether]

Great stuff.You've put the steel to us old mate.Don't know about the photo's on the move,but going to have to give it a go.Maybe get Mumma Bear to take them from the pillion seat? Cheers,Simon.

[Craiger]

Great pics! Love every one of them.

One quick question, if your speedo's main reading is in kilometers, does that mean the mileage also reads in kilometers? Meaning you have 21,881 kilometers and went 158 kilometers on your trip? Just curious.

If that's the case, it might be why it seems like you're only getting 125 miles to your 2.5 gallon tank. Perhaps you're really getting closer to 200 as 125 miles converts to about 201 kilometers.

[Colorado CJ]

Great pics! Love every one of them.

One quick question, if your speedo's main reading is in kilometers, does that mean the mileage also reads in kilometers? Meaning you have 21,881 kilometers and went 158 kilometers on your trip? Just curious.

If that's the case, it might be why it seems like you're only getting 125 miles to your 2.5 gallon tank. Perhaps you're really getting closer to 200 as 125 miles converts to about 201 kilometers.

No it is reading in miles, the kilometer reading is just for the small inner numbers on the speedo.

125 miles works out to 50 m.p.g. which is very good, considering how I ride and the elevations I ride at (kinda heavy on the throttle). It just has limited range because of the "L" models very small tank.

[ronh]

Great pics! Love every one of them.

One quick question, if your speedo's main reading is in kilometers, does that mean the mileage also reads in kilometers? Meaning you have 21,881 kilometers and went 158 kilometers on your trip? Just curious.

If that's the case, it might be why it seems like you're only getting 125 miles to your 2.5 gallon tank. Perhaps you're really getting closer to 200 as 125 miles converts to about 201 kilometers.

Yes, great pics!

Am already looking forward to seeing next week's ride!

[Craiger]

No it is reading in miles, the kilometer reading is just for the small inner numbers on the speedo.

125 miles works out to 50 m.p.g. which is very good, considering how I ride and the elevations I ride at (kinda heavy on the throttle). It just has limited range because of the "L" models very small tank.

That's cool. Now that I look a little closer, I do see the mph is larger and bolder....not to mention the conversion isn't right for what I was thinking.

It was just one of those "Hmm..." moments. LOL!

By the way, can't complain about 50 mpg.

[mf70]

My favorite is:

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j173/speedwing/Aug24089.jpg

The pix don't capture that wonderful mountain air smell, though. I'm in Maryland. The air tastes like a crowded laundromat. Sigh...

..and 550 isn't so little. (Well, for what you're doing, I guess it is...)

[Colorado CJ]

Well I'm off. About a 150 mile trip through the mountains this time. I'll be heading south to Lyons, then up Left hand Canyon to 72. I'll be taking the Peak to Peak highway down almost to Central City, then turning around and head back north up to 7 and down through Estes Park into the Big Thompson Canyon.

It should be a good ride today, nice and sunny. Should get some great pics!

[Colorado CJ]

Got rained on, AGAIN! I must be cursed, when I start the ride the weather looks great, but as soon as I am in the mountains, it turns dark and wet. Oh well, it is still GREAT to ride out here in Northern Colorado!

Here's my bike, ready to ride



On 66 heading towards Lyons



Up Left Hand Canyon and going into the old mining town of Ward



This is an old mining museum in Nederland a ways south of Ward (another old mining town)

[Colorado CJ]

Looks like I'm going to be hitting some rain, heading south on 119/7



Yep, gonna get wet!

[Colorado CJ]

I decided to ride into BlackHawk / Central City. They are a couple of other old mining towns that have turned into a casino town. I do a lot of prospecting around here in the local streams and old mines.







One of the old mines

[Colorado CJ]

Heading back north on 119/7







Looks like it might be better weather up ahead. Sure don't get tired of these views!