and other irrelevant chit-chat 
got laid off today... fawk it, going on a xc ds trip
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JaxObsessed
Re: got laid off today... fawk it, going on a xc ds trip
Thanks Nate!! Friggin Great...
Re: got laid off today... fawk it, going on a xc ds trip
NICE!!!
99 WR 250 Goat
07 DR 650 Mule
14 Super Tenere 1200 OX
07 DR 650 Mule
14 Super Tenere 1200 OX
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shift
Re: got laid off today... fawk it, going on a xc ds trip
so next morning we head up to denver and west to mount evans, aka, the highest paved road in north america. this is heading west on 70 past denver.
exiting route 70 west at idaho springs, we stopped at a gas station called "KUM & GO". of course, we had to laugh like beavis and butthead at the name. but they had this canned iced tea called "xing iced tea" and the blueberry with honey is absolutely killer! i thought it would be sweet and thick, but it was really light and tasty. i highly recommend it if you like blueberry flavored foods/drinks.
from idaho springs, they recommend having at least half a tank of gas to go to mount evans and back. they're serious, it's quite a little drive. nearing the park, leon unloaded his bike to ride to the top. i didn't wanna unload and leave my truck with tons of our belongings in the back so i decided to drive on up.
this was the bridgestone gritty ed04 with 1 ride on it. i wanted a dunlop 606, but had to settle for this since the 606 wasn't in stock at the last minute.
at the base of the mountain park, there's a sign warning of what the weather is doing. there's also a very nice old fella who let me get in on leon's national park pass even though our signatures didn't look a thing alike. muchas gracias amigo!
leon in tow near the bottom
exiting route 70 west at idaho springs, we stopped at a gas station called "KUM & GO". of course, we had to laugh like beavis and butthead at the name. but they had this canned iced tea called "xing iced tea" and the blueberry with honey is absolutely killer! i thought it would be sweet and thick, but it was really light and tasty. i highly recommend it if you like blueberry flavored foods/drinks.
from idaho springs, they recommend having at least half a tank of gas to go to mount evans and back. they're serious, it's quite a little drive. nearing the park, leon unloaded his bike to ride to the top. i didn't wanna unload and leave my truck with tons of our belongings in the back so i decided to drive on up.
this was the bridgestone gritty ed04 with 1 ride on it. i wanted a dunlop 606, but had to settle for this since the 606 wasn't in stock at the last minute.
at the base of the mountain park, there's a sign warning of what the weather is doing. there's also a very nice old fella who let me get in on leon's national park pass even though our signatures didn't look a thing alike. muchas gracias amigo!
leon in tow near the bottom
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shift
Re: got laid off today... fawk it, going on a xc ds trip
now i'm not really scared of heights, but just the thought of going a little wide on these corners creeped me out. whoever plows this road better be getting paid the big bucks!
look here kids, drugs make you do dumb things, ummmkay...
i never did see the runner make it to the top. or on the way back down. maybe he had a car for pickup? i sure hope so.
finally at the top! man, looking out from the top of mount evans makes you feel like you are on the andes or something. nothing but snow covered rocky tops to the west and south. maybe north too, i forget. ha...
here's a little structure with tid bits of info about mount evans within it's walls. good idea since there are strong winds and wind chills into the 10's up here! leon is going in to explore and read the plaques.
the parking lot elevation
look here kids, drugs make you do dumb things, ummmkay...
i never did see the runner make it to the top. or on the way back down. maybe he had a car for pickup? i sure hope so.
finally at the top! man, looking out from the top of mount evans makes you feel like you are on the andes or something. nothing but snow covered rocky tops to the west and south. maybe north too, i forget. ha...
here's a little structure with tid bits of info about mount evans within it's walls. good idea since there are strong winds and wind chills into the 10's up here! leon is going in to explore and read the plaques.
the parking lot elevation
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shift
Re: got laid off today... fawk it, going on a xc ds trip
"construction on the road up mount evans started in 1924 and was completed in 1930. provisions for the workers included 2 months supply of bacon and beans." now i can be pretty DAMN frugal at times, but making 2 months of bacon and beans last 6 years is an act of God!
big red hauling bad betty with the peak just behind! leon's drz is in there too!
it's pretty wild all the places so far away that are visible from mount evans!
the trail up to the top is literally breath taking due to such a high altitude.
just ask leon!
big red hauling bad betty with the peak just behind! leon's drz is in there too!
it's pretty wild all the places so far away that are visible from mount evans!
the trail up to the top is literally breath taking due to such a high altitude.
just ask leon!
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shift
Re: got laid off today... fawk it, going on a xc ds trip
being above the tree line is a favorite destination for me. and sheer drop offs only make it that much better!.
we met some others admiring the views, so we took a few pictures of them and they took a few pictures of us. i know leon is afraid of heights, so i wonder if wearing his helmet makes him feel safer some how. ha ha...
one of my favorite pics of the trip!
climbing around on rocks right at the edge, enjoying the view and the looks on leon's face.
killer view straight down!
we met some others admiring the views, so we took a few pictures of them and they took a few pictures of us. i know leon is afraid of heights, so i wonder if wearing his helmet makes him feel safer some how. ha ha...
one of my favorite pics of the trip!
climbing around on rocks right at the edge, enjoying the view and the looks on leon's face.
killer view straight down!
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shift
Re: got laid off today... fawk it, going on a xc ds trip
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=ho ... 3893402155
i took this picture with my cell phone, and for some reason, the colors came out odd. i thought it looked kinda cool...
i took this picture with my cell phone, and for some reason, the colors came out odd. i thought it looked kinda cool...
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JaxObsessed
Re: got laid off today... fawk it, going on a xc ds trip
Nice... Jeez at 14K I would be outta breath takin a leak!! 
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shift
Re: got laid off today... fawk it, going on a xc ds trip
ok, sorry aboot the delay, eh. onward we plow.... 
a little video leon shot with his phone on top of mount evans. leon has ear plugs in and can't hear very well, so he's yelling at the phone like we can't hear him. i let him go on for quite a while before telling him to quit yelling. it was pretty funny, cuz other people were like "why is that guy yelling all the time???"
can you tell he doesn't like heights? ha ha...
(hope this all works, as this is the first time i am using youtube. i've always used google video, but they aren't uploading any more videos)
so we left mount evans, went back to idaho springs and i scored more of that DAMN good iced tea at kum & go. like 6 of 'em. [Y] then we headed off to buena vista in the night. along the way, we went through leadville. i stopped here to take a leak since there was room on the side of the road. there's a 100 mile mountain bike race held here every year, creatively called "the leadville 100". there's a movie about the race called "race across the sky" and it's pretty good, although it focuses on lance armstrong winning it in 2009. i wanna do this race before i die...
something you don't see around our neck of the woods near dc...
we got into buena vista really late -- like after 1 am. so we stayed at a super 8 for the night. the next day we went to this place and set up camp.
before the trip, i posted up on advrider asking about epic rides on colorado. i was given what sounded to be a ride of epic proportions, so here we were to follow the route given. i was really amped because this is what i really wanted to do during this trip -- find big adventure in the middle of colorado, see ghost towns, ride snow capped mountain tops with amazing views and see some wild life along the way. well, this is the start of "the ride from hell" as leon so eloquently puts it. ha ha...
so here we are in the ghost town of st. elmo. it's a bit of a tourist trap, but still very cool to check out. it is now privately owned and maintained and you can rent atv's there.
along the way up the valley, we saw lots of abandoned buildings from back in the mining days. this valley had a really nice view, including old mining ruins, so i stopped and took a pic and put on a sweatshirt hood as it was getting colder with elevation.
this was one of the last smiles on leon's face for the day.
checking out the wreckage of a really big building.
and i can't resist but to climb the hill to explore what's behind... [6]
from the top:
inside one of the smaller one room buildings, some boulders fell through the back wall.
exploring another, more structurally sound building.
so back to the main fun, THE RIDING! down on the main fire road (fr295) through the valley, the riding was easy. there were water bars to help prevent erosion that you can catch a little air on when rolling a good clip of 50ish. as we got higher in elevation, the roads got more rocky and rugged. i love super technical riding, so this was bringing a smile to my face.
we found fr299 and started out ride toward hancock pass. about a half mile up, we were greeted by something i wasn't expecting. A MOTHERLOAD OF SNOW! so, i gave it a shot while leon took some pictures. i'll let the pictures tell the story...
it was at this point i realized our trip out to crested butte, and eventually to the old abandoned mill in crystal was just not going to happen. there would be snow at every pass at these elevations. oh well.
here is the ride route that 'kingofgix' on advrider suggested. (much thanks man) i couldn't make it this trip due to unmelted snow, but i will be back to do this trip at some point:
As you head west across CO, if you find your way to Buena Vista, here is an interesting route with several old mining towns.
From Buena Vista, take US 285 south a few miles to Chaffee Country Rd. 162 (Chalk Creek Rd.). This starts out paved and takes you past a resort with a hot springs pool if you want to consider that. Following this road west you eventually come to the ghost town of St. Elmo, which last time I was there had a general store that was open to the public. Just before you reached St. Elmo, you would have passed a left hand turn (Forest Road 295)that takes you to the townsite of Hancock. There are some mining ruins along this road, and eventually FR 299 crosses Hancock Pass. In this area is an old railroad tunnel called the Alpine Tunnel. There will probably be some jeepers in the area you can ask to find it, as I don't recall what is signed. I have been over Hancock pass in a Blazer, but not on a motorcycle. It is very rough and would be too much for some, but if you do it you will follow Middle Quartz Creek down to FR 765. Take a right and you will pass the Bon Ton Mine and go over Cumberland Pass at 12,000 feet (this is an easy road). North of Cumberland Pass is the old town of Tin Cup, which is another ghost town with a few cabins and a restaurant. Very rustic and way off the beaten path! Continue north to Taylor Park Reservoir, then head down valley on the paved Co Rd 742 to Almont.
From Almont, you can head south to Gunnison or north to Crested Butte. I recommend north to CB, which is a very cool old mining town turned ski area worth spending a few hours or even a night in. From Crested Butte you have 3 options.
1. West on Kebler Pass road (graded dirt) to the top, then south on Ohio Ck. Rd. (graded dirt to paved) back to Gunnison. This is a gorgeous road.
2. West over Kebler Pass rd and continue on to the end of the road where it joins CO 133. This passes through the largest Aspen forest in CO, and from here you can get to Marble and Redstone (discussed in option 3 below).
3. Take Gothic Road to Mt. Crested Butte (the ski area) and continue on through the ghost town of Gothic, over Schofield pass to Marble. This is a doozy and has some very difficult sections, steeply down on rocks that are very slippery when wet. Experts only, but if thats you and you are up for a challenge this is one of the more scenic trips in CO. You will pass through the old Crystal townsite which has a few active log cabins and past the Crystal Mill, which is one of the most photographed places in CO.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal,_Colorado
The town of Marble is the site of the Yule marble mine, where much of the marble was mined for things like the Lincoln Memorial and many other famous buildings and sites.
From Marble you will eventually reach CO 133, where you can go slightly north to the old coal mining town of Redstone. This is more of a yuppy tourist site, but has some great old buildings and history and is pretty darn charming.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redstone,_Colorado#History
As you drive north on CO 133 past Redstone and on to Carbondale, keep an eye out in the Crystal River for white. There are a number of huge marble blocks that fell off the mining trains and ended up in the river.
a little video leon shot with his phone on top of mount evans. leon has ear plugs in and can't hear very well, so he's yelling at the phone like we can't hear him. i let him go on for quite a while before telling him to quit yelling. it was pretty funny, cuz other people were like "why is that guy yelling all the time???"
can you tell he doesn't like heights? ha ha...
(hope this all works, as this is the first time i am using youtube. i've always used google video, but they aren't uploading any more videos)
so we left mount evans, went back to idaho springs and i scored more of that DAMN good iced tea at kum & go. like 6 of 'em. [Y] then we headed off to buena vista in the night. along the way, we went through leadville. i stopped here to take a leak since there was room on the side of the road. there's a 100 mile mountain bike race held here every year, creatively called "the leadville 100". there's a movie about the race called "race across the sky" and it's pretty good, although it focuses on lance armstrong winning it in 2009. i wanna do this race before i die...
something you don't see around our neck of the woods near dc...
we got into buena vista really late -- like after 1 am. so we stayed at a super 8 for the night. the next day we went to this place and set up camp.
before the trip, i posted up on advrider asking about epic rides on colorado. i was given what sounded to be a ride of epic proportions, so here we were to follow the route given. i was really amped because this is what i really wanted to do during this trip -- find big adventure in the middle of colorado, see ghost towns, ride snow capped mountain tops with amazing views and see some wild life along the way. well, this is the start of "the ride from hell" as leon so eloquently puts it. ha ha...
so here we are in the ghost town of st. elmo. it's a bit of a tourist trap, but still very cool to check out. it is now privately owned and maintained and you can rent atv's there.
along the way up the valley, we saw lots of abandoned buildings from back in the mining days. this valley had a really nice view, including old mining ruins, so i stopped and took a pic and put on a sweatshirt hood as it was getting colder with elevation.
this was one of the last smiles on leon's face for the day.
checking out the wreckage of a really big building.
and i can't resist but to climb the hill to explore what's behind... [6]
from the top:
inside one of the smaller one room buildings, some boulders fell through the back wall.
exploring another, more structurally sound building.
so back to the main fun, THE RIDING! down on the main fire road (fr295) through the valley, the riding was easy. there were water bars to help prevent erosion that you can catch a little air on when rolling a good clip of 50ish. as we got higher in elevation, the roads got more rocky and rugged. i love super technical riding, so this was bringing a smile to my face.
we found fr299 and started out ride toward hancock pass. about a half mile up, we were greeted by something i wasn't expecting. A MOTHERLOAD OF SNOW! so, i gave it a shot while leon took some pictures. i'll let the pictures tell the story...
it was at this point i realized our trip out to crested butte, and eventually to the old abandoned mill in crystal was just not going to happen. there would be snow at every pass at these elevations. oh well.
here is the ride route that 'kingofgix' on advrider suggested. (much thanks man) i couldn't make it this trip due to unmelted snow, but i will be back to do this trip at some point:
As you head west across CO, if you find your way to Buena Vista, here is an interesting route with several old mining towns.
From Buena Vista, take US 285 south a few miles to Chaffee Country Rd. 162 (Chalk Creek Rd.). This starts out paved and takes you past a resort with a hot springs pool if you want to consider that. Following this road west you eventually come to the ghost town of St. Elmo, which last time I was there had a general store that was open to the public. Just before you reached St. Elmo, you would have passed a left hand turn (Forest Road 295)that takes you to the townsite of Hancock. There are some mining ruins along this road, and eventually FR 299 crosses Hancock Pass. In this area is an old railroad tunnel called the Alpine Tunnel. There will probably be some jeepers in the area you can ask to find it, as I don't recall what is signed. I have been over Hancock pass in a Blazer, but not on a motorcycle. It is very rough and would be too much for some, but if you do it you will follow Middle Quartz Creek down to FR 765. Take a right and you will pass the Bon Ton Mine and go over Cumberland Pass at 12,000 feet (this is an easy road). North of Cumberland Pass is the old town of Tin Cup, which is another ghost town with a few cabins and a restaurant. Very rustic and way off the beaten path! Continue north to Taylor Park Reservoir, then head down valley on the paved Co Rd 742 to Almont.
From Almont, you can head south to Gunnison or north to Crested Butte. I recommend north to CB, which is a very cool old mining town turned ski area worth spending a few hours or even a night in. From Crested Butte you have 3 options.
1. West on Kebler Pass road (graded dirt) to the top, then south on Ohio Ck. Rd. (graded dirt to paved) back to Gunnison. This is a gorgeous road.
2. West over Kebler Pass rd and continue on to the end of the road where it joins CO 133. This passes through the largest Aspen forest in CO, and from here you can get to Marble and Redstone (discussed in option 3 below).
3. Take Gothic Road to Mt. Crested Butte (the ski area) and continue on through the ghost town of Gothic, over Schofield pass to Marble. This is a doozy and has some very difficult sections, steeply down on rocks that are very slippery when wet. Experts only, but if thats you and you are up for a challenge this is one of the more scenic trips in CO. You will pass through the old Crystal townsite which has a few active log cabins and past the Crystal Mill, which is one of the most photographed places in CO.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crystal,_Colorado
The town of Marble is the site of the Yule marble mine, where much of the marble was mined for things like the Lincoln Memorial and many other famous buildings and sites.
From Marble you will eventually reach CO 133, where you can go slightly north to the old coal mining town of Redstone. This is more of a yuppy tourist site, but has some great old buildings and history and is pretty darn charming.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redstone,_Colorado#History
As you drive north on CO 133 past Redstone and on to Carbondale, keep an eye out in the Crystal River for white. There are a number of huge marble blocks that fell off the mining trains and ended up in the river.
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shift
Re: got laid off today... fawk it, going on a xc ds trip
since we couldn't go any further on the planned route, i figured we may as well just explore as much of the valley as we could get to today. back down on the main fire road going up the valley, we ran across an abandoned camp known as 'stonewall'. bed frames and some major appliances still stand the test of time i this building. there was a small cave in the mountain behind, but it was caged off to keep curious people like me from climbing on into it.
onward and upward we went, hoping not to meet more snow. i knew it was coming sooner than later, tho. i crossed this water and waited for leon on the other side. leon, being an off road noob, pulls up and stops right before crossing this little stream, rather than holding his momentum and just going. well, he got stopped in it and had to back out.
i told him to get a run at it and hit it, but he wanted me to ride the drz across. no worries, i told him i'd ride through/over whatever he didn't feel comfortable riding. once across, i kept going around the corner and found what i had expected -- deep snow. so back down we went to seek out other short adventures to get into.
taking leon's drz back across the stream, then my 640...
onward and upward we went, hoping not to meet more snow. i knew it was coming sooner than later, tho. i crossed this water and waited for leon on the other side. leon, being an off road noob, pulls up and stops right before crossing this little stream, rather than holding his momentum and just going. well, he got stopped in it and had to back out.
i told him to get a run at it and hit it, but he wanted me to ride the drz across. no worries, i told him i'd ride through/over whatever he didn't feel comfortable riding. once across, i kept going around the corner and found what i had expected -- deep snow. so back down we went to seek out other short adventures to get into.
taking leon's drz back across the stream, then my 640...