Day 22 - Over 2 miles high!!

We left Moab Utah this morning on time and ready to roll to Colorado. The weather was nice, so after eating breakfast and fueling up, we hit the road. The first part of the ride was basically a retrace from yesterdays route until we hit Monticello. 20 miles outside of Monticello the winds picked up big time and the temperature dropped 15 degrees. I was like damn, I gotta pull over an put on another layer or maybe two! I turned to look at Lori when we stopped and she just muttered, “I’m cold!” She didn’t plug in her suit and in fairness to her, it felt very warm in Moab when we left, but the change in elevation and wind made for the dramatic change.

So while stopped in Monticello, I noticed that Bushtec had called an left me a message. So I fueled the bike up, left Lori outside putting on her heated suit and I went to see about getting those trailer tires. Jackpot, after speaking with Bushtec for only a few minutes we had it all worked out where those tires are going to meet me in Dillon, Colorado tomorrow by 3pm. That is a relief and the hotel was more than happy to let my package arrive prior to me getting there, so that is all worked out. Now all I have to work out, who is going to install them, me or some company. More on this later.

After putting on a layer and Lori all snuggled with her heated (spoiled rotten) suit, we hit the road eastbound out of Monticello. I was really surprised to see just how flat the country side was as we made our way into Colorado. I guess about 115 miles into the ride we turned onto Highway 145 and it looked all innocent but you could tell after about 10 or so miles we were steady climbing. Now with the temps falling again and my senses telling me we are climbing, I turn the GPS on to do a elevation check and we were 8000 feet and climbing. We were starting to see snow capped mountains getting closer and closer as the mile clicked off. Our first highest ever moment on the motorcycle was breaking through 9000, then 10000, and then 10127 feet. At this point we started downhill and found fuel and lunch in Telluride.

After refueling the machine and the humans, we got back to the ride. The weather was still holding up nicely but that pesky little wind just wouldn’t go away. On the flat land is doesn’t bother me to much, but put me on the outside lane with no guardrail and I can see over the edge a 1000 foot drop or more, and it bothers me just a little. This part of Colorado is playing up their western heritage and all the small towns that you ride through are extremely cute. Course if your looking for McDonald’s, Wal-mart, or some other big chain out here, you’re out of luck and that adds to there charm.

Somewhere along the road we ran into a real cowboy driving cattle down the side of the road. I kid you not, we are talking about 10 cowboys on horses along with a few hundred cattle trotting down the side of the road. Then one calf got spooked and he/she turned tail running in the opposite direction, which happen to be the same direction we are going. Two of them there cowboys took-off after the calf with the rope swinging overhead. Dang, this was just like the movies or a rodeo. One, two, three attempts and finally he roped the runaway and brought him to a stand still, just like in a rodeo. Yeeha!! Then out of no where I hear this in my helmet, “Wow them cowboys sure were sexy!” To which I could only muster, “Really?” I think I need to unplug her suit so she can cool off.

After the un-expected Cowboy show, we turned onto Highway 550 and up we went. We twisted and turned back and forth and it got colder and colder until we finally hit the high of the day of 11,120. I did pretty good dealing with the high altitudes, no guard rails, and wind, so maybe there is hope I can find the internal fortitude to climb Mt. Evans on a motorcycle. I might get luck and that run will be closed! If you do not know about Mt. Evans, it is the highest paved road in the United States at 14,000 plus feet. Google it.

We came rolling into Durango around 3pm and it was 5000 foot lower than the high of the day and a whole lot warmer. Since we arrived a little early, I took this opportunity to change the oil in the Valkyrie for the second and last time while on the road. Lori did some more laundry and that will be the last time and will get us home. I also did a little research in Dillon, made one call, and found someone to install my trailer tires for me Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. So all is looking good in that respect and my last concern is that rear tire on the motorcycle. I told Lori today that we would ride on it until the cords start to show then I will stop and have my spare installed to get us home. The further I push that ME880 Metzler toward home, the more likely my spare will make it. I would feel confortable if the spare is installed within 2500 miles of planned mileage left.

Tomorrow will do another high altitude mountain run from Durango to Dillon. We will cross back over to the eastern side of the Continental Divide, Chimney Rock, and the Tennessee Pass. Looking at the weather it should be really nice, with no wind and temperature 55-65.

Todays run was 391 miles, and our total is now 7799.

Click here for todays pictures:

Tomorrows route is pictured below:

The Picture below shows what we have completed and what we have left. The Red is complete and the Green is what is left.