Day 5 Route 66 Tour – Durango, CO to Highlands Ranch, CO Friday October 23rd 2020

Friday, October 23nd 2020

Durango, CO The final day back.  The days are shorter and colder in the mountains, so I skipped the morning run and hit the road early.  It was cold – I made it to Pagosa Springs before stopping and ended up at Walmart to buy additional layers of clothing. 

Wolf Creek Pass, CO As the Sun rose the day warmed some – turns out Wolf Creek Pass would be one of the warmer areas for the day. A very nice ride, not much traffic, and as always amazing views. I also realized this was the return crossing of the Continental Divide, but at 10,856 feet this time.  Wolf Creek Pass Pictures. 

Mosca, CO I’d heard about the Gator farm from a fraternity brother.  I thought I would stop in, but it was cold enough that I was barely able to move.  I couldn’t imagine the Gators would be very active so I decided to skip it for this trip. ColoradoGator Farm Pictures. 

San Luis Valley, CO The Great Sand Dunes National park contains the tallest sand dunes in North America.  An area that is estimated to have been inhabited for over 11,000 years.  This is a stop that would be much better with a dirt bike or ATV.  Still racing the snow and cold on the front range - I catch some photos, but decide not to go into the park. GreatSand Dunes National Park Pictures.  

I'm glad to beat the snow storm on the way home. I did not beat the cold - coming over La Veta pass south of Pueblo it got cold - damn cold.  The rest of the trip had flurries and cold.  Upon arriving back in Highlands Ranch, I was glad to be home, but also a bit sad that the trip is over.

Day 5 turned out to be 406 miles – a basic route via google maps 

Day 4 Route 66 Tour – St George, UT to Durango, CO Thursday October 22nd 2020

Thursday, October 22^nd 2020

St George, UT Another nice morning run through town.  It was nice to get a sense of town with some
light.  I wish I had more time to tour Zion’s National Park, but with snow storms headed towards Denver it’s time to cut the trip a bit short.  The day will be a few stops winding back and forth between UT and AZ until entering CO. Pictures from St. George. 

 

Kane County, UT Johnson Canyon movie set was one of the stops for the morning.  The area is probably most famous for Gunsmoke which was filmed in UT – not KS. I think historically there were more buildings around, but now it looks like mostly private property and not as many buildings.  A small detour that provided some great views. Johnson Canyon Movie Set Pictures.  

 

 

Page, AZ As I rolled into Page, the main stop was the Glen Canyon Dam – thinking about how Lake
Powell is formed.  Page is normally an area for access to the lake and lake recreation.  In the fall it’s much quieter and my objective was breakfast which worked out well with a stop at the Ranch House Grille. Pictures from Page AZ Area. 

 

Monument Valley, UT This part of the ride was a highlight of the trip.  I wasn’t sure what to expect since many of the Indian reservations are closed to tourist, but Monument Valley is a highway and open.  The pictures don’t capture the essence of this valley.  A must visit if get into the area. Pictures from Monument Valley. 

 

Durango, CO After four amazing days of riding, I’ve rolled back into Colorado.  I’m happy to be back
into CO, but concerned about the impending cold.  Durango is nice this time of year with out to many people – a slower season and happy to get a bit to eat and crash. Pictures from Durango. 

Day 4 turned out to be 462 Miles – the basic route via google maps 

Day 3 Route 66 Tour – Seligman, AZ to St George, UT Wednesday, October 21st 2020

Wednesday, October 21^st 2020

Seligman, AZ My 3^rd day started with a run through Seligman, AZ before getting on the bike.  There are a few famous locations here and I wanted to get a look around.  The main reason for the visit is supposed to be Delgadillo’s Snow Cap – I didn’t learn until later that most of the vehicles were behind the building.  Luck for me there were many other attractions in town.  A few pictures from the morning Seligman 

 

Grand Canyon Caverns As I’m traveling down Route 66, amazed at the different out posts, abandoned properties and mostly wide-open country I stumbled upon the Grand Canyon Caverns – not a planned stop, but why not.  Surprise the caverns weren’t open, but it does look like a cool place to visit, maybe even stay.  Pictures from Grand Canyon Caverns. 

 

Peach Springs, AZ Next stop historic Peach Springs Trading Post, built in 1936.  The drive took me through an old section of Route 66 – the drive was worth it.  The trading post didn’t look like much, but that is the adventure of Route 66 – it’s not about the destination – it’s about the journey. Pictures of the Trading Post 

 

Kingman, AZ Area It may not be an original from Route 66, but "Giganticus Headicus" a
half-buried, 14-foot-tall pseudo-tiki sculpted of metal, wood, chicken wire, Styrofoam and cement, created in 2004 is worth a quick stop.  During my trip it had been painted Pink (vs usual Green) for breast cancer awareness. Pictures of Giganticus. 

The last major town in AZ before getting into CA – Kingman, AZ.  A stop at the railroad museum (nope closed), a walk around town, enjoying warmth that would soon turn to heat as I headed further west.  Welcome to KingmanPictures. 

 

Oatman, AZ The road narrowed, got older, narrower, steeper with sharper curves en-route to Oatman,
AZ.  The ride up into the hills was amazing.  Oatman is a village in the Black Mountains of Mohave County, Arizona. It began as a small mining camp when two prospectors struck a $10 million gold find in 1915.  Oatman was fortunate it was located on busy U.S. Route 66 and was able to cater to travelers driving between Kingman, Arizona, and Needles, California. Yet even that advantage was short-lived, because the town was completely bypassed in 1953 when a new route was built between Kingman and Needles.  Pictures of Oatmanand area. 

Top Rock, AZ In searching for Old Trails Bridge I managed to first end up at the Top Rock Marina – alternative access to Lake Havasu.  A quiet time around the lake, but still feels plenty warm.  A great place for lunch overlooking the water. Old Trails Bridge and Top Rock Pictures. 

 

Needles, CA I wasn’t sure how far into California I would go, but given the length of my days and the access to the Mohave Desert – I decided Needles would be about it. Needles was a major stop on the historic U.S. Route 66 highway from the 1920s through the 1960s. During the Dust Bowl in the 1930s, it was the first town that marked arrival in California. The city is lined with motels and other shops from that era.  It was very quiet on a Wednesday, but a nice visit. Pictures around Needles, CA.

Mohave Desert, CA After Needles it was time for a drive into the desert.  Some very quiet, long straight roads.  There were call boxes along the highway.  I spent some time thinking about what the call boxes are connected to and who might answer.  I had plenty of water and it turns out there was construction to the peace and the quiet ended when we all ended up packed together going into Nevada. Mohave Desert Pictures. 

 

Las Vegas, NV Vegas from the distance.  I had no reason to go into Vegas and the thought of a place like Vegas being closed helped me avoid it entirely and make a round about trip to get to the Lake Mead.  Pictures from the drive around Vegas. 

 

Lake Mead, NV The final section of the Nevada drive was along Lake Mead with a stop in Echo Bay and on into Utah.  Route 66 is a memory, but the roads in this park are amazing – well maintained and have great views.  Pictures from Ride. 

St George, UT After an amazing riding day, I was happy to get to St George, UT and a chance to relax for the evening.  A nice dinner at Pancho Left’s with plenty of cold beer and no rules to worry about.  It was still Wednesday, but there were a number of locals in to hang out and watch the World Series. Photos from St.George. 

 

Day 3 turned out to be 418 miles – a general route via google maps. 

Day 2 Route 66 Tour - Albuquerque, NM to Seligman, AZ Tuesday, October 20th, 2020

Tuesday, October 20th, 2020 

Up early for a run through downtown Albuquerque – so many famous sites, locations, and history.  I covered about 4 miles on foot and was able to see a number of historic buildings with no one else around. After NM ends their shut down it would be fun to spend some more time along Central Ave. A repeat of photos from the night before and the morning run can be found here.

The first stop in the morning ride is the Route 66 Casino Hotel.  It turns out the Casino is open, but only for NM residents.  It appears that some have moved into the gas station and parking lot.  A bit of a sad state of affairs.  I hope they can help the displaced and homeless.  A few photos from the stop.   

 

The second stop is the Continental divide – it’s a bit deceiving as the land feels fairly flat in New Mexico.  I think this may be one of the lowest points to cross the Divide at 7,295 feet, but it is still a crossing.  A few pics from the stop 

 

Gallup, NM The next few stops are all in in Gallup NM at the Route 66 Diner, El Rancho Hotel, and Richardson’s trading company.  The Route 66 Diner was a great experience – really enjoyed the food, the old time feel of the
diner, and the people were friendly and chatty.  A few pictures from the diner. 

 

I’d read the El Rancho Hotel was a must stop and I did, but not sure I’d agree or stay there.  Tough to tell with the shutdown.  I did wander into Richardson’s Trading Company which seems to be growing the pawn business.  I had nice walk around Gallop before getting back on the bike. A few Gallup pictures 

Petrified Forest, AZ The next stop was the Petrified Forest National Park in northeastern Arizona and a stop at the Painted Desert Inn.  My original plans included staying at the Inn, but it wasn’t open so that option wasn’t going to work out on this trip.  I did the 28-mile ride through the park – warm and inviting and not too many people.  I enjoyed the various stops and along the way. Petrified Forest ride pictures 

 

On the way back to the highway from the Petrified Forest I ran through Holbrook Arizona to the Wigwam Motel.  What a cool place – they’ve put running antique cars in front of each wigwam to give the real feel of the hey days.  Not very busy this time of year – they were getting one room ready for a reservation.  A few photos from the property 

Winslow, AZ Working towards Winslow and an opportunity to stand on the corner.  This year I noticed a new park for the “Remembrance Garden” so I stopped – they have beams from the twin towers on display.  I then went into town for my picture on the corner – not surprising than Winslow was a busy town on a Tuesday.  This area of Arizona is a fun place to visit.  It was a short stop with many miles to go yet in the day.  A few photos from Winslow 

Flagstaff, AZ Another great ride from Winslow into Flagstaff running back roads through the hills. 
Peaks, winding roads, and almost no traffic.  Flagstaff is a beautiful town, but the experience with the locals didn’t make the town very inviting.  I spent 20 minutes walking around town before running west again.  It would have been fun to grab a few drinks and spend the night, but I’ve done that in Flagstaff before and would like a new experience. A few shots of Flagstaff

Seligman, AZ I was happy to jump on one last section of Route 66 into Seligman AZ.  I was hoping for open hotels, restaurants, and bars with low expectations after being in NM.  I found a very welcoming small town off Route 66 with character, warmth, great food & drink and a quiet place to relax.  The trains ran often, but the exhaustion of 2 days on the road took over.  I had the John Wayne room in the Canyon Lodge – what a trip. A few miles off the interstate – an amazing find.  A few photos from arrival that night 

 

On this 2^nd day I had 447 miles – an approximate view of the route via google maps 

Day 1 Route 66 Tour - Highlands Ranch, CO to Albuquerque, NM - Monday, October 19th, 2020

Monday, October 19th, 2020 

"I think you all ought to get back on your bikes and go out and ride the highway until you remember what riding’s all about" – Damien Blade – Wild Hogs

Thinking about “Ride hard or stay home!”

I was recently in Michigan on a ride with almost 100 bikes and it made me think about sound, feel, and experience.  A Harley ride is a hard thing to describe and if you never been on one then it may not make any sense…..

As way to try and explain – I realized Harley tried to trademark their sound. In 1994, Harley Davidson filed a sound trademark for its distinctive rumble. (withdrawn at a later date).  For the geeks and motor heads, normally on a two-cylinder engine the spark plugs are positioned 180 degrees from each other which produces an exhaust noise that is even and smooth.  Harley designed to save money and simplify with a 45-degree arc so there is first a 315-degree rotation followed by 405-degree rotation – producing an asymmetrical sound that is very unique and somehow gets better the more Harley’s you put together.

Thinking about the first quote, last week I set out on an adventure to clear my head and have a unique experience.

Leaving early on a Monday morning – a general direction and plan – I wanted to go see Route 66.

Taos, NM: In the hunt for Route 66 – first stop would be Taos, NM once getting out of Colorado.  A few pictures from Taos - a few signs that NM might be a bit weird.  It's a beautiful town, but this has been a hard year on NM.

The Taos Pueblo, which borders the north boundary of the town of Taos, has been occupied for nearly a millennium. It is estimated that the pueblo was built between 1000 and 1450 A.D., with some later expansion, and the pueblo is considered to be one of the oldest continuously inhabited communities in the United States. Long one of America's foremost, bona fide Art Colonies, Taos is also home to a world-class ski resort (Taos Ski Valley), a World Heritage Site (Taos Pueblo), one of the most photographed and iconic churches.

Madrid, NM: The second stop, located just south of Santa Fe New Mexico, in the mineral rich Ortiz

Mountains, Madrid is in the oldest coal mining region in New Mexico. There is evidence of primitive mining in the Madrid area as early as the mid-1850's.  I made my wife watch Wild Hogs the night before leaving just so she could have so more context on the ride.

There is a history as a ghost town that once went up for sale for $250K in the Wall Street Journal, but for me – it’s the show down location for Wild Hog’s and Maggie’s diner.  A few pictures from Madrid 

Moriarty, NM: Whiting Bros Petrol, Moriarty, NM: After Route 66 began to barrel through the eight states, gas stations started offering repairs and other services and the structures were enlarged again as service bays were added to the buildings. These structures continued to evolve over the years to the place that they are today, sometimes no bigger than those first early structures.

Today, with the exception of one remaining Whiting Brothers Station in Moriarty, New Mexico, and a few buildings that have been utilized for other businesses purposes, all that’s left of the Whiting empire are its fading yellow and orange signs and crumbling buildings. Soon, these too will most likely disappear, ending another chapter of Route 66 history. Pictures from Moriarty, NM

Albuquerque, NM:  El Vado Hotel and the sights of Central Ave, Albuquerque which was once Route 66.

I stayed in El Vado - When it opened in 1937, El Vado was one of New Mexico’s first motels to greet Route 66 travelers. Generations of families have forged lasting memories and adventures starting here. Today, El Vado is a unique blend of historic character and charm, combined with modern comforts and amenities.

 Photos from Albuquerque 

An incredible first day on the road with 470 miles – a basic route via google maps. 

It’s hard to describe the experience of letting a Harley loose on the open road, the wind, the roar, the ride – let the good times roll!  I was exhausted and turns out most restaurants in NM close at 7 PM.  I feel bad for states that have ridiculous rules - only thing I can do is plan to get out of this state as fast as possible.

Denver to Sturgis and Back – 3 Days on the Bike

 

Twisted Road, Sturgis, Harley Davidson.  Somehow in 2020 all three worked together for a heck of an experience.

• In 1903, Harley Davidson was formed
• In 1938, the very first Sturgis motorcycle rally was held on August 14.
• In 2017, Twisted Road was founded in Chicago, IL to be the Turo of motorcycles
• In 2020, things didn’t go as planned…..

I’ve wanted to get back into riding and discovered Twisted Road where bike owners could rent to others as a way to make additional income.  To my surprise I found someone renting a 2010 Harley Street Glide – the iconic hot rod bagger with bat wing fairing that must be ridden.  What do you do with access to a bike like the Street Glide?  I took it for a day trip through the hills from Black Hawk to Estes Park, a sample that just made me want to ride more.

By July of 2020 I was going a bit crazy having cancelled many trips and I felt it was time to find something positive for the year.  Imagine the opportunity to attend a celebration like no other that most likely wouldn’t be repeated any place else in the world.  Good luck finding another event post March 2020 that would bring 450,000+ people together in a celebration of life, motorcycles, nature, and happiness.

I enlisted my neighbor who also has a Street Glide into a quick weekend trip to Sturgis for the Rally.  My neighbor, Mike who had been many times before, into a quick trip to South Dakota from Denver.

Friday, August 7^th 2020 - Highlands Ranch, CO to Custer, SD

Mike and I departed first this in the morning from south Denver bound for Custer, SD.  The rumble of the bike, the open road, it doesn’t take long for everything else in life and the world to disappear – the bike, the sound, the road – let’s roll! A nice 380 mile starting north on I-25 through Denver and up into Cheyenne, WY.  A stop for fuel and breakfast at Denny’s and then into WY open lands of wind and winding roads to make our way to Custer for our first day out.  A few pictures from the trip 

We opted not to get a hotel to avoid the crowds and found an amazing experience at Elk Haven Lodge Cabins in Custer, SD.  We had our own place in a very quiet setting just minutes outside of Custer.

 

Saturday, August 8^th, 2020 - Needles Ride through Custer State Park

Needles Highway: Mike and I were up early, finished our coffee and were on the bikes for the first ride of the day, by 8 AM we were well into Custer StatePark riding the Needles Highway - 

What an amazing way to start a morning – us, the bikes, the mountains, the tunnels, and the fresh air.  We had a great ride and day 2 on the bike was much more comfortable than Day 1. Check out these photos from the ride. 

Mt Rushmore: On our way north, we swung by Mt Rushmore for a quick photo stop. 

Keystone, SD Breakfast: After an hour of riding it was time for breakfast.  We entered Keystone, SD looking for a good place to eat. Tucked deep away in the Black Hills, Keystone, South Dakota is a great destination for travelers. A great place to eat and stretch our legs - photos from Keystone.

Spearfish Canyon: Running Spearfish Canyon with thousand-foot-high limestone walls tower to the right and left of Highway. Spearfish Creek lines the canyon floor while canyon waterfalls make for popular roadside attractions. Bridal Veil Falls and others along the route. We did the 22-mile journey from Cheyenne Crossing outside of Lead. From there, travel 20 miles through amazing scenery. We ended at I-90 in Spearfish - some photos from the ride.

 

Sturgis, SD: We entered the town of Sturgis – a nice escape from the year.  Bikes, bikes, bikes everywhere.  A great place for people watching, shopping for anything and everything bike related.  It was also a bit overwhelming with so many people, so not a place to spend too much time.  We also noticed a thunderstorm building and we had a bit of ride to get back to Custer. Photos from Sturgis.

Dinner in Custer, SD: After racing back south, driving through the rain, we got into Custer for a nice dinner.  I needed a dry shirt and had one probably only appropriate to this setting.  We had some fun after a long day of riding.

 

 

Sunday, August 9^th 2020

Time to return to life.  We were up early for the ride back home.  We stopped in Lusk, WY for breakfast on the way home.  A very colorful bar, with some interesting residents.  They definitely live the motto – you can’t drink all day if you don’t start in the morning.

An unforgettable experience in a year when any positive experience was really needed.