Ridin' The Rockies

[AR]

no big surprise for ya wm but you can count me in! Had a nice experience hiring a HD from the Mile High franchise last year so can highly recommend them if anyone else needs to find a ride. Of course if there's any spare V8's floating about for that week i'll gladly pay for the new rear tyre/s

Hoping to time my stay so i head off to LA to spend a night with the Germans on our way home. Got danger written all over this week of 'RTR, V8 style'.

AR.

[Geezer]

After living in that area for 5 years and running those mountains
a hundred time, I would give my left nut to do it again.

I have always said it is the perfect place for a rally of any
size.

Don't think it is in the cards for me to attend this year.
I need to retire.........

Whomever attends will have the adventure of a life time !

Geezer

[V8 Perv]

I might have had too much to drink last night.

This sounds GREAT and I can't wait!

[Elvis]

The 2012 vacation book just got to me, and June is all booked up here at work, No Denver for me. Had already checked out the rooms, and mapped it out on Google. Drats.

[502wingman]

My Swiss friend Hans and our Girls (Biene and Doris) are really excited about this great idea. I am looking forward to meet you all and see Mike, Pam and Rob again.

We will do our best to make it in time to Aspen coming down from Yellowstone via Salt Lake City.

Cant wait anymore, get over with winter

Peter the WingMan

[AR]

Pete, see ya over there in June
AR.

[Puff]

Great foto of 502WingMan and Aussiefahrt at Hexentanzplatz(summer 2007) above !
I wonder who took that foto ?!

[V8 Perv]

We are only 2 weeks away from the ride and we are starting to get excited
about it. Who all is attending and when is everyone arriving?

[AR]

We are only 2 weeks away from the ride and we are starting to get excited
about it. Who all is attending and when is everyone arriving?

me, from Sunday 24th for a week of USA style

[KISS]

Pictures PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[SRF]

Pictures PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yeah wheres the pics and mild stories????

Shane

[V8 Perv]

Sorry for the lack of a rally report but just been too busy riding, drinking,
and telling lies to post anything. Deb has a shitload of pics if she ever gets
time to post them. Colorado is still my favorite summer place to visit it is
simply amazing.

[hogv8]

I feel sorry for all those people who lost their homes with the wildfires . I heard close to 400 homes lost . I hope this is nowhere near Wildman ?

[hogv8]

Where is Wildman anyway ? Haven't heard shit from him lately .

Jack
HOGV8

[502wingman]

We are back in Denver now and will give back the bikes tomorrow (after 2300mls)

Thanks to Wildman for caring so much about us and the great rides we had all these days.

We had so much fun meeting Debbi and Ron. You are great guys and we are looking forward to more fun with you in the near future.

Thanks again to all for a wonderful time in beautiful Colorado.

Rob, we really missed you but we will see you again for sure.

Peter the 502WingMan & Biene

[addicted08]

Well, I finally have the computer and internet service at the same time so I thought I would share some stories and pics from Ridin' The Rockies. Ron and I arrived in Black Hawk on Monday evening (I was playing tennis so it held us up a day). We hooked up with Wildman in Idaho Springs and had a few drinks at the bar there. Then on Tuesday we hit the road to head to Snowmass. Boy is Colorado beautiful!



We stopped just outside of the Eisenhower Tunnel for a photo op.


And then continued on toward Snowmass. I am always amazed at the steep hills that we travel. Nothing like riding in Colorado...wind in your face, sun on your skin and the smell of some truckers brakes getting too hot! Gotta love the run a way truck ramps.



Here are some more pics of the scenery on the way.





When we were coming into Leadville we saw this helicopter with a bucket stopping to get water out of a small pond.


We drove a little further and I looked back behind us and saw where he must have been going with the water.


We had of course heard and seen the news about all of the fires in Colorado but this was the only one we actually saw. As you can tell from the pics, Wildman led us on some amazing rides.

[addicted08]

Wildman, Ron and I ate lunch in Leadville on Tuesday. We ate at the Silver Dollar Saloon which was built in 1879.


Then back on the road heading to Snowmass.




This is what the ski slopes in Aspen look like in the summer.


This is the Viceroy hotel that we stayed in Tuesday night. We met up with Peter, Sabine, Hans and Doris here.


On Wednesday we all went in to Aspen and had breakfast at a nice little restaurant.



Then we rode through "downtown" Aspen to have a look around.




I have no idea what kind of car this is so I had to take a pic to show you all.


Next we headed out of town to take Indepence Pass back toward Black Hawk. It is a gorgeous ride. First thing we saw were all the Aspen trees.

[addicted08]

Going over Independence Pass takes you right by the Continental Divide. So we stopped for a photo op. It is hard to tell with the helmets on but this is Hans, Doris, Sabine, me, Ron and Peter.



Here are some more pics of the scenery along Independence Pass.






We stopped in Leadville at the Silver Dollar Saloon for a drink and so Hans, Doris, Sabine and Peter could check it out.



After a drink we walked back to the bikes and Sabine asked if she could have her picture taken on my trike so I said sure! I took one pic with her cell phone then Ron hopped on behind her so I got a pic with my camera as well as Sabine's. Too funny!

[addicted08]

Thursday we rode up to the top of Mt. Evans. I love this ride! This is the 2nd time we have been up and this time the weather was much more comfortable. Not nearly as cold and windy as the last time. Here we are heading up and this is a lake just before the fee area.




This is a sign at the fee area that gives you the details for the day. It is so amazing to see the difference in temperature here and at the top.


The ride near the top is so different than down lower. Not nearly as many trees and a lot more rocks and snow!




And there are a couple more lakes up here.



And breath taking views.





At the top there are goats!



This one was kind enough to pose by the sign for me.

[addicted08]

Doris, Sabine and I posing in front of the sign.


Ron, Sabine, Peter and Hans.


While we were at the top of Mt. Evans taking pictures and admiring the view it started to sleet. We decided to head back down and while we were getting our gear on the sleet started getting bigger and coming down faster. The parking lot was littered with it.


Here is Peter and Sabine ready to head back down.


While staying in Black Hawk we would drive through Central City to go for rides. It is really a neat old town.


This is the Ameristar Casino/Hotel that we stayed in while in Black Hawk. It was a really nice hotel.


This is a water wheel and water fall near Idaho Springs.


These next 3 pics were taken along Bear Creek Canyon.

[Hogg]

Sure wish I could have been there. Wild man, I know my eyes are bad but did I see a photo without the signal. Are you getting manners since the bike change?

[V8 Perv]

Hogg, We sure missed you in Miami, La Crosse, and Colorado!

We need your presence at Grumpys gathering or we will start
wondering about you? Are you too busy with your dance lessons or what?

[addicted08]

I still have lots of pics to share and now that I am home I can get it done. On Friday Wildman, Peter, Sabine, Doris and Hans headed back toward Denver and Ron and I headed toward Durango. There are some amazing roads between Black Hawk and Durango!







We were driving along and came upon these odd looking things so we stopped to have a look.



They are called "Coke Ovens". According to the sign they are used to "coke" the ore mined nearby.



Here is some more beautiful scenery.

[addicted08]

More pics from Colorado.




This is a "Snow/Water Shed". It keeps the snow and water from melting snow off the roadway.


Colorado had such nice roads that we aren't the only riders that like to ride here. This group was coming up the road after us.


More scenery.




We got into Silverton on Friday evening and got a room at the Wyndham Hotel which was built in 1902. Everything about it was old style. I really thought it was a neat experience!




The stairs leading up to the 2nd floor.


Our room.




The hallway with an old chess set.



The whole town does the "old mining town" thing.

[addicted08]

More pretty scenery.




This is a waterfall and you can see part of the retaining wall along the roadway.


More scenery.





We came into the small town of Lake City and saw these deer near the houses. They seemed more curious than frightened.