Our Sturgis Adventure (Very Long)
#11
08-18-2005, 12:48 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
#13
08-18-2005, 11:23 PM
#16
08-21-2005, 11:38 PM
RE: Our Sturgis Adventure (Very Long) Part 2
Day 2 August 6th, 2005
It had rained during the night as we slept in Cortez, CO. No matter though, the Comfort Inn that we had stayed in has a motorcycle barn, which provided both shelter and security for the scoot while we slept.
The room had been very nice and we received a discounted rate for it with the HOG Travel benefit.
I had awoken early (as usual) and had gone to the lobby for coffee and to check the weather. The coffee was good, but the weather was mixed. Showers were forecast throughout the mountains in Colorado all day. I hung out and drank coffee and surfed the net in the lobby while Sandy slept until a reasonable time. 6:00 am was long enough. We needed to go to Durango HD to see if we could get a new intercom headset cord. I had melted mine earlier in the trip at a gas stop when it rested up against one of the pipes. At 7:00 am we were on the road, the HD shop was supposed to open at 8:00. With the GPS giving us directions, we headed for Durango. The roads were damp and the clouds hung low over the mountaintops. The temperature was in the 50’s, but the leathers kept us warm as we made our way through the haze to Durango. The Garmin GPS made for Harley dutifully gave us step by step directions to follow all the way to the Durango dealership. When we arrived at the location of the Harley shop there was only one problem, no dealership. I went back and forth a couple of times, but still couldn’t find it. So as a last desperate measure, I asked for directions. They had moved some time ago several miles up the road. We finally found it at about 8:30 and found they didn’t open until 9:00. We waited. We really enjoy using the intercom on the bike, and missed having that ability. The doors opened and we went straight to the parts counter where I was promptly informed that they didn’t have one. Well, silence has its benefits too.
The Road to Silverton
We climbed aboard the Ultra and headed north on US 550 towards Silverton. The clouds were still clinging to the mountaintops as we made our way up Coal Bank Pass. At 10,640 feet the air was cooler than anything we’d seen in Arizona for six months, and even though the air was thin, the big V-twin thumped happily in the cool air. The traffic was fairly light as descended the pass down into Silverton, CO. The little town was so picturesque, we missed our turn to Montrose.
Silverton, CO
Since we had detoured from our original course, I had not bothered to update the GPS and we were not using it to navigate. We drove clear through town and headed up the hill when we ran into a sign that said “4 WHEEL DRIVE RECOMMENDED 7 MILES AHEAD.” At this point we made an immediate U-turn. I figured we must have missed the turn so I programmed the GPS to take us to Montrose, CO. Within a few seconds, it was giving me directions that brought us back to the missed turn and soon had us on our way again.
Heading North on US 550 out of Silverton, we quickly climbed the winding road to the top of Red Mountain Pass. There is magic in the mountains above the timberline where the snow stays around all year long. That magic stayed with us all the way into Ouray where we stopped for a break before continuing on to Montrose.
Ouray, CO
At Montrose we turned East on US 50 and headed for Gunnison, CO. For me, this stretch of road was pure heaven, for Sandy it was sheer terror (and sadly there
It had rained during the night as we slept in Cortez, CO. No matter though, the Comfort Inn that we had stayed in has a motorcycle barn, which provided both shelter and security for the scoot while we slept.
The room had been very nice and we received a discounted rate for it with the HOG Travel benefit.
I had awoken early (as usual) and had gone to the lobby for coffee and to check the weather. The coffee was good, but the weather was mixed. Showers were forecast throughout the mountains in Colorado all day. I hung out and drank coffee and surfed the net in the lobby while Sandy slept until a reasonable time. 6:00 am was long enough. We needed to go to Durango HD to see if we could get a new intercom headset cord. I had melted mine earlier in the trip at a gas stop when it rested up against one of the pipes. At 7:00 am we were on the road, the HD shop was supposed to open at 8:00. With the GPS giving us directions, we headed for Durango. The roads were damp and the clouds hung low over the mountaintops. The temperature was in the 50’s, but the leathers kept us warm as we made our way through the haze to Durango. The Garmin GPS made for Harley dutifully gave us step by step directions to follow all the way to the Durango dealership. When we arrived at the location of the Harley shop there was only one problem, no dealership. I went back and forth a couple of times, but still couldn’t find it. So as a last desperate measure, I asked for directions. They had moved some time ago several miles up the road. We finally found it at about 8:30 and found they didn’t open until 9:00. We waited. We really enjoy using the intercom on the bike, and missed having that ability. The doors opened and we went straight to the parts counter where I was promptly informed that they didn’t have one. Well, silence has its benefits too.
The Road to Silverton
We climbed aboard the Ultra and headed north on US 550 towards Silverton. The clouds were still clinging to the mountaintops as we made our way up Coal Bank Pass. At 10,640 feet the air was cooler than anything we’d seen in Arizona for six months, and even though the air was thin, the big V-twin thumped happily in the cool air. The traffic was fairly light as descended the pass down into Silverton, CO. The little town was so picturesque, we missed our turn to Montrose.
Silverton, CO
Since we had detoured from our original course, I had not bothered to update the GPS and we were not using it to navigate. We drove clear through town and headed up the hill when we ran into a sign that said “4 WHEEL DRIVE RECOMMENDED 7 MILES AHEAD.” At this point we made an immediate U-turn. I figured we must have missed the turn so I programmed the GPS to take us to Montrose, CO. Within a few seconds, it was giving me directions that brought us back to the missed turn and soon had us on our way again.
Heading North on US 550 out of Silverton, we quickly climbed the winding road to the top of Red Mountain Pass. There is magic in the mountains above the timberline where the snow stays around all year long. That magic stayed with us all the way into Ouray where we stopped for a break before continuing on to Montrose.
Ouray, CO
At Montrose we turned East on US 50 and headed for Gunnison, CO. For me, this stretch of road was pure heaven, for Sandy it was sheer terror (and sadly there
#17
08-22-2005, 12:41 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
RE: Our Sturgis Adventure (Very Long) Part 2
Dang this is a good story. You went right through some of my favorite riding country. We make it to Ouray a couple of times a year.
You're lucky with the rain. We got rained on the night we went home after meeting you. Then we went to the Colorado Mountains camping and fishing the next day, and got rained on most of the time we were there.
Keep the story coming.
Regards,
Bill
You're lucky with the rain. We got rained on the night we went home after meeting you. Then we went to the Colorado Mountains camping and fishing the next day, and got rained on most of the time we were there.
Keep the story coming.
Regards,
Bill
#19
08-22-2005, 08:52 PM
#20
08-22-2005, 10:10 PM
RE: Our Sturgis Adventure (Very Long) Part 2
Steve,
I check this forum regularly for an update to this thread...I really enjoy it, please keep it coming.
Question for you...have you had any problems with your GPS and the power??? Meaning does it flicker on and off, saying it's going to start to shut down in 30 seconds and then power is restored...etc.?
Mac
I check this forum regularly for an update to this thread...I really enjoy it, please keep it coming.
Question for you...have you had any problems with your GPS and the power??? Meaning does it flicker on and off, saying it's going to start to shut down in 30 seconds and then power is restored...etc.?
Mac