Berthoud Pass, Colorado

[OrangevaleFJR]

Saturday I left Colorado on my way back to California after a great 2 week break. I left Idaho Springs (Fall River), which is all of about 10 minutes East of Berthoud Pass on I-70.

About 300 yards off the exit to the pass, the snow started. It wasn't too heavy, but not light. I had a feeling I would be fine.

If I had left 20 minutes later, I think it would have been bad news. I got over the pass before snow accumulated on the road (only slush was accumulating on the paint lines). There was a 1/4 inch of ice on my windshield and when I got to the other side of the storm, I stopped and chipped ice off my bike...

I am kicking myself for not taking pictures :angry2:

I got out of Colorado unscathed, but was delayed by the President of Iraq's motorcade going through Grand Junction.

Grand Junction? Yep, I took Berthoud Pass, got to Kremling and got stopped by Rabbit Ears pass that had chain controls in effect. I had to go south to Silverthorne and over Vail Pass to get out of Colorado. It snowed on Vail pass too...no snow on the road at all though.

phew...made it.

 

[05fjrBluedevil]

yep glad you made it, too bad you didn't shoot them the bird or more!

wasted picture opportunity yep have to agree, going to be carrier my camera with me all the time.

it ashamed how many great picture opportunities we have on these two wheel stallions and miss them.

What part of orangevail are you in?

My brother is out there in sac town!

I remember driving 17 hours straight from Kentucky about four years ago.

think I stopped in green river.

Talk about all the picture opportunities I missed! btw was in a cage. wind on the plains pushed me around like a tin can!

wonder how it feel on a bike?

 

[Mike-H]

Orangevale....you should've practised your drifting....that's what we do up here in the winter.... :derisive: ....glad you made it through safe....

 

[RonC]

Having snow fall on you and even worse, having it on the road, is a real sphincter tightener. I've ridden through snow while riding in Rocky Mountain National Park in June. Fortunately, it didn't stick.

Another time, we were riding in slush over Vail Pass while coming home from a trip. It was about 80 F when we had gone over the same pass a few days before.

Makes for some 'interesting' riding.

Ron

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

The bottom line was that if the road started getting slick at all, I was going to park the bike and wait it out. I had all the cold weater gear that I needed...I just didn't want to do that! I'm glad I didn't have to. Getting turned around in Kremling and going back down to I-70 made taking Berthoud totally uneccesary...good story though ;-)

 

[Mike-H]

Gee RonC.... come up here for a visit & you can do it all winter with the rest of us crazy Canucks.... ....just remeber to take your saddlebags, & topbox (if you have one) off before hand..... ....

 

[scubatech]

O'vale

Glad you made it safely. My friend and i chickened out on a ride to Grand Junction Saturday morning because of the snow on the passes. It can be radical up there in the fall. So we just rode south. Good story.

 

[Wyosteve]

Good thing you passed on Rabbit Ears. Got six inches of snow in Steamboat and guess there were a dozen cars in the ditch up on the pass. Stayed out of the hills this weekend and instead stayed home and mowed the lawn. Hope it is nice next weekend, guess the trees are changing fast.

Steve

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

Good thing you passed on Rabbit Ears. Got six inches of snow in Steamboat and guess there were a dozen cars in the ditch up on the pass. Stayed out of the hills this weekend and instead stayed home and mowed the lawn. Hope it is nice next weekend, guess the trees are changing fast.Steve

Something about cars with 5 inches of snow on them coming toward me from Rabbit Ears told me there was trouble

The Trees on Berthoud are golden. There are still large stands of Aspen that are green, but they are definitely going.

 

[AdrianNKY]

Wait a second.....

Is this the same Orangevale whose ride reports + pictureography{tm} we've all come to know/love/expect?

tsk...tsk...

Next time, please don't let the fact that some snow, or lack of pillion with camera get in the way of us (me in particular) living vicariously through your reports.

Now...get back to work.

 

[radman]

It's his wife, joyfulgirl, that takes all the pics. Orangie doesn't even know how to work a camera.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Yeah,

It's alot easier to record your trip via photograph when you have a first rate photographer along for the ride...

With all the beauty in SW Wisconsin last weekend, didn't get a single shot during the ride of the FJRs "in action" or the beautiful scenery...hard to do at speed...

 

[devanator]

orangevale

I stayed in Idaho Springs in Colorado three years ago. We stayed at a hotel where they had Hot Springs. Used the hot springs to fill the hot tubs and pool. It was great with beautiful scenery. But we didn't have the snow you had. Hope you enjoyed the trip. Colorado is great. I hope everthings works out for WFO to be their next year.

devanator

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

orangevale
I stayed in Idaho Springs in Colorado three years ago. We stayed at a hotel where they had Hot Springs. Used the hot springs to fill the hot tubs and pool. It was great with beautiful scenery. But we didn't have the snow you had. Hope you enjoyed the trip. Colorado is great. I hope everthings works out for WFO to be their next year.

devanator

I stayed at my brother's house that is on Fall River Road. He has the river to fish from, a pond that is full of trout and a hot tub filled with well water...

 

[Mike-H]

Orangevale....what are you trying to say.....life was exceedingly tough with your roughing it while staying at your brothers? :derisive: ....

 

[exskibum]

:lol: I kept expecting pics every time I'd open this -- as I've come to expect on an O'vale ride report. Then it dawned on me that you were riding by yourself, sans ride photographer!

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

:lol: I kept expecting pics every time I'd open this -- as I've come to expect on an O'vale ride report. Then it dawned on me that you were riding by yourself, sans ride photographer!

I have some photos...not of the trip back...I'll post some photos later (busy week with quarter end and IBM acquisition of my employer)

 

[OrangevaleFJR]

Orangevale....what are you trying to say.....life was exceedingly tough with your roughing it while staying at your brothers? :derisive: ....

Life at my brother's house is rough if you are there in the winter. He can keep that cold stuff when the river and pond are frozen over. Otherwise, it's probably worth the winter if you were gonna live there.