Colorado, Wyoming, Utah

[Spud]

Ran this loop last weekend (July 15-18), totaled about 1650 miles leaving after work on a Thursday, riding all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Used SPOT to update the family as to where I was, as it was a solo trip. Didn't track, just checked in...

Took off after work on a Friday, blazed the 265 miles from Idaho Falls to Rock Springs, WY to my hotel to beat the dark. Got in just at dusk around 9:00 pm.

Palisades dam, not far from home:

Hit 10,000 on the ODO out in Wyoming headed to rock springs.

Took the first available pull-off to snap a shot of the odo, and this is where I was, right at 10,000 miles. Very cool, considering I'd actually just passed about 10 mule deer and at least 100 antelope along the way!

Friday Morning: I was nervous for this day, as I scheduled a lot of riding. My Nav called the day 518 miles, my odo called it 552, and I was flat done when I made it from Rock Springs to Durango, nearly the entire way being 2 lane twisty highway and 106 degree heat. It was an epic day, but I think I found my "fun" limit that day.

Leaving Rock Springs, South on HWY 191 to Vernal Utah, around Flaming Gorge Reservoir. This was an AWESOME fun road. Highly Recommended! Great pavement, never-ending high-speed sweepers, gorgeous scenery...

Flaming Gorge Dam

A sample of the 113 mile stretch of sweet riding country...

Vernal!

Billboard in Vernal:

Into Colorado:

Stopped at a little rest area in the middle of nowhere South of Rangley, CO on HWY 139, a couple was there. Noticed the Idaho Plates on their car, turns out they live less than a mile from my house in Idaho Falls. Small world! They took this pic of me...

The top of a really fun pass on 139 north of Grand Junction..

Lunch at a Subway in Grand Junction, then on to the 141 South through Naturita, CO...

This is really great riding--and a lot of it!

Telluride in the distance:

Up into the high Rockies, and thankfully out of the 106 degree heat...

Made it to Durango, having gone around 550 miles, pulled in around 7:00 pm very worn out.

I'll follow up with return trip home in a day or two....

 

[Spud]

Saturday began my route back home. Scheduled for the day: Durango CO to Rawlins, WY (about 430 miles). Started the day and headed north out of town. Just leaving, ran across forum member NMRoadRunner and his wife. We passed each other going opposite directions, stopped and chatted for 10 min. or so then both went on our way.

Heading toward Silverton...

Looking down on Silverton...

Toward Ouray...

The Million Dollar Highway...

Ouray...

North from Ouray, dropped down out of the high Rockies. Went through Montrose--surprised at the size of that city (big). Headed north to get to Rawlins, cut off on Highway 65 in Delta, CO, and went over Grand Mesa. While I was just doing this as a more interesting option to get to Rifle, it turned out to be one of the highlights of the entire ride. You climb probably 4-5,000 feet, go from desert to high mountain country in a very short distance. The temp went from 103 to 77 within about 20 minutes of riding. Very cool road!

Starting the climb:

Perfect pavement with a long series of perfect switchbacks heading up...

Above the valley onto the top of the Mesa...

Where 65 finally dumps onto I-70, you go through a slot canyon that has what I think may be the single funnest set of curves I've ever ridden. I had hot temp's, sticky new Bridgestone BT 023 GT's, no traffic, and had a total blast riding out of this part of the canyon. Here's an overhead shot of that section. Anyone else ridden this road? Definitely check it out if you're ever in the area...

Headed north through Craig, Colorado.

The picture does not do justice to the size of this thing... a $1.2Billion dollar coal powerplant, the stacks are 600 feet high. Sitting all alone on the desert, it's a pretty awesome looking structure.

Some wild horses out on the desert near the WY border..

Getting toward sunset heading into Rawlins--the first clouds I've seen the whole way. A beautiful sunset over the desert followed...

My trip tally arriving in Rawlins, having ridden two full days plus the evening after work when I began. Ate and went to bed in Rawlins. Got up to head home to Idaho Falls on Sunday.

The last day, heading from Rawlins toward Jackson, passing the Absoraka Range...

Back to the best landmark ever, meaning I'm close to home. Teton Range:

The Grand, Middle and South Tetons. I stood on top of the Grand when I was 18. Would love to do it again someday...

After that, over Teton Pass, through Victor, Swan Valley, and home.

 

[SwollenRaccoon]

Great road report, and stunning photography. Looks like I gotta go there!

 

[Niehart]

Great report. Hope to see ya at WFO but it looks like SpudFO was awesome!

 

[NMRoadRunner]

Nice! :yahoo: :yahoo: :yahoo: It was a pleasure meeting you. It's going to be hard to top that ride! Wish we were going the same direction the day we met, I wasn't ready to leave the mountians just yet. Ride Safe.

 

[UHOH]

Great road report, and stunning photography. Looks like I gotta go there!

heck, yes! keep more coming...

 

[BwanaDik]

The top of a really fun pass on 139 north of Grand Junction..

This is Douglas Pass. It drops 2000 feet from where you're standing to where you can see the bottom. We came thru there about a month ago, the pass was totally unexpected but awesome.

Good spot on route 65! I'll have to check that out next time I'm up there

 

[canyonman]

Nice ride. I was just in the area around Yellowstone at the same time of your ride, lots of road construction in Wyoming right now seems they are chip sealing the entire state. 191 along the gorge is a great ride lots of fun on a bike.

 

[LDRydr]

The top of a really fun pass on 139 north of Grand Junction..

This is Douglas Pass. It drops 2000 feet from where you're standing to where you can see the bottom. We came thru there about a month ago, the pass was totally unexpected but awesome.

So this is what it looks like in the DAYTIME! I did this road at night once after not being able to get a room in Vernal (damned oil-rig workers). And a big storm was blowing in from the north, so I continued on down to Grand Junction. I knew I was up high, but being dark I had no idea what it looked like. Now I think I may have to do it again in sometime.

 

[Spud]

Yeah--the funny thing about a long ride like that is the little gems you come across--I knew about the Million Dollar Highway, and my goal was to check that road off my list. But Douglas Pass, and HWY 65 in Colorado show up along they way and end up really being some of the greatest part of the whole thing. I also wouldn't have done the 141 but for some suggestions from the Forum, and that was great also!

 

[Solo]

Great photos and report. With every report from out West my itch to ride out that way gets stronger. Thanks for sharing.

 

[rushes]

Great reoprt and pics.. :thumbsup:

Thanks!

 

[Greb]

Nice trip report Steve. Been down most of the roads you traveled and I look forward to hitting them again.

 

[cardingtr]

Thanks for posting. Been to some of those roads ..but on a cage.