bvail
Well-known member
Ahh, the MDH. I believe the first time I experienced it was during the first NAFO here in Colorado (Golden). I signed up for the Iron Butt ride instead of the BBQ. It was quite a ride and part of it was from Silverton to Grand Junction via MDH. I have the SS1k ride on my photo site - click link on my sig line if interested. There were 25 FJRs and me on my GL1800 with a brand new Darkside tire on my bike. No other brands or models represented.The first checkpoint was at the top of Mount Evans right at dawn. I'd have to say that leg was scarier than the MDH. There were goats on the narrow highway (if you can call it that) and we were going back down the road with the sunrise in our face.I think you got that backwards. Ride it northbound like we did if sheer drop offs and crumbling pavement give you the willies.Here's a valuable tip: ride the MDH souhbound. The northbound lane looks over a gazillion-foot drop and there is very little guardrail. In some spots -- and I'm not shitting you -- the white stripe at the edge of the highway had broken off and fell those gazillion feet to the canyon floor.
Southbound bikers like us only had to worry about leaning too far in right-hand curves and bonking our helmets on the vertical rock face inches beyond our edge of highway.
Later on, after Durango, we hit Silverton and the start of the MDH. I'd say it was a lot like Deal's Gap (the Dragon), except for thousand foot drops instead of trees lining the road. Much better view on MDH
A couple of years later I attended a Super Tenere rally in Ouray CO, mostly because I bought an S10 and rode it for a while. Didn't care for it all that much - Wing and FJR much better for touring IMHO. The rally was at the KOA in Ouray (real nice place) and I was just a casual observer. While there I rode the MDH a couple of times down to Silverton, mainly because that was the way to get there and back. White knuckle riding if one thinks about it too much and I think I did. I enjoy tamer sweepers where I can relax a bit.
So anyway, that's my story about the Million Dollar Highway. Hope the wx cools down a bit out there and everyone has a great time and stays safe.