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| Day 1 - Santa Clara, CA Day 2 - Lee Vining, CA Day 3 - Baker, CA Day 4 - Las Vegas, NV Day 5 - Las Vegas, NV Day 6 - Grand Canyon, AZ Day 7 - Durango, CO Day 8 - Glenwood, CO Day 9 - Highlands, CO Day 10 - Highlands, CO Day 11 - Estes Park, CO Day 12 - Craig, CO Day 13 - Jackson, WY Day 14 - Cody, WY Day 15 - Mammoth, WY Day 16 - Choteau, MT Day 17 - Kelispell, MT Day 18 - Sandpoint, ID Day 19 - Omak, WA Day 20 - Anacortes, WA Day 21 - Anacortes, WA Day 22 - Poulsbo, WA Day 23 - Poulsbo, WA Day 24 - Poulsbo, WA Day 25 - Astoria, OR Day 26 - Lincoln City, OR Day 27 - Bandon, OR Day 28 - Eureka, CA Day 29 - Anchor Bay, CA Day 30 - Martinez, CA FINAL THOUGHTS |
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| This morning continues our steak of good weather
and we start out in 77 degrees of sunshine. We have a continental
breakfast at the motel before heading out and it takes the edge off
our hunger for most of the morning. We are starting to see Gold Wings
in greater numbers now. As we gas up in Estes Park, one pulls up
to the pump behind us and one at the pump next to us. It’s nice to
see so many fellow travelers. There weren’t that many BMW’s when
I did the trip last year. We enter Rocky Mountain National Park at the Fall River entrance (photo 1) and head up Hwy. #34 towards Grand Lake. There’s not as much traffic as there was this time last year and we are able to make our way up the mountain in decent time. We stop at one of the pullouts to take a few pictures (photos 2, 3, 4, & 5), and a couple on a Harley Heritage Softtail Classic pulls up alongside and we start to talk. They were actually behind us in town last night and were wondering about the trailer. We tell them that the trailer belongs to our neighbor, who is also a Harley rider. They ask to see how big it is and are impressed with the amount of stuff we are able to bring along. He says they have been thinking about getting one but never had a chance to see one up close. I see them a couple of times later as we continue through the park.
The road winds back and forth climbing higher and getting colder as we go (photo 6). On this part of the road, there is a sheer drop off without the benefit of a guardrail or rock wall. I just maintain a reasonable speed and stay near the yellow centerline of the road, not really a difficult task. The temperature drops to 61 degrees as we finally reach the summit at 11,796 feet. This is the place to stop for a break since there’s a Visitor’s Center here with plenty of parking and great views from the top (photos 7, 8 & 9). We decide to have some lunch and Linda does some shopping in the Park Gift Store while I wait outside. Meanwhile, I am not alone. While I am waiting, I get to talking to a fellow “waiter” named Max. He has had three Goldwings and sold his last one a year ago. As we talk about all of the improvements over his old GL 1500, he says he should not be talking to me since he is getting the itch to own another Wing. As his “better half” arrives to take him away, he tells me I might see him again on the road.
Two more GL 1800’s pull in, a blue one and a yellow one, and of course we compare notes. They are both from Colorado and the owner of the yellow 1800 has owned 7 different Goldwings since 1979. Man, these folks are loyal to this model. As they are showing me the “improvements” they have made to their bikes, several older Goldwings park nearby and come over to say hi. These riders are from Louisiana and have just come through Yellowstone the day before. They advise me to avoid the northwest corner of the park due to heavy construction. They are supportive of our trip saying we have selected a great route. I thank them for there advise and tell them I will avoid the construction. Linda finishes and joins me in the parking lot to leave and we stop to talk to a couple just a few years older than we are who are also getting ready to leave. They have a GL 1800 Goldwing Trike. It happens to be the same color as our bike and is the first Goldwing we’ve seen on our trip the same color as ours. Their names are Gene and Sandra and they are full time RVer’s who pull their Trike in an enclosed trailer behind their 38 ft. motor home. They tell us all the advantages of a trike over a regular motorcycle, based on their experience with both. They tell us if we ever get the desire to convert our Goldwing to a trike, we should take it to The Trike Shop in Minnesota.
It turns out that Sandra has had a triple bypass and Dean has had a heart attack. They decided that since no one knows what the future holds; they were going to enjoy any time they have left by seeing the country. They talked about all of the nice people they have met and re-met on the road in different locations. When they get to someplace they want to stay for a while, they get out their trike and see the surrounding countryside. Not a bad idea. We had thought of doing something similar, but without converting the bike to a trike. I’m not that old yet. Still, they are out here doing it at the age when many want to sit in front of the fireplace, so I will be the last to knock it. Speaking of age and doing it, while we were talking, a couple came over to say hi and ask about the trike. They were on a little Honda Rebel, which they pull behind their RV. Thing is, they both were in their 70’s and not moving real fast. Obviously a good part of aging is in your mind. I hope I have half as much spit in me when I’m their age.
We leave the park and head towards the Grand Lake Lodge, where we know there are some great views of Grand Lake (photos 10, 11, 12, & 13). This is a place we would like to stay someday, but they are a little pricey for us right now. We finally hook a right on old Hwy. 40, heading west toward Steamboat Springs, CO. I’m sure we won’t make Vernal, UT today but we should get close enough so that we hit it early tomorrow. This area has dry mountains on one side of the road and horses grazing on the other in knee high grass. Go figure (photos 14, 15, & 16). Hwy. 40 is a nice ride. From Grand Lake to Hot Sulfur Springs, it is a combination of lush green valleys and forested hillsides. Outside Hot Sulfur Springs, we enter the Byron Canyon area. This is a pretty little canyon that has drier mountains watching over the highway as it follows the river bottom through the northern part of Colorado. Off to the right, on the other side of the river are the railroad tracks, which shadow us for mile after mile. I start to think about the fact that I haven’t seen a train in several days when, around the corner comes a Union Pacific coal train, maybe a half-mile or longer. It is so long, that it has a “pusher” engine in the middle of the train and another “pusher” engine at the rear of the train to keep the coal cars from breaking apart when they start out on a grade. It’s interesting to see America at work delivering the essentials that we seldom think about.
We take on gas in Steamboat Springs and decide we still have some riding left in us, so we continue on to Craig and then decide to call it a day. We find a new motel on the outskirts of town called the River Park Inn. After settling in and unpacking the bike, we go out for a bite to eat. Surprise, surprise, out here in the middle of Colorado, we find a great little restaurant called The River Ridge (970-824-3463). I had the Yucatan Chicken and Linda has a rib eye steak. Both were excellent. This little place has the rustic atmosphere of a log cabin with great views of the river below (photos 18, 19, & 20). The river was low for this time of year since this area is experiencing a drought. The place is run by Robert & Coreen McClellan, just down the road on Hwy 13, off Hwy 40 as your leaving Craig, Colorado. Robert’s the owner and chef. If you’re in the neighborhood and want a real meal, I recommend it. Tomorrow we head to Vernal, UT, Flaming Gorge, and hopefully, Jackson Hole, WY. We shall see. Let’s cross our fingers that the weather will continue to hold. |
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