I was there last summer end of August and the sun would shine in the valleys and it would feel pretty good. and it would be raining/cold and storming up in the hills. I remember I had on my full face dressed warm with rain gear over the top.

 

Thanks for the info. I plan to stay in Estes two days. I assume I can ride Estes To Buena Vista in a day no problem?

 

Oh yea, you can get from Estes to BV in 3-4 hours if you really wanted to haul. Or you can take the more scenic routes and take anywhere from 5-8 hours.

I like to go from Estes over Trail Ridge Road into Grand Lake...then hop on 40 west through Hot Sulphur Springs over to Kremmling and take 9 south into Dillon/Keystone. Rather than hop on I70 you can ride around lake Dillon to Swan Mountain Rd and cut over to where 9 south heads to Breck. Up and over Hoosier pass down into Fairplay where you can get a photo up at the original South Park town sign before cruising down 285 and through the canyon to BV.

That is a superb and full day of riding with great canyons, great passes, and a few of the best mountain towns in Colorado.

There's a great french bakery in Breck that has fantastic croissants and baguette sandwiches. La Francaisse is the name, I believe.

 

I wear mine all summer long. Yes, it can get warm even in the mountains...but its always just cool enough (low-60's to mid-70's) that you may wish you brought them. The deal about riding in the mountains is there can be such a large temperature swing from hour-to-hour. Example: Estes Park is at 7500' feet and 80 degrees...the top of Trail Ridge Road is only 30 minutes drive and you'll be at over 12000' and in mid-50's with wind and maybe a little rain. I've found the temperature swings to be large and leaving home without chaps has been at my discomfort.

 

[QUOTE=Colorido;13891207]

I like to go from Estes over Trail Ridge Road into Grand Lake...then hop on 40 west through Hot Sulphur Springs over to Kremmling and take 9 south into Dillon/Keystone.
That is a superb and full day of riding with great canyons, great passes, and a few of the best mountain towns in Colorado.
QUOTE]





I plan to go west on 34 and then south on 40 to I70. Then west to 6 and ride it back to I70. Then to 9 south. I guess I will try Swan Mountain Road to 9 instead.


I guess I will pack the chaps.


Thanks everyone.

 

[QUOTE=Grandslam;13894037]
THat would be a great route,too. It'll take you over Berthoud Pass (40) and Loveland Pass (6). But yea, rather than ride out 6 all the way back to the I70 just to go 1 exit and take 9, Swan Mountain Rd will do the same thing and on the right day, Swan Mountain Rd has some of the best mountain vistas outside of the Elk Mountains of SW Colorado.

Keep your eyes peeled for Big Horn Sheep on both Berthoud and Loveland passes...they are all over the place in those areas.

 

Tentative planning so far is to come home thru Denver after Sturgis -- haven't been up Pikes Peak in years -- so good info here(!)

 

Chap Pack:

 

If you are going up Pikes Peak I would suggest going when they open the gates. I was there at opening time last year and was amazed at how long the line of cars and bikes waiting to go up was when we made it back down. Up early also means your not stuck behind a line of slow traffic going up.

I would take my chaps.

 

Thanks Knees.