KS, we will be traveling some of the same stuff you are. We will be in Durango on the 5th and then Gunnison, Buena Vista, Pueblo over the next 3 days. We are very excited to go on this trip as well. I don't know if we will cross paths, but have a good time and be safe.

 

You stay safe too! I'll be on the lookout for you, but I'm sure we will come across a bunch of other bikes. Enjoy!

 

If you run into any problems on your first day at Pikes Peak hit me up.

 

I will definitely do that. Much appreciated.

 

Lppks like a fantastic ride, much better than my ride to Ottawa, KS from Castle Rock, CO. (Darn family obligations)

Just a couple of hints...

Make certain you do Pikes Peak in the morning. It is very common to get major thunder and rain storms on top in the afternoon. The trip is challenging enough without trying it on wet, ice-covered roads.

Leave time for looking. There are thousands of spectacular views on your route that you won't see zipping by. Even though I have ridden most of your plan dozens of times, I still stop often and just take in the magnificent scenery.

I don't know your experience level in mountain riding, but don't expect your average speeds to be anywhere close to what you are used to. I do the 600 miles to eastern Kansas in about 10 hours. My last big trip in the mountains took me 12 hours for about 420 miles.

Finally, high altitude can cause dehydration. Plan on drinking a bottles of water every day. Dehydration can cause sleepiness, exhaustion, rapid heartbeat, and a while host of other problems. None of these are safe to experience on any motor vehicle, let alone a motorcycle.

 

One road not often mentioned that I really enjoyed was the between South Fork and Gunnison. Rooms in Aspen are pricey, but it is a great town to meander around. Just an unbelievable variety of people in Aspen. Check out the private jets if you come in from Carbondale.

 

Thanks for the tips. I will definitely be stopping to take a lot of pictures, along with having my gopro running. I don't have a ton of experience riding in the mountains, besides a few trips to the Sturgis area and Glacier National Park last year. I won't be riding like I'm in a hurry either, just cruising and enjoying the scenery.

Thanks for the info. I am looking forward to getting to Aspen and looking around. And I don't mind spending a little extra on rooms while I'm on vacation, as long as it isn't too outrageous. I'll look for the road that you mentioned and shouldn't have a problem adding to my schedule. Thanks again.

 

Estes Park near Rocky Mtn. National was a neat town. Worth looking at.

 

Wife and I stayed at the Historic Western Hotel in Ouray back in 2012. its right out of the 1800's. There is a common bathroom but its not bad at all. Private showers and toilets in the bathroom. Kind of like a campground bathroom. We were there on the 4th of July. Its by far cheaper then others in town and its walking distance to everything as its right in town. I think I paid $50 a night. They have a bar on site also. We thought it was a great place to stay if you don't mind the old western look. I would stay there again. Ouray and Hwy 550 are great no matter where you stay.

 

Rode Million Dollar Hwy today. I have watched videos on YouTube of people riding it so I sorta knew what to expect, but it was way more awesome than I ever imagined it would be.