Rocky Mountain trip timing ???
#11
10-17-2015, 03:59 PM
I spent four nights passing through Colorado this past summer on my way back from Sturgis. Wonderful scenery. Hope you enjoy your ride as much as I enjoyed mine.
One small thing. They don't salt the roads in Colorado. They use sand instead. This results in clumps of sand where you least expect them. At an intersection where there was a little triangle and vehicles wanting to make a right were to take the curvy road to the right or continue straight if that is what you wished, I wasn't certain which way I should go, so I pulled into the triangle to figure it out. I came to a stop and put my right foot down on some sand. Slowly, my foot started sliding on the sand which resulted eventually in laying the bike over on its side. Now I was stopped at the time, so nothing was damaged. But it was embarrassing to have to ask my two riding buddies to help me pick up the bike.
One small thing. They don't salt the roads in Colorado. They use sand instead. This results in clumps of sand where you least expect them. At an intersection where there was a little triangle and vehicles wanting to make a right were to take the curvy road to the right or continue straight if that is what you wished, I wasn't certain which way I should go, so I pulled into the triangle to figure it out. I came to a stop and put my right foot down on some sand. Slowly, my foot started sliding on the sand which resulted eventually in laying the bike over on its side. Now I was stopped at the time, so nothing was damaged. But it was embarrassing to have to ask my two riding buddies to help me pick up the bike.
#12
10-17-2015, 07:10 PM
Road Master
We did CO this year in August and had a blast. I think we left the 8th headed out there. We spent two nights in Estes Park. Then across 34 to 40 through Winter park, Breckenridge, to Buena Vista. We crossed five mountain passes this day. We spent two nights in Buena Vista making a big loop up through Aspen and Leadville, and then across to Ouray. Two nights in Ouray and then across to Moab for a night. It was HOT in Moab. Then down to Durango for three nights. There is some beautiful country out there. Rain one afternoon after leaving Silverton headed to Durango and it got severe. Lightning, hard rain after we stopped. Got about two miles down the road and there was hail about three inches deep on the side of the road and then a tree on fire from a lightning strike. Cold crossing the mountains early in the morning at RMNP.
#13
10-18-2015, 07:28 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
End of June would be my choice. Cool enough in the low lands, and still not freezing in the mountains. Most of the show should be gone high up and you might not have much rain. July will be very warm in the lower elevations and the rain will be starting.
We did the 22-25 10,000 ft. passes in Colorado last year in mid August. Had some pretty good rain and thunderstorms on three out of 7 days.
Looking at your map, you are spending too much time on I-70. From Denver go north to Loveland and then take 34 through Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park and back to I-70. This is "Don't Miss". From Silverthorne take 91 to Leadville and down 24 to 82 then 82 to Aspen. This will take you over Independence Pass. Then go on to Carbondale and hit your original route just south of Glenwood Springs. Just a suggestion, but you won't be disappointed.
Bill
We did the 22-25 10,000 ft. passes in Colorado last year in mid August. Had some pretty good rain and thunderstorms on three out of 7 days.
Looking at your map, you are spending too much time on I-70. From Denver go north to Loveland and then take 34 through Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park and back to I-70. This is "Don't Miss". From Silverthorne take 91 to Leadville and down 24 to 82 then 82 to Aspen. This will take you over Independence Pass. Then go on to Carbondale and hit your original route just south of Glenwood Springs. Just a suggestion, but you won't be disappointed.
Bill
#14
10-18-2015, 11:44 AM
End of June would be my choice. Cool enough in the low lands, and still not freezing in the mountains. Most of the show should be gone high up and you might not have much rain. July will be very warm in the lower elevations and the rain will be starting.
We did the 22-25 10,000 ft. passes in Colorado last year in mid August. Had some pretty good rain and thunderstorms on three out of 7 days.
Looking at your map, you are spending too much time on I-70. From Denver go north to Loveland and then take 34 through Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park and back to I-70. This is "Don't Miss". From Silverthorne take 91 to Leadville and down 24 to 82 then 82 to Aspen. This will take you over Independence Pass. Then go on to Carbondale and hit your original route just south of Glenwood Springs. Just a suggestion, but you won't be disappointed.
Bill
We did the 22-25 10,000 ft. passes in Colorado last year in mid August. Had some pretty good rain and thunderstorms on three out of 7 days.
Looking at your map, you are spending too much time on I-70. From Denver go north to Loveland and then take 34 through Estes Park and Rocky Mountain National Park and back to I-70. This is "Don't Miss". From Silverthorne take 91 to Leadville and down 24 to 82 then 82 to Aspen. This will take you over Independence Pass. Then go on to Carbondale and hit your original route just south of Glenwood Springs. Just a suggestion, but you won't be disappointed.
Bill
#15
10-18-2015, 02:52 PM
Afternoon rains are common here at higher elevations during the summer but some of the the roads you will be riding to get to a "destination road" will rival the best riding in the lower 48.
There might still be a few paved passes closed in early June but it seems like Independence and RMNP are usually open by Memorial day.
May through Oct is a pretty safe bet with May and Oct having the probability of snow and freezing temps
There might still be a few paved passes closed in early June but it seems like Independence and RMNP are usually open by Memorial day.
May through Oct is a pretty safe bet with May and Oct having the probability of snow and freezing temps
#16
10-18-2015, 03:45 PM
Afternoon rains are common here at higher elevations during the summer but some of the the roads you will be riding to get to a "destination road" will rival the best riding in the lower 48.
There might still be a few paved passes closed in early June but it seems like Independence and RMNP are usually open by Memorial day.
May through Oct is a pretty safe bet with May and Oct having the probability of snow and freezing temps
There might still be a few paved passes closed in early June but it seems like Independence and RMNP are usually open by Memorial day.
May through Oct is a pretty safe bet with May and Oct having the probability of snow and freezing temps
Last edited by tnriverluver; 10-18-2015 at 03:50 PM.
#17
10-19-2015, 03:41 AM
Road Warrior
I might suggest getting off of I70 west of Grand Junction and taking 128 down into Moab, it runs down the Colorado river most of the way and is will worth doing. Also a great road is 141 just south of Grand Junction, it runs down the Delores River canyon into Dove Creek I believe, also well worth the ride.
#18
10-19-2015, 07:11 AM
Seasoned HDF Member
#19
10-21-2015, 02:09 PM
Road Captain
Here is the map of our trip this past summer. We left on July 2 and got home on the 11th. A little warm across Texas and parts of New Mexico heading out and was really warm in Kansas and Oklahoma coming home. We hit temps from 38-98 on our trip. The 5 days we were in Colorado it rained/sleet/hailed/snowed (mostly just rain) on us every day at least some. We only let us slow us down one day though. the snow was on top of Pikes Peak. Beautiful all the way up, snow/sleet so hard while we were on top that you couldn't see the railing from the windows inside, then beautiful all the way down. We had a blast the whole trip.
Dude i'm telling you, if you haven't been to Colorado and the Rocky Mtns. then you NEED to go. I suggest you just start booking rooms right now and just make up your mind that you are going to do it no matter what. You will not regret. I am totally considering just going back there this next summer instead of hitting something else on my bucket list.
#20
10-21-2015, 02:27 PM
I just went ahead and cancelled my resv for Daytona and am going to concentrate strictly on this trip. Bucket List. Daytona? been there done that several times. Going to hope we can do it sometime in June and beat the monsoon season but that is completely up in the air depending on my wife's work schedule and whether or not my son can get off at the same time and come up from La. and meet us. If all else fails I will go do this one by myself!!!!
Last edited by tnriverluver; 10-21-2015 at 02:30 PM.