It was tough leaving the group in Telluride. It had been an truly epic trip and I was sad to be heading east yet I was riding an incredible high from the last five days.
I figured I’d break my ride east in segments with the first being from Telluride to near the front range, there to Chicago and Chicago home. No matter how much I hate slab going east from Chicago into New England on any sort of schedule requires big roads. I really wanted to avoid the interstate as much as possible. I figured it would make “re-entry” easier. When you travel from New England there comes a point on the return trip when you’re reminded of how populated the region is. It’s the first sea of brake lights for no real reason that reminds me I’m heading back to the zoo. I wanted to put it off as long as possible.
One last stop to enjoy Colorado.
The guys headed to Alta Lakes to camp and I started east. I decided to stay in Gunnison; there was no need to push on in the dark.
Quite a day. Start in Lake City, Engineer Pass “the hard way”, Black Bear Pass, lunch in Telluride and overnight in Gunnison.
Friday, July 21, 2017 9:20 AM MDT
Distance: 186.2 miles
Duration: 9 hours, 6 minutes, and 52 seconds
Average Speed: 20.4 mph
Minimum Elevation: 5900 feet
Maximum Elevation: 12851 feet
Total climb: 15501 feet
Total descent: 16197 feet
I had no real plan. I was on 50 which could take me all the way to Maryland if I had a week (and the patience). 36 is another good way east as is 32. Good to have choices. I got an early start.
Meanwhile my friends were waking up in Alta Lakes. Today their plan was to ride Imogene Pass. Chad Warner had his own plan which was to pull off his “Distinguished Gentleman’s Adventure Ride”. This was a play on the Distinguished Gentleman’s Ride which is a fund raiser for prostate cancer research. For the ride folks bring out their vintage and classic motorcycles, dress up and have fun.
Have fun. That sums up being with Chad. He’s the one who was a Marine Recon and jumped out of planes at very high altitudes with “just enough” oxygen. I bet they give them more now.
Chad brings hyperdrive to the group and he’s not afraid to pack heavy and drag along the perfect prop for the perfect moment.
Chad Warner: A most Distinguished Adventure Gentleman.
Jim Bean photo
While they were enjoying one more pass I was moving east. The last glimpse of the Rockies came early in the day. It’s always a moment; the exciting first sight of the mountains coming west followed by the last glimpse in the mirror heading home. One is exciting, the other bittersweet. This was bittersweet. I was leaving the mountains where geography dictates that roads cannot be straight. Or flat. Middle America offers little in the way of barriers to travel and the settlers went straight as much as possible; MIT researchers proved Kansas truly is flatter than a pancake.
In the United States there are a few ways to describe real estate. One is Metes and Bounds and the second is Lot and Block. Metes and bounds is used in New England and the eastern part of the United States where many natural boundaries exist. For example the location of a property line in New England can be found by going to a known location (marker of stone) and then going xx feet in a specific direction to a stream or other natural feature (or another set marker) followed by turn with another bearing and so on.
Out west it’s flat and everything is a grid so it’s described in terms referencing a grid; this is how we got the four corners vs state lines that run down the middle of rivers as they do in New England.
This is also why almost every local road between Chicago and the Rocky Mountains is dead straight, they follow the grid lines. This also provides opportunity to get off the slab and see America.
I made my way east to Lincoln, Nebraska using a little chunk of slab at the end of the day. I rode a bunch of dirt running north/south or east/west to successfully avoid rain. It was fun and so much better than I-80.
Saturday’s ride:
Saturday, July 22, 2017 6:34 AM MDT
Distance: 701.0 miles
Duration: 13 hours, 32 minutes, and 30 seconds
Average Speed: 50.6 mph
Minimum Elevation: 1161 feet
Maximum Elevation: 11090 feet
Total climb: 12201 feet
Total descent: 18827 feet
On this trip I decided to see if I could save money by going to the mom n pop motels. Mom and Pop are long gone, they sold to some immigrants hoping to make a start in America. After a career in shipping many of these people came from countries from which I’ve had colleagues which adds a nice dimension to it. Some of these hotels are great and some are dumps. Lincoln was a dump. Even dumps can offer opportunities for entertainment but tonight they were not filming Cops so I got a good rest.
Riding middle America is an experience everyone should have. Get off the interstates and away from the truck stops and fast food. Chat to the kid at the gas station and the waitress at the diner. Try the pie. Be approachable. I had a great chat in Nebraska with two guys and their ladies who were riding wicked custom harleys and why not? You’re in the heartland where roads were designed with a ruler, be loud and proud. Well proud anyway; I don’t like straight pipes anywhere but the chrome and paintwork was very impressive, plus he had a sticker referencing a stripper on the rear fender. When his gal approached she saw me look at the sticker and look up to which she said:
“I’m not a stripper.”
I told her I didn’t think she looked like one and I told him that if he got rid of the sticker perhaps she’d act like one. Behind closed doors of course.
She was quite taken with my muddy bike, dirty rally suit and alpinestar boots; he explained that I was riding in the dirt. He then wanted info on my TKC 80’s because he thought they’d look “badass” on his hog. I pointed to my tire and said it was mounted 7 days ago. We agreed it wouldn’t last more than 60 seconds in the burnout pit. He decided it probably wouldn’t be a good idea to mount a TKC 80 on a custom Hog.
From here it was some more off slab to just west of Chicago, then slab to Cleveland for the night. 915 miles in 18 hours, another dump and home for dinner Monday. What a trip. I’ve tried but it’s one where “words can’t describe.” So many wonderful moments with fantastic humans. New friends who are great riders, great people and welcome to visit my home, ride my bikes, smoke cigars and drink some rum. Jury’s out on whether or not they get take home syrup.
Upon my return home I was catching up with my best buddy, Seamus. Seamus is a sailor and you can be a great sailor and be all thumbs around internal combustion powered machinery. You can be a sailor and have raced to Bermuda but never spent a night in a tent. That’s Seamus so it’s always fun to catch up after a big ride. I started telling him things about the trip and he interrupted me with the following:
“So you found your balls you lost on that Iron Butt thing.. Glad to hear it.” Let’s blast out to Block Island for lunch”
I laughed and said: “Actually yes. Yes, I did find my balls in Colorado. When are we going to Mahogany Shoals?”
Fini