Favorite Vehicle: Colorado Front Range Figure-8
When we sat in a bright red shade Colorado The sunset in the front range and the stone walls of the iconic Red Rocks open-air theater echoed with familiar lyrics. David Crosby’s face had as many gaps as the surrounding sandstone spire, but his voice did not show evidence of his eighties age. When Jason Isbell took part in a great version of the “Wooden Ship” on stage, the last line stimulated expectations for the next day’s ride. And it’s a fair breeze that blows warmly from the south over my shoulder / I think I’m going to set the course.
The next morning, the course was certainly set. Our route will be a figure eight exploration of the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains adjacent to Denver’s urban corridor.Because I packed the side box Yamaha Super Tenere With a layer of water and some extra clothing, its fair breeze buzzed the leaves of the trees around the golden vacation rental. With the starter’s thumbs up, the large in-line two-cylinder quickly settled into a smooth idle state. I shifted to gear and his wife Cheryl and I were off.
Gold to Estes Park
The route in Figure 8 has always been intriguing to me. I might go back to my youth watching the insane racing style at the state fair. Anyway, I mapped a vehicle that departed Golden northwest and followed its general direction to Estes Park, the northernmost point of the planned vehicle. The return trip crosses various roads that intersect the road on the way back to the south.
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Front range diagram-8 Shows REVER boarding route
After a bit of GPS-assisted navigation from Golden, Coal Creek Canyon Road (State Highway 72) was a relaxing warm-up. Wide sweepers carved out treeless grasslands at low altitudes, and vegetation gradually increased as altitudes increased. Soon it was clear that this would really be a mountain ride. Near a small community of pine cliffs, constantly tightening horns were caught in a series of beautiful hairpins lined up on a cliff at an altitude of 8,000 feet. The fun really started.
We are approaching the Netherlands, which is the intersection of the figure eight route. The quaint town is just west of Boulder, near the picturesque Barker Meadow Reservoir. After rolling around the town, I resumed trekking north on the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway (State Highway 72). Peak-to-Peak is a well-known vehicle in the Rocky Mountains front range and is considered one of the state’s most beautiful roads.
Less than 12 miles on this foot, I found something moving in the woods on the right. An elk stood in the middle of a small pond. When we parked Yamaha and took a walk to get a better view, the creatures raised their wide, dripping noses and regarded us as the best indifference. I didn’t blame her. After more drivers discovered what we were seeing, the shoulders became an instant parking lot. It’s time to leave.
Returning to the bike, we continued the winding route from peak to peak towards Estes Park. Intermittent sprinkles met us along the way. There was a patch on the tarmac that was very wet, indicating that we were lucky to arrive shortly after a few downpour. Despite the harsh winters in the region, it was becoming clear that road conditions were very smooth and consistent.
The Peak to Peak Scenic Byway In response to its majestic reputation, there was joy every mile. The summit was adjacent to the road on both the near and distant horizon. As we set foot on the outskirts of Estes Park, the gateway to Rocky Mountain National Park and crowded with tourists, we were ready for lunch on a long morning horseback ride.
We were drawn to the first diner we saw. After the Patty Melt arrived, the owner stopped by and chatted. He was really impressed when we talked to him about the sightings of the moose. He said we were in the middle of the elk ruts, so it wouldn’t be uncommon to see those giant heads head-to-head. But he said that people who lived in the area for years had never seen an elusive moose. We felt unique luck.
After lunch, we stopped by the Stanley Hotel, a magnificent 140-room colonial revival hotel built in 1909. This was the inspiration for the Overlook Hotel in Stephen King’s 1977 novel. Shining It was used as a filming location for the 1997 TV miniseries in a 1980 movie. Stanley was also the setting for the fictional Danbury Hotel in the 1994 movie. Dam and Dunbar.. You can stay at the hotel, stop by a tour, or buy a variety of “REDRUM” souvenirs at the gift shop.
The rest of the day could be spent in Stanley’s historic lounge with an elegantly carved wooden bar, pressed tin ceilings and an impressive selection of whiskeys. But the road was called, and it was time to finish our figure eight.
Black Hawk from Estes Park
We rolled southeast from Estes Park, past several golf courses and lush hills. US Route 36 has proven to be another great motorcycle road in the front range. The winding road was lined with gray granite stumps planted with various conifers. The ride was light and the threat of rain was fortunately subsided.
In the town of Lions, US36 has begun a south curve towards the figure eight intersection. After a few miles back to the grasslands and rolling hills, 36 lines stretched straight down the south line towards Boulder. Of course, the closer we got to the city we got, the heavier the traffic. We were completely outside Boulder when 36 morphed to State Highway 7.
When I turned west on Boulder Canyon Drive (State Highway 119), I was ready to return to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. When a motorcyclist hears the word “Canyon” in the name of a road, it’s like music that closes his ears. Again, the front range wasn’t disappointing. The road meandered through a tunnel, beside an evergreen river, and under the gray rock formations on the west route. It’s a really spectacular bike ride.
As I approached the now-familiar town of Nederland, I rolled along the banks of the Barker Meadow Reservoir, seen from a distance in the first half of the figure eight. South of Nederland, Route 119 clearly turned south towards the next planned stop. Pre-boarding mappings have uncovered a pair of historic gold mine towns that have transformed into gambling destinations.
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We were greeted by historic buildings and narrow streets in Central City. Salons, shops and restored hotels adorned the brick architecture. I saw a quaint and colorful history, but I didn’t see gambling. That was fine for us. We stopped by the Brew Pub on the main street of the town and had a nice chat with the bartenders. The crowd barkeep graced us with some painful jokes before answering our myriad questions about the town.
A treasure trove of local knowledge has taught us that the town of Central City and the nearby Blackhawk were hotbeds of the gold rush after a major local gold strike in 1859. In the late 1800s, the town was connected to Denver by rail. The boom continued. But, as they say, all the good things have to be done, and both towns have declined with the decline in mineral wealth in the 1900s.
After a few more wonderfully bad jokes, our mob took us to the current state of the area. In the early 1990s, Colorado passed a limited stakes game in the state, and a small town adopted the idea. He said the town became the center of gambling in the state and accounted for almost 90% of Colorado’s gaming revenue. After scanning a video poker machine and a small flicker of a bandit on one arm in a pub, he noticed our strange expression and he smiled and said, “Wait until you get to the south.”
The hilarious joke star was prophetic. As we left the quaint atmosphere of Central City, we looked back a bit more on history before it became apparent. Around the corner, high-rise casinos and hotels rose like spectators. The dichotomy created in this area is most apparent in the town of Blackhawk. A huge, designed compliment alongside a 150-year-old brick building is a compliment to modern people’s desire for quick money. The irony is obvious. The starry miners are gone and only replaced by glass-eyed gamblers.
I drove out of the unlikely Rocky Mountain “Vegas” and returned to my starting point. The last part of the ride was all the great mixes I experienced with a figure eight ride to the front range. The roads were smooth and well maintained and the scenery was amazing. We stopped by thick forests, meadows, and the hustle and bustle of gold.
Although not a complete exploration of the Colorado Rockies, our tour was a great overview of the roads and ecosystems in the area. 40 degree fluctuations in temperature and various rainfalls during the ride revealed that gear selection and preparation was essential in the Rocky Mountains. Due to the high altitude, this is strictly a late spring to early autumn vehicle. However, I would like to go back to spring flowers and foliage and explore the front range further.
https://ift.tt/tCkxfXZ Favorite Vehicle: Colorado Front Range Figure-8
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