Mounting Mountaina - Three some...

[GatorTiger]

Keith in action:



to take one of my rare pictures:


photo by Keith[/i]

Since our bikes were well guarded we walked over to the nearest sports bar for lunch...



Shift change for the tour vehicles guards:



Eco-Mobil?


photo by Keith[/i]

The whole area is ready for the next ski-season:



Not just artsi-fartsi people!



After a little while we got our fish'n'chips and a cool, dark brewski. Life is good!!!!

[GatorTiger]

All of a sudden: KAAAAAAAAAAAABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!  :shock: The lightning struck into a tree some 200 yards away. Damn it was loud! I saw the lightning hit and it seemed to be there for an eternity. Dang! Of course the rain followed instantly!



Thank god we were sitting in dry ground! Underneath some sun-umbrallas halfway into a porch towards the street. Some few lonely lost drops did hit us after all, but then again: we are not made of sugar...



Rain was getting more and more... Looks like we would be stuck here for a while. But hang on a minute! What is that sound? Rain doesn't sound like THAT! And rain isn't white, either!



Ding dong doinc ding dong doinc... Hail was coming down sounding like gunfire. We were quite happy to be indoors with good food and drink on the table and not out there with these:



That would have hurtsted!!

[GatorTiger]

When the hail finally subsided some we quickly got dressed and back on the bikes. There were some lightnings still wondering around, but we figured it was subsiding and headed out. Just outside the city limits the skies opened again and this time (just) rain pounded down like crazy. We were crawling along with the water 3 inches high on the road. Some cars passed us and Keith got drenched a couple of time. One time big time to the extend that I could not see him any more in the mirrors with all the water. Intense!!! I could feel some cold drop that were coming in through my collar dripping onto my stomach... Coooooooold!!!!! 30 mins later the system was gone and the weather improved:



We were quite wet, late, and way off our planned route. Another 180 miles to go to our next reserved hotel room. As the sun was going down the wind dried us off:



I didn't any more pics. I was wet and tired. We both just wanted to hit the hay and hustled to get to the hotel at a decent time. We didn't want to ride in the dark for too long with all the wildlife out and about...

We got to Craig, CO, at 10 pm with only the McDonalds open. Nice dinner... After that it was the end of day 1 and snoozing-time...

[GatorTiger]

We used Bourbon and Coke to wash down the 'delicious' meal at McDonalds last night. It also helped us sleep better! Well rested we started to pack the next morning. All the wildlife that was on the roads last night was watching us this time:







After a short, but bad breakfast we got going. Colorado by day looks different than by night



Cowboy Country... Hence the different farming:



After a few miles We zipped by a sign at the side of the road: "Juniper Springs". Maybe there was chance for a quick dip????? Let's see!!!

Just off the road the gravel started! Yeah!!!! Mesa explohrin!!!



On a small summit we stop to check the surroundings:


photo by Keith

No springs to be seen!!! Then again: There had been no distance on the sign!





After a short possibility- check we continue... We want to explore the unknown after all!! Colorado... The final frontier... These are the voyages of GatorTiger...


photo by Keith

8) Aaaaaaaaaaargl!!!!!!

[GatorTiger]

After a couple of miles through public lands we finally arrive at the springs. Not what we expected:



The whole 'resort' had seen better days:





Strangely enough: the water was crystal clear!!!



Can't say that of the 'resort' building:



Keith found an old photo somewhere on the internet. I looked but can't find it anywhere... Darn it!!

Explohrin makes "dursty"... Warm it was, yes!!!! Drink you must, humm!!!



Here a  link to the view from above: (Google (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=juniper+hot+springs,++co&ie=UTF8&ll=40.467356,-107.953312&spn=0.005697,0.01133&t=h&z=17&om=1)). Shows how desolate the area there is!

[GatorTiger]

You can see all the irrigated fields on that aerial view... Nice and green and round...

Onward... We return to US 40 the same way we came and headed further to the west towards Dinosaur National Monument. Lot's of ranches on the way... Some thought very efficiently and just left their decorations up all year:



Others have an odd tast in barn decorations



Despite all the heat and all: Riding with your favorite riding buddy is almost the ultimate thing! Right, Keith?



Right!!!

This is where we were headed



this is where we came from:



It's a bit too hilly already to get that Easy Rider feeling



Also, we had too little chrome...

The miles were flying by... The road was smooth, there was little wind, and almost zero traffic... Superp!

Our next destination was Dinosaur National Monument. We didn't want to take the standard route in, but go via county road 14. That one was so hidden that we blasted by it at first. Even with GPS! U-turn and back... We got gravel right away... Then the gravel turned into sand... Compact sand no less! At first, anyway......

[GatorTiger]

We were alone. In the middle of the wilderness. No cell reception, nothing! Just us and the wind!!! Hooyah!!!

We could've stopped at every bend of the road to take pictures, but we wanted to get some mileage done! The road surface changed between gravel, sand, and compacted dirt. One patch of deep sand at the very beginning almost got us, but we made it through without injuries and pressed on. Whenever we did stop to let the bike cool and refill some liquids we did have a good chance for pictures:



The vistas were incredible and are quite a teaser for the monument!



Small close-up:



See the little rock peeking out of the green?



Reminded me somewhat of the scenery of "Cars"... That rock was about to play a crucial role today! Soon!

Pressing on...



Aaaaaand then: THIS!

[GatorTiger]

Deep sand! Like powder! We fishtailed it through the first 100 yards or so... I don't like sand!

We stopped to see how much more of this we had in front of us. Sand as far as could walk and see! Crap! Keith was anxiously waiting for me to come back with good news! Sorry buddy!



Of course he didn't like the result either! He like sand as much as I did. So we decided to have a longer break and get some rest for the fishtailing back. And where did we end up? At previously mentioned rock!



Not very high, but high enough... Everything is sooo grreeeeeennnn...



Wasn't even missing the tree on top:



Small pano:



There were 4-wheeler and 4x4 tracks everywhere. I bet it would be interesting to just be in the area at night and count ow many couples secretively head out this way... Air mattress or thick blankett... Only the stars... Maybe a bear or two... I guess it's safe to say the local sheriff doesn't check this neck of the woods often... Ahhh.... Memories!!!!  8)

[GatorTiger]

Keith is sucking in the atmosphere:



Is that really the end of the sandy patch? Let's see...



Monkeyhead:



Whoever wants to see this area from up above, can do that here:  Google (http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&geocode=&q=dinosaur+national+monument&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=48.240201,92.8125&ie=UTF8&ll=40.372726,-108.542926&spn=0.002853,0.005665&t=h&z=18&om=1)

[GatorTiger]

Eventually we turned around and headed back the few miles (seemed more on the first passage) back to the tarmac. That's where we had another break. Heat is so damn exhausting!! And here you can see why we passed the county road at first:



No, not because of Keith... :P The whole entry to CR 14 looks like a "wreck"-neck-drive-way:





Out 'n da house?



Onward towards the monument. The road was reeaally eeexiitiing:



Well, the vistas were not too bad after all:



To whoever it might concern: Fly Navy!!!! 8)


photo by Keith

[GatorTiger]

While we were buzzing along I saw another deer cadaver on the side of the road. Seems that one gets numb to that sight after a while... But wait: this time there is a big brown bird sitting next to it!!! EAGLE!!!! Hooyah!!!

I zoomed by... The eagle didn't budge... Keith drove by... The eagle still remained put. So I pulled hard to the right should and hit the brakes. Keith flew by even before he knew what was going on. I turned around and got the camera ready. And just as I was approaching the eagle this big ass RV came down the other way, slowed down to take pics as well, and the eagle took off. :(

It didn't fly too far away, but even my 12x zoom wasn't powerful enough to get a good close up:



I tried a few other pics until the eagle had enough and took off for good...



We continued on and finally got to the southern gate of the:

[GatorTiger]

We parked the bikes under the trees of the parking lot and had a midday snack and some gatorade. Suddenly we heard that typical thumping noise of a big single... A red 650 GS stopped at the sign at the entrance of the monument to take a picture



and turned to the parking lot as well. May I introduce: Andrew!!



Andrew is from North Carolina and riding solo the inexpensive way: primitive camping on public lands and lots of exploring on whatever road he comes across! Way to go!! He had quite a few stories to tell and I enjoyed hearing them a lot!!! Riding all the adventures that come along with it are just the best!!!

We talked for a while before heading into the visitor's center and then into the park. All THREE of us on this my trip THREE to Montana!!! (hint hint 'bout the report's tiltle...)

It was some 25 miles to the parking lot in the middle of the park. After that it was another mile to the view point. Let's go:


photo by Keith

Initially our intend was to just ride and only make notes of where to stop on the way back to take pics, but not to take pics on the way into the park at all. Despite that I had the urge to stop here and take one anyway:



Good decision! On the way back there were more clouds and haze!
Colorful bunch!



The road to the park's center was awesome:



Empty - - - and fast!!



Once again I fell into my groove and the other two had trouble following:





Just kidding...  

[GatorTiger]

And again we tossed good intentions overboard and stopped for pictures:





I'm glad we did!!!!!



Mind the road in there!!! Sign said impassable when wet!!! Hooyah!! If we only had more time!!!
It was further into the afternoon and we pressed on and reached the center parking lot after a couple more miles



Two cars were there total!!! Other than that completely empty!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Time to take a hike:


photo by Keith

[GatorTiger]

The walk to the "outer rim" (i.e. The view platform) is incredible! No fence, steep hillsides (only down from where the walkway is!), and a new, stunning view after every tree and corner:



Even got my artistic side out a bit...  :D



Vistas becoming more and more dramatic after every step of the way:



I guess the owner of one of the cars in the parking lot came back the other way:

[CBAT]

Enjoying this....keep going!