Trip to Ouray Colorado - Advrider Rally

[BigDave]

Ouray 2004 - Chapter 1 - The Journey To Ouray





Note to Triumph-Tiger.com members:



I post my ride reports in this section (yes, on my GS) because I hope to invite anyone to ride in the wonderful places I have had the opportunity to ride.  I have such a wonderful playground here in Colorado and I am sure most of you would like to come here some day to ride.  I hope my reports inspire a future visit from you!



I got the pleasure of Riding with Sasquatch (aka tigerjay) on his Tiger on Saturday.  He's a great guy and a credit to this website.  His modifications to his Tiger are first class and he is one heck of a guy that I would ride with any day of the week.  Thanks Sasquatch!







At last it was time for the Ouray trip.  I was able to leave early afterall on Thursday.  



One last tickle for the little guy...













All loaded up and ready to take off from Denver at 6:30 AM.













First destination was Cottonwood Pass just west of Buena Vista.



















At the other end of the pass is Taylor Park Res.  Time for a cup o' joe!











Through Pitkin & Tincup.



















I decided to take a little side road up to the Alpine Tunnel.  For you railroad buffs this is a historic area.





























Shortly after the last picture as I was on my way down and it started to rain and rain and rain.  Then it started to hail and hail and hail.  I got out of there OK and got back on track.









After some typically boring tarmac, I took Cimmaron Road south off of 50.  It ends up in Ridgeway...eventualy.





















The pictures don't really do the place justice.  It was just beautiful.  There were hardly anyone back there as well.  This came on the XM Radio & I knew I was in paradise...

























You end up going over Owl Creek Pass before the road turns to the West and down into Ridgeway.





















I then get to the KOA to meet some of the folks, then it was off to my room in Ouray to prepare for the BIG RIDES starting the next day.



_____________________________________________





Ouray 2004 - Chapter 2 - Cinnamon Pass



So it was Friday at the KOA and I was looking for riding partners.  I saw Wayne Weber and he said they were going up Engineer and other more rough passes & trails.  Most of the guys were on smaller dual sports.  As bad as I wanted to go and afraid I might miss out on my chance to ride with a group that wanted to do some off-road stuff, I opted out.  I spoke to Pawk who was on the fence about it too and we decided to do something more our speed.  Soon, we hooked up with Stinez on his VStrom and Sasquatch on his Tiger.  Then there were 4 other guys on dual sports and we all set out for Engineer Pass.





Going South out of Ouray gave us this quick view.













Pawk & Sasquatch with a morning salute.













My turn to tell the class "good morning."













So the 4 dual sport bikes head up the all to familar rock field that is the start of the Engineer Pass route near Ouray.  I went next followed by Sasquatch, Pawk then Stinez.  While all but one of the small bikes went up the rocks with little or no problem, us guys on the big bikes didn't make it.  We had a little conference and decided that the four of us would break from the pack and try Cinnamon Pass instead.  I was really bummed as I really had my mind made up to do Engineer Pass on this trip.  More on that later.  





So off to Silverton where Pawk got us lost.  We then got on the right road & started up the pass.













Sasquatch decided to bring his luggage in case he had to spend the night up there...













Stinez was a little pissy that early in the morning.  Of course I would be too if I had to ride the V-Strom.













This scene was almost sureal.  The light was hitting the rocks as the water trickled down them ever so gently.  The whole mountainside was just sparkling.  We all stood there in awe for several minutes...

















We get to Annimas Fork and Pawk decides to stay behind.  Here Sasquatch & Stinez are trying to understand Pawk's decision.  They didn't figure it out...



 







He was just up on Cinnamon a month or so ago and he wanted to "study" the architecture of the ghost town.  Right Pawk, whatever.  Have fun, see ya.













It was only another ten minutes to the top where it was raining.  Pawk said he'd wait for us in the Ghost town after we came back from the top.  I wonder how long he waited because we never came back!   We went down the other side to Lake City for a late lunch.  What did you do the rest of the day Pawk?  Take a nappy poo?













Sasquatch in action on his chartreuse Tiger.  He got that color for safety reasons.  He started a campain. "Chartreuse Tiger's Save Lives."  You can get a sticker for your bags if you PM him and send him 5 bucks.  













Now Stinez is an interesting character.  His rides that VStrom like nobodys business.  He just stands up & hauls ass.













So we end up in Lake City and its raining.  Then, it stated to hail big time.  We took cover at a resort at the edge of town, butthe restaurant was closed.  After it passed we wnt into town for a quick bite and a game plan.  We decided to go north to Blue Mesa.  Then West to Cimmaron Road where I went yesterday.  I didnt mind going on it again since the only other option was tarmac to Montrose and that sounded like a bore.





We get to Blue Mesa after setting a few land speed records and sliding around twisties on knobbies only to have this ass pull up to us.













Yep, you got it.  K12RSSteve.  He was one pissed off hombre.  He had been riding all day by himself and he just came back from going in 18 miles of a mud infested dirt road.  Here I thought he liked going up the muddy trails.





After a bunch of greetings and hugs and kisses, Uncle Fester decided to join Lurch (me) and the rest of the Adams family for the ride back to camp.













Ya know Steve is really something.  Less than ten minutes after I met the guy in person, he is trying to go around me on the outside of a high speed corner IN MY LANE.  I am thinking, "is this guy that good?"  Then I remebered the score: Guardrail - 2,  Steve - 0.  



We then ventured back through Owl Creek Pass to Ridgeway to a nice ending to a great day riding.  









__________________________________________



Ouray 2004 - Chapter 3 - Ophir Pass







Day 3. Time to round the troops for another day.  A harder challange is what we want.  Who better than to lead the group than Wayne Weber?  We decided on Ophir Pass to Telluride and then some fire roads out Southwest from there.



The group assembled as there were eight of us.  Wayne, Stinez, Ant Ware, K11.5GSSteve, JuanG, GS Spirit, Pawk (he was rested up) and yours truely.  



We stopped at the entrance to Engineer to watch Motozilla crash on the rock field. (don't worry, he got his act together and showed the World what that rig can do...)



After out-running a cop on a Harley, we dashed down the dirt road that leads to Ophir.  







JuanG













GS Spirit













Pawk













Half way up we stopped for the sake of stopping.













At the top of Ophir Pass

















Steve in action...













There were some other guys at the Top when we were up there.  Here Pilot is talking with Stinez.  Hiya Pilot













Just one big happy family on top of Ophir Pass.  I can't think of who else we saw up there, you guys speak up!

















So down the other side of the pass we went.













Next destination: Telluride.  What a sight to see this place for the first time.

















So we parked in the middle of town and before I could even get my helmet off, Steve was back on the bike.  Here he was complaining  about needing to rest and take a break, but then all of a sudden he was back on the bike again.  What gives Steve?













He didn't know it, but we suprised Steve-o with his Great Granddaughter who flew in to meet him there...













OK, enough fun, laughs, food & drink.  Time for speed, rain, dirt and yes.....MUD.













Earth to Wayne, "GET US OUTA HERE!"













Hey Stevie, good thing Ricky put on a fresh Tourance for ya last nite.  It really helped ya in the mud huh?













Well we all started out of the muddy section.  6 of us were out.  Steve and Stinez missed roll call.   I started to walk back to see whats up when ole Uncle Fester came out so pissed he couldn't even look at me or give me the finger.













Now we were just short one....Stinez.  Wayne & I went back on our bikes to see what the deal was.  Stinez had so much muddy clay in his front fender that his front wheel was locked.  No wonder he was having such a hard time.  What was your excuse Steve-o-rino?  













After miles and miles of a fairly fast romp through the fire roads, we ended up back on the tarmac.  3 of the 8 wanted to slab it back home and 5 of us went back over Ophir Pass.  It was harder coming up the West side than the East but it wasnt that bad.

























The group patently waited for me at the bottom as I had to stop for some photos.  Then back to camp for a huge feast that made a perfect ending to a great day riding.

















__________________________________________







Ouray 2004 - Chapter 4 - Engineer Pass & The Ride Home







I got to tell some of you my little story about Engineer Pass and Cinnamon Pass.  It was 30 years ago when my Mom & Dad rented a jeep in Lake City and hauled all 4 of us kids up & over the passes.  I will never forget it.  I was only 12 at the time and I remember visualizing myself on a motorcycle the whole trip over and back.  I knew then that some day I wanted to come back and ride these same passes on a motorcycle.  I just didn't think it would be 30 years later.



Back in my "Chapter 2" ride report you noticed that we tried to go up Engineer Pass, but the first part was just too rocky.  I was content with doing Cinnamon and Ophir the next day.  That is until I woke up on Sunday.  You see, it was my destiny to go over Enginner Pass and that was it.  Neither rhyme or reason would stop me.  I had a mission and it was that important to me.  So, I loaded up the bike with all my bags and set out for the pass.



The one saving grace is that I remebered there was another way to enter the West side of Engineer Pass.  Back at Annimas Fork there was a trail that lead to Engineer.  That would bypass the rocks at the bottom near Hwy 550.



After a quick breakfast in Silverton, it was time.













The scenery became more breathtaking as the air became more thin.



















Three "kids" on dual-sports passed by me as they were on their way down.  They stopped in shock and awe that somebody was up there by themselves on a 1150.  I started to get a little nervous about what might lie ahead, but it didn't stop me.

























"I have to go up that?"  This was starting to get interesting...













I could have taken pictures all day long at the sun and clouds change the view, minute by minute.

















Just up ahead was a "do or die" situation if you will.  It was decision time.  I could not see the next switchback as it was around the corner up the steep grade.  The trail was fairly solid and dry and I knew I WAS NOT going back down.  So 1st gear was engaged and up I went...













It was really not that bad.  The bike had way more than enough power to just crawl up the last steep section.  Then I was at the top in no time.











Some nice folks in a jeep took my picture to document the epic event.













The view up there were nothing short of incredible and really left me speachless.













































After all this time, my dream of coming back here has come true.  When I was 12 I never would have believed it would have been 30 years later.  It was just as well that we didn't make it up here on Friday.  This way I was able to come up here on my own little personal quest and take in everything on my own.  This was a very special time for me an a wonderful climax to a great 4 days of riding and meeting many wonderful Advriders.  













Well the ride was not over by a long shot.  It was now almost 12 noon and I was on top of Engineer Pass as I was needing to be home by this evening.  On the way down, I had to take a few more pretty pictures of the area.

















Whitmore Falls













After a gas up, lunch and a thermos coffee fill in Lake City, I was still not ready to slab it out for the long ride home.  I went South to Slumgullion Pass & too about 60 miles of dirt to hwy 114 before my long, wet ride back to Denver.













Los Pinos Pass













I was in there for almost 2 hours and saw 2 cars.  It was a real relaxing ride.













After I hit the slab, this was the sight from the top of Monarch Pass.













Then I got to see the pretty sights in the sky towards South Park as the setting sun was making the clouds brighter than white.  



I then stopped in Buena Vista only to get poured on one last time with both rain and hail.  I pulled over in Fairplay to dry up, have dinner and put my liner in my jacket for the rest of the trip.  It was now dark and getting chilly.  The rest of the ride was just going through the motions and reflecting on a great 4 days.  I am so grateful I was able to make the trip, meet so many new friends and enjoy the best riding of my life.

[Patrick the Scot]

Sounds like you had a great trip! Congratulations on your crossing Engineer on a two-wheeler.  I'm right behind you...