June 11th - Stove Prairie, Poudre Canyon and Snowy Range ride

[Justin]

Will be meeting up with Joe (aka bikerfish1100) at the Kmart on US-34 (34th st) and Wilson Ave in Loveland.

Ride plans so far are to hit Stove Prairie, head over to the Poudre Canyon, then up over Cameron Pass to Walden for lunch. From there we could head up and hit Snowy Range rd. in southern WY if it's open. They didn't get it cleared on time for memorial day weekend, but I'm hoping it will be open by then. If not, can hit Rabbit Ears pass to Steamboat, and maybe add in Twenty Mile road and Gore pass, time permitting.


Was thinking a 9:00 AM meet up, leaving at 9:30ish if that works for everyone. Meet at the Southern end of the lot, near the dry cleaners.

[Motornoggin]

We drove up to the gate on the East side yesterday afternoon. The amount of snow still there is astounding! There are sections that had 50ft drifts and times when they have only made 400 ft of prgress in a 12 hour day. It was nice and warm up there though and I can't imagine it will still be closed by then.

[DenverC-14]

Barring something coming up, I should be able to make this ride   It'll be cool to ride with some new peeps from a different forum. I've logged a bit over 17k on my connie since getting it APR '10, mainly riding with people I met through CSC and facebook.

[Justin]

We drove up to the gate on the East side yesterday afternoon. The amount of snow still there is astounding! There are sections that had 50ft drifts and times when they have only made 400 ft of prgress in a 12 hour day. It was nice and warm up there though and I can't imagine it will still be closed by then.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it will be open by the 11th, and the scenery will be epic with the massive snow banks. Will make for some great photo ops I've been up there early June before and it's always "snowy" (wonder how it got it's name?), so I can only imagine what it will be like this year.

[Justin]

Barring something coming up, I should be able to make this ride   It'll be cool to ride with some new peeps from a different forum. I've logged a bit over 17k on my connie since getting it APR '10, mainly riding with people I met through CSC and facebook.

Cool, hope to see you there   - and it will be a cool ride, a chance to meet up with some old friends here on ST.n and meet some new ones

[Motornoggin]

Snow? What snow?





This is about 50 yards past the gate on the East side. This section of road was cleared last month, just to give some perspective. Some of the drifts that are normally 20ft are over 50ft this year!

It's kinda neat though in a twisted way.

I'll try to make this trip!

[bikerfish1100]

barring unforeseen changes, i am IN for this one.

[Justin]

barring unforeseen changes, i am IN for this one.

Sorry, looks like you'll have to cover an MSF course that day

[bikerfish1100]

Sorry, looks like you'll have to cover an MSF course that day

no, i checked. i'm teaching an ARC the day after!

[Reddog]

I should be able to make this as well.  Look forward to meeting everybody.

[Justin]

I should be able to make this as well.  Look forward to meeting everybody.

Hope to see you there  

And it looks like this may be turning into a C-14 meet  

[bikerfish1100]

Hope to see you there  

And it looks like this may be turning into a C-14 meet  

guess that means i'll have to turn it down a notch thru Buckhorn canyon.  

[Justin]

guess that means i'll have to turn it down a notch thru Buckhorn canyon.  

 

[DenverC-14]

I scraped peg on both sides today going through the tight bits of buckhorn/stove prairie. Eventually I'll wear enough off to stop doing that, lol. It'll be cool to meet some fellow c-14 owners. I don't ride with any normally. Mainly just sport bikes/standards/nakeds.

[Motornoggin]

I spoke with my contact at WYDOT this afternoon. He says there are still a few miles of hwy130 Snowy Range that need to be cleared. They are working 10-12 hour days and may not get it done until the middle of next week. He is going to keep me posted.

[Justin]

I spoke with my contact at WYDOT this afternoon. He says there are still a few miles of hwy130 Snowy Range that need to be cleared. They are working 10-12 hour days and may not get it done until the middle of next week. He is going to keep me posted.

Yeah, I've been checking the website (http://www.wyoroad.info/pls/Browse/WRR.RoadClosures), and it's still not open yet. So looks like it may be "plan b" (jump over willow creek pass, and come back through RMNP) or "plan c" (rabbit ears pass to steamboat, and back over 20 mile/ maybe gore pass).. We can discuss it in the AM when we meet up.

[bikerfish1100]

not that the news on it is good, but it is good to know.
fwiw- Trail Ridge opened up today.
i'm guesstimating this wall to be about 20-25 feet high. that black spot is my glove that i stuffed into the wall to get a height perspective for the shot. then a couple on vaca from Green Bay stopped by, and offered to swap photo taking duties. glove is probably right around 8 feet high.

Lots of elk down low, these guys were outside the park along the Glen Haven road
.


Even saw a pair of moose (mice?); pretty unusual.

[SVryan]

WOW.

[Motornoggin]

Any idea where in Steamboat you might have lunch? We may head up 230, into Walden and up over Rabbit Ears into the valley. We could meet up for lunch.

[bikerfish1100]

Any idea where in Steamboat you might have lunch? We may head up 230, into Walden and up over Rabbit Ears into the valley. We could meet up for lunch.

as of right now, and obviously plans can/will change, lunch is slated for Walden rather than SS. i'm guesstimating around 11:30ish. i like the Moose place more than the larger hotel a block north of the Moose, which seems to get mroe traffic.

[barbarosa]

Next one- just did ride up to Walden and back on Sunday - this weekend is kid time.

Justin in Loveland
99-R11S

[Motornoggin]

Cool, sounds good.

[SVryan]

Justin can I play too? Sorry for calling you a weenie a while back. I will bring you coffee and clean your chain If can go.  Ryan

[Justin]

Justin can I play too? Sorry for calling you a weenie a while back. I will bring you coffee and clean your chain If can go.  Ryan

Not the first time I've been called a weenie, and I'm sure it won't be that last But I will take the coffee and chain cleaning  

But yeah, of course you can play too, hope to see you there  

[bikerfish1100]

2 coffees, and we might let you lead.

[Justin]

2 coffees, and we might let you lead.

I'm already gonna make you lead through Stove Prairie  

[bikerfish1100]

i can "probably" manage, tho i do remember what happened the last time you let me lead up the Stove. Alan was a tad disappointed in the results.
fwiw- Stove/Buckhorn has been surprisingly clean for early in the season, tho i suspect the rain today, and the possible rain tomorrow, could leave some driveway parts lingering about the tarmac.

[Justin]

i can "probably" manage, tho i do remember what happened the last time you let me lead up the Stove. Alan was a tad disappointed in the results.
fwiw- Stove/Buckhorn has been surprisingly clean for early in the season, tho i suspect the rain today, and the possible rain tomorrow, could leave some driveway parts lingering about the tarmac.

That was a while ago, was Alan the fellow on the FJR? I haven't been on Stove/Buckhorn in a while, so I might be a bit "rusty". Maybe I should lead to avoid any *problems*  

[bikerfish1100]

yes, feejer Alan.
i've been up it 2x in the past week or so, and will probably take another mellow run up it tomorrow afternoon.
i will set my usual "smooth" pace (Ienatsch variety), no worries.

[Justin]

i will set my usual "smooth" pace (Ienatsch variety), no worries.

And by "smooth pace", you mean ...



 

Oh wait, you have an r1150gs, your jugs will prevent that.

[bikerfish1100]

1100S. but still, I promise, no elbows down.  

[retro]

Is this ride open to anybody from the forum? It sounds like fun and I am relatively new to the area; be fun to see some new sights and meet some new folks.

Thanks,
Mike

[bikerfish1100]

see you tomorrow morning Mike. you can bring the donuts to go along with Ryan's Box o' Joe.  

[Justin]

Is this ride open to anybody from the forum? It sounds like fun and I am relatively new to the area; be fun to see some new sights and meet some new folks.

Thanks,
Mike

Certainly is open to anyone on the forum - otherwise I'd not have posted it on an open forum - See ya tomorrow, and make sure to bring donuts!

[bikerfish1100]

coconut crumble.    mmm.

[retro]

  ok, ok... donuts to be delivered...I'm sure the bungie cords won't mash the box too bad...

How long should I plan on this ride lasting? I have no idea how much territory we're talking about covering here.

Thanks!

[bikerfish1100]

we'll be home by early dinner/late afternoon, but not all that long before. plan on about 250 miles? (that's assuming Snowy is open, add time if we have to drop south to Trail Ridge for the return)

[Justin]

we'll be home by early dinner/late afternoon, but not all that long before. plan on about 250 miles? (that's assuming Snowy is open, add time if we have to drop south to Trail Ridge for the return)

as of now, still closed - http://www.wyoroad.info/pls/Browse/WRR.RoadClosures

Looks like we'll be doing plan b, we'll discuss the options in the AM.

[Justin]

UPDATE:  Snowy Range Pass is OPEN!!

http://www.wyoroad.info/pls/Browse/WRR.RoadClosures

Talk about perfect timing  

This will be awesome, the snow banks will be amazing.

[SaharaJp99]

Looks like I will be able to make this one.  See you guys at Kmart in the am!

Josh

[Justin]

Looks like I will be able to make this one.  See you guys at Kmart in the am!

Josh

Awesome, glad you could make it. Will see you tomorrow AM  

[bikerfish1100]

UPDATE:  Snowy Range Pass is OPEN!!

http://www.wyoroad.info/pls/Browse/WRR.RoadClosures

Talk about perfect timing  

This will be awesome, the snow banks will be amazing.

Hot Damn! Err, i mean Cool Beans.

[Motornoggin]

D'OH! I feel like quite the heel...

I was thinking Sunday instead of Saturday. I can't make it today.

[Justin]

Made it back home with 470 miles on the GPS    

10 total riders showed up in the AM, 9 made it to Walden for lunch (Ryan had to split off early), after lunch the remaining four of us hit Snowy Range road. Nice to meet you folks I have not met before.

Joe led the ride down Stove Prairie, and this time, all 10 riders emerged out the other end

I still have the donuts Mike brought in my tail bag   - I will have to eat those in the morning

[SaharaJp99]

Twas a great ride and met many new great people!  Thanks Justin for coordinating this!

Apparently I forgot that my camera was in my tank bag until after lunch, but here are the pics I got of today:

[DenverC-14]

Looked like a good ride. Went through RMNP yesterday. What a site with all the snow, very cool indeed.

[Reddog]

It was great to meet everybody.  This defenitely renewed my interest in group rides (with the right group).  If only we could have all been wearing a tshirt like Joe had when the Harley dudes showed up for lunch  

[retro]

It was great to meet everybody.  This defenitely renewed my interest in group rides (with the right group).  If only we could have all been wearing a tshirt like Joe had when the Harley dudes showed up for lunch  

Group buy before the next ride?    Mine will have to say Suzuki though...

Huge thanks to Justin and Joe for leading and putting it together. I had a blast. And thanks to SaharaJP99 for the loan of the sweater and the cool pics! Great company, great pace, great attitudes all around, and great scenery. What more you could ask for?

It was great to meet everyone and look forward to the next one!

Retro

[bikerfish1100]

 Great company, great pace, great attitudes all around, and great scenery. What more you could ask for?


Retro

less gravel and shmutz up top on the roadway?

for those wondering, it was this shirt

only in black with white lettering. bought it at Iron Horse BMW in Tucson- only place i've ever seen it. sounds like a good excuse for a road trip, eh?
oddly enough, there no comments from any of the pirate crowd.

[Justin]

only in black with white lettering. bought it at Iron Horse BMW in Tucson- only place i've ever seen it. sounds like a good excuse for a road trip, eh?

Salt River canyon to Tuscon, Coronado Trail (Devil's Spine) on the return. Count me in.

[bikerfish1100]

+1

[retro]

I'm in...