3 Days in the rockies

[SteveJones]

OK, I have a long trip planned this July, and I am happy with most of the route I have layed out.

But the last 3 days of the trip are not making my socks roll up and down.  I am departing the greater Victor ID metroplex, sleeping in Vernal UT, Central City CO, and Ogallala NE - where I reunite with my trailer.  Yes, I know ID isn't in Region 3, but 99% of the miles are in Region 3.  Here is the pic:



I do have some high hopes for some of the wiggly bits as I dodge east and west, heading south from Jackson.  Flaming Gorge is nice, but I rode there a couple of years ago, in fact I've already done the whole ride from Green River to Steamboat Springs.  Not that I don't want to repeat it, but I like to try new things if they sound good.

I am looking forward to a repeat of a ride up Mount Evans.  That is worth doing over again.  And heading up the Peak-to-Peak highway from Central City to Estes Park sounds good... and the Poudre River canyon is something I look forward to riding again.  

But overall I have a sense that my route planning muse has abandoned me for this part of my trip.

Anybody have any great ideas about alternative uses of my 3 days to get from Victor to Ogallala?

[ejwpc]

I can't think of a lot of other great routes, but I am interested to hear other ideas too.  I think I will be making a similar trip heading from hear out to Oregon in August.

[blakebird]

If you're going to do the Cache le Poudre again, take it from Ft. Collins to Walden. Your map shows you maybe taking Peak to Peak down 7 to Lyons. If you do that Google Map the area and find Carter Lake, Masonville, Stove Praire Rd. Stove Prairie will put you onto 14 (Poudre) west of Ft Collins. (in a nutshell, coming out of Lyons to the east, 36 from Estes Park turns south (Foothills Hwy) to Boulder. Hwy 66 is what the EB road becomes. Stay on the 66 eastbound.)
The first left turn you can really take is a few miles down (75th). I'll let you find this on the map - but take the 4 Rd up to Carter Lake, across it's east flank...and get to hwy 34 - and cross it for Masonville. You'll like this road to the 14.

Take 14 to Walden, then turn north and head to Saratoga, WY for lunch, then back down to Snowy Range Pass Rd to Laramie....and cut across past Cheyenne, you can take hwy 30 parallel to I-80 thru Sidney (visit Cabela's) and you'll be in Ogallala in no time.

[SteveJones]

Take 14 to Walden, then turn north and head to Saratoga, WY for lunch, then back down to Snowy Range Pass Rd to Laramie...

A bunch of tempting advice there.  The day actually starts in Central City or thereabouts, and I'll need to be in Ogalalla that evening, so I can't really squeeze in the Walden/Saratoga/Snowy Range loop Unless I decide on a really long day... my fun meter moves out of the green somewhere around 500 miles when I don't have my Iron Butt face on (henh... henh... he said 'butt face').

Nice roads though - I did ride that route (except Snowy Range) last time I was out that way.

This is what the current plan looks like for the last day, the southern start down around Central City and the boring eastern bit to Ogallala snipped off:



Are you saying this bit: would be better replaced with this: ?

[Dave B]

I am informed the Poudre (and all of north park, actually) is being patrolled much more heavily than usual this spring.  Just a heads up.

db

[SteveJones]

I am informed the Poudre (and all of north park, actually) is being patrolled much more heavily than usual this spring.  Just a heads up.

Marvelous.  I'm not much of a peg scraper, but hopefully they will have found something more useful to do by late July, which is when I will pass through.

Thanks for the warning...

[SteveJones]

Oh crud... looking at Google Earth it appears that the road from 14 to Red Feather Lakes Rd. is not paved.

Back to the drawing board.

[blakebird]

Oh crud... looking at Google Earth it appears that the road from 14 to Red Feather Lakes Rd. is not paved.

Back to the drawing board.

I was scrolling thru the posts and glad you caught that. I had a response all formulated  
It's a great area for dirt biking and dual sport exploring....

From my place in Parker (south edge of Denver) to Ft. C, Walden, Saratoga, SRPass, Laramie, etc is a 500 mile day, returning to Parker. That includes the ride from here to FC as being interstate speeds....so yes, it's not a great fit in your day. Pack it away for another side trip though....and be aware that Snowy Range Pass gets snowy and icy before many other high routes. It's beautiful though.
If you can squeeze some of the Masonville/Stove Prairie stuff in, then head across the northern plains and soak up some SmallTownUSA.... there's the Pawnee Nat'l Grasslands out there.