It's "battery charge run" time again, LOL! ;)

Well it's December so it's mostly rides around the area to "charge the battery"! We don't have a garage so we keep our motorcycle in a 5x10 storage unit, close by. Of course that means we don't have anyway to plug in a "battery maintainer" so being "retired", I pick the WARMEST day of the week and put on 100 miles at speeds enough to charge the battery a bit!! Don't have heated clothing so I bundle up like the Michelin Man and RIDE! ;)

Been lucky lately as the "weekend" have been the warmer days so my wife, JoLynn can ride along, last Saturday we did what we call the "extended loop ride", heading south on I-25 to Pueblo, then west to pick up CO. Hwy. 96 heading to Wetmore, then CO. Hwy. 67 S. into Florence, CO., then CO. 115 N. back to Colorado Springs! It's just over 100 miles with lots of 60+ mph riding. :)  Stopped and took a photo of the big curve on CO. 96, just before you get to the hamlet of Wetmore.  60+ degrees and SUNNY, not bad for a December day in So, Colorado! :)

2017 High Country Toy Run

We've been riding in the area Poker Runs for a long time now, the Toy Runs used to be several are now down to just two a year. We were at the BIG one on Sunday, The High Country Toy Run! About 1000 bikes and riders brought our toys to the Rocky Mountain Motorcycle Museum at Pikes Peak Harley-Davidson at 11 AM. and headed out with a full Police escort to downtown Colorado Springs, CO. It was finally a Sunny, warmish day on the 1st. of October, 2017 and we arrived, parked and dropped off our toys to the Marine Corps Toys For Tots trailer and headed into Cowboys Night Club for a Steak Dinner, where all the proceeds go to buy, what else, MORE TOYS!  :)  They have an auction, raffle, etc. but we are "too Poor" for those so we headed out for a short, battery charge run, heading south, then back home! A great day for a good cause! :)

Our favorite Poker Run

Come Sept. we usually get in a couple of the area's Poker/Charity Runs, our favorite it the Annual Suicide Prevention Poker Run, put on by American Legion Riders of Post #38 in Fountain CO. This run is FREE, that's right free, it starts at Fort Carson's main gate (#1) in the parking lot for the Post Museum and goes different routes around Southern CO. This year we road up to Divide, CO. for the first stop, then to down town Cripple Creek, CO. Had a bit of "adventure" riding as some of CO. 67 was kind wet dirt for a couple of miles, (our Sporty HATES dirt)!

From Evergreen Station on Teller Co. 1 we picked up Teller Co. 11 heading west, it's a beautiful twisty backroad, with great views of the lower area mountains and hills. The CO. Hwy. 9S. to CO. 50 E. to Canon City, CO. and a stop in Veterans Park. Back on 50 to 115N. back into Co. Springs and then Hwy. 85/87 into northern Fountain and the ALR Post for free food, cake and raffle and 50/50 drawings, LOL as usual our Poker Hands, SUCKED! Didn't win anything but we had a great days ride, though it was a bit CHILLY heading up to Cripple Creek, filled up the tank and headed for the barn, got home about 6PM. Hope to see you there next year!! :)

End of the summer season riding

Well we decided to head up to one of our favorite close rides as the summer is pretty much over here in So. Colorado. We headed up to Westcliffe, CO. for our favorite "Chili-Cheese fries" and a Rootbeer! It's about 180 mile RT with some great riding thru Big Horn Sheep Canyon on CO. Hwy. 50, then north on CO. Hwy. 96, with it's awesome view of the Wet Mountains. On 96 we had the highway all to ourselves, what I call, "owning the road"!  We've had a LOT of HAZE from out of state fires so the view wasn't as grand as usual, that and it's been warm enough to melt the snow off the peaks, still is a great motorcycle road in Westcliffe! Headed back home the same way, just so we can re-ride Big Horn Sheep Canyon, as it flows right along the Arkansas River. Got to the barn and cleaned the bike a bit, we got a LOT of BUGS on this ride! We will be staying closer to home the next few months but we can dream of the Chili-Cheese Fries and the warmer days of next summer! :)

Million Dollar Hwy. Ride

We finally got in a decent "Road Trip", as of August 21 thru 24th. We rode from Colorado Springs to Montrose, CO. spent the night, the rode CO. Hwy. 550, known as the Million Dollar Highway, 1/2 of the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway, thru Ouray, Silverton and down into Durango. Over Red Mountain, Molas and Coal Bank Passes. It's one very beautiful road, with hundreds of curves, lot's of spectacular mountain views!   We stopped in Silverton, CO. " as it has the "highest altitude" Harley-Davidson Store (over 9,000 ft.). We were amazed as this tiny mountain hamlet was filled with "motorcycles" of all brands and styles of street machines and lot's of adventure tourers and dual-purpose bikes. We didn't a have a real sunny/clear day but we never got rained on so that's ok with us! :)

Into Durango to spend the night, on a search for food, close to our motel, we found a River Walk Trail and walked it's length, found a great little Chinese Place with a patio by the river, ate and watched the rafters, waders, tubers, etc. in summer sun and heat! We got up the next morning and rode Hwy. 160E, thru Pagosa Springs and Wolf Creek Pass. Saw a Semi that went off the side of the pass being pulled back up, what mess!!! Rode thru South Park and into Monte Vista for gas and lunch. Ate at a little diner called, BOOGERS, LOL, they made a great club sandwich with onion rings! We headed up CO. 285 N. which is a open hwy. surrounded by vast farming lands over Poncha Pass into Salida, CO. for our final nights stay. Found a quaint little, old style motor lodge, Silver Saddle Motel and walked the town, ate and then watched The Godfather I & II before hitting the sack! Headed home via CO. 50E. thru Big Horn Sheep Canyon to Canon City, CO. 115 N. home to Colorado Springs. Lot's of miles and smiles, just wish it didn't have to end so soon. :)

Due to the rain's lately, we decided not to do a long ride on Sat. so we just headed south on CO. Hwy. 115 to CO. Hwy. 50 W thru Big Horn Sheep Canyon to the little store/diner at Texas Creek. Had a really good Philly Cheesesteak sandwich and a root beer. Love riding thru the canyon, it nothing but sweepers right along the Arkansas River. The river level is really high and it was full of rafter's, LOL, they are braver than me, I'll stick to the road by the river, not getting on it in a little rubber boat! ;) Headed home the same way, no rain till we hit Cheyenne Mnt. in Co. Springs, just a light sprinkle and got the bike back to the barn and us back home. We will be heading out for 3 days of riding in the Southwest area of Colorado, around Durango, riding 50/550 (Million Dollar Hwy.) and CO. 149 over Spring creek and Smgullion Passes back into Gunnsion, CO. for the last night. around 700 miles, can't wait, been a long time since we've been on a real road trip!!! :)

Just, ride'in around

Well with a recent move, etc. lately we've just been riding around the local area's south and east of Colorado Springs. We are planning a 3 or 4 day ride come the week of the 18th. of August, heading to Northern NM. and Southwestern, CO. So JULY,  was a bit light on the "miles" but we so NEED a Road Trip or we might just go crazy, LOL!! Stay tuned for photo's and an update!! :)

A great ride with old friends!

Jo and I went on a ride with two old friends we don't get to ride with very often, we went to Bishop's Castle on CO. Hwy. 165, heading west out of Colorado City and I-25. We stopped at the "hand built" castle to see what new additions have been added since our last visit awhile back. We then headed north on 165 to pick up CO Hwy. 96 W. into Westcliffe, CO. for lunch at the Rowdy Rancher's Café. The views of the Wet Mountains on 96 heading to town are beyond awesome, it's towering mountains as far as the eye can see! We headed back 96 E. down Hardscrabble Pass into Wetmore, then 67 S. into Florence, CO. for a cold drink and fuel stop. Headed home via CO. 115 N. into Colorado Springs, Mary B. headed north on I-25 to Castle Rock CO. and Ed headed south to Fountain, CO. a beautiful day, a great time! :)

An update

Not a lot going on, just mainly, short area or battery charge rides over the last few months. We had a rear turn signal relocation kit added to give Jo some more "foot room" for the passenger pegs. Seriously thinking of adding "forward controls" for me as we've decided to just keep our current 2014 Sporty Super Low till it's paid off in 3 years. The thought of going $14,000+ in debt at our current age of "62" is just a bit scary! We don't have any other retirement other than the little bit of Social Security we've earned and who knows if that's going to be there!! I'm putting in for my SS early, I turn 62 in August, I can put in for my SS in May 2017, yes it will be less money but maybe I'll get it!!

The Forward controls are EXPENSIVE!!!!!!! $425.00 for "black" set and over $200.00 for labor, YIKES!!!! Still it will make the bike for comfortable for me for longer rides so against $ Thousands for a new 1200 Custom Sportster it's pretty cheap. :)  We are looking at going to the Black Hills in SD. or riding the Snowy Range Scenic Byway and the Trail Ridge Road in CO. and WY. this August so can't wait to get out on the road for a few days!! :) Installed a new battery, can't complain, the original lasted 3 years and that's with us NOT being able to hook up a "battery maintainer" during the winter months. Yep, the new No Water hi-tech batteries ain't cheap but I'll not complain. Hope it's starting to turn to Spring riding time in your area, sadly we still have 1.5 months to go before it's truly Spring here in So. Colorado and the end of May for most of the real "mountain riding". See you, ON The Road!!

2017

Well I did manage to get in a "battery charge" run on the 31st. but the weather has turned to crud for the New Year! :( Right now it's lightly snowing and COLD and it's only going to get colder and more snow for the  next 2 days, YUCK! Also go on a new rear tire, my H-D dealership, surprised me and had the tire "in stock" and was willing to put it on that day, sweet! :) Since we are back to riding by ourselves again, I have no idea where we will wander for 2017 so stay tuned! :)