Road Trip to Lubbock, TX.

We got back a week ago from taking a "road trip" on our 883 Sporty down to see my sister Bobbie in Lubbock, TX. We left Colorado Springs early and I'll admit, it was kinda COLD, LOL, even in August it can be chilly in the mornings! We headed down I-25 S to Raton, NM. over Raton Pass, then picked up NM. Hwy. 64 heading to Clayton, NM. and then Dumas, TX., Hwy. 385 S. into Amarillo, TX, then I-27 S into Lubbock.

We stayed the whole week and played "tourist", which is kinda fun since were from such a "tourist area" here in Colorado Springs. We tried to catch the last day of the "White Buffalo BikeFest" in Snyder, TX. on Sunday but alas we got there as all the vendors were closing up, RATS. For the rest of the week we visted the "Buddy Holly Center", (Lubbock TX. is the hometown of Buddy Holly and the Crickets band), The Silent Wings WWII Glider Museum, The Western TX. Ranching Heritage Museum and LOL, of course being HOG members we had to go buy some T-shirts and a "poker chip" from Wild West H-D in Lubbock!! :) We had a great vist with my sister and did a lot of buming around the Lubbock area, it's nice but it's HOT for us whimpy Colorado Types!! ;) We also visted the Lubbock Area War Memorial Park, it's a touching monument to those that "Gave All" from the Western TX. area! We put on 1400 miles in a week, who says you can't tour on a 883 Sportster! The bike ran like a Timex watch, even in the heat we had a great time.

Wild West Harley-Davidson

Lubbock TX War Memorial

Silent Wings WWII Glider Museum

Buddy Holly Center, Lubbock, TX.

Our YouTube Trip Video

Just "out and about"!! :)

We haven't been able to afford to do much longer distance riding due to moving and other expenses but we've been getting in a few 100 to 200 mile rides so were up to 4545 miles. Won't be long before we have to take the bike in for it's 5000 mile service and put on a new rear tire. Luckly we got the rear tire on sale, saved about $60 dollars, now just have to save to pay for the labor to get it put on the bike.

We finally had some great weather last weekend, it's been a LOT of rain and thunder storms all summer but we took out from the August HOG meeting and did a nice 100 mile ride out on the eastern plains on Saturday, then on Sunday we got a good ride in, almost 200 miles, up thru Deckers, Pine, Pine Junction, CO., lot's of pretty twisty 2 lane roads so we could finally us a little of the sidewall rubber, LOL.  The second part of the ride, Hwy, 285 E to C-470 S to Hwy. 105 S to Palmer Lake, were we stopped for some "excellent" homemade apple pie alamode!!  Then headed home via I-25 S. so we had a real mix of road types for this ride.  We are hoping to get in at least a "over-nighter" or a 2-day ride at the end of August as Jo has a weeks vacation scheduled. Sadly we can't afford to ride to the Utah HOG rally, that we saved the time for but say la vie, we will either head up to southern WY. and ride the Snowy Mnt. Scenic Byway or head south to NM. and vist the Mt. Capulin Volcano site and stay the night in Raton, NM. or maybe Taos! :)

Next year in August, I (BJ) will turn 60 and it's also the 75th. Anniversary of the Black Hill Rally (Sturigs) in SD. so that's what were planning for next years "Big Ride"!! Till then we will just keep putting on the miles and really enjoying our Sporty! :)

Tejon St. Bike Fest, 2014, Colorado Springs, CO.

Jo and I headed out south for short, "battery charging" run and then hauled back north to Colorado Springs, via I-25 to go to the yearly "Tejon Street Bike Fest", held in downtown Colorado Springs.  They block off a good portion of downtown and hundred's of bikers show up on all types and styles of scoots!! The have a stage for music, lot's of vendors and food carts so you can just "hang out" and soak in the atmosphere!

We went to Jo's sister, Sue's 40th. wedding anniversary the night before so after dancing for 4 hours we were a bit sore, LOL.  So we walked and gawked at all the cool stuff for sale, had a very excellent hot dog from a local vendor and even bought a "gremlin bell" for midnight (our 2014 H-D 883 Sportster Super Low) to ward off the evil road sprits! :)  It's been really rainy lately and the clouds were coming in low and dark so after 3 hours we headed back to the barn, yes, we did get rained on so we spent some time cleaning a polishing midnight, locked up the storage area and went to Wendy's for a chocolate frosty!  It was a short day but we had a lot of fun. The Fest seems to get larger every year and it's got every kinda of motorcycle eye candy you could possibly find!  Here's a few photo's:



My wife Jo, standing by the stage!

Father's Day Weekend Riding!!

Man, we had a great ride on Saturday, we rode south towards Canon City, CO. and then west thru Big Horn Sheep Canyon to the hamlet of Texas Creek and then northward on CO. Hwy. 69 to Westcilffe and down thru Gardner and into north area of Walsenburg, CO. Hwy. 69 is a mellow twisty two lane with fantastic view of the Wet Mountains of Southern Colorado.  We got to see a real treat as we were flying down the highway we spotted a HUGE bird in the middle of road, it was a Golden Eagle, we slowed and saw a second eagle come swoping down on a praire dog snatch him up and they both took off! Man that was just too cool.

The Hwy. is about 100 miles distance from Westcliffe to Walsenburg and with little traffic and fantastic views we were really enjoying the ride!  We came to stop to watch some real cowboys heading their cattle across the road to get to larger grazing grounds, it felt like we'd gone back 150 years! The sun was high and the air was warm, we were in the zone and enjoying it! We stopped to get a ice cold root beer in Walsenburg, then headed north via I-25 to Pueblo, CO. and a FREE lunch at Outpost Harley-Davidson, hosting there "Super Saturday" and bought out first piece of  Harley BLING! ;)  Jo picked us up a "Ride to Live, Live to Ride" gas cap cover for our 883 Sportster Super Low and gave it to me a "Father's Day" gift!! The dealership had really good Band rock'in in the parking lot and we munched meatballs and sauages while doing a bit of jig! ;)  After awhile we headed back home, stopped a Sonic and got a ice cream slush, what a day!

On Sunday, (Father's Day), we just headed out to Monument, CO. via Hwy. CO. 83 N. to have a good burger and a cherry/chocolate shake at Rosie's Diner. It was a very warm and WINDY ride but we still enjoyed the grub! We headed out to ride and double back on CO. Hwy. 105 from Palmer Park, CO. to Sedaila, CO. and the wind got to be a bit heavy! We headed back and then got gas and a snack then back to the Springs. What a great weekend, even with the wind, a total of 350 miles and lot of smiles, the best Father's Day weekend I've had in a Loooooooong time! :)

Sorry no pictures, the only bad thing about CO. Hwy. 69 is that there is not much in the way of "pull off's", hope you can get a chance to ride it one day! :)

Bishop's Castle

Jo and I finally got a "non-rain" day to do a decent ride so we headed out to see Bishop's Castle on CO. Hwy. 165. Jim Bishop has been building a fantasy castle for many, many years on his mountain property and it's quite the deal. Yes, there's a lot he still needs to finish but what's there is totally worth the trip and the views from atop the castle are stunning. It's a 150 mile RT for us from Colorado Springs but with some very sweet mountain twisty roads going up CO. 96 from Wetmore, CO. and then a rollercoster of a road up to the castle. Here's a few photo's, if your riding in So. CO. don't miss checking it out! :)

A view of the Castle from the parking area on CO. Hwy. 165

Jo on the first level of the castle, with stain glass window panes.

A view of the store and the Bishop's home on the grounds from the 2nd. level of the castle

LOL, the wide spot in the road in front of the castle were you can park!