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Another photo, same spot, in the West Elk mountains. My bike is crowding 9000 miles now and it really runs like a demon.

 

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Went for a nice ride yesterday over McClure Pass in Western Colorado. This photo is coming back to the pass from Carbondale. Crystal River was beautiful, but I didn't see a spot where I could pull off and take a photo, still lots of snow pushed to the edges of the highway. There's plenty of snowmelt across the road and rising avalanche risk on McClure Pass.

 

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Springtime rides are the best.

 

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@2cati, lucky Canucks getting some snow! We're way behind in Colorado, snow-wise. Of course, the upside is 50 degree dry days for riding, keeping an eye out for snow/ice. I'm enjoying my Keis heated jacket as well, just ordered some of their heated glove liners to complement the heated grips. I rode for five hours yesterday, temps 44-55F, speeds 45-65MPH with a few forays near the century mark. I will say, even with heated gear, riding that long at those temps at those speeds, I was a bit chilled when I got home and told my wife I was bailing out on her for the Christmas tree lighting in town as I couldn't imagine going back out into the cold right then. We've got at least another 10 days or so of highs in the low fifties, so I'll be taking advantage. BTW, I could have used a duck foot at this pull off.

 

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The steep side of McClure Pass in Colorado. Starting to see some snow in the mountains, tomorrow should bring a lot more. I've got about 6500 miles on my bike now and I'm really enjoying it. The fall color this year is outstanding and is lasting quite awhile. I had quite a few OMG moments on my ride today (scenery-wise).

 

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My 2020 SDR has broken in quite nicely and since installing the Healtech ESE I've had no problems. It seems to run smoother and smoother and it pulls hard at lower rpms than it did when new. I'm really enjoying it and don't regret my purchase. BTW, same spot as above, Skyway Overlook.

 

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Skyway Overlook on the Grand Mesa, Colorado, 4/8/22. Still a lot of snow and the temp on top was about 38 degrees F at noon. Down in De Beque, it was about 68 degrees, and about 6000 feet lower. Powderhorn ski area closed last weekend for the season.

 

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Ridin' the Rockies today. This photo taken with my phone just doesn't do it justice, I turned around and came back to this spot. Beautiful day, as well, 56-72 degrees F.

 

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Down the mountain from McClure Pass in Colorado along the Crystal River, between Marble and Redstone. Things are cooling down, so I'm trying to get in a few extra rides. I'm really impressed with my Keis 501J heated jacket.

 

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Went for a ride on Saturday, 54-58 degrees F. This is on top of the Blue Mesa Dam. Blue Mesa is Colorado's largest reservoir. On this ride I stopped at Hermit's Nest Overlook and spoke briefly with an older gentleman (yeah, older than me, ha!), maybe 75yo. He was riding a bright yellow Honda Gold Wing, gorgeous bike with all the accoutrements. He said he's been riding up and down West Elk Loop all day and didn't like the rumble strips CDOT had cut into the road, especially on the turns. I know the strips upset my SDR in the turns, but found it amazing that a bike as heavy and grounded as the Wing was getting unsettled. I bid him adieu and continued on my ride to the Dam. On my way back, I met him coming the opposite direction in a very tight turn. OMG! I couldn't believe the corner speed he carried on that big boat. He rocketed out of the turn with a warp drive burst. It occurred to me then, that's why he feels those rumble strips so much. He is on the edge of his tires, probably close to the grip limits for the tire, bike weight, and speed. Riding with him would surely be a learning/humbling experience. Anyone else have a similar tale of an old-timer and his land yacht?

 

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Colorado view on my ride today. Almost no one on the road. Temps from 48-62F. Trying to squeeze in a few more rides before...

 

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Rode the West Elk Loop out to Blue Mesa today and back, a rare weekend ride for me. As you can see, it's way down. But, we don't ride in it, so... Funny, it snowed on Grand Mesa a few days ago.

 

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Evening run on CO 133.

 

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On my way back home I stopped at Island Lake to suck up some Rocky Mountain goodness. Beautiful day out and I'm trying to get as many of these as I can before it's impassable for bikes.

 

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I rode up and over Grand Mesa today, about 45 degrees up on top, just beautiful. I rode over a few spots with some scraped snow on the asphalt, spooky but no surprises. Here's the view from Skyway, looking north toward the downhill run.

 

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Stopped by Cobbett Lake on Grand Mesa, CO, to clean my faceshield. Fifteen minutes into my ride and it was like a rainbow of bugs, big ones not lots of small ones.

 

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Great spot. I really like your setup on your bike and I'll be applying some of your ideas to my Gen 3. Canada is so beautiful, my in-laws used to live outside Vanderhoof, in BC. Cheers!
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Heading out that way next Sunday. Last trip two years ago we stayed in South Fork. This time, up near Steampunk's 'hood in Grand Junction. Been following the weather there and it's been hotter in Colorado than here in Southern Illinois.

True, hottest summer we've experienced since our arrival in 2005. I can deal with the heat, but the smoke from the west coast fires sucks. Today I can't see the San Juans, and there've been quite a few days I couldn't see Grand Mesa, and we live on its southern slope! And Raindancers stay for free at area hotels.

 

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Sadly, I don't have any of these stunning landscape pictures. But I do have this...

Last week it was my girlfriends' birthday, and although I had already given her my present, the real gift I had for her was that I proposed to her that evening.

She said yes!

And the next day, I find this

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I have a feeling she meant it when she said yes 😋

Congratulations!

 

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BTW, this is Blue Mesa in August 2019. Notice the higher water level compared to today.

Colorado dropped a lot of water from its reservoirs to keep Lake Mead/Lake Powell at minimum levels, mostly for hydroelectric generation. Funny, it's snowing a bit here in Cedaredge today, May 4th. The differential in water levels in just 3 years, that's a huge amount of acre feet. It seems like the Western Slope received a decent amount of snow this year, but the Denver side (the Front Range) broke some records in the wrong direction. Not much one can do about it so might as well go for a mountain ride! Cheers.