*2015 Wild Guzzi Western Adventure / Colorado Not-A-Rally - June 20/21/22, 2015*

[rocker59]

Hey rocker, can we make it chacho canyon? Love that place!

You know, sunrise on the solstice at Pueblo Bonito does have some appeal. 

[Guzzistajohn]

You know, sunrise on the solstice at Pueblo Bonito does have some appeal.

Talk about your group photo. I wonder if the place fills up?

[rocker59]

Talk about your group photo. I wonder if the place fills up?

From what I've heard, there are a few hundred people that show up for that event.

[rocker59]

It was a great "long weekend" in Colorado, and I'd like to thank everyone who rode up to the KOA Cripple Creek for a little Guzzi fellowship.

Here are some pix and story:

Wednesday/Thursday:

My original plan was to haul to Denver, but I never was happy with the idea of having to return to Denver for my truck.  Once we decided on the NAR in Cripple Creek, I decided I'd leave the truck there.  As luck would have it, Red was able to join me, so we added some days to our Kabin reservation, staying Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun/Mon nights.   I wouldn't have to worry about retrieving my truck, and I'd have someone to act as search & rescue, should I need it while on the CC1000.

The Tropical Depression that had flooded Texas and Oklahoma was bearing down on Arkansas, so we decided to leave Wednesday evening and drive about halfway.  We departed home around 5pm and arrived Dodge City around 1am, grabbing a hotel room at the Comfort Inn.  By running up to Joplin, then taking US-400 to Dodge City, we avoided all the rain that was quickly engulfing Oklahoma and heading toward Arkansas.

Thursday morning, we awoke halfway to Cripple Creek!  That would allow us to make a couple stops along the way.  Bent's Old Fort and The Royal Gorge were added to the day's agenda.

My navigator keeping me in line.


Our first stop was near La Junta Colorado at Bent's Old Fort, an important trading post and stop along the Santa Fe Trail.  The fort stands on The Arkansas River at once was the border between Mexico and The United States.















After a too-short hour-long visit at the fort, we grabbed some fuel and food in La Junta, then journeyed on through Pueblo to Canon City and a stop at The Royal Gorge.  We arrived there around 4pm, so really just decided to look.  A trip back is in order, though.  Red wants to go down the incline railway to the river's edge, and she wants to do the zip line over the gorge!









From the gorge, we took CO-9 and CR-11 the back way into Cripple Creek.  In a thunderstorm.  Luckily, the only rain we'd see all weekend.





A glimpse of Pikes Peak from the west, as we approached our campground



Our home for the next five nights





Beautiful evening sky





After unpacking, we went down into Cripple Creek for a late dinner, but everything that closed.  So, back to the Kabin we went, catching this great photo overlooking the town on the way.

[Guzzistajohn]

Here's some of my photos;

We took a break at Garden City, Ks. to look at the windmill parts.

Went to the Royal George too

Messed around in Cripple creek a little

Went over to Victor,

Then over to Lake Grorge to see my Sister In Laws wolfies

Next day, to the peak!





Tim, Mike and I went to the WWII aircraft museum in "The Springs"



Next day sadly, east bound and down. We made it to Dodge City

Two things I'll NEVER forget about this trip.
#1, Don't send Mike Carmack on a beer run

(NA Beer)

And #2, I think the distance between Cripple Creek, Co. & Springfield, Mo. is about 900 bugs

[rocker59]

Friday Morning was cool and crisp.  A dramatic change from the heat and humidity we'd been seeing in NW Arkansas.



After some porch time with coffee and breakfast, we decided to drive the loop around to Victor and up to Cripple Creek for lunch.

Current and former remnants of the area's gold mining glory are everywhere.















The town of Cripple Creek had a population of around 10,000 in 1900, during mining's heyday, but has dwindled to about 1,100 today.  Back in the busy days, donkeys were used as pack animals.  As the population dwindled, owners turned donkeys out as they left town on the train.  Over time, Cripple Creek developed a herd of feral donkeys that occupies the town on surrounds.







Lunch at The Creek was our last stop before I had to mount up and ride to Denver for the Colorado Classic 1000.



About 2pm, I mounted up and headed out for Denver on the Sport 1100.





In my absence, Red and the dawg would be left to there own devices Friday Night and all day Saturday.

[rocker59]

Sunday morning around 4am, I came rumbling back into the campground after checking in at the finish line for the CC1000 at Double Eagle Casino in Cripple Creek.  I rested for a few hours, then we went back to the casino for the finisher's breakfast.

You can read about my CC1000 ride here:  http://wildguzzi.com/forum/index.php?topic=74520.0

After breakfast, we went back to the campground to hang out for awhile.  I needed the rest!  After a light lunch, we went back into town for a train ride.



Cripple Creek & Victor Railroad is a 2-foot narrow gauge tourist road build on the road bed of the former standard gauge Midland Terminal Railway.













Some great views while on the train ride.















Sunday evening, we had some of Red's pasta salad and fruit salad for dinner, then hung out around the campfire for a bit with our Guzzi friends.





Another great day at the WildGuzzi Western Adventure!

[rocker59]

Monday's plan was the Pikes Peak ride.  Unfortunately, the winds at 10am were 35mph with 51mph gusts, and I wasn't thrilled with the idea of riding up there in that wind.  In the mean time, we decided to get a group photo overlooking Cripple Creek with the remaining Guzzisti







At this point archangel, dxhall, and his two buddies decided to head on down to the Pikes Peak Highway and risk the wind.

Red, Tim, kirby1923, Guzzistajohn, and I stopped back by the campgound for a bit, then decided to check out Garden of the Gods in Manitou Springs first, before attempting The Peak.



















Tim has the best of bad luck.  His Strada quit on him in the shade, under a bridge!  Hey, on a hot day, what better place to break down?  With the help of kirby1923, it was determined that the battery had crapped out, so Guzzistajohn and kirby1923 ran to the autoparts store for a replacement. 



Soon enough, Tim's bike was running again, and we were headed up Pikes Peak!  Our goal for the day!















And finally, the top!















It's paved all the way to the top, now.  I think it's increased the traffic.  We say many street motorcycles, and lots of cars.  When I was on The Peak in 2009, it was still unpaved on the top 1/3.  There was a lot less traffic, and no other street motorcycles.  Still, it's a harrowing thrill ride to the top, and one of those things one just must do when in the Colorado Springs area!

The ride down was uneventful, and quite beautiful.  As the rider, I got to see a lot more going down than when going up.  Barricades and equipment was being set up for this week's Pikes Peak Hill Climb event.  Something I've always wanted to see, but have only enjoyed on television.

We rode in to Cripple Creek to Wildwood Casino for a good dinner, our final get-together of the weekend.

Upon returning to camp, I loaded up the bike and most of our gear, and after a nice visit with the guys, we hit the rack.  Tomorrow would come early, and it was a long drive home.

Tuesday morning, we departed about 7:30am and headed home.  US-24 to Limon.







Then I-70 to Salina, I-135 to Wichita, US-400 to Joplin, and I-49 back into NW Arkansas.  13-1/2 hours of driving, but we were home...  And looking forward to the next WildGuzzi Western Adventure, hopefully in June 2017 !!!

 

[LowRyter]

Rock, looks like you're getting along with the new Nikon,  Very nice photos.  Wish I could've made it for the trip (not the CC).   Bev is feeling better and I am hoping to travel west in another month or so.