It's All in the Details

At work, I'm a pretty structured person. When it comes to leisure time - and especially while on vacation - I'm just the opposite. This is by design. Because I have set times to start each day while at work, I want to break the routine and be purposefully unstructured when away from work. I want to get up when I feel like getting up... eat when I want to eat...

All of that changes on our motorcycle adventures. Because I am so purposeful in seeing what I want us to see, and because I spend countless hours searching for the most challenging motorcycle roads I can find, I want to be sure we can get it all done. This requires careful planning, detailed route planning, rigid schedules...

Finishing the course requires... well... structure. Here's the plan:

2015 Southwest Adventure

Below is a proposed ride summary, provided with the following disclaimers:

• This ride will be shorter than the previous three years – more in the 12-day range.
• We have no pressure to cover specific states this year. I’m targeting Arizona, Utah, and Colorado, with a ride through the Texas Hill Country on The Twisted Sisters if schedule permits.
• Even with this being the case, I THINK (you guys will have to verify) the route covers all of the states Matt and Steve need to complete all 48 states (if you got all of the eastern-seaboard states in ’12. Trent might have missed some last year after leaving to have a baby.
• In the way of big-picture overview, the route has us staying south to hit the Texas Hill Country, then working Arizona from the bottom up. We will see the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, roads and national parks around Moab (I didn’t know how rich this area is), and more of Colorado than I expected to route. In this draft (which I hope is the FINAL), I added Trail Ridge Road and Peak to Peak Scenic Byway – two awesome-looking additions. The plan is aggressive – but if God favors us with good weather again, I think we can do it. If we encounter weather challenges, we will revise accordingly, as we did in 2013.
• Leaving Colorado, we are using interstate to bust it to our respective destinations, with the exception of a ride on the Talimena Scenic Byway.
• Once again – as was the case in 2014 – I will leave you guys on the last day and head to Nashville while you head to south Louisiana. Jaimee and Travis have scheduled a post-wedding celebration for their Nashville friends on the Sunday evening at the end of the trip. As I result I will be going to Nashville as the rest of you head home. I am planning to ride the Talimena with the group and then head to Tennessee.
• Ride times / daily ETAs are based on calculations by the Garmin Base Camp mapping software.  These ride times were pretty accurate in 2014.  As was the case with the Northwest trip, I have padded the Base Camp estimates to include fuel stops, lunch stops, and sightseeing activity where appropriate.
• All lodging locations are subject to change.  I simply offer possibilities in order to insure that lodging is readily available at our destination goal.
• The numbers at the ends of each day are cumulative mileage projections. The first number is the projection for the NOLA gang. The second number has my Day “0” mileage added in. Of course, these projections do not contemplate any local riding to gas stations, meal stops, etc.

Day 0

• Jon rides from Winter Garden, FL to New Orleans – 633 miles
• I need a place to park my motorcycle for 6 nights. Let me know if any of you have an idea.
• Depart 7 AM
• Arrive 6 PM

Day 1

• Everyone departs NOLA together from a pre-determined meeting / prayer location.
• Depart New Orleans 7:00 AM
• Ride to (1) Kerrville, TX, which will serve as our jumping-off location to ride The Twisted Sisters (description below) – 616 miles
• This day, like the early days in ’14, is just a ride-hard-and-get-there day – although not as hard at 616 miles as the push toward Oakland.
• Arrive 6:30 / 7 PM
• 616 / 1249 

Day 2

• Ride to (2) Fort Stockton, TX – 453 miles
• Depart Kerrville, TX 7 AM
• Arrive at (2) Hampton Inn Fort Stockton around 5 PM
• From Kerrville, we take Texas Highway 16 south toward the sisters. Here’s a description of TX16: The section of Texas 16 we are covering here is the area from Kerrville south to Bandera. I like to call Highway 16 the road to everywhere. Heading South out of Kerrville you can take 16 to connect with the 3's (335, 336, and 337). If you elect to stay on Highway 16 and not take any side trips it will take you take it all the way to Bandera, the Cowboy Capital of Texas. If you are a new rider or lack much riding experience then Texas 16 South out of Kerrville is NOT be the ride for you. Once you get about 12 miles South of Kerrville 16 crosses over the Medina Mountain and that is not a road for beginners to be on. There are some very tight turns going up and over the mountain. If you are an experienced rider, take this route for some exciting riding and breathtaking scenery but head the warnings about the turns and 15 mph speed limit. Any faster and you may not make the turn. If we have recently had any heavy rains be careful of loose gravel on the turns. You won't be disappointed on this ride.
• Bandera is 14 miles past our turn to the sisters – but it looks really cool, and I would like to check it out.  What I would LOVE to do is ride on at Kerrville and stay in Bandera. Well-known BBQ placed there called Busbee’s – but we would not find a name-brand place to stay.  One of many things to discuss along the way. The risk, of course, would be getting to TX16 late in the day. We don’t want another Yosemite day!!!
• From Bandera, we go north to The Sisters. Here’s a description from www.motorcycleroads.com: A ride through this part of Texas will most certainly change your view of the state. You will ride amongst scenery as good as it gets, along clear rivers, through very twisty mountain type curves amidst real Texas Ranches. With million dollar vistas and cool clear waters along with friendly folks and knowing that you are riding the best this large state can offer, makes for great riding. This route is mainly very twisty passing over large hills and between not many gas stations. This roller coaster ride will no doubt blow you away. The road is not heavily traveled, but beware as sharp turns have certainly taken many motorcyclists down. Also, although the surface is mostly in very good condition, always watch for loose gravel, deer and slow moving locals heading back to their ranch.
• An option for us not long after we start our ride on The Sisters is to visit the Lone Star Motorcycle Museum. I think they have some vintage 2014 BMW shocks.
• Once we finish the ride in the Texas Hill Country, I am recommending we go north to I-10 and get as far west as we can / want to go. For now, I am proposing Fort Stockton, TX as a stopping place.
• 1070 / 1703

Day 3

• Ride to (3) Show Low, AZ via the Coronado Scenic Byway – 637 miles
• First, let me say this is one of those very aggressive ride days. Because 400 miles of the day is interstate, I think we can pull it off – but there is an option for an earlier stopping point if we need it. Let’s leave early this day to make sure we’re not on twisties in the dark.
• I propose we stay on I-10 at the beginning of the day – for almost 400 miles – until we head north to connect with the Coronado Trail Scenic Byway. I really wanted to experience this challenge in 2012, but our routing took us too far north. Let’s see if we can get it in this time!
• Here is a description from www.openroadjourney.com: A favorite of motorcyclists and driving enthusiasts, the Coronado Trail Scenic Byway is an adventure of switchbacks, steep grades, and hairpin turns and is known as one of the best driving roads in the nation. In some parts of the road, drivers may not travel at more than 10 to 15 miles an hour. The road is steep and winding, and many sharp curves lack guardrails. With travel primarily through mountain ranges and passes with elevations as high as 9,148 feet, travel at night and weekends during winter storms is ill advised but not prohibited. Plows are stationed near each end of the Coronado Trail for seasonal snow storms and the occasional rock slide. The majority of the Coronado Trail Byway is open range (no fences). Big Horn sheep, mule deer, white-tail deer, elk, javelina, cattle, the occasional bobcat, black bear, wolf & mountain lion may be seen along or crossing the highway. Motorists traveling the higher speed sections should use caution. The average daily travel for the heart of the byway is less than 100 cars per day although fall color and hunting season visits increase fourfold. Over 400 Switchbacks!
• At Eager, I have us heading west to Show Low to connect with AZ 60 (description below). The real purpose of this part of the route is to get us south and then west of Phoenix to set us up for a ride on the Cottonwood Canyon Run, AZ 89 to 89A through Prescott, Jerome, and Sedona.
• I think we’ll be ready to call it a day at Show Low. There is a Hampton Inn and Suites there that could be our home for the night. Again, if we want to pull up short, we can stop at Alpine or Eagar and still be in good shape.
• 1707 / 2340

Day 4

• Ride to (4) Flagstaff, AZ – 398 miles
• Here is a description of AZ 60: You'll be able to see many mountain peaks and ranges and enter the San Carlos Apache Reservation (was at one point the home of Geronimo). You'll pass by Seneca Lake where you can walk around the lake and find the Seneca Lake waterfalls. You're drive will bring you up to an incredible view of the colorful Salt River Canyon. And you'll get some great views of the White Mountains and the Mogollon Rim that travels all the way north into Colorado. This is one great road for motorcycles! It's a great mix of curves and sweepers with a few nice sections of switchbacks thrown in (especially around Seneca) broken up with some straightaways in between. Something for all types of riders! A nice bonus on this part of the ride is a trek down 2000 feet into the awe-inspiring Salt River Canyon. Known as “the mini Grand Canyon”, stop at the Salt River Canyon Overlook to marvel at the rainbow of layered sediment, rocks and turbulent water. With a cliff-hugging road and hairpin turns, the switchbacks down the Salt River Canyon are one of the most exciting portions of the drive. Park at the rest area at the bottom of the steel arch bridge for trails to the canyon’s floor.
• From this point, we have to get through Phoenix, and there’s not a great way to do that without going out of our way or through the city. So I suggest we go through the city and make the experience a “win” by riding up to the South Mountain Summit Road. Here is a description: This is a spectacular ride right in the middle of downtown Phoenix. The road starts from south Central Ave and then follows a series of twisties as it climbs to the top of South Mountain. Once there, the view of the entire Phoenix Metro area is absolutely spectacular. 
• As stated earlier, getting through Phoenix was all about getting to Route 89 and 89A. Here is an overview of what we can expect: Starting just north of Wickenburg, the drive starts in a desert setting and quickly climbs the side of a mountain to enter pine country. Goes through Prescott and ends in Cottonwood with the option to continue to Flagstaff on another of the states great scenic roads. Bring water and a camera ... the views from Jerome are SPECTACULAR! In April of 2014 "Bad Bob" contributed: "The scenery on the mountain of the red rocks is phenomenal. Every turn presents a breath taking view. If you rode no other road in Arizona, this should be the one!!!" Road can become steep at certain times and very twisty ... you may have to take breaks to allow your brakes to cool (depending on your speed). The road is very smooth overall. I suggest motorcycles use headlights accordingly as people speeding and "racing" through the canyons can become dangerous.
• In addition to the riding excitement and scenery, there are a number of cool little towns along the route. I would like to check out some of these – but I especially want to check out Sedona. We stormed right through Sedona in ’12, and I would really like to check it out a bit. We could stop in Sedona for the night or – my preference – try to push on to Flagstaff. Really, either would be great.
• 2105 / 2738

Day 5

• Ride to Mount Carmel, UT – 352 miles
• I have suggested we leave Flagstaff and run up Route 89 – right past the turn to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon – and set our sights on the North Rim. At Jacob Lake, we would turn south on Highway 67 and ride 40 miles to the Visitor Center.
• I am also suggesting an early start this day and the next. We need to maximize our sightseeing hours on these days – and an early start increases the likelihood we can venture into Zion National Park late in the afternoon.
• Annette has expressed some interest in staying at the lodge at the North Rim. While this would be nice, I think it would be best for us to press on – back to Jacob Lake, setting us up for Bryce and Utah Route 12 the next day.
• For the first draft – and perhaps an option we keep in the route pending a day-of-travel decision – I have added a drive through Zion National Park, as well. Doing all of this, of course, would make for a long and eventful day. I want us to be able to consider the options and choose the things we want to prioritize.
• Here is a description of Zion National Park: One park amid the impressive collection of National Parks and National Monuments in Utah shines above all others. This national treasure is Zion National Park, where abundant beauty stops us in our tracks and leaves us gaping in awe. The crushing violence of Mother Nature has created perfection in the heart of Utah's Color Country, where years of raging storms have pit water and winter's ice and snow against rock, producing wondrous creations which are now protected by the National Park Service and kept pristine for all the world to enjoy. Zion National Park is the crowning glory of Utah! "Spectacular" is uttered time and time again as eyes raise to view the statuesque monoliths of Utah's most visited National Park. This extraordinary corner of Utah is a masterpiece of towering cliffs, deep red canyons, mesas, buttes and massive monoliths.
• I’m pretty sure this pic is of Zion… Randall and Elizabeth on his ’09 CVO.
• In a perfect world from a planning perspective, we would finish up Zion before dark and head back east to Mount Carmel, Utah, setting us up perfectly for a ride to Bryce Canyon, and then west on Utah Route 12.
• 2457 / 3090

Day 6

• Ride to Moab, UT – 428 miles
• One of the highlights of our 2012 ride – and one of the reasons I want to return to this part of the country – is Bryce Canyon National Park.
• Here is a description: Bryce Canyon National Park contains a spectacularly beautiful series of "amphitheaters" filled with colorful, eroded rock forms. It cannot be adequately described in words and is only somewhat better represented with photos. It's a place where you can spend hours at any number of overlooks staring in wonder. You will undoubtedly find after a visit that you've taken many more pictures than you had thought in an attempt to capture its brilliance. A trip through southwest Utah must include a stop at Bryce Canyon. Bryce has an easy scenic drive to great lookouts and a number of hiking trails down into the amphitheaters and among the "hoodoos" -- the name given the eroded rock pinnacles and spires that fill the park.
• Leaving Bryce, we should continue east on Utah Route 12. Check this out, from http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com: Between Zion Canyon in the south and the Flaming Gorge up north, there’s no shortage of world-class riding in Utah. But the one road I keep coming back to is Utah’s State Route 12, in the south central part of the state. The well-kept chunk of asphalt stretches only 125 miles in length, but it’s bookended on each side by a national park, and along the way, scenery you’ll find nowhere else. You could probably charge through it in a couple of hours, but trust me, you wouldn’t want to. The town of Panguitch is your starting point. From there, head east on U.S. 89 to the turnoff for Rt. 12, and the good stuff starts minutes later, entering Red Canyon. The hoodoo sandstone spires get really supernatural when the setting sun tints them an otherworldly, brilliant red. And if you’re a real early bird, catching sunrise at Bryce Canyon National Park 20 miles later is a worthy goal (albeit a chilly one). After Bryce, Rt. 12 runs east through the small burg of Tropic and the turnoff for Kodachrome Basin State Park, but if you choose to stay on course, several miles beyond Escalante the scenery positively explodes. Swoop into a right-hander, drop down a hill, and suddenly, the world is laid out before you. The vista is unbelievable, so best to pull over and let your jaw drop as you take in the curvature of the earth. If you’re steady enough to ride on, steel yourself for the stretch of Route 12 known as "the Hogsback," as it picks its way along a high ridge. It’s said to be the highest road without guard rails (on both sides) in the U.S. Don’t be a hero. Use the turnouts to do your gawking, as 1000-foot drop-offs loom just feet from the shoulders. Ten boot-shaking miles later, you’ll welcome the town of Boulder, also home to Anasazi Museum State Park and the Burr Trail, a former cattle trail that runs to the southern end of Capitol Reef National Park. Throw on extra layers in Boulder and make the climb up Boulder Mountain. If you ride in mid-September, you’ll probably hit a riot of colors: golden cottonwoods, gleaming aspen and red maples, and finally, pine forests at 9600 feet. Once you’ve taken in glorious views of the Waterpocket Fold, descend the mountain to the route’s terminus in Torrey. From here, shoot east on Route 24 to Capitol Reef National Park, or just book a hotel in Torrey and grab a margarita and a rattlesnake cake at Café Diablo. Either way, you can’t go wrong.
• Once we hit Route 24, we have options. We could stop on Hanksville. There are a couple of not-so-nice hotels there. Or we could continue north to I-70. There’s a Holiday Inn at Green River. My preference would be to press on to Moab, Utah, where lodging options abound – and where we might even consider staying for a couple of nights.
• Moab is like a motorcycle mecca. There is much to ride and see within short distances. I would like to hang out here for a while. Check out http://www.discovermoab.com/motorcycles.htm and you will be ready to ride NOW! I’m going to route us through a lot of this area for the purpose of the first draft. We can finalize our ride plan later.
• 2885 / 3518

Day 7

• Stay in Moab, UT – 198 miles
• On this first day in the Moab area, I have routed us to Canyonlands National Park, then to Dead Horse Point State Park. I have us coming back to Moab for lunch, and then heading into Arches National Park. From Arches, if there is still time, we can run down the Potash-Lower Colorado River Scenic Byway 279 before returning to Moab for dinner.
• All of these routes are described at the discovering Moab site.
• 3083 / 3716

Day 8

• Ride to Durango, CO – 399 miles
• The next morning, I have routed us up Scenic Byway 128 along the Colorado River as far as the historic Dewey Bridge, then has us coming back to Castle Valley Junction, where we can jump onto the LaSal Mountain Loop Road before setting our sights on Colorado.
• The last version of the ride summary included this disclaimer: Please note that BaseCamp is showing a part of the LaSal Loop Road unpaved. This causes BaseCamp to use a vector instead of following the road for a part of the route.
• The latest version of BaseCamp eliminates the vectors and follows the actual road. The road is still shown as unpaved, however.
• Everything I am finding on the Internet indicates the road is paved all the way back to 191. I will continue to explore this.
• From here, I say we get out of Moab and head east into Colorado. If Moab wasn’t enough, we get to ride almost all of the San Juan Mountain Skyway. Here is a description: This route is a loop so you can start anywhere on the loop and take the loop in either direction but my description below in the "roadside amenities" section describes the route starting in Ridgway, CO and ending in Telluride. Following my recommended route you start in Ridgway on Rte. 62 heading east and immediately get on Rte. 550. Take that road south all the way to Durango. From Durango, get on Rte. 160 heading west towards Mesa Verde National Park and the town of Cortez. Before you get to Cortez, you need to turn north on Route 145 and that will take you all the way up to Telluride. You'll definitely want to stop in Telluride and take a look around, stretch the legs, grab some chow, and gas up. Once you get back on 145 continuing north, you'll want to head up to Placerville at which point you need to get on the road you started, 62, and take it east all the way back to the starting point of Ridgway, CO. A spectacular 225-mile loop!!
• More from motorcycleroads.com: This ride will take you through arguably the most beautiful sections of the Rocky Mountains as you follow a circular path through southwestern Colorado. You will pass through historic mining towns, national parks and forests and world-class ski resort areas. On this trip you will see the San Juan Mountains, home to many of Colorado's elite group of 14,000-foot mountain peeks. Along the way you will see red-rock canyons, lush river valleys, hot springs and majestic mountain peaks and an area known as the 'Switzerland of America.' Bottom line is BRING LOTS OF FILM ON THIS TRIP!!!.  You definitely want to be careful on this route. It has countless number of hairpin turns and switchbacks (with and WITHOUT guardrails) and the descents and climbs are almost endless. Make sure you take advantage of the many scenic turnouts to take a good long look at the scenery ... you will be surprised how glued your eyes will be on the scenery. Keep in mind, this alpine route will have you riding at over 10,000 feet three times on its path ... some bikes (like humans) struggle at these kinds of altitudes.
• Still another lengthy description from www.durango.org: While in Colorado, don’t miss the scenic San Juan Skyway, a 232-mile, breathtaking loop of paved, state maintained highways through the San Juan Mountains.  The San Juan Skyway is designated as an All-American Road, a National Forest Scenic Byway and a Colorado Scenic & Historical Byway. The Skyway has been called one of the most beautiful drives in America, and has been described in an Alamo Car Rental advertisement as a place “where the road touches the sky.” The San Juans are the largest and most rugged collection of mountain peaks in Colorado with thirteen of the peaks above 14,000 feet. The San Juan Skyway travels over four mountain passes and through two National Forests, Uncompahgre and San Juan, and provides a view of many different climate zones. During the trip, the temperature will vary up to fifteen degrees between valleys and mountaintops with an accompanying change in flora and fauna at different elevations. The trip can begin at any point along the route; ours will begin in Durango. The town is home to many outdoor activities and the beginning of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.  The San Juan Skyway begins in Durango on US Highway 550 North heading towards Durango Mountain Resort. There are spectacular views of Pigeon and Turret Mountains that rise to 13,000 feet, and three fourteeners; Windom, Eolus, and Sunlight.  At Durango Mountain Resort the road begins its ascent up Coal Bank Pass that tops off at 10,660 feet. Here is where you can get on the Pass Creek Trail to the climb up Engineer Mountain, a difficult but rewarding climb. The road continues along mountainsides providing gorgeous views up to Molas Pass’s summit at 10,899 feet. The area has many lakes and hiking trails to be explored at the summit; one can even walk part of the 470+miles Colorado Trail that crosses over Molas Pass on its way to Denver. The air on Molas Pass has earned the distinction of being the cleanest air in the Nation. There is also a chance that you might see bighorn sheep, elk, mountain goats, black bears, and/or mule deer. From Molas Pass you will descend into the active mining town of Silverton, which is also the northern terminus of the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. The town is a historical site and has the feel of the mining era still intact. Visitors can enjoy a tour of the One Hundred Gold Mine. This section of the San Juan Skyway from Silverton to Ouray is known as the Million-Dollar Highway and the road climbs up Red Mountain pass at 11,075 feet at the summit and descends into Ouray. Red Mountain, a collapsed volcano cone that got its name from the lava flow and oxidized minerals within the rocky surface, was discovered to have gold in 1860. Miners rushed to the area and proceeded to obtain $850 million worth of gold, silver, and other minerals from its soil. The Million Dollar Highway was engineered and designed by a Russian immigrant named Otto Mears, who became known as the “Pathfinder of the San Juan’s.” His work through the Uncompahgre Gorge and over Red Mountain is still marveled over by engineers today. The Million Dollar Highway’s name comes from either the cost of construction or from the value of ore bearing fill used in the road, the debate continues on where the name came from, but likely will never be resolved. The Million-Dollar Highway ends in the quaint Victorian town of Ouray. Ouray is known for its large natural Hot Springs and picturesque views. Take a break from driving and enjoy a dip in the hot springs while enjoying the amazing views that surround the town.  Having relaxed for a little bit in the springs, you continue your trip leaving the mountains behind and entering the ranching community of Ridgeway.  In Ridgeway, the San Juan Skyway leaves 550 and turns onto Colorado State Road 62. This winds through fields, over Dallas Divide and passes Mount Sneffel. The road changes to Colorado Highway 145 and drops into the deep box canyon where Telluride is located; Telluride is known in the winter for its fabulous steep and deep skiing and in the summer for all the outdoors activities it has to offer. The town is also known as the “Festival Capital of Colorado” offering festivals for everything from film to beer and music. Be careful of your wallet while strolling main street, Butch Cassidy robbed his first bank here on June 24, 1889. The San Juan Skyway proceeds out of Telluride on Colorado Highway 145 over Lizard Head Pass leading to views of two more 14,000-foot peaks, Mount Wilson and Wilson Peak.  Also on the pass is Ames Power Plant, which is the world’s first commercial supply of alternating current, which is powered by water from nearby Trout Lake. The Skyway descends into Rico where there are beehive structures that were once used in the early parts of the smelting process. The road follows the Dolores River, and if you are a fisherman, bring your rod and enjoy the river. The route leads into another small ranching and logging community, Dolores, also known as the gateway to McPhee Reservoir. McPhee Reservoir is one of the largest man made lakes in Colorado. Before building the reservoir archeologists removed many ancestral Puebloan sites and ruins to preserve history. The excavated artifacts along with a set of ruins are on display in the Anasazi Heritage Center, just a few miles down the road. Leaving Dolores, the San Juan Skyway continues to US Highway 160 into Cortez. Cortez is known as the Archaeological Center of the United States and home to one of the country’s newest monuments, Canyons of the Ancients. Also located in Cortez is Crow Canyon Archeological Center, the facility holds programs where one can spend a week excavating ruins with professional archaeologists, as well as day trips. Mesa Verde National Park is 52,000 acres of mesas and canyons that were inhabited by the Ancestral Puebloan people seven hundred years ago. The site contains many cliff dwellings located in alcoves in canyon walls, the most famous being Balcony House, Cliff Palace, Spruce Tree House, and Long House. After being named a United Nations World Heritage Cultural Site in 1978, Mesa Verde has become an important stop for many foreign and domestic visitors to explore. The final stretch of the San Juan Skyway goes back to Durango from Mesa Verde National Park through Mancos on US Highway 160. In Mancos, there is a mill that processes Aspen trees into matchsticks and many great lakes for boating and fishing.  The drive again passes through mountains; this time they are the La Plata Mountains which is a sub-range of the San Juans. This area, between Mancos and Durango, is home to cattle and elk and llama farms. While in Durango, enjoy the Victorian charm of downtown streets lined with restored historical landmarks, shops, many restaurants and art galleries. For the more active types, there are guided rafting trips down the Animas River, mountain biking on one of the many trails or horseback riding with one of the many outfitters in the area. Enjoy a ride on the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, a historical steam powered railroad founded in 1881 to serve the booming mining industry. This authentically restored train now carries more than 200,000 passengers annually along the Animas River through the San Juan Forest to the historic town of Silverton. The All American Road is the highest designation, given by the US Department of transportation and was awarded to the San Juan Skyway because of the rich experience in culture, archaeology, history, scenery, and recreation the road offers to visitors. This skyway was one of the first six roads in the United States to receive this designation.
• I’m projecting the run the western side of the Skyway, spend the night in Durango, and be ready to ride the eastern side of the Skyway.
• 3482 / 4115

Day 9

• Ride to Vail, CO – 330 miles
• Ride the east side of the San Juan Skyway, to Silverton, up the Million Dollar Highway to Ouray.
• Across 50 into the Gunnison National Forest.
• North along the Arkansas River to the Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway.
• Spend the night in Vail. Lodging TBA.
• Another option – if we get to Vail early enough – is to ride the east leg of the Top of the Rockies, then return to Vail for the night… or check the girls into a hotel while the boys ride the rest of the Top of the Rockies… or ride the rest of the Top of the Rockies, then go to Dillon for the night, which would make the Saturday ride shorter. We can make these decisions on the fly.
• 3812 / 4445

Day 10

• Ride to Colorado Spring, CO – 405 miles
• I made an aggressive adjustment on this day. Instead of riding south on the other leg of the Top of the Rockies Scenic Byway, I routed us east on I-70 for a while to get us to US 40, where we head north to Granby. Here we begin our ride to Estes Park on Trail Ridge Road.
• Here is a description from www.motorcycleclassics.com: Trail Ridge Road, Colorado, the highest paved road in the United States, runs from Estes Park, Colo., through Granby, Colo., and is a unique and beautiful ride. Rising more than two miles above sea level, Colorado’s Trail Ridge Road is motorcycling heaven. Located inside gorgeous Rocky Mountain National Park a short 65 miles northwest of Denver, it’s the highest continuous paved road in the country, soaring to an elevation of 12,183ft. This cliff-hugging highway is an engineering miracle, and the 54 beautiful, twisty miles it runs from Estes Park, Colo., to Grand Lake, Colo., are unlike any you’ve ridden before. Slicing through the heart of the park, the ride enters a world of rare alpine beauty and offers unparalleled views. Believe it when we tell you, they don’t make roads like this one anywhere outside of Colorado. Come prepared for drastic changes in temperature, as it can be as much as 30°F cooler at the top of the mountain than at the entry gate to the park, and even in the middle of July that can mean a chilly ride: snow is not uncommon. Though this might not sound appealing, the cool can be a welcome relief from summer heat since the park is only open from Memorial Day until Labor Day. And no matter the temperature at the bottom, you can always see some snow fields at the top. If you go on opening weekend, you may even ride past 10ft snow banks that still line the sides of the road as reminders of why the route isn’t open year-round. Moose are a common sight when riding the western Granby side in the spring, and large herds of elk can always be seen somewhere along the way. In the hottest part of the summer, look for them closer to the top, but beware, as cars routinely stop as occupants photograph the herds and take in the spectacular views.
• From Estes Park, we’ll head south on the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway. There are easier and faster ways to get us headed toward Pikes Peak – and we can alter the plan if time becomes an issue – but BaseCamp indicates we might be able to keep this in the plan.
• Here is a description of the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway: The Peak to Peak highway runs along the southwestern border of Rocky Mountain National Park and is a designated Scenic Byway. If the views from Estes Park alone aren't enough, heading south you quickly ascend into mountains heading straight for Longs Peak, the highest peak in Rocky Mountain National Park towering up 14,255 feet. The road is twisty and steep, but levels off and becomes a series of smooth sweepers as you pass by Lily Lake. Hiking trails and wildlife are abundant in this area as you pass between Longs Peak and Mt Meeker to the West, and the Twin Sisters to the East. As you proceed South towards Allenspark views of the Wild Basin and the Indian Peaks foreshadow what is to come and once past Allenspark the lazy mountain road gets more technical. As you proceed South winding past the Indian Peaks Wilderness area and towards Nederland. The Indian Peaks area is again full of jagged mountain peaks, trails and camping. Hiking Mt Audubon or Pawnee pass is a great way to spend a day. From Nederland the road takes you on a roller coaster of pleasure. Stopping in the casino town of Black Hawk/Central City is a fine place to fill your stomach and talk about the 40 miles of road that have seemed like 100.
• At the end of the Peak to Peak, we’ll head to the interstate and catch I-25 south on the way to Colorado Springs. We go west on 24 to set us up to ride to the summit at Pikes Peak. Sunset is projected to be 8:22 PM this day, so we should have time to get all of this done and to our hotel before dark.
• Spend the night near the airport in Colorado Springs. The girls can head home (or to Nashville) on Sunday morning.
• 4217 / 4850

Day 11

• Ride to Shawnee, OK – 689 miles
• Get up early and ride hard.
• We're on the interstate, just trying to get home (or to Nashville).
• 4906 / 5539

Day 12

• Jon rides to Nashville, TN – 683 miiles
• 6222
• The NOLA Gang rides to Harvey, LA - 731
• 5449 / 6082

Day 13

• Jon rides to Winter Garden, FL – 671 miles
• 6893