Return to Colorado 1998

   by J. Kendall Benzing  GWRRA # 104961

After taking no extended vacation trips for a couple of years we decided  to return again to Colorado along with our biking friends who were unable to make this trip a few years earlier.  We took approximately the same route heading west as my wife and I did on our last Colorado trip, staying at the same motels the first couple of nights.

We had planned on an early start for the first day and woke up to thunderstorms and the prediction of an all day rain.  I was tempted to load everything in my van but our friends said, “No, a true biker doesn’t let a little rain stop him!”  Well, it’s bad enough getting caught in the rain while you are traveling, but starting out in the rain? ?  Donning our rain gear we headed out in the rain.  After about 50 miles we had to backtrack about 25 miles because of a detour, adding another 50 miles to our already long first day.  About noon the sun finally came out, really hot and steamy.  We rode on into Nebraska ad far as York, NE where we spent the night.  Again, the pool and hot tub were especially welcome.

The next day we didn’t ride quite as far, stopping at Fort Morgan, CO for the night.

Then came mountain driving as we entered Big Thompson Canyon.  Stopped at Bear Lake for some pictures, then entered Rocky Mountain National Park and ascended Trail Ridge Road.  Windy and cold at the top but at least it wasn’t sleeting like the last time we were there.  We stayed at the same motel in Georgetown again but now they have air conditioning.  Ha!

The next day we continued west on I-70.  Can’t believe I-70 is an interstate highway.  The scenery is beautiful and the way they constructed the road, especially through Glenwood Canyon is remarkable.  Went through the Eisenhower Tunnel and on to Vail.  Took a gondola ride to the top of Vail Mountain.  Attended a short church service while on top which was very inspiring.

Heading west again it really started getting hot.  We stopped in Rifle for gas and something to drink.  Kenny pulled over to the side to park after gassing up, put the side stand down stopping the motor and got off leaving the key in the ignition switch turned on.  (Was the heat getting to him?)  It was about 100 degrees.  Refreshed, we continued on to Grand Junction for the night. 

We had planned to go into Utah and tour Arches National Park and Canyonlands and then continue on down to the Four Corners area.  However, the prediction for 108-110 degrees in the Utah parks the next day made us decide to ride down the Million Dollar Highway to Silverton and Durango.  At least it would be cooler at the higher elevations.  We went over Red Mountain pass, Coal Bank pass and the rode down into Silverton.  Just as we parked the bikes it began to pour.  We stayed in a small restaurant, eating and watching a DSNGRR train arrive. After the rain let up we browsed the shops in Silverton and then headed for Durango.  A few miles out of Silverton we were held up by road contruction.  The sun was beating down fiercely and the road surface was steaming from an earlier rain.  We waited there about 45 minutes to an hour before being allowed to proceed.  Arriving in Durango we again gassed up, refreshed ourselves (it was HOT, HOT, HOT again) and then headed to Cortez for the night.

The next day we headed for the Four Corners area.  Took several pictures of being in four states at the same time.  I wish I would have had video taken of my ten second ride through four states.  (I did ride around the marker but neglected to have it taped.)  Oh well, maybe next time.

Rode on to Taos, NM, the art colony.  It’s interesting to note the “adobe” styling of all the buildings, even the motel we stayed at.

Leaving Taos the next morning we went past Eagle Nest Lake and on to Cimarron.  My oldest grandson, Jon, a boy scout, had been to the Philmont National boy scout ranch just a couple of months earlier.  He told me that Heck’s Restaurant was a good place to eat.  We had just eaten breakfast before leaving Taos but we stopped anyhow.  Had a cup of coffee and a roll and took a few pictures.  Continued on to Liberal, KS for the night.

The next day our friends, again anxious to get home, were packed up and ready to leave early.  We had planned to stop in Hutchison, KS at our daughter’s home for a night and our friends were welcome to stay there also.  But, no, they wanted to get home, so we said our good-bys and they took off.  We took some extra time to explore some of the “Wizard of Oz” sights and then we headed for Hutchinson.  The weather again became scorchingly hot.  (the only time my wife told me to speed up instead of slow down.)  Coming into Hutchinson a bank thermometer registered 105 degrees.  Were we ever glad to get to our daughter’s home and air conditioning.

We had plenty of time so we stayed with our daughter a couple of days.  Leaving Hutchinson a couple of days later we headed for Liberty, MO to visit our other daughter.  Ran into road construction again on the I-435 belt line around Kansas City.  All traffic was being channeled from 4 lanes into one lane. It was a Sunday, no one working or directing traffic and again it was HOT, HOT, HOT!  There was no  place to turn off to remove our leather jackets, so we had to keep creeping along very, very slowly.  Eventually we arrived at our daughter’s home and air conditioning.  I see now that you can get an air bag on a Goldwing.  Will air conditioning be next?

We stayed there a couple more days and then headed for home.  Check my e-mail and snail mail and I’m ready to go again!