To Kenosha Pass, Colorado

[sfarson]

Intentions were to ride to nearby South Park on the other side of Kenosha Pass. It is a wild winter in the Park. High winds have closed Hwy 285 17 times this season, creating ground blizzards, removing roads as if a giant hand took a small jar of White Out and blotted out the dark lines.

As I approached the Pass warning signs noted high winds and icy roads. My fingertips observed temps were dropping as well. Made it to the top and south side of the Pass.

Here's the location:
http://www.farson.com/maps/baileykenosha.jpg

Below is where I stopped and went no farther. After recording a brief clip (at the end of the ride video), and snapped the photo, the fingertips seem to turn instantly into ice cubes. 30f and 40-50 mph winds. Hustled to the bike, turned around, and got out of there, back to the balmy 45f temps at lower elev.!

The onboard ride vid is essentially a climb from 7,500ft to 10,000ft. Barbara Higbie on the piano accompanies...

To Kenosha Pass - Streaming Video (http://www.farson.com/video/rtkenosha.wmv)

What appears to be clouds hovering over the peaks is mostly snow blowing off of them.
http://www.farson.com/r1200rt/r1200rtkenosha.jpg

[dancogan]

Wow, another beautiful video. Loved the music, too. Thanks, Steve. That was a real pretty ride!

[NomadicBob]

Thanks a lot. I used to live in Denver, and that ride was always one of my favorites. Watch the police farther up the road in Alma. Have a burger and a beer at the Buck Snort Inn for me.
Bob

[snoone]

Thanks again for another great ride Steve.. I was in Crested Butte/Almont last week.. Haven't seen that much snow in quite sometime.. Over 250" had fallen this winter so far.

[terham]

Beautiful video as usual. Thanks for posting.

[jimfastcar]

Thanks, beautiful

[sfarson]

Thanks everyone. A sweet early spring ride in conditions "enhanced" from being out in the open on two wheels!

snoone... The Denver papers have published Crested Butte images showing snow levels to the gutters. Nomadic... you know the area well! I'll be sure to have a burg at the Bucksnort for you!

Good riding in '08!

[mikeod]

Steve,

Out of curiosity, at what time did you ride up Kenosha Pass?

For those that have not heard, Park County (home of South Park, Bailey, Jefferson, Alma, etc.) had snow drifts SO deep (mostly due to drifting) that the county declared a 'State of Emergency'. Road crews from neighboring counties helped clear snow drifts that were as high as 25 feet (yes feet!). While it's become easier to navigate the county roads, the spring winds will likely kick up more snow, and coupled with spring thaw and re-freezing can make two-wheel travel very dicey.

BTW, Steve, we finally made it to our cabin on Indian Mountain. While we didn't have huge drifts, the drive there (in our 4-Runner) and back was a nail-biter in spots; quite the contrast to the north side of Kenosha.

Regards,

Mike O

[KGT1200]

Steve, thanks for the great ride report!



Thanks again for another great ride Steve.. I was in Crested Butte/Almont last week.. Haven't seen that much snow in quite sometime.. Over 250" had fallen this winter so far.

I cant wait to see Gothic and all the flowers next year!

BTW Snoone, check out Copper lake above Gothic 6 miles up. Be sure and bring your 00 gnats!

[rinty]

Thanks Steve. I liked the part about riding through the blowing snow the best.

I looked up the Bucksnort, and have put that on the must visit list for September. I wouldn't have found that little gem.

Rinty

[bobs98]

That was awesome, Steve! Thanks for sharing such beautiful scenery and and a great ride!

[alien_hitchhiker]

Well done

:clap :clap :clap

Looks like the RT was the perfect bike for the ride !
(don't you love 'em?)

That must be George Winston on the piano.

[sfarson]

Steve,

Out of curiosity, at what time did you ride up Kenosha Pass?

For those that have not heard, Park County (home of South Park, Bailey, Jefferson, Alma, etc.) had snow drifts SO deep (mostly due to drifting) that the county declared a 'State of Emergency'. Road crews from neighboring counties helped clear snow drifts that were as high as 25 feet (yes feet!). While it's become easier to navigate the county roads, the spring winds will likely kick up more snow, and coupled with spring thaw and re-freezing can make two-wheel travel very dicey.

BTW, Steve, we finally made it to our cabin on Indian Mountain. While we didn't have huge drifts, the drive there (in our 4-Runner) and back was a nail-biter in spots; quite the contrast to the north side of Kenosha.

Regards,

Mike O

Mike O... good to hear from you! Indeed, a serious winter in the Park. Thus I've been reluctant to head that way this winter. The ride of this post was from two days ago. Thought I could make it all the way to Fairplay and past but if one looks at the image above and the road conditions ahead, it would not have been a ride of tranquility! Thus I stopped. Even on the return I pulled over to the shoulder and let following traffic pass so I could slowly ride through slush caused by the blowing wind. Glad you made it to your place. Let's connect for a ride this year.

Steve

[sfarson]

Steve, thanks for the great ride report!





I cant wait to see Gothic and all the flowers next year!

BTW Snoone, check out Copper lake above Gothic 6 miles up. Be sure and bring your 00 gnats!


redclf... Gonna a bumper crop of wildflowers, wild flowing streams, and white scenic beauty this summer.

[sfarson]

Thanks Steve. I liked the part about riding through the blowing snow the best.

I looked up the Bucksnort, and have put that on the must visit list for September. I wouldn't have found that little gem.

Rinty

Rinty, anyone, do make this ride if you can. A fine and memorable one, up a historic and narrow rock canyon, with a destination to boot. Did make a recording to the Bucksnort two winters ago in case interest. Mary Chapin Carpenter accompanies...

To Sphinx Park & The Bucksnort Saloon - Streaming Video (http://www.farson.com/video/hpsphinx.wmv)

[mikeod]

Mike O... good to hear from you! .... Let's connect for a ride this year.

SteveI'm looking forward to it. I should have said before; "Nice Ride Video".

Mike O

[dancogan]

...Did make a recording to the Bucksnort two winters ago in case interest. Mary Chapin Carpenter accompanies...

To Sphinx Park & The Bucksnort Saloon - Streaming Video (http://www.farson.com/video/hpsphinx.wmv)
Another great video. Don't think I've seen that one before. Thanks.

[spanky]

Steve,

I got a performance "warning" back in July of '05 from a CHP officer at the very spot your RT's parked. I was headed to Breckenridge at the time.

Did you see many CHP dudes during your ride??:whistle

[sfarson]

Steve,

I got a performance "warning" back in July of '05 from a CHP officer at the very spot your RT's parked. I was headed to Breckenridge at the time.

Did you see many CHP dudes during your ride??:whistle

Ha! Coincidently, I was on a group ride with a rider on an RT getting a ticket near the same location... I think it was back in July '05, and he was from Colorado Springs. ;)

[franze]

Steve, once again, thoroughly enjoyed the sights and sounds of your report. But, I have to ask, at 10,000 feet, 30 degrees, and 40mph winds, is there so much salt/sand on the road that ice isn't an issue??? The video really shows how the sun can really mask what the road surface is like. Salt residue and ice can look identical.

[Kentuckyblue]

Thank you for sharing the video. I want to record like that. What kind of camera equipment do you use and how is it mounted and wired? Also what editing software do you use? Thanks again.

Ray

[bikerfish1100]

Steve, once again, thoroughly enjoyed the sights and sounds of your report. But, I have to ask, at 10,000 feet, 30 degrees, and 40mph winds, is there so much salt/sand on the road that ice isn't an issue??? The video really shows how the sun can really mask what the road surface is like. Salt residue and ice can look identical.

Colorado does not use salt on our roads. Sand, and some chemical agents to aid melting, but not salt. As long as the sun is out, ice doesn't happen too much. in the shade, or after the sun sets, well, that's a different story.

[KGT1200]

Colorado does not use salt on our roads. Sand, and some chemical agents to aid melting, but not salt. As long as the sun is out, ice doesn't happen too much. in the shade, or after the sun sets, well, that's a different story.



I am confused, but that's nothing new!

http://www.cotrip.org/winterdriving/faqroadtreatments.htm

[bikerfish1100]

okay, me confused too. never seen salt used (maybe just not here n front Range territory), but the MagCl is fairly common.

[KGT1200]

I do beleive your right!

To my knowledge the front range never used the salt, but the high country (the roads with increasing elevation) CDOT were not past throwing a bit on the roads to keep the the touristos from sliding off on the way to spend money at the ski areas!

[sfarson]

Thank you for sharing the video. I want to record like that. What kind of camera equipment do you use and how is it mounted and wired? Also what editing software do you use? Thanks again.

Ray

Ray... For this Kenosha vid I parked a Sony Cybershot digital camera on Techmount attached to the bars. Many digital cameras now have a very fine movie mode. Have recorded many vids using helmet cams and MiniDV camcorders but increasingly like the simplicity, small size, light weight, no tape, etc. features of a digital camera. Guess with increasing age is greater interest in simplicity. :)

Any editing software will do, even the freely available Microsoft Movie Maker, but for this recording used Sony Vegas.

Steve

[sfarson]

okay, me confused too. never seen salt used (maybe just not here n front Range territory), but the MagCl is fairly common.

Same here. Rarely, if ever, have seen salt on CO roads. Will see the powdery Mag Chloride and waaaaay too much sand, but never salt.

[Burnszilla]

:thumb thanks!!

[wezul]

Steve your RT and mine are quite similar, even the black lowers. I'm interested in what equipment you used to record the video; camera, mounts, etc. I notice you had the windscreen in the full "up" position. Was this due to the weather or does your camera require that?

Thanks man, nice ride! :thumb

Wez

[sfarson]

Wez... This vid was from a digital camera (sony Cybershot) movie mode test where I removed the GPS from its Techmount mount (using the empty hole near the clutch reservoir) and pointed it through the screen. Challenge I had was if I extended the mount arm up high the edge of the screen would have been right in the middle of the recording! Thus, I angled the mount towards the inside of the screen (thus lowering it), and the cam then captured a portion of the screen support bracket.

In the brisk wind, yes, I did have the screen up some, but it wasn't up all the way. :)