Up High, Alone, Unplanned. Not Bad. [Archive]

View Full Version : Up High, Alone, Unplanned. Not Bad.

sfarson

09-11-2005, 03:00 PM

Ever find yourself with an unplanned afternoon open? Probably Have. Yesterday I was jilted by my wife (a planned lunchtime ride), as she chose to visit with a friend instead. Well all righty then!

Perhaps the second question is... Ever just wander a general direction on the bike not really knowing where you will end up or how far you will ride? So I head one direction, ride for an hour, get a snack, ponder life, go farther from home for another hour, go to the bathroom, ponder life, look at the blue skies, and say "Let's go for it." Roads and back country never seen. May not make it home in time for din. Payback for the jilt :).

It was in Buena Vista, Colorado (map below) I decided to head for Cottonwood Pass (paved on the east, dirt on the west). Have never been down the dirt side, seeing the views, wilderness, semi-ghost towns, etc. First the map, then pics will tell most of the story...

http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/cumberlandmap.jpg

Cottonwood Pass looking towards the east (paved side)...
http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/25cotton1.jpg

Looking to the west...
http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/25cotton2.jpg

And the road taking me there...
http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/25cotton3.jpg

Made it to Taylor Park Reservoir. The blues below and above are competing for attention...
http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/25taylor.jpg

Passing through the small, semi-ghost town of Tincup, on the way to Cumberland Pass...
http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/25tincup.jpg

In 1906 it looked this way. Had I planned things I could have tried to find where the photographer stood and taken a "then and now" image. One can see the newly finished Town Hall (also in photo above) I'm coming in from the right side of the image. Many more trees in the surrounding hills/mountains now. Not cut down for housing or heat as was common 100 years ago...
http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/tincup.jpg

Paused at some beaver ponds but the image didn't turn out. Lonely ride. Don't see anyone coming or going. No one knows I'm here. No cell coverage. What if the bike breaks. Steve, why do you do this. Oh the things bouncing between the ears as one goes higher, deeper, and farther...
http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/25below.jpg

At Cumberland Pass. Road became quite rocky between the top of the pass and previous pic. But the '01 GS comes through fantastically. From where we came, the climb, and looking to the northwest. Wilderness as far as one can see...
http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/25cumberland1.jpg

Looking to the east. Kinda nice knowing there is still vast swaths of wilderness in the lower 48...
http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/25cumberland2.jpg

The ground on the pass almost looks like Mars. The sky is all Earth...
http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/25cumberland3.jpg

After a few switchbacks, one comes across one of the larger mines I've been seeing in the area. We're above 10,000ft. here. This is the Bon Ton mine. Hundreds of inches of snow annually are taking their toll on the seven or so cabins and structures in the area. Can't imagine living here year round...
http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/25mines.jpg

Down around 8500ft. I come across a reminder that a change of seasons is upon us, including the autumnal razor blue sky...
http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/25leaves.jpg

Pavement returns at Pitken. Paused for a pic...
http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/25pitkin.jpg

And how the neighbors looked in 1905 in front of one of the buildings I have in the above pic...
http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/pitkin.jpg

The setting sun has me on Monarch Pass, looking to the north...
http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/25monarch.jpg

An impromptu day of memories with the BMW not leaving me stranded, and my wife still loving me after my 8:00p arrival at home :heart.

IAMBOB

09-11-2005, 03:07 PM

SWEET! Love the picture journal, and the connections to the past.... Breathtaking!

BradfordBenn

09-11-2005, 04:14 PM

I am so jealous! That is a nice report.

BubbaZanetti

09-11-2005, 08:49 PM

you rocky mountainers make me so jealous with your trip reports.........i was in vermont today and while i guess its better than indianna (sorry brad, garth.....) it defenetly doesn't parallel the views and riding you guys have, although i'd defenetly be on a GS out there..............

Cliffy777

09-11-2005, 09:07 PM

top shelf report. as always. thanks for taking the time to share.
i am not jealous. i would not want such breath taking scenery when i ride. no sir. not me. nope.
DANG!

ian408

09-11-2005, 11:00 PM

http://www.farson.com/gscumberland/25cumberland3.jpg

As usual, great report. This one really does it for me.

SNC1923

09-12-2005, 08:30 AM

Another winner. Thanks, as always, for an entertaining travelogue.

Visian

09-12-2005, 08:36 AM

Thanks.

You have true skills, my friend. True skills.

I very much enjoy your work. (work? you call this work??? :) )

Ian

kbasa

09-12-2005, 09:20 AM

Another winner. Thanks, as always, for an entertaining travelogue.

Indeed. I nominate Steve for Trip Report Writer of the Year.

sfarson

09-12-2005, 02:39 PM

Thanks everyone. Been on a long flight since leaving the post. Not much sleep but I'm revived a bit recalling THE RIDE. As someone once noted... we're collecting memories not miles.

dancogan

09-12-2005, 05:03 PM

Thanks everyone. Been on a long flight since leaving the post. Not much sleep but I'm revived a bit recalling THE RIDE. As someone once noted... we're collecting memories not miles.

Yup, and you're helping us collect your memories. You're going to have me convinced to trade in the CL for a GS before we make our trip to Colorado. Your writing and pictures sure make a person wish. Thanks.

SheRidesABeemer

09-13-2005, 08:25 AM

Good lord, how do you go to work everyday with that kind of riding in your backyard? :dunno

MCRyder

09-13-2005, 01:09 PM

I bet your ride (sob!), was just so (whine!) ... nice (waaaah! :cry). Great pics and report :thumb thanks for sharing it.

Voni

09-13-2005, 02:23 PM

You blow me away with sharing your gifts with us all! Thanks for the walk down memory lane.

This shot was taken at the west end of the Cottonwood Pass road in August . . .

Voni
sMiling

Cliffy777

09-13-2005, 04:23 PM

Thanks everyone. Been on a long flight since leaving the post. Not much sleep but I'm revived a bit recalling THE RIDE. As someone once noted... we're collecting memories not miles.

i know you are a high tech dude - are your pics on the smugmug dealio? izzat why they are so full and rich? i hate what my pics look like after i shrink them down to fit on the forum here.
comcast is my internet provider and they are offering some kind of photo storage service, but i do not know the particulars yet.
are you a smugmugger or what?

SHawn_P

09-13-2005, 05:14 PM

Great write up! Makes me wish I had a GS and some beautiful mountains nearby...

PacWestGS

09-13-2005, 10:21 PM

Callmethebreeze

09-14-2005, 05:17 AM

Paused at some beaver ponds but the image didn't turn out. Lonely ride. Don't see anyone coming or going. No one knows I'm here. No cell coverage. What if the bike breaks. Steve, why do you do this. Oh the things bouncing between the ears as one goes higher, deeper, and farther...

Solitude is a good thing. Clears the mind. Problems? There's no one to see about it but you. Adapt, improvise, overcome.

Thanks for the report. Helped my day.

Breeze

BMWBeauty

09-14-2005, 11:11 AM

Fantastic Ride Report...Breath Taking Pictures.... Thanks For Sharing.. ;)

bob1150

09-14-2005, 12:33 PM

Thanks for the great photo essay. I've liked all areas of the country I've ridden in, but your trip and pix show why the west is still the best. So, do you think the little lady will tell her friend "see you later" and go with you next time?

Bob

2popfire

09-14-2005, 01:21 PM

What a great post. Beautiful pics and the historical tie ins are just cool. You get an A+ and a big thanks.
You Colorado guys & gals are a lucky bunch, it takes me three days just to reach the Rockies where you go for an afternoon ride! I'm so jealous!!
Thanks again
Joe

Braddog

09-14-2005, 02:56 PM

Yup, and you're helping us collect your memories. You're going to have me convinced to trade in the CL for a GS before we make our trip to Colorado. Your writing and pictures sure make a person wish. Thanks.

He's convincing me to ride to Colorado!

sfarson

09-14-2005, 07:13 PM

i know you are a high tech dude - are your pics on the smugmug dealio? izzat why they are so full and rich? i hate what my pics look like after i shrink them down to fit on the forum here.
comcast is my internet provider and they are offering some kind of photo storage service, but i do not know the particulars yet.
are you a smugmugger or what?

Cliffy, Been in airports and on long flight most of the day. No place like home.

You know, I resized these to 800x600, or 25% of the original image size. I used Microsoft Photo Editor and I noticed resizing them to certain sizes, like 640x480 or 1024x768 caused image degradation. It was at 800x600 (and 1290x) where things looked nice. So depending on the pixel size of the camera, the resize values can influence quality and sharpness. I came soooo close to posting the images at the 1290x value, they look so much better large, as if in the photo or there. I place them at my own web site. I registered the URL of my last name back in the 90's, probably bothering many (including commercial) who didn't do so before me :).

BTW, I used to live in Ada.... Near Pettis and Five Mile. Maybe we exchanged notes on this. I visited Ada from space the other day using the great website http://www.flashearth.com.

Everyone: If you haven't done so, check out http://www.flashearth.com.

sfarson

09-14-2005, 07:23 PM

[QUOTE=sfarson]Ever find yourself with an unplanned afternoon open?

Yes. But I just couldn't make it to Colorado. :D However, make sure you keep a couple of cold ones on ice. I might just show-up at your doorstep when I hang my spurs in 30 months.

Mike

Mike,

Thought of you last week when I was in Toronto... looking at the lakes and terrain from the air. Anytime you can make it this way, let me know.

Oh, and I may be putting my briefcase away in 30 months or so too. Something to look forward to eh?

Steve

sfarson

09-14-2005, 07:28 PM

Sweeeeet, that reminded me of being in Colorado Springs and taking day trips over the passes. Nice report and great photos.

I'm sure you have, but try that trip at night (camping sometime) and you'll be looking at the 'Big Dipper' and other celestial sightings on the horizons not the sky.

And people wonder why we say the GS 'IS' the best motorcycle ever!

Great trip, Thanks

SF... I'm at 8800ft and have a Meade 10" Schmidt Cassegrain telescope just for these kinds of observations! However, I don't use it much in the winter for I've learned I'm a wuss in the night time cold.

sfarson

09-14-2005, 07:29 PM