CSC Blog

Mission accomplished:  We saw the eclipse.  We opted not to stay in Wyoming where there would be a 100% eclipse, but instead we diverted to Fort Collins, Colorado, where we would experience a 95% eclipse and avoid the crowds.  It was pretty cool thing to experience.  As the scientists and the talking heads (on what passes for news these days) predicted, the lights grew dim as the moon obscured the sun, the temperature dropped significantly (and quickly), the wind kicked up dramatically, and animals started acting strangely.  On that last one, I can’t vouch for all of the animals, but two rabbits ran out into the parking lot and to me, they looked confused.

I didn’t get a photo of the eclipse mostly because I knew a zillion other people would be posting their photos (and, okay, you got me…I was too cheap to buy a solar filter for my camera).  I read, though, that wherever the light peeped through a hole, the shadows would show the the crescent signature of a solar eclipse, and sure enough…that’s exactly what happened.  Check out this photo of the shadows cast by a tree on the sidewalk with light peeking through the leaves.   Look at all the little crescents.  Each of them is a depiction of the eclipse.

This was my first time ever to Fort Collins, and I was impressed.  Fort Collins is a college town (Colorado State is in the center of the downtown area) and it is an upscale place.  I imagine it gets pretty cold in the winter, but it sure was nice this time of year.  The town has a ton of restaurants; we opted to try a place called The Hop Grenade.   I guess the name comes from the fact that they are a boutique beer joint, but what interested me was their $5 pretzel.  We had a middle eastern assortment plate (you know the drill…hummus, olives, feta cheese, etc.) and it was all good, but that pretzel was incredible.  Fresh baked, salty, loaded with carbs…all the bad stuff, but boy oh boy was it ever tasty!

After the eclipse, Sue and I studied our Colorado road map and found a road just north of Fort Collins that looked interesting.  It’s Highway 14, also called the Poudre Canyon Road, or as some refer to it, the Cache la Poudre Road.   That’s French for the road where the early explorers and trappers hid their gunpowder (cache means hiding place and poudre means gunpowder).  I have no idea why they felt compelled to hide their gunpowder, but if that’s what led to the creation of this wonderful road, a hearty merci to you early French explorer dudes.  We drove north out of Fort Collins to find the Poudre Canyon Road, we found it, and it was magnificent.

Here are a few shots to give you a sense of what it is like…

On that last photo, I guess that’s always a good idea, especially on Poudre Canyon Road.  Tight twisties, blind corners, sculpted canyons, and amazing scenery.  It was an amazing ride.  Maybe the road crew felt compelled to put that sign up because there’s no helmet law in Colorado.   It felt weird to see guys on motorcycles riding with bare heads.   That’s not my style (I’m mostly an ATGATT guy).

All the while Sue and I were driving this magnificent trail in the Subie, I was thinking that I need to get back here to do Poudre Canyon on a bike.  Either my RX3 or my TT250 would be perfect for a road like this.  It’s going to happen someday, too.

To my surprise, I had a nice note waiting for me when I got back to the hotel.  It was from my good buddy Dan the K, who rode with us on both the RX3 and the TT250 Baja rides.   Yep, Dan is another one of those guys who owns both an RX3 and a TT250.  You’ll remember Dan from last year’s TT250 Mexico trek…

Anyway, here’s the note from Dan:

Joe:

Noticed on your blog that you’re in Ft. Collins.

Just a suggested day trip for you, although a long day:

Take US 14 west out of Ft Collins.  Follow it all the way to Walden for lunch.  Turn south on CO 125 to Granby.  Head a few miles west from Granby on US 40 and enjoy a Hot Sulphur Springs soak.  Turn back towards Granby and turn north onto 34 an follow it all the way through Rocky Mountain National Park and have dinner in Estes Park, then follow US 34 Back to Loveland/Ft Collins.

Cheers,

Dan K.

I guess great minds think alike, Dan.  Thanks for the note and for the ride suggestion.  We didn’t do the entire route you suggest above, but that first part (Poudre Canyon, or Highway 14) was absolutely awesome.    Next time I’m in the Fort Collins area you can bet I’m going to take a day and do exactly as you suggest!

Some of you might be wondering why we’re on this trip.   Well, like a lot of folks (a whole lot of folks, actually) we’re out here to see the eclipse.   We opted not to stay where there will be a 100% eclipse.   We’re down in Fort Collins for the next two days (in Colorado), where the eclipse will be about 96%.   That’s close enough for government work, as they say, and it got us through the area where the crowds will be the most intense.  You’d have to see what’s happening in Wyoming to believe it.   It’s a festive atmosphere, to be sure, and the businesses in the area are cashing in big time.  Some hotels are getting $1500 a night, and some places are charging $500 to pitch a tent.   Everything is completely sold out.  Wowee!

Seeing the eclipse is part of the reason for our trek; the other part was to drive through this great country and take in some of the sights.  We are succeeding magnificently.  We are having a blast.

We left Casper this morning and as we headed south on country roads there was literally no one going our way.  Traffic coming the other way, though, was close to nonstop.  There were cars and campers (and more than a few motorcycles), one after the other, all headed north from Colorado into Wyoming.  It reminded me of one of those science fiction movies where everybody is on the move.   It was cool.

We have seen literally hundreds of pronghorn antelope, lots of eagles, porcupines, deer, and more.   At our first spotting of an antelope when we entered Wyoming a few days ago we were very excited; today, we were used to them.   We saw one small herd after another without getting particularly excited.  I have a Kimber in .257 Roberts that is perfect for antelope, and someday I’ll be back for that reason.   This trip, though, it’s all about having a good time and getting some great photos.

I’ve already mentioned Yellowstone, Thermopolis, Shoshoni, and more.  Today, it was more of the Sand Creek Massacre Trail as we traveled through Medicine Bow, Laramie, several very small towns, and then it was the climb into the Colorado Rockies.  It was magnificent.  If you’ve never done this, trust me:  You need to.  Car or motorcycle, it’s a great trip with either.  I’ve done it on my RX3 and now I’ve done it in my Subaru.  Both are great.

Medicine Bow was awesome.  We went through Medicine Bow 2 years ago on the RX3s and I wanted to visit again.  After the Western America Adventure Ride, though, I thought the most likely outcome  was that I’d never see Medicine Bow again.  Well, today I did, and it was every bit as exciting as it was the first time.  It was great.  Sue and I enjoyed a great lunch in the Virginian Hotel bar.  It was beyond great.

Here are a few photos I grabbed earlier today…

On the Sand Creek Massacre Trail

The Virginian Hotel in Medicine Bow

Lunch with Susie in the Virginian…they make a killer chili!

A famous photo hanging in the Virginian Hotel bar…check out the signatures!

A mural in the Virginian Hotel bar

An out-of-business hotel sign in Laramie

A Chesterfield ad on an abandoned building in Laramie…it just makes you want to get out and ride!

So, tomorrow is the big day:  The eclipse.  I won’t photograph it (there will be plenty of people doing that and you’d find plenty of photos on the Internet), but I’ll be here experiencing it along with my best friend Susie.   Good times.

Later, folks!

One of our objectives on this trip across the American West was to avoid the freeway as much as possible, and I’m happy to report that on our run from Yellowstone to Casper yesterday we were 100% successful.  One of the towns we visited was Thermopolis, a delightful little place that looks and feels like America.  I really like Wyoming.

Thermopolis gets its name from its mineral hot springs.   We loved the place, and after a fantastic lunch at the One-Eyed Buffalo, we walked around town a bit.   There’s a dynamite town square with a statue of a cowboy on horseback, and on the statue’s pedestal they had an assortment of area ranch brands…

I started laughing when I saw all of the brands, and Sue asked me why.  I told her it reminded me of the old Bill Dana joke.  Bill Dana is the guy who created the fictional Jose Jiminez character, and this is my favorite story of that era.   Dana was on the Steve Allen show, and Allen said to Dana “I understand you own a ranch.”

Dana answered, “yes, the name of my ranch is the Bar Nine Circle Z Rocking O Flying W Lazy O Crazy Two Happy Seven Bar 17 Parallelogram Four Octagon Nine Trapezoid Six Ranch.”

Allen then asked, “Well, do you have many cattle?”

Dana, of course, had the perfect answer:  “No…not many survive the branding.”

The first time I ever visited Yellowstone was just 2 years ago, and I did so with my good friends from China and my good buddy Joe Gresh.  That was an RX3 adventure that you can read about in 5000 Miles At 8000 RPM (you can order the book by clicking on link to your right).  I get to see a lot of great places from the seat of a CSC motorcycle, and the joy of discovery is often accompanied by a twinge of guilt that Sue isn’t with me.   This trip was partly to make up for that and it was Sue’s first time to this magnificent place.  We spent yesterday morning traversing Yellowstone from west to east and I grabbed a few more photos along the way…

We’re in Casper, Wyoming, this morning, and we’re headed down to Fort Collins, Colorado in a bit.   Stay tuned, folks…there’s more coming!

Shoshoni is not much more than a bulge in the road and it looks like it has seen better times, but I fell in love with the place.  It’s about 150 miles southeast of Yellowstone on Wyoming SR 789.

These old towns are cool.  With a population of just 644 (which is substantially larger than a lot of the towns scattered throughout Wyoming; we actually saw one with a sign that read “Population 10”), Shoshoni offers amazing photo ops.  I could have spent the entire day in this one town.  I may ride here on my RX3 some day and do just that.

Shoshoni is on Wyoming’s Sand Creek Massacre Trail, and that’s another road that’s worth considering for an RX3 ride.

Good times, folks.

Today was a great ride from Green River, Wyoming across the lower flatlands of that great state into the mountains, on to Jackson, then Grand Teton National Park, then Yellowstone National Park, and on into Montana.   We had quite a day.

Antelope running free on the Wyoming plains

The Grand Tetons

Yep, we’re there!

Elk in Grand Teton National Park, photographed by Sue

Kirby and Nolan, who are taking a year to travel the world. Their website and blog are at https://www.whereveryouland.com/

The obligatory selfie, courtesy of Kirby’s shades

Old Faithful…everybody needs to see this

We entered Yellowstone National Park at the south entrance today and exited at the west entrance into the town of West Yellowstone, Montana.   Tomorrow we’re going to run across the park from west to east and spend the night in Casper, Wyoming.   Good times, folks.   Watch the blog; there’s more coming!

We rode Utah’s Dinosaur Alley today, from Hanksville all the way to Flaming Gorge National Monument.   This is fascinating stuff…the Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway and then the stretch from Vernal to Flaming Gorge.      Very cool, and tonight we made Green River, Wyoming.  Tomorrow we’re rolling up to Montana to stay in West Yellowstone.

Stay tuned…there’s more to follow!

Wow, we’re hunkered down here in Hanksville, one of my all-time favorite movies (Enemy at the Gates) just popped up on the motel TV, and we hit three of Utah’s great parks today.  My good buddy Joe Gresh asked if I was scouting out a new tour for CSC, and I guess I am.   It’s not the Destinations Deal tour that’s coming up in October…this is one we’ll probably do in the late spring/early summer of 2018.

Sue, yours truly, and the Subie touched down in Kodachrome Basin, Escalante, and Capitol Reef today.   I’ll let the photos do the talking for me tonight…

First, Kodachrome Basin State Park.  This is the first time I’ve ever been to this one…and it’s awesome!

Next up today was Escalante.   This one is beyond awesome, and the road through it…all I can say is:  When can I do this again!

And finally, Capitol Reef….one more stunningly surreal bit of Utah’s magnificent landscape!

That’s it for tonight, my friends.  I’ve got a great movie to watch, I want to get a good night’s sleep, and tomorrow we’re headed to Flaming Gorge and Wyoming!

Or, as I should more properly say, the dates for the Destinations Deal tour:  It’s going to be from 22 to 27 October.   We’re already seeing a lot of interest in this and folks are calling to find out the dates, so there you have it.   It’s an ideal trip and now is the ideal time to buy a new RX3.

Hey, I’m in Utah right now with my girlfriend checking out a few spots.   We covered a lot of ground this first day, but I have a confession to make:  I’m in my Subie, and I’m not on the motorcycle.  It’s still fun, though, and we rolled through California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah, we visited a National Monument I’d never been to before (Cedar Breaks), and we ended the day in Panguitch, Utah.   You guys will remember that…it’s where we stayed one night on the Western America Adventure Ride.  Good times.   Here are few photos from today…

The Virgin River Gorge in Arizona, just south of St. George, Utah

Climbing up to 10,500 feet to Cedar Breaks National Monument…the view through the Subie’s windshield

One of the views in Cedar Breaks National Monument

I’m having a good time.

We’ve had a few inquiries about the rifle match between good buddy Stephen and yours truly, and they have been along the lines of “can I play, too?”   The answer, of course, is yes.  It will be a postal match (you mail in your target) with 20 rounds at a 100-yard target shot offhand with iron sights, no supports, and the rifle of your choice.   We’re going to use the standard SR-1 bullseye target.  If you’re interested and you want to participate, send us a note at info@cscmotorcycles.com and if you’re in, we’ll send a target to you.

Here’s what the SR-1 target looks like…

I know you’re wondering, so here’s the answer:  The 9-ring (the black portion of the SR-! target) has a diameter of 6.35 inches.

There’s going to be a lot more info on the Destinations Deal Tour, our rifle match, and a whole lot more.  You’ll see it all right here on the CSC blog, so stay tuned!

Want to ride with us in October?   No motorcycle?  No problem!  We have an app for that, and it’s called the RX3 Cyclone!

Give us a call at 909 445 0900!