CSC Blog

You may remember be writing about Kirby and Nolan, a very nice young couple we met in Yellowstone a week ago…

Kirby and Nolan took a year from their jobs and they are traveling the world.   Man, I wish I had done that when I was their age.  Anyway, like us, they were in Wyoming to witness the eclipse.  I didn’t get any photos of the eclipse, but these two sure did.   Kirby and Nolan sent their photos to me a few days ago, and they said it was okay to share them with you…

Kirby and Nolan hiked 8 miles up Paintbrush Divide in Grand Teton National Park to get to their vantage piont and they viewed the eclipse at 11,000 feet. These are absolutely awesome photographs.  Kirby and Nolan, thanks very much for sharing them with us, and folks, if you want to see more of this young couple’s photography, you can do so here!

Our next company ride will be on 2 September, and we’re going to do our run up to Crystal Lake.  That’s where we saw the bear a couple of rides ago, and I’m kind of hoping we are that lucky again (and I’ll be wearing my camera this time).     We’d like you to ride with us, and if you want to do so, please sign up on our Meetup.com page!

Just to give you an idea of what’s in the works, folks…and if you think you want one, get on the list now!   Give us a call at 909 445 0900.

The colors are not finalized but we’re close.  These are great motorcycles, and judging by the number of phone calls and emails we’re getting on the new Cafe Racer, interest on this exciting new motorcycle is off the charts!  We don’t have a firm delivery date yet, but we’ll be announcing it soon.  We’ll keep you posted, and hey, if you have ideas on a color theme, please let us know.

On the way home from Denver on our epic eclipse road trip, I received a nice note from the other Joe (Joe Martin), an avid RX3 rider who rode with us in Baja.   We’ve featured Joe on the CSC blog previously.  Joe and his RX3 buddies did the last sections of the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route and he sent us an amazing, fully-photo-documented story of his trip.  Here you go, folks…I know you’ll enjoy it as much as I did!

Hey Joe and Crew,

In July, I sent you a note about riding the first half of the Washington Backcountry Discovery Route which was over 300 miles of dirt from the Oregon border of Washington to the middle of the state along the Cascades.  Well, this past weekend 3 RX3’s met up in Cashmere, WA to ride north and do the final 3 sections of the WABDR to end up at the Canadian border just north of the ghost town of Nighthawk, WA.  Another 300 miles.  As before this is a primarily dirt route with stops about every 100 miles into a town that has services (food, water, gas, camping, lodging).  Each of these 3 sections had combinations of smooth and fast forest roads but also had some bigger climbs and descents with some technical stuff thrown in for a bit of a “pucker factor” to make it a real adventure.

Day 1 started in Cashmere, WA and went to Chelan, WA.  On this route, we worked our way up to Chumstick Mountain with some fantastic views but wind that was close to blowing over the parked bikes.

After the big climb, we worked our way down the next valley to the one-horse town of Ardenvoir, WA.  Ardenvoir used to be very busy with many campgrounds in the area but a fire a few years ago destroyed them and this Coopers General Store is about all that left in the area.  It’s a combo store, gas station and post office.

After Coopers, we headed back up and got some great views of the valley and the old fires along with distant views of Lake Chelan.

Coming down again into the next valley we did some very scary descending on steep, cliff sided rocky stuff that left me in a pool of sweat and coming out at the ghost town of Ruby, WA.  Though other than a sign and a stone there isn’t anything to see of Ruby.

We had a little road and then came into the little town of Conconully, WA which has a beautiful lake, campground, general store/gas station and a couple of nice bars/restaurants.

After a great night’s rest camping at the state park we headed north on Section 6 to finish up the WABDR at the Canadian border but along the way we rode through an older forest fire where the new growth of tree and wildflowers were a great contrast with the burn.

We then turned off the primary WABDR route to head up to where these is supposed to be a WABDR geo-cache.  We stopped and ate lunch there and searched around but couldn’t find it.  It looked like the area had been recently clear cut so we’re guessing the cache is gone…bummer!

We eventually came down into the final valley where we’d hit some road to get to the border.

But before we arrived at the border there was the Nighthawk ghost town.

Then we stopped for our photo-op at the border.

At this point we parted ways.  The others had to get back quickly as they had to work the next day but as an old retired guy I decided to head to one of my favorite little towns, Winthrop, WA which is cowboy themed with a great brewery, candy store and close by camping for the night.

The next morning was the eclipse so I rolled out with hopes to make it to the Ross Lake and Diablo Lake lookouts on the very scenic HWY 20 to watch it….I made it!

I also took pictures of the gorgeous Diablo Lake.

While watching the eclipse a couple of Harley riders pulled in.  I chatted with them, shared my solar glasses and found out they shipped their bikes from Florida to Washington and came up to tour around.  Great guys and they bought me a nice lunch to boot!  We parted ways and from here it was just a couple hundred miles to get home.

Had a great time on this half of the BDR just like the first.  Made a couple of new friends as Matthew, Steve and myself had never met.  Just found each other on a CSC owners page on Facebook.  Cory was supposed to ride with us and was the organizer and ride leader but he ended up getting a stomach bug and had to miss out.  Luckily, I had all the route info in my GPX so I got to take the reins and lead the others on this adventure.  I liked it as being up front meant no dust!!!

We didn’t have any issues with our bikes even though we did each have a few minor offs and spills.

We also got to see a variety of wildlife from the small squirrels, chipmunks, quail, pheasant and turkeys up to the larger deer, including the one that wanted to crash me out on the highway to a small black bear that I coaxed off into the woods.

Well, that was the end of this adventure and the making of new friends.  Take care!

Awesome report, Joe, and thanks very much for sending to us!   I know our readers love reading about your adventures, and hey, if any of you out there has a ride you’d like to see featured here on the CSC blog, please send it to us!

It’s been an exciting 8 days on the road and like that rockabilly song goes, we’re going to make it home tomorrow.  We did a long 525 miles of freeway slogging today made worse by having to duke it out with the inbound Denver traffic headed south on I-25 this morning, but once we were through that, it was an easy run west on I-70 through the Colorado Rockies at elevations as high as 11,000 feet.   Before we knew it we were in Utah, and the scenery in that state is (in my opinion) the best in the country.   This is typical of what you can see from I-70 in Utah….

Utah is awesome…beautiful combinations of red rock, green grasses and trees, and yellow, gray, and white formations.  I have never had a bad time traveling in Utah, and I am looking forward to our October Destinations Deal tour.  If you’re thinking of joining our ride, the time to act is now.  Don’t wait, or your slot may be occupied.  I’m trying to keep this group smaller than our Baja runs, as we’ll be covering some serious miles.

We decided to call it a day today in Richfield, Utah, which means we have another 518 miles to go tomorrow.  We won’t have the Denver traffic to fight so it should be a lot easier drive than what we experienced this morning.   And Richfield (population 7,700) is a nice little town.  We found a small barbeque place for dinner (Big Daddy’s) and I think it was the best meal of our trip.  I had the smoked chicken sandwich and it was great.  I need to find an excuse to get back here, and if you ever pass through this way, Big Daddy’s is worth a stop.

After dinner, we rode around town a bit to get a feel for Richfield.  Like I said above, with 7,700 people it’s a small town, but we saw a sign for a motorcycle dealer who carries a lot of brands and we stopped to take a look.

I thought I wanted to take a look at the Honda Africa Twin just because I’d never seen one, but I was really surprised when we walked up to the entrance…

At first I thought I simply had the good fortune of finding a motorcycle dealer located next to a gun dealer, but when we walked into the motorcycle dealer I was in for a real surprise.  Jorgensen’s (the name of this outfit) sells motorcycles, high end bicycles, guns, and reloading stuff.   They even have an adjoining bowling alley and restaurant.  I looked at their guns and they have a fantastic selection (more than most dealers).  They had more reloading components than most gun stores in So Cal.  Motorcycles, guns, reloading gear, bicycles…I could maybe spend the rest of my life in Jorgensen’s and die a happy man.  Sue and I chatted with the owner a bit, I sat on the Africa Twin (it’s enormous, but not nearly as ponderous as a GS1200), and we finally had to leave.   It was tough walking out that door, though.

Tomorrow we’ll be wheels in the wells early, homeward bound.  It’s been fun.

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.