new ride

the joy of motorcycling

It was a good day. Unfortunately good days do not always have cameras or video feeds attached to share with those not in the moment partaking of the reason to smile. The only picture is this...

Laura and I in the parking lot across from Ed's Cantinna in Estes Park.

The ride started Sunday 22 of March in the downtown Loveland Safeway parking lot at US Hwy 287 and 8th St. with Jim from Estes, Dan from Berthoud, Doug from Fort Collins, Justin and Laura and our two friends who ride American Steel... (Shane and Bobbi) honorable mention goes to Gilliam who showed up in his BMW... pejorative word 'in' as he could not make the ride drove over a few blocks from his house to say 'hi.'

With Dan sporting his bright green Olympia jacket in the rear of seven riders I led the group West on 1st Street out to SCR 29 then South. Unknown to most in the group I wanted to beep at my kid while she was at her mom's. We continued south along the foot hills to Hwy 66 in Longmont at the intersection just North of the center of the small town of Hygiene. Turning West again in the perfect weather of not too cold not too hot we waived at the one officer of the law to be seen by us that day sitting in Lyon's. Heading South by West out of Lyons we pointed up Hwy 7.

Now Jim and Laura were right behind me as I wound the throttle to 60 mph and the group separated in two. With practically no one else on the road and perfect pavement perfect weather and perfect grins we carved gracious arcs up the mountain.

Moments like that define the joy of motorcycling. Clean roads, good temps, just one or two cars to remind us that we were dancing up the mountain free of cages and to mark our progress by to be recalled again and again when the ice is down and the weather not keen for two wheels.

Waiting for the group to collect at the intersection where the Peak to Peak turns to Nederland we all lined up happy. From this point the mountains were so magically vivid that they seemed to be a dream as we progressed North up to the town of Estes for lunch where the above photo was taken. Perhaps Doug got some video or Dan the group shot... but what we all took away was the smile.

After eating a good lunch at 11, the group headed straight down the canyon with this time Jim leading Justin on a hard romp using every bit of tire, with Doug and Laura a bit back at their speed and the rest of team happy canyon coming along at their pace just as full of grins. We collected at that Damn Store to laugh and loose a few layers.

A good day.