Rockie Mountains Ride on my F650gs

[Bake]

1,580 miles in 5 days. Went to one of those Rally things, my first. Think I'll go back to just riding with a few friends. On the way over, 250 miles out, my lower hose clamp split. I fixed it with a Walmart $.45 clamp.
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[Bake]

Scenic stuff along the way.
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[Bake]

Camped in Buena Vista, Colorado. My campsite and arrival at the Rally.

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[Bake]

Mt Yale in the early a.m. light.

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Mt Yale later with storms.

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[Bake]

Because I know this area well from 18 years of vacationing there, I agreed to take 17 big bikes on a dual sport ride of about 175 miles. Mostly R1150GS, R1200GS.

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The group at Tincup, Colorado after going over Cottonwood Pass.

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Leading the group.
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Saying a prayer I can guide 17 riders, 175 miles through the Rockies, crossing the Divide several times, and get us back alive. This may look like something else, but it isn't.

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[Bake]

Then we did Cumberland Pass.
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Mt flowers at Cumberland.

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[Bake]

We went up Old Alpine Tunnel road, it's pretty rough,and an old railroad grade. 6 of us stopped short of the "summit" but we put 9 on top. Two had left the group by this time.

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Our group meeting of who goes on and who waits and goes down to Pitkin.
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After that, the weather moves in and most of us bailed out at Pitkin, and returned to the rally site via Monarch Pass (in the driving rain), and back up the valley through Poncha Springs and Nathrop.

[Bake]

The next day, I rode solo, my prefered method.

This is at Twin Lakes.
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Another at Twin Lakes.
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[Bake]

On the 640 mile ride back, I pull over in Nowhere, Kansas, to tighten a loose kidney belt, and I think the overloaded bike is on the level, but it isn't, and as I turn my back, I hear "crash", and it fell over.

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[Bake]

Riding along in 100F Kansas heat, I finally get the red overheat light in Hays, Kansas. It would seem that the hose clamp issue finally catches up with me after so many miles.
I find a shade tree in a pancake house parking lot, and tear off 60 lbs. of camping gear, all the side covers and turnsignal needed to add a cup of water, and let the bike cool off.

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Overall, a good trip, saw a lot of nice mountain scenery and excaped the heat of summer for about 4 days. The F650GS returned 5000 rpm at GPS indicated 78 mph with the 3 less teeth sprocket I use at the back, from the stock 47 teeth. It still was a remarkably good trail bike up on the rocky roads and pea gravel roads we rode on. Able to steer with the throttle in the loose stuff, and good torque throughout the rev range. I got 54 mpg averaged on the trip.

[Acacia]

Nice ride Bake!

I am heading for CO, WY,UT and AZ in a month beginning August. What were the temps there?

[Deans BMW]

Brian, you will find temps from the 30's to close to 100F.

[arkline]

Bake,

Top drawer pictures and ride report. The F seems to have held up pretty well...Looks like you carried everything possible...Love those mountain photos.

[DarthRider]

Good stuff Steve! I have some great experiences & stories of the Twin Lakes & St. Elmo areas from back in my "conservative hippie" days. Bike heaven.
How did the KLR 650's do on your DS ride? I'm ready to pull the trigger on an '07 as soon as they come in.
And who is that handsome bewhiskered gent who keeps horning into your pics?
"Praying" in the bushes Bake? Uh-huh...

[Sir Limpsalot]

Great report, wonderful pics'. Awesome responsibility leading that ride out, 'cause we all know who the fingers would've been pointing at if it'd gone tits up don't we?
What make of screen is that? One of my mates from my Scottish trips rides the same model, in fact as I write this he's in Alaska with it, and he's a confirmed "tall screen" man.
Cheers for now,
Si

[DJ Down Under]

Wow!!...thanks for the post...and great pics...:eusa_clap:..briliant pics..what a great ride.

btw...the pic of you having a piss...if that's not what you're doing what are you doing...oh..never mind I don't want to know..:003:

DJ

[Bake]

indeed, I had to stop and pee all the time, Dr. gave strict instructions to ward off altitude sickness, to pound down the water. Thus, it was like traveling with a 7 yr. old girl.
The KLR's did fine, and had plenty of fuel range. We placed them in the center of the pack, and I had a couple of off road local tough hombres riding sweep for me.
The Ice Mountain range from Cottonwood Pass.

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KLR's in the mix. Heck, one of 2 women along, while they do live at altitude, made it on a Super Sherpa ( it had a pipe and carb work, but still...maybe 15 horsepower at these heights, 12,000 ft at the passes.)

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[Bake]

Another look at the Wunderlich tall screen, you have to specify handguards or not, and the smaller shield is 2" lower.
Mt. Elbert in the background, tallest mountain in Colorado.

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[Bake]

A panorama pic of me at Cumberland pass taken by a friend. Thanks, AlamedaK9.http://bake.smugmug.com/photos/79523171-L.jpg

[BobFV1]

Bake -

Great report! Thanks for the post. That's quite a gaggle of bikes you were riding with there. Sorry about the clamp issue.

[geechie]

Bake,

Great pics! Great ride reporting! Great job being ride leader. If you are not "da man", you are certainly one of the "main men". My hat's off to you, sir.

George