Run to Colorado Springs

My Aunt Dorothy passed away in Colorado Springs, Colorado on January 28, 2013.  Her memorial service was scheduled for May 31.  Dorothy and my mother were very close sisters and I knew some cousins would be there.  My brother, Carl, and I decided to ride our motorcycles out for the service.

Day 1 Thursday, May 30th

When we departed at 2:00 it had been raining most all day long.  It rained lightly on us as we rode to Olathe but south and west on I-35 it stopped and the skies cleared.  We blasted down to Emporia and stopped on the west side of town for gas and a break.

From Emporia we rode west through Strong City, and Hillsboro . . . . . view from Hwy 150on our way to McPherson, KS.

From McPherson to Ellinwood on Hwy 56 we skirted the south side of some thunderstorms moving across the state.  We felt fortunate to stay dry.storm to our north; on Hwy 56 west of McPherson

At Ness City we stopped for gas and a butt break before we rode on to our evening’s destination, the Best Western motel in Scott City, KS.  We rode 380 miles today and, except for the slightly damp start, it was a nice ride.  It was a bit windy though.

Carl and I walked to dinner at Wendy’s and then watched the Royal’s game on TV.  The Royals were winning when the game was delayed due to rain.  We went to sleep.  The next morning we found out the Royals won, ending a long losing streak.

Day 2 Friday, May 31

We rode west from Scott City at 8:45.  It was 66 degrees and skies were blue.  Wind was from the north.view along Hwy 96; western Kansas

We rode through Leoti, KS and saw the church where our Uncle Richard (brother to Dorothy and our mother) served as a pastor and where he and his family lived for awhile.  I was suffering from rectal-cranial inversion and failed to take pictures.

We intended to stop in Eads, CO for gas but as we rode through on Hwy’s 96 and 59 we saw NO gas stations.  In the next town, Kit Carson, CO, we found one gas pump (no gas station, no attendant, etc).  It worked and that was a good thing as we really needed petrol before pressing on to Colorado Springs.  After a break in Kit Carson . . . . . . . .a break in Kit Carson, COwe rode the long lonesome stretch of Hwy 40 and Hwy 94Hwy 94 westbound; eastern Coloradoto Colorado Springs at the base of Pikes Peak.Pikes Peak

We checked into the Clarion motel where we enjoyed the pool and hot tub before attending the memorial service.  It was a nice celebration of Aunt Dorothy’s life and we really enjoyed visiting with family.  Later that evening we visited with cousin Deb and her husband, Jim, at their home.

We rode about 260 miles today and, again, the weather was good.  The high temp for the day was 72.

Day 3 Saturday, June 1

Carl and I left the motel at 6:45 (51 degrees) and rode to the Omellete Parlor (http://www.co-spgs-omeletteparlor.com/), where we met Jim for a LARRAPIN good breakfast.  Jim rides a Victory motorcycle and he joined us on the ride to Limon, CO.  It got cloudy and extremely windy.

At Limon, Jim turned around to go home and Carl and I blasted off eastbound on I-70.  It was cloudy and very windy all the way to Colby, KS.  After that we experienced some strong gusts of wind but the wind died down significantly.  We stopped for gas in Colby and for gas and lunch in Salina.  From there we rode on home, including a stretch  through the Flint Hills.I-35 eastbound west of Salina, KS

We arrived home at 6:30.  The high temperature we experienced was 72 so, other than the wicked wind, it was a good day of riding (615 miles).

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was a fun trip (1,255 total miles) and both Carl and I were very glad we attended the memorial service.

For more pictures from this trip click on the following link: https://plus.google.com/photos/104542123131082631220/albums/5884709238862005649?authkey=CNHmvOXEo_61fg

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Colorado; Day 9; June 30, 2012

Image
The evening of June 29th we saw the play, “Is He Dead” at the Creede Repertory Theater ( http://www.creederep.org/ ).  It was very entertaining,  one of the better plays I’ve seen. When we drove away from Creede at 6:05 am it was 41 degrees.  A short distance south the temperature dropped to 39.  We tried soaking up the cold for what we knew would be a hot afternoon. We rode South Fork and then east to Alamosa.  From Alamosa we took a detour north up Hwy 17 to see the UFO Watchtower ( http://www.ufowatchtower.com/ ).  It is a place for UFO enthusiasts to go to watch for UFO’s.  The lady who runs the place said something about some sort of vortex existing on the property.  Weird stuff, even for an open-minded guy like me. If the UFO Watchtower wasn’t weird enough we saw a male driving a Jeep with eye lashes over the headlights at a gas station in Alamosa, CO.  Hopefully it was his wife’s Jeep and he was just gassing it up for her. We continued east to Walsenburg, LaJunta, and La
Read more

My Last Ride

On January 11th, 2017, I departed on a ride to Kelli's Korner (Paradise, MO - near Smithville, MO) for lunch with four friends (Carl, Gary, Bill and Larry). It was a beautiful day, which was all the excuse we needed for a ride. I was leading the group and we were taking a long way there. Riding north on county road N, about 6 miles north of Hwy 152 and I-435, the road turned and I didn't. I exited the road into a field. Fortunately there were no fences, trees, rocks, oncoming cars, etc. I have no explanation for this except that I was out of it for awhile. I remember crossing the center line but I was looking down at that time, which is weird. I have no memory of seeing anything after that until I was laying in the field separated from my motorcycle. I do remember a sensation of tumbling but that is all. My first thought was to drive my motorcycle out of the field and get it cleaned up so Chris would not know what I did. What a ridiculous idea that was. After I'd been up
Read more

Florida Trip; Day 11

Image
A beautiful, sunny and warm day! After our B&B breakfast we rode away on our golf cart at 9:45 AM. It was 51 degrees. We spent an hour or so exploring Cedar Key again and Chris did a little shopping on Dock Street. Morning is low tide. It was strange seeing boats sitting in the mud at the marina. This next picture is of the marina at high tide. At noon we had to return the golf cart and then we walked to lunch at Tony's. After lunch we walked the Railroad Trestle Nature Trail. We went to the Cedar Key Scrub State Park to walk but found it uninteresting so we didn't go far.  Back at the B&B we watched a movie and then watched the sun set. We drove a whopping 13 miles today (not counting miles in the golf cart) and our high temperature was 68. A very relaxing day! Tomorrow we start home. Click here to see all photos from today - Day 11 Photos  
Read more