Bikers Invade Four Corners, USA!

We thought it was all bicycles, based on the fifty or so seen peddling up the mountain, that was, until we arrived in Durango.  It's packed with bikes.  Unlike the bicyclists, bikers like to load up on a good hot breakfast before blasting off to the 11,000 foot level.

 

Yesterday, we were thinking hey, is it ever warm up here?

Route 550, 5mi south of Silverton, Co. While enjoying the curves and switchbacks of the "Million Dollar Highway"

(so called for the rich ore, [not tailing's] on which it is built)

ABM has endured cold, really cold, driving rain, sleet, and yes, once, even snow..in August. Once you cross the 10,000 foot level, anything can happen, like sudden gusts of canyon wind combined with a 180 degree switchback, and this is the "polite" portion of the MDH. Headed north out of Silverton, toward Ouray, it's the real twisties, and tunnels blasted out of rock where the cliff is a sheer drop of a thousand feet or more. Steel gray-blue clouds hung over the pass this day, so we passed in favor of playing tourist in Silverton.

Ever present, the local deputy lady issued one Bandito brother a $25 parking ticket. She says three bikes were illegally parked, (the old too close to an intersection deal), but she only wrote one ticket. Just after that, ABM unknowingly attempted to illegally park in a handicapped spot, not knowing what a faded "blue" curb was about, no sign. Hey, it's 10,000 friggin feet. Locals rushed over to let me know. Coulda been $200. That woulda made the day.

Far up the path, off hwy 550, is little rt 2, and just before this sign,

Here's a Yosemite moment:

Right out of the mountain and into a stream so clear, you can see bottom from 100 yards away.

World's coolest off road vehicle?

WWII Half Track, half 'dozer, half deuce-an-a-half truck.

Silverton to Durango Railroad:

The original, taking passengers daily from Durango to the mining town, and back. Some say "use the windowed cars or you'll be covered in coal dust." We say, you want the real experience, or do you want a barkolounger living room hdtv experience. Rough it a little, close your eyes, open the nostrils, and it's 1897 again.

Cool ride for not a lot of dough. ABM recommended.

Bite me? Not around here. Last mosquito bite felt was in Sturgis. We don't think they can survive the nightly 40's.

While carefully selecting a dozen of eggland's finest yesterday morning, an elderly gentleman politely asked..

"where are all of the bikers?" True, the hoardes seen last weekend weren't present, but motorcycling is a working man's past time. Most bikers bust their butts for the check which makes it possible sit in the saddle, so Friday, they're working.

What the old guy doesn't get is that Durango doesn't do enough to suck us in. As previously mentioned, no banners, no 6 blocks for motorcycles only, no specials for road dogs in leather. The lone event, Sunday's "Biker Parade" is led by cages.

In the interest of returning his polite banner, we grabbed the eggs and split.

This (Saturday) morning, every motel in town is full, each offering plenty of parking lot room.  That's because they're full up with motorcycles.  Every breakfast nook is doing a bang up biz, thanks to the bikers.

Race fans, as in Sturgis, we reserve a little time away from the Internet in order to cut loose from the confine of media.  In this case, we have little choice, as our access to the Internet will be limited for the rest of this weekend, but fear not! 

In the near future, we'll blow the roof off the joint with news about the world's only decent surviving evo ignition, a roundup of 4 Corners action, and expose the Sturgis spy balloon!

(WTF is there about our lifestyle that makes government act the fool?)

Hey, ride safe, and if you can make it to Biketoberfest, see ya there!