Breckenridge, CO part 1

[Scotts8826]

Since this forum has just been added I thought I would add something to get it started. I'll add it in several separate posts to make it easier to upload and read. And, to correct any mistakes I make along the way since this is new to me.

A little background, first. I bought my 2013 Spyder RT-S in July 2014. I actually found it on the For Sale forum here on Spyderlovers. A friend of mine had been trying for a couple of years to persuade me to join the club. I finally did and bought the 2013 knowing full well the heat issues at the time. The prior owner had given up on it so I got it for a good price and the recall was done within several months.

Doug and Lisa are the riding couple we have done a couple trips with and Doug and I have done a few more on our own. I enjoy long-distance trips and I'm looking forward to 2021 after a Covid 2020.

So, off to Breckenridge we go...

Doug and Lisa stayed at our place (Scott and Carol) overnight. We live in the Kansas City metro area and had easy access to I-70 for our trip west to Breckenridge. We headed out in mid-September and the weather was great.

188540

Gas stop in Western Kansas. The wind was a steady 25 miles an hour. Adding another 70 mpg for travel speed, I figure it was like riding in a Category 1 hurricane. I'm sure the girls are talking about how much fun the ride has been so far.

188541

[ARtraveler]

Since this forum has just been added I thought I would add something to get it started. I'll add it in several separate posts to make it easier to upload and read. And, to correct any mistakes I make along the way since this is new to me.

A little background, first. I bought my 2013 Spyder RT-S in July 2014. I actually found it on the For Sale forum here on Spyderlovers. A friend of mine had been trying for a couple of years to persuade me to join the club. I finally did and bought the 2013 knowing full well the heat issues at the time. The prior owner had given up on it so I got it for a good price and the recall was done within several months.

Doug and Lisa are the riding couple we have done a couple trips with and Doug and I have done a few more on our own. I enjoy long-distance trips and I'm looking forward to 2021 after a Covid 2020.

So, off to Breckenridge we go...

Doug and Lisa stayed at our place (Scott and Carol) overnight. We live in the Kansas City metro area and had easy access to I-70 for our trip west to Breckenridge. We headed out in mid-September and the weather was great.

188540

Gas stop in Western Kansas. The wind was a steady 25 miles an hour. Adding another 70 mpg for travel speed, I figure it was like riding in a Category 1 hurricane. I'm sure the girls are talking about how much fun the ride has been so far.

188541

:congrats: on being the first poster in our newest forum. Great pictures. I like your short format and explanations with each picture. Gives me some great ideas. :bowdown:

[Scotts8826]

We spent the first night in Goodland, KS. Every small town seems to have things they are proud of. One item in Goodland is a huge replica of Van Gough's "Sunflower".

188543

A scenic site at a Visitor's Center in Colorado provided an opportunity to change gear and stretch our legs.

188544

We made it into Dillon, Co in time for dinner. We found a local brewery which seems to be a regular stop on our trips.

188545

[Scotts8826]

Now, to figure out why a picture showed up in thumbnails and how to change the picture orientation.

[Scotts8826]

Mid-September was a great time to visit Breckenridge. It was a "tweener" time. The summer crowds were gone and the snow season had not started so there were no crowds and we could just walk into any restaurant without a reservation. We stayed in a time share that Doug and Lisa have owned for many years. I forget which hotel chain it is associated with but it is beautiful.

188546

188547

[Snoking1127]

Now, to figure out why a picture showed up in thumbnails and how to change the picture orientation.


Pictures need to be shot in the landscape mode or cropped to landscape mode. I learned that you can delete pictures and start over: Go Advanced, Manage Attachments and scroll down.

There may be a setting that the admins could change to allow pictures in portrait mode.

[RapidSpyder]

A Colorado Rockies ride is in order for us this summer, we were starting to look for ideas of where to go so this post was timely for us.

[Scotts8826]

Doug planned out a day trip to Aspen for us. Both Lisa and Carol are professors at a local community college and Lisa had some online business to take care of so she did not join us this day.

Carol is ready to go!
188549

I cannot remember the road designation but it provided wonderful scenery. It was narrow and twisty going up the mountain to Independence Pass. My Spyder lit up like a Christmas tree about 1/4 mile from the top of the pass. Once I descended that quarter mile on the other side, all was well. The computer adjustments must not have liked the level of oxygen that high up.

188550

188551

[Scotts8826]

188552

We arrived in Aspen later than we had planned. Carol had wanted to do a little shopping so she ran off while Doug and I waited for our food. Carol soon returned to inform us that she didn't need to shop much after all. Aspen stores were not catering to the bargain hunter.

Got a picture of me and a bear and then rode back to Breckenridge. It turned out to be a long, tiring day. Lisa had dinner waiting for us and a cold adult beverage helped end a great riding day.

188553

[milryder]

Funny how things come around. I just purchased a 2021 RT at the KC dealer a few weeks ago and live south of KC near Louisburg. Maybe when the weather warms we can get together for a ride. I have a lot of great routes out this way.

But there is more . . . . . I lived in Eagle County just over from Breckenridge for 40 years and moved to KC area 7 years ago. I grew up in Goodland on a ranch south of there so your pics mentioning Goodland and Colby were heartwarming. Still go through there a lot on way to CO. Can be windy but the RT doesn't seem to mind too much. Breckenridge is beautiful as is all the western slope. I don't miss I-70 from Denver to the mountains but all else is good. Got tired of the expansions and population increases and moved to the country closer to some family. Miss the mountains but love the plains.

Planning a trip through southern CO and on to Flagstaff in late June.

[Scotts8826]

Wherever you travel, always stop by the Visitor Center. We dropped in on the Breckenridge Tourist Center and discovered a few things to see and do we had not considered. One was taking a very short hike to see the Isak Heartstone Troll. The artist made it with second hand, reclaimed material. Another day Carol and lisa did a bicycle tour while Doug and I did another ride around on the Spyders.
188554

188555

[Scotts8826]

Our last big day trip was riding up the Boreas Pass. It turned out to be longer and bit more challenging than we had anticipated. The road itself was a dirt and gravel road with lots of washboard. I was always in first and switched up to second gear when the road leveled out. About halfway in we discussed turning back but decided the back half trip would be as long as turning around. We took it slow and the ride was manageable and scenic. At the top of the pass, we met a couple of bicyclists who had started their tour of the Rocky Mountains up in Canada. We decided that we could tough out the descent on our Spyders.
188556
188557
188558

[Scotts8826]

At the end of our Breckenridge trip, Doug and Lisa headed on to Utah to see some friends of theirs. Carol caught a shuttle to the Denver airport and flew home while I rode out to Phoenix to see a college buddy of mine. I'll save that trip for sharing later.

I hope to see many more members sharing their rides and pictures as we plan our spring and summer trips. There is no better way to travel and see the country than on a Spyder.

[milryder]

Wondering if you had any concerns about the gravel roads as I read about rocks getting between the belt and rear pully?

[Scotts8826]

I didn't worry about gravel in my belt. What was concerning me was the brake squealing. I was planning to continue my trip to Phoenix and I thought I would need to get my brakes replaced before I headed on to Phoenix. That was when I discovered that Spyder brakes do not like dirt and dust. Once I cleaned up the bike the squealing stopped. I also did not plan on the length of trip we found ourselves on and I was getting low on gas. So I had plenty to worry about without thinking about my gravel in my belt. But, the day turned out fine with plenty of good scenery and an adventure to share with others.

[milryder]

Good info and that is a great area to tour. Mountain biked a lot of areas over in Eagle County. I live on half mile of packed gravel but only go 15 mph to get to tarmac. Gravel biking out this way is unlimited and I see a lot of people coming down from Johnson County in the AM and returning north in the PM.

[Scotts8826]

Milryder- I have not been an active member but there is a local Spyder riding group called KC Spyder Ryders. A quick Google search will find them for you.

[milryder]

Will check that out. Thnx

[LeftCoast]

Great ryde story, thank you!