Minnesota Spyderlovers @ Durango

[Paula(Butch2025)]

Well, how many Minnesota SpyerLovers are planning to attend the Owner's Event in Durango, CO? Butch and I are planning to go and we will be leaving Sunday, June 17th, in the morning. While in Durango we will be staying at the Knights Inn (aka Alpine Inn) 3515 Main Ave. Hope to see some of you there!
--Paula

[eagle]

as you know, i will be going. have any idea where you may be by Monday eve?

[Paula(Butch2025)]

as you know, i will be going. have any idea where you may be by Monday eve?

We are aiming for the west side of Denver...Butch wants to get off the freeway and take some fun roads through the mountains into Durango. Maybe give us a call Sunday night instead and we can pick a meet up point.

[Paula(Butch2025)]

Finally getting serious about getting ready for this trip!!!
Butch just finished putting on the the support brackets for his highway pegs...Thanks Big Arm! I tried to put Butch's tank bag attachment bracket on my Spyder...I guess they changed the dimensions on it since '08...it didn't fit. But I am getting the hang of taking pictures and video with my new camera...I'll figure out the editing and posting of the video later when we get home. Now we need to set aside the clothes we are packing and figure out what else we need. It's starting to get "real" when the clothing stacks start!
Butch is tweaking our route and putting it in the GPS...can't wait to get going!
--Paula

[RTGENE]

Can't wait to get a chance to visit with use guys---- a.

[SpyderAnn01]

My Spyder is back in the shop! I told them I need it back no later than Monday fixed or broken. No reverse or trailer lights again. So if you see me parked facing downhill chances are good I got it back broken. :banghead: See youse guys next week!

[Paula(Butch2025)]

Can't wait to get a chance to visit with use guys---- a.

The feeling is mutual, Mr. Gene!!

[Paula(Butch2025)]

My Spyder is back in the shop! I told them I need it back no later than Monday fixed or broken. No reverse or trailer lights again. So if you see me parked facing downhill chances are good I got it back broken. :banghead: See youse guys next week!

Sorry to hear that Ann...I hope they fix it this time...it's so annoying when you hand it over and then nothing or the problem comes right back. That was us with the squeak/squeal on Butch's Spyder...finally turned out to be the belt after all...a new fixed the problem! See you in a few days.

[RTGENE]

Ms. Ann
For the owners rendezvous I'll bring a Diet Dr. Pepper 10 (for men only) to share. I'm sure a sip shouldn't/couldn't hurt. I'll be looking for you on the 20th broken or fixed.
Doing my happy dance ready to leave.

[SethO]

as far as right now I am working monday till 6am going to training at 9am till 5pm then working at 630pm till 6am wednesday. SO its going to be a hell of a haul 1367 miles , I got a buddy going with me to mobridge SD. Need to get on the meth to make this one on time

[Paula(Butch2025)]

as far as right now I am working monday till 6am going to training at 9am till 5pm then working at 630pm till 6am wednesday. SO its going to be a hell of a haul 1367 miles , I got a buddy going with me to mobridge SD. Need to get on the meth to make this one on time

I think you might be feeling a little "sick" after that training session...remedy - a few days in the mountains should make you feel all better!

[SpyderAnn01]

I'm picking up my Spyder this morning :2thumbs: Seth it is a good thing you are young. You might need some of Doc's caffeine Paula are you taking I80 at all? Look for Joe on his white VRod going east.

Mr. Gene keep doing your happy dance and we will see you next week.:yes:

[Paula(Butch2025)]

I'm picking up my Spyder this morning :2thumbs: Seth it is a good thing you are young. You might need some of Doc's caffeine Paula are you taking I80 at all? Look for Joe on his white VRod going east.

Mr. Gene keep doing your happy dance and we will see you next week.:yes:

We are taking it thru NE...we'll keep a look out for him!

[Paula(Butch2025)]

:doorag:Left North Branch, MN around 8:00am to head to Durango! We almost made it with getting wet, but needed to stop and put our rain gear on around lunch time...we just squeezed between two storms and only caught the edge of it. When we stopped for lunch in Worthington, MN it was time to strip the rain gear off and take out our jacket liners too!

We decided to take some secondary highways and was that ever nice, not much traffic and the scenery was great!

480 some miles later we are in Licoln, NE for the night. Had supper at King Kong Burgers and now kicking back watching a little tv. Hope everyone else had a good travel day too!
--Paula

[SpyderAnn01]

Sounds like a good day. I hope the weather cooperates with you the rest of the way. We will see you on Tuesday night.

[Paula(Butch2025)]

Day 2...over 500 miles...90-100*! We made lots of stops for water and to get out of the sun. Tonight we are on the west side of Denver at the Motel 6! Planing on taking 285 and get in the mountains and off the interstate , getting closer...sure hope it cools off a bit tomorrow!

[Big Arm]

Have a safe trip you two. Wish I could of tagged along. :banghead:

[Paula(Butch2025)]

Have a safe trip you two. Wish I could of tagged along. :banghead:
Sure wish you could have joined us too!

[Paula(Butch2025)]

Day 3: we rode some different wheels today...took the train from Durango to Silverton today. This has been one train trip that Butch has been wanting to do for years! We spent the evening chatting with a bunch of Spyder folks out in the parking lot and planning our ride for tomorrow. It was a fun day!

[Paula(Butch2025)]

After riding through the smoke from the Pagosa Springs fire...thick like fog...we took 160 to 50, which on the map is real twisty...it wasn't mountain, it was a canyon along the Arkansas River. It was beautiful but very HOT. We stopped in Canyon City to get water and iced drinks then continued on to Colorado Springs to our camping cabin at Mountaindale campground. What a great place, we highly recommend it if you ever in the area. Woke up to the news that the rode to Pike's Peak AND Garden of the Gods was closed due to the wildfires. So we went with plan B, rest and do laundry, the temp hit a record high of 105* Today we head up to Chyenne.

[Paula(Butch2025)]

Arrived in Cheyenne this afternoon after driving through Denver's record setting heat today of 105*. We hung out at the Cheyenne Union Pacific Railroad Depot, saw lots of trains, went through the museum and their model train layout. It certainly was an afternoon made for Butch! (I liked too). We had a great dinner at a place by the depot, The Albany Inn, great bacon cheese burgers! Hoping that the temp will cool down soon it sure wears on a person, it's good thing the Spyders are running good!

[Paula(Butch2025)]

We are still roaming around South Dakota/Wyoming. Last night we went to Crazy Horse to watch the laser show and a night blast in honor of the scultor's wife's birthday...that was very cool to see. Today we took a drive into Wyoming to see Devil's Tower...as we drove up I couldn't get that tune from Close Encounters of the Third Kind out of my head! If you never been there I would highly recommend a visit, photos and tv do not do justice to this rock formation...Seth I'll save the science lesson for when I see you next time! On our way back to the cabin we stopped for lunch in Sturgis, they are already getting ready for the rally!

[Paula(Butch2025)]

Well, after 3,600+ miles, we finally made it home today! When we left South Dakota, we took a ride past Rushmore (photo op!) and headed east. Amazingly, the 89-96* temps we rode in today almost seemed cool compared to what we experienced all last week! We had lunch at Wall Drug - of course and Butch "almost" ran out of gas in Mitchell (Corn Palace country), but he made it to the gas station on fumes just in time! We stopped in Sioux Falls, SD for the night and then headed for home. Other than both of us losing a bolt or two on the Spyders they both ran well and are now tucked, safe and sound in the garage for a much needed rest!

[Paula(Butch2025)]

After a screw up or two attempting to video one of our rides I finally got one on our last day in South Dakota...it is part of our ride to Mt. Rushmore.

http://youtu.be/l_fe5D8yy0k

[SpyderAnn01]

Good job Paula. The videos that I took actually turned out. It seems that I need a copilot to operate the camera properly.

[Paula(Butch2025)]

Thanks, Ann. Now it's your turn to post your video.:popcorn:

[SpyderAnn01]

Thanks, Ann. Now it's your turn to post your video.:popcorn:

No, I don't think I'll share it. It was pretty boring and I don't know how to add music and all that fancy stuff.

[Paula(Butch2025)]

No, I don't think I'll share it. It was pretty boring and I don't know how to add music and all that fancy stuff.

I didn't know how to do all that with this new camera, but Seth figured it out and helped me do a practice one before the trip - we found an editing program called VideoPad Video Editor - they have a free edition that does just enough for me. I watched the tutorial and that helped alot.