My 675-riding friend and I left right after (ahem) work on Thursday, heading up to Chama (pretty scenery, but the only interesting curves are a little stretch around Abiquiu Reservoir), stopping for some gas in Pagosa Springs, and then it was just a few miles to the first serious stretch of the trip; Wolf Creek Pass. Here's the approach:
That's me; like the new LED tail lights? Mr. 675 said they are nice and bright. I got them right off the rack in Auto Zone.
Our ride over the pass was marred only by the capsized tractor trailer bleeding diesel on the second hairpin. I got a little rear wheel squiggle out of that, but nothing serious. All the work on Wolf Creek Pass is finally finished, and it's now a great road with plenty of room (multi-lane almost the whole way) and a great tunnel for exhaust note appreciation. South Fork is just on the other side of the pass, and there's a
fantastic restaurant there owned by a man from Switzerland. A chance to use some of the German I improved (marginally) living in Vienna. The clerk at the hotel had a CBR600, and was gaga over the Daytonas and itching to come with us.
Friday morning we got up, had breakfast with a few vanloads of French bicyclists, and headed off up Rt 149. This takes you through the pretty little mining town of Creede (good mining museum in an actual mine), then past the headwaters of the Rio Grande:
Then it's over the Continental Divide - Spring Creek Pass (10898') and Slumgullion Pass (11530'). Slumgullion; now that's a name. There's a beautiful overlook just pass Slumgullion, right above Lake City:
We headed up 149 to Blue Mesa Reservoir, where it ends at Route 50. Taking that west gives you the chance to do this:
