June 30, 2007, Day 1: Delta, Montrose, east on US50 to Arrowhead, south on unpaved Alpine Plateau road, CO149 to Lake City for lunch, continue on CO149 to near the top of Slumgullion Pass, unpaved road northeast to Los Pinos Pass, over the pass to another unpaved road swinging south towards Baldy Chato and the La Garita Wilderness area and a primitive camp nearby.

July 1, 2007, Day 2: on northeastwardly past Old Agency to CO 114, then another unpaved road to Doyleyville, U.S. 50 to Sargents, north on unpaved roads over Black Sage and Waunita passes to Pitkin, Cumberland Pass to Tincup and Taylor Reservoir, back on pavement to Almont, Gunnison, US50 to Blue Mesa Dam, CO92 (Black Mesa) to Crawford, Hotchkiss, Delta and home.

About 500 miles for Grand Junction riders, something over 400 for me, perhaps 150 miles unpaved.

The weather was typical mountain-summer: clear, blue skies, very hot in the lower valleys, cool to early-morning cold at our over-ten-thousand feet elevation camp spot. In other words, the weather was nearly perfect. Can't say the same for traffic in popular areas. I rarely ride weekends in areas favored by tourists and sightseers—wisely, so it seems. The more remote areas of this ride were lightly traveled but major roads like US50 and well-known areas like Pitkin, Cumberland Pass and Tin Cup were teeming with activity including more ATVs than I've ever seen before. The Taylor Park area was infested with big RVs doing their thing in slow motion. You get a red star for guessing which license plate I saw most often. Even CO92 had a bit too much activity for me.

The near 100 degree temperature from Hotchkiss home didn't improve my temperament, already aggravated by three incidents:

Two aggressively-ridden Harleys compelled me to demonstrate that a quiet, stock 650 Japanese twin had more power than their noisy, bellowing big twins. The first I passed with power as he was passing another vehicle on a straight; the second I passed on the outside as he was passing a vehicle on the outside of a right-hand sweeper, his handlebars waggling rhythmically perhaps to the beat of his engine. Rude of me. Yes. You get no points passing Harleys but it's fun when they are being ridden aggressively.

On CO92, Black Mesa area, I saw a sport bike, parked off-pavement, headed towards me, on the opposite side on the highway. I was riding moderately quick in a corner. A couple turns later I noticed the sport bike was giving chase. I picked up the pace and put some distance on him in the next few corners. Finally I checked my mirror and he wasn't there any more so I guess he quit. You get no points for losing a poorly-ridden sport bike.

Near Crawford, some mutant-redneck in a giant, powerful pickup, so popular with environmentally-abusive westerners, ran a stop sign and pulled in front of me—not so close as to endanger me but a rude gesture nonetheless. After a very slow trip through town, behind the pickup, behind a motor home, the pickup and I both passed with me continuing my pass around the pickup. The driver took it as a personal insult. Failing to prevent the pass he gave chase at speeds well over 100MPH indicated. I extended and held my distance but he never let up all the way to Hotchkiss. One scare: while traveling at over 110MPH indicated, an approaching pickup put on his left turn signals. I saw we might meet at a driveway on my right. Hard on the brakes I got nearly stopped before he also stopped and eye-contact convinced me he wasn't turning in front of me. A collision would have been more my fault than his. You lose points for such riding in populated areas but I felt compelled to keep road rage well behind me.

Such a contrast to the beautiful, isolated camp spot of the night before. I'm committed to the next trip on a weekend as three of the riders are working rather than retired. After that, no more weekend rides in popular Colorado areas. There are too many other places I like where most people don't go, even on weekends.