Why should I do all the work when Mike McCommons from DP has already done it for me.
The following is what Mike wrote on his own web site at DP concerning the trip:
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Dave Wade (peelskid), Scott Pecore ( proshop), Sherre (dp) Stephen (my son) and myself just returned from our trip to Colorado bike riding
we rode for 5 days at different places and then went Rafting in the Royal Gorge
Scott drove for 3 days to deliver the bikes and we met up with him in Colorado Springs...
Day One we began at Texas Creek which was mainly Jeep trails with sand in lower section and lots of Rocks on the higher sections most were 2nd -4th gear trails with great views mostly 7000-8000 ft elevations about 3 hours of riding
2 flat tires at the end repaired tires and loaded for the next day
Day Two we were introduced to the Famous Rainbow Trail for our first real western trail ride after about of 1 mile of nice wooded spruce and aspen trail we emerged onto what was to be real "GOAT TRAILS" it was the most technical trail that I have ever seen just like on National Geographic tv shows you David Wade kept saying it would be easier soon "SOON" came 4 hours later every muscle sore from tension mainly BUTT CHEEKS the views were absolutely spectacular it was our first experience of real trail riding in the mountains
straight up 1000 ft to our right and straight down 2000' to our left trails were approx 12 INCHES WIDE some places 6 inch wide Sherre was in front of me and was doing great all were scared to speak or look up from trail we stopped on top of the mountain and made sandwiches view for 30-50 miles snow on top 20% of all the mountains we were very close to GOD by now literally
Day 3 we rode over to Salida for 3 nights with more trails to ride next morning we crossed Monarch Pass (Continental Divide) with trucks snow everywhere and back down the Pacific side to Sargents community parked and a small DP camp ground- store-cabins-bar and rode out of there for 3 days we rode some beautiful black dirt trails in the meadows and aspen trails in the mountains creek side trails lots of great trails mostly single track crossed the DIVIDE and went down to a glacier lake and made lunch again later found out a Volcano made the lake full of fish also more good trails and back at 7:00 pm
Day 4
Jack the store owner and friend Mort offer to show us some trails on the 2nd day we thought cool... we went to some Uranium mines rode thru lots of snow banks and it was snowing up there alot also great views then we headed back done the mountain by AGATE CREEK the creek was below the highway of Monarch Pass highway as we got near the creek we began to see pieces of cars and trucks from the past 20 years that went off the cliffs of the highway and fell over 1000 feet this was wild.... totally demolished and in pieces now the temperatures were rising and the snow was melting and the creek was now a river we had to cross this one about 14 times on dirt bikes our new local guide dumped his KTM 525 over in the creek/river and under it went with him
we all jumped in to help and dragged it onto the side of the mountain as he began to tear the bike apart we built rock and log ramps tomhelp cross the water one at a time we all made it took 1 hour to cross built bike back fired up and went 100 yards and hit another crossing this went on for 2.5 hours and what a trip many logs had fallen across the trails over the winter we were the first people to do many of the trails this year since the snow was heavier than normal no one had been up there yet made it back about 7:00 pm again worn completely out 12,000 ft not much air up there
Day 5 Local guide could not make it but Mort went along for an easy jeep trail ride Dave suggested we go over to Pitkin for some easy riding and lunch and go over Monarch Pass
Rain started about 5 miles in and rained for next 10 miles snow and sleet on top
we got to Pitkin had lunch in small store coffee & hot chocolate I saw a house with chainsaw carvings out front of lots of neat items I said lets go check them out...I did and met Benson and Dad warmed in the workshop by the wood heater for 30 minutes and Benson suggested he go get his CR-250 and ride with us he stated many of the roads and trails were closed due to 15 ft of snow up there sounded like a good idea to have some one who knew the trails to lead again... this guy raced MX- HareScramble- Enduro A-class all over Colorado we were in for a treat up the mountains we went snowing & sleeting we were frozen but kept going
remember we were all from GA flat and no snow.........
what a trip we got out of the woods and above the tree line and the trails were now rock beds and all the water was coming down in creeks and we were going up them for about 2 miles we finally went above them and hit the big snow banks and Pitkin Pass 13,000 feet what a view every time the going got rough we would just look out at the view and agreed it was worth it amazing old mining towns up that high
Benson led us most of the way back to Sargents to our truck thru some more virgin trails best looking trout streams in America got back to truck cold and wet but worth it
Day 6 over to Gunnison to ride Engineers Pass we out voted Dave to go back walmart and get fishing poles and licenses
we went back to Pitkin found Benson carving a bear got him geared back up for a bright blue sunny day of perfect riding
we rode some easier trails all over the mountains and then found Stephen and Scott on the trout stream parked bikes and began fishing we caught over 100 trout in 1.5 hours all brook trout those streams had not been fished this year and they were loaded......... Dave and Sherre caught many and learned to take them off all were released it was the ultimate day
Day 7 back to Colorado Springs to go white water rafting on the Royal Gorge Arkansas river this was a blast going thru the Gorge 1000 ft walls on both sides of us we found muscles that the bike did not find to get sore
after this we headed back to Denver Scott and Stephen are on the road for 3 days coming back with the bikes
this sounds like alot of hard riding but there was alot more great riding than hard riding was were amazed at every mountain we rode onto we saw Elk Mule Deer Bear Eagles
Rams Ducks Fox Beaver Dave commented this was the most wildlife in 3 years going out there
we are back and it is humid and hot........
the good thing about this trip was to go out there to establish a guide service for dirt bikes as part of Durhamtown
Dp is now in the works of setting up an all inclusive trip to Colorado with bikes, gear, lodging, food, and transportation
the worst part of biking in the west is getting bikes and gear out there we will provide that also we will have a local (also certified mechanic) to go along on the trails rides to offer any assistance needed while riding you do not want mechanical problems 20 miles out there they know the difficulty of the trails before you go on them they have 5 destinations to go go on where there is food and gas 20 miles out with different routes back all you will need to do is pack your casual clothes and fly out there and we will do the rest
we plan to have all bikes geared, jetted, skid plated, moose tubed, all extra clothing supplied show up and ride we do the rest CRF-250X is the bike of choice we tested 5 different bikes out there on this trip we will also have crf-230 for less advanced riders and less advance trails
Sherre rode every trail that we rode but there are many many trails of less difficulty to ride
we are planning our next trip out there soon
mike dp
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katoom
Team GOR
Joined: 23 Jan 2003
Posts: 411
Location: Mcdonough
Posted: 16 Jun 2005 11:50 Post subject:
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Awsom report, The planned Colorado trip through DP sounds like a
great idea. I think alot of people would be interested in that all the
details would be worked out through the (DP travel agency)
Great idea, Its definatly got my attention....
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PeelSkid
Green Haze Emitter
Joined: 26 Apr 2001
Posts: 1924
Posted: 16 Jun 2005 12:22 Post subject:
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Now I can add the following:
At Texas Creek we rode 35 miles for about 3 hours and yes Scott had a rear flat and I had a front flat. Temp was 75 degrees and sunny. Nice place - very easy to ride. They all thought that this is what Co was going to be like but I told them that every day will be different riding conditions and terrain. Well what do they know, they have never been here before.
Next day at the Rainbow trail. Only 20 odd miles but it took 7 hours. Jack our Co. trip leader last year informed me not to take these people on the Rainbow trail. I thought and thought about it and finally decided to do it anyway. Well, this is the 2nd day into the trip and the difficulty level has jumped 3000%. In Co. the trails are rated like home in difficulty levels. However, in Co they have an addition rating that they apply to the trails and that is the PUCKER LEVEL. As I am sure you are aware the pucker level is related to the scaryness of the the trail and yes some of these trails scar the Beegeebees out of me. 12 inch wide trail with a 2000 foot drop off. When you are on these trails all you can do is concentrate on where you are going. The only way you can site see is to come to a complete stop.
Next couple of days was a Sargents. About 50 miles each day. Great verity of trails, soomth, very rough, rocky, very rocky, very very very very rocky, hill climbs, and on and on.
Next to the last day was in Pitkin and that is where the heavy snow came in. It was so heavy that visiblity was shot, snow accumulated on the dirt roads and on our goggles. The wind was blowing at 25 mph and the temp was in the 30's. Did I mention sleet. Did I mention we were cold and wet. Have you had sleet hit you in the face during a headwind of 25 mph. It hurts. But, the next day riding the same area the temp was 70 degrees and sunny. What a difference a day makes or even an hour makes in the weather.
I wanted to take everyone to Engineers Pass and Cinnimon Pass which are at elevations of 14000 feet. This is a place where you can look down on to the top of other snow covered mountains. I was voted out. They wanted to FISH. I said "what fish - what for". We went back to Pitkin grabbed our friend on the 250R and went on a wonderful easy ride from 11 to 4:00. Really nice single track. Smooth, hilly, rocky, along creeks, black soft dirt. What more could you ask for. At 4:00 we hit the FISHING. We were fishing in beaver ponds. I would cast out twice and get a fish. I would do this over and over. Once I caught a fish on the first cast. No, you do not understand. I hooked the fish the exact moment the hook hit the water. I thought it was a lucky hit and that the hook had snagged the fish in some way. I was, however, informed by these outdoorsmen that that fish jumped up and bit my hook in the air. Why, I'll, bet I caught 18 fish in 30 minutes. I was beside myself, I could not believe it. You had to be there to appreciate what had happened. I have this on video for proof. Anyway we left at dark and drove to Canon City to the motel. We arrive at the motel at midnite. Seriously after my bed time. It seems that every night I got back to the motel it was seriously after my bed time.
As a final note I just wanted to say that I was told by several people that it may not be a good decision to take non-experience riders to ride on this type of terrain. I did listen to those comments and I did wonder if they might be right. The truth being told, Mike Mc, Sherre, Steven and Scott were able to handle everything I went through and everything that the guys have done on my other trips ( 4 times to Co so far ). The only difference is that each of the other times someone got hurt in one way or the other. On this trip no one even got a bruise and we went over the same trails as last year with the exception of Cement Creek. I think this goes to show you that Co is for everyone not just highly experienced riders. My group last year consisted of 7 males mostly in their 30's. I dare you to ride with Mike, Sherre, Steven and Scott now. You will see an improvement in their riding like you never seen before. This was like dirt bike BASIS TRAINING - just like in the military.
Everyone knows Mike McCommons and the way he thinks. Well, he enjoyed himself and the ride so much that he and I have put together all the things necessary for anyone to go and experience this type of vacation. In the past, the biggest obsticle has been getting the bikes to the riding location. That will be solved now, because Mike is going to buy bikes and place them at the location. Riders will only have to fly in and the riding areas will be only 30 minutes from the airport in Gunnison Co. From the location of Pitkin ( small town with only 20 houses ) you will be able to ride for as many days as you like. There is no limit to the roads and trails except getting lost. The terrain can range from simply riding dirt roads ( which my wife could do ) to nice smooth single track to some of the most narly riding any of us have ever done.
If you have ever wanted to do this type of a trip this may be your chance. I am not trying to sell this trip and I reap no benifits except to see the enjoyment on you faces. It looks like Mike will try this for one year and if this business adventure fails it will be lost forever.
I personally know of nowhere you can go to Co and rent bikes. In fact, I know of nowhere excep DP that you can rent bikes in the U.S. except for Harley's.
Oh, I ment to tell you, I saw more wildlife this year than ever before. We went a little earyl and had to deal with another problem that was not present in past years. SNOW. We got stuck in snow several times. But everyone works together to help get the other out.
I saw, Porcupine, golden eagle, bald eagle, crane, ducks, hawk, elk male and female, deer, beaver, bear, turkey, fox, marmot, I am sure there were more I just can’t remember. Oh yea, BIGFOOT. Just kidding.
If you have not done a trip like this then I suggest you do like Jeff Foxworthy says and "Save Up".
I hope you enjoyed all that was said. And, yes, MXTuner, the forks were smooth but I have learned another clue and I will post that on a seperate post.
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PeelSkid
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Joined: 26 Apr 2001
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Posted: 16 Jun 2005 12:29 Post subject:
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BTW: the two days at Pitkin were almost 85 miles each day of ridng.
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