A ride out to the Old Rabbit Ears Pass

This weekend a bunch of people were planning on camping in the Routt National Forest at the old Rabbit Ears Pass just east of Steamboat Springs. Some of them were going there to ride trails and dirt roads, some were going to fish, some were doing both.

I wanted to take the XT225 on another overnight camping ride and this would have been the perfect place to do it but this week was just a bit crazy and I just had so much to do since I was heading out on another multi-day ride starting next weekend and I was still finalizing the route and where to camp. Taking the XT225 was just out of the question at this point. It would take too much effort to try and pack the XT for an overnight ride. I had already declined my invitation but then at 10PM last night CJ e-mailed me to let me know that he wasn’t able to get his XR400 finished in time to ride out there and was going to take his SV650 instead. I wanted to ride the XT because I wanted to ride the many dirt roads in the area, but riding the ST3 out there and camping would be fun too.

Todays 149 mile route to the old Rabbit Ears Pass located in the Routt National Forest; highways 14 and 40, and FR-315

I decided to head out there this weekend but I still couldn’t leave early in the morning to ride out there with CJ. Now that I decided to ride the ST3 I was also a bit concerned that the forest road to the campsite might not be paved. I asked CJ to text me when he got there and let me know if the forest road road was paved. At noon I got a text message stating the road was paved but people were not camping at the Dumont Lake campground. Instead the group had set up camp just east of there. This is what I love about Colorado, in most of the forests you can pitch a tent anywhere and camp for free. I was really glad to know that the road was paved since I really dislike riding gravel on my heavy ST3, especially since I don't flat foot the bike.

My paper maps show the road as FR-315 or CR-315, but some on-line mapping software show it as 199, Old Rabbit Ears Pass is located on that road just east of Dumont Lake (N 40°23'59" W 106°37'05")

I had brand new tires on the ST3 so I was excited to be able to try them out this weekend and heading up toward Steamboat Springs meant I was going to ride the curvy highway 14 AKA Poudre Canyon. I packed up the ST3 and got going around 2:30PM, a little later then I wanted to but I just had so much to do a the house. The ride there was 149 miles and Microsoft Streets and Trips informed me me that it would be 3 hours and 13 minutes. Even with a stop for gas in Fort Collins and a stop for bathroom near Cameron Pass I still made it out there in 2 hours and 45 minutes. I didn't stop for any pictures on the way since I wanted to get there quick.

Parked for the night across the road from Old Rabbit Ears pass

Some people rode their bikes and some brought their cars

This is the Rabbit Ears Pass memorial up close, you can see in the distance in the above pictures

Dinner: chili and beer

Eating dinner and chit chatting, once it got dark this is where we ended up spending the evening, sitting in front of a camp fire

Camping right off FR-315 in the Routt National Forest

The ride out there was great. The brand spanking new Pirelli Diablo Stradas dove in to each corner so effortlessly. There was hardly any traffic on highway 14 heading west this late in the afternoon and if that wasn‘t already a treat, part of highway 14 had brand new pavement. West of Walden I turned east on to highway 40. I rode past Muddy Pass and Rabbit Ears Pass, and found forest road 315, also CR-315 on some maps, and a few minutes later I found the group camping on the side of the road just across from the old Rabbit Ears Pass memorial at 9,680 feet in elevation. I showed up just in time for dinner and before I could even get my gear off, I was handed a beer and some chili.

Looking at the camp site from the road

This is my tent, I left my bike near the road for an easy exit tomorrow

CJ rode his bike on to the grass and parked it next to his tent

After dinner everyone went fishing at the nearby Dumont Lake. I needed to set up my tent before it got dark, but after that was done I joined everyone at the lake although I was the only one not fishing. We stayed at the lake until sunset, then walked back to our camping spot and spent the rest of the evening sitting around the camp fire. The night was chilly, but I was pretty comfy inside my 15 degree sleeping bag although I didn't sleep very well, most likely due to the high elevation.

FR-315 is a narrow paved road, looking west at 315 from the Old Rabbit Ears Pass

The dirt road to Dumont Lake

Dumont Lake

It looks like CJ caught something

A few of the others brought cars so they could bring their kayaks and canoes

Gunnison to Creede, CO (and back)

It was a beautiful but cool morning. Since we were going to camp at the Tall Texan Campground tonight we didn’t have to pack up the tents. We took our sweet time in the morning and got ready for our day ride. But before hitting the twisties we stopped downtown Gunnison for breakfast on highway 135 at The Bean. I enjoyed breakfast at The Bean, it's one of those hip and trendy places where there are many healthy and funky food items on the menu. Plus any place that serves breakfast and lets me order a cappuccino or a latte instead of regular coffee gets a thumbs up from me.

Parking the bikes in downtown Gunnison across the street from The Bean

A crepe and cappuccino for me, a breakfast burrito for Dalton

After breakfast we turned on to highway 50 and headed west. Then we turned south on highway 149. I haven’t been on highway 149 since my 2004 Colorado and Utah trip. I’ve only been on that road once before today but after riding pretty much every good road in Colorado on my 2004 trip, highway 149 turned out to be one of my top 5 favorite Colorado roads.

Highway 149

A stop on highway 149

The headwaters of the Rio Grande River in the distance on highway 149

The clouds were moving in and we got rained on just 30 minutes from Creede. The rain didn’t last very long. We rolled in to town and decided to find a parking spot so we could explore the town on foot. Traffic through Creede was stop and go and it took us a bit of time before we made it past the downtown area, where we found a spot to park the two bikes.

We didn’t know this while we were in Creede but 4th of July is a big day in Creede. According to the internet the population of Creede jumps from 300 to over 10,000 people. There are many activates in town, like a 4th of July parade which we just must have missed before we pulled in to town. Also the Days of ‘92, the Colorado State Mining Championships, happens over the 4th of July. We caught a bit of the spike driving competition while walking though town.

Parked and ready to explore the town of Creede

Remnants of the mining days

I have actually never seen the town of Creede since if you are riding highway 149 the road turns before you reach the actual down town area. Creede is a neat old mining town. Not very touristy, but touristy enough to keep one occupied for a few hours or a day.

We took a short walk through town and decided to grab some lunch at the Best Little Doghouse in Creede. The food was good but the portions were just too big. My hamburger was gigantic. We couldn’t possibly finish these portions and we had to leave some room for ice cream, there was a neat little place down the street.

Outside grilling at the Best Little Doghouse in Creede

Lunch at the Best Little Doghouse in Creede; a cheeseburger for me and a chili burger for Dalton

After lunch we really started to explore this town. We ended up spending many hours in Creede , we could have spent more. It’s a neat little town with lots of history, things to see and do, but it was time to head back to Gunnison. We got back on highway 149, stopping a few times for pictures, and a few hours later we were back in Gunnison.

Highway 50

I just love the sweepers of highway 50

Back at the Tall Texan Campground in Gunnison, notice the stuff flying around in the air by the building on the right, lots of cottonwood trees at this campground

Dinner: wine, salami, cheese and crakers

This funky looking green fly was sitting on Dalton's shirt - look at those big black eyes

On the way back to the campsite we stopped in at the super market in town and grab some salami, cheese and crackers since I ended up bringing a bottle of wine from home. When we got back to the Tall Texan Campsite it was pretty much empty. There were a lot of holiday activities and fireworks going on in town and that’s where everyone must have been. Once the sun started setting we started a fire and cracked open the wine. Ah, the joys of moto-camping! When it got dark, the fireworks started in Gunnison. We could see the the fireworks from our campsite which was totally cool. About thirty minutes after the fireworks ended the cars started to roll in to the campsite. The night was chilly and I actually had to put on my down jacket which I always bring with me when camping since it packs very small, weighs nothing and is very warm.

Our 216 miles route for today: highways 135, 50 and 149

Bryce Canyon N.P. to Torrey, UT

After our morning hike (see previous post), we hot the showers, then grabbed some food for breakfast at the general store. Then we rode over to the campground packed up and rode over to the end of the road and the last scenic overlook at Bryce Canyon National Park. The road through the park was fun with nice pavement and curves, although there was a bit of slow traffic on it. We only stopped twice as there were just too many scenic overlooks and we didn’t have enough time to stop at all of them.

The road through Bryce Canyon National Park

Yovimpa Point and Rainbow Point at 9,105 ft in elevation are the last overlooks in the park and the highest area of the park

We also stooped at the Natural Bridge Scenic Overlook on the way back out of the park

We departed Bryce Canyon and headed back east on highway 12. The clouds were rolling in threatening rain, but at least it wasn't as hot. We grabbed a late lunch at a subway along highway 12 and arrived in Torrey. There were a few campgrounds in town, but I had looked one of them up on the internet before this trip and wanted to check it out in person before settling on any of the others we have passed. Thousand Lakes campground was on the west side of town on highway 24 but it was worth riding the extra few miles to find it.

Scenic overlook on highway 12

Highway 12

Highway 12 and the nasty tar snakes

Dalton heading over Boulder Mountain on highway 12

More highway 12

Tent camping was $18 per night. There was a store on premises, which stocked beer and ice. There were showers, laundry faculties and a swimming pool. And this place wasn’t as run down as the one in Hanksville that we camped at two nights ago. This place was great!

Our 132 mile route for today: Bryce Canyon N.P., highway 12 and 24

Just as we got our tents up a storm moved through the area. We thought that would be it for rain but a few hours later a larger storm moved in and this one was there to stay. It was raining when we went to bed and it continued to rain for most for the night.

Thousand Lakes RV Park and Campground in Torrey, UT

The tent sites had these cool privacy dividers

The tent sites were a bit cramped but the campground had lots of amenities and it was very clean

With a name like that, we just had to try it

The view from the Thousand Lakes Campground

A big storm moving in with lots of wind and rain