More Colorado

I spent one night at Antero Reservoir. I was going to stay a few days and do some riding from there, but the 4 mile rough, dirt road wasn't conducive to me and my motorcycle, so I decided one night was enough. The reservoir is at 9000' elevation and it was quite chilly the one morning I woke up there.

Here's the view from my campsite. Being that it was a weekend, there was lots of fisherman there.
But hey, I had good phone service!!!!


On the 4Th of July I left Antero Resevoir and drove about 50 miles to the charming town of Salida. I found the free camping area along the Arkansas River and one of the few available spots I could fit into, where I could easily unload my motorcycle for the next days ride. Salida is at 7000' and again I had good phone service!! That evening I listened to the local fireworks, but I decided to stay home with my dogues, in case they got spooked by the loud, scary noises.


Here's the view from my Salida campsite.


On July 5Th I left my camp site along the Arkansas River, just east of Salida, CO, headed east on Hwy 50, and road up and over the 11,312' Monarch Pass. Then I zipped into Gunnison where I cruised through town and stopped for a short rest. I then back tracked for 8 miles and turned south on Hwy. 114 which took me up and over 10,149' North Pass. I hit the small town of Saguache, which I'm sure I do not pronounce correctly, then headed north on Hwy. 285 which took me back into Pancha Springs, then east about 7 miles back to my campsite. This was a 180 mile ride.




There was a short ride to the very top, with a fabulous view. but I chose not to partake.






This is the pretty, city park in Gunnison.







The next day I rode my bike west, to lower elevations. This loop ride took me east on Hwy 50 past the really tiny town of Texas Creek, then to Canon City (pronounced Canyon, I think, then south on Hwy 67, then scenic Hwy 96, then Hwy 69, then back north to Texas Creek and Hwy 50, then back west and back to camp. I didn't take very many pictures, or stop very often, but the whole loop was very beautiful. This was a 140 mile ride.










Salida is really cute town, with a charming, touristy old historic district. There's a small Super Wal-Mart, a friendly Chamber of Commerce, an RV dump and water station, a public swimming pool heated by water piped in 5 miles from a natural hot spring. The town also has an extensive recycling center that I utilized. People come from all over the area to partake in a number of outdoor activities. 4-wheeling, bicycling, fishing, white-water rafting, white-water kayaking and of course, motorcycle riding!! The free camp area I am staying has a raft launch area nearby where individual and private rafting companies launch their rafts all day long. Also, many white-water kayakers camp at night after kayaking all day. Many set up tents, but most sleep in their trucks and cars. There is a 14 day time limit for camping but many semi-homeless looking people arrive in classic RVs just before dark and leave just before sunrise, allowing them to evade the Park Ranger who came around everyday checking on the campground. I was planning on staying for four days, then head down to Hooper and stay at the UFO Watchtower Campground while attending the Del Norte Motorcycle Rally. Then, return back to Salida for a week or so. But, with my on going water heater problem, I'm just staying at Salida while a nice young mobile RV repair man works on my water heater. And, I ordered my mail to come to Salida, so here I will stay until my water heater is fixed and my mail comes in.
It looks like I won't make that ride up and over Wolf Creek Pass this year. Maybe next year!!