Colorado Redux
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| You' in a heap o' trouble, boy. |
In August 1998, I took my first big ride to Utah and Colorado and rode solo, Odyssey: The Long Way Home. In the Spring of 2002, I rode with a friend as he visited his favorite places. With four years of riding experience and better gear, I looked forward to once again visiting the magnificent Rocky Mountains, but it started badly.
We came to the attention of a Texas DPS State Trooper on the very first day. My friend Mark had a perverse sense of humor and snapped this picture which subsequently appeared in the V-Max Owners Association quarterly magazine. We proceeded, at a bit slower pace, to Lubbock where we barely beat a huge storm to the motel.
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| Hiking the trail to Emerald Lake |
The next day, the weather was perfect and would remain so for the duration of our trip. We had good riding all the way to Durango by way of Pagosa Springs and Wolf Creek Pass. Mark had reservations at a nice hotel convenient to the action. We relaxed on a deck at a popular bar for a few cold ones and then had supper at a great restaurant.
We then made our way to Estes Park, which would be our base of operations for a few days. Mark liked to hike and dragged me up a trail, kicking and screaming to Emerald Lake. I have to confess, it was quite nice, but I wanted to explore on two wheels rather than two feet.
It was very awkward. Relations were still somewhat strained from the ticket incident and now I was going my own way. While Mark hiked, I rode back to the Trail Ridge Road in Rocky Mountain Park. We would share our adventures over supper, but the trip had taken an uneasy turn.
