I ride in the Colorado 100,000 Foot Ride

Rode a total of 528 miles today, including going to and from the 100,000 Foot Ride's Start and End points.

A pretty good day for riding in the morning, not too hot with patches of sun as we rode in the Rockies following the route laid out by the ColoradoBeemers club who along with Foothills BMW, were hosting the 8th annual ride which crosses at least ten mountain passes whose altitude makes up the 100,000 Foot name for the ride.

The afternoon was a mix of showers and overcast skies for the most part but that did not stop anyone from riding and the rain helped cool things down in the San Luis Valley area.

I rode most of the ride in the company of Glenn who's the IT guy for the BMWMOA and his brother Brent along with another rider they met in line during registration, Dick. The four of us were together most of the day, they were more skilled and rode faster than I am used to doing so I would end up bringing up the rear most of the day. This was fine since one should always "ride your own ride" and not try and keep up with folks in a group if they're moving at a higher ability level than your own. We stopped but briefly during all the riding, so not many pics of this ride. Sorry.

Brent and Glenn

Dick and his R1200S, a very "spirited" rider

The route took you from Foothills BMW in Lakewood, CO, to CO 103 where one garnered Squaw Pass and Juniper pass before getting to Idaho Springs and the I-70 slab. We took the slab and crossed the divide through the Eisenhower tunnel, crossed Fremont Pass and then to exit 195 and took CO 91 down to Monarch Pass. Lunch was hosted at the Monarch Lodge just short of Monarch Pass and here's where everyone stopped for a pulled pork sandwich and chips arranged by the ColoradoBeemers.



After lunch, the four of us headed over to Monarch Pass and then descended through some thoroughly twistie roads on Highway 50, using Highway 114 to get through North Pass.



Highway 114 then lead us through Saguache where it meets up with US 285 and we turned North towards Poncha Pass. Trout Creek Pass came and went as we moved on US285 until we came to where it joins with US24. We continued down the San Luis Valley on roads that were pretty straight and went through Red Hill Pass and exited the valley through Kenosha Pass, still on US285.

The ride ended in Morse Park which is near Foothills BMW. The coloradobeemers had arranged sandwiches/gyros/burritos for us riders as everyone ended their ride there. Lots of smiles all around and no news of anyone getting hurt so it was all good. Dick, being a more "brisk" rider, had sped on ahead of us somewhere north of Fairplay, CO I think.

At the end of the day....great riding!

I said my goodbyes to both Glenn and Brent and headed home using Sixth Avenue to get to I-25 and from there down to I-225, Parker Road and home. It was a long day of riding, some of it at quite a brisk pace, some of it in pouring rains, some of it in high winds which kept our bikes leaned to the left while it hit us. The only thing Glen missed about Colorado riding was hail! That and snow on the side of the road of course.