A Ride to the Race Track

A Horse Race Track that is....although I am quite sure it didn't occur to any of you that I was going to be racing my Ural Sidecar Rig, Valencia!

There was still much snow on the ground in the neighborhood streets, snow that back in 2007 would have trapped me until it all melted away.  That is no longer the case!  Valencia and I blasted our way out of the cul-de-sac, purposedly driving straight through the bigger mounds of snow that had piled up as folks dug themselves out of this latest snow storm's results.

We quickly exited the neighborhood streets and motored along main roads which while still snow-covered in stretches, were pretty much clear and filled with melting snow water.  I made my way to a local subdivision that is till being built out that has a clear view of Mount Evans and the front range mountains:

Mount Evans, from the Copperleaf subdivision

Then I decided to motor over to the Aurora Race Track, which had for the last few months, had it's main gate closed so I'd not been able to use its nicely placed parking lot for sunset pictures.  Today I rode up to the gate and noted that it wasn't locked, just a chain with a couple of small carabiners holding it together.

Took a chance, undid the chain, rode in and found an elderly gentlemen outside the race track building, shoveling snow.  I asked him where I could find the man in charge, to ask permission to take pictures.  He said the man had left for lunch and after I explained things to him, he readily said go ahead and take the pictures!

The parking lot had part of its surfaced plowed clear so folks could get to/from the rear of the parking lot where there's a lot of RVs and campers parked.  The rest was pretty much virgin snow, about 2-4 inches deep.  I got into 2WD and easily motored about until I got Valencia in the right spot for pictures.

 Above is a look at the parking lot snow conditions, it wasn't the spot

I ended up using to get the picture below:

I think I'll title this one: Valencia, Sidecar Rig of the Rockies!

Pictures over, I rushed home on slushy streets with lots of running water as the sun melted away the snow on the roads.

I expect the snow will last us a couple of days more, hopefully it'll stick around some more on the mountains.  We've been waiting for a snow storm such as Rocky for a long time.  Oh, there's a possibility of another snow storm, albeit a smaller one, hitting in a couple of days.

For those of you to the east of Colorado, Rocky is coming, and he's got a bunch of snow for you too.....

Previously: A Quiet Sunday Ride in the Country