Spring on Coal Creek Canyon Road

The week after Memorial Day weekend, I rode from Thorton, Colorado, where I'd left my loving wife for her first day of training in the Basic Rider Course.  She was learning how to ride a scooter for the first time in her life and learn the basics of safe motorcycling.  Martha did great by the way:  LINK

These closely situated water towers caught my eye

As I took the picture of the water towers, I noticed also how the name of the street

could be made to sound like "uraling"

As the morning was classroom training and they don't want spouses "hanging out" making the students more nervous than they already are, I went riding.

It was a cool clear morning and as I headed west of 104th Avenue I caught a great view of the Flat Irons rock formations off in the distance in the direction of Boulder, CO.

 Boulder's Flat Irons are visible in the distance with snow-capped mountains further out

I continued heading west and was soon cruising into the foothills on Coal Creek Canyon Road, the air was cool, the curves were tight and Vikki, my V-Strom Sidecar Rig was performing marvelously.  I was soon transiting through the small town of Wondervu, and this is the view one sees shortly after leaving town heading into the mountains.

 The view from just outside the aptly named town of WonderVu

Coal Creek Canyon Road links the Denver Metro Area with the small towns of WonderVu and Pine Cliffe, junctioning with the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway or CO 72.  There were several other motorcycle riders out enjoying the views and curves of this road.

 Some nicely twisting roads between WonderVu and Pine Cliffe

 The Spring Melt/Runoff is in full force, that was some fast moving water on Coal Creek

From the junction of Coal Creek Canyon Rd and CO72, I turned south for a few miles to not only get the shot below of the mountain lake at the Gilpin County border but also check out the sights along the road to Rollins Pass aka the Moffat Road which leads to the eastern end of the Moffat Railroad Tunnel.

 Mountain lake at the Gilpin County Border on CO 72

 The views of the mountains along Moffat Road

Eastern end of the Moffat Tunnel

The road conditions were packed dirt with some really rocky portions thrown in for one's enjoyment.  The spring melt here had formed some puddles here and there on the low spots on the road which made for some fun "crossings".

Soon after I got to the tunnel entrance above, I received a text msg from my loving wife.  We were to meet at 10:30 AM at the motorcycle dealership near the BRC training range.  I retraced my route back up to Coal Creek Canyon Road and about 40 minutes later was back in the city of Thornton.

Nice short little ride, and quite within easy range of Denver as you can see.