Photostitching from Castlerock

Temperatures in the 60s, sunny and very windy.

Today I downloaded some software called Photostitch which allows you to create panoramic shots made up of several digital photos. I'd been wanting this capability for a while in order to try and capture some of the awesome mountain vistas I've ridden to here in Colorado.

I was off work by 2PM so I headed down to Castlerock to see what kind of view one could see from it's highest reachable point.

The "Rock" as it's called by the locals, is accessible via a trail from Rock Park. It's not a bad little hike up to the observation area at the base of the main rock formation but I will admit I was huffing and puffing when I neared the top of the trail! You'd think I was over 48 years old and out of shape or something! : )

On the way up to Castlerock

I got up to the observation area in about 15 minutes, the trail was fine if a bit gravelly. The Oxtar Matrix motorcycle boots I wear did fine in the rocky trail but I don't think I'd go on any long distance hikes with them on. I was still wearing my riding jacket and liner and soon overheated. There were some pretty fierce winds blowing around the Rock and I soon cooled down once I opened up the jacket and liner.

Here's the results of my first photostitching attempt. I hope to get better as I get a handle on how to shoot the shots for best merging probabilities.



After taking these shots, I trudged down the rocky trail back to the parking lot.

At the beginning of the trail

The winds were picking up even more as I geared back up at the parking lot. So I decided to head home. I took Founder's Parkway to CO86, cruising easily to Franktown and taking CO83 or Parker Road up to the town of Parker. From Parker I took the usual back roads back to my own neighborhood.

The wind gusts were pretty strong anytime I was pointed in either a Northerly or Southerly direction as they were coming in from the West. There's snow in the forecast so these winds may be the advance guard. Hopefully, the strong winds will keep the snow clouds moving and they won't have a chance to drop much snow on us.

Signs of Spring

Temperatures from high 40s to mid 60s as I write this. Beautiful riding conditions here in Colorado.

The first day of Spring today, and what a great day to ride to work.

As I walked between buildings before lunch, I chanced to see what is surely a sign that Spring is finally here. Yep, the presence of more motorcycles in the parking lot. Maria and one other motorcycle have been alone in the parking lot most of the winter, with the occasional appearance of a BMW LT Touring motorcycle. Mostly, it's just Maria and this Honda Shadow VLX:

Honda Shadow VLX

I've not talked to the owner of this VLX, saw him heading out the other afternoon though, typical cruiser rider, not much in terms of ATGATT, definitely no helmet. Oh well, at least he rides. The only times I rode and he did not was after snow storms and such.

I mentioned other bikes, such a gorgeous day and I only saw two:

Honda Shadow Sabre

A 1200 GS next to my Maria, the GS was quite clean and shiny

Sorry about the picture quality, the camera on my phone pretty much sucks. Two more motorcycles did show up later in the afternoon, the LT I mentioned before and one of those big TR3 8 cylinder cruisers.

To make up for the above poor picture quality, here's a shot with my regular camera of a couple of the golfballs at Buckley AFB with the Rockies in the background. Taken this morning during my commute in to work.

Finishing out Winter with a close call

Temperatures from high 30s to low 60s, sunny and gorgeous riding weather.

Got in some pretty good commute riding miles today, not too "brisk" in the morning and just my work shirt under my riding jacket in the evening when I left work just shy of 6pm.

Traffic was light by then, the rush hour and my taking back roads result in a pretty easy ride home. The sun was still halfway up in the sky, very few clouds and cool winds.

All was great with the world, that is until the DAC showed up. DAC: Dumb Ass Cager.

It's good that I am paranoid about cars coming up behind me at stoplights, I am always watching my mirrors to ensure they're slowing down.

Today, about five miles from the house, I am slowing to a red light on Gun Club Rd and Jewell Avenue, sliding slightly to the left of my lane on this two lane road so that oncoming traffic can see me as they try and make a left turn. I have a vehicle in front of me.

As I slow down, I look in my mirror and this dumb ass in a white POS coupe was fast approaching me from behind, giving no sign of slowing! Luckily, I had not come to a full stop yet, I swung my motorcycle over to the left, going over the lane marker and partly into the left turn lane. This dumb ass finally stops his vehicle with him abreast of me as I come to a stop. Big dumb look on his face. I was so in shock at this that I failed to raise my helmet visor to yell at him or even give him the finger, just something to express my anger!

The light turned green and this dumb ass makes to keep going like nothing had happened! I goosed Maria and cut him off by perhaps a foot off his front bumper and kept the speeds slow for the first 1/2 or so, watching him warily in my mirrors. Dumb ass finally got the hint that he was stupid and backed off a ways. I sped up to the limit and still watched him closely, maintaining more than the usual safe interval between me and the car in front of me, just in case.

I turned right at the next intersection, and again he sped up and closed on me as I slowed and braked and signaled my turn. Again, I failed to even give him the finger as he sped by, the temptation to abort my turn and follow him was great but reason prevailed. What an asshole!

So the close call, courtesy of that asshole, ruined what had been a pretty lovely day of riding to work and between data centers. Oh well, goodbye Winter.....Hello Spring, glad I will be able to greet you properly tomorrow, in spite of dumb ass cagers everywhere.

Never let up on your vigilance, the DACs are out there and you're invisible to them.

Victims of Public Education

The way I figure it, there's probably more than four victims of public education involved with this debacle in the Colorado Department of Transportation or CDOT. First, the shlub who made the sign, second the guy who prepped it for shipment and last but am sure not least, the minimum of two guys it took to install it.

Come on people, do you pay attention to what you're doing?


I'd be embarrassed at the very least!

Here's the article from 9news.com:

JEFFERSON COUNTY – The Colorado Department of Transportation plans to hang a piece of cloth over a road sign with a misspelling on it until they can get it fixed.

CDOT manufactured the sign that reads "Lookout Mountian" (instead of "Lookout Mountain") with an arrow pointing toward exit 256 from westbound I-70.

The sign was hung by a contractor on Tuesday morning.

CDOT has ordered a patch to cover the misspelled word with the correct one and it will be on the sign by Wednesday.

The cost to make and put up the sign is about $1,000.