Windy and Cold on Berthoud Pass

As if to make it up to me for yesterday's boringly warm and sunny riding weather, Mother Nature reminded me what the alternative can be.

Scarlett, my 2014 URAL Patrol Sidecar Rig and I rode out of the neighborhood shortly after 8:15 AM and transited through the metro Denver area using US285 till we got to the western side of the C-470 "beltway" which we then took north to it's junction with the I-70 super slab.

This we took west into the foothills, using the US40 frontage road to avoid the not too heavy westbound traffic going up into the mountains.  Soon enough we were at the Buffalo Overlook exit and today was not a bad day to pose Scarlett with the first snow-clad peaks one sees when heading away from Denver:

Today it was very windy as we headed west, the winds coming out of the west slowing us down a bit and driving up the wind chill factor.  We stopped in Dumont and gassed up, and I took advantage of the stop to add on my windproof layer and heavier gloves!

Temperatures continued to descend as I approached the junction of US40 and I-70.  Taking the road towards Empire, CO, the skies became gray overcast and temperatures felt colder.  Scarlett and I slowly ascended past the small "town" of Berthoud Falls and soon were steeply climbing the road towards the summit of Berthoud Pass.

Enroute though, I stopped at the usual spot for pictures of the mountains below and to the west but what looked like fog (but turned out to be light snow clouds) obscured the views I'd hope for.

 If you look closely, you can see Scarlett in the center bottom

of the picture.

 The requisite pic of the sign at the summit.

Thinking it wouldn't be too wide of a set of snow clouds, Scarlett and I motored onwards towards Winter Park, making it all the way to the city limits of Winter Park and turning around at the Mary Jane Ski Resort.  It had been lightly snowing on us and the roads were starting to look a bit wet.  We turned around thinking that if things got worse, they'd close the pass and we'd be stuck on the wrong side of it!

We made it back across the pass with no issues and of course, as soon as I was on the southern portion of the pass, the sun came out and dried things out.  Still, I could see behind me the snow clouds trying to cross the mountain barrier and almost suceeding; so it was time to head down, after one more picture of course.

Snowy conditions to the north, in the direction of Winter Park

as you can see, things are much better with some sunlight

Still feeling a bit chilled from the stint between Winter Park and the Berthoud Pass Summit, we motored on down towards the I-70 Slab.   Although the temperatures didn't get any lower or seemingly higher if the sun was blocked, the roads were dry and what more could one ask for right?

It got sunnier and warmer once I was back in the metro Denver area and clear of the foothills; then it was just early Sunday afternoon traffic to deal with on my way home.   The winds remained strong and gusty the whole day, I sure was glad I wasn't on two wheels today, the winds were sometimes strong enough to blow the rig about....

I had actually been expecting sunny conditions with clear blue skies in the Berthoud Pass and Winter Park area, Mother Nature changed things up for me!  You couldn't see the top of Mount Evans from Denver though skies looked clear and sunny to the north in the Rocky Mountain National Park area, should have gone there instead!

Previously: Short Sunny Day Ride

Short Ride Saturday

Beautifully sunny weather here in Colorado, with temperatures projected to be in the high 60s to low 70s and slightly breezy.

Meandered about the southern half of the Metro Denver area, no particular destination in mind as the nearby mountain peaks were not very scenic due to the haze of the day.

Ended up in the Denver Tech Center, across from the entrance to Westlands Park for the usual picture of Mount Evans through the gateway arch that is the park's entrance:

Westlands Park Entrance

Around 11:30 AM, I arrived at the Cherry Creek School District's main campus where my youngest son Miles' Lacrosse team was playing a match against Cherry Creek.  The team didn't win today though, in fact, it was quite a lop-sided game in terms of scoring.  Still, the boys are out there playing, hopefully giving it their all and hopefully learning sportsmanship along with getting some exercise.

That's Miles, in the red uniform.

After the game, Miles rode home with Martha since they'd driven to the game in Milli, the PT Cruiser.  I loafed on home as well to get lunch and a nap.  The weather, yawn, is just too nice and warm.  I might wander out later in the afternoon, to give Brigitta, the '87 R80 Airhead Beemer some exercise.

Back Home

Got back home this afternoon, after a set of long driving days.

Accomplished:

Visit my parents.  Mom and Dad are well and seemed happy to see the grandsons that I haven't brought to visit in too many years.

Stay with and visit my Brother Carlos and his lovely wife Ling and their two handsome sons, Evan and Nathan.  My nephews didn't remember me, I've been quite the absent uncle so it's my fault, but all was forgiven when they got rides in the sidecar.

See my sister, Ana and her partner Rosa....and see that they're both doing well.

Ride in San Francisco's crappy traffic to pose Scarlett near the Golden Gate Bridge.

Ride a small portion of the Pacific Coast Highway, between Half Moon Bay and San Francisco.

Las Vegas seems quite the tourist trap, now I've seen it, and can cross it and Nevada off the ride destination list.

Milli, the PT Cruiser proved capable as a tow vehicle/URV: Ural Recovery Vehicle.  3013 miles driven, no mechanical issues but I think a tow vehicle with a bigger engine is in my future if I continue to pursue the URV concept.

Tried the camping in vehicle concept, it's doable in Milli but the overall concept needs to be re-examined.

Some Thoughts/Observations/Notes:

Yes, more comfortable in a car but there were countless times when scenery presented itself and try as I might, there's no way to make a car pulling a trailer, look good.  Even with a URAL sidecar on top of the trailer!

It takes me 20 minutes to secure the rig, less than that to unload it.

MPG for Milli: 18-21mpg.  Not too bad but not great.  Of course, we were at max towing capacity.

Some truckers really shouldn't be on the road, they're a danger to all around them.

Milli can hold 70 MPH with trailer, all day long.  Up hills though, one must use third gear at times.

For the cars who were passed, on hills, by Milli the URV, yes...you should be embarrassed and yes, you should learn how to use lower gears for higher torque.

The UDF doesn't stop when the rig is on a trailer.

The best parts of the trip, family visits aside, were when Scarlett was off the trailer and we were motoring along.

A replacement gas cap for Milli costs $12 and you can ride over 100 miles without one.  I must secure the new one to her so I don't repeat that again.

Something sadder than usual, to be panhandled by a native-american, at a gas station near Monument Valley.

Audio books are key on long drives.  The next tow vehicle will have cruise control.

Twisty roads and the shadows from a setting sun cause one to think one's trailer is about to come loose.  The long shadows cast by the low sun catch one's attention out of the corner of one's eyes.

Started the day in Durango, CO and took US160 all the way to I-25.

 Approaching Wolf Creek Pass from Pagosa Springs on US160

 Mount Blanca

 That patch of sand colored terrain is the 

National Sand Dunes Monument

The mountains in the background are part of the Sangre

de Cristo Mountain Range

Closeup of Mount Blanca

So, is the change in text/background colors making things more easy to read?

Vegas!

Ah Las Vegas, famed city known for its gambling, it's ability to separate one from one's money (another name for the city is "Lost Wages"), it's eye-catching buildings designed to entertain and lure you inside to spend money, and it's history of involvement with "the Mob".

But first, one last picture of my nephews: Nathan and Evan; taken as they left for school and I readied to go to Vegas:

I arrived in Las Vegas yesterday evening, still trailering Scarlett, my 2014 URAL Sidecar Rig.  I called a friend of mine, Erik S., who coincidentally was in town for a tech conference and we met for dinner.

Scarlett and I motored over, again it felt good to be riding her instead of driving a car!  I found Erik's hotel, the Cosmopolitan, easily enough against the neon-splashed skyline that is "the strip".  This is the name given to the area where the major casinos/hotels are located.

I met up with Erik and we situated my camera on his room's balcony for this time-lapse sequence shot while we went and consumed a sumptuous and a bit pricey dinner.  Las Vegas apparently is now regarded as a Epicurean's delight.  I must admit, the food was incredible!  Sorry, no food porn shots.

 The view from Erik's room in the Cosmopolitan Hotel

photo courtesy Erik S.

After dinner, I retrieved my camera and went to get some sleep while Erik went to play some Poker.

Woke up this morning at 3:30 AM and motored out to try and pose Scarlett in front of some of the cool casino structures I'd seen the night before.

 The Excalibur Hotel

 The Luxor Hotel

(usually it has a very bright beam of light shooting straight up)

 My favorite hotel, the New York, New York

Here's a time-lapse sequence taken from the observation area in front of the Tropicana Hotel/Casino which sits diagonally across from NYNY.