Riders: Deepak Dhar, Praveen Chand, BJ (Motorcyclist Map), Ashish Sekhda, Brufen
Bikes: RT, Africa Twin, Canam, K1600, Tenere (All Rentals)
Dates: Fri 14th April - Mon 24th April 2023
Author: Brufen/BJ
Ride Intro
Day 0 - Pre Planning & Preparation
Colorado is a state known for its natural beauty, diverse landscapes, and outdoor adventure opportunities. From towering mountains to sweeping canyons and ancient rock formations, Colorado offers a diverse range of experiences for adventure enthusiasts and nature lovers. In this blog, we will take you through our 10-day trip to Colorado, where we explored some of the best national parks, canyons, and mountains.
Day 1 - Denver Arrival
We land at Denver within 15 mins of each other. 3 different flights between 5 of us. Change at the airport restrooms into our biker gear. As soon as we head out to get a cab to our respective bike rentals, we see flurries. We continue to our bike rentals but then they are no longer flurries and instead turned into a full blown snow storm. We take a wise decision to book a hotel and stay back in Denver. We chill at the pool and try not to complain about a day lost
Day 2 - Mt Evans, Loveland Ski Area bike broke down, and keys lost
Our journey began with a thrilling ride up the Mount Evans Scenic Byway, one of the highest paved roads in North America. The road took us to the summit of Mount Evans, offering stunning panoramic views of the surrounding mountain ranges. However, our adventure took an unexpected turn as we experienced a bike breakdown at the Loveland Ski Area, and to add to our troubles, we lost the keys! But with the help of some locals, we managed to find our way out and headed to our next destination.
Day 3 - Beautiful Grizzly Creek Area and meeting Brufen at no name rest area
We started our day by exploring the picturesque Grizzly Creek Area, known for its lush greenery, scenic trails, and stunning waterfalls. Later in the day, we met Brufen at the No Name Rest Area and shared our travel experiences over some delicious food. We then headed to the Colorado National Monument, where we explored the beautiful rock formations and visited Cisco Village. Our journey was briefly interrupted as BJ ran out of gas on Route 128, but with the help of our friends Deepak and Ashish, we were back on the road in no time. We ended our day by staying at the Homewood Suites in Moab.
Day 4 - Morning ride to Potash Road Dinosaur tracks and Petroglyphs
We started our day with a refreshing morning ride to the Potash Road Dinosaur tracks and Petroglyphs, where we saw some amazing ancient rock carvings and fossils. We then headed to Arches National Park, where we were awe-struck by the magnificent natural arch formations, including the delicate arch viewpoint, balanced rock, and double arch. Our journey continued as we visited the Dead Horse State Park and Mesa Arch, and the Grandview Point overlook of Canyonlands National Park. We spent the night at the Holiday Inn Express in Green River.
Day 5 - Sandstorms and National Parks
Our journey on Route 24 took us through some beautiful sandstorms, and at one point, it became very dangerous. We took a break at the Hollow Mountain gas station and continued our journey to the Capital Reef National Park, where we rode through some beautiful canyons. Route 12 was simply spectacular, and we then visited Bryce Canyon and the Grand Zion National Park, taking Route 89 and 9. We had dinner at a Thai place and stayed the night at the Holiday Inn Express in Zion National Park.
Day 6 - Vermilion Cliffs National Monument and Monument Valley
We started our day by riding back through Zion National Park, taking the beautiful Route 89A, and saw the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Marble Canyon, Historic Navajo Bridge, Antelope Vista Pass, and Horseshoe Bend. Our final stop of the day was at Monument Valley, where we were awe-struck by the magnificent rock formations and beautiful vistas
Day 7
We started our day with the famous Forest Gump Highway, which offers some of the most stunning views of the Monument Valley. We rode through the winding roads of the highway, taking in the beautiful scenery all around us.
Our next stop was the small town of Mexican Hat, which is named after a rock formation in the shape of a Mexican hat. From there, we rode up the Moki Dugway, a steep, unpaved road that winds up to the top of a mesa. It was a thrilling ride, and we were rewarded with some breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.
After Moki Dugway, we headed to the Valley of the Gods, a place known for its stunning sandstone formations. We rode through the valley, marveling at the towering red rocks and the beautiful desert landscape.
Our final stop for the day was the Four Corners Monument, the only place in the United States where four states meet at one point. We took some photos and enjoyed the novelty of being in four different states at the same time.
Day 8
We woke up in Durango and were excited to start our day. Our plan was to ride through some of the most scenic roads and visit some famous landmarks in the area.
Behram and Ashish decided to visit the Mesa Verde National Park, while Brufen, Deepak, and Praveen headed straight to the hot springs and hotel. After a fun-filled day, we all met up in Durango and spent the night at a cozy hotel.
Started early as we hit the road to the Million Dollar Highway, one of the most scenic highways in the country. As we rode along, we were awed by the majestic views of the San Juan Mountains and the winding roads.
We stopped for coffee and visited the Harley Davidson store at 9400ft elevation. It was a great break from the long ride, and we enjoyed chatting with the locals and admiring the bikes on display.
Next, we headed to Box Canyon, a beautiful canyon that offers stunning views of the mountains and the surrounding landscape. However, Brufen had a tire pressure problem and was leaking air. We had to stop at Davis Service Center to change his tire.
After the tire change, we rode to the Black Canyon, a national park known for its stunning canyon walls and scenic views. We spent some time exploring the park and taking in the beauty of the canyon.
Next, we headed to Monarch Pass, but halfway through, we encountered bad weather and snowy conditions. We decided to spend the night in Gunnison at Comfort Inn Suites and continued our journey the next day.
Day 9
We were back on the road, and Behram and Ashish led the way, passing Monarch Pass at 11000ft elevation. Brufen, Praveen, and Deepak followed them an hour later. We all met at a great coffee shop, shared our experiences, and rode to Colorado Springs
Day 10
.We spent our final night at Hilton Garden and woke up early on Day 10 for our last adventure: Pikes Peak. We rode up to 14000ft elevation, about 13 miles, but unfortunately, we couldn't reach the summit due to road conditions and bad weather.
Despite not reaching the summit, we were proud of our journey and celebrated our last 10 days with a bottle of champagne. Our adventure had come to an end, but the memories we created will last a lifetime.
Day 11
Took our respective flight back home