Ordinary Biker Oz: Ouray

Showing posts with label Ouray. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Two Wheels to Train Tracks

Riding in the Colorado Rockies, July 2023

Riding in the Rocky Mountains is always a great experience. Each mountain town has something fun, unique, historic, beautiful or a combination. Durango sits on a portion of US Hwy 550 known as The Million Dollar Highway. This road is deservedly on many lists of great roads to ride. I have ridden it several times and enjoy the ride each time. However, I have not always taken the time to stop and enjoy various towns, sites, attractions and experiences that are available along the way.

My 2023 Beat The Heat (BTH) tour was based out of Durango and we had five great days of riding and enjoying the breathtaking views, the unique and at times quirky mountain towns in Southwest Colorado. Over the years I had ridden through Durgango several times but had not made time to experience the Durango - Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, well in July 2023 that changed.

The crew is preparing the train for the day's trip.

The Durango - Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad has a rich history having arrived in Durango in 1881. Transporting both people and freight the train was very busy. Over time it is estimated the rail hauled over $300 million in precious metals through the years. The train is a registered as a National Historic Landmark and Hollywood has used the trains while filming various movies including Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Today the train is a popular attraction and provides year-round rides. Several differnt rides/experiences are offered, all using original locomotives and cars.

Hollywood used the train in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid

We decided on the excursion day of the BTH 2023 we were going to ride the train. The most famous option is the ride to Silverton and back, but that is a 3.5 hour each way ride with a two hour layover in Silverton. We were riding the motorcycles through Silverton the next day so we opted for the Cascade Canyon ride.

The gondola allowed us to experience the ride in the fresh mountain air

The BTH group reserved seats in one of the gondolas (roof and seats but open sides) going to Cascade Canyon. This would be a 2.5 hour ride to Cascade Canyon with a one hour lunch time stop and then the ride back to the station. We packed our own "brown bag" lunches for the day; however, an option to order a lunch in advance is provided, as well as a concession car is available during the ride.

There are several engines and cars with rich history

We arrived early so we could view the trains, checkout the gift store and some went to the free museum. Parking was easy, but in July there are a lot of people on vacation in Durango. The staff did a great job of greeting everyone and when time for departure, ensuring we all loaded in a timely member.

With a tradition long whistle from the steam engine the train pulled out of the station. The tracks run almost parallel to CO 550 aka the Million Dollar Highway and along side the Animas River for about 16 miles. It continues to run near the river and rises in elevation through scenic San Juan National Forest in the La Plata Mountain Range.

Our train winding up the canyon

Running along the Animas River the views were breathtaking

The train ride meanders through the forest and rises to 8,500+ feet in elevation. The train stops in Cascade Canyon allowing riders an hour to explore, eat lunch, relax, play in the river... before the designated whistle signals it's time to board for the ride back to Durango.

We enjoyed lunch a walk around Cascade Canyon

View from Cascade Canyon

Although the trip back to Durango is on the same tracks you get a different view of the mountains, canyon and river. Of course the angle of the sun illuminates and shadows different areas making the views different.

The Animas River carves through the canyon

The train left the station approximately at 9:45am and we arrived back at the station about 3:00pm leaving us time to walk to Cream Bean Berry for some great ice cream!

There is always time for ice cream

When you are riding in southwest Colorado take some time and enjoy a relaxing and scenic ride on the Durango-Silverton Narrow Gauge Train. I bet the the fall or winter train ride would be awesome.

Leave a comment below of your favorite Rocky Mountain town, sight or attraction.

Connect and follow Biker Oz on the following:

Please visit the following great companies:

THE ESSENTIALS FOR MODERATE SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Awesome gear for every rider!

Ordinary Biker Oz YouTube Channel has video reviews and more

Feedback on these businesses is appreciated. You may comment below.

HOME

Friday, January 3, 2020

Why a Motorcycle Blog - Revisited

My son and I in North Carolina in July of 2011

Original Objective

Why did I start the The Ordinary Biker Oz blog? I began the blog in September 2007 with the goal of being useful to both new motorcycle riders and experienced motorcyclists. One of the original objectives was to provide straightforward and honest reviews without crazy, absurd and/or silly comparisons. As I stated in the introduction post "I read several motorcycle magazines and websites. I especially like the product reviews, except for the unique descriptions (which are often silly) that journalist sometimes use to try to sound clever". I actually heard a comparison between the sound of a sport bike motorcycle to a million mad hornets - how does that help?

Although the blog has evolved and hopefully improved, the founding purpose remains "to give straightforward reviews of items that I have personally used, places I have eaten, roads I have traveled, and/or bikes I have ridden." Occasionally I did share some more personal post with one of my favorite was about my dad and our trip with Honor Flight to Washington DC for World War II veterans.

Wendell Osburn PFC, Purple Heart recipient talking to some brave American soldiers.

2020 and Beyond

With the beginning of 2020 I want to renew the goal to provide useful information and reviews. Encouraging and helping bikers to ride safely, comfortably and often, is part of that goal.

With my goal in mind I have recently made some improvements and additions to the blog. Please notice the tabs below the blog description. The "Recommended" page provides links to numerous other sites including my own personal YouTube Channel, The Moto Oz webpage (I am a co-owner and will say more about Moto Oz products below) and affiliate businesses. I want to be honest and upfront with you about my affiliate business relationships. If you use the link to visit one of the affiliate business and make a purchase I get a small commission, but your low prices are not affected. Any purchases are greatly appreciated and will aid in fuel fill-ups :) .

Standing by 1909 HD which Dale at Wheels Through Time Museum told me based on the photo of my Grandfather, is probably the same year & model.

The tab for "Top Review Post" will display the seven most read reviews on the Ordinary Biker Oz blog. The V Star 1100 Review is the top review and it has been read over 57,000 times while the Arai Helmet review has been read over 1,200 times. These reviews have been used by a lot of riders to gather information. The page will change when other reviews have more views. I will update 2-3 times a year as needed.

Feedback Appreciated

I am always open to suggestions, questions and comments. If you would like more information on a review, or would like to see some specific reviewed or discussed I will try my best to help out. You can follow the blog via email, just enter your email address below.

Moto Oz the side business

Beat The Heat Tours

2019 Beat The Heat tour in Colorado, stopped at a reservoir on the Highway of Legends - CO 12.

Another aspect of our Moto Oz venture is the Beat The Heat summer motorcycle tour. We call it Beat The Heat because we leave Texas for a week during the hot summer and spend a week in a cooler climate. The Rocky Mountains in Colorado and New Mexico or the Smoky Mountains around Tennessee and North Carolina are the favorite riding spots. There are many great roads to ride. We have been doing the summer trip for 12 years and it has changed into the Beat The Heat tour. I plan and organize the trip and lead the rides each day.

In 2020 we will be going to southwest Colorado where we will ride the Million Dollar Highway (aka US 550) and The Silver Thread Scenic Byway (aka CO 149). We will stop at the small on of my favorite bakeries in Lake City, CO. We will spend time in the historic towns of Ouray, Silverton, Durango, Telluride and Ridgeway. I am planning to add more trips per year in the future. Once I retire I would like to conduct 4 to 5 tours a year and several long weekend trips.

Be safe and I hope to see you on the road

I hope you find some of the posts useful, informative, humorous or at least mildly entertaining all the while being honest and straightforward. As stated above, comments, questions and suggestions are always welcomed.

Connect and follow on social media

Please visit the following great companies:

THE ESSENTIALS FOR MODERATE SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Awesome gear for every rider!

https://dukecannon.com/?rfsn=3578014.7da392

Ordinary Biker Oz YouTube Channel has video reviews and more

* I have personally ordered from and/or visited this business and based on my experiences I recommend this company. I have an affiliate relationship with this business, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!

# Based on reviews, word of mouth and discussion with others I recommend this company. I have an affiliate relationship with this business, which means if you follow this link and purchase, I will receive a small commission and will get to ride more!

Feedback on these businesses is appreciated. You may comment below.

HOME

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Scenic Roads #1 - #5

This is part 2 of 2 about my choice of the top ten scenic roads I have ridden.

Part 1 of 2 - Scenic Roads #6 - #10 post video

As stated in part 1 - "Scenic Roads" are roads with great views and/or wildlife viewing opportunities. These views are worth slowing down for and/or parking the bike to enjoy the surroundings for a moment. Some of the "roads" I have chosen are really combinations of roads fitting together as one ride/route.

5) Tennesse 165/ North Carolina 143 a.k.a. Cherohala Skyway - Map - 43 miles. The Cherohala Skyway runs from Tellico Plains, TN (860 feet) to the Santeetiah Gap (2,660 feet) north of Robbinsville, NC. The Santeetiah Overlook is the highest overlook of the Skyway at 5,390 feet. The Skyway has a great combination of twisties and sweeping curves. There are numerous overlooks along the road, each provides an awesome view of the Smoky Mountains. The Skyway runs though the Cherokee and Nantahala National Forests and very little signs of civilization are seen, other the road and the vehicles on it.

Cherohala Skyway on the NC side

4) Yellowstone National Park roads - Map - 310 miles of paved road. The roads in Yellowstone National Park provides the most diverse and unique scenery of any road I have traveled and of course home of the world famous Old Faithful. The park roads run through Lamar Valley, known as America's Serengeti because the amount of wildlife in the valley (the valley is home to bison, elk, wolves, and has the highest concentration of grizzly bears) and Hayden Valley, also home to a large amount of wildlife. Eagle Peak (11,358 ft - highest peak in YNP) and Mt. Washburn (10,219 ft) are two of the many awesome mountains in the park. Geysers, waterfalls, rivers, canyons, valleys, mountains, wildlife, wildflowers are all park of the experience as you ride through the park. The 45 mph speed limits and "bison jams" (everyone stops when they see wildlife) means there is not any knee dragging or floorboard scraping, but the views are great!

Lower Falls in the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone is spectacular

I really struggled on the order of the top 3 on my list. I kept switch them back and forth. I finally just had to make a decision - here it goes.

3) Colorado 550 a.k.a. Million Dollar Highway - Map - 70 miles. The official Million Dollar Highway is the 25 miles between Ouray and Silverton, but most people refer to the entire stretch from Durango to Ouray as the Million Dollar Highway. The road transverses (south to north) Coal Bank Pass (10,640 ft), Molass Pass (10,910 ft), and Red Mountain Pass (11,018 ft). CO 550 cuts through the Uncompahgre and San Juan National Forests and runs along the Animas River on the southern end. With steep cliffs, high road grades, narrow lanes, hairpin turns, sweeping curves, and a lack of guardrails caution and care is vital. The mountain peaks are plentiful and high. There are 13 mountains over 14,000 ft in the area. The historic towns of Ouray, Silverton, and Durango have a lot to offer including the famous Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. The views are breathtaking, so pull over and enjoy, there is not a lot of "forgiveness" on these mountain roads.

Million Dollar views and curves on CO 550

2) US 212 (Montana and Wyoming) a.k.a. The Beartooth Highway - Map - 67 miles (Red Lodge, MT - Cooke City, MT). Beartooth Highway crosses the Beartooth Mountains from Montana to Wyoming back to Montana with about 34 miles in Wyoming. Passing through parts of Shoshone National Forest and Custer National Forest the road zig zags up the mountain to the 10,947 foot Beartooth Pass and spectacular vistas. Some of the switchbacks are really sharp, but quite enjoyable. Near the pass the road levels off on a plateau offering views for miles (on a clear day)! Numerous lakes can be seen from the road including Beartooth Lake at 9,000 ft. Bear, wolf, mountain goat, and various species of birds have been seen in the area. A great place to stop for refreshments is the Top of the World Store and Resort. Enjoy a cold drink from the porch at 9,400 ft and soak in the view.

Oz leading the group on Beartooth Highway - July 2010

1) US 34 Colorado a.k.a. Trail Ridge Road (TRR) through Rocky Mountain National Park - Interactive Map - 64 miles (including Bear Lake Road and Moraine Ave). The combination of wildlife and views propelled Trail Ridge Road to the #1 spot. The amount of wildlife I have seen while traveling this road exceeds all others. Bighorn Sheep, elk, dear, coyote, and fox are common. Not as common is moose, but my son and I have seen three moose northeast of Grand Lake in the Kawuneeche Vallwy on two different occasions. TRR ascends above timberline to an altitude of 12,183 feet giving US 34 the distinction of being the highest continuous highway in America. TRR crosses the Continental Divide at Milner Pass (10,759 ft). TRR passes the Alpine Visitor Center which sits at 11,796 ft and has a restaurant, snack bar, gift shop, and restrooms, it is a great place to take a break and enjoy the surroundings. TRR overlooks west of Milner Pass provide views of the Colorado River Headwaters, Mount Ida (12,880 ft) and Kawuneeche Valley.

The sights are too numerous to mention all of them. This road is well traveled, but well worth the time. I think you find all 10 Scenic Roads great rides and you will take a lot of photos.

Link to video of Scenic Roads #1 - #5

Connect and follow Biker Oz on the following:

Please visit the following great companies:

THE ESSENTIALS FOR MODERATE SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Awesome gear for every rider!

Ordinary Biker Oz YouTube Channel has video reviews and more

Feedback on these businesses is appreciated. You may comment below.

HOME

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Epic Mountian Off-Road Trail in Colorado

My brother-in-law had been telling me for years how much fun and invigorating taking a jeep ride over the mountains in the San Juans near Ouray was. I decided to do just that during our annual Beat The Heat motorcycle trip this past summer (June '09). The guys and I rented two jeeps and tried it out ourselves.

We stayed 3 nights in cabins at the Ouray KOA, which is a great campground in a very pretty and quite area just north of Ouray. We rented the two jeeps at the campground and picked them up at 4:30 on Sunday June 14, '09 and returned them before 5pm the next day.

We left the KOA around 8 after breakfast and headed into town. We stocked up on snacks and drinks, after all there is not a Burger King on the Alpine Loop. :)

We drove south out of Ouray on US 550 for about 3+ miles and turn left on Country Road 878 a.k.a. The Alpine Loop. We left the nice paved road and began a day long adventure. (Photo of one of the jeeps and the DR 650 on the Alpine Loop)

Within the first 2 miles we hit some pretty big (by this amateur jeepist's standard) rocks and it was pretty rough, but became much better quickly.

What a road!

The vistas were great. To the south of us the snow covered Tuttle Mountain was visible. (picture above this paragraph.)

The trail continued to ascend up the mountains and we passed several abandoned mines and cabins including Mineral Point that was founded in 1873. Soon after passing Mineral Point we ascended above the timberline. Snow patches were plentiful and the higher we went the more snow there was. Snow melt made the road muddy in places and fed the mountain streams and falls.

Mineral Point

The closer to Engineer Pass the colder it got and the muddier the roads were. Prior to Engineer Pass there is a big pull off area named Oh! Point. There was plenty of room to park (room enough for our two jeep and ten 4-wheelers that arrived from Lake City on the east end of the Alpine Loop with room to spare). The view was spectacular. From Oh! Point we could see Engineer Pass and the road that continued east.

We continued to Engineer Pass (12,800 ft) in spite of one in our group who was having a difficult time with the sheer drop offs and narrow trails. At the pass we were rewarded with an amazing view, cold winds, a lot of snow and the thrill of making it to our destination. We enjoyed the moment and took several photos.

(Here is a l ink I found on Youtube of jeeps going to Engineer Pass that can give you an idea of the trail.)

We back tracked passed Oh! Point and headed to Animas Forks, an abandoned mining town. Animas Forks is a great ghost town and is at elevation of almost 11,200 feet. Several buildings are still standing. We walked around and in buildings. There is a lot history there. Animas Fork at one time had a newspaper known for being printed at the highest elevation for any newspaper. A record it still holds. (Photo below of some buildings in Animas Forks)

We continued west through California Gulch surrounded by snow. At times the snow banks on either side of the trail were 8-12 feet high! We passed Hurricane Peak (13,447 ft) and drove through Hurricane Pass and continued pass Red Mountain 1(12,592 ft) and down the appropriately named Corkscrew Gulch. (photo on the right was taken at the beginning of Corkscrew Gulch)

At the end of Corkscrew Gulch we come to US 550 and head back to Ouray. This was my first jeep outing in the mountains, but it will not be may last! My rating of the Alpine Loop and jeeping around the Ouray/Silverton area is:

The follow was written by the member of our group that rode his Suzuki DR 650 on the Alpine Loop.

When we began planning the trip to Colorado, my first thought was - "At last, I get to try my dual-sport bike on some real terrain". Remember, we live in flat North Texas. The trade-off was doing all the highway riding on it. But a 650 dual sport isn't at all bad on the road, up to the legal speed. So the DR was my weapon of choice.

How did it work out? In a word, fantastic!

Feeling a bit cautious when we started off on the jeep trail, I positioned myself between the two jeeps. That way, I wouldn't get lost, and if I fell down the other guys could help me up (after they ran over me...).

I soon found that my comfortable speed on the bike was considerably faster that that of the jeeps. They have all those extra wheels to maneuver over rocks and such. So after about a half mile, I went ahead of them and rode at a nice pace until I was a few minutes ahead. Then I stopped and "smelled the roses" while they caught up. This worked out great for me, and I was able to take some photos of the jeeps.

It was big fun, bouncing up the gravel roads, climbing the inclines, generally acting like I knew what I was doing. Until... I came to one particularly sharp and sloping switchback. I tried to take the inside of the curve without stopping, and dumped the bike. I had been riding a while, was out of breath, and the bike was lying with the tires pointing uphill, so I was unable to pick it up. So, I sat on it until the jeep guys got there and gave me a hand. One crash - not so bad.

On the way to Engineer Pass, we went through an area where the road cut through some big snow banks, with snow on both sides, and some in the wheel tracks. I was pretty careful, and made it to the pass, after meeting a group of ATV riders in the narrow snowy part. Yikes.

I waited at the pass, since that was our turnaround point. After everyone arrived and we finished taking triumphal photographs, we headed back the way we came.

I was feeling more competent on the snowy road and went a little faster. I road ahead to Animas Forks where we spent some time looking around the old abandoned mining town. We continued on through California Gulch and up to California Pass (12,9300 ft). After California Pass I road toward Hurricane Pass and I was feeling good - Whoops - off into the ditch and up against the snow bank I went. Needless to say, I was glad to be riding on the uphill side of the road. Well, two crashes, and nothing broken. Not too bad. Since the bike was just leaning into the snow bank, I extracted it without help and went on.

After passing Hurricane Pass I road toward Corkscrew Gulch. I was heading down a long, straight, wet grade when I realized there was a stoppage ahead. Three guys on dirt bikes had stopped in the road because they had met two vehicles coming up and couldn't figure out how to pass. I was cruising downhill at a fair clip, and discovered that tires don't grip as good going downhill as on level ground. I slid to a stop just as I reached the three bikers, at the same time my rear tire tried to pass the front - and performed a slow high-side onto the gravel road right in front of the whole group. They were kind - they asked if I were ok and helped me pick the bike up without even chortling. Fortunately, the jeep guys were far enough back to miss the show.

Three crashes - and that last one kind of stung a little. I guess I'm not such a great off-road rider after all! But I learned a lot, and had a blast doing it! I was very glad I chose two wheels instead of four for exploring the mountains of Colorado. The DR-650 proved to be the perfect companion for my adventure.

Ride carefully and prayerfully!

Top Five Oz Videos

Connect and follow Biker Oz on the following:

Ordinary Biker Oz YouTube Channel has video reviews and more

Christian Motorcyclists Association

Come Ride With Us

Please visit the following great companies:

THE ESSENTIALS FOR MODERATE SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Feedback on these businesses is appreciated. You may comment below.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." - Proverbs 3:5-6

HOME

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Top 5 Videos On Biker Oz YouTube Channel

Tuesday, February 13, 2024

Two Wheels to Train Tracks

Friday, January 3, 2020

Why a Motorcycle Blog - Revisited

Saturday, November 17, 2012

Scenic Roads #1 - #5

Tuesday, January 19, 2010

Epic Mountian Off-Road Trail in Colorado