Hi, David here from the Denver area in Colorado.  I've been a longtime lurker here at DMF and decided to sign up finally because you can only sit in the wings for so long.  I started riding with the MSF course about a year ago, and I've been riding a Virago 250 since then (looking to upgrade in the very near future).  It's a pleasure to be here. 

Welcome    Denver is one of my favorite cities in the country - like it so much I keep a bike at a friend's place there and fly out to ride every so often. 

The front range has some of the best mountain riding you'll find in the country, maybe the world.  Truly a special place. The off road riding in the area is even better 

Starting with MSF and a reasonable machine is quite smart of you -- consider an advanced riding course or track school to go along with your (presumably) soon to be new to you monster

Front range.. bah! Go to the real mountains - just don't fall off the sides.

I used to (long ago) live up in the mountains before my family moved back east. After my dad retired they moved back to Red Stone. Little place on the crystal river - about equidistant to Glenwood Springs or Aspen as the car flies.

hehe, I've ridden pretty much all the major ranges in Colorado.  Imo the roads in the front range are really excellent.  Not that other areas aren't also quite nice.  Last summer I spent a delightful two weeks riding all over the Gunnison and Aspen areas.  Did ya know you can ride all dirt from gunnison to aspen, including right on down the ski mountain -- totally legal and legit. 

Quote from: bikepilot on August 17, 2011, 02:04:58 PM
Did ya know you can ride all dirt from gunnison to aspen, including right on down the ski mountain -- totally legal and legit. 

I did not know that.  Have to try it some time. 

Quote from: bikepilot on August 17, 2011, 02:04:58 PM
hehe, I've ridden pretty much all the major ranges in Colorado.  Imo the roads in the front range are really excellent.  Not that other areas aren't also quite nice.  Last summer I spent a delightful two weeks riding all over the Gunnison and Aspen areas.  Did ya know you can ride all dirt from gunnison to aspen, including right on down the ski mountain -- totally legal and legit. 

In fact, you can drive from Telluride nearly to the front range off road if you have the proper logistics. Land Rover ran The Great Divide Expedition as a driving school for several years in the '90's. 620 miles in six days, 8 AM to 6 PM with mostly five star hotels or five star camping. Did a few as an instructor. Look familiar? Not a Nissan commercial. Don't try this at home!  http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lambroving/Miscellany/Great+Divide/

Quote from: bikepilot on August 17, 2011, 02:04:58 PM
Did ya know you can ride all dirt from gunnison to aspen, including right on down the ski mountain -- totally legal and legit. 

I did!

If you get out that way and have a dirt or dual sport, check out the lead king basin roads. In particular look up the Crystal Mill
http://www.ghosttowngallery.com/htme/crystal.htm
- beyond Marble (where the quarry for the national monuments like the Lincoln is) is 4WD/ off road only. It's single (auto) track beyond Marble. I was up there one time and some idiot in a caddy sedan had ignored the signs and was high centered on a rock. Lucky he was in a pull off area, not in the middle of the track. There's a few spots where it just goes down down down in the outside.

Cool!  Its already on the list for my next visit.  The keeper of my CO dirt machine has scoped it out and even sent me a pic of that Lost Horse Mill right there on/in the river.  Can't wait.     We mostly hit up trails that aren't cage friendly, but sometimes if the scenery is sufficiently awesome will do Jeep/4x4 trails -- like Redcone/Webster -- love that place.

(I've got a pimped out, street legal '01 CR250R that resides in Parker Co.)

Quote from: bikepilot on August 18, 2011, 08:50:28 AM
Cool!  Its already on the list for my next visit.  The keeper of my CO dirt machine has scoped it out and even sent me a pic of that Lost Horse Mill right there on/in the river.  Can't wait.     We mostly hit up trails that aren't cage friendly, but sometimes if the scenery is sufficiently awesome will do Jeep/4x4 trails -- like Redcone/Webster -- love that place.

(I've got a pimped out, street legal '01 CR250R that resides in Parker Co.)

bikepilot

That mill is probably the most professionally photographed spot in CO.  http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lambroving/Miscellany/Academy_1993/Basalt_Mill.jpg.html

A short distance farther down that track you'll find a narrow rocky track to the left which will lead up to a dead end and little meadow. It does have a great view which few will see. I had to hang off the door of a Range Rover over the abyss to grab this though. It's THAT narrow.  Remind me how much I dislike digital cameras... (Stillvideo) http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lambroving/Miscellany/Academy_1993/Behind_Sopris.jpg.html

Farther up, just below Schofield Pass it looked like this but I understand the sky is no longer this blue that often, even at altitude, because of the coal-fired power plants in the lower Southwest. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lambroving/Miscellany/Academy_1993/Marble_Stream_1.jpg.html

From there you can take the pass on your bike over to Crested Butte. We never used this route not only because it can be very dangerous and technical with 4WD, depending on the previous winter, and because there is a long shelf road with no room anywhere to pass another vehicle. The Rangers will also not issue a permit for multiple vehicles. There is fuel in Crested Butte, so you could ride back to your trailer. Alternately, you could ride Italian Creek shelf road over American Flag peak, down into Taylor Park (Incidentally, Malcolm Smith has a VERY remote cabin around there.) and over Taylor Pass into Aspen where they could pick you up. It looks like this at 12,900'. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lambroving/Miscellany/Academy_1993/American_Flag_1.jpg.html

Since you mentioned that you rode against him, I noted last PM that Fred Hoess managed his 15th ISDE Gold Medal in Finland. So far I could only find this snao of him at the opening ceremony carrying the flag. Not bad for a 45-year-old man of steel! http://www.flickr.com/photos/moottoriliitto/6045002703/#sizes/l/in/photostream/

Best Regards!

William

Awesome info, thanks!

I did this bit last summer and very much enjoyed it.  My congrats to Mr. Hoess.

QuoteAlternately, you could ride Italian Creek shelf road over American Flag peak, down into Taylor Park (Incidentally, Malcolm Smith has a VERY remote cabin around there.) and over Taylor Pass into Aspen where they could pick you up. It looks like this at 12,900'. http://gallery.leica-users.org/v/lambroving/Miscellany/Academy_1993/American_Flag_1.jpg.html