No Man's Ride - Day 4

Day Four – Grand Junction, CO to Pueblo, CO

CBS affiliate local Channel 8 News Grand Junction was the first on the scene to see the ladies off. Packed up suited up and ready to ride, Channel 8 rolled footage as the MAD MAPS crew cruised out of the hotel parking lot. Continuing eastbound as Hwy 50 departs the expressway and reclaims its twisty road roots. A slight deviation from the plan leaves part of the group in Montrose Colorado where Essa caught the attention of one of Colorado’s finest. After the exchange of personal information and complete explanation of the MAD Adventure he begrudgingly let her go with a warning. Outside of Montrose, Hwy 50 sneaks by the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park and into the Rocky Mountains. Rob Pemble found a great outdoor lunch spot near a creek in the foothills of the Mountains. Riders were all fueled up and ready to make the climb up and over Monarch Pass. Rain clouds along the peaks threatened to wash out the riders as they neared the pass. Not more than 30 seconds after Diana uttered, “I smell rain,” did the drops begin to fall. It wasn’t a wash out as predicted; all of 17 drops of rain fell, arguably the bikes’ second bath. Winding down out of the Rocky Mountains was a delight as the road hugged the banks of the Arkansas River. The descent from the mountains was spectacular, the road caught between craggy cliff walls to the right and the raging river to the left. The river led the road down and out of the mountains then took its leave as we reconvened in Canon City, Co.

Only 60 miles from the hotel from where we stood in Canon City and less than 6 miles from the Royal Gorge the group was at a quandary. So, as any tight woven group would, we split up. Jenny and AeLeah headed to the hotel to relax and the rest of us headed for the Royal Gorge. Carla took tomtom and headed to the south entrance while the others headed to the other side to film her coming across the “highest suspension bridge in the world.” At 1,053 feet above the Arkansas River, the bridge at Royal Gorge is in fact the highest. The camera was rolling and all eyes were on Carla as she made her way across the rickety wood slatted bridge. Somewhere about the middle she cut the engine and peered through the slats of wood at the thin blue line of the Arkansas River below. Just barely visible next to the river lies a train track; train rides in the gorge as well as tram rides above are included as part of the admission price. And if that weren’t enough, they offer bungee jumping: you are flung over the side, attached to a rubber band of the gorge, purely for entertainment purposes. Already having all the fun we could possibly have we took a pass and headed for the hotel^—all but for Carla, who stayed and visited the bottom of the Gorge.

It was spa day for the motorcycles, well two of them at least. The V-Strom and Burgman received the works, including an oil extraction, cleanse, and oil renewal. Both bikes came away from the spa treatment purring like kittens. Thank you pit team!