Pikes Peak is the ultimate tourist trap. Although there are over 50 similarly sized mountains in Colorado, this is the first you encounter when migrating from the East. It’s famous for being big and famous. It’s a long drive out and up to the top, a windy peak with viewpoints so high as to make poor photographs, too little air to breath and a shop full of food knick-knacks. So of course it was totally on my to-do list and I took the ride up above 14,000 feet on Saturday (October 8th).
Author: Chris
First Week in Denver
I’ve been having a great time here in Denver. My plan is to spend two weeks here, my insanely generous friends have been hosting me and I’ve had a great time hanging out with them, snuggling their pets and exploring their fun city.
The Shereen & Megan Count (October 7th Edition)
I can’t even remember how this came up, but at some point I was told to start keeping track of Important Numbers.
| Days on Trip: | 21 |
| Miles: | 2,300 |
| Wet Rides: | 5 |
| Absolute Soakings: | 2 |
| States Visited: | 10 |
| Capitol Buildings Visited: | 3 |
| Local Beverages Sampled (unique types, let’s not discuss total count): | 21 |
| Local Beverages per State: | 2.1 |
| Distinct Lodgings: | 8 |
| Average Unique Pets Snuggled per Stay: | 1 |
| Scooter Parts Damaged: | 4 |
Where the Bison-o Roam
I woke up refreshed on Sunday morning and enjoyed the first Airbnb where the final “b” actually meant breakfast. My hosts recommended the train depot in downtown Cheyenne and the Terry Bison Ranch on my way to Denver.
Needles to Nebraska to Nearly Tipping
Saturday (October 1st) saw me packed, up and riding before the chill had left the air. I had a long day’s ride planned: a meandering route heading west into Custer State Park to ride Needles Highway, then down into Nebraska before finally back west to my room for the night in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Wall, South Dakota
I originally ended up in Wall, South Dakota because it looked close to the Badlands on a map and still had an affordable place to spend a week at. It’s a tiny town, made up mainly of stuff near Wall Drug, which is a different blog post. I had a bunch of small moments in Wall, nothing worth a post of its own, but perhaps together a series of vignettes and thoughts.
Badlands
The Badlands are amazing. It’s hard to know what to say about them, I spent a few afternoons and evenings exploring them, doing some small hiking and just taking it all in. Scrambling up rocks, watching the sunset, hanging out with prairie dogs, watching the stars gaze silently back; it was all delightful.
Wall Drug
So not only is Wall conveniently located 8 miles away from the entrance to the Badlands, there’s also a little tourist attraction called Wall Drug here. Perhaps you’ve heard of it?
Crossing South Dakota
When last we left, I was sitting in a gas station in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. I knew my destination was in the neighborhood just down the road, my waterlogged cell phone with directions had fizzled out, and it was still raining. I rode into the subdivision thinking I had a vague idea of the street name and might remember the number. Turns out there are two streets with the same name, one was a Lane and one a Place and both had addresses that could have been correct, and I was a bit fuzzy on the last digit anyways. Also, each house had four units. Blast.
Earplugs
At times like this I wonder, “who am I expecting to read this blog?” I have no idea. It’s time for a post about earplugs.
If you ride motorbikes for any length of time you eventually read, are told or just figure out that the wind noise is loud and constant and that you should wear earplugs. Driving in the city it’s not too bad, but you get to any decent speed and it starts to get LOUD. That’s assuming your bike isn’t super loud to begin with.