Mid October Round Up

First day of the retreat was a bit snowy

Winter in the desert is just around the corner now. Mountains are getting snow and the passes are all yucky. I took a quick trip to Ft Collins and got some snow and mud on me. I spent the weekend in retreat with friends and became fully illuminated one morning (it wore off by lunch).

I’m a fully illuminated being. Big thanks to Robert for catching the moment

I’ve also been playing with my Mini-ADV bike. The all-new Husqie Adventure-450 is turning out to be a lot of fun and is keeping me from paying attention to my mountain bike. Friends and I are planning to ride in Idaho next summer, we’ve named it rIdaho. That’ll be a hoot!

Fall day at the Monument

In other news Truck 2.0 turned 300,000 miles this month. I spent a few hours and dollars chasing down a coolant leak, and a fuel leak but we seem to have that all sorted now.

Truck 2.0 turns 300,000
Glamor-shot of the Husqie Adventure-450 in the Colorado Nat’l Monument
Delightful fall day on the Monument
North of Baxter pass near cow-lake (named for all the cows nearby)
About 1/2-way up Baxter pass road. Looks like an old southwestern school house

I bought a new toy

As you recall I spent some time riding adventure bikes this summer and I decided to go ahead and buy one for next summer (plus this fall, winter, and next spring!) I got a mini-adventure bike instead of the big Africa Twin I rented for that summer ride

The Husqie Adventure-450 on trails in the Book Cliffs

The Husqie Adventure-450 is about 280 pounds lighter than the Africa Twin (250 vs 530). I can pick this bike up if it falls and it is a lot more maneuverable for the UTV and jeep trails that criss-cross the desert. I’ve spent a few weeks looking for a route to Moab that I can ride. The Kokopelli goes that way, but parts of it are above my ability. I have a dream trip of riding over to Moab one day and coming back the next. I also want to ride the White Rim Trail in Canyonlands NP. Maybe this year. Could be next year

Kitty is taking riding lessons. Vroom! Vroom!

I have been skunked a few times on my attempts to make loops out of 4×4 roads. The Husqie Adventure-450 is street legal and can go highway speeds so I can always hit the pave to get around, but I prefer dirt roads

This would make a great trials section, but it’s a no-go for the Husqie and me. This is a 4×4 connector trail I tried to make a loop with