To start, the BDR is the ‘Backroads Discovery Route’. Most states and regions have them and they are geared towards off road riding. Some, let’s say not to smart people, choose to do them on very large Adventure bikes.
So, we set out to leave at 7 and got out at 7:30 to ride our very large Adventure motorcycles on section 4 of the Colorado BDR. (See above mentioned label).
We head out to the start which was about 1.5 hours away. We found the “entrance” and stared through. It was a bit sandy, but we had heard that. We hit our first water crossing and all 3 of us made it through.
Then we were shown the real sand. Danger and Harv were peddling through it and I stood up on the pegs. I thought I was doing well , until I wasn’t. The end result was my GS Adventure taking a nap.
No harm no foul. It happens. Not usually to me, but it happens. I’m seasoned enough to know once it is going to go over, to just get out of the way. the sand was soft so it had a soft landing. There will be video to come shortly when I can get to a computer to edit it.
Harv and Danger came to help get it upright and then as they got to their bikes and I arrived, it decided it wasn’t rested enough and took another nap.
Again they helped and I started paddling forward determined to keep going. While we were talking about possibly turning around,I decided to try. That lasted about 3 feet and the bike was again taking a nap.
At this point (and you can see from Dangers video) they had both gotten their bikes stuck so I walked back down to them to help. By the time I got there Dan was out and we all pushed Harv out.
We all walked up to where my bike was laying on its side, got it upright and they decided to hike up ahead to see how much further the sand was. It turned out that I was pretty close to the end of it, so we decided it was better to just continue.
At this point they had figured out the sand and I went first in case “it” happened again. Well it didn’t.
We got onto normal none sand off roading and continued on until we got to the road again. From there we decided the worst was behind us and we continued with the idea to make it to Leadville for lunch.
All was good, we ran into some cows and unfortunately some cow patties, then as we were climbing up a pass. Harv decided the road went right up a hill. I had already passed the turn so had to back up. They went up the hill and I then attempted it. It had big pot holes and I didn’t have enough steam to get through them. One kicked me off the side and almost off the ledge, but I stopped and called up to them that I was stuck. Not fallen, just in a precarious position.
After helping me out of the hole and burning up my clutch I got to the top and we started to follow this trail. It was doubling back and at that point Harv realized we were on an electric company path that circled back to the road we were just on.
From there, we made it out of the BDR and into Leadville for a late lunch. We then headed the hour back to the house. It was a long, tiring day at altitude. Mostly above 10k feet and sometimes up near 12k, but we all made it back safe, had dinner at the house and have been telling many tales.
Tomorrow Harv leaves us and the 5 left are heading to Pikes Peak.
Phat Barstewards 