The final map of the Jeremiah Johnson Tour

2,804 miles–Pikes Peak conquered

JJ Tour-Day 8 -576 miles

TOTAL TRIP – 2,804 miles
12> 89>9> 15S> 18W> 148> 14N> 126> 101N. (Home sweet home)

I woke up to popcorn and sprinkles.

An early morning ride into Zion National Park. The 12 is a fantastic road filled with pine trees and of course the sweet smell that accompanies them. The 89 was more of the same.

Once in Zion the views did not disappoint. Bernadette decided that Zion belonged to her just as Bryce belonged to Dash in 2012.

Here she is at her spot

Zion is beautiful but my favorite is still Bryce

And my favorite…I’m a sucker for a tunnel cut into the earth

So all in all I rode through 4 states today (Utah, Arizona, Nevada, and my beloved California). Fifteen minutes from home it was the smell of the ocean that made me grateful for all that I had experienced over the past week +.

The meditative value can never be under stated however it is the fear that drives me. Motorcycling reminds me that my petty fears are nothing compared to the fear of tackling Pikes Peak. I do this so that I know that what I think are big obstacles are truly nothing but stepping stones.

No fear. No regrets.

2015 brings me to Canada and this time across to Montana or the Dakotas.

Here is the final mileage

See you in October where Dash and I will be in the Sierra Mountain’s

JJ tour- Day 7- 318 miles of pure twisty

191S>95W>24W>12W. (Bryce, Utah)

I woke up to Utah, a solo ride, and the rain. And where is my rain suit? Melted and disposed of long ago. Well, honestly I would not have put it on anyway.

As I was leaving Monticello a fellow biker struck up a conversation with me. As he was leaving he asked:
“Are you going south?”
“Yes” I replied
“I hear there is a monsoon coming in the south”
Me, thinking, what the heck is a monsoon? That can’t be good. I reply, “Big weather.”
My biker friend just laughed and roared away.

This is what I saw as I rode toward the “monsoon”

So into the rain I rode and picked up the nicest 3 Scenic By Ways ever. The first was the 95

The Colorado River was very dry

Once on the 24 I entered Capital Reef State Park. What a lovely area.

The next road was the 12 (my favorite of the 3). It smelled like newly cut grass. Pine trees everywhere. They simply sprung up from the sides of the road and surrounded the bike.

This was taken at Loeb Hollow

Finally at Bryce National Park. Here is the scene outside of my hotel room

As if today couldn’t get better a fantastic thunder and lightening storm is happening right out my window. I love the sound of thunder and falling rain. Bernadette is going to get a bit wet but she has a cover.

Tomorrow a visit of Bryce, a ride through Zion, and then pushing to Primm, Nevada.

JJ Tour- Day 6- 331 miles

133>92W>50W>141S>491. (Monticello, Utah)

The day began with us leaving Glenwood Springs and picking up the 133. It was a lovely ride with a stream of water beside us the entire ride. Long sweeping curves it was turning out to be a fine morning.

Once in Hotchkiss Colorado Laura’s bike was going beseerk. No electrics and of course we had to push start it. We are getting a lot of exercise push starting this bike. Rick rode it into Delta CO. Unfortunately the generator is dead and the part has to ship from Arkansas and won’t be in until Friday afternoon. This is where we had to separate and now I am a solo act (pretty used to that) but it will not be the same without them.

I picked up the 50 west (yes the same 50 that I rode in 2012). And yes it is the same long, straight rode it was in Nevada. Nothing spectacular here but it was a nice way to forget about being alone on roads I never picked and know nothing about. Also, I didn’t have to listen to Rick’s exhaust hahaha

I picked up the 141 south. Another water source right beside me. It was comforting.

As the road continued, without end, without a house or town or anyone in sight I began to get increasingly worried. Where was gas? Would I be stranded? Would my bike suddenly break down? Ugh. Too many fears. So I concentrated on the beauty around me

That worked for awhile. Then I day dreamed. Then I got scared. Then I day dreamed…on and on for 130 miles until FINALLY a town. People. Gas.
I went in to ask how far to the 491 and the two ladies were very nice. As I was leaving this was the conversation…
“Watch out for the elk”
“Yes they are coming down lower this year”
Me, “Elk?”
“Yes”
Me, “Big animals.”
Them, silently staring at me and I believe they were thinking “what an idiot”

70 some miles later I was in Utah

Tomorrow Bryce Canyon

JJ Tour- day 5- 266 miles

24W>82W. (Glenwood Springs)

I woke up to yet another day of dead batteries. We got a super late start while we dropped Laura and her bike off at a Kawasaki dealer to get yet another battery.
Rick and I went off to Pikes Peak without Laura who seemed pleased that she would have a few hours of alone time with her book.

We finally arrived at Pike’s Peak Americas Mountain.

A few fun facts:
The road is 19.5 miles long. It has more than 160 turns (it’s the hairpin switchbacks that scare the heck out of me- and where are the guard rails?). It is at an altitude of 14,115 feet above sea level.

The first thing we saw was this Sasquatch sign….awwww

Then the real fun began.

Honestly…no guard rails? Maybe this wasn’t the best idea to work on my fear of heights. I should have started smaller. It was a terrifying ride to the top once we hit mile 14. Those decreasing radius turns behind slower than molasses cars was nerve wracking. But nothing untoward occurred so that is good.

These are the turns I was talking about. This was maybe one of twenty.

Once we got to the top of the summit I literally asked Rick if we were there yet. I was so happy to hear we had made it unscathed. Once there I pulled my bike in front of the official monument. I didn’t really care if it said no cars. This was Bernadette and she would not be denied. The whole JJ trip was around this one moment.

All I can say is this began a rash of motorcyclists lining up with their most beloved.

Here is the view going down the mountain (which was surprisingly easier than the ascent )

Once we picked up Laura with her now good as new ride we headed on the 24 west (which is much like the US50 except prettier). Here the blue sky loomed just out of reach while cumulus clouds floated leisurely above.

The next road was the 82 west or Independence Pass. Again another lovely road and it smelled sweet as we rode along it to our final destination Glenwood Springs

Settling into the Hotel Colorado was amazing. Apparently Doc Holliday died here. It is so filled with history.

WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS
Some such bug flew up my right sleeve and was biting the heck out of me. Hard to stop that while going 75 mph.
The second was a winged creature that found its way into my helmet. Ugh.
The last was the smallest chipmunk ever. He (or she) just pranced around at the road edge. A nervous little thing.

Tomorrow we end in Utah.

The last picture of the day

JJ Tour- day 4- 350 miles

550>50E>115N>24W. (Manitou Springs)

I woke up to Colorado and the Durango to Silverton locomotive.

As we drove out of Durango Rick was having GoPro problems so we stopped along the rode to fix the issue.

Then began almost 200 miles of twisties. Finally! Just beautiful scenery and fantastic riding. The pine trees were so prolific they just engulfed you in a feeling of reverence and safety.

From Silverton to Ouray Colorado reminded me of the 154 if the 154 had lots of pine trees- but the road how it twisted and snaked about was just like it

As we left the 550 and picked up the 50 my beloved water appeared. I really miss the water–

Once in Gunnison we stopped for a photo opportunity. It was a quaint little town. I would have liked to stay there for a day and explore

Back on the road, for what appeared to me to be no reason, Rick and Laura pulled me over. Laura had noticed smoke from my rear tire and thought I had a flat. Rick thought I had blown my engine (geesh jump to the worst case scenario!). When he told me what happened I knew my pannier had come off. Sure enough there it was lodged between my tire and frame. I lost my rain gear (it literally melted) and the pannier which also melted. But my gloves and my bike cover were unscathed. It could have been a lot worse.

Here is some of my melted gear

The rest of the ride was simply this:

Our last stop before Pikes Peak was manitou springs. It was there that Laura’s battery died-again. Another 3 hours later we had it repaired (the positive wire bolt had stripped and we needed to get it replaced (not a simple task on Labor Day). But replaced it was and we arrived safely at a hotel in the dark of night.

WILDLIFE SIGHTINGS
The first was a sweet little prairie dog or wood chuck or wood rat (I don’t know what it was but it wasn’t a squirrel or gopher). It never crossed the road that I saw–it just stared at us all sassy.

The second was a beautiful deer about 30 feet in front of me. It bounded across the two lane road so gracefully. Seemingly only focused on the present- not a care or concern for the past or future.

Tomorrow Pikes Peak and the reason for the trip!

JJ Tour – day 3 –343 miles

89E>98>160E>491N>550. (Durango, Colorado)

I woke up to Utah.

On part of our ride a coyote jogged across the road, well it was more like trotted…well actually it was more of a saunter. He then took up his post amongst the scrub grass and stared. He was adorable.

We drove through Arizona for the 5th time and continued on to the 98 and then 160. The wind was constant coming from my right. Literally my shoulder was being beaten by the wind. But at least it wasn’t cross winds which feel like they are going to knock you off the road as your bike actually slides left and right.

Here are the Baby Rocks of Arizona.

As we rolled toward Four Corners the red dirt/sand gently drifted across the black top. The contrast is mesmerizing until of course the red dirt/sand gets too robust and blows upward into your helmet. It’s like making cotton candy you just have to let it twirl and squint until it is over. As we closed into Four Corners the wind truly kicked up and soon the cross wind joined the fray. Luckily it only lasted for about 5 miles. And then we were there.

At Four Corners Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah all meet up (or so they say).

After grabbing some lunch and of course a Four Corner pin off we went to Ouray Colorado. Or so we thought. Laura’s battery died and we push started it only for it to die once again as we were about 20 miles from Cortez. No luck push starting it. So some nice police officers appeared out of no where and a tow truck was dispatched.

While waiting took a lovely picture of the view.

Three hours later a new battery was secured and off we went to Durango to spend the night and push on to Colorado Springs tomorrow.

Some pictures of the view on the way to Durango. Just a lovely ride