Early Saturday morning. I should be asleep. But something gets me up - not the cat asking for food. I decide to get my Craig's list posting ready. I need a pic of my beloved Ariel. I get dressed, pull on a sweatshirt and go downstairs to uncover my girl.
The lighting is all wrong. Now that its not summer, the sun is lighting her hind end - not exactly the most flattering angle on any fem. I take a pic
and then start her up. mmm, the battery is a little low, guess we need to go for a ride.
And thus starts a photo shoot, lead peeping series of rides.
Careful, if you are sensitive, these scooter pics might be too much. I warned you :)
OK, which is your favorite?
Then I found a Forest Service road that led somewhere unknown...
I rush home. Everyone on the road is in a good mood and we wave. I roust my DH from bed - YOU MUST SEE THESE TREES - THEY ARE AMAZING!!! Half hour later we are on the road...
The traffic is getting thick
A lemonade stand! Along Peak to Peak!
We go back out today for some backroad investigation
dang, the wind knocked down some leaves
The grasses have taken on a subtle shade of tan-brown
uh oh, clouds
staying hydrated in the wind
We ride to Rollinsville and Tolland Road. The leaves are not totally changed
Our packing list for a three day motorcycle trip in the summer for two people. We packed our bulky stuff into reusable grocery bags which fit very nicely into the side cases. Bob wore a backpack and I had a tank bag. I chose not to take the top box because it was going to be windy on the plains and I didn't want to fight the wind more than I needed to.
I wore: boots wool socks mesh & armor overpants bicycle shorts t-shirt riding jacket earplugs (I wore them when we were getting onto the highway, in-town riding I need to be able to hear the traffic around me) sunglasses gauntlet leather gloves helmet
In tank bag good camera w/ 10-20mm wide angle lens water snack microfiber cloth baseball cap maps (on top) GPS (on top)
Ram mount w/ small camera w/ tether
Take with (side cases): other maps book camera bag w/ 100-300mm lens, macro 50mm, camera goodies camera (2) +cell chargers, plus batteries toiletries + bug spray sunglasses case w/ cleaner rain jacket + waterproof pants liners poly-pro sweater 1 extra t-shirt, undies, socks, etc sandals
plus evening wear jeans nice shirt jewelry
food / water 2 liters / person gorp kashi bars apples choc covered almonds
trash bags - 1 / side case v. large ziplock for camera
tools etc coolant oil tire gauge 6-way screwdriver w/ torx bits adjustable wrench zip ties duct tape velcro ties bungee cell phone
I brought too much stuff - too much clothing really. The torx driver was well worth having since we needed to check our coolant levels daily (and there are 6 screws to remove). And while we didn't need any extra tools, when riding on dirt roads in National Forests with limited cell coverage, being a bit prepared is a good thing to do.
OK then. We decided to a suite of dirt rides since it was Labor Day weekend and the last place we really wanted to be was on the main roads.
So, off we go for a quick jaunt up to the old Caribou town site. This 'ghost' town had been the home of some 5000 souls and the Caribou Silver Mine. Now, it has just a few ruins from the late 1800's.
A very nice ride up a fairly well maintained dirt road, with occasional stretches of bedrock peeking through is rewarded by spectacular views. We were surprised to find the trees changing color so early in September.
And then off to Sawmill Rd...
This one shows the real steepness of the road. With sharp drop offs. No pressure. Really.
Back to Apex...
It turns out that the cemetery (the Catholic one) has a number of interesting gravestones.
This one is Woodman of World.
A complete section of Italian graves. So many people died young in the mines...
And this structure we thought might be a tomb, but perhaps its for holding the lime?
Rest in peace yea brave miners and families of yester-year
Nevada City feels like it should be alive and yet there's one family house that I could see
Well - shoot! This is supposed to be pic #1, where are trips often begin.
