Fri 13 Aug
Idaho Springs by the look of it, is an abandoned mining town, mainstreet about the size of Marton
a row of old shops jammed haphazardly together in frontier like topsy fashion
near forgotten, in a canyon, tucked away under Interstate 70 with its incessant flow of traffic between Denver Rockies.
With a short ride for the day, we've arrived early.
The team are taking the opportunity to relax, wash bikes, and compare adventures.
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| Near Cameron Pass |
For a few its a chance to recover from the high altitude experienced as we crossed two high passes getting here
Cameron, 10,256', and Berthoud at 11,315'
the wind a bit gusty up there too.
Sam told me he noticed I was hugging the centre line for preference to the unrailed cliff-side
about the same time I noticed in my mirror, him doing the same thing.
A km or so walk to the shops didnt come easy either, I think I saw on a welcome to town sign, alt 8000'.
A local asked us what we'd stopped there for, saying jokingly, dont tell me it was for the farmers market...
a small collection of local vendors doing their best to add joy to the town.
But its cool up here, and we dont have to rely on aircon in our rooms
cheaper accommodation that does better during the ski season taking the overflow from the expensive resorts
like Steamboat's (ski-field) sign, among others, we passed on the way.
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| Stanley Hotel |
Also took in the Stanley Hotel at Estes Park
and a few others he penned getting their inspiration from the supposed haunted halls.
The Stanley
Previous night's stopover was at Ft Collins.
A mexican cafe a few doors down from the motel was the scene of one of our most hilarious nights last year.
Like the girl at the beer cart in Sturgis, some things are still here, others arent,
this cafe was, the food again simple mexican, and great
but nobody in the group in the mood for margaritas by the jug.
I had to be satisfied with just a glass myself, and an unwanted first sampling of one of the others.
The barman shouted us a parting shot of tequila.
Kiwis are well known round here, there's a Daniel somebody I couldnt put a face-name to
a runner at Colorado State Uni, just along the street.
Our barman told us he'd had 3 jobs in the last 2 years, and has had to work harder each job change.
By and large americans work pretty hard...
two weeks annual holiday, if youre lucky, with no under-pinning holiday legislation
or adult minimum wage, starting around $8.50 per hour he said,
or $5/hr if in a good tipping position.
We heard on the news, home mortgage foreclosures across USA
unemployment up to 12 million,
which spread over the 380m total pop dosent sound too bad?
On the other hand, the auto industry's doing pretty good
GM heading for a best year ever, one of the others thought he heard.
TV ads exhort you to get a Dodge Ram 3500 pickup, pay nothing for 60 day trial
give it back if you dont like it.
Other TV ads tell you 40% of motorcycle accidents occur at intersections, please be aware of motorcyclists, still others pursue the motorcycle insurance market.
Great to be part of a respected interest group, rather than the bane of motorist selfishness in back-home NZ.
Accidents we've seen or heard of here have quite a circumstantial underlying cause
4 of the Sturgis related deaths happened when the group of 4 pulled onto the shoulder just over a rise.
Coming the same way was an 18 wheeler who pulled over to let a following queue of motors through
at speed of course, coming over the rise and cleaning up the bikes and the bikers.
The good old american boys have a dangerous penchant too, to ride in close formation.
We see several, 2 abreast, up to 4 or 5 deep, at hardly 2 bikes interval.
Defensive driving technique goes a long way toward self preservation, and this dosent fit description.
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| Mt Rushmore, backside |
It was a long run down from Rapid City
but all agree on Crazy Horse Monument
sculptor Korszcak's lifetime work to immortalize the great chief, "my land is where my people are buried"
the granite mountain carving will dwarf Rushmore several times.
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| Crazy Horse, the model & the mountain |
Estimated another 40 years to completion, the work being carried on by 8 next in line of the family.
With tourist traffic so huge, one cant imagine too much blasting being done during the summer season.
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| Bison, Wind Cave Natl park |
Also saw 3 herds of bison, of I guess around 200 each, calves at foot
although their tameness and reluctance to get out of the way of traffic gives away theyre probably getting hay from the surrounding fields being harvested.
I saw these herds in what I thought was Custer Natl Park last year, but my error...,
it was actually Wind Cave Natl Park a few kms south.
Bit of anxiety followed as we skirted round a huge storm cloud.
our route map involved heading west in a straight line 80km
then turning right angle south for another straight 80km.
We stopped at a small-town county fair to buy time, as the storm headed slowly east
and were fortunate enough to cop just a 10deg drop in temp and a few spits on its tail as we fled our way to the south.
The county fair was like an old-time A&P show, they still do these things here
ducks and geese lined up on a judging table,
preserves, cakes, floral and needlework in the home crafts pavillion
fat cattle, sheep, and goats in the stock pens.
Last year I had a laugh a minute hour with some old farmers in the little town of Kimball
the table we sat at was still there, but no sign of the farmers.
I hope theyre well, and the 15 years of dry summers has come to an end.
herds of cattle in vast paddocks, that were vacant last time
machinery busy in hay paddocks, vast acres in grain further north.
My assumption that the Montana beef men had pushed their Nebraska
When things are right, Nebraska finishes legions of Montana
you could see huge feedlots from the road, open and unroofed
so guess the winters are less severe down here.
A lot of the farmhouses I thought were tumble down last year, look fixed-up now
or maybe its the difference between drought and green.
Maybe the old guys I was talking to were taking the set-aside rather than try and outfarm the dry.
Better go...
bit of activity round the camp
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