Thunder Roads Magazine of Oklahoma/Arkansas October 2016 | Page 13

FEATURES

about sundown. There our friends had a wonderful dinner prepared,
garage for the bikes and a drier for our goods. We enjoyed relaxing
and recalling our travels thus far with them. We were all very happy to
fall into the warm beds that night!
The following day, we woke to monsoon conditions in the mountains.
We had been surprised by my friend Timmy who showed up over the
night in Pagosa after he saw the ride we were taking through social
media. We took a slow time getting around and breakfast to let the
rain subside. Timmy has vast experience riding CO and said that we
would be wise to not pass through Million Dollar Highway this trip. With
his advice, we turned around and went back over Wolf Creek Pass in
light rain and on into Gunnison, CO for a stay at a cabin Timmy offered.
It was laid in a beautiful long valley with a stream running down the
middle. Picturesque doesn’t even describe how pretty it was as the
clouds parted and sunset shined down as we pulled in the garage. The
night was short and we were back on the bikes. This time in clouds and
a mist but not heavy rain. Timmy took us to the Power Stop which is
a local station which is also a wonderful restaurant. I recommend you
go there for their Sanchez Sandwich. It is Chorizo, fried egg, melted
cheese and a grilled pepper served on a delicious bun. WOW. Go.
You won’t be sorry! From there we busted up north through beautiful
Stoney Pass area, on through to Leadville where Timmy departed us.
In refilling the bike, I discovered my purse, wallet and cards were back
at The Power Stop in Gunnison! A quick call located it. Another call
got Timmy to pick it up on his way through and I had it two days later
by Fedex. Whew…all was there! Beth and I rode hard up through the
horrid Denver traffic and into a rainy Wyoming before stopping for
the day tired and worn out. Ten miles before the stop, I was hit in the
face by a large bee which gave me a gnarly swollen, red right eye and
cheek. It was as if I’d been in a bar fight!
Rise and shine, relaxed, swollen eye and ready to show Beth her first
siting of Sturgis Rally! I’m not sure if her excitement was out of happiness
of seeing the famous Sturgis and Buffalo Chip Campground or that she
knew the forecast was clearing. Either way, we made our way to Four
Corners before a fuel stop. There Beth experienced her first Sturgis
oddity, a fella dressed in full Custer style cowboy attire proudly holding
up a giant hawk which he’d killed. Knowing we had a short time to catch
as many cool Sturgis things we could, I took us into our lodging by riding
up Spearfish Canyon stopping for lunch at Savoy. This stop was the first
Thunder Roads Magazine of OK/AR

13