Bike Ride

We went at 8:30am to breakfast at the campground.  It was somewhat in our honor, as it has been determined in year's past I am partial to sausage and gravy over biscuits.  It was a good turnout, and a lot of fun.  And delicious!
We have never seen as many hummingbirds in one place as there are here.  We think they are mostly ruby-throated and rufous, whatever they are, there are tons of them!

We then took off on the bike for a beautiful 265 mile ride up and over Wolf Creek Pass towards Alamosa through South Fork, to cut south just before Alamosa with the intention of going to see Pike's Stockade.  Of course Murphy is always lurking around.  I noticed on the way out the tire pressures were a bit low, no problem, we'll turn around and go to a gas station just up the road to get air.  The front went fine, but the air hose had a straight fitting which didn't fit on the rear stem, so instead of putting air in I managed to drop the pressure to 10 pounds!  I left Jan at the station and limped back to the campground to get my compressor which also had a STRAIGHT fitting!  Well Dick and Jerry saved me.  With air in the tires, I went back, picked up Jan and off we went.  Unfortunately the thunderstorms were building and building so we decided to bypass the stockade and continue down to Antonito, across to Chama, NM and back up to Pagosa.  All that and only the last 10-20 miles in the rain.  Between Antonito and Chama you go up and over La Manga Pass at 10,230' and Cumbres Pass at 10,022'.  There is a viewpoint looking down into the Conejos Valley which was beautiful!

Coming down off Cumbres Pass toward Chama, we rendezvoused with the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad train.  It operates between Chama, NM and Antonito, CO over the Cumbres Pass at 10,015' making it the highest point on a US passenger railroad.  This was engine #489, a K-36 built in 1925 in Philadelphia.  Pretty cool.

With the sky getting darker and darker we turned north at Chama to head for Pagosa.  We lost the battle about 20 miles out as it began to rain harder and harder.  Oh well, part of the joys of motorcycling.
It's funny, we have been talking more and more about getting rid of the bike in the next year, as it is seeming to take more and more of my attention and energy to feel safe.  Watching for gravel, slippery spots, cars trying their best to hit us, etc, and not being able to enjoy the ride and the scenery, but yesterday it was wonderful, we both had a great ride!  May have to reconsider.
Back to Cool Pines, a nice visit with our hosts and friends, Harvey and Jean.

Then a dinner of Olathe corn provided by Dick and Ann, a nice visit with them and several others, including Al and Marge, Sue and Terry, and a new couple to us, Gene and Pam.  It was a great cap to a great day.