Colorado Motorcycle Tour 2:
Hopping the Continental Divide - Page 2

Tour Start, Morrison, Colorado and Up I-285

• Head southwest on W Morrison Rd toward Soda Lakes Rd - 0.2 mi
• Continue on Bear Creek Ave - 0.4 mi
• Turn left at Bear Creek Ave/CO-8
• Continue to follow CO-8 - 2.1 mi
• Take the ramp onto US-285 S - 65.2 mi
Gas Up! Take route CO-8 to route I-285. Visit several small towns on I-285.

Tour Start: Gas Station at C-470 and Morrison Road

Near the end of the town of Morrison, take a left (south) onto Bear Creek Ave/route CO-8, which is the road that will take us to route I-285. This is a nice little stretch of road, increasing from 25 MPH in Morrison to 50 MPH as we get outside of town. On the west side of the road, there are a lot of rock formations and interesting landscapes. As you get nearer to I-285, you will pass The Fort Restaurant on your left (east side of road). We've got a long ride ahead, so we'll have to save a trip to The Fort for another day. Continue past The Fort and take West I-285 up into the valley and into the mountains. Route I-285 is 55 MPH at this point, but quickly slows to 35 MPH as the road gets curvier.

There is one more "little" place of interest as you start up into the mountains on I-285. As you begin the climb up I-285, you'll see signs for Indian Hills to your right and Tiny Town to your left. If you've got the time, take the left toward Tiny Town. Tiny Town was originally built in 1915, and comprises a "tiny town" of miniature buildings, plus a "tiny railroad" that you can ride through the park. Though you can see a lot of Tiny Town from your motorcycle while riding by, it's worth the few dollars entrance fee to take a stroll through the park and look at the fantastic detail on the little buildings. Kids young and old enjoy Tiny Town, and it's also a chance to grab a hot dog, hamburger or ice cream treat while enjoying the local scenery.

Continuing west on I-285, you'll pass a number of smaller towns with opportunities to stop for gas, food, or just about anything else you might need. As you continue the climb up (west on) I-285 past the turn-off for Tiny Town, the curves smooth out and the speed limit increases to 50 MPH and higher. I-285 is 4 lanes here, though that is a pretty recent change. Not long ago (mid 1990's), I-285 was 2 lanes and reliably congested with commuters on weekdays and folks escaping from Denver and returning back down on weekends. 4 lanes make the trip much more pleasant and a lot less stressful.

Keep your motorcycle pointed uphill and you'll pass a number of little towns including Aspen Park, Conifer, and finally Baily, Colorado. Bailey is a great place to take a break, with several small shops and restaurants in Bailey or nearby. My favorite place for a quick snack is Coney Island, the hot-dog-shaped place just west of town, alongside I-285. Stop in for a burger, sandwich, cold drink, ice cream, coffee, or, yes, a hot dog. If you need gas or a break, do it in Bailey. The next stop is Fairplay, Colorado, and it's a pretty open ride.

Bailey is also where I-285 changes from 4 lanes to 2 lanes and the traffic becomes much more sparse. Hop on your motorcycle and continue west on I-285. There is a river running alongside the road through here, with pleasant curves that will begin to wind you higher and higher within the valley of Platte Canyohn. You'll ride through the little riverside towns of Santa Maria, Grant and Webster before finally entering the twisty curves to the top Kenosha Pass at 10,000 feet above sea level.

The top of Kenosha pass is beautiful, and there are hiking trails and camping there, if you're interested. Kenosha Pass also marks the eastern edge of South Park, one of the 3 large, flat areas in Colorado's central mountains referred to as 'parks.' The other 2 parks are North Park and Middle Park. From Kenosha Pass, you begin your descent down to the wide open plain of South Park. As you start down, the view is amazing; you can see plains and mountains off in the distance in nearly every direction. As your motorcycle gets to the bottom of the hill, you are on wide-open, flat road, and the speed limit increases because of that. Sight distance rivals that on any flat plain, and the road contains few sharp curves.

Enjoy the ride alongside farmlands and across the wide open valley as you cross South Park. There are large horse and cattle farms on both sides of the road, and plenty of elk and deer during parts of the year. So keep your eyes open, though there are few places for anything or anyone to hide from view. Be prepared to wave at other motorcycle riders passing by.

By the way: This is a REALLY bad place to break down or lose a tire. There is no motorcycle repair shop or dealer nearby in any direction. That's why I am a member of Rider Rescue. If I run out of gas, lose a tire, or breakdown, Rider Rescue will come pick me up and tow my V-Strom to the nearest repair shop. Don't WISH you had Rider Rescue when you need it!