Rod's Favorite Rides





Living in Western Colorado I feel very fortunate. I get to ride most of the year. On top of that I can be in some of the most beautiful country in the world, and it rarely takes more than an hour and a half. What kind of ride would you like to take. A winding mountain rode, climbing to the top of the highest flat top mountain in the world. Maybe you'd like to follow the Colorado river through Eastern Utah's red rock country. Perhaps a little known road that goes along the northern side of the Gunnison river, following deep dark canyons. Heading east out of Grand Junction you can head to Glenwood Springs, then south to Carbondale. From there it's on to Aspen or maybe Redstone and over McClure pass to Paonia. Anyway you go I promise you will enjoy the ride.

So if you find yourself in the Grand Junction are what ride's would I recommend. Here some routes and rides that you owe it to yourself to take. Some are all day trips, some half day and one is only and hour and a half. But worth every minute. If you know in advance that you are going to be in Grand Junction drop me an e-mail and let me know. I would love to show off some of my favorite country, and get a chance to ride with some new brothers and sisters.



1.Monument The Colorado National Monument. This is the shortest ride on the list. The Mounment is a 35 miles of twisting roads, grand views, and beautiful red rock canyons. On I-70 get off at Fruita. Follow the signs to the Colorado National Monument Hwy 340. About a mile or so out of Fruita you will make a right into the Mounment. April to October, during the day bikes cost $1.00 to cross. After 7:00pm the toll gates close and the ride is free. You can try in the winter, but watch for ice in the corners. In the spring of the year there is often lose gravel and sand from the winter. Bring a camera and be ready to use it. DON'T push the speed, the road is narrow, often crowded and the edges unforgiving (600 ft. cliffs can ruin a trip very fast.) But with views like this it is worth the effort.



2.Fishers Towers A very nice day ride from Grand Junction is to head east towards Moab Utah. Take I-70 east into Utah. There are two exit's that will take you to Hwy 128. If your worring about your suspension take the second. Both are marked Cisco. Hwy 128 will take you to the confluence of the Colorado and Doloris rivers and then follows the Colorado into Professor valley, (That's where this picture was taken.) The road isn't perfect but the view more than makes up for it. Eventually 128 ends up just north of Moab. Now if you want to save that ride for the way back to Grand Junction you can stick on I-70 to Cresent Junction and take Hwy 191 south to Moab. If you are passing through I recommend the 128 route. It takes longer but the road is more fun and the scenery is spectacular. Just North of Moab isArches National Park. Arches makes a nice little ride. You can see much of it from your bike in less than 3 hours. But if you like to hike and explore you can spend a day and not see it all. About 15 miles or so north of Moab is the turn off to Canyonlands National Park. Both Arches and Canyonlands require a fee to get in, however the fee is good for 7 days and one fee gets you into both parks. If your bike has a small tank and a short range make sure you have a full tank when you leave the Grand Junction area. There are no gas stations along Hwy 128. If you stick to the Interstate you can get gas at Cresant Junction. You need to be able to cover 120 miles or carry some extra gas with you.



3.Black Canyon A ride that a lot of people may miss because it isn't as well known it over the north side of the Gunnison river in the Curecanti Recreation area. Leaving Grand Junction head south on US Hwy. 50 to Montrose. When you get to Montrose stay on Hwy. 50 and head east toward Gunnison. 14 miles east of Montrose is the entrance to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument. If you have the time this little side trip is well worth the effort. This picture show just a small view of the deep dark canyon that awaits you. Continuing along Hwy 50 you will pass through Cimmaron and then on towards Gunnison. Just as you get to Blue Mesa reservior turn on Hwy 92. The 30 miles wind along the Gunnsion river canyon. Make sure you stop often and take lots of pictures. When you arrive at Crawford you can head back south and visit the North Rim of the Black Canyon, (and see the Mad Dog ranch owned by Joe Cocker). From Crawford you go on to Hotchkiss where you either head east on 133 to Paonia and over McClure Pass (I will cover this ride a little later on the page) or east to Delta. On the way to Delta you can also take Hwy 65 over the Grand Mesa (another ride I will cover) or head back to Delta and north on 50 to Grand Junction.



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