Leaving home

31st May 2012

We rise early to get the tyre fixed - Um! Business does not commence until 9am local time. So a walk around Seligman confronts us with the fact that this town is where Route 66 was originally commenced and the town fully reflects this.

Fortunately the local tyre repair man took pity on us and after he had finished his leisurely coffee and smoke set to work and fixed our tyre.

Our road trip now took us through the town of Williams where we turned north to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. We had visited the North Rim in 2010, so now it was the turn of the South Rim. We were very impressed by the Visitor Centre and overwhelmed by the enormity of the Canyon from the viewing areas.

It was then off to Cameron, Tuba City and through Monument Valley via Kayenta and Shiprock. We had seen a small portion of this land features on our last visit but none as spectacular as the ones that rose out of the landscape as we traversed these plain areas.

The most stunning is perhaps Cathedral Rock.

6th June 2012

We awoke to a beautiful morning and set off to visit Cripple Creek to our south after Dennis replaced the brake pads.

This area is infamous for gold mining and the general hub bub that goes with that activity, especially during the 1800's. Again another very interesting Visitor Centre with an excellent record of the area including not only the mining but the native Indians of the area. 116 Hotels used to be in this town which now is kept alive by current gold mining and the endless tourists drawn here by the history and the 'yuppie' shops set up to entice their money from their pockets. The original town built from timber was erased by fire and in its place rose a town of stone, bricks and mortar that is well maintained and a fine example of the structures of years gone by.

I was at the Visitors Centre that I learned that the average height in Colorado is over 6,200ft and that they have 84 14teeners and over 100 13teeners (mountains that is) We have been living and riding at elevations much higher that our tallest mountain in Australia.

A great curvy ride to Divide was short lived and then west to Buena Vista. A fuel stop, some post cards posted and some more drive way exchanges with fellow bikersa nd we were off to Independance Pass at the giddy height of 12,093ft. Riding there was a combination of gentle upward slopes and hairpin corners. Beyond Independance Pass is Aspen - we did not go there!!!! We returned the way we had come and went north to Leadville.

We found a really great campsite at ?????? where we booked in for the night.