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June 24, 2019

Snow Closes Mount Evans

So, I ran into a couple of guys today in Idaho Springs, and we attempted to ride up Little Bear Creek, to Squaw Pass, to Mount Evans. But Mount Evans was closed, due to the snow that they got over the weekend.

So, yeah. You read that right. Mt Evans was closed today and we couldn't get up there. June 24th. That happened.

Snowstorm closes Mount Evans for first weekend of the summer.

Also, Trail Ridge Road is closed again, as they can't seem to keep that pass open either.


Posted by Rob Kiser on June 24, 2019 at 9:57 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

June 22, 2019

Snow Closes Trail Ridge Road

So, looks like we got some more snow today and it closed Trail Ridge Road.

Posted by Rob Kiser on June 22, 2019 at 7:38 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

June 20, 2019

Chinn's Reservoir

Today, I decided to eat in Idaho Springs, and then try riding my bike (AT) up to some of the lakes above Alice and St Mary's Glacier.

First, I tried to make it to Chinn's Lake/Sherwin Lake, but it was crazy steep, with a river of melting snow coming down the trail, so I turned back without making it to Chinn's. I'm reasonably sure it's still snowed in. Massive piles of snow on the sides of the road.

Then, I tried to make it to Fall River Reservoir. I saw a guy come down on an ATV, and he said it was open. So, I tried to make it up to Fall River Reservoir, but I came to a place that was snowed in across the road about 2'-3' high...a berm of snow, and I decided not to try to cross that. But, reportedly, the lake is just on the other side of it, and you can walk to it from there.

So, I turned back, and then decided to try to make it up to Loch Lomond. The first gate that I came to was opened, and so I kept riding, but the road was a lot rougher than I remembered. It started raining on me pretty hard, so I turned back. I'm not clear if it's possible to make it to Loch Lomond or not. But they are forecast for more snow this weekend, if you can believe it.

Posted by Rob Kiser on June 20, 2019 at 9:19 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

Mark and Molly in Denver

Mark and Molly flew out to Denver last week. They flew in last week some time, and then flew out yesterday (Wed) to go to Portland and see Lilly and Wes. We went hiking one day up in Boulder w Jen, Sarah, Me, Mark, and Molly. Then, one day this week, we went to the Denver Botanical Gardens. There is, apparently, a bar down in Denver where they root for Mississippi State, for whatever reason.

Yazoo BBQ Company, 2150 Broadway, Denver

Posted by Rob Kiser on June 20, 2019 at 9:11 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

June 13, 2019

Rocky Mountain National Park

So, today I rode up the peak-to-peak highwy on the AT, through Rocky Mountain National Park, and back through Grand Lake, Granby, Winter Park, Empire, etc.

They had some kind of festival going on in Estes Park. I'm not clear why, but they wrapped the trees in knitted scarves, for some reason. I took some photos at the Stanley Hotel, famous from the movie The Shining.

Then, off through Rocky Mountain National Park. RMNP wasn't bad, but they charged me $25. There used to be a discount for motorcycles. Not any more, it seems.

I asked the woman when they opened Trail Ridge Road, she said "Memorial Day weekend" and I was like..."No...not even close."

This says they opened Trail Ridge Road on Wed June 5th at noon. So, it's been open 8 days, apparently.

I stopped near the summit to get some photos of the AT with ridiculous snow.

Then stopped at the visitor center and asked them where we cross the Continental Divide. They said it was a few miles down the road. Sure enough, this time I stopped and got my photo taken at Milner Pass. I don't believe I've ever stopped here before.

This time I managed to get through the park without getting ticketed/towed to Granby.

I looked for the tow company that towed my bike last time, but I couldn't find it. I suspect it's closed.

Once I got out of Granby, there were scattered thunderstorms, and it rained on me some around Granby and Winter Park. When I crossed the Continental Divide the 2nd time (Berthoud Pass), I thought I would lose my hands it was so cold. And I'm wearing ski gloves, not motorcycle gloves.

But once I crossed Berthoud Pass, as I descended, I warmed up and my hands thawed out. My bike said that, at the summit of Berthoud Pass, the air temp was in the 40's.

Then, I went to Evergreen to check on the elk, but I didn't see any elk this evening. Not clear why.

Here's my route today. Looks like I went about 230 miles or so.

Posted by Rob Kiser on June 13, 2019 at 10:14 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

June 9, 2019

UCLA Commute

This used to be my commute in Los Angeles, from 1532 S Crest Drive to UCLA.


Posted by Rob Kiser on June 9, 2019 at 1:46 AM : Comments (0) | Permalink

June 8, 2019

Evergreen Lake

Yesterday (6/6/2019), 4 baby elk were born, to 4 different mothers. The elk were born on an island in Lake Evergreen, accessible only by swimming, safe from predators. Today, I went down and got a few shots. The moms left their babies alone on the island for much of the day, but then returned around dusk to feed their babies. It's funny but, I lived in Dallas for 7 years, and I never saw anything remotely close to this.

So, I shot some photos in the morning, then rode up Mount Evans, and returned about sunset to catch the moms feeding their babies.

Continue reading "Evergreen Lake"

Posted by Rob Kiser on June 8, 2019 at 12:36 AM : Comments (0) | Permalink

June 7, 2019

Mt Evans and Trail Ridge Road are Open

So, I just found out today that Trail Ridge Road is open and Mt Evans is open. Great.
And, I get home from shooting the baby elk up at Evergreen Lake and now it's pouring. I want to go up Mt Evans or Trail Ridge Road, but not sure if I can get out now. Now it's hailing.

When did these two passes open? I'm not clear really.

Mt Evans - Opened this morning (Friday 6/7/2019)

Trail Ridge Road opened Wed June 5th at noon. (Wed 6/5/2019).

Call Mt Evans Ranger Station. 303-567-4382.

OK. So, I rode up Mt Evans, but took the BMW, as I wasn't sure what the roads would be like. Basically, the roads were fine, all the way to the top of Mount Evans, and I made it up there on the same day that they opened the road to the summit of Mount Evans (6/7/2019).

So, I've done Guanella Pass, and Mount Evans. Next are Trail Ridge Road and Independence Pass.

Posted by Rob Kiser on June 7, 2019 at 4:03 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

June 6, 2019

Lamartine

Today, I rode up Trail Creek Road (County Road 136) , aka Phoenix Mine road. My goal was to get up to Lamartine, if possible, as the snow has been so deep that I've not been able to make it to Lamartine this year.

Left onto South Spring Gulch Road (County Road 130). Then, right onto County Road 22.

This was as far as I'd made it so far this year, but the snow was mostly melted, and I was able to continue up to the ghost town of Lamartine. I went down the trail to Ute Creek for a sort distance before I turned back. I'm not sure what this road is like as I don't really recall, but I think that it might be pretty steep in sections. So, I turned back. In theory, I could continue on the trail to Saxon Mountain, but it's still snowed in if I continued further west, at this point. So, I turned back, and took some photos at the section that has some little dirt hills you can ride on.

Then, back down the way I came only this time, I turned left onto the Forest Service Road. This was pretty steep, and I don't think I could ever make it back up it. But I went down it and came out at the old mining buildings, then down to Trail Creek road, and back out the way I came in.

On the way out, though, I took a road that I've never taken before, I think. It was either Miner's Candle Road or Gum Tree Road. But it's very steep and goes up from Trail Creek Road, so I went up it, and it crosses a ridge, and goes down on the other side of the ridge. Then, I ran into some private property so I turned back.

Basically, that was the end of my ride today. Nothing too exciting. I'll try to post my tracks from the GPS.

Posted by Rob Kiser on June 6, 2019 at 9:06 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

June 4, 2019

Passes Opening Up

So, it looks like they opened up the road to the top of Pikes Peak yesterday (Monday 6/3/2019). Also, Independence Pass apparently opened on Friday 5/31/2019.

Still closed are:
--------------------
Cottonwood Pass
Trail Ridge Road
Mt Evans
Jones Pass
Rollins Pass/Corona Pass

Open Year Round:
------------------------
Berthoud Pass
Loveland Pass
Hoosier Pass


Posted by Rob Kiser on June 4, 2019 at 8:53 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

The Garmin Montana 600 (Part III)

So, I've figured out how to make the Garmin Montana function. If I charge the AA batteries at night in the charger, and then put them in the Garmin Montana, the unit will work while I'm out riding my bike. So, I got that much working.

I plug the USB charger into the Garmin while I'm riding but I'm not clear if this is doing anything or not.

So, as long as I remember to charge my AA batteries at night, my GPS appears to be working.

But I also have this Efortek battery pack that I ordered. I can put the battery pack in the Garmin Montana, but I'm not sure how to charge it. Then, I look on Amazon and Amazon says that I bought this already. The battery, and the charger. More than once.

According to Amazon, I bought this about a year ago. So, it looks like I bought 2 batteries and a charger a year ago.

I also bought a package of 8 rechargeable AA batteries in July of 2018.

In May of 2018, I bought 8 rechargeable AA batteries and a battery charger.

On April 23 of 2018, I bought EforTek Replacement Battery (2-Pack) and Charger kit for Garmin. Twice. On the same day.

So, in theory, I should have enough batteries to make the Garmin Montana 600 work, at this point, You would think.

So, I go downstairs and, sure enough, I've got lots of EforTek batteries laying around. And chargers. So, I put some of the batteries on charge.

I don't think that, at this point, I need to buy any more batteries. I think I have plenty of batteries and chargers for the Garmin Montana 600. But the part I still struggle with is how to get the Honda Africa Twin to charge the Garmin Montana when I'm riding down the road.

Because I'm still not sure that I'm able to charge it while I'm riding, and I certainly should be able to do this, it being 2019 and all.

Continue reading "The Garmin Montana 600 (Part III)"

Posted by Rob Kiser on June 4, 2019 at 8:45 AM : Comments (1) | Permalink

June 3, 2019

Fuck the Zuck - Report the Libtards at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Report the Libtards at Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for banning you based on free speech. (If you're not a Libtard, you will be banned.)

https://whitehouse.typeform.com/to/Jti9QH

Posted by Rob Kiser on June 3, 2019 at 10:02 PM : Comments (2) | Permalink

The Garmin Montana 600 (continued)

So, overnight, I charged my 3 AA batteries in my battery charger in the kitchen. Then, this morning, I popped them into my Garmin Montana 600. They were fully charged, and the Garmin Montana came on.

I checked to verify that I had the Garmin Montana configured correctly so that it knew what type of AA batteries rechargeable batteries I had installed.

Then, I put the Garmin into the cradle on the Africa Twin, and plugged in my usb cable. The Garmin then says something like "do you want to go into USB mode" or something like that. I say "No".

And then, it works like a champ all day long. So, not sure if it's charging my batteries or not, but it's working and the screen never goes away. It shows where I'm riding all day long, which is nice. And it seems to have maps of every road I went on today.

But when I put the batteries in my AA charger, it shows that they're dead, so I'm still not certain that I've got it working right. They shouldn't be dead at the end of the day, I think.

Posted by Rob Kiser on June 3, 2019 at 4:35 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink

June 1, 2019

The Garmin Montana 600

So, I'm trying to get my Garmin Montana to work. On the trip to Peru, I think that the battery pack that it comes with failed on me. So, at some point, I put in AA batteries, and I have a AA battery charger that I use to keep the batteries charged.

But this is sort of a pain as the battery charger doesn't handle charging an odd number of batteries very well, and the Garmin Montana uses 3 AA batteries, for whatever reason.

So now, I finally got my cigarette lighter adapter connected to the Africa Twin (I disconnected it in Lima to ship it back, I think.)

So, since I now have DC power available on the Africa Twin, it seems to me that I should be able to use the cigarette lighter to power the Garmin Montana. Like...in theory, that should work, right? I should be able to 1) power the Garmin Montana as I ride down the road and 2) charge the batteries in the Garmin Montana so that the batteries are fully charged while I'm riding.

So, I ordered a new battery pack for the Garmin Montana 600. Like...first of all, let's put the battery pack that it's supposed to have back in there. Let's start with that.

But now that I have the battery pack installed, I'm not clear that it's charging. Great.

Apparently, in the Garmin Montana 600, you can specify what type of batteries are installed. Clever. One day, I'll have to read the owner's manual.

If you use the cable that the Garmin Montana came with, when you connect it to a computer, it will ask if you want to go to mass storage.

https://forums.gpsfiledepot.com/index.php?topic=3838.0

I do recall it always asking me if I wanted to go to mass storage, and what a pain that always was. But it seems like I got it to stop at some point, though I don't recall how.

Here's the Garmin Montana 600 Owner's Manual online.

https://forums.gpsfiledepot.com/index.php?topic=3838.0

Posted by Rob Kiser on June 1, 2019 at 10:22 PM : Comments (0) | Permalink