All things must pass. Today was a good day and a bad day. A bad day because it was a day of sorrow because I had to say goodbye to Bear and Jill for this time in. I love you two more than words can express! A day of severe sorrow. (This was at a dinner thrown at the Casa de Misfit last Saturday). :'(
It was a good day because some friends escorted me out of the state of Colorado and shared some awesome wind to close out my visit to them thar hills. Misfit, again, I thank you my friend. Got everything thrown onto Traveler and said a teary farewell to my brother and sister and a pet to my new critter buddies and headed over to Misfits. When I got there he had gathered a posse to escort me out of the state - just to make sure I actually LEFT. Lil'bit was getting her riding gear gathered together and there was Stan (whom I assume is Old Grouch - I never asked his handle) and Green Dragon - been awhile since I have had the honor to visit and ride with him - I guess Tucemcari a couple of years ago. I sure wish Lupe could have made it as well - well, that just means another trip up to the hills to say hello to her I reckon.
So, after some brief lie telling, we went kickstands up and followed Misfit and Lil'Bit down the superslab (I25) through Pueblo and down to Walsenburg.
There, Misfit turned the posse down 160 west to 12 and did the 60 mile or so loop around 12 back to the Superslab at Trinidad. Man, this was a sweet road through the San Isabel National Forest and by the Spanish Peaks - most sweet.
12 had some sweet sweepers, 20 mph cut backs and twisties. The temps dropped most nicely as we gained altitude. We stopped by a lake near Monument Park at the Cucharas Pass (9941'). Most awesome.
Then we rode down through Stonewall and Weston to Trinidad. There we stopped for a bite of lunch. Misfit's posse of Lil'Bit, Green Dragon and Old Grouch and shared 200 miles of wind with me and brought me to within 15 miles of Raton Pass and the state line. With a promise that I would actually continue south and leave Colorado, they agreed to let me go.
(And from the looks of the photo even gave me my boots back).
So after some ice cream and a burger (ummm, since Trinidad does like 90% of all sex change operations - you want to stay away from meat byproducts), we had our final hugs and the posse shot back north (Misfit even had to go back to work this afternoon) and I shot south through the Raton Pass and into Raton, New Mexico.
Peeled off of I-25 and took 64/87 east through New Mexico's Sierra Grande. Stopped at the Capulin Volcano for a quick smoke. There was ugly blackness coming in from the west and rain going across the plains to the south as I rode along.
After crossing across the Sierra Grande plains, I entered Texas.
I only had about 450 miles in today, but the weather looked nasty when I hit Amarillo and I had lost an hour due to the Central Time Zone, so since it was 6:30 already local time, I decided to light in Amarillo for the night and order a pizza and hit the ATM and watch a little TV. Man, what a great ride today!!! Beautiful country, great roads and UNBELIEVABLE friendship. I thank the posse and
IT WAS AN HONOR (and I do mean an HONOR) to share the wind with ya'll today - I thank you. I mean Misfit has given up all his time since he got back for the 3rd to making sure I saw some awesome sights and to show fellowship to both me and Bear and Jill - you are a true gentleman and I am proud to call you a friend. The entire Kinter family is second to none and special beyond belief.
I could not have asked for a better escort out of Colorado - again, I thank all of you.
