2 week trip to Colorado

[N8171S]

Got home last night after putting 5885 miles on my 20 year old valk, mostly towing my kompact kamp camper. Stopped in Niagara Falls first night then through Canada through lower Mi. Indiana, Ill. Iowa and Nebraska to Highlands Ranch Co.  Rode up Pikes Peak,  Mt. Rushmore, Crazy Horse Custer St. park and then over the continental divide at Independence pass to Aspen.  Spent two nights in Sturgis and then went through N. Dakota Minnesota to Wisconsin the Upper Pen. of Mi. and back through Canada to another night  with family in Niagara Falls.  The old bike ran well.  I wasn't sure how it would run at 14,000 ft. Can't beat  a Valkyrie.   In over 5000 miles I only saw one other valk parked at a gas station.  I did see lots of Harleys riding on trailers.  I need to get a sticker that says "  I biked my trailer to Sturgis"  Good to be home to air conditioning.  It was very hot.  95 in Denver and As[pen.

[Hook#3287]

Sounds like a great trip

I like the bumper sticker idea

[RonBou]

Sounds like a great time. Share some photos when u get a chance....

[Tony C.]

Wow Tom what I trip!  Glad the Valkyrie ran well for you the entire trip.  Which one did you take, the Green/White or Blue/White?  I think the Blue/White was the deer strike, right?  What't the mileage?  Have you checked your alternators lately?   

Welcome home.

 

[N8171S]

Tony, Took the blue & white one.  It is the one with the trailer hitch.  It turned 70,000 on the trip and has the original alternator. Used 184.6 gallons of gas for 31.8 MPG.  I thought this was pretty good considering that I was towing my camper except for the trip up Pikes Peak and a day trip from Sturgis to Mt. Rushmore, Custer state park and Crazyhorse.  I did leave a spare alternator in the garage that could have been sent to me if needed.  I replaced the brushes in the  green bike a 45,000 but they were only about 1/2 worn.  I will probably check the brushes on the blue one soon.  I think I got tendonitis in my right elbow from all that riding.  Maybe time for goldwing with cruise control, but the new ones have had so many recalls I think the valk is more reliable.  Keep in touch for a bike night or something.  Tom  PS   My handle on the tech site is N8171S  I hope this shows up as Barnstormer

[dalai-lama]

Excellent trip and thanks for posting about it so that us poor slobs can live vicariously    One of these years I want to head out that way for 3 weeks or so.  Probably not this year however

[N8171S]

If you are ever in Wyoming bring extra gas or get an interstate tank.  I think I will start looking for one.

[Dan-bury]

Nice trip !!!! I'll be watching for pictures....
I had no issue climbing Pikes Peak also. just a bit low on power in the thin air.

I did two similar trips on my Valk and the Ole bike turned 100,000mi in Nebraska on the way home of the second trip.