Steamboat Lake Ride

[macgart]

Friday was a nice day so I decided to take a little ride to Steamboat Lake.  The roads were mostly dry and the weather was clear in the valley.  I headed north and as I approached Steamboat Lake, the weather began to turn south


This is a view of Sand Mountain across Steamboat Lake.


This is a view of Nipple Peak to the north of Steamboat Lake.  Kinda hard to see because of the incoming weather.


This is a picture of Hahns Peak Village with Hahns Peak behind.  Hahns Peak Village was the original County Seat and the old post office and county jail are still there.  Hahns Peak Village is a nice place to stop for a snack in the summer months and the views are much better.


A view south from Hahns Peak Village.  It was really windy and starting to get cold, so I decided to head south.



Hahns Peak in the background just out of view to the left.  The peak behind my bike is Grouse Mountain.  You can actually ride to very near the top in summer.  There is an old fire observation tower near the top.  Some pretty good exploring around the area.


The road south and back to warmer climes.  A very invigorating ride.  There is a pretty significant difference in the weather when you drop from nearly 9,000' to about 7,000'.  I wish I'd had more time to go for a longer ride.

[Camas]

Good stuff! Can't wait to see your summer version of the same stuff. 

Keep 'em coming!

[Cryoboss]

Great pics! Thanks for sharing.

[caborado]

Mac, Your ride Friday looked colder than mine on Sunday... & I got lied to (the man said 50s)... so I went to the mts. and got snowed on.... BTW: nice pics.

[Fireplug]

Man, you guys have the whitest sand I've seen.  How do your tars handle in that sugar sand??

[macgart]

   That's funny Fireplug.  I'll tell my buddies that live in Hahns Peak Village that they have white sand beaches!

Some of my buddies are starting to get the KLR bug now that they see me out riding.  Maybe I'll convert a few.

I hope to have someone to ride with this summer so I can be in a few of the pics.  As for now... I ride alone!

[caborado]

The funny thing about our sand is when it gets below 15 degrees... it squeaks like the white sands of Ft. Walton...

[buzzardco]

Just a side note,the jail cell that is in the jail up there was in use in the old jail in the bottom of the court house on 6th street when I left there in 86. We called it the bear cage.just the right place for unruly crooks.

[Benson]

Nice pictures, and to think I was complaining it was going to be below freezing tonight for a forecast of just one night this week.

[macgart]

I'm glad everyone enjoyed the pics.  It is great to get a chance to ride this time of year.  The great thing about Colorado is that in the winter with the sun out, 20 degrees feels warm.  Granted it gets chilly while riding but the sun's radiation off the snow is amazing.  As soon as it gets into the high 30's I'm off for a ride.  I want it just warm enough that I don't have to worry so much about icy corners. 

I might take a trip to the desert soon, get a bit of warm riding in.  I see pics from Caborado, JohnnyOneMoon, and others getting out and it gets me fired up to ride.

[caborado]