NomadGal's ride into awareness

[Jettn Jim]

Ooooh I like the sound of the place Esther!     aaand the job/energy opportunity is sounding mighty tasty too......  
Peace sista!   
 On a side note: been quite a ride up here in the NWest I'll tell ya!     Desiree' flew over a 50ft 70deg embankment at 50mph on Saturday...   But being the Tough/resilient bit*h she is.... sustained mostly light damage.  Thought my adventure was over fer sure....     but after 4-5hrs we were on the road again.

[NomadGal]

Ooooh I like the sound of the place Esther!     aaand the job/energy opportunity is sounding mighty tasty too......  
Peace sista!   
 On a side note: been quite a ride up here in the NWest I'll tell ya!     Desiree' flew over a 50ft 70deg embankment at 50mph on Saturday...   But being the Tough/resilient bit*h she is.... sustained mostly light damage.  Thought my adventure was over fer sure....     but after 4-5hrs we were on the road again.

Yeah, I heard, Alex facebooked me and told me
Glad you are all right. I hope I get the job, cause I would love to give Spirit some engine guards, and get her a plastic 7 gallon tank

[NomadGal]

Left peaceful Crestone today
Part of me wanted to stay, and part of me had to go.
I get restless when I stay somewhere too long, no matter how beautiful.
While back on the road riding and looking at the scenery I started to wonder if I am running from something or toward something. Then a gorgeous scene pops in front of me, and it feels like I am part of a show I am watching, totally connected to the beauty of my surroundings, and it doesn't matter anymore if I am running from or to. The only thing that matters is the amazing nature around me and being able to experience it.






I rode from Crestone to Durango today, and just loved the ride.



 Every time I go through a gorgeous area, coming into a city or even town gets harder and harder to handle. I really don't like the noise and crowds. But I can deal with it for just a little while. Have to get some better oil for Spirit, and some batteries for my flash light.
Tomorrow I will ride the million dollar Hwy that Hondo suggested, and hopefully camp at Ridgeway somewhere. I do like that little town.
I just hope that Spirit will be ok on the road into the mountains, she's been stuttering sometimes, like she's not getting any gas.
I wonder if my petcock is causing the trouble or my float. Oh boy, I really do not like trouble, makes it hard to really enjoy oneself!

Of course I thought that West Fest started the 23rd, I have no idea why, so now I am way to early in the Lake George area. I might just head to Kansas for a while to visit a friend.


Thought this was pretty funny, it says "Don't even think of parking here"

[trialsguy]

Been past the Crestone turnoff a number of times, always wondered what was up there.  Now I gotta go.

G'luk!

[NomadGal]

Today was mixed. Got up early after having dreamed that I had an OBE, boy, I wish. Then I ran to Walmart to get better oil for Spirit. I couldn't find the disposable oil bags, but the guy at the Honda shop said I could change my oil there and use their pan. I decided to check my filter (stainless) and found tons of crud in it, AGAIN!


I really can't figure it out, it was fine for a while. It must be the clutch is what one of the mechanics there said. He said not to worry and just run it.
Yep, I wouldn't know what else to do anyway.

Then I ran back to the motel and had 20 minutes to get out of there.
 My dad, again, sent me some money as I haven't heard about the GoalZero job yet. I tell ya, it's gonna take me some time to pay him back, even though he doesn't want me to I will.
It was getting scorching hot in Durango, and I finally left at noon to go ride the Milllion dollar Hwy.






road work (guess that's why the $1,000,000







I met another biker a few days ago, who told me the road was scary, so I was a tad apprehensive riding it, but really! Guess I must have toughened up a tad.
Some parts though it does not pay to have vertigo.
All in all it was a great road to ride.

Right now I am in Ridgeway again, so now comes the question, what to do.
I would really like to go to WestFest, but that's another week, and I don't want to hang around here for a week.
So maybe I'll head to Kansas tomorrow and turn around if I decide to go to WestFest. It's only a couple of days away from Hutchinson.
Even though I love my Spirit, I have gotten to the point of expecting something else to go wrong. That's not a good way to feel.
Got to get past that, and just trust that she will be okay. Hopefully I will be able to accept what comes my way as far as Spirit is concerned.
Peace everyone!

[CB160]

Hi NG,   keep smilin' and taking those nice pictures!   

[NomadGal]

Yay! I did it!
Finally pushed myself into taking a dirt road!
After posting yesterdays RR in Ridgeway I was heading North to find a campground.
A couple of locals told me about Owl Creek campground down a dirt road.
After warring with myself about whether or not to go there I decided to bite the bullet and just do it! I figured if I get to a point of being comfortable on dirt roads by myself then I can actually camp for free and see some awesome sights.
I was lucky, the dirt road was pretty hard mostly. Some loose dirt and gravel but not bad.







The higher I got the windier it got though, and the road narrowed.
After about an hour and a half, maybe longer (went slow! about 20 mph) I was at the top of the pass





There was a site there that I could have put my tent for free, but it dawned on me that I had not remembered to buy more TP, humph! Of all the things to run out of.
So I decided to just go to one of the forest campsites along the road.
The sun was getting lower in the sky, and the coloring was magnificent!





I finally ended up at Beaver Creek campsite, and pitched my tent between the trees.
I had an awesome view behind my site.





That night it thundered accompanied with lightening of course! I guess cause I was so high up, it made the thunder so much louder, and the lightening filled my tent with so much light, it was as if a car had it's high beams on me.
I slept like a baby that night.

I took my time in the morning and made oatmeal for breakfast.
I had some sunflower seeds and gave them to a cute little visitor. :)



Left camp around 10, and rode another hour or so till I hit HWY50.
A few of these slowed me down occasionally.



I had been on this road not too long ago, but this time around it was sunny, and not black with impending rain. Couldn't take any pics anymore seeing as I had forgotten to charge my camera battery, and the usb charger just wouldn't work.
Hondo had suggested when I stayed at his place, to give Hayduke and Bonnie Azbug a call when I was near Salida, because they have a cottage available for AdvRiders. I called them and asked them if I could stay there and I could. Yay!
They are wonderful people and made me feel really welcome and at home, and their cottage is absolutely perfect!
Bonnie Azbug has a bead store where I saw some peace sign beads; time to make myself a nice keychain, haven't had any luck finding one with a peace sign.
So right now after having taken a wonderful shower, I am relaxing and typing up my report
I am not really a jewelry person, but yesterday at a viewpoint on the million dollar Hwy, a Navaho woman was selling some beaded jewelry she had made.
I could not resist the dreamcatcher necklace, which matched another beaded moon necklace a friend of mine gave me as a goodbye present.



I feel a bit like a Christmas tree with so much around my neck, but maybe that's why I slept like a baby last night  

[Jettn Jim]

Daannng NG your gett'n my temperature up with the necklace/neck photos 

AWESOME job on getting your nerve up and goin' off into the back country to camp also!!!

Great pics too...

Peace Sista,
Jim

[NomadGal]

Daannng NG your gett'n my temperature up with the necklace/neck photos 

LOL! 

[NomadGal]

Posting this photo of myself riding Onion Creek in Moab Utah on my RR, Marty had put it on the Moab photos, but this way my friends and family that check this thread can see it too.



Hitting some dirt trails today and hopefully find a cool campsite in the boonies.
Kinda wondering about the bears though, seems there are quite a few of them here in Colorado
Spend 2 wonderful nights at Hayduke and Bonnie Abbzug's cottage. They are wonderful people and made me feel very welcome. Time to load up the bike, and try out my brand-new ATV seat pad. My old one started getting too many holes.
Gonna be off the grid for a while, wish me luck!

[SPANKY]

   LUCK!     

[NomadGal]

Spent a couple of days on Cottonwood pass road.







I'm getting a little more comfortable on dirt roads, and am glad I am, cause I found the coolest free in the middle of nowhere camping spot.
Fear definitely makes you miss out on life! It took getting over, or at least trying to get over, fear of dirt roads to be able to finally have the adventure on the road that I imagined. I still get petrified when seeing deep loose sand or gravel, but now at least I talk myself through it. "Stand up, grip bike with knees, hands loosely on handlebars, don't grip them tight!



I hung out an relaxed for a couple of days. Think I am going to mount a water bottle holder on the back of each of my Pelicans so I can hang out in the middle of nowhere longer.


Lounging in my epic Hammock, facing the mountains and dozing. :)

Made a shy friend while I was there.



Also woke up in the middle of the night and it sounded like an animal was tugging on something in the vestibule of my tent.
When I woke up in the morning my boots were halfway out of my tent and had been gnawed on!



Then as I hun in my hammock later on that day, I saw a chipmunk trying to take off with my toothbrush! I ended up chasing him to get my brush back, he dropped it and skipped away. I tell ya! Wild animals! LOL
As I turned around to walk back to my hammock, I noticed that something had gnawed through the tent cord as well. Hmmph!



Left this morning, and rode a few more miles of lose and packed gravely dirt to Butte Creek to get online.



Heading for Kebler pass in a few and then direction Aspen and Lake George.

[NomadGal]

Just the pictures for now, later my ride report.
I did go over Kebler Pass and found a perfect camping spot.
I did get a visit in the morning by this handsome cowboy, chasing the cows.
Just like in the movies he said, "Mornin Ma'am!"
He didn't mind I took his picture









I am getting a tad more daring! Yay!

[Kidicarus]

Where was the dragon sculpture?  I like that.

[CoastieShep]

The pictures have been just beautiful. It's killing me knowing that I have 3 more years till I get to do my big adventure trip.

[trialsguy]

Thanks for the photos and words.  I'm glad you're getting comfortable with the dirt roads, that's where the cool stuff is.  That's why I got my KLR (a month ago).

Keep on!   

[Camas]

Hang anything/everything food related in a tree. Squirrels love to chew through stuff to get to the good stuff.

Love your pics 

[NomadGal]

Where was the dragon sculpture?  I like that.

It was in a small touristy town called Crested Butte.

[NomadGal]

Hang anything/everything food related in a tree. Squirrels love to chew through stuff to get to the good stuff.

Love your pics 

Last time I checked squirrels can climb pretty well in trees! 
I do hang stuff in trees on a far reaching branch about 10 feet high in case of bears

[NomadGal]

On my way to westfest in a few, so here are some more pics, with text to follow later  


On the Road to Aspen, an absolutely gorgeous area.










toward my campsite


Yep, getting more comfortable on dirt roads


Worth the ride

[SPANKY]

Good stuff....Daughter in law and I were kickin' back on their back porch...both of us watching a herd of squirrels do their thing high in a tree. Out of the blue one of them missed a branch and fell to the next branch...caught for a moment and fell again...caught then next and fell again...then again...to finally catch one of the last branches available. The look on the squirrels mush was priceless...we laughed for 15 minutes! High level entertainment for simple folks!! 

[Dfrog]

I am in 

[oldstove]

High level entertainment for simple folks!! 

Along the same line SPANKY, here's some more simple fun with squirrels(and chipmunks)...

Take one ultralight spinning rod/reel; tie or super glue a peanut to the end of your line(obviously NO hook); set the drag super low; cast it out amongst the squirrels(you may need to add a few split shots if you're going for distance); crack a cold one and relax. Its amazing how strong those little buggers are, so set your drag accordingly. Be prepared for a wicked fight. I've never actually "landed" one, but have been close and come to think of it, its prolly better not to have to perform the catch and release.

This works great for hours of entertainment especially at campgrounds where the furry critters are used to hand outs. I'm thinking this would also work well at night on the bigger game(raccoons) with a different bait setup. Although one again, catch and release may provide its own entertainment!


PS...NO animals were hurt during the performance of the preceeding event!

[CoastieShep]

High level entertainment for simple folks!! 

Along the same line SPANKY, here's some more simple fun with squirrels(and chipmunks)...

Take one ultralight spinning rod/reel; tie or super glue a peanut to the end of your line(obviously NO hook); set the drag super low; cast it out amongst the squirrels(you may need to add a few split shots if you're going for distance); crack a cold one and relax. Its amazing how strong those little buggers are, so set your drag accordingly. Be prepared for a wicked fight. I've never actually "landed" one, but have been close and come to think of it, its prolly better not to have to perform the catch and release.

This works great for hours of entertainment especially at campgrounds where the furry critters are used to hand outs. I'm thinking this would also work well at night on the bigger game(raccoons) with a different bait setup. Although one again, catch and release may provide its own entertainment!


PS...NO animals were hurt during the performance of the preceeding event!

Ok. So now I'm seriously thinking about getting one of those short little ultra light rods from walmart. The kind that are like 2' long. 

[CB160]

Just to continue the 'brief' treadjack......this sounds like a good use for a go-pro! hehe....

Back to our regularly scheduled programming....

NomadGal, where are you?