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The
best
way
to
see
Trail
Ridge
Road
is
by
motorcycle;
you
can
see
and
hear
far
more
than
in
a
car,
and
being
out
in
the
weather
is
exhilarating.
I
usually
ride
starting
from
our
cabin
in
the
Tahosa
Valley,
giving
a
total
ride
of
62.4
miles
to
Grand
Lake
with
a
total
elevation
gain
of
about
a
mile.
From
Estes
Park,
the
distance
is
about
48
miles.
I
leave
at
07:55
and
head
for
Estes
Park.
It
takes
about
5
minutes
to
reach
Estes,
and
I
stop
at
the
Mountaineer
restaurant
for
a
big
breakfast.
Leaving
the
Mountaineer
I
head
toward
the
Fall
River
entrance
of
the
Park.
This
is
usually
the
least
busy
entrance
to
the
park.
The
ranger
at
the
station
seems
especially
pleased
to
see
my
Ducati
ST2.
I
ride
up
the
hill
to
Deer
Ridge
Junction
at
10
miles
from
Estes.
The
next
section
is
mild
and
sometimes
even
downhill.
I
pass
the
beaver
pond
walk.
(When
was
the
last
time
there
was
a
beaver
here?
I've
never
seen
one.)
At
the
entrance
to
the
old
Hidden
Valley
ski
area,
the
road
starts
up,
ten
miles
of
6%
grade.
The
torque
of
my
Ducati’s
944cid
engine
is
really
put
to
the
test
here.
After
the
first
uphill
section,
I
reach
Many
Parks
Curve
14
miles
from
Estes.
From
here,
you
can
see
most
of
the
Estes
Park
valley.
Enjoy
the
scenery
for
a
while.
Especially
the
trees
since
you
will
soon
be
ascending
into
the
tundra
of
Rocky
Mountain
National
Park.
Rainbow
Curve
has
a
great
view
of
the
Mummy
Range
and
a
better
than
average
privy.
Clark's
nutcrackers
wait
for
nuts
thrown
by
visitors.
This
is
near
timberline,
and
the
air
is
getting
thin.
Above
Rainbow
Curve,
the
road
is
narrower,
without
any
shoulder.
There's
a
drop-off
to
the
right
on
a
slope
that
burned
a
century
ago
and
still
has
not
recovered.
Cars
are
polite,
though,
and
pass
with
care.
The
road
crosses
a
pass
(where
the
Ute
trail
starts),
and
now
there
is
a
wider
shoulder,
often
containing
rocks.
I
reach
the
Forest
Canyon
Overlook
21
miles
from
Estes.
This
place
often
feels
cold
when
you
get
out
of
a
car,
but
the
cool
wind
feels
good
now.
Only
a
little
more
uphill
to
the
Rock
Cut,
its
not
as
steep
as
before.
Elk
are
scattered
on
the
tundra
slopes
below.
Beyond
the
Rock
Cut
(over
12,000
feet)
the
road
turns
down,
although
there
are
a
few
uphill
sections
left.
There
are
bighorn
sheep
as
well
as
elk
on
the
slopes,
and
lots
of
cars
are
stopped
to
look
at
them.
One
more
uphill
section,
then
steeply
down
to
the
visitors
center,
27
miles
from
Estes.
It
is
quite
nice
to
ride
back
to
Estes
from
the
visitors
center,
although
that
steep
downhill
section
requires
a
climb
on
the
way
back.
The
ride
down
toward
Rainbow
Curve
is
especially
nice;
it
feels
as
if
one
could
just
sail
off
over
the
valley,
one
of
the
few
times
I've
wished
I
were
in
a
hang
glider.
It's
also
possible
to
reach
the
visitor
center
up
Fall
River
Road,
usually
opened
to
car
traffic
(one-way
going
up)
about
July
4.
This
road
is
best
ridden
by
a
true
“off
road”
dual-sport
bike
and
not
my
Ducati
ST2.
A
BMW
F-650
Dakar
would
be
a
much
better
choice.
The
trip
down
to
Grand
Lake
is
mostly
downhill,
and
of
course,
that
is
nice,
but
it's
stressful
too.
You
can
go
fast
but
the
occasional
speed
demon
feels
compelled
to
pass
you
(can't
wait
to
get
out
of
this
beautiful
place
and
back
to
civilized
ugliness).
Even
worse,
watch
out
for
the
idiot
tourist
parked
in
the
middle
of
the
road
on
a
blind
curve
to
watch
a
deer;
always
be
prepared
to
stop
within
the
distance
you
can
see
ahead.
A
viewpoint
at
Farview
Curve
provides
a
great
view
of
the
Kawuneechee
valley,
Never
Summer
range,
and
the
Grand
Ditch
that
forms
a
scar
across
the
opposite
valley
wall.
Fall
is
my
favorite
time
of
year
here.
The
crispness
in
the
air,
the
blues
of
the
sky
and
the
intensity
of
the
sun
all
elevate
the
senses
to
new
heights.
After
some
switchbacks,
the
road
is
less
steep
as
it
follows
the
valley
down.
Some
cars
are
stopped
watching
moose
grazing
in
the
swampy
area
below.
The
moose
appears
to
be
a
water
cow:
that
long
nose
allows
it
to
graze
on
plants
under
the
water
while
keeping
its
eyes
and
ears
out
to
watch
for
predators.
The
historic
Never
Summer
Ranch
beside
the
road
is
a
nice
side
trip.
The
downhill
ends
and
there
are
mild
rolling
hills.
This
is
a
perfect
time
to
open
up
the
Ducati
and
enjoy
some
fast
left
and
right
sweepers.
(Not
too
fast
though,
this
is
tourist
and
wildlife
country,
you
know)
Finally,
I
reach
the
entrance
station;
from
there
it
is
a
downhill
run
into
Grand
Lake
and
the
wide-open
range
of
Grand
County.
Although
it
is
more
“down
home”
than
Estes
Park,
I
like
Grand
Lake.
The
town
wisely
rejected
the
gambling
that
has
ruined
many
of
the
historic
mountain
towns
of
Colorado.
I
reach
the
town
square
50
miles
from
Estes
by
this
route,
1
hour
20
minutes
elapsed
time
from
Estes,
not
allowing
for
the
occasional
photo
stop.
There
is
a
hamburger
stand
with
good
food
down
by
the
lake,
a
perfect
place
to
sit
and
reflect
on
a
great
ride.
Fall
is
a
perfect
time
of
year
to
hop
on
the
bike
in
the
morning,
ride
up
Trailridge
road
and
be
back
in
time
to
clean
the
bike
before
it
gets
dark.
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