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Colorado & Utah Tour
Scenic Overload
August 13 - 22, 2004Trip Highlights
Friday, August 13
Leaving West Chicago, IL
Just a week before the trip, it was decided. I was going to ride out to Colorado accompanied by the beloved ST.N Chili Man. I had new tires and just installed some converti-bars on the 954RR. I was going to do it all via interstate to get there ASAP. Brian and Dave we going to tow their Daytona’s using a borrowed Kendon trailer and using Dave’s pickup truck. We had towed our three bikes to Deal’s Gap this past Spring and I can’t even express the discomfort of sitting in the back of the pickup truck on that so called bench behind the front seats. The guys being both over 6” tall can’t fit back there so I would be confined to that tiny space for 1045 miles. There was no way I was going to go though that again, especially all the way to Frisco, Colorado. On Friday, half an hour before I was about to leave work, I received a call from Brian telling me that Dave was still working on his bike and would not be ready to leave yet. The plan was to stay together, I would ride in the lead in the daytime and follow the trailer by night. When I got home from work I was anxious to leave. Since I was packed and ready to go I left for Colorado. I needed to stop every 100 miles for gas and a break, so I wanted to get a head start. In 300 miles we would re-group and spend the night in a motel together.
Saturday, August 14
On the way to Frisco, CO
The first 300 miles was a snap, but today was tough crossing the boring flat state of Nebraska. I left at sunrise to get an early start after only a few hours of sleep. Since I was planning on stopping every 100 miles for a break and gas, sooner or later I would be passed by the pick up truck and trailer. My only entertainment for the next 700 miles was the ipod and watching people driving on the interstate. That got boring fast. The weather wasn’t too bad although I did get sprinkled on a few times. After the most boring and most uncomfortable ride I had finally made it to Frisco, CO. The guys were already done unloading their bikes when I pulled up to the Holiday Inn. Since it was getting late, we got in the pickup truck and headed out to find some food. I was dead tired and had started to develop a headache, but was hungry also, and figured if I ate something my headache would go away. We went to the Boat Yard downtown Frisco and ordered some food. It was a nice place with a nice friendly atmosphere. I got chicken cashew salad on croissant with avocado, Brian got almond crusted trout and Dave got Cornbread encrusted catfish with prawns. I didn’t have any Excedrin on me and by the time the food came I was really hurting and feeling nauseous. I couldn’t sit in the restaurant any longer, the smell of the food and the noise in the restaurant was making me sick. I went to lie down in the truck, while Brian and Dave finished their meals. I got my food packed to go since our motel room had a refrigerator. Once we got back to the motel I finally took two Excedrin and went directly to bed. I remember reading about altitude (mountain) sickness, but could not remember the exact symptoms. I had a feeling that I was suffering from it .Hopefully I would feel better tomorrow. Too bad I had to miss dinner, the restaurant was very cute as was the town of Frisco.