Ride Day 1: Day 2 of 2025 Epic Motorcycle Trip: Raton, New Mexico to Golden, Colorado (drive 240+ miles)

In the morning, we load up. Blackie weighs a lot with the big bag, rain gear bag, blanket (we may want a picnic), Blackberry, my lap top bag, and more. While we’re planning on ditching clothes along the trip, we are way too top heavy starting out! We head out of the Robin Hood Motel, get gas and head north on Interstate 25 (only six miles to Colorado from the hotel) – go through Raton Pass. There really isn’t anyway not to take the Interstate about 150 miles to Colorado Springs and then bail off the Interstate. But Interstate 25 isn’t as bad as 20 (or other Interstates).

Loading up Blackie at the Robinhood Motel

Raton Pass (poor picture)

Raton Pass (poor picture)

Colorado State Line

After Raton Pass - NOTHINGNESS

Raton Pass is newly repaved  and smells like pine trees (it was one lane most of the way when we were last going to Colorado). We don’t stop at the scenic overpass to take a picture at the Colorado state line. Once you get through Raton Pass there is NOTHINGNESS for a lot of the way to Colorado Springs, passing through Trinidad and Pueblo, but not much else. The problem with being on a bike in nothingness – when it’s windy, you feel like you’re just going to get tipped over. Not great. But 150 miles later, we get on 24.

It’s nice to be on the interstate and 24 is nice (we did some of this last time we went to Colorado). At Woodland Park we get on 67, riding through “piney woods.” Tony has put the route into his Furkote scenic rides app. But, somewhere on 67 (around highway 126) she has glitched out and keeps asking us to take random turns on unpaved roads (we don’t). We pull over at this Conoco (closed, maybe abandoned) at a road fork. Ask a couple of people if one of the roads is paved and goes to Golden (not paved). We take the other that goes to 285 (civilization). I think we were riding along the North Fork South Platte River on Pine Valley Road (really clean looking water). Nice riding, curves. But we’re not 100% sure of where we are going (and it’s getting dark and potentially stormy). And note: I didn't bring ANY of my paper maps on this trip. Used them for planning, But didn't bring ANY maps.

At the 285 Intersection (Pine Valley Road and Mount Evans Road) we stop, ask which way to Golden (actually to Morrison and then 470/70 to Golden). And then it rains. Not long, but enough. And, it’s pretty gusty. But only about 30 minutes to the hotel. Get on 470 and it’s even windier, but while we get sidetracked through downtown Golden, we finally get to the Hampton Inn  (Hampton Inn, 17150 W. Colfax Avenue, Golden, CO 80401).

This is the same Hampton Inn we stayed at when we went to Sturgis, but it’s almost unrecognizable because there is a Home Depot, Petco, Holiday Inn, and bunch of shopping all around it (it used to just sit by itself on the top of a hill).

Unload and check in. I can’t help it but I go and delete emails so they don’t clog up. And then head over to Avalanche Harley Davidson (www. https://avalancheharley.com/ ) on W. Colfax Avenue (same street at hotel). It’s the biggest H-D in Colorado. Big, yes, but not great and all we get is a poker chip. I am picky about my shirts and if it doesn’t have a nice back, I pretty much say no (the backs of my shirts have T-rexs? Or really poorly screen printed mountains.) The poker chip is Johnny Cash at Redrocks.

We then get a late lunch/early dinner at Wrigley’s Bar and Grill (https://www.wrigleyschicagobar.net/ ) down the street. Yes, it’s a Chicago bar. Yes, it’s not a chain. Was it great? No. Service was slow. My prime rib sandwich, if it didn’t have the horseradish sauce, wouldn’t have been special at all. Tony’s sausage sandwich had really bad tomato sauce, too much cheese, and bread that was inedible. Oh well, we can’t always win and I don’t think this is going to be a culinary adventure.

Tomorrow: interstate 70 to Grand Junction, Colorado