Got the bike loaded yesterday and I was out the door about 8AM this morning. The state of Colorado is experiencing the driest Spring on record and the heat wave showed up this weekend. My home thermometer hit triple digits yesterday and had done it as well last Monday - first time in 6 years. There are fires popping up everywhere. I was stunned this morning as I was drinking coffee, reading the paper, getting pumped to go. A new fire was in my path of travel to Colorado Springs. Now this was no ordinary route to the Springs that I had mapped out. I had time on my hands to ride and I discovered a new book last year that showed a lot of places I wanted to ride. If one takes the interstate to CS from Boulder, it is about 100 miles. I had mapped out 190 miles to get there. I saw some incredible scenery. Out of here on CO 93 to Clear Creek canyon, then up from Idaho Springs to Echo Lake.
Next over Squaw Pass to Evergreen, then snake around to Pine, CO, Deckers and Woodland Park. It was amazing. But I as I was driving from Deckers to Woodland Park, I noticed a solid line of vehicles coming toward me for that entire journey and nobody going my way. Hmmm...
Go to Woodland Park, made my left turn on CO24 for the final 16 miles to my buddy's house, destination for the day, and came to this:
Yup, the road to the Springs was closed due to the Waldo fire and they were sending traffic back the way I had just come (no wonder the constant line of vehicles coming at me) all the way back to Castle Rock, then onto the interstate to CS. Nope, that is too far out of the way and the folks driving it are pissed and driving accordingly. So I made the decision in Woodland Park to head to Buena Vista, since that will allow me to connect to the original plan much easier.
I just read the news and another area we are headed to just exploded into yet another fire. This adventure is going to be an adventure in fire exclusion. See ya tomorrow, after I hook up with my trusty traveling companion who is, as I write, trucking his bike to Taos.
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