Amazing weather in the plains had me dreaming about Rocky Mountain National Park. I wondered how the weather was up at 9000 feet. Was it warm enough to ride my motorcycle? Would it be windy? Would there be too much snow on the road?
Well, the only way to truly answer those questions was to go for a ride today…after changing the oil of course, washing the bike and filling up the tank.
Meandering through RMNP
I decided to go around the north side of Estes Park to enter RMNP. The ranger at the gate was quite pleasant. I needed to purchase a yearly park pass. As he handed the pass over to me, he mentioned that there are now two places on the backside of the pass where two people who are on motorcycles can sign and enter the park together. That hadn’t been done in the past, so this was pretty cool to find out.
I asked about Trail Ridge Road and how far up I could get before it was closed. Typically, it’s closed at Many Parks Curve before Memorial Day, and this was the same case today.
I stopped at Horseshoe Park to take in the scenery and read a little bit about how the valley was created. This valley is the youngest valley created by a glacier only 15,000 years ago.
My next stop was at Many Parks Curve. I only turned the bike around and went back down the road. I did not feel like walking along the road’s edge to take photos. Mostly because there were a ton of people up there and I wanted some quiet time. As I rode along, I noticed all the trees that had been affected by beetle-kill over the past several years in the park. In order to stave off further disaster (fire), the park service attempts to mitigate the trees as much as possible. There were tons of tree piles like these dotting the roadside…
Heading back down the road to the south entrance, I stopped for a mountain vista shot…
Next, I rode up to the Bear Lake parking area and walked over the piles (about 4 feet deep) of snow like all the other tourists to gaze at the frozen lake and take a few photos. I decided to be a tad different this time…
As I left the park, I wondered how long it would take for my motorcycle-riding, mountain scenery gazing yearning would take to hit me upside the head again…
Hmmm…I’m thinking if Mother Nature keeps this up, it may not be long at all.
Mtn Air Lover's View 
Riding around Estes Park, getting creeped out at the Stanly Hotel and just taking in the mountain air are the wondrous events I remember most about Colorado. It does not get to much better.
My kids are ghost fiends. They love the Stanley and we haven’t even stayed there. Goofy kids! I will miss the trees when they are gone. I know it’s just a part of life, but there’s just something about a thick pine forest dotted with aspen that makes me feel at home. Now, I’m the goofy one 😉
Wow. I felt like being with You when looking at Your great photos. I love especially the third photo from the top. I take photos from my blue car also in front of something special place (just to prove that I was there). 🙂
I’ve seen those photos with your car. They’re pretty awesome! Thanks so much for the like on my post. I plan on sharing more photos of Colorado mountain roads in a couple of months with my tour.