Last weekend I rode from Longmont to Black Forest, Colorado. This should have been a two hour ride but I decided to ride down CO83. This meant starting in southern Denver and riding through Parker. Thirty years ago I lived in this area so I figured it would be nice to see my old stomping grounds. As one might guess, lots of development has happened in that time. I can honestly say it now looks like California. And not the good parts. Heavy traffic, worse than the rest of Denver, complete with self absorbed drivers out to kill those that dare to share the road. The first ten miles of CO83 is a multi-lane divided affair with stop lights every quarter mile. Stop light are timed such that I was forced to stop for every single one in stifling 95 degree heat. The Spyder coped with the heat, much better than I although the electric radiator fan came on several times. Not much air gets past the front fairing and windshield to the rider. I can only assume that this sort of arrangement pays off after long days in the saddle. Once past Parker the rest of the trip was pleasant. I circumvented a rainstorm that brought cooler air. That combined with the elevation change made for nice riding. Total time from Longmont, three hours.
I did not leave Black forest until after 9:30pm. This time I chose to go up I-25 but first I had to ride through some dark back roads. Lighting on the Spyder is good if a little short. Even with the high beams I could easily “out ride” the light. Once on I-25 there was sufficient light to travel at 75mph. I was a little sore from the trip down so I planed to stop. The first time was to get gas in Castle Rock. Later I stopped north of Denver around 120th. I arrived back in Longmont a round midnight. Total time, less than 2 hours.
Total time in the saddle was almost five hours. The next day I was sore but there was no sharp back pains. I had survived. I suspect that if I had paced myself better, rested more frequently, I would have survived better. Either way I still see the Spyder as a success. I now have as many miles on the Spyder as are on my '05 DRZ400.
