Ride on 10/26/08

It's a clear Sunday, and I'm not working. What a great excuse for a ride, this late in the season. I didn't know exactly where to go, but I've got a schedule to keep. I usually have lunch on Sunday at the restaurant where my daughter works, and Sunday is also the day I take my dog to the dog park to see his friends. Since I had a little time for a ride, I decided to go south. I packed up at around 10 AM, and figured that I'd take almost a reverse route from one I had taken a few months earlier around Bishop's Castle. The big difference was that I decided that I wouldn't ride on any unpaved roads.

My ride started out excellent, with my MP3 player randomly selecting the Afro Celt Sound System's Mojave, a piece I could listen to every day. At 10 AM, riding through the central part of Colorado Springs, Mojave was a perfect listen while the streets were cool and quiet.

I headed down south on Highway 115, stopping at the gas station to top off. I took a quick bathroom and breakfast break there, while I talked with a few other bikers who were doing the same while I was there. One of them was riding a Valkyrie, which is a purely beautiful bike. If I didn't have a Harley, I'd probably lean toward the Valkyrie.

I hit the road shortly thereafter, and was still grateful to have a Harley - a respectable bike in its own right. Within a few minutes, I found the temperature dropping quite a bit. The forecast called for temps in the mid 60s, but at the speed I was travelling, I was getting cold. Still, I continued on.

The route was familiar; Highway 115 along the western edge of Fort Carson, down to Penrose. I was familiar with Fort Carson on the other side of the fence. Back in 1987 when I was first stationed there, I spent a week on a field exercise just to the northeast of Turkey Creek Ranch, and another three days just east of the May Bug Museum. I even remember a few of the old tank trails that me and my friends used to hide out on during weekly training days. Ah, the good old days!

In Penrose, I decided to take a side journey through the actual town. I had never actually been there, but I have a soft spot for small towns. This one was small; it's "business district" consisted of a few buildings along one block. As I rode around the corner, I saw two young men, one of whom was disassembling an AR-15 rifle. I guess there is really no need for a Police Department here.


I headed south across highway 50, and saw an abandoned home there that I had never seen before. It did not seem to have much time left as an assembled home, so I decided to photograph it while it was still in place. It still had some beauty to it. I can only imagine what it was like when it was occupied.

I headed into Florence, and passed a few old homes. Highway 67 was my next turn, which headed straight down to Wetmore. There was lot of wide open space, as I saw the Wet Mountains straight ahead of me. It looked like a lot of fun to ride into them, but it was getting cooler, and I wanted to meet my daughter for lunch. Instead of heading south, I cut to the east, heading out to Pueblo.

The last time I went from Penrose to Pueblo, I took highway 50, and rode right into a headwind that nearly took my head off. Today felt about the same; a headwind that pressed against me like I was standing in a hurricane.

I found my way into Pueblo, and stopped to top off my gas tank. After that, I hit the expressway and started north. I veered off in Fountain, and bounced around until I hit Powers Boulevard. From there, it was a straight shot to my daughter's restaurant.

I arrived at 1 PM, right as she was off signing off duty. We had lunch together, something we hadn't been able to do for months.

That's why I never argue with fate. I'm glad it was too cool for a long ride.