Red_Chili
Hard Core 4+
We're doing a Guanella Pass Snow Bash on Saturday, 2/3. Meet at 9 AM at Grant, on US 285 - that should give us the time we need. This is a public service to another sector of the OHV community (we won't mention the fun involved for us, of course). That bears some explaining...
In my secret other life, I am a heavy motorcycle user... dirtbikes, dualsports, and adventure riding being my preferred flavor.
There is quasi-official traditional event put on every year on or about Valentine's day that is probably best described as a hooligan-esque version of Cruise Moab, Easter Jeep, and a bunch of snow and foolishness. OK, not NEARLY as big as EJ or CM, but pretty popular among the hard core.
It's called the Elephant Ride, over Guanella Pass. It's reputedly named after Hannibal invading Rome over the Alps on elephant-back, which seems appropriate. Motorcycles of all descriptions participate, bikes with sidecars do the best (Urals, Russian-made, or old BMWs, or homemade rigs of all kinds; dirtbikes with ice screws in their tires; streetbikes that don't get very far; sometimes the odd Harley or Indian; usually big thumpers and twins). Some guys camp at Grant the night before; some ride up if weather or ice permit; some trailer their bikes. The date is Feb. 10th & 11th. 10th is for campsite rambunctiousness, 11th is for mechanical event precipitation. Fancy for "breaking bikes".
It's a hoot. Most survive in one condition or another. The problem is, I understand Clear Creek has decided to not maintain Guanella at the top. Even a Ural with a driven sidecar wheel would find four feet of snow a showstopper. So I was asked (jokingly at first, then not so jokingly) if we might be interested in breaking trail.
Good opportunity for bridge-building in the OHV community. Sometimes there is tension between 4x4ers and dirt bikers, for no good reason IMHO.
As Red Green would say, we're all in this together.
Minimum tire size of 33s with chains and lockers are recommended, but we won't turn any courageous soul away. I'm not sure of the conditions or gates that may be closed, so we should scoot up there and do a pre-pre-run. I do understand we will climb over/through a 7' snowplow-induced glop of snow. All good!
We are doing it the weekend before the Elephant Ride so we don't invade the motorcycle nature of the event. That makes us, well, like, Visigoth mercenaries in service to Hannibal in his invasion. Or something. Child sacrifice not a part of this event.
Link to the Adventure Rider discussion: linkie
Link to the 'official' Elephant Ride page: linkie
In my secret other life, I am a heavy motorcycle user... dirtbikes, dualsports, and adventure riding being my preferred flavor.
There is quasi-official traditional event put on every year on or about Valentine's day that is probably best described as a hooligan-esque version of Cruise Moab, Easter Jeep, and a bunch of snow and foolishness. OK, not NEARLY as big as EJ or CM, but pretty popular among the hard core.
It's called the Elephant Ride, over Guanella Pass. It's reputedly named after Hannibal invading Rome over the Alps on elephant-back, which seems appropriate. Motorcycles of all descriptions participate, bikes with sidecars do the best (Urals, Russian-made, or old BMWs, or homemade rigs of all kinds; dirtbikes with ice screws in their tires; streetbikes that don't get very far; sometimes the odd Harley or Indian; usually big thumpers and twins). Some guys camp at Grant the night before; some ride up if weather or ice permit; some trailer their bikes. The date is Feb. 10th & 11th. 10th is for campsite rambunctiousness, 11th is for mechanical event precipitation. Fancy for "breaking bikes".
It's a hoot. Most survive in one condition or another. The problem is, I understand Clear Creek has decided to not maintain Guanella at the top. Even a Ural with a driven sidecar wheel would find four feet of snow a showstopper. So I was asked (jokingly at first, then not so jokingly) if we might be interested in breaking trail.
Good opportunity for bridge-building in the OHV community. Sometimes there is tension between 4x4ers and dirt bikers, for no good reason IMHO.
As Red Green would say, we're all in this together.
Minimum tire size of 33s with chains and lockers are recommended, but we won't turn any courageous soul away. I'm not sure of the conditions or gates that may be closed, so we should scoot up there and do a pre-pre-run. I do understand we will climb over/through a 7' snowplow-induced glop of snow. All good!
We are doing it the weekend before the Elephant Ride so we don't invade the motorcycle nature of the event. That makes us, well, like, Visigoth mercenaries in service to Hannibal in his invasion. Or something. Child sacrifice not a part of this event.
Link to the Adventure Rider discussion: linkie
Link to the 'official' Elephant Ride page: linkie
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