We needed to have "GTS Bob represent the true performance of the GTS1000 for the bunch..... AKA Oregon (Bob Johnson)
-----Original Message----- From: GTS-1000 Owners List [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]On Behalf Of Loss, Joe Sent: Monday, July 22, 2002 12:23 PM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Paonia Ride Report - Longish Well I had to bag the plans for Laguna Seca this year, but this weekends ride to Paonia (Colorado) was great consolation. Some buddies and I headed there in a repeat of last years trip for the anuual BMW rally. Not that we spend much time at the rally (couple hours if that), just love the great riding in the area and we stay at a fantastic B&B with it's own fledgling winery! We meet at the designated spot in Boulder, 6 AM Fri morning. The group is: Duck ST4s, BMW K1200RS, BMW R1100s, Guzzi 1100 sport (one I used to own) and our venerable "fast red" GTS. At the last minute one of the groups friends shows up to join us just for a couple hours. He rockets up on a Hayabusa and proceeds to do a short burn-out. "Oh my Gaaawd...what kind of crazy nutter did he invite" I'm thinking. Turns out to be the Michael Pettiford, ex-racer and owner of a local racing school. One very competent rider on one veeeery powerful motorcycle. Seems like a really nice guy as well and, despite my first impression, seemed the most concerned of any of us at the pace we were riding that morning without actually being on a race track. He says he's ridden practically every modern bike there is, including the GTS, of which he said he remembered it being very heavy and prone to sliding very easily...I couldn't argue about the weight but I suggested as far as sliding goes, it was probably the old OEM Dunlop D202s at fault there. Straight up Left Hand canyon (local favorite) we go. Before I even get warmed up the Hayabusa, ST4s and K12 are GONE. Then we end up going different routes but meet in Idaho Springs after a sweet, traffic-free ride along the Peak to Peak and a short blast up I70. Next destination...14,000 ft at the top of Mount Evans. This time I'm determined to see if I can stay with these guys. I start at the back of the pack, stuck behind the Guzzi and R1100s so by the time I got around them I had dropped back a fair way but still in sight. It took a long time, but I did manage to join them. Pettiford was content to mostly hang behind the other two but it was obvious he could have shot ahead at will. He, like myself, didn't know the road. It was also plainly obvious that the others had more power off the corners than the old GTS as they'd pull away markedly every time, especially that dam Hayabusa! The GTS handling seemed to be off a bit too, a slight weave which I though was due to the loaded panniers, but later determined to be the well worn front tire. The lower part of the road is really very nice, but there's a nasty section we were warned about in the middle that is damaged. As you approach the top it gets tighter and tighter and scarier and scarier. Loads of hairpin bends with only the sky as run-off... Needless to say we rode this section at a more sedate pace and enjoyed the spectacular views. Back down the mountain again and Pettiford heads home. Another blast on I70 and we run Loveland pass - 3 times! I tell you these guys are motorcycle addicts! Especially that 50-something year old on the Duck! Then the back way to Frisco, Copper, Leadville over spectacular Independence Pass to Aspen for lunch. More great riding after lunch takes us over McClure Pass and just past Paonia to Hotchkiss and our abode for the weekend, The Leroux Creek Inn. If you're ever over this way and don't mind paying a little extra, this place is superb. Yvon, the French guy that runs the place is a gourmet chef, makes great wine and is a fantastic host. All the other guests were BMW people so it was quite the motorcycle nut weekend. Saturday was spent riding the north rim of the Black Canyon of the Gunnision - freshly paved and twisty paradise! Awesome! My front tire is looking rather sad now and I can really notice that it needs a lot of countersteering force to hold a line. The tire profile is worn noticeably triangular with a flat spot on top and I realize I probably should have replaced it before the trip. Metzelers Z3s are pretty soft and it's been very hot to boot. Back for a break at the Mad Dog Ranch (Joe Cockers famous biker hangout in Crawford) before heading to the rally to check out what was happening. Mellow event but biggest BMW gathering I've ever seen. Lots of interesting and rare stuff...and YES even a blue GTS! Couldn't find the owner. No idea whose it was. Early afternoon we set off for a ride up Grand Mesa but at Cedaredge a thundery shower convinced us to head back to the Inn early instead and relax in the hot tub with a beer and more wine. A superb Elk and Buffalo dinner prepared for us later that evening. Oh I tell you, these rallies are rough! That crazy Duck rider got up at the crack of dawn next day and had already run the North Rim road one more time by the time we were ready to leave the Inn! After another gourmet breakfast, we bid Yvon farewell and set off home in an effort to beat the returning weekend traffic jams. We headed north through the Grand Mesa. I had never done this before and was surprised by the incredible scenery and of course good roads. Surprisingly the Mesa is up to 10,000 ft and it was very chilly but a welcome change from the 90ish degrees of most of the weekend. A long uneventful blast on I70 took us back to the Peak to Peak and home again just in the nick of time to avoid the worst of the traffic. Front tire (Z3) is now shot, no tread whatsoever at 45 degrees each side of the centerline. Rear Metzeler Sportec is not that far behind. Great tire but very short life (ridden hard). So to summarize the weekend I'd say that in general the riding here in Colorado fairly sucks and you shouldn't bother ever coming out here... Cheers Joe. ============================================================================ ========== NOTICE - This communication may contain confidential and privileged information that is for the sole use of the intended recipient. Any viewing, copying or distribution of, or reliance on this message by unintended recipients is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message and deleting it from your computer. ============================================================================ ==
