Ride Journal
May 28, Day 16, Colorado
The sun came in the window shortly after 5:00 am this morning waking me up at Noel & Yvette's house in Johnstown, Colorado. They have an awesome house with a beautiful view of the Rockies from the east. After Noel fixed pancakes for breakfast, I proceeded to jack up the bike (with Noel's jack) and take the back wheel off. Next came the front wheel and we put them in Noel's truck and headed off to town. Noel said that it seemed like we were forgetting something, and I said that we're good. A couple of blocks later I said, "I know we forgot...The two new tires!" We went back to the house laughing all the way to pick up the tires and then we headed back to Thunder Mountain Harley-Davidson. I have tire irons with me but since I started running mag wheels I find it a lot easier to have a tire machine do the work and spin balance is the way to go. Jake said he would have them done in a couple of hours so we went back to the house and I got the rest of the stuff ready.
I had to take two links out of the chain and snaked it around the sprocket. I got my new brake pads out of my back pack and got those ready to put in the rear caliper. I carry all that stuff with me including the tires (this trip anyway) to fix anything on the road. We got the call from Jake after about an hour and a half and he said to come on back because they are done. We picked them up and when we got back home, I had them on in no time at all. Noel was surprised that his jack would let me take both tires off at the same time. He steadied the bike for me as I put the wheels back on. I also got a new clevis pin to replace the worn out bolt that was holding the rear brake pedal to the master cylinder push rod. That ought to last me longer than having to replace a bolt every year! After getting everything buttoned up and strapped back on Noel and I took a ride back to the Harley shop to show Jake my bike. He just left for lunch so we missed him but I met Mike and we talked for a while about his first bike, a 76 Super Glide Shovelhead.
When we left, Noel took us up hwy 34 to ride up the Big Thompson Canyon. In 1977 I spent a couple of weeks riding around this area and getting to love what I saw. When I got back home to Oakland, California where I was living at the time, I packed up some of my stuff and labeled the boxes Colorado. I ended up moving up to Oregon the next year instead of Colorado. I remember riding up the Big Thompson Canyon to Estes Park and hearing the tales of the big flood of 1976, where around 60 something people got killed when a flash flood of the Big Thompson Creek flooded the canyon. It is a beautiful canyon to ride up through with the sheer rock formations and colorful canyon walls. We got about 10 miles up and it started to rain and super black clouds were forming up on top. Noel said it's probably snowing up there so we turned around and went to see Carter Lake. We got almost up to it and it started to dump on us there as well. We turned around again and headed back home. There were only a few sprinkles to contend with.
We got back home at around 3:30 pm and the storm came down out of the Rockies and thunder and lightning is now over head. I'm happy that I'm not in a camp ground or out riding somewhere. It's raining pretty hard now as Noel and Yvette are putting shiskibobs together for tonight’s BBQ. They invited a few friends to come over and meet me and they were really hoping that I would stay a couple of days. I feel right at home here with Noel and Yvette. Yes Joni, I am leaving tomorrow to head west again and will see you real soon.
Fourteen of Noel & Yvette's friends came over for the BBQ and to meet me. Each and every one of them are great down to earth good people that was a pleasure to be around. We all talked about riding, jobs, people, rides to come etc...A few of them are planning to ride out west so I told them to be sure to call me when they get there as I would love to ride up to Crater Lake & Diamond Lake to show them around. What a great night spent with all the new friends! New tires and chain for the continuing journey back home. I will be ready tomorrow..............
