The Great Motorcycle Scavanger Hunt Cont...

As many of you know, my motorcycle group (Mountain Shadow Riders, a chapter of Women on Wheels) is doing a scavanger hunt. It started the first of April and ends Oct 31st. There are just over 350 items to find and take a picture of with your personal motorcycle. So on May 8th, we got our two sons off to school and then my husband and I set out to find a few items on the list. What a great day. Kids in school and we get to go out and play (lol). The day started off a gorgeously, clear blue sky and with just a nip in the air. I was glad to wear all my layers and was quite happy.

We go north on Powers Ave, in Colorado Springs, and then get off and head east on Platte Ave. We go just a little ways down and then head south on Marksheffel Rd. Our first destination is the Pikes Peak International Raceway. Unfortunately, the raceway has been bought out and will no longer be used for races. As I understand it, the new owners bought it to let it rot. What a waste. Anyway the PPIR is on the list for the scavanger hunt.

My husband, who is in the lead, and "this is a good thing" (as Martha Stewart has been known to say, lol), decides we are going to take the back roads. We could have easily zipped down I-25 and been there in half the time. Not long after getting onto Marksheffel Rd you come to open prairies. The song "Home on the Range" comes to mind when driving this stretch of road. It's wide open and beautiful. Lots of prairie grass and some trees. Of course, you have the view of mountains to your west. We follow Marksheffel for a while till we come into the town of Fountain.

Then we turn south, left, onto Link Rd. By now we are coming into farming country. You get a very laid back feeling out this way. In fact, the cops were out and in force that day to ensure that feeling (lol). A little ways down Link Rd we come into a small tree grotto. This bird comes at me and I'm getting ready to duck, but it takes a sudden 45 degree turn and starts to fly right next to me. I was flabbergasted, to say the least. It follows along side me for a few seconds and then flys off on it's merry way. I was so thrilled and absolutely spellbound. That was a few moments in time that I hope to never forget.

We follow Link Rd for a ways, until it runs into Old Pueblo Rd. We turn left onto Old Pueblo Rd. This road pretty much takes you straight out to PPIR. While on this road you cross the railroad tracks many times. We slow way down and look both ways, as this is an active track.

Scavanger Pic - Motorcycle at PPIR

It's really pretty out here. We saw a white rabbit scurring around while parked at PPIR. I couldn't get my camera up quick enough to get a picture of it.

I had thought a barn was on the scavanger list and stopped to take a picture. I just love the look of this old barn. Unfortunately, I was so excited about the old barn that I never noticed the roadkill I accidently parked right next to. If you click on the picture, you will see it just by my front tire. I didn't notice it till after taking the pictures and was walking back to my motorcycle. It was to my dismay when I discovered the poor thing.

Scavanger Pic - Motorcycle with a horse

Okay, I was just looking on the list and I can't find horse or livestock, auugg... there are just too many things on this list. It's got to be a horse trailer and bonus if the horse is inside. Oh well (sigh), it was worth the stop. This horse came right up to me and wanted to be petted. She was very nice. Before my husband was ready with the camera, she nudged me on my shoulder with her nose. As you can see, I was standing next to the fence and didn't expect that.

Scavanger Pic - Motorcycle with an Adobe House

Okay, I do know for sure that an adobe house ISSS on the list (lol). Whew, at times I get so confused with all the items on "the list." During our drive we got to experience lots of wonderful (??) farm smells. There were a few farms putting out the "Ode' to Horse Manure" smell. Then there was the "Ode' to Skunk" smell, ahhh... nothing... like it?

Here we are on the way home. We are on Marksheffel Rd. The clouds are coming in. They do this often by noonish. This is the view towards the mountains.

Here we are still on Marksheffel Rd, with my husband waiting ever-so patiently. This is looking back from where we had just been. You can see the open space to our left. It just goes on for what appears forever.

Scavanger Pic - Motorcycle at a Fast Food Restaurant

10 bonus points for "rider with fast food item"

After all that driving, we were starved. Once in town we headed for one of our favorite fast food joints, Taco Johns. It's pretty new to town. When we first got here, and for 5 years thereafter, Colorado Springs didn't have this fine establishment. Was I bummed!! I absolutely love their Super Potato Oles. You know how there's just some foods you JUST can't live without. We would take trips to Denver and Fort Collins just to feed the fix!!!

We had lots of fun exploring roads we had never been on. It was gorgeous countryside and we were very happy to take the long way to PPIR. There was the bonus of finding other things on "the list" along the way. It was worth it. We took off about 10am and got home about 1:30pm. We drove just over 100 miles.

Wishing You Safe Journeys,

Betty :)