All By Myself

Sunday I realized that time is starting to run out for getting all the things on the scavenger hunt list for the MSR contest. As I have mentioned before, there are just over 350 items to find. Many all over the state of Colorado. October 31st is the last day of the contest and it's coming fast. So on Monday morning I decide I need to go up to Cripple Creek and Victor and find a few things that I know are there.

This is the first time I have left town without someone to ride with. By the end of the day I was on such a "high." I always have enjoyed the company of others, but after today I have decided it is really nice to occasionally go out on one's own. I could go wherever I wanted and stop whenever I wanted. I have discovered a new and fun level of motorcycling, Yahoo!!!!

I took my new iPod Mini all loaded with the songs I wanted and battery charged. Thank you again BMW-Ducati of Southern Colorado . In the previous post I talk about winning the iPod there. I strapped it to my right sleeve between my wrist and elbow, where I can see it. It is soooo much nicer then my MP3 with it's toggle switch. It kept doing all kinds of weird things with the mp3 because it doesn't work well with gloves. The iPod, with its dial, works wonderful with gloves on.

So I head out of town and up into the mountains. The sun is out and it's a gorgeous day. On the way up I stop at one place for scavenger hunt (of which I'm not sharing, lol). The ride up to Cripple Creek goes without a hitch. Just before Cripple Creek I stop at the Mollie Kathleen Gold Mine and snap a shot for the hunt (pic above). I'm careful on the gravel and experience no problems. Due to recent rains, I accidentally dig my front tire in a little and had to gun it to get out. So I did so and got back onto the road and into town.



While in town I stop at a few places for the hunt. I notice that their fire dept doors are open and stop to get a pic of the fire station. Fire station is on "the list." People get you extra points. I find no one around and was really hoping for a shot with firemen. So I find what I think is the front door and go in. I was right. I come to a very nice receptionist and ask if there are any firemen around and explain why. So she gets on the intercom and says, "Any available firemen please come up front." Now I'm thinking "Oh man, that doesn't sound good" and I'm slightly embarrassed. I hear a bunch of footsteps coming down a stairway and the first fireman is putting a stethoscope around his neck. So awkwardly at first I explain about needing a photo and they were very happy to help me out. They were all so very nice and we had a nice chat. (photo above).

After that I get back on my bike and head to Victor. I found a treasure of photo opportunities that I'm not sharing, lol. Fellow MSR members will be reading this and they will just have to come out and find it out for themselves. I will be sharing one wonderful "find" in a few days. I met a wonderful person, who has a really neat business. But that's for another day.

I leave Victor and go back thru Cripple Creek. As I come to the other end I find one of the fire trucks out on the road. I wave to them and they happily wave back.


Just outside Cripple Creek I come to a hailstorm. Before I left town I thought I might be hitting some rain, so I stopped and put my iPod into my pocket to keep it safe. I don't think it's waterproof. When I hit the first part of the hailstorm, I stop and put on my rain jacket. It's not too bad at this time. If you click on the picture, you can see the chunks all over on the ground. Then the lightening starts. I quickly get back on my bike and head out, in hopes this doesn't go on for too long.

After about three miles, the hail increases and it REALLY hurts!! I round one corner and I spy the motorcyclist that was in front of me just climbing into someone’s car, lol. Not long after that the road gets real white. I'm beginning to wonder if I should turn around or what. I can't stop. There's no place to get out of this. It's not safe to even hide in the tree with lightening in the area. So, I decide to slow way down and take it easy. Luckily, I drive out of it in a couple of more miles. As I'm coming down the hill, on Hwy 67, I pass motorcyclists coming up. I wanted so bad to tell them what was coming, but had no way to.


Then I come into Divide and get back onto Hwy 24 heading east and back down the mountain. Not far out of Divide I stop for another scavenger hunt photo (below - Vet office) and take this time to get my rain jacket off. I'm out of the storm and it's getting hot. It's always cooler up in the mountains and you can feel the heat increase as you come down the mountain pass. The above photo is a shot of the storm I had just left.



After I get the rain jacket off and stowed away and get my iPod back out, I get back on the road. Miles down the Hwy I come across another scavenger hunt find (below). I needed a massage parlor (for the scavanger hunt!). There is no one parked at this place, but it's open. You should have seen the looks I got from passerbies. I quickly get that pic and get back on the road.



I get into town and get a few more scavenger hunt photos. I planned out my route before leaving this morning; so as to get as many things as I could as quickly as I could. I had kids coming home from school. I did have a backup plan and I did have to use it. My eldest was home and I had him get his brother and friend from school. After being assured my son was happy and willing to do this I make one last stop. I'm starving and I make a stop at my favorite fast food place - Taco Johns (Yeeaaaahh!!).

This is the perfect ending to a perfect day. So what if I hit a storm, I overcame and conquered it (*thumbs up*). I pull into Taco Johns and get the usual. I do decide to go smaller, so I ordered the Potato Ole Bravo (Oh man, yummmmy!!). I get home and all's well.

When it was all said and done, I had accumulated 120 points toward the scavenger hunt. Yea!! Which ment 12 items out of the list of 350, sigh. Of course, I have managed to get many more items, but from what I hear I'm not close to the top points. But this is just too much fun and I plan to give it all I've got!! If anything, I have seen so many neat things in this state that I never knew was there. Just through my research, I have learned lots. I will still be working on this right up to the finish date!

Wishing You Wonderful Journeys,

Betty :)