In 1941 the Germans and the Japanese collaborated to the world's detriment. This past week when two bmw’s, (Dakkar, 650 XChallenge), and two Kawasakis, (Versys, and KLR), Left Santa Fe, Nm for a 1000 +/- mile ride into central southern Colorado four New Mexico riders hoped for something more uplifting.

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The general route taken is: http://maps.google.com/maps?f=d&hl=en&geocode=3169303199685720531,35.924960,-105.962440%3B6032075841092571680,36.043340,-105.821680%3B10994605236344021730,36.188350,-105.678460%3B12302845070432133957,37.707191,-105.242740%3B17101597510515291363,38.699260,-106.996660&saddr=Santa+Fe,+NM&daddr=NM-503+%4035.924960,+-105.962440+to:NM-76+%4036.043340,+-105.821680+to:dixon+nm+to:NM-75+%4036.188350,+-105.678460+to:questa+nm+to:fort+garland+co+to:CR-565+%4037.707191,+-105.242740+to:gardner+co+to:westcliffe+co+to:salid a+co+to:buena+vista+colorado+to:38.617407,-106.44104+to:crested+butte+co+to:CR-730%2FNF-730+%4038.699260,+-106.996660+to:lake+city+co+to:south+fork+co+to:cha ma+nm+to:santa+fe+nm&mra=dpe&mrcr=7&mrsp=12&sz=11&via=1,2,4,7,12,14&dirflg=h&doflg=ptm&sll=38.612042,-106.524811&sspn=0.317092,0.707245&ie=UTF8&ll=37.28063,-106.24182&spn=5.165091,11.315918&z=7

First day saw some tedious straight highways, with gravel mountain pass road over La Veta Pass. Sunny weather, and some nice twisties up along the Arkansas River to Salida, where we settled in for the night.

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The next day saw us cross Cottonwood Pass, (paved on the east side, packed dirt on the west side), then past Taylor Reservoir, and some more good twisties along the Taylor River. 4 miles of gravel/dirt on the cut-off to Crested Butte, then rain squalls with intense wind gusts as we entered CB.

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East side of Cottonwood Pass


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Cottonwood Pass

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West side of Cottonwood Pass



Cervezas for everyone and then up the canyon past Oh-Be-Joyful campground, and through the ‘river’ to our remote and gorgeous campsite.

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camp – day 2

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Day three saw a ride in mixed weather over Slumgullion pass and Spring Pass. Rest stop in Creede, and on to South Fork. I left the others in south Fork and continued my ride south.

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Thanks for posting the pictures, I love seeing them.
It looks like a epic ride to me, one I would love to do.
Thanks for posting the pictures. How did the V do on
the trip.

The V - little bike, Big Heart.
dmc51

Great pictures ,thanks for sharing :thumb:

How did the V do on
the trip.

The V - little bike, Big Heart.
dmc51

The Versys was great on the paved stretches. I'm not that experienced on the dirt, and I've still got the stock tires, so some of the off-road sections were attention getting to say the least. The hard pack roads were fine, but the gravel stretches were enervating, (like riding on marbles)! The other bikes were single cylinder thumpers and had better all around tires, so they generally led during those stretches. Even so the V crossed two streams that were about 1 ft. deep, and managed some very rocky, mogul-like sections of fire roads, as well as several stretches of up to 22 miles of unpaved surface. Overall, I'd have to say the Versys is a fantastic light tourer/all-around-bike! :thumb: