Newsletter No. 14
July 26, 2019

Yesterday, we drove the last of several legs since my (too-long-ago) last newsletter.
 
The Road to Trinidad, Colorado: On Sunday, July 21st, we took the relatively short ride down from Royal Gorge to Trinidad, Colorado. On the way, we drove south of Walsenburg on Colorado Route 330 about three miles to take a photo of the Red One in the same location that C.K. Shepherd had been and photographed 100 years ago:

So I put the Red One close to the same location and snapped this photo:

Raton Pass: The next morning, Monday, July 22, we embarked on a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Old Raton Pass Road has long been on private property, but I was able to convince the property owner to allow me to trailer the bike to the top of Raton Pass on the old road to take the photo below. The sign I am holding is a replica I made from a photo of "Cannonball" Baker coming over the Pass in 1924 in a Gardner sedan:

Santa Fe: After coming over Raton Pass, we made haste for Santa Fe where we spent two days.  We stayed at the Hotel St. Francis which is a classic old hotel that is a half-a-block from the Montezuma Hotel where C.K. stayed. Laura snapped the photo of me out in front of the "Montezuma Hotel."

Santa Fe: On the middle day, July 23, we toted the Red One out to the top of La Bajada Hill, on the old "highway" toward Albuquerque from Santa Fe. C.K. Shepherd wrote about going down this road, but it is impossible today due to extremely poor condition and land use restrictions. Here is a photo of the Red One at the top of La Bajada Hill taken by Willie, my awesome support truck driver:

New Mexico into Arizona: The next day, July 24th, we headed southwest toward Socorro and then west to Magdalena where C.K. stopped and had breakfast that same morning, likely at the Magdalena Cafe, 100 years ago, July 24, 1919. After that we went to the Petrified Forest (C.K. visited there on July 25th) and got the Red One out and snapped the second photo below.

Eastern Arizona: We started July 25th in Holbrook, Arizona and with destination for the day being Flagstaff. I had some family time on the way including a stop at Meteor Crater (which C.K. also visited) and then the Lowell Observatory (which C.K. did more than visit; he actually slept there a few nights!). See "headline" photo for a glimpse of the Observatory.

Hotel Weatherford: Arrived at the Hotel on the 25th. I met and had a wonderful conversation with the owners last night who graciously allowed me to park the Red One in the lobby. Tonight, I am hosting a public reception in the Hotel's Exchange Pub, from 6-9pm. Tomorrow, we are off to the Grand Canyon... the last stop in our amended tour.