SD to Denver In One Day Tell Me How!

[kkug 146]

Ok the first thing to do is ride to a truck stop and beg to put your bike in the back of a simi going to denver.

[Guest Crusty]

Drive your truck! Have a good time at the party.

Do a ride like that at a leisurely pace.

[tntmo 887]

I checked one travel site and it's $380 round trip. 2200 miles / 40 MPG x $4 gallon = $220.

Arrive beat to crap and be useless for a day or arrive fresh as a daisy for $160 more.

I hate to be agreeing with the old/boring guy, but this may have trouble written all over it in my opinion. Frontier Airlines can get you to Denver on Thursday and back to SD on Monday for $213. Save a trip like this for better weather and more time to enjoy it.

https://booking.frontierairlines.com/InternetBooking/AirFareFamiliesFlexibleForward.do

[DigDug 0]

What route are you planning to take? If you are thinking I-70, how much snow/ice riding/driving experience do you have? A quick check on the weather channel website says snow in Breckenridge tonight with freezing temperatures every night this week. Check a few cities along your way and be sure you want to undertake this ride. The toughest (weather wise) part of this trip is the last part, at the end of your ride when you are the most tired and probably at night. I just spent the last 4 days playing the icy road game on 4 wheels, and it is tiring as hell!!

[eddie 0]

My $.02:

If the ride is more important than the bachelor party, ride. If you HAVE TO make the bachelor party... Fly.

I've done the Saddle Sore rides. It's a long day, and if it's cold... Ugh.

You are gonna be basically worthless the next day. Be prepared for that.

Know the weather.

Have a thermometer you can read while riding. If you are dipping into the lower 30s - GET OFF THE ROAD. Ice is bad, mmmkay?

Biologic:

Start hydrating NOW.

Sip Camelbak every now and then. If you don't drink too much, you'll stay hydrated and not have to pee every hour.

Coffee is to be avoided on the ride because you'll have to stop and pee.

I like the 5Hr stuff. I also slam diet Red Bulls, but the caffeine is a diuretic.

Biological Stops - Unavoidable. Eat lightly between now and your return home.

Comfort:

Base Layer, mid layer, riding gear, rain gear. Wear the rain gear to keep the wind off.

Gauntlet style gloves - If you know anyone with Hippo Hands - they could be a life saver.

There is a Flying J with truck stop showers in St. George Utah. I'd use one.

Leave helmet on when gassing up.

There is a long "dead space" between Richmond, UT and Grand Junction. Plan accordingly.

Plan your ride, but don't be a slave to the plan. It's a long ride on any motorcycle.

Go! But... If you need to stop, stop.

[Covered in Dust 163]

I completely agree with the guys that say fly. Too many things can go wrong a a bike when you are in a rush and riding alone. 2nd choice is take a car. If you had a 2 full days to get there it might be different.

Covered in Dust

[PastaPilot 17]

http://www.southwest.com/flight/select-flight.html?disc=0%3A5%3A1319556969.128000%3A15156%4068AC1A3440F83ADA9CF0597CCC6623E3A1FF4780&ss=0∫=&companyName=&cid=

$202 on Southwest. Why even consider another form of travel. You ride and the entire weekend will be about riding to and from Denver and not enjoying your time while there. Not to mention when you get home you'll be wasted for at least another day, probably two.

[Goofy Footer 539]

I sincerely thank you for all the replies! Many of you think riding straight through is a stupid idea. DigDug brought up some good points. Realistically I don't HAVE to get there Thursday night. I could split my trip and do 2 days as long as I am there Friday at a reasonable hour (ie while its still light). I planned out a possible THERE route. Notice the temp drop Thursday (night especially) at the high CO elevations. To DigDoug's point, I would be riding through there at dusk into late night and the temps would easily be overbearing. I might try to push as many miles as possible Thursday, stay somewhere 12 hours out, stay overnight at lower elevations and ride the remaining high alpine roads during the next day. Also, this way I would see more scenery and not be so drained Friday cause I would split the miles. Thoughts?

If I take 2 days to get there (I'm starting to think that would be the safer/easier way), what other routes do you guys suggest?

SD to Denver Stats Bigger .pdf

[bikeslut 1]

My first bit of advice is to buy a plane ticket

Since you will obviously ignore that piece of advice, I suggest starting around midnight...get a good nap before and ride nearby roads while it is dark and you are fresh...also warmer near here

You'll hit the rockies before it gets too cold, and see all the awesome sights- everytime you gas up, get some stretching in, grab a drink, hit the head

Hand protection, windshield, layers, full face street helmet, rain gear- duh!

Spot, check-ins,- duh

Get receipts so you can get your iron butt patch if it works out like you hope but don't be too proud to take a nap and arrive late

[Dan Diego 40]

C'mon, man, that is a PERFECT Iron Butt ride (the SaddleSore 1000).

I'd say it's a piece of cake, having done several of these rides, but I wasn't on a 650, either!

Still, I managed 973 miles in a day on my BMW 1150 recently. And that was on much worse roads than the I-15 you'll mostly be on.

Do it!

http://www.ironbutt.com/ridecerts/getdocument.cfm?DocID=1

[PastaPilot 17]

Ear plugs.

[Dan Diego 40]

Ear plugs.

Yup.

And a comfy seat (a sheep skin cover will be fine).

And some good road tunes (music makes the ride sooooo much easier).

[PastaPilot 17]

Yup, tunes are good but you must have noise cancelling ear buds. For longer rides it is necessary to tape them into your ears. They'll begin to fall out after an hour and it's almost impossible to push them back in while riding. Once they work their way out you've got nothing, no hearing protection and no music.

[SCHWINN 0]

If you are traveling 1078 miles to see Boobies..I will save you the trip and here you go and you are welcome.

Oh and BTW these are RARE Blue Footed Boobies..

[bboyle9 24]

just make sure u get my bike back to me by next wed. thats all i ask. oh and i might let u borrow my face shield. i have a feeling its gonna b cold.

[Goofy Footer 539]

just make sure u get my bike back to me by next wed. thats all i ask. oh and i might let u borrow my face shield. i have a feeling its gonna b cold.

If I return alive you'll be riding your bike to work next week. I know, you're jealous... its okay. If bboyle9 and I can hook up my rotopax to the rear (without a rack) that will provide me with some personal relief by extending my range from 120 to 160. Straps and huge zipties worked for me in Death Valley last year. If we can't figure that out then I'll probably buy an IMS tank from JustGasTanks in Oceanside and call it a day.

I'm headed to some camping stores to look for fresh long john skimmies. I might pack a ski bib for this ride too. Ear plugs are a great idea as are the sound canceling earbuds.

Blue boobies..........

I'll talk with Randy tonight about routes. I'll know tomorrow night if I feel up for pushing it all the way or taking two days. I'll definitely take the scenic route home.

if THEY did it I can do it!

[dsfox 0]

I admire the spontaneity!!! crazy CAN be fun..... but in this case, I sure would be buying the plane ticket.....and enjoying the party.......

(a few of us are talking about a trip to colorado next summer for 10-12 days to ride....you are welcome to join in that)

[Steve S. 0]

You might already have seen this, but the Weather Underground website has a road trip planner.

You enter dates/times and destinations and it will plot a map and show you the weather

along your route. It will call out significant weather issues, in your case temperatures

below freezing along the route. You could play with it to figure out how bad things

will be if you leave/arrive at different times of the day.

http://www.wunderground.com/roadtrip/

Be safe!

[SteelRain 0]

Feel free to call me.

I did a Bun Burner, 1k in 24 hours on the DRZ (minimum average of 41mph). It sucked at the time, but they again all adventures do; they only get better/epic after the fact.

I have LOTS of gear you could borrow or buy for doing a ride like this (fuel bottles, rain gear, etc). However, I do not use energy drinks, Water goes MUCH further.

[paulmbowers 236]

\(a few of us are talking about a trip to colorado next summer for 10-12 days to ride....you are welcome to join in that)

Hello!

Might I come along? I'll try to be quiet and not break down...

[Wing Nut 0]

I wouldn't do it if I were you. 1000 miles on a DRZ doesn't sound like fun to me. If you had a few days and a better bike, it would be great. I would buy the plane ticked and enjoy the party. You will be mentally drained and physically sore when you get to Denver, and dread the trip back the entire time you are there. I've driven my car from S.D. to Upper Michigan twice straight through and can tell you I was drained the next two days after the trip.

[Goofy Footer 539]

Did a little pre-ride to test out the gear and windscreen just after it rained last night. I need to either move the screen up 2 inches or doubleside tape and clamp an extra piece of plexiglass at the top cause woa, what a difference it makes blocking the cold wind! The jacket held up great, I need to try some smaller gloves, get a dualsport or street helmet and probably more importantly I need to either buy a new skibib or get some solid riding pants. bboyle9 and I rigged a nice set-up for the rotopax and I'm happy with it. Overall good little test ride.

Is my windscreen too low? What do you guys think?

I plan on taking at least 2 full days riding home.

[TrophyHunter 15]

Windscreens are tricky. Too low, too high, wrong angle...all personal preference I think. If you need it higher to get all the wind off of you, move it up and check. I try to get as much off of me as possible but would rather have a little clean air (no turbulence) hitting me than getting whacked in the head with air hammers.

On the Airhawk..... Even if you think you might not use it, it deflates and stores well so take it with you just in case.

[eddie 0]

Weather in the teens and possible snow showers? On a bike.

[Jimbo 0]

This is a great ride, I did it a couple years ago, but on a HD FAtboy. It took me 16 hours, 7 gas stops and some rain gear, don't leave without it. You didn't say which route you are taking, there are two that work. One is up through Vegas, Utah and east on Highway 70 across the mountains, its a gorgeous ride but if you hit the mountains(about an hour and a half out of Denver) at night definitely slow down, there are many elk out there. I saw a few on the side of the road that had been hit by cages. The other route is south and up through New Mexico. it's a little longer and either will way you could run into some serious weather.

I agree with all the other comments, stop if you need to and a truck stop shower should be planned, it will make a new man out of you. Avoid the energy drinks but if you have to have them I agree that "5 hour" is the better choice.

On my trip I left at 3 am and arrived at 830pm give or take.

it can certainly be done on the 650 but bring along some chain lube and check it at every stop.

Good luck you can do it.

Jim