#139u Colorado NM (CO141)

Fleeter Log #139u

Colorado NM (CO141)

Day 27 - Monday
May 11, 2009

306 miles

Moab to Vancorum, Gateway Canyons, Grand Junction, and back to Moab
Interactive Spotwalla map of this trip

Today I ride with friends. Maybe that's the way most 'bikers' ride most of the time, but not me . . . and not most of my MTF friends. But today is different. Today we will flower sniff in a small pack. Four of us pull out of the Adventure Inn parking lot at 8:30am, taking US191 south out of Moab toward La Sal Junction where our pack turns east on UT46 and ride into Colorado towards the small town of Bedrock.

(click on any photo to enlarge)

Just past Bedrock on CO90, we cross over the Delores River.
Delores River Bridge.

When we came to the tee in the highway at Vancorum near Naturita, we found CO141. By taking a left, we'll travel on one of the best riding roads in the area. But Barb and I have a bit of discussion before taking that left . . . something about "rest" stops.

Cattle drive in Colorado -- The clues starting appearing a few miles before we saw a traffic warning sign advising "cattle ahead." Those clues left on the pavement like breadcrumbs would have made a mess if disturbed by a skinny front tire.
We followed along behind the cowboys for awhile until the cattle parted a bit and the cowboys gave us the wave and nod to head on through. The cowboys appeared to have a pretty easy time of it today. The cattle dogs, however, were earning their keep. If you enlarge the photo above, you can see a number of working cattle dogs. I think there was at least one dog for each cowboy.

We made our way through, slow and easy. The cattle didn't seem to be much bothered by us. This obviously wasn't their first cattle drive!

With the cattle drive a safe distance behind us, we picked up the pace to a more spirited tempo to better enjoy the twists and turns through the canyon.
As I mentioned . . . CO141 is a choice highway for anyone looking for a scenic byway, but especially those traveling on two wheels.

Colorado's Highway 141.


Gateway Canyons Resort was the only place in the 100 miles stretch of CO141 to make a well rounded pit stop offering gasoline, food, restrooms, and even a museum for an "off bike" distraction. We had lunch, fueled up, and chatted with each other about the sites we'd seen along highway 141.
The Auto Museum is located on the backside of the store/hotel.

Next stop is the Colorado National Monument just southwest of Grand Junction, Colorado.

 Rob (from PA) and I take time to stop for a quick self-portrait.

Grand View from Rim Rock Road through the Colorado National Monument.

Rob following me on a section of the 23 mile long Rim Rock Drive. This road, listed on the National Register of Historic Places, was completed in 1950. It was an 18 year project.
More Grand View, can't get too much of it!


After the excitement of CO141 and Rim Rock Drive, riding I70 back into Utah didn't have a lot to keep our interest, so we entertained ourselves with our cameras. Actually, that's the real reason that us loner-type riders join up to ride with each other every so often . . . just to get some good moving photos of each other!
Utah highway 128 is known to the locals as River Road -- no wonder why.
Rob rolling down UT128 with Castleton Tower in the top left corner
By the end of the day, every road the MTF riders took led them back to Moab. We sat around the Inn's courtyard comparing notes on the sites we'd seen during our day's outing and started making plans for the next day.

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