F*#k Covid. Let’s Roll!

/ ridingwithgary
A rare day in 2020 when the Harley left the garage. Look ma, no hands!

Last year, for the first time in a decade, my Harley mostly sat in the garage.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, I wasn’t able to take my annual trip through the American West. It’s a tradition I relish.

The highlight of my summer fell victim to a deadly disease.

Five of us had planned a 2020 trip to Sturgis, South Dakota, with stops along the way in Utah, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, and Colorado. It would have been epic.

Then the coronavirus came along, and our trip got cancelled.

F*#k Covid-19.

When we pulled the plug on the ride, I was tremendously disappointed. A lot of planning goes into these journeys. A lot of enjoyment occurs along the way.

Then, through my disappointment, I put things in perspective, and had a serious reality check.

I consider myself lucky.

January 13, 2021 — the day I got my first Moderna Covid-19 vaccine. Life’s good.

I am fortunate to be healthy.

At age 71, I’m in the so-called vulnerable population. I’m among the people who stayed at home, isolated, longer than others, because I’m statistically most at risk. But I was not infected by the virus, and I know few who were.

As of today, as many as eight million people have died of Covid-19 worldwide, according to the World Health Organization, 600,000 in the US. While life is now getting somewhat back to normal, the suffering over the past 18 months has been heartbreaking.

Who among us doesn’t want to hug a health care worker, a grocery store clerk, a transit driver? (A ski instructor?) We owe a huge debt of gratitude to those essential workers who kept the country rolling, despite great personal risk to their own health and safety.

Sarah and I have nothing to complain about, and much to be thankful for. We are the lucky ones.

I am fortunate to have a steady paycheck.

Forty million people in this country lost their jobs. Businesses by the millions closed; many are gone forever. Dreams turned into nightmares. Families were turned upside down, food lines were miles long, bankruptcies off the charts. Untold lives will never be the same. It is beyond sad.

None of that personally affected us. Sarah and I can still look forward to our monthly pension checks, our Social Security, our meaningful winter jobs at Snowmass. We are still able to put food on the table, and wine in the cooler. We are the lucky ones.

Having a motorcycle trip postponed for a year? Not exactly a big deal.

One of my few rides in 2020: to downtown Carbondale and back.

***

Remember that planned 2020 trip to Sturgis for the annual motorcycle rally in the Black Hills, the trip that was cancelled? The journey was meant to be, and it will be.

We are doing it in 2021 instead. The exact same trip, just one year later.

2020-One!

Tomorrow morning, I am saddling up and heading for Sturgis.

Along with my riding pals Dave, Scott, and Randy, I’ll be on the road for the better part of three weeks. For the first time, Sarah will be joining me; she’s flying into Rapid City for the Black Hills portion of the ride!

As I always do on these trips, I will blog nightly about what I did, saw, experienced, and ate each day. I’ve had a whole lot of time to think about this year’s adventure, so you can expect me to be unusually verbose.

I look forward to this year’s trip with great anticipation. And I’m glad you’ll be along for the ride, too.

F*#k Covid-19. Let’s Ride!

It’s been two years since I’ve been on the road with the guys. Am itching to fire up the Harley and get moving. This was two years ago, in front of the Empress Hotel in Victoria, British Columbia. Left to right: Scott, Jim, Randy, Dave, me, John.

But before I finish packing for tomorrow morning’s departure, there’s one stop Sarah and I need to make. A few minutes ago, we walked down to Carbondale, for the opening night of Mountain Fair. This year marks the 50th anniversary of Mountain Fair, a celebration of, well, all things Carbondale.

Everyone who’s anyone, and that includes us, has Mountain Fair on their calendar, marked indelibly in permanent ink. I’m guessing some of you were unable to attend tonight. Your loss.

So, here are a few pics. It’s the next best thing to being here.

Mountain Fair. You have to be here to experience it.
Carbondale’s police offers wear tie-dye with their uniforms when Mountain Fair comes along every summer. Nice touch.
This is the last I’ll see of Sarah till she shows up in Rapid City, South Dakota on Aug. 4. It was a fun send-off.


***

At the end of each day’s blog post over the next few weeks, I’ll share some interesting factoids and trivia about the state (or states) we visited that day. You’ll undoubtedly pick up some useful information about each state:

  • Generic fun facts
  • Favorite foods
  • Place name origins
  • Famous people with a tie to the state

The knowledge you’ll gain will be incalculable. As you may have heard me say before, if you learn anything along the way during your consumption of this blog, you’re welcome.

Here’s a bit of a preview.

Today’s fun facts, favorite foods, funky place names and famous folks revolve not around a state, but the Roaring Fork Valley, which extends from Glenwood Springs, through Carbondale and up-valley from Basalt to Aspen.

Roaring Fork Valley Fun Facts: The Roaring Fork Valley includes three rivers with Gold Medal trout fishing: the Fryingpan, the Colorado, and the Roaring Fork. Gold Medal waters are able to produce 60 pounds of trout per acre. Only 322 miles of Colorado’s 9,000 miles of trout streams carry the Gold Medal signature. The Crystal River, a mile from our house, does not have Gold Medal waters. But I can walk to it and fish any time I want. For $10.07 a year!

No doubt about it, I am a badass fly-fisherman. I haven’t yet caught a fish, but for $1 a year (prices have increased since this photo was taken), I’m getting my money’s worth. Above, I’m fishing the Crystal River near Redstone.

Roaring Fork Valley Favorite Foods: For a town of 6,000 people, the restaurant scene in Carbondale is beyond fabulous. Restaurants worth a look include Silo, Phat Thai, The Goat, Allegria, The Village Smithy, Izakaya, and of course, Peppino’s Pizza. But if you really want an awesome meal, try the grilled dish of the day in the backyard at Sarah and Gary’s Cozy Carbondale Cottage, with a breathtaking view of Mount Sopris.

Backyard grillin
Lots of good places to eat in Carbondale, but none with a better view than what you’ll get from our back patio. That’s our friends, the Wiseners, enjoying the food and view.

Roaring Fork Valley Funky Place Names: As you’re driving east on Colorado Highway 82, from Carbondale toward Aspen, you roll through the tiny community of El Jebel, just west of Basalt. El what?  Most folks mis-pronounce it, and few have a clue what it means. Turns out El Jebel (El Juh-BELL) means “The Mountain” in Arabic. The name was taken more than a century ago from a large ranch in what is now El Jebel.

D-0, El Jebel, Breakfast in America
When in El Jebel and needing a morning meal, try Breakfast in America.

Roaring Fork Valley Famous Folks: John Henry “Doc” Holliday, a gambler, gunfighter, and dentist, is buried at the Pioneer Cemetery in Glenwood Springs. He’s best known for his role in the events leading up to and following the 1881 Gunfight at the O.K. Corral. Holliday received his DDS from the Pennsylvania College of Dental Surgery – now part of the University of Pennsylvania. He died in Glenwood Springs in 1887 at the age of 36, not in a gunfight, but of tuberculosis.

D-0, doc holliday
After living through the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral, Doc Holliday died of tuberculosis.

A look ahead @ tomorrow: Let’s Roll!

32 thoughts on “F*#k Covid. Let’s Roll!”

  1. I as so excited to ride. 2 years without Gary’s detailed travel guide creates a loss that is hard to place. See you guys in 4 days.. Ride safe…

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    • It’s about as normal as I’m capable of being, Mama Bear. I’m so looking forward to sitting in front of a keyboard and pounding out the blog posts every night. When will I ever find the time to sleep. Hi to Stevie!

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  6. So I think this is the best avenue to respond. I am so happy that you get to go this year!!! We look forward to your trip notes. Have a fabulous time and we will look after Sarah. Safe travels.

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  7. Gary, Linda and I hope you have a wonderful and safe trip. We leave Labor Day for 16 days, including four days in the Black Hills (one in Strugess) then on to Banff, Lake Louise and Glacier NP. I won’t be blogging (don’t know how) but I hope we can get together and catch up in the fall. Love to you an Sarah.

    Sent from my iPhone. Dennis

    >

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    • We’re thinking about a trip to the Springs around Aug. 15-16, ish. Long story. Gonna be around then? Vroom. You might be old, Dennis, but am pretty sure I can teach you the fine art of blogging. You just type till your fingers are sore, drop in a few pics, then post whatever you’ve got. Works for me …

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  9. Hi Gary! I really enjoyed reading your opening missive regarding the epic 2021 trip. I wish you all safe travels and look forward to future updates. I envy that you all will be able to travel such beautiful country but I will ride along with you in spirit. Tell my pal, Dave, I said hey and I miss you all!

    Take care and happy trails!!

    Maureen (aka ‘Mo”)

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    • Hey Maureen. Great to hear from you! Unless I’m terribly lost, I expect to meet up with Dave tomorrow night in beautiful Vernal, Utah. I’ll tell him hey for you, but I think you just did. He’s a voracious reader of these comments and is likely see your hey and maybe even hey you back. Vroom.

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    • Hey Mo! Great to have you along for another ride. Miss you too! Hope you and yours are abundantly blessed! Hugs!

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    • Life’s pretty awesome, Rich. Heard you had a big birthday a few months ago. Sorry I missed the party. Are you and Paula in Nimes, or back in SoCal somewhere? Tell her hi. Vroom.

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  11. Really great to hear your back on the road again. The trip I took 3 years ago, Lafayette to Mexican border, to Canada, back to Lafayette was epic. A couple of too much riding days but over all wonderful. Take care the two of you!! Do you ever set foot in the SF Bay Area? Love to see you again.

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  12. Your Lafayette-to-Mexico-to-Canada trip sounds a bit like our journey in 2019. We didn’t quite make to Mexico (Cambria was as far south as we got, I think). Hope all is fab in your world. Vroom.

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  13. Gary,

    Glad to see you and Sarah got through the Covid shit. Marge and I did too, no problems. Moved to the Verde River Golf and Social Club in Rio Verde, AZ. We are a few minutes east od N. Scottsdale. Love AZ!

    Looking forward to your blog.

    Dave

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    • Heard you were part of the mass PGA West migration to AZ. Must be a good move. Colorado’s pretty sweet, too. Stay cool (I hear AZ gets warm?) Glad to hear you’re both well.

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  15. Have fun! Drive safely!!
    Will look forward to “traveling” with you once again.
    We just came back from a 4,300 mile road trip and of all places on the way to Mt. Rushmore from Nebraska we made a bit of a side trip and stopped in Sturgis for lunch. Loved it and thought of you needless to say.
    Hugs,
    Barb and Jim
    PS – you and Sarah still look the same!

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    • Of course we look the same. We are all ageless! Pretty sure I don’t look a day over 71. Good to hear from you guys . Where in Sturgis did you eat (asking for a friend, who might be looking for recommendations). Vroom.

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  17. Hello there Gary,
    Cheers to joining you bikers on your trip!
    Both Jeff and I enjoy your publishing’s on your blog, it helps us travel several places at one time.
    Thank you for stopping by one of my distant in laws grave sight, awfully nice of you.😉

    Have fun and keep in keeping on.

    Jeff Peace & D. Holliday😎

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