Picto Diary - 09, 10, 11, 12 August 2021 - Destination Telluride, CO
No images or commentary 09, 10 August 2021
Above: Signature homemade chips. Balance Rock Grill, Helper, UT. 11 August 2021.
First time back to Helper since several visits last year. An undiscovered Utah town, infused with mining and railroad heritage reworking its persona with architectural renewal and artsy fartsy overlay, Glad to be back, even if it is just for lunch. As last year... confident, saucy waitresses as Balance Rock Grill.
Above: Sprinter, Freddie and TIMDT at Base Camp RV Park, Ridgway, CO 11 August 2021.
We were wrong to think that a trip over three hundred miles southeast of Park City would get us out of the California fire smoke. Notwithstanding, this peaceful RV stop, with its view of alfalfa fields and the San Juans, adds a nice new dimension to our new Sprinter lifestyle. We expect to spend four nights at this spot while we attend the Telluride Jazz Festival. Drums is playing two performances in each of two bands, The Inevitables and The Little Big Band at the festival. Its a seventy mile round trip to Telluride and back. But, Ridgway brings back a lot of memories as a base camp for Big Dog motorcycling over the years... and, for one of the best breakfast spots in the West, Kate's Place.
Above: Kat's Hash. Kate's Place. Ridgway, CO. 12 August 2021.
That's right, Kat, not Kate, for the hash; and, Kate, not Kat, for the restaurant.
Happy Birthday (76th) Bishop!!!!
I've been coming to Kate's Place for breakfast for years. One of the truly great Colorado breakfast spots. Others: Wynona's, in Steamboat. Evergreen in Buena Vista.. Poppycock's, Aspen.
PS. Aw shucks. I should have invited Elk, who lives in Durango, and who first introduced me to Kate's Place, to ride over the pass to join us for breakfast.
Above: Smugglers Brew Pub, Telluride, CO. 12 August 2021.
Priority on arrival in Telluride, lunch. Birthday lunch!
The Telluride Jazz Festival doesn't start until tomorrow. We came up a day early to avoid lines in presenting our tickets for the required wrist band. We wanted to get the lay of the land. There were two principle concert venues... the Main Stage and the Society Stage. We hoped to find predictable parking within easy walking reach of either stage... we did. Also, there were some pre-festival bar gigs that we hoped to check-out.
Note: This was the first time we had to show proof of Covid vaccination for entry into anything. I don't believe in establishing this sort of requirement.... the concerts are outdoors for crying out loud. But at my age... this time of my life... this wasn't something that I wanted to resist on principle. Were I younger, I like to think I would campaign to resist vaccination passports. Vaxing the vulnerable and therapeutics for the rest, means fewer deaths and faster arrival at herd immunity, IMHO. Masks, of course, are doing great damage to our health and to our emotional and societal well being. Voire, the Brown University study on 20% lower IQ's for newborns during Covid. Among others, because their parents are wearing masks, the babies suffer intellect impairment due too lack of being able to see the nuanced facial expressions of their parents.
We forgot our Covid vaccine cards, but, yesterday, had Drums send photos of them to us as we drove towards Telluride. The photos were accepted without drama by the very nice people manning the festival entry. Good job, Drums, by the way, in following instructions on locating our passports and vaccination cards.
Above: Dogola. Telluride, CO. 12 August 2021.
Freddie was just a bit tentative getting on the slow, mounting speed, gondola car. Had to drag him a bit. But, Freddie was cool once on board. He seemed to enjoy the experience, trusting in my guidance. The gondola required masks... but, the attendants said I didn't need one with just me and the dog occupying one gondola car.
Freddie attracts beaucoup admirers as he walks around Telluride. No doubt, dogs facilitate meeting lots of friendly and interesting people. I was reminded of walking Bu and K2 on Park City Main Street during to 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics. There also were friendly people who were interested in the two Newfoundland dogs. But, there was a wrinkle. Park City became an international destination during the 2002 Olympic games. Occasionally, foreigners, mainly Asians, would recoil on seeing me walking the two giant dogs.
Above: Combo and TIMDT, Sheridan Hotel, Telluride, CO. 12 August 2021.
First of our music exposure to the Telluride Jazz Festival. Festival doesn't start officially until tomorrow, 13 August 2021.
Addendum:
At first glance, I thought that (image of Freddie at Wasatch Bagel) was just another one of your old guys...
Torquemada,
West Jordan, UT
Hi Banker Steve:
Photo attached is early morning in The Big Sky Country (Montana), looking at the sun as it arose, thinking to myself, "Did I make a wrong turn, get lost and end up in Delhi, India, or down in the bowl of Mexico City, Mexico, or North Thailand during the smokey season (burning rice fields in Myanmar and Chinese junk blowing down from China?)" You can just barley see the orb of the sun over the ridge behind the motorcycle.
Dr. Gregory Frazier
Crow Indian Nation
Yellowtail, Montana
A couple of days ago, Salt Lake City topped a list of world cities for worst air quality. Following Salt Lake City were New Delhi, Jakarta, and Beijing, in that order. Utah should look into taking legal action against California for sending all that smoke. Basis of claim? Poor management of forests.
By the way, while here in Ridgway Big Dog base camp, I'm thinking good thoughts about all the Big Dog rides you helped (with Clem RIP) organize. Memorable passes in the Ridgway area... Ophir (forget the name of the roving pastor who rode a Victory cruiser over Ophir), Black Bear, Red Mountain, and Engineer. The hardest part of Engineer Pass was right at the outset, a very rocky hill climb from highway US 550, then a difficult, rocky, beaucoup ugly drop off, fifteen mile ride at eleven thousand feet to Silverton Looking back, I can't believe that I rode those passes on a 650 pound, BMW GS, motorcycle. Long legs helped compensate for being a lousy rider. As you know, it all caught up with me in 2016. When riding a smaller bike (BMW F800GS) on a Big Dog ride out of Buena Vista, the bike fell on me, breaking my right leg, as I tried to wangle out of a stalled position on a rocky steep. Really, an embarrassing way to break a leg. However, I do give myself points for riding out of the accident spot to Salida Regional Medical Center 30 miles away from the incident. Hat tip to Ronny for making the hospital call and directing me there. I fell twice, riding in deep sand on that ride out to Salida. And for that, I give my self some credit for bravery .. or just plain stupidity. But, then, what else could I do? Call for a chopper, I guess. But, then, I wouldn't have felt like a real Big Dog. I appreciate being part of the Big Dog mystique you created.
Inexperienced a similar room rate gouge in Jackson. My truck with a sleeper was down for repair and I used this one to take a 300 ton crane to Jackson for new condos at Teton Village. This is the WHP Alpine.
Peterbilt,
Alpine, WY
You love this stuff, Peterbilt. Admit it. Sure. you own the company. You could have a driver haul this crane. But, you love doing it yourself. You're having fun. Admit it! Did you have a Stihl saw in the tent as protection against bears?