Oh to be free on the open road. After being cooped up in our truck
for the past two days it was glorious to finally be on two wheels
hitting the empty roads of northern Colorado. We went North only
briefly from Craig to join the start of the official COBDR (Colorado
Backcountry Discovery Route). At the start of the dirt tracks we
met two other dual sport enthusiasts who had just finished their
journey following the COBDR south to north. We had ridden this
section a few years earlier on our BMW F800GS bikes, en route to
Argentina, when we were loosely following the CDT tracks
(Continental Divide Trail). What immediately struck us what the
size of the ranches in Colorado. These people don’t mess around
with their luxury properties. Wow!
Nice flowing dirt roads led us all the way into the charming town
of Steamboat Springs. We had to stock up on a few essentials, like
snacks and camping supplies. I love the charm of Steamboat
Springs, the place has a nice vibe to it. The culture appears to have
a healthy emphasis on outdoor activities, and I love the old
architecture. It was getting late in the day though so we didn’t
stick around too long. The road south was wide open, and we were
moving along at a pretty good clip. We eventually found refuge
in the Routt National Forest at the Lynx Pass Campground. It was
great! The campground host was exceptionally friendly and we
had a premium spot for the night. We asked him if we had to worry
about bears in the area, but he told us that we should be more
worried about squirrels because the last time he saw a bear was
many years ago. Another sign that us Canadians are further south
and don’t need to be as bear aware.