After a few chores around the house, I left just before 9:00 AM and made my way south by way of CO83 which takes one through the towns of Parker and Franktown and then it's just two lane highway all the way to Colorado Springs. It was very windy, I was fighting a headwind all the way down and at times was barely able to make 45 mph as one steadily gains altitude on the way to the Springs.
Pikes Peak from the scenic overlook alongside I-25, just south of the Air Force Academy
Natasha's ignition module overheated apparently, had to spray it down with water after removing the plastic cover, then it started right up.
I got to the Springs and using the Interquest Highway, made my way to I-25 which I got on for a few miles of slab riding to the Cimarron Street exit which is also the exit for US24. That's when things started falling apart. There was a line to get off the slab and it was slow stop and go traffic for quite a while until I finally cleared the boundaries of Colorado Springs and passed by Manitou Springs.
Some canyon highway riding saw me go past the Cave of the Winds tourist attraction and finally I turned off onto the road that leads one to the Pikes Peak Highway. I was approaching the tollbooth station and had my hopes crushed when I saw the handwritten sign by the window: "Pikes Peak Road is open 15 of the 19 roads to the top, high wind warning!"
Well, I wasn't going to pay the $12 to only go up 15 of the 19 miles up to the top of Pikes Peak so I u-turned and spent about an hour exploring the hill roads of Manitou Springs unsuccessfully trying to find roads leading up into the hills surrounding Manitou Springs.
I did swing by the Cave of the Winds attraction to get the shot below, didn't do the tour.
Near the Cave of the Winds Tourist Attraction
I stopped to call the Pikes Peak Ranger station again and now the recording said that they'd closed the road at the 13 mile point! Apparently the winds had gotten worse. Natasha chose that moment to refuse to start up again, more spraying of water on the really hot ignition module and she started once again. These ignition modules have known issues with heat and the day sure was a warm one. I guess Urals prefer cold weather!
At this point it was almost 1:00PM and I still had a chore to do at home so I headed back. I basically reversed my route outbound. Oh, and the headwind I'd battled all the way south, it apparently reversed itself and I battled it all the way north as well! Still, it kept me in my riding gear nice and cool in spite of the warm weather and sunny conditions.
Made it home with no further incident, not sure what to do about Natasha's propensity to not start when it's hot outside, guess I'll ride without the plastic cover and just spray the module down if it overheats! Annoying.
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