0 0 8 custom alchemy for 2011 riding the beat in ... - Harley-News

Pikes Peak and Mount Evans
As with the Pikes Peak Highway, the road to the top of Mount
Evans was not especially challenging in the lower stretches.
In this case, however, the weather was adding to the difficulty.
The narrow asphalt was shiny with moisture, and steep drop-offs
– with no guardrails to speak of – made the ride downright scary
at times. Just scary enough.
As the lower elevations fell away in the fading light, the scene
became positively surreal. Clouds drifted below us as we worked
our way through the final switchbacks toward the top. It seemed
unnaturally dark, even though sunset was still at least a couple
hours away. Finally, we rounded the last bend and pulled into the
small parking area.
Whereas perhaps hundreds of people greeted me at the top
of Pikes Peak, only a handful of fellow adventurers joined us at
the Mount Evans summit. It was a completely different scene:
no gift shop, no services, and certainly no donuts. Just a small
observatory and the stony remains of Crest House, a restaurant/
gift shop that burned down in 1979 and was never rebuilt.
Technically, the road leaves you some 130 vertical feet short
of the summit, which requires a quarter-mile hike to reach. With
bad weather again rolling in, we opted not to make the final
ascent. Nonetheless, as this was a ride, not a hike, we considered
our success complete.
The rain resumed – it felt even colder now – as we pointed
our bikes down the mountain, but it could not douse our sense
of satisfaction. Parting company in Idaho Springs, we were wet,
cold, and tired. Speaking for myself, I was happy to be done with
the challenging ride – but already thinking about what mountain
I might climb next.
I wonder how hard it would be to ride to both peaks in one day.
Next time, that will be the goal.