Hands-down, you are my bicycle touring hero. I wanna be just like you! At least as far as bicycle touring goes ha ha ha I’ve only done a mere fraction of the touring that you have done, but, I have done enough that I share your feelings of joy and free spirit and adventure, and love of the open air. I get such a feeling of longing to be back out on the open road and I will be once it warms up! That’s one thing that differs you from me lol, I don’t like cold! But it seems you do ha ha ha Every video of yours that I watch my eyes tear up as I remember my own tiny travels and I understand what keeps you going and WHY you do and love WHAT you do. Don’t give up, keep getting that butt of yours kicked (!) and always remember that there are traveler wanna be’s cheering you on ; particularly we Patreon members. We ❤️❤️❤️you and I for one mention you to other cyclists and insist they watch your videos. I don’t ALWAYS agree with certain things I see you do but, that’s how it goes and that’s how it should be Seriously you are a BEAST on the bicycle. MARVELOUS MARVELOUS MARVELOUS oh btw, without me having to look it up, do you run rim brakes or disc?? Keep goin brother. GAWD, I wish I could be riding with you One more thing, have you ever considered doing a live feed or a live Q&A session? Maybe you have and I just wasn’t lucky enough to catch it Carry on! ❤️❤️❤️
Hi Dale. You are so kind, bro. I do agree, form communicating with you these last years, that you have that adventure spirit in you aplenty. There is lots to be excited about when it comes to our tours and all the cycling we do in all the awesome places. I have used both disks and rim breaks. Lately, disk breaks, but even though they are super nice, I don't think rim breaks are bad at all and Would use them again anytime. There is a nice feel to squeeze pads to a rim. I've never done a live feed but that could be a good idea. I have so much on my plate as it is with all the editing have to do and everything else in my life but I hope to do something like it someday. A podcast scenario would be really cool as it would stay recorded for future access. Lots of folks ask about all kinds of stuff concerning the cycling, touring, bike, content gathering and creation, YouTubing, etc. It would be cool to share what I know and help others if they are into following that route. The more of us sharing the love of tis niche the better, I think. Thanks for the comment and all else. Take care.
This is such a special episode, thank you, Diego! The music choices are the creme de la creme. The descent into Silverton with that view and a perfectly grid-like town layout is also special.
Hi Buck. I agree, the view of Silverton from above during the descent is one of the coolest sections of that video. Also the panoramic drone shot at Molas Pass, that was sick! I never know what I get out of the footage until I pull it up and see for myself. Great to hear you like the music choices. I try not repeat songs and do a good job of that but there is so much out there for me to pick from. Im mostly trying to have the music be relative to the moment and place it correctly relative to the frames. Great to get a comment from you, thank you. Take care. The Millions Dollar Highway section is next and it won't disappoint.
Hi Mark. This is so cool to hear. I will do my best to keep making the content and will keep your friend's kid in mind when doing it. Thank you for sharing this with me. Say hello to them form me. Take care.
Another great video! There was an organized tour called "Colorado's ride" in Durango back in August of this year with about 350 riders. On day 1 of the tour, we did this route. Some of us did an out and back to Coal Bank pass and others went in to Silverton and took the train back. It was fun to watch your video and recall everything we saw from that day! I can't imagine doing that ride solo on a loaded touring bike and having to stop to set up all those shots. You're a beast!
Hi Todd. Living in Durango or anywhere near there would be so cool. I would be climbing that pass several times a year. My daily rides here in Florida are no where near that level. Thank you so much for watching it a second time. That tells me I'm doing something right with my content. The next episode came out really good, or so I think. Silverton to Ouray is such an unreal stretch. Especially during a snowstorm. Take care.
Diego thanks for such a great video. I always get excited when I get your email that a new video is on the way. I really appreciate that you share these beautiful places and your experiences with the world. Definitely inspiring and challenges me to get out there. Wonderful work in filming and editing, looking forward to the next episode.
It's very scenic there. Colorado is one of the most beautiful states in my opinion. Absolutely gorgeous but it comes with a price, a lot of climbing. I can only imagine how hard it was but you did it! 👍
Hi Thomas. I guess you could say that without climbing there is no dropping. I gotta have both as well as some days of flats. The array of terrain and grade makes touring so special. I hope you are fully recovered and crushing the miles my friend. Take care and thank you for watching.
Excellent video per usual. As a person that transplanted FROM CO to Australia, I have to say I miss those big mountains a lot, and your videos help lessen that longing to return.
I am happy to hear that I can bring a slice of the past to you. Australia sounds like a great place to be. I hoper to get out there someday. Thank you for watching.
What an incredible journey! 🚴♂ The effort it took to conquer Coal Bank and Molas Passes is truly inspiring-6,000 feet of elevation gain is no joke! The breathtaking scenery of the San Juan Mountains and the reward of those thrilling downhills made it all worth watching. Thanks for sharing such a memorable day of your tour through Colorado, Diego! I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Hi Patrick. You are welcome. Colorado is dear to my heart for good reason. This was a fun route to do and it only makes me look at the map to see what I can go see more of over there. The San Juan's are something else. I had my eye on Lizard Head Pass on the west side of the San Juan's for several years but when I heard of this 550 I had to change up. Hopefully someday I can do the other side. The next episode came out great. Can't wait to see what you guys think. Thank you for watching and enjoying my content. Take care.
Wow. What an effort and another fantastic video! The payoff is the landscapes on the way and the knowledge you pushed through that climb (and some hot food in town). The San Juan mountains and forest are the most beautiful mountains in Colorado in my opinion. Can't wait to see you drop down into Ouray!
That is a good point to make. I always worry about how much I look to the sides when riding these roads with crazy drop off. Thanks for watching the episode, bro.
Oh, I’ve done this route. ‘99 Bike Tour of Colorado did Ouray to Durango on day 2. We were not carrying a load as you were, but a long way, 3 passes and it rained and was 36 degrees. The State Police cancelled the ride in Silverton due to icing, trapping 1200 riders. I made it thru, but it was nasty. As well, I didn’t see any of the beautiful mountains that day.
Hi Steve. That would be a tough pill to swallow, to not be able to see the mountains around you when doing all that climbing and dropping. That ride sounds like a good one, though. I learned from this route that the weather can change drastically in a split second. The next episode shows that as I hope you will see. Thank you for watching.
When I was in Tucson earlier this year, and went up Mount Lemmon, after wards, I ran into a bunch of older (like me) gentlemen who were having coffee. They said, you should come and do it "our" way: "we all put our bikes in Charlie's van and pile in. He drives us to the top and we ride down to the bottom. If I go back this winter, I'm gonna go back and find those guys.
I have always thought it a fun idea for someone to have a guiding business (or shuttle/guiding business) where ridder are driven to the top of passes so they can downhill to the bottom. The only issue is that there are plenty of difficult false summits in these mountains. You would have to picked choose. Electric bicycles could be a way around it. The traffic would hate it. Anyways....
Hello Dean. Great to hear from someone from the Philippines. You are the first, thank you for reaching out and for trying out my channel. Hope to hear from you again. Take care.
Watched your video last night and am watching it again. The mountains and the terrain are otherworldly, like you're riding/climbing the moonscape. Those drop offs along the edge had to be really scary. They should have guard rails at minimum. Glad you got through and admire your endurance, Diego.
You are right about the moonscape comment but on this tour it gets even more trippy once I ride into Utah. Holly crap is that a martian landscape like I have never seen before. The drop offs are scary but more when I think about them at night knowing Im going to be in that kind of road. When Im ridding and I come up on those steep cliffs I tend to feel confident in my line and do it without much worry. I think in a car it would be more spooky. Still, it is worth gripping the bars tight, slowing down and keeping a careful eye looking forwards. Thanks for watching.
@FlyscoutRyder yes! I am so looking forward to the Million Dollar Highway video! I was SO SCARED when I drove it! 😬 but it was well worth it: the scenery is breathtaking and Ouray is a beautiful little town (where I bought my only AND favorite cowboy hat 🤠)!
@@FlyscoutRyder yes!! Larry McMurtry's book -that inspired the miniseries- won the Pulitzer price in 1985 and is well worth reading even if you have seen the miniseries! Highly recommend!
Ahhh, my friend Diego, yet another fantastic and inspiring episode. The scenery was spectacular with the vibrant colors of trees, sky, and clouds. I felt the pain of ascending the passes,😢😮 but also the thrill of descending the ride into Silverton. 😂😅. Thanks for taking us along with you on this beautiful adventure.
Hi Verlin. Thank you for watching this one. It is a first part of two as I ride the San Juan Range. The next episode is top notch. Yes, the scenery is one of a kind and I will never forget my time there. Very special part of America. More on the way... I wish you and your family a happy holiday season.
Love it! Having tried to put a touring video together myself I know the time it takes to get all those shots and to put them artfully together is extraordinary. The best of many talented presenters. Thank you for taking us on your journey with you.
You are very kind to say that about my content. Im certainly trying now for five years and plan on keeping on. Even though I am a struggling TH-camr I love the process of gathering the content, piecing together the story with the episodes, the messaging, and most importantly the touring. IO love to bicycle tour. Great to hear from you. Thank you for watching.
Diego, thank you for another great episode! We have travelled so many of the same roads, though mine mostly by car and motorcycle. My last run from Durango to Silverton almost ended with my Harley going over the side down one of those drop offs. It was raining on south side of Coal Bank, but black ice on north side coming down. Bike just started sliding right on a left hand corner and I was ready to jump off when it caught traction near the fog line. Scared because all I could do was let it happen. That was Labor Day, 2004. Great that you had better weather. Its a beautiful ride from Durango all the way to Ouray. Some very scenic roads and I made the most of living in Denver for 10 years. I miss it at times.
Hi Dennis. Sounds like you did. Denver is such a great hub to see and live in Colorado. I have several friend who live there and in Boulder and I have learned form them how cool it is to be there. Ten years sounds like plenty to see all you want of this state. Your Harley story is scary as can be. I met this guy in Silverton, Pat at the Avon Hotel, who told me about him hitting black ice while driving from Cool Bank and Molas and rolled the whole way to the bottom of that valley to the left of the road. He was fine but way down there. Another driver saw the skid marks over the ice and pulled over thinking that someone had dropped in there and sure enough he saw Pat way at the bottom. Luckily Pat was fine enough and was able to climb back to the road. That is a scary place at times. The next episode I ride to Ouray in the middle of a snow storm which was spooky aplenty. Thank you for watching.
Just spent the last few weeks watching all of your videos from the start. Each one as inspiring as it is meditative. Now I need to travel out west…on the bike of course!
This is so nice to hear, thank you. Yes, out west is a lot of fun but anywhere is great. I hope you get out there and do so safely. Take care and keep in touch about your plans. Let me know if you need help getting ready.
Hey man great job. I wanted to thank you. A few years back my girlfriend and I did the entire Loop of the million dollar Highway in 2 1/2 days on our road bikes our first morning we rode from Silverton to Telluride period in the thing is it makes it even more challenging is when you the the culmination of the three days building up each day gets harder and harder. I have lived a big life in my lifetime and that a lot of cool thing but this is definitely in the top three of the most amazing things I've ever done in my life. Thanks for posting this reminded me of one of my best memories in my life and it was brought back a lot of good feelings. Feel good right now sitting here watching you ride and me sitting on the chair however I remember how exactly decimated we were when we got back on the 3rd afternoon. Thanks for this video I appreciate it a lot
Not sure what Squatchy means but I like it. You are most certainly welcome. I sometimes get comments like yours about bringing back memories for folks who have done what route I might be on any given episode and it totally makes my day. It's so easy to forget great memories. Being able to bring them back for you means a lot to me. Thank you for checking out my channel. The next episode is of the route from Silverton to Ouray. It came out nice. I hope you and your girlfriend enjoy it as well. Take care.
Us old timers here call that the "Death Ride" for good reason. I've done it like you over 3 days with just a light road bike and a credit card. I think the name stems from those who did it non-stop so-to-speak if you can imagine!
Enjoyed the video. The wife and I spent 8 days in Silverton in July and absolutely fell in love with the whole area but for me Silverton is so everything I expected and more. You duh man!
Thanks, Anonymous. Yeah I would agree that Silverton is a very special place. I also liked Ouray. Both are unique and make you think of Colorado of the past. Such historical places. I missed doing the train ride from Durango to Silverton but hope to do it someday. Thank you of rewatching.
I find drivers all over are nice. There are times when you feel squeezed but it’s always relative to location and time of day. Like you say, the cities and congested areas tend to demand more caution.
It's hard to choose a highlight of this episode, but I think the descent to Silverton gets it. What a dream ride! Do you think the road is that dangerous? It didn't seem dangerous. Maybe because there's not a lot of traffic. What a great episode, brother! Thank you.
I agree. That downhill into Silverton Sid legit. I remember being so impressed when the town came into view. It looks so cool surrounded by all the mountains. That stretch of 550 is not so dangerous. It's the next stretch from Silverton to Ouray that is pretty spooky. You can check it out on the next episode, The Million Dollar Highway.
Diego, loved this episode. Would you be so kind to explain your camera setup you us while riding and what dron you use. I'm having a vibration issue while peddling. Thanks
Hi Darrell. I love to share what I have learned thru the years about the content gathering and all else. I use four cameras. A Canon G7X Mark iii, GoPro 8 and 9, and a DJI Magic Mini 3 Pro drone. Shaky footage is likely from your action camera (GoPro types). There is a setting that helps this (Hypersmooth) that needs to be on. But the actual technique I use is to always record while holding the camera with a handle by hand. The camera is sitting at the ready just left of my right hand on the bar. There is a setting on these cameras that allows you to press the top button once to start filming right away. It turns the camera on and starts recording simultaneously. I ride a lot "one handed" even on the downhills. So, I don't recommend this at all because for obvious reasons it is extremely dangerous to do. And even then it takes practice to hold the camera super steady to have the footage be as if you were gathering it with the help of a gimbal. During editing, I discard a lot of footage that is shaky. But as the years have come and gone, I have less of it to discard. I hope this helps and please ask if you have more questions regarding content creation. It's a huge topic and one I have enjoyed and still enjoy figuring out. Thanks for watching.
Every year, in May, there is a ride/race, The Ironhorse Bicycle Classic, where hundreds of cyclists "race" the old train that runs from Durango to Silverton over the very same terrain you did in this video. Come back some day and race the train.
Hi Ed. That would be such a blast. Not sure I could beat the train but being around a bunch of cycling folks doing that route would be outstanding. Thank you for sharing this. And thank you for watching and checking out my channel.
@@FlyscoutRyder Heck yeah you can beat the train, and the best part is they close the road to cars for Coal Bank and Molas passes and into Silverton. I read you like to descend fast, well, here's your chance! It's the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend. Let us know if you come back out for it!
Hi Steve. If I can, I let it rip. I love screaming down these passes and if conditions allow it I try never touch the breaks. During this tour, coming out of Death Valley, I went my fastest at 49 miles per hour. I was in high heaven. With that said, I have grown to realize that when I am gong super fast I don't get to enjoy the scenery and be present in my surroundings so I have noticed I am tending not go full speed ahead like I used to. I still do though. I mix it up I guess. Thank you for watching.
Awesome ride Diego - I likes me a little more shoulder tho. LoL Been watchin' all of your videos & learning a lot. Enjoyed your stealth camping in New Mexico. I'm just about ready to leave Florida City on my recumbent trike for Key West. Just found out Sigsbee campground may not be available. Do you have any suggestions for general stealthiness throughout the keys? I'm thinking the fishing bridges are probably pretty chill at night for camping. Your thoughts would be appreciated. I only average about 20 miles per day. I'm a slow & old disabled vet,... riding for Wounded Warrior Project. (I initially found your channel a while back thru Warmshowers profile. I've learned a lot vicariously. Keep on a truckin' D.)
Thank you for your service. You'll have a blast cycling down the state. The Florida Keys has a few State Parks you could camp at but not sure if they allow hike bike entrance without biking in advance. I would call and ask and explain how difficult it is to figure out when you would be arriving. Like you said I would think it is ok to camp ay either end of the bridges. On the south end of 7 mile bridge there is a picnic area you can try. I haven't ridden the Keys road so not sure of specific places but I see plenty while driving down. Yo'll have to wait until dark and go of it. Things are a bit maxed down here. Key West is going to be a bigger challenge. You could try Warmshowers but not likely. Maybe contact some of the churches and the VA for possible leads. I live at mile marker 17 in a neighborhood if you are looking to spend the night. Keep me posted. Thank you for reaching out and watching my channel. Be safe out there.
@FlyscoutRyder I appreciate the info. Sigsbee tells me to call each day to ask about cancellations. But you're right,... flex-time & unknowns are a problem. Ya' never know how much glass will be on a particular stretch of road. 🤪 I'll definitely keep MM17 in mind - much appreciated🙏. If I should need to reach out, would it be best to do so on Warmshowers or in YT comments? I just finished watching a guy (D-rock) do the whole trip on a beach cruiser. I gotta say,... I'm a little intimidated. I'm watching more vids to learn. Lots of debris and crossovers, construction, & detours. 🤪 Time will tell. Thanks again for your advice & adventures!
@FlyscoutRyder About to pass MM17 now, (Fri, Jan 3, ~2pm). Trying to make up time, riding thru the mangroves when I can. If you're out and about, keep an eye out for a big yellow-roofed trike/trailer. I'll buy you a brewskie 🍻. Sisbee sign on the back. I'll holler back at end of January when I head back north. I might also wanna hit you up for a tent spot then if available. I've only been hosted ONE-time so I need some references. The experience was a total disaster. I'm working with Simon Pooler now to get the host removed. I'll tell you all about it over a beer. Happy New Year 🚲
I believe that. The next episode has plenty of snow as I had to do Red Mountain Pass in the middle of a snow storm. How do I keep safe and film? Well, that is a huge question. I hope someday someone is interested enough to ask me to explain on a podcast style scenario. A short answer is that it is dangerous to do but after five years at it I have learned a lot about cycling safety in all kinds of scenarios. I am also a 30 year fishing guide in the Florida Keys and have worked my whole life reading weather so I sort of have a good idea when it comes to measuring risk. Thank you for watching.
Your videos are cinematically BEAUTIFUL. A real treat for the eyes...and ears (great music).
Thank you for saying that. Greatly appreciated. Thanks for watching.
I really enjoy your positive energy in your videos. Keep it up and enjoy the ride
Thank you, Scott. More on the way.
Hands-down, you are my bicycle touring hero.
I wanna be just like you! At least as far as bicycle touring goes ha ha ha
I’ve only done a mere fraction of the touring that you have done, but, I have done enough that I share your feelings of joy and free spirit and adventure, and love of the open air.
I get such a feeling of longing to be back out on the open road and I will be once it warms up! That’s one thing that differs you from me lol, I don’t like cold! But it seems you do ha ha ha
Every video of yours that I watch my eyes tear up as I remember my own tiny travels and I understand what keeps you going and WHY you do and love WHAT you do.
Don’t give up, keep getting that butt of yours kicked (!) and always remember that there are traveler wanna be’s cheering you on ; particularly we Patreon members. We ❤️❤️❤️you and I for one mention you to other cyclists and insist they watch your videos.
I don’t ALWAYS agree with certain things I see you do but, that’s how it goes and that’s how it should be
Seriously you are a BEAST on the bicycle. MARVELOUS MARVELOUS MARVELOUS
oh btw, without me having to look it up, do you run rim brakes or disc??
Keep goin brother. GAWD, I wish I could be riding with you
One more thing, have you ever considered doing a live feed or a live Q&A session? Maybe you have and I just wasn’t lucky enough to catch it
Carry on! ❤️❤️❤️
Hi Dale. You are so kind, bro. I do agree, form communicating with you these last years, that you have that adventure spirit in you aplenty. There is lots to be excited about when it comes to our tours and all the cycling we do in all the awesome places.
I have used both disks and rim breaks. Lately, disk breaks, but even though they are super nice, I don't think rim breaks are bad at all and Would use them again anytime. There is a nice feel to squeeze pads to a rim.
I've never done a live feed but that could be a good idea. I have so much on my plate as it is with all the editing have to do and everything else in my life but I hope to do something like it someday. A podcast scenario would be really cool as it would stay recorded for future access. Lots of folks ask about all kinds of stuff concerning the cycling, touring, bike, content gathering and creation, YouTubing, etc. It would be cool to share what I know and help others if they are into following that route. The more of us sharing the love of tis niche the better, I think.
Thanks for the comment and all else. Take care.
This is such a special episode, thank you, Diego! The music choices are the creme de la creme. The descent into Silverton with that view and a perfectly grid-like town layout is also special.
Hi Buck. I agree, the view of Silverton from above during the descent is one of the coolest sections of that video. Also the panoramic drone shot at Molas Pass, that was sick! I never know what I get out of the footage until I pull it up and see for myself. Great to hear you like the music choices. I try not repeat songs and do a good job of that but there is so much out there for me to pick from. Im mostly trying to have the music be relative to the moment and place it correctly relative to the frames. Great to get a comment from you, thank you. Take care. The Millions Dollar Highway section is next and it won't disappoint.
My friends kid has a disability and your videos draws his attention to watch. Keep going forward!
Hi Mark. This is so cool to hear. I will do my best to keep making the content and will keep your friend's kid in mind when doing it. Thank you for sharing this with me. Say hello to them form me. Take care.
Another great video! There was an organized tour called "Colorado's ride" in Durango back in August of this year with about 350 riders. On day 1 of the tour, we did this route. Some of us did an out and back to Coal Bank pass and others went in to Silverton and took the train back. It was fun to watch your video and recall everything we saw from that day! I can't imagine doing that ride solo on a loaded touring bike and having to stop to set up all those shots. You're a beast!
Hi Todd. Living in Durango or anywhere near there would be so cool. I would be climbing that pass several times a year. My daily rides here in Florida are no where near that level. Thank you so much for watching it a second time. That tells me I'm doing something right with my content. The next episode came out really good, or so I think. Silverton to Ouray is such an unreal stretch. Especially during a snowstorm. Take care.
Diego thanks for such a great video. I always get excited when I get your email that a new video is on the way. I really appreciate that you share these beautiful places and your experiences with the world. Definitely inspiring and challenges me to get out there. Wonderful work in filming and editing, looking forward to the next episode.
Thank you, Shane. I will try to keep at it. Please share my channel with anyone you know that might be interested in the content, thank you.
Go passmaster go.
That is good humor. You see how slow I go? I guess better slow than not at all. Thanks, man.
@@FlyscoutRyder That's plenty fast up in them hills.
It's very scenic there. Colorado is one of the most beautiful states in my opinion. Absolutely gorgeous but it comes with a price, a lot of climbing. I can only imagine how hard it was but you did it! 👍
Hi Thomas. I guess you could say that without climbing there is no dropping. I gotta have both as well as some days of flats. The array of terrain and grade makes touring so special. I hope you are fully recovered and crushing the miles my friend. Take care and thank you for watching.
The Million Dollar Highway would be amazing on the Harley, but on a bicycle, I bet it's unforgettable! What an amazing video, Diego. Thank you ❤
You are welcome. The next episode shows the Million Dollar Hwy section and it is coming out really nice. Thank you for watching.
Excellent video per usual. As a person that transplanted FROM CO to Australia, I have to say I miss those big mountains a lot, and your videos help lessen that longing to return.
I am happy to hear that I can bring a slice of the past to you. Australia sounds like a great place to be. I hoper to get out there someday. Thank you for watching.
What an incredible journey! 🚴♂ The effort it took to conquer Coal Bank and Molas Passes is truly inspiring-6,000 feet of elevation gain is no joke! The breathtaking scenery of the San Juan Mountains and the reward of those thrilling downhills made it all worth watching. Thanks for sharing such a memorable day of your tour through Colorado, Diego! I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Hi Patrick. You are welcome. Colorado is dear to my heart for good reason. This was a fun route to do and it only makes me look at the map to see what I can go see more of over there. The San Juan's are something else. I had my eye on Lizard Head Pass on the west side of the San Juan's for several years but when I heard of this 550 I had to change up. Hopefully someday I can do the other side. The next episode came out great. Can't wait to see what you guys think. Thank you for watching and enjoying my content. Take care.
Wow. What an effort and another fantastic video! The payoff is the landscapes on the way and the knowledge you pushed through that climb (and some hot food in town). The San Juan mountains and forest are the most beautiful mountains in Colorado in my opinion. Can't wait to see you drop down into Ouray!
Hi Vern. Yeah, the next episode is coming out really nice. The drop into Ouray was unforgettable and the footage is legit. Thank you for watching.
Wow! The Landscapes ! I would have crashed looking around. Great episode D. Very entertaining.
That is a good point to make. I always worry about how much I look to the sides when riding these roads with crazy drop off. Thanks for watching the episode, bro.
Excellent ride. Excellent scenery. Keep riding!
Oh, I’ve done this route. ‘99 Bike Tour of Colorado did Ouray to Durango on day 2. We were not carrying a load as you were, but a long way, 3 passes and it rained and was 36 degrees. The State Police cancelled the ride in Silverton due to icing, trapping 1200 riders. I made it thru, but it was nasty. As well, I didn’t see any of the beautiful mountains that day.
Hi Steve. That would be a tough pill to swallow, to not be able to see the mountains around you when doing all that climbing and dropping. That ride sounds like a good one, though. I learned from this route that the weather can change drastically in a split second. The next episode shows that as I hope you will see. Thank you for watching.
So nice to see Colorado this way 😊
Psyched to enjoy the content. Please share with anyone you know that may be interested, thank you.
When I was in Tucson earlier this year, and went up Mount Lemmon, after wards, I ran into a bunch of older (like me) gentlemen who were having coffee. They said, you should come and do it "our" way: "we all put our bikes in Charlie's van and pile in. He drives us to the top and we ride down to the bottom. If I go back this winter, I'm gonna go back and find those guys.
I have always thought it a fun idea for someone to have a guiding business (or shuttle/guiding business) where ridder are driven to the top of passes so they can downhill to the bottom. The only issue is that there are plenty of difficult false summits in these mountains. You would have to picked choose. Electric bicycles could be a way around it. The traffic would hate it. Anyways....
Watching from Philippines ❤❤❤
Hello Dean. Great to hear from someone from the Philippines. You are the first, thank you for reaching out and for trying out my channel. Hope to hear from you again. Take care.
Watched your video last night and am watching it again. The mountains and the terrain are otherworldly, like you're riding/climbing the moonscape. Those drop offs along the edge had to be really scary. They should have guard rails at minimum. Glad you got through and admire your endurance, Diego.
You are right about the moonscape comment but on this tour it gets even more trippy once I ride into Utah. Holly crap is that a martian landscape like I have never seen before. The drop offs are scary but more when I think about them at night knowing Im going to be in that kind of road. When Im ridding and I come up on those steep cliffs I tend to feel confident in my line and do it without much worry. I think in a car it would be more spooky. Still, it is worth gripping the bars tight, slowing down and keeping a careful eye looking forwards. Thanks for watching.
Beautiful video as always, dude. Thanks for sharing.
Hi Bryan. Thank you, brother. Your thoughts mean a bunch to me. Let's keep at it.
About to watch this at 6am with my 15-year-old pup. Excited!
That is great to hear. I hope you enjoyed it. More on the way..... Thank you for watching.
@FlyscoutRyder yes! I am so looking forward to the Million Dollar Highway video! I was SO SCARED when I drove it! 😬 but it was well worth it: the scenery is breathtaking and Ouray is a beautiful little town (where I bought my only AND favorite cowboy hat 🤠)!
@@mariaroncalli863 Very cool. A cowboy hat sounds so fun. I just watched Lonesome Dove and almost cried several times. Being a cowboy is such a dream.
@@FlyscoutRyder yes!! Larry McMurtry's book -that inspired the miniseries- won the Pulitzer price in 1985 and is well worth reading even if you have seen the miniseries! Highly recommend!
@@mariaroncalli863 That is great to hear. I will give it a try.
Ahhh, my friend Diego, yet another fantastic and inspiring episode. The scenery was spectacular with the vibrant colors of trees, sky, and clouds. I felt the pain of ascending the passes,😢😮 but also the thrill of descending the ride into Silverton. 😂😅. Thanks for taking us along with you on this beautiful adventure.
Hi Verlin. Thank you for watching this one. It is a first part of two as I ride the San Juan Range. The next episode is top notch. Yes, the scenery is one of a kind and I will never forget my time there. Very special part of America. More on the way... I wish you and your family a happy holiday season.
Love it! Having tried to put a touring video together myself I know the time it takes to get all those shots and to put them artfully together is extraordinary. The best of many talented presenters. Thank you for taking us on your journey with you.
You are very kind to say that about my content. Im certainly trying now for five years and plan on keeping on. Even though I am a struggling TH-camr I love the process of gathering the content, piecing together the story with the episodes, the messaging, and most importantly the touring. IO love to bicycle tour. Great to hear from you. Thank you for watching.
That was an awesome episode and some serious climbing. Thanks for video and take care, Al
Thanks, Al.
Diego, thank you for another great episode! We have travelled so many of the same roads, though mine mostly by car and motorcycle.
My last run from Durango to Silverton almost ended with my Harley going over the side down one of those drop offs. It was raining on south side of Coal Bank, but black ice on north side coming down. Bike just started sliding right on a left hand corner and I was ready to jump off when it caught traction near the fog line. Scared because all I could do was let it happen. That was Labor Day, 2004.
Great that you had better weather. Its a beautiful ride from Durango all the way to Ouray. Some very scenic roads and I made the most of living in Denver for 10 years. I miss it at times.
Hi Dennis. Sounds like you did. Denver is such a great hub to see and live in Colorado. I have several friend who live there and in Boulder and I have learned form them how cool it is to be there. Ten years sounds like plenty to see all you want of this state. Your Harley story is scary as can be. I met this guy in Silverton, Pat at the Avon Hotel, who told me about him hitting black ice while driving from Cool Bank and Molas and rolled the whole way to the bottom of that valley to the left of the road. He was fine but way down there. Another driver saw the skid marks over the ice and pulled over thinking that someone had dropped in there and sure enough he saw Pat way at the bottom. Luckily Pat was fine enough and was able to climb back to the road. That is a scary place at times. The next episode I ride to Ouray in the middle of a snow storm which was spooky aplenty. Thank you for watching.
¡Qué buen recorrido! ¡Y gran video! Saludos desde Durango, pero en México.
Hola, Miguel. Gracias por ver este episodio. Algún día me encontrare en Mexico con mi bici y poder ver lugares como Durango. Cuídate y no te pierdas.
@FlyscoutRyder eres bienvenido, te gustará México.
@@miguelrodvel1548 Gracias, Miguel
Beautiful scenery! Thanks for sharing, Diego! Merry Christmas to you....
Merry Christmas to you, Pat. Thank you for watching.
Just spent the last few weeks watching all of your videos from the start. Each one as inspiring as it is meditative.
Now I need to travel out west…on the bike of course!
This is so nice to hear, thank you. Yes, out west is a lot of fun but anywhere is great. I hope you get out there and do so safely. Take care and keep in touch about your plans. Let me know if you need help getting ready.
Hey man great job. I wanted to thank you. A few years back my girlfriend and I did the entire Loop of the million dollar Highway in 2 1/2 days on our road bikes our first morning we rode from Silverton to Telluride period in the thing is it makes it even more challenging is when you the the culmination of the three days building up each day gets harder and harder. I have lived a big life in my lifetime and that a lot of cool thing but this is definitely in the top three of the most amazing things I've ever done in my life. Thanks for posting this reminded me of one of my best memories in my life and it was brought back a lot of good feelings. Feel good right now sitting here watching you ride and me sitting on the chair however I remember how exactly decimated we were when we got back on the 3rd afternoon. Thanks for this video I appreciate it a lot
Not sure what Squatchy means but I like it. You are most certainly welcome. I sometimes get comments like yours about bringing back memories for folks who have done what route I might be on any given episode and it totally makes my day. It's so easy to forget great memories. Being able to bring them back for you means a lot to me. Thank you for checking out my channel. The next episode is of the route from Silverton to Ouray. It came out nice. I hope you and your girlfriend enjoy it as well. Take care.
Us old timers here call that the "Death Ride" for good reason. I've done it like you over 3 days with just a light road bike and a credit card. I think the name stems from those who did it non-stop so-to-speak if you can imagine!
@@zenfishbike Not stopping would be a brute. Sort off like the triple bypass rider from Denver to Vail.
@@FlyscoutRyder I've done the triple bypass and this is four times harder at least
@@FlyscoutRyder I just saw a youtuber who posted his new Strava record for the Death Ride on 10/5/24. 10hrs 16min. Yeah, that's insane.
.........................! wow.
Enjoyed the video. The wife and I spent 8 days in Silverton in July and absolutely fell in love with the whole area but for me Silverton is so everything I expected and more. You duh man!
Thanks, Anonymous. Yeah I would agree that Silverton is a very special place. I also liked Ouray. Both are unique and make you think of Colorado of the past. Such historical places. I missed doing the train ride from Durango to Silverton but hope to do it someday. Thank you of rewatching.
Great video. How did you find the Colorado drivers to be? I live here, and they are generally courteous except in the big cities.
I find drivers all over are nice. There are times when you feel squeezed but it’s always relative to location and time of day. Like you say, the cities and congested areas tend to demand more caution.
It's hard to choose a highlight of this episode, but I think the descent to Silverton gets it.
What a dream ride!
Do you think the road is that dangerous? It didn't seem dangerous. Maybe because there's not a lot of traffic.
What a great episode, brother! Thank you.
I agree. That downhill into Silverton Sid legit. I remember being so impressed when the town came into view. It looks so cool surrounded by all the mountains. That stretch of 550 is not so dangerous. It's the next stretch from Silverton to Ouray that is pretty spooky. You can check it out on the next episode, The Million Dollar Highway.
++++++++++++ great video
Diego, loved this episode. Would you be so kind to explain your camera setup you us while riding and what dron you use. I'm having a vibration issue while peddling.
Thanks
Hi Darrell. I love to share what I have learned thru the years about the content gathering and all else. I use four cameras. A Canon G7X Mark iii, GoPro 8 and 9, and a DJI Magic Mini 3 Pro drone. Shaky footage is likely from your action camera (GoPro types). There is a setting that helps this (Hypersmooth) that needs to be on. But the actual technique I use is to always record while holding the camera with a handle by hand. The camera is sitting at the ready just left of my right hand on the bar. There is a setting on these cameras that allows you to press the top button once to start filming right away. It turns the camera on and starts recording simultaneously. I ride a lot "one handed" even on the downhills. So, I don't recommend this at all because for obvious reasons it is extremely dangerous to do. And even then it takes practice to hold the camera super steady to have the footage be as if you were gathering it with the help of a gimbal. During editing, I discard a lot of footage that is shaky. But as the years have come and gone, I have less of it to discard. I hope this helps and please ask if you have more questions regarding content creation. It's a huge topic and one I have enjoyed and still enjoy figuring out. Thanks for watching.
Every year, in May, there is a ride/race, The Ironhorse Bicycle Classic, where hundreds of cyclists "race" the old train that runs from Durango to Silverton over the very same terrain you did in this video. Come back some day and race the train.
Hi Ed. That would be such a blast. Not sure I could beat the train but being around a bunch of cycling folks doing that route would be outstanding. Thank you for sharing this. And thank you for watching and checking out my channel.
@@FlyscoutRyder Heck yeah you can beat the train, and the best part is they close the road to cars for Coal Bank and Molas passes and into Silverton. I read you like to descend fast, well, here's your chance! It's the Saturday of Memorial Day Weekend. Let us know if you come back out for it!
@@zenfishbike Will do. Thank you for the info.
Awesome views. So when you come down passes like that do you keep your speed controlled or just let er rip as much as you can?
Hi Steve. If I can, I let it rip. I love screaming down these passes and if conditions allow it I try never touch the breaks. During this tour, coming out of Death Valley, I went my fastest at 49 miles per hour. I was in high heaven. With that said, I have grown to realize that when I am gong super fast I don't get to enjoy the scenery and be present in my surroundings so I have noticed I am tending not go full speed ahead like I used to. I still do though. I mix it up I guess. Thank you for watching.
Awesome ride Diego - I likes me a little more shoulder tho. LoL
Been watchin' all of your videos & learning a lot. Enjoyed your stealth camping in New Mexico. I'm just about ready to leave Florida City on my recumbent trike for Key West. Just found out Sigsbee campground may not be available. Do you have any suggestions for general stealthiness throughout the keys? I'm thinking the fishing bridges are probably pretty chill at night for camping. Your thoughts would be appreciated.
I only average about 20 miles per day. I'm a slow & old disabled vet,... riding for Wounded Warrior Project.
(I initially found your channel a while back thru Warmshowers profile. I've learned a lot vicariously. Keep on a truckin' D.)
Thank you for your service. You'll have a blast cycling down the state. The Florida Keys has a few State Parks you could camp at but not sure if they allow hike bike entrance without biking in advance. I would call and ask and explain how difficult it is to figure out when you would be arriving. Like you said I would think it is ok to camp ay either end of the bridges. On the south end of 7 mile bridge there is a picnic area you can try. I haven't ridden the Keys road so not sure of specific places but I see plenty while driving down. Yo'll have to wait until dark and go of it. Things are a bit maxed down here. Key West is going to be a bigger challenge. You could try Warmshowers but not likely. Maybe contact some of the churches and the VA for possible leads. I live at mile marker 17 in a neighborhood if you are looking to spend the night. Keep me posted. Thank you for reaching out and watching my channel. Be safe out there.
@FlyscoutRyder
I appreciate the info. Sigsbee tells me to call each day to ask about cancellations. But you're right,... flex-time & unknowns are a problem. Ya' never know how much glass will be on a particular stretch of road. 🤪
I'll definitely keep MM17 in mind - much appreciated🙏. If I should need to reach out, would it be best to do so on Warmshowers or in YT comments?
I just finished watching a guy (D-rock) do the whole trip on a beach cruiser. I gotta say,... I'm a little intimidated. I'm watching more vids to learn. Lots of debris and crossovers, construction, & detours. 🤪
Time will tell. Thanks again for your advice & adventures!
@FlyscoutRyder About to pass MM17 now, (Fri, Jan 3, ~2pm). Trying to make up time, riding thru the mangroves when I can.
If you're out and about, keep an eye out for a big yellow-roofed trike/trailer.
I'll buy you a brewskie 🍻.
Sisbee sign on the back.
I'll holler back at end of January when I head back north. I might also wanna hit you up for a tent spot then if available. I've only been hosted ONE-time so I need some references. The experience was a total disaster. I'm working with Simon Pooler now to get the host removed. I'll tell you all about it over a beer.
Happy New Year 🚲
What month was this?
Late October. The dates are in the episodes in the beginning of each day. Thank you for watching.
Pretty sure there used to be snow year around up there before global warming. So amazing 😍. How do you film and bike and stay safe 😮👍
I believe that. The next episode has plenty of snow as I had to do Red Mountain Pass in the middle of a snow storm. How do I keep safe and film? Well, that is a huge question. I hope someday someone is interested enough to ask me to explain on a podcast style scenario. A short answer is that it is dangerous to do but after five years at it I have learned a lot about cycling safety in all kinds of scenarios. I am also a 30 year fishing guide in the Florida Keys and have worked my whole life reading weather so I sort of have a good idea when it comes to measuring risk. Thank you for watching.
Fantastic 👏👏👏