2002 Four Corners Motorcycle Rally
Durango, Colorado

Our first motorcycle rally was to be the Four Corners Iron Horse Rally in Ignacio, Colorado. Unfortunately, after nine years in Ignacio this year's rally met with unexpected difficulties in finding a site, and with time running out the rally organizers decided to cancel the event and declare 2003 the "official" 10th anniversary rally.

Undeterred by the lack of an organized rally ("Badges? We don't need no stinkin' badges!"), we went up to southwestern Colorado on Labor Day weekend for a few days of riding and relaxation. Somehow I suspect that thousands bikers in town with nothing to do was not exactly what the locals opposing the rally were hoping for, but it is what they got. Everyone was very friendly, and the local merchants were without exception happy to have us after a very, very bad year for tourism. The Durango Harley-Davison dealer and others did a good job of putting together some unofficial activities on the spur of the moment, and Durango was completely filled with bikers everywhere!

Gryphon's Yamaha was waiting on parts, so we loaded my Suzuki GZ-250 onto my truck and took turns riding my Kawasaka Vulcan 750 up there and back. (We claimed that Gryph needed the seat time since he'd be riding the Vulcan all weekend, but really we were just too lazy to load that heavy sucker!)

First, a performance by the Durango-based Hardly Angels, an all-woman motorcycle drill team whose members range in age from 13 to 60 years. Their control and precision give me something to aspire to as I gain experience on the seat.

They even have their own 18-wheeler! Angels groupies Opening procession Grapevine on wheels All together Weavers In and out Bike dancers Yipes! Angels do the Limbo Limbo a little lower Lower still How low can you go? Pink flags on parade More pink flags Another formation Spiralling pink Pink in the middle They're looking for a 'boy toy' Chorus line Yes, it's the can-can Working the crowd Five on two Group shot Tada! Color guard Color guard 2 Finale Taking a bow

And then a lovely, winding ride over Coal Bank Pass to Silverton, Colorado, for lunch and shopping.

Scenic spot along the way My hairdresser's name is Helmut What we are looking at is other bikers Clouding up for a mountain shower Molas Lake Overlook Pretty out there All downhill from here In the tall pines I think he's having fun

Since Coal Bank Pass was so much fun, we decided to run up to the summit of Wolf Creek Pass too.

At the summit Yvonne was really there And so was Philip

Finally, a few other miscellaneous memories from the trip: trikes on steroids in the parking lot, a giant rocking horse (sort of) on the way from Pagosa Springs to Durango, and the bikes having a short rest at the condo.

Trikes on steroids Giant rocking horse The bikes get a rest, and so do we

On the way home, I got in a few miles on my new bike!

Winding through the mist More of the same And more More

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