Thursday 13 June 2013

Cool bikes and a great ride to Aspen through the Rockies with a stop at Montrose

We overindulged a little in the Brewery in Dolores, great night though and friendly people, we met fellow Norton owner Gene who joined us for Pizza and who told us about Sam Maganaro who had a shop nearby specialising in Vincents. So Monday morning with a bit of a fuzzy head we went to see the guys at Colorado Norton Works, I was very impressed with the quality of the work, great to speak to Matt Rambow the owner for a while (sorry to keep you off your work Matt) If you want to know more about these great Norton reincarnations check out their website www.coloradonortonworks.com
Impessive specials with mostly locally produced parts

Jim Comstock's fuel injection system...cool

Another Norton nears completion



After keeping Matt off his work for a while we looked for Sam's place, lucky we just caught him as he returned, an Aladdin's cave of Vincents www.vincentworks.com if you want to know more. Sam was just as open as Matt and we enjoyed the short time we spent there, I loved his shop!!


Vincents everywhere, lovely but all out of my price Range!
 

 Then we experienced a fantastic road from Dolores to Montrose, amazing, one of the best yet, swooping through bends in the sun, fantastic scenery all the way, snow still in evidence on the higher peaks. Montrose though was nothing like its Scottish counterpart though, nae Fush!!
Simply Stunning

You have to stop for a look!
 

 After Montrose we headed to Aspen, once again brilliant roads and weather, and now we are holed up in Aspen untill Friday, this chick ski resort is very nice but the prices are a bit on the high side. Last night we got told off by the waiter for not leaving a 20 % tip, in San Fran we were told 15% was the norm, so I told him 20% was too f******* much, he said no worries, I was really pissed off especially when I worked out we'd left him 18% and another 80 cents would have made it 20%. Guess where I won't be going back to. He complained he only got $4 an hour, not my problem pal, here's a tip, you should have stuck in at school or get another job!! Now all the way on this trip I've tipped people, all have been happy and most have provided good service, don't expect it for mediocre service. I wonder if the IRS turns a blind eye to these scams? That aside its a nice place, just not really my kind of place!

Look, clouds!!

Lunch stop at the garage, petrol, a sandwich and a bottle of water, our staple diet!

Sometimes you have to stop and look

Aspen, full of Designer shops and designer people, super nice though

Surprised we weren't arrested for being near these posh hooses!! 

A Belt drive from a steam engine on the site of a former sawmill, sometime in the past Aspen was real!

Like most of the locals this guy didn't understand a word I said!! (Nice hat Matt)

Fiona getting so fed up nobody understands her lays an egg!


I liked this sign!

5 comments:

  1. WOW!
    what scenery! Thanks for the photos and story. I'm always been impressed with those two shops in Dolores, and the fact that they are doing so well-and it makes me feel just a bit less eccentric!
    Is that an austin healy sprite in the vincent shop? you'd never believe the things me and my high school girlfriend did inside mine 40 years ago... opps sorry this is a family blog isn't it? Cheers, Don

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    1. Cheers Don, yep I think it was a sprite, so excited by thhe Vincents I never took much notice! Like all pre 80's cars, not so much room, we must have all been smaller in those days!
      Cheers
      Gino & Fiona

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  2. mair great photies,Did any of thae Nortons run,take a bit o' polishin'...oh I forgot,never rains there. Aspen, Colorado and Rocky Mountain High...wee confession ,I,m still a John Denver fan..you're livin, the dream.
    Some news frae here...back on Tues night after the Rallye..weather was fab,people great as usual. 440 entrants,had originally thought 250 might appear..I had usual problem,parkin the trailer.Reckon maybe 100 at most seemed to have ridden there..stupit eejits. John Kelly/Brian and Dave frae Edin and Tam frae Barrhead had ridden doon..
    I went via Avignon/Millau Viaduct,unbeleivably lucky, 2,640 miles in the 9 days travelin',rain only frae Gala tae Peebles Tues night.Fair sickenin, the spray off Trailer wheels mucked up bike.
    Sorry for long tale,thocht Fiona might be interested.
    Geordie

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    1. Hi Geordie
      Guid tae hear fae ye, glad you made it tae the rallye and that you hid sic a braw time. I've telt ye before, get a covered trailer, that way if it rains there's nae muck :-)
      Braw roads abin here, made fer bikes!
      Gino & Fiona

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  3. Should've mentioned the name of the place here Gino, I'm not into tipping unless I have been impressed by the staff and service quality, and increasingly there's a trend toward the tip being applied to your bill(as a service charge) If that's your job do it well enough to earn a tip.....it's not an entitlement! I've gone to management and complained when this has happened.....don't get me wrong, I do tip, but ya gotta earn it. Pics and patter's great...really miss going on a good 200 - 300 mile run.....kinda hard on a island 108sq mls???? LOL ....more soon....Bisk

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