Infectious Off-Road.com

Well last Sunday I went on another randome dirt road adventure. This happens to be quite the busy dirt road, I probably ran into 30 vehicles or more through out the day.

You start out near the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (which houses "Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun")
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/001.jpg[/img]

From what I read online and in my books, this 'trail' is a 1 in difficulty but scenic rating of 8. Also read that the beginning has a shelf road section (which made me worry a little bit, since it has been snowing off and on around here). Once I realized how many people were up there, I didn't worry too much... also realized that this 'shelf' was not the super narrow barely fit one car shelf that I had envisioned.

Pretty funny, can anyone spot the contradictions in this picture?
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/007.jpg[/img]

Scenery starts improving and I stop at my first overlook along the ~26mile "trail" (Yes, trail is in quotes bc it was a graded road).
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/013.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/025.jpg[/img]

Lots of rock canyons to go through which could be great shots for the jeeps!
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/028.jpg[/img]

I saw a spot where a bunch of tire tracks went up in the trees... so I decided to explore and went about 3/4 mile up this trail (founda big 10ft sheet of ice after my tires knocked the snow off of it, luckily there was a bypass off to the right, so I continued for a bit, then decided to check my book to see if I was on a legal trail or not. Realized I was heading up (CORRECTION I believe I was on Saran Wrap) Saran Wrap Trail, which has a really steep and extremely narrow shelf road... so I turned around before getting into a tight spot (since again, I was alone with out cell reception).
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/031.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/032.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/110.jpg[/img]

Cool meadow before heading up what I believe is Saran Wrap Trail (EDITED to be more accurate about trails):
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/036.jpg[/img]

Tunnel along Gold Mtn Trail, this used to be a narrow gauge railway.
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/040.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/041.jpg[/img]

Once I exited Gold Mtn Trail, I came upon American Eagle Overlook (which allows you to look into a huge operational gold mine)
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/053.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/056.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/061.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/068.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/070.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/071.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/073.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/092.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/083.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/085.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/100.jpg[/img]

Found my next set of tires:
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/075.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/115.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/124.jpg[/img]

[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/105.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/113.jpg[/img]

The sunset overlooking Cripple Creek on my way home:
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/139.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d26/rkpalmer/Gold%20Camp%20Rd/161.jpg[/img]

I'll keep posting pics of my adventures if people are enjoying them... please let me know

Great scenic shots . I like to hear about it. Keep 'em coming!

Thanks! I'll try to have some better commentary, I just put this one together really quick.

BTW, GJ... any reason that when I'm typing my post, the stupid box keeps sliding back up so I can't see what I'm typing?! Is it bc I'm using IE and not FireFox or Opera or some superiour web browser?

Very nice groupings on the map

Great pics and write up!

As for the sliding box....I'm not sure I will look into it.

[quote="Dirty LJ"]

As for the sliding box....I'm not sure I will look into it.[/quote]

Do you know what I'm talking about?

I think I'll keep doing some 'blogs/writeups' of my adventures... post them on Infectious... and then post the infectious link to other forums I find interesting... get us more traffic!!!

B-Rad is already making himself known on the CO JKO Forum... posted up today talking about how there should be some IOR Chapters in CO! He's a good guy... miss having him around the Forum!