Trail Adventures
Pictures from previous trail rides below.
The 2009 Dan's Cycle Trail Ride will be in the area around beautiful Ouray, Colorado.
The San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado have some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. Miners and prospectors built hundreds of miles of wagon roads into and over these mountains in the late 1800's and early 1900's. These old roads give access to this awesome scenery as well as ghost towns and mines that have a lot of history. ATV's are one of the best ways to view this magnificent mountain range. Dirt and trail bike riders are also welcome to join us!
Ride dates will be Monday through Thursday, July 27-30. We recommend that all participants let us know they are coming in advance. We will meet Monday, July 27th at 8:00 a.m. Mountain Daylight Time at the staging area off of Camp Bird Road. Take Main Street (Hwy 550) south of town to the Camp Bird Road (Trail Road 361) turnoff. Park just above the city/county maintenance building. Watch for the red Dan's Cycle Chevy truck. ATVs require an OHV permit. Permits are available at Ridgway State Park, located about 20 minutes north of Ouray on Hwy 550, but we recommend using the link below to purchase them in advance of the trip.
Stay tuned for more information. Check back just prior to leaving for the latest updates.
2010 permits will be required on this trail ride.
Below is a link for you to get your Colorado State Parks non-resident OHV permit. A permit is required for each machine that you ride. Click the link below and you will be automatically routed to their Web Store page that sells the non-resident permits. Key in your information, provide your credit card number, and your permits will be on their way. It will save us valuable time if everyone already has their permits. (More ride time!)
http://parks.state.co.us/parksstore/ProductInfo.aspx?productid=NON-RESIDENT%20OHV%20PERMIT
We offer this trail ride as a no-charge, value-added benefit to our customers. Everyone is responsible for all of their own expenses, travel, and reservations.
Tips for an Enjoyable Ride
I (Bruce) try to make my descriptions of these trails and inexperienced riders (newbies) light-hearted and fun (that's what this trail ride is all about) but this is serious business, folks. We have not ever had a bad accident on these trail rides, but the potential is certainly there. The $0.25 extra on the OHV permit is for search & rescue coverage. An Air Ambulance ride from Ouray/Lake City to Gunnison approaches $10,000. It may even be more today due to inflation and fuel costs.
It is usually the experienced rider that is pushing the envelope that winds up wearing the bike as headgear. Speaking of headgear, WEAR YOUR HELMET!
Know the range of your machine and carry extra gas if needed. The Arctic Cat and Kawasaki vehicles will go approximately 65 miles on a topped off tank if properly jetted for high altitude. Generally downsizing the main jet in the carburetor 1 to 3 sizes will make your machine run much better.
Buy your gasoline in the mountains. It has a lower octane rating. Your machine does not need the high octane due to the reduced oxygen content in the air. It also has oxygenators in it (so they tell me).
Please realize that a normally aspirated (non turbocharged) internal combustion engines lose about 3% of its ability to produce power for every thousand feet above sea level that you go up. There is less oxygen the higher you go up for you and your machine to breathe. In English this means the performance of your 500 in the mountains will feel like a 400 at 8,000 feet and a 250 at 14,000 feet. Two-strokes will loose more performance than four-strokes. They will also be more cantankerous the higher you go up.
Bring rain gear and an extra layer of warm clothing. You WILL get wet at some point during the week. Wear a helmet, goggles, gloves, long sleeve shirt, leather boots, and sunblock. Helmets will do a great job if we happen to encounter hail or snow, not to mention their intended use.
Bring some air cleaner, oil, and cleaner, for the trails will be dusty unless it is raining. During the dry years, we have had to clean and re-oil filters daily. Have an extra spark plug, a good, well known one preferred. Verify your radiator/oil cooler is free from mud and debris.
Bring your lunch, snacks, and plenty to drink. You dehydrate faster at higher altitudes.
Have a tire sealant such as Slime in your tires, for there are many small sharp rocks. We will install it in all four tires for $39.95 or sell it in quarts for you to install for $18.95. A quart will do two tires. It is only good for approximately 2 years, so if you have a 2007 or older model your tires probably need a booster shot. We have found that the radial tires on the 2004, 2005, and 2006 models are more prone to sharp punctures than the older bias ply tires on the 2003 and earlier models.
Check your tire pressure when you get to where you are staying. If you leave Kansas with your tires at 5 psi they will be at 8-12 when you get to the mountains. Let them down to 5-7 lbs. The higher pressures will jar your eye teeth loose on the rocky trails. Remember to air them back up before you leave the mountains or they will be almost flat when you return to Kansas.
Use a lower range/gear to slow your downhill descent. Only use your brakes as necessary to avoid overheating them on long descents.
Keep track of the rider behind you, and know how many riders are behind you. When coming to a fork in the trail wait for the person behind you to get close enough to see where you turned off.
In Colorado the vehicle coming uphill has the right of way.
Drive with your lights on especially if it is overcast. You can be seen more quickly by other drivers.
When you encounter off camber roads, shift your weight to the uphill side of the ATV.
Shift your riding position to the front of the ATV if you are climbing a steep incline. Shift your riding position to the rear if you are descending a steep incline.
If you get into a situation where you do not feel comfortable just stop and lock your brake. BE SAFE! Someone will help you get through it.
We use FRS radios. Set them to channel 1, privacy code 07. Remember that in a group where most have radios, idle chit chat is annoying. Use them for necessary communication only.
Trail Ride Adventures
