Day 8 started cool & sunny than having to dodge a deer on the way to Ninemile Gap than Grassy Gap with Yellowjacket Pass next, but not before a real yellow jacket flew up my pants leg ouch! He got me 3-4 times all in row about 3 inches long. The co-ords than led me to a small horse ranch painted yellow with a brown stripe no less. Than the owner drove up I wave her down she gets a good laugh from my stories & directs me to the real Yellowjacket pass I took a pic & noted the co-ords. Than off to Rabbit Ears Pass than Muddy Pass. Heading south a bit I hit Gore Pass than Mclure pass than Watson Divide through Aspen & than over Independence Pass it was late in the day & a lot of snow on the ground made for chilly ride. For the day 9 passes and 447 miles.

Day 9 I started with Cottonwood Pass at the top a fella walked over to me when he saw the Minnesota plate telling me his daughter lives in St Cloud area he introduced himself and is a descendent of Doc Holliday of old west lore we had an interesting chat & I promise to look up his daughter back in Minnesota. Than on to Monarch Pass & Poncha Pass next North Cochetopa Pass than Slumgullion Pass than a new sign at Spring Creek Pass I took a pic & noted the co-ords. The GPS took me for a goose chase down a cow path for old Slumgullion Pass I turned around & found the co-ords back on the main road but it seemed in the middle of nowhere. Than to Wagon Wheel Gap and on to Wolf Creek Pass. For a total 8 official passes and one new pass doing 395 miles.

Day 10 I didn’t start this ride thinking I was going to do all of the passes & had misses one the first day Needing another oil change I headed back to Pueblo & decided I could try for them all, so I backtracked to pick up Cucharas Pass. Than to Pueblo but Mike at Rocky Mountain Cycle Plaza was swamped he said if I can stop first thing in the morning he would squeeze me in. I got a room for the night but is was still only late afternoon so I head out for a loop picking up Long Saddle than Promontory Pass than found a heard of bighorn sheep on the side of the road, took a short movie & a few pics very impressive sight. Than to Bigelow Divide I found a sign hiding in the bushy road edge & took a pic & noted the co-ords they were not the same as the ones listed. Total 4 passes & 375 miles.

Day 11 First thing at 9:00am I'm at Rocky Mountain Cycle Plaza for my 2nd oil change of the trip, I give Mike & his crew a big thumbs up for squeezing me in for not once but twice. I head out to Devils Gap & its HOT, than Twelve Mile Pass & still HOT it clouds over as I head to Trout Creek Pass & I see rain in every direction. Next to Wilkerson Pass with rain still threatening from every direction. I stop at Florissant Fossil Beds very interesting for me & I think of the comparison my grand kids would have as they call me a fossil also. With rain all around now I find lodging for the night getting 5 passes going 250 miles.