Earache

Built around 1905 so not too old at all. It only last 4-5 years until miners all moved away - probably due to a lack of gold. It snows a shitload there - in feet rather than inches - so winters are extremely rough.

Only a fool would enter an abandoned mine opening, so in we went. Luckily, we didn't plummet to our deaths. Not a lot in there really, very dark of course. Had to really suck working in here years ago with only a candle on a stick to light your way ...

Got off the bikes for a bit and hiked to some old mine entrances ...

Despite the cold weather, the ride was great ...

Todd was hating life as his bike had streety tires and aluminum rims - not the best off road set up. My bike with Missions and spoked rims liked it a lot better. But I did lose a bolt on the way up that held my rear brake caliper to the stay arm. Had a spare with me though ...

Still has great views though ...

Built in the early 1900's, not a lot left of the town now ....

Fuck the trees, we're here to ride! Headed up another mountain in search of the ghost town near the summit ...

The Aspen trees turn color and that lasts about a week here - we must have hit it at the right time ...

Out of the hills and into the valleys below where it's much warmer (55F now) ...

Amazing what these guys built with rudimentary tools back in the day...

Dropped down the hill and into an old gold mine with an enormous ore house and other buildings from the 1840's ...

Further down the road and we're above the tree line and freezing our asses off, (32F at this point), as we summit the hills and head down the other side. Lots of brightly colored foliage and open sweepers ...

Next day and we suited up for a longer ride to Arizona and back. Stopped off by the Taylor reservoir and watch the rains blow by. Bet the guy in the boat got wet ...

We're shrouded in deep snow and frigid temps now, but I was looking at some pics from my last ride of 2023 from September and thought I'd share. My bud Todd came over from Missouri and spent a day riding around my home area, visiting old gold mines again and riding dirt roads.

It's pretty much 1:1 right now - or close to it. Pints (and I'm talking US pints which are smaller in the first place) are running $7 each around here. $10 for a pint in Vegas was a new high for me. Add in the tip money and it's $12 a pint there. Back to the wife's hotel where it's free....

I didn't - but wasn't really looking for them, either. Not that I know who it is - will look up threads and see. edit: I see it's Marcel from Canuckistan. Afraid I don't know him yet. What did he do to achieve eternal Twatness?

Spent Xmas in Las Vegas while the wife worked - her firm took over a hotel there. I walked around and paid too much for beers all over the place, so yeah, it was good!

Las Vegas this week - $10 for a 12 oz,plastic cup of warm beer....

One day. It lasted one freakin' day.

Today, Tuesday, dawned cold and rainy in Bangor. High today of 50F / 10C and rain with wind. Perfect - can't wait to ride in this shit all day. More pics later ........

As has become de rigueur, we hot the hotel bar for dinner as we were too tired to go anywhere via Uber. It was an American version of an Irish Pub. Crap food but the beers were good - so it was a good imitation of an Irish Pub...........

Roadside park had a cool water feature that looks like it used to generate electricity at one point in time...

It actually got hot as we headed for Maine - about 84F / 29C, so Todd had to shed a few layers at a roadside park ...

A Cog Railway at Mount Washington, New Hampshire. Climbs the hill for a fee - we didn't do the ride though ...