PPIHC - Hello Big Red Duck

On Saturday Morning I met Ant, who had flown in the night before, at the airport. We got a taxi into Denver and picked up a U-Haul van just outside the Denver Broncos stadium. We then headed 15 minutes west to Newbold's Motorbike Shop.
 

Yup... we're in America...

 World Champions?!

Travis has the most fantastic bike shop.Tons of trophies, race memorabilia, cool bike stuff... an alladin's cave for a bike racer. There is just so much to look at... so much character. If ever you're in Colorado, you just have to go visit Travis.

There was the Big Red Duck - she was everything I'd hoped for. She's big... red... and beautiful. I've never really been up-close to one of the newer Ducatis. Quality. Travis had done a lot of work on her... getting her on a diet, giving her a few more horsepower and a load of lockwiring/fastening. She was looking the part with vynil graphics from Travis' neighbor. That full titanium race system sounds real good too.

We caught up, talked bollocks about bikes, did a few wee adjustments to the BRD under fairy lights with some cool mellow music in the background. We got the stuff we need for the paddock together - paddock stands, tire warmers, toolbox, spares, fuel jug - and loaded it and the big girl into the van. 36 Degrees in the shade... it's warm... the water we left in the van was like tea... the granola bar was like hot porridge. Breakfast!

Down interstate 25 towards Colorado Springs to test the big girl on the mountain. An 'auto wreck' gave us 45 minutes bumper to bumper crawling. We stopped for fast food - I had a 'sandwich' in the 'handfoods'  section of the menu - that turned out to be a massive, greasy chicken schnitzel on a burger bun. It made my stomach cramp for and hour.

Big trucks!

 

 Plimpsole riding boots...

... a chop!

We had fun and games at the petrol station trying to pay for gas with a foreign credit card. In the end it took us 30 minutes to get 10 gallons of gas, 4 packets of beef jerky and a couple of coffees. The beef jerky cost more than the gas!

Down to Colorado Springs and onto the I24 West. Another auto wreck. Eventually we got to the Lone Duck Campground where we met Travis who had setup camp. We also met Johnny Gold and Lisa who spannered on the Ronin for Travis last year. It was too late for us to get into the park and go for a ride up the mountain. No worries, we were knackered anyway... we got some shopping done, food down our throat and an early night.