The Colorado Backcountry Discovery Route is one of the more difficult BDR's but is also stunningly beautiful. The challenges are the rocky terrain, steep slopes, altitude, and variable weather.

Guides work much harder than you think. One of the illusions is to keep the clients from seeing (and trying to get involved with) all the behind the scenes maintenance, planning, and strategies that go into a successful ride. We were up and at the bikes at least an hour before the clients, earlier and sometimes late into the night if maintenance was needed, adjusting chains, tire pressures, topping off fluids, fixing minor issues both reported and found on inspection. Riding sweep is a chess game when the going gets tough - I was constantly looking for where I could stop my bike if and when a client went down. That sometimes means riding beyond them, then walking back to resolve the situation. Sometimes there was no place to make an easy stop and I just had to lay my bike down in the nasty stuff, help the client get going again, then get my bike up alone and out of the rough. Sometimes they get the bike in places they can't get out of, then you have to ride it out for them. It's a lot of work.

I brought all the right tools and supplies and used them all (except the spare tire tubes). Thankfully we only had one bike with tubed tires and it did not experience a flat, though I plugged several tubeless tires which is much faster and easier to do. Sadly, some tools were confiscated on my return flight by TSA even though they had passed through security coming out. Next trip I need to figure out how to carry them in my checked luggage without going over weight and paying extra. Tools must be 7 inches or less in carry on luggage, next time I'll put the bigger stuff in my checked bag.

Having a support van and a good driver makes a huge difference. It means you don't have to carry all your possessions on the bike so you can ride lighter and faster. It also allowed us to bring a spare bike, ample tools and supplies, ice chests stocked with fluids and beer. Our driver Ben would have us all checked into the hotels when we came in and our luggage waiting for us in our rooms.

My phone mount failed before I was out of Denver on a bike with much stiffer suspension. I caught it hanging by the charging cord so I didn't lose it, but it was close. I plan to replace the finger grip mount with a Quad Lock Mount with vibration dampening and charging built in. This build of the Miles-by-Motorcycle travel app worked flawlessly on my Android phone this trip, a nice success. The next build is coming soon adding more features and improving the user experience.

Finally, travel right now is fraught with problems. Everyone is traveling and taking the vacations they missed during the height of the pandemic. Towns, hotels, and airports are overrun with other tourists. Make advanced reservations, be flexible and adaptable as not all businesses survived Covid, and pad your flights with extra time. It took me more than 24 hours to get home from Denver. Bad weather delayed our landing in Atlanta causing a diversion to Birmingham, then an overnight stay in Atlanta when I missed all my connecting flights. Accept this is the current reality and roll with it. 

Having done many trips with Colorado Motorcycle Adventures I highly recommend their services. It's one of few places that rents quality bikes you can use off road. I've already scheduled my next trip with them, you should look into it.