Nismo at 14,130'
08-10-2008, 08:20 PM
#1
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Nismo at 14,130'
This morning I woke up and had an itching to go on a cruise. Problem was it was 6:30 am & I didn't want to wake anyone. So I headed out west of Denver up I-70 to go over Loveland Pass. As I approached Idaho Springs, I saw the sign for Mt. Evans, so I changed my plans. Exited SH 103 & headed to Echo Lake. This road is fairly twisty with at least six 20 mph switch backs. Well lets just say the Nismo took them at 50 with grip to spare.
Got to Echo Lake & paid the toll to drive up. Mt. Evans road is very twisty, narrow & no gaurd rails. It has places with 1000+ drop offs. The road is good condition until about midway. At Summit Lake the pavement was damaged by major frost heave. It took carefull manuvering to avoid scraping. This lasted about a 1/4 mile. After that the road was better & you have to avoid the occasional pot hole. This part of the road is not striped & has many blind switchbacks.
Got to the top & was glad I tossed a jacket in the back. Denver was 76F when I left, at the top it has 37F. 14,130 feet in elevation
Snapped two pictures & headed home since visibility sucked. I was a bit bummed, but the ride back down made up for it. I am glad I went when I did. There was no traffic, unlike the last time I went later in the day. Best of all, no bikes.
Cruised on down back to SH 103. This is one fun road. Lots of twisties. It had started to rain, so I cut the speed quite a bit around the switch backs. The TC light came on on the switch back & I decided to play it safe. I still haven't made payment #1 on the Z.
SH 103 takes you to SH 74 where you can take I-70 back or go to Morrison. SH 74 would have been a blast through the canyon heading to Red Rocks but there were to many bikes.
Maybe next week, I'll take a few pictures of the Pike's Peak white on Pike's Peak.
Got to Echo Lake & paid the toll to drive up. Mt. Evans road is very twisty, narrow & no gaurd rails. It has places with 1000+ drop offs. The road is good condition until about midway. At Summit Lake the pavement was damaged by major frost heave. It took carefull manuvering to avoid scraping. This lasted about a 1/4 mile. After that the road was better & you have to avoid the occasional pot hole. This part of the road is not striped & has many blind switchbacks.
Got to the top & was glad I tossed a jacket in the back. Denver was 76F when I left, at the top it has 37F. 14,130 feet in elevation
Snapped two pictures & headed home since visibility sucked. I was a bit bummed, but the ride back down made up for it. I am glad I went when I did. There was no traffic, unlike the last time I went later in the day. Best of all, no bikes.
Cruised on down back to SH 103. This is one fun road. Lots of twisties. It had started to rain, so I cut the speed quite a bit around the switch backs. The TC light came on on the switch back & I decided to play it safe. I still haven't made payment #1 on the Z.
SH 103 takes you to SH 74 where you can take I-70 back or go to Morrison. SH 74 would have been a blast through the canyon heading to Red Rocks but there were to many bikes.
Maybe next week, I'll take a few pictures of the Pike's Peak white on Pike's Peak.
08-11-2008, 01:08 PM
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So, since a NA engine loses 3%/1000' altitude, you were down about 42% at the top of Evans. It's bad enough being down 15% living in the Denver area without that kind of a drop. Of course, down hill, you're back in business.
Trip
Trip
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08-14-2008, 03:59 PM
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Nice pics - and congrats on your Nismo! Yours is the third I have seen in Denver. Mine is black. One of the guys in the Colorado Z Club has a red one that I have seen at their meets.
FYI: I highly recommend the run up through Golden, Blackhawk and Nederlands and down into Boulder through Boulder Canyon: great ride when there isn't a lot of traffic.
The road up to Estes Park is fun too -- but not as fun as Boulder canyon.
FYI: I highly recommend the run up through Golden, Blackhawk and Nederlands and down into Boulder through Boulder Canyon: great ride when there isn't a lot of traffic.
The road up to Estes Park is fun too -- but not as fun as Boulder canyon.
08-14-2008, 04:36 PM
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You guys should send you pics to Nissan... Maybe they will make a commercial with them in it. I mean you after seeing one of those on TV you would pretty much have to buy one.
Both of your pics look awsome
Both of your pics look awsome
08-14-2008, 07:36 PM
#14
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Consider bringing those gorgeous NISMO Z's out to the track!
https://my350z.com/forum/south-west/...y-class-1.html
https://my350z.com/forum/south-west/...y-class-1.html
08-15-2008, 02:59 PM
#17
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Its not that I am afraid of bikes, its that these roads can have so many bikes that a back country drive is worse than rush hour traffic in Denver.
dkmura, work is sending me out of town that week, otherwise I'd be there. How often do you do those?
dkmura, work is sending me out of town that week, otherwise I'd be there. How often do you do those?
08-18-2008, 04:40 AM
#19
Originally Posted by NISMO937
Looks like fun I have a PPW Nismo but no mountains in Texas wish I could cruz
with ya take those pics on Pikes Peak!
with ya take those pics on Pikes Peak!
08-18-2008, 09:15 AM
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nice pictures, im becoming a fan of the nismo-z, its taken me a while, but after this weekend at the redline time-attack i have found it very easy to appreciate them.