The Rockies & Canyons Motorcycle Expedition - Last Chance Opening! July 6 - 17, 2013

[Casper]

Got this email from Frank today and figured I'd pass it along:

 

 

The Rockies & Canyons Motorcycle Expedition - Last Chance Opening!
July 6 - 17, 2013

Dear Motorcycle Touring Friends:

Due to the cancellation today of a Tour Member couple because of an unexpected family illness, we now have a space available on our upcoming July Rockies & Canyons Tour.  This space can accommodate either 1 or 2 Tour Members.  So if you are interested in joining our group on this wonderful trip, you now have a chance to get on board and do some great riding with us.  There are 24 Tour Members who will be gathering at the tour's starting point in Grand Junction, Colorado on Saturday, July 6th.

If you would like to claim this opening, please contact us as soon as possible at:  frank@fcmototours.com, or call:  (740) 927-8852.  The first person who responds to this email or gives us a call will get the available space.  The deadline to let us know is Thursday, June 20th, after which time we will release the space from our block of rooms.

We have listed the complete itinerary in this email, below.  For more information, you can also visit:  www.FCMotoTours.com

(Note:  If you have NOT been periodically receiving a Frank Covucci Tours postcard via regular mail, please email us with you postal address and we will be happy to add you to our mailing list.  And if your email address should change, please make sure to let us know.)

The Rockies & Canyons MC Expedition Tour - July 6 - 17, 2013:

This July, we invite you to ride with us as we explore the Colorado Rockies, Monument Valley, the canyon country of Utah, the Grand Canyon, Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Arches National Park and more on the motorcycling adventure of a lifetime!  We will follow routes and visit wonderful lodges that we know you'll love.

Itinerary:

Saturday - Arrive at our top notch full service hotel in Grand Junction, CO.  It has every amenity we’ll need, and is strategically located near a main east-west Interstate Hwy and a short distance from the Grand Junction Airport.  Relax and meet some new friends as we enjoy our opening reception and dinner, where your Tour Leaders will give an overview of what you'll be experiencing over the next 11 days.  The tour will return to this location upon its completion.
Sunday – While everyone else in Grand Junction is sleeping in, we’ll be up and out on the road to start our expedition.  First, we’ll head east and carve through some excellent canyon roads not far from Grand Junction, then we’ll begin our climb up and over the Grand Mesa, the largest flat topped mountain on earth.  Watch as the terrain changes as we climb the mesa, then meander along its flat, forested summit for miles.  After we descend, we’ll continue east, then north into the Rockies, climbing McClure pass, then continuing on into Aspen.  We’re staying right in the town, giving us a chance to fully explore this interesting, world-renown destination during our evening there.
Monday – A longer day is in store, full of great riding and fantastic scenery.  Before we’re done today, we will have crossed the Continental Divide four (4) times and climbed up and over five (5) passes in excess of 10,000’ each.  So where do we begin?  How about an assault on the 12,093’ Independence Pass on the Continental Divide.  We may see some snow up there, but not on the roadway.  We’ll come in for a landing, then eventually turn to the west for a run up and over the 11,312’ Monarch Pass, again on the Continental Divide.  We’ll skirt the shore of Blue Mesa Reservoir (Colorado’s largest lake), then turn south to tackle three more 10,000+’ passes on our way to our destination right along the hot springs in the town of Pagosa Springs.  
Tuesday – We’ll push through the wonderful town of Durango, then Cortez, where you might consider a trip through the ruins of Mesa Verde.  Then it’s on to one of our favorite old west towns, Ouray, where we’ll spend two nights.  Of course, before we’ll get there, we’ll need to hit at least one 10,000’ pass along the beautiful San Juan Scenic Byway.  Tonight we have a special dinner planned that includes some 4-wheeling and a cookout!
Wednesday – This is one of our tour’s “Free Days”, and today, you’re free to ride the famous Million Dollar Highway and its three high altitude passes.  Or perhaps you’d like to visit Silverton and take a spin aboard its historic narrow gauge railroad.  Maybe the sport rider in you would like to challenge the twisties that arc around the Black Canyon of the Gunnison to the north.  If none of that sounds appealing, how about a long soak in the natural hot springs located right on the property of our lodge in Ouray?  The choice is yours! 
Thursday – Let’s leave Colorado for a few days and continue west into Utah.  On the way there, you can visit the Four Corners spot where Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona all converge at a single point.  Another destination on this day's route is a scenic trip to the ancient Indian ruins in the remote and scenic Hovenweep National Monument.  After that, follow the pavement into our own little corner of Utah where the tiny town of Bluff awaits us.  How did we find the beautiful little lodge there?  We got lucky.  We’ll spend tonight there, literally in the middle of nowhere.  After sundown, the starlit sky is unbelievable. 
Friday – It’s tough to leave Bluff (that rhymes!), but we’ll actually be stopping there again in a few more days.  In the meantime, let’s take a ride through Monument Valley on our way into Arizona.  It is a spectacular ride, so take your time and enjoy it.  When we cross the border, you may think you’re in Arizona.  You’re actually in the Navajo Nation.  The landscape is mostly desert, and the views seem to go on forever.  Before long, we’ll reach the Little Colorado, which will lead us to its bigger brother, the Colorado River, which is responsible for the Grand Canyon.  Keep your camera handy as we follow East Rim Drive along the rim of the canyon as it leads us to our lodge at the South Rim, where we’ll spend the night.  Dinner promises to be something very special!
Saturday – We’ll wind our way east and follow our path back along the Grand Canyon, then we’ll turn north to cross the Colorado River before entering back into Utah.  One of the highlights of this day’s ride is our trip through the amazing Zion National Park.  We will spend the next two nights at a lovely lodge in Springdale, the western gateway town of Zion.   
Sunday – Today is another “Free Day”, which will allow you to head back into the main section of Zion, or follow our recommended route up to a very secluded part of the park that few folks ever see.  It’s one of our favorite spots.  Or perhaps you’d enjoy a cruise up to Cedar Breaks National Monument along some beautiful roads that take you back through Zion along the way.  Maybe you didn’t get enough of the Grand Canyon, and you want to head back into Arizona and spend the day at the Grand Canyon’s North Rim?  Once again, it’s a “Free Day” and the choice is up to you!
Monday – We’ll roll east and leave the Zion landscapes behind as we push farther into Utah.  Our first destination along the way will be the otherworldly Bryce Canyon, with its hundreds of square miles of pink Hoodoos.  For the rest of the day, we’ll be on Utah’s stunning Route 12, which is arguably a “Top 10 Motorcycling Road”.  We’ll end up in the small village of Boulder, and another wonderful lodge that is secluded and very special. 
Tuesday – Soon after leaving Boulder, highway 12 climbs up to more than 9,000’ before turning to the east and bringing us through Capitol Reef, which is a place that looks like nothing else we’ve seen so far on our expedition.  We’ll follow miles of incredible, secluded canyon pavement as we enter the Glen Canyon region, and eventually cross the northern reaches of Lake Powell, right where the Colorado flows into it.  From beginning to end, the roads today are motorcycling paradise.  Eventually, the ride will conclude for the day back in Bluff, where we were just a few days before.
Wednesday – It’s our final day, but there’s plenty of adventure in store as we head north through Canyonlands National Park en route to Moab and Arches National Park.  There are plenty of side excursions to explore to get the full perspective on the beauty of this special landscape.  From Arches, we’ll follow the beautiful Colorado River Byway before pushing back into Colorado and the end of our expedition back in Grand Junction!
Note: Total trip mileage including Free Day options is approximately 2,500 miles, with the longest riding day at approximately 320 miles.  Daily mileages of 200-250 miles are typical.  This is a challenging excursion designed for experienced touring riders.  It is not suitable for novice or beginning riders.

The Price of this Tour Includes:
Hotel Rooms - From Saturday night, July 6th, through Wednesday night, July 17th (12 nights).  Our selection of lodges includes unique and scenic locations, peaceful rustic inns, and modern full service.

Full Dinners - Sat July 6th, Tues July 9th, Fri July 12th, Sat July 13th and Wed, July 17th.  Included dinners are either multi-course or complete buffets.  Note:  Group dinners are scheduled for most evenings, even on the nights when the cost of the dinner is not included in the tour price.        

Breakfasts - All mornings from Sun July 7th through Wed July 17th.  Included breakfasts are either cooked to order, buffets, or continental.

Trip Resources - Professional tour leaders, Tour Book, official highway road maps, travel literature, commemorative apparel.  Your tour leaders will handle all applicable lodging and meal arrangements, along with ongoing communication of trip information to participants.  Chase vehicles are NOT available on this tour.

Your Tour Costs:
One tour member in a room - $3,575 per person.

Two tour members in a room - $2,615 per person.

To Reserve Your Space on this Tour:
Please respond to this email fcovucci@yahoo.com or call Frank Covucci at (740) 927-8852 when you are ready to reserve your space, and/or if you have any questions.  You can also visit the Frank Covucci Tours website at:  www.FCMotoTours.com

We hope you'll decide to participate in what will surely be a trip filled with old and new friendships, beautiful machines, spectacular scenery, sunshine, snow-capped peaks, red rock canyons, and the roads we riders dream about.

Ride well, and God bless you!

Frank Covucci (740) 927-8852.  
www.FCMotoTours.com
FCMoto, Ltd.

[Howabusa]

We are leaving on July 6th for a jeep trip to a lot of the same locations. Can't wait!