Old 03-09-19, 09:06 PM
  #25  
Paul Barnard
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Join Date: May 2007
Location: Louisissippi Coast
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Bikes: Lynskey GR300, Lynskey Backroad, Litespeed T6, Lynskey MT29, Burley Duet

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Originally Posted by jamawani
Sigh - -
I wish I were permitted my own opinion here.

I think Highway 17 in the San Luis Valley is a terrible route choice.
It has practically no shoulders, traffic going well over the speed limit, and moderate traffic.
Although US 285 has slightly more traffic and similar speeds, it has much better shoulders.
Plus you can use paved county roads for more miles and fewer miles on the highway.
If you want to ride it - fine - but I don't and I will share that view with others.

If you take Highway 17 all the way then US 285 over Poncha Pass
it puts you into the heavy traffic of the Arkansas Valley first via US 285, then US 24.

(BTW - US 24 does go thru Buena Vista.)
Traffic counts are 9500 north of Salida and 13000 south of Bueny!
Yeah, there are shoulders, but nonstop traffic, fumes & noise, too.

As I stated earlier, I did not initially post the routing above - someone else did.
The persons I did the route for were appraised of its challenges.
So, please, don't accuse me of misleading beginners.
What a bogus and asinine argument.

Fortunately 17 and 285 have unobstructed sight lines through the flats of CO. Cyclists are a common sight. Those roads don't worry me too much although traffic is very fast there.
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