Woman winks and holds up a peace sign with a helmet in hand, leaning on her bike in front of a mountain view

ROCKY MOUNTAIN H.O.G. RALLY 2024

Written by Staci Wilt

Greetings from Colorado! We sent our friend Staci Wilt of Ride to Food to Colorado’s Western Slope to document everything the 2024 Rocky Mountain H.O.G. Rally has to offer.

Day One:

I arrived in Grand Junction on Thursday, just in time for Bike Night and the rally kickoff at Teddy Morse’s Grand Junction Harley-Davidson. After checking out the guided ride routes available for the weekend, I knew I had to spend my first full day of the rally riding the Million Dollar Highway! This is one of my favorite roads in Colorado and is part of the “50 Rides, One Nation” H.O.G. Member Challenge. It truly is a ride of a lifetime!

On Friday morning, we met up at the dealership and headed down to the beautiful San Juan Mountains. Our first stop was the Switzerland of America overlook in Ouray, where the towering red mountains surround you in every direction.

A group of motorcycles rides around a horseshoe bend curve in the mountains

Two people stand on either side of a bike and smile

Next up was the 20-something miles of windy, exposed roadway better known as the Million Dollar Highway. We rode past waterfalls, through numerous hairpin turns, and remnants of historic mining districts, with the best treat of all: a few of the aspens were already beginning to turn yellow, signaling Fall is on its way!

We made it to Silverton, where most people’s first stop was the world's highest Harley dealership. Silverton Harley-Davidson sits at a whopping 9,318 feet in elevation! Photos were taken, souvenirs were purchased, and then we all quickly dispersed for lunch or to explore this historic mining town.

Our final stop of the day was Molas Pass, where the San Juans put on a full panoramic display of their beauty. From here, I split off from the group and took my time getting back to Grand Junction, stopping at Gnar Tacos in Ridgeway for dinner before watching a beautiful desert sunset over the Grand Valley.

Pacific Coast HOG Chapter poses for a photo in front of mountains with their chapter flags

Day Two:

The desert landscape of the Western Slope might not be the first thing you think of when it comes to Colorado. But it’s an area that’s not to be missed! I hopped on my bike at 6:30 A.M. with a 350+ mile ride day planned, ready to explore some of the most stunning roads this region has to offer.

My first destination of the day was the Colorado National Monument, one of the self-guided rides recommended by the local H.O.G. chapter. I made it to an overlook with a jaw-dropping view of the valley, just as the sun began to rise over the Grand Mesa in the distance. Other than a few bicyclists and herds of bighorn sheep, I had the road all to myself! I made my way to Fruita, where I grabbed a latte at Bestslope Coffee before meeting everyone for a ride to Moab for lunch.

AFTER LUNCH, I SPLIT FROM THE GROUP TO RIDE THE UNAWEEP TABEGUACHE SCENIC AND HISTORIC BYWAY. COLORADO HIGHWAY 141 FROM NATURITA TO GRAND JUNCTION IS ARGUABLY ONE OF THE BEST STRETCHES OF ROAD IN COLORADO.

We took the Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway (Utah State Route 128) to Moab. This route dips and carves through a canyon, following the banks Colorado River to Moab. While the group had their stomachs set on BBQ, I had a hot dog stand on my bucket list to try: Moab Street Dogs! The hot dogs are so massive (and delicious) at this place that you might need a friend to help you finish one!

After lunch, I split from the group to ride the Unaweep Tabeguache Scenic and Historic Byway. Colorado Highway 141 from Naturita to Grand Junction is arguably one of the best stretches of road in Colorado. You’ll pass through “Flume Country,” where you can still see remnants of old mining flumes hanging along the cliff face below the highway. And if you haven’t gotten your fix of glorious red rocks and canyon carving by this point, you’re really in for a treat. You might even ask yourself if you’re in Colorado, as the landscape looks much more like Utah than it does the Rocky Mountains.

With just enough time left in the day, I made a final stop for a Palisade peach hand pie, the perfect sweet ending to a long ride, before wrapping it all up at the closing ceremony at the Moose Lodge.

The ride took me 13 hours from start to finish, including a few stops to enjoy the scenery and snacks, and I can’t complain about a single mile or minute of the day. Rides like this are why the Western Slope and events like the Rocky Mountain H.O.G. rally should be on your list to attend. There’s so much to experience and explore, and even after two full days of epic riding, I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface.