To any climbing Pikes Peak in under 10 minutes is their goal, to the average hill climber, however, getting up safely and enjoyable is their main objective. Having traveled from Toronto, Canada, for a motorcycle conference at the University of Colorado Springs, Colorado; there was no choice but to climb the hill in the massive BMW cruiser that had brought us there. Although this top-heavy BMW R1200CL was not my first choice, the low RPM torque was perfect for the slow climb up Pikes Peak.

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As we headed up to the bottom of the mountain, we realized that we had gone through more than ¾ of the gas tank. There are no gas stations near Pikes Peak and one must fuel in either of the two towns before the climb.

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Having fueled your motorcycle, it is now to fuel yourself. There is no such thing as a proper Pikes Peak climb without first visiting Mildred’s Café. This vintage restaurant gets you in the right mood for a breath taking hill climb (no pun intended).