I've modified the route a little and taken it south of US50 into Florence. It's a more rural route. A couple of notes on the route:

1. I've taken you to the Royal Gorge. You'll have to pay a fee to get across the bridge but it's worth the money. It was the highest bridge in the world from 1929 to 2001. You can get to the bridge either one of two ways. You go over the bridge and down into the Arkansas River basin from the east or you can go down Parkdale Hill and come back up to the bridge from the west.

2. From Canon City (not 'canon' as in the gun but canyon with a tilde over the n) to Cripple Creek there are zero services. Make sure you pack enough water and food for that leg.

3. Cripple Creek is a gambling town. I haven't been there in eons but it can be rather busy. Book a room early.

4. The section of US 24 that I have you on is okay until you reach the turn off for Pike's Peak. It gets narrow for about the last 8 miles into Manitou Springs. But you will be going down a good hill so you should be able to maintain some speed. Traffic can move all that fast in the bottom of the canyon but be careful as it gets twisty near the end.

This route circumnavigates Pike's Peak and is a pretty good sampler of what Colorado has to offer. You'll ride through the canyon lands that make up the foothills of the Pike's Peak complex and you'll ride through the canyons of the Arkansas River. Going north to Cripple Creek will take you on the lower part of the horst/graben that makes up South Park...yes, there really is a South Park. And you'll ride past Pike's Peak.

Be careful with the altitude. Altitude sickness is very real and can be hazardous to your health. staehpj1 came out here last year to do a tour and had to abandon it after 2 days. Read up on the symptoms. And drink lots of water. The altitude sucks the water out of you quickly.