I'll try to get time to write up last years trip for ya, Marvman. Riding the park on a motorcycle is just awesome. Totally different being out in the elements than sitting in a car. Breathtaking !! B)
and to answer your questions:
Why did you end up staying an extra day? To ride Fall River Road.
Where did you sleep while you were there, did you camp? I stayed at the Budget Host Motel in Estes. $70/night and a clean cozy room with a fridge and microwave. Not the newest or a great view but it served my purposes just fine.
How does a bike handle with 7500 lbs. of stuff bungied to it? Not too bad. I didn't haul camping gear this year. I can actually get a tent, sleeping bag, self inflating air mattress, fold up cooler and the necessities on the bike though. I have what they call a T-Bag that mounts to the sissy bar and I position it on the passenger pad of the seat and use it for a backrest. It hauls all my clothes, leathers, spare pair of boots etc. I use a duffel bag that mounts on a small luggage rack to carry my camping gear. Used the luggage rack for a cooler this year. I had some friends that live in this area take my sleeping bag and a couple of other things to South Dakota for me and I motelled it out.
Did you make it to Glen Haven for a cinnamon roll? Nope ! Thought about it a couple of times though.
How do you deal with hot in Estes to cold at the top of Trail Ridge? I put on my motorcycle jacket when it's cold, you silly goose. I keep warm gloves and my jacket on the bike with me. It doesn't take much effort to bungie my jacket on and I keep lotsa stuff in my saddle bags.
Did you make it over to Grand Lake for ice cream? Nope, headed over there twice and got chased back across by threatening weather both times. Looked worse than it got but I hate riding down Trail Ridge Road in sleet and snow. I played that game two years ago when I rode out there.
Do you crack the throttle just to make the car alarm on the Lincoln Navigators go off? Heh, heh, heh !

Oh maybe !!