John,
I'd rather have the extra ponies, nobody says you gotta twist that grip any farther than you want to. Besides, HP can get you OUT of trouble faster also. I always try to stay in the "meat" of the powerband just in case I need to goose it quick to avoid a hazard.
And speaking of Colorado, Telluride has been one of my favorite places on Earth for about 20 years now, even though it's changed a lot. Then, of course, there's that ride down the Million Dollar Highway into Silverton...
Dean