Day 5

Ouray KOA Ouray, Colorado

Last evening, we borrowed the DVD, A Walk In The Woods, from the camp store.  We have seen this movie before.  Nick Nolte and Robert Redford go for a walk on the Appalachian Trail.  This movie is funny and wry and poignant.  It resonates with us and the choices we have made and we enjoyed seeing it again!

It was 35 degrees overnight and 47 when we started today’s journey. We saw this old Willys at the gas station.

We took the “Million Dollar Highway” or 550 to Ironton Park.  The Million Dollar Highway might be named because it cost a million dollars to build it, or because the fill dirt for the roadbed contains a million dollars in gold dust, or because of the breathtaking views…no one is really sure! 

Check out these hard core cyclists!!! No guardrails, lots of tight turns, RV’s and semis, soft soulder…

Frost on the ground…

We did another part of the Alpine Loop, the Corkscrew Gulch.

This Jeep is clearly outfitted to navigate this road in a bunch of snow!

This was an easy and pleasant ride.  We spent the morning sightseeing and bebopping to the music of the 60’s.

As we climbed more of the mountains was revealed to us as you can see in this series of pictures.  They are Red Mountain #1 and Red Mountain #2.

The pass is in the tundra at 12,047 feet.  There we saw a pair of military jets careening between the peaks.

In the distance we could see this snow filled ring of mountains.

As we descended into Silverton, this was our view.

We strolled along Main Street looking in shops as we passed. 

We found the Pickle Barrel Restaurant for our lunch.

We returned to the RV early and I spent the afternoon doing laundry and other chores. 

As I returned to our campsite, I saw these 4 Class A RV’s each with a Jeep parked in front…done for the day. What we do might seem unusual but I promise there are lots of other people out here enjoying these trails with us!

We went for a sunset ride this evening.

There are three elk here on the hillside, visible only with our excellent binoculars.

Such a beautiful place.

Nearly a full moon.

Day 4

Ouray KOA Ouray, Colorado

We have decided to stay in Ouray a bit longer.  In order to stay at the campground we are in, we needed to change sites.

We were still on our way by 9 this morning.  The plan today was to do a portion of the Alpine Loop.  To travel the entire trail is more than 100 miles.  We thought about going half the distance and staying in a hotel overnight in Lake City.  The hotels were around 200.00 a night.  I would rather spend that money on other fun things! 

The ride today was rocky and steep from the very beginning.  There was a Chevy Blazer 2 cars in front of us.  He was stuck and we waited for him to figure his way out with the help of his friend.  We found out that it was only the second time he had ever driven off-road and he was “kinda nervous.”  Adding to his difficulty was that he was driving a manual transmission.  Tim told him to take his time and go slow.  We stayed a distance back so that he wouldn’t feel pressured and just hung around with him at a much slower pace than normal…just in case he got into trouble.  There were lots of difficult rock maneuvers.

The attrition rate on the trail was high from the get go.  One Jeep turned around and headed downhill after a radiator leak.  A Cadillac Escalade had also turned around…probably realizing quickly that his vehicle was not suited for the trail. 

The sky was grey and then we had some rain showers making the trail just a little slippery.

We passed yet again more avalanche sites.  The trees really do provide insulation for the snow beneath.  In may areas the snow was several feet thick.

Today was more technically challenging and less lovely.

I started to pay attention to the changing leaves and then I began to look for rainbows as the sun popped in and out.  I then really started to look for beauty in the smaller details.  I saw moss and lichen growing on rocks.

Rain droplets on leaves and branches.

Scarlet red berries.

Tiny yellow alpine flowers.

Sporadic purple asters.

Rushing streams.

Tiny fir trees making their way into the world.

A mining shack.

As we ascended the tree line, in the alpine tundra, we were treated to fantastic vistas.

We caught a marmot sunning himself on a rock.  I took about a dozen pictures…I only saved one…or two…

We stopped for a late morning snack…apparently, I was getting a little hangry.

We drove through a deep snowbank.  This was the result of a significant avalanche.  You could still smell the scent of pine from all of the splintered trees.  There were branches and tree trunks haphazardly mixed in the snow.  What combination of elements caused these trees to come tumbling down the mountainside?  Melting snow, the weight of new snow, high winds, the bald mountaintops? These roads are only open for a couple of months each year.

We drove into the town of Silverton.  There is a neat historic Main Street with restaurants and shops.  Today there was an organized road trip with a bunch of classic cars.  The town was bustling!

We stopped for lunch at the Gold Block Brewery and had a salad and a delicious buffalo chicken pizza.

We took highway 550 back to Ouray.  When we got back it was nap time! Then blog time. Then dinner time. Our days pass so quickly!

Day 3

Ouray KOA Ouray, Colorado

We started the day by taking care of some business. Of course, we packed a picnic and then headed out.  We started on route 550.  This is a narrow road with steep drop-offs and no guardrails.  We wanted to see if we might be able to drive here with the RV later this week.  We want to go to the town of Durango and 550 is the road to take.  Tractor trailers use this road and we think that when the time comes, we can too!

We took the road to Ophir Pass.

At the highest elevation, we were at 11,789 feet.  This mountaintop was above the tree line and it was a very ragged and an inhospitable environment.

As we mounted the pass, there was a tremendous view on the other side. The steep way down the mountain was a rocky shelf only wide enough for one vehicle at a time.  We waited at the top as a line of Jeeps and motorcycles made their way up.

We made our way into the tiny town of Ophir.

There is a lot of recent avalanche damage high on all of the mountains.  Last year, this area had a higher than usual amount of snow.

We drove to the town of Telluride.  This is an upscale ski resort town. 

We found the Telluride Town Park for our lunchtime picnic.

Magpie.

Today was not a day to see the town…we were on our way to the next mountain trail, Imogene Pass.

The guidebook we are using rates this as a difficult trail.   It also states that the “views are reserved for the adventurous few.”  It is the second highest pass in Colorado…and one of the “most thrilling!”  This is not a trail to be taken lightly.  We had to use extreme care with vehicles approaching from the other direction.

As we climbed the mountain, we could see the zigzag trail that is the Black Bear Pass.

We left Telluride and the ski trails far below.

The aspen trees are just starting to turn golden at the higher altitudes.  We could see falling leaves glinting in the sunlight as they floated from the trees.

The Tomboy Mining town has been long abandoned.  The are shacks, sheds, shafts, equipment, tailings, twisted metal, and timber all left behind.

Loveliness…

As we travel these trails, if we see someone stopped, we stop to check on them…it’s what you do out here…you pull over and ask if help is needed.

Today, there was a guy on a motorcycle that had wiped out on the incline to Ophir’s Pass.  He and his partner were debating whether they should move forward or retreat.  Another man on a motorcycle became short of breath and lightheaded near the top of Imogene Pass.  His friend was walking him back down the trail.  It’s important to have the right machine to ride here.  We saw a man driving a Land Cruiser.  As he went down a difficult and steep set of rocks, we heard the grating sound of metal scraping rock…not so good.  With our short wheel base and larger and lifted tires, we were slowly and safely making our way!  Tim carefully navigated the boulders strewn in our path…quite like picking his way through a minefield.  The book calls it driver’s choice…the driver has to choose between the better of two evils.

Imogene Pass 13,114 feet…as high as we have been…unbelievable…so pretty!

Check out this snowbank!

The way down.

Yes this is the road!!!

We also met a hiker/runner.  He was running to Ouray from Telluride…he was amazing!!!  He actually beat us down the mountain…we had to go so slowly.  When we passed him close to Ouray…5 or 6 miles later, Tim stopped and told him he was a “badass man!”  The runner thanked him and just kept on running!

Imogene Pass was a very beautiful and dramatic ride.  We are happy to be among the “adventurous few!”

Day 2

Ouray KOA Ouray, Colorado

The RV is backed up to a creek in this campground.  As I lay in bed last night, I could look through the branches of the ponderosa pine and see the brilliant light of the moon making the layers of clouds glow.  There was a smattering of stars.  I could feel the fresh mountain breeze and I could hear the burbling of the water.   I fell asleep thinking…how lucky am I to live this crazy life with my best friend?

Our adventure today was a Jeep trail called Yankee Boy Basin.  It started off fairly tame on Camp Bird Road, a graded gravel road.

It was an easy drive along the ledge with a dramatic rock overhang.

This was a beautiful ride.

There were vibrant wildflowers of every color.

Our breakfast spot was at 11,150 feet.  Boiled eggs and honey wheat bread with orange marmalade never tasted so good!

There were lots of waterfalls.

Once we passed the tree line, we were in the alpine tundra.  The air was crisp and cool at 57 degrees. 

There were great patches of snow.

There were the remnants of lots of mining activity…open wounds on the mountainside.

There was a gate with a sign that stated:

This according to the book, is the best and most adventurous part of the ride!

At the top we were at an elevation of 12,400 feet.  There was a hike up to Mount Sneffels. The elevation still keeps us from hiking as we really would like.

The blue alpine lake below was crystal clear.

The more we do this the more addictive it becomes…the more we see, the more we want to see!

We rested for awhile this afternoon and then we went back into Ouray.

We ate at Red Mountain Brewing…yummy food!

Did you notice all of the Jeeps in front of the restaurant??? This is a Jeeping town. There are Jeeps for rent…everywhere and tons of Jeep trails. At least one third of the cars in town are…Jeeps.

After dinner we drove into the countryside looking for elk…no elk.

We did see mule deer.

It is so peaceful here.

Mileage:  67,530

Ouray KOA Ouray, Colorado

Another easy drive this morning. 

Our first stop was Montrose.  We needed some supplies and we needed WiFi/cell service so that we could make a plan.  The area around Ouray has a lot of Jeep trails and lots of other things to see and do.  We decided to find a private campground with hookups and WiFi and make that our home base for the next several days.  The ride from Montrose to Ouray was really pretty.

Just as we finished setting up, a light rain began.  It rained gently for the rest of the afternoon.  Tim watched NASCAR and I did some cleaning.  When the sun came out, I went to walk around the campground and I took some pictures.

Later this afternoon, we drove the Jeep into the town of Ouray. The town of Ouray is known as the “Switzerland of America.”

We went to see the Box Canon Falls.  A little chipmunk to greet us.

We walked up the easy path to see the falls.

Next we took the path to the high bridge.  The views of the town snuggled in between the imposing San Juan Mountains was very cozy!

The path to the high bridge looked like this…

When we got back, it was time to prepare dinner.

Mileage:  67,482

South Rim Campground Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park Montrose, Colorado

We began the day with an easy drive south to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

We were able to get a campsite at the South Rim Campground in the park.  It is a no hookup site and no generators are allowed here, so we will not be able to stay more than one night where we are.

We packed food in the cooler and headed out to explore the park.  This canyon is not like other places we have been.  Here the canyon was carved by the power of the Gunnison River.  The canyon is dark, jagged, and severe but also lovely.  The Gunnison River wends its way through the ragged rocks far below.  Most of the canyon is about 2,000 feet deep.   The pictures really do not do a good job of conveying the beauty and expansiveness of this place. This canyon dwarfed us and made us feel very tiny. The pictures are just pieces of a very large puzzle.

We did a couple of short hikes today.  We are up around 8,000 feet.  We would like to get out and do more hiking but with the thinner air at these higher elevations…we struggle!  Our first walk was to Devil’s Overlook.

More puzzle pieces…

Our second hike was along the Warner Nature Walk.

We traveled the park road to the end and then decided to take the East Portal Road down into the canyon to the Gunnison River.

More spectacular views.

The Gunnison River was diverted under the mountain in a 6 mile tunnel to the farmland on the other side of the mountain.  The tunnel was built early in the 1900’s to provide water for the surrounding valley.  This project was later deemed an engineering marvel and given a national civil engineering award.

We made southwestern chicken salad for our dinner. We sat listening to music, by the fire, watching the stars come out. The half moon was so bright that it cast a shadow. We feel closer to the sky but still infinitesimally small…

Day 2 Junction West RV Park Grand Junction, Colorado

We decided it was time to get a camera in the hopes that downloading pictures directly to the laptop would help with the blog writing process.  We were at Best Buy when they opened this morning.  Matt was amazing!  He was able to guide us with our purchase and in addition he helped us gather everything we needed and then showed us how to set up the camera and how we would go about downloading pictures at the end of the day.

We drove with our picnic lunch to Colorado National Monument.  We took the Rim Rock Drive through the park.  There is a learning curve to using any new technology, so unfortunately the pictures I took of the bighorn sheep right at the entrance were not really pictures at all…live to learn!!  We did enjoy magnificent views of the canyon.

Our lunch spot today.

Not far from the park there is a Jeep trail called Windmill Loop. 

At first the scenery was pretty rugged and scrubby…especially after the beautiful drive this morning. 

As we got closer to the Gunnison River, it was prettier.  There were some fairly difficult and steep sections along the ledge as we descended and again as we ascended.

The windmill for which the trail is named actually works.

We had been on the road for 6 hours when we got to the truly difficult portion of the trail. 

There are explicit warnings not to try the trail if it is wet.  It was 99 degrees, hot and sunny as we started out.  The thunder did not begin until we over the most treacherous obstacles.  The trail became slick.  There are many spots that are covered with bentonite soil.  This is a clay like substance that is very creamy and slippery as we quickly discovered when the rain began to fall.  We could feel the tires sliding on the greasy surface.   The rain looked awesome though.  It was coming from one patch of grey clouds.  The raindrops were shimmering in the sunlight…very cool!

At last, we made it to the parking lot.

Bison burgers on the grill with cucumber salad and sangria…of course!

The pictures we took today downloaded quickly!  Progress has been made!

Mileage:  67,403 Junction West RV Park Grand Junction, Colorado

We were sad to leave Redstone.  It is a sweet little town and the surrounding area was great for exploring. 

As we wound our way up the mountain, we could see into the valley below.  Our campsite was nestled down in there somewhere!

The landscape changed after we went though McClure Pass and over the Rocky Mountains.  The land began to open up again with farms and ranches.

One of the cool things about the way we travel is running into little unexpected treasures.  We went into Farm Runners Station in Hotchkiss and found excellent savory breakfast burritos and strong iced coffee.  We also bought some fresh tomatoes and corn and melon.

As we approached Grand Junction, we were in high desert.  Mesas and mountains surrounded us. 

We saw this guy with a trailer pulled over with a flat. Tim stopped to see if he could help. The man had already called for roadside assistance. It was his third flat of the trip.

We needed a full-service campground.  We had dusty laundry and lots of blog to catch up on.  We chose the Junction West RV Park.

I gathered stuff and headed to the laundromat.  I had planned to use the park WiFi to publish and post pictures.  In the almost two hours it took to get the laundry done, I had only uploaded one picture…and I had tons…I did publish the blog without pictures, but that just isn’t the same.  We have debated giving up on the blog, but I love the idea of having this living journal.

Since leaving Atlanta, the WiFi on the laptop has not been functioning.  I was able to use my phone as a hotspot with an ethernet cable.  This proved to be an aggravating solution because the internet speed slowed so badly, but it was all I had and we had been coaxing it along and making it work.  After a couple of hours of trying, I decided that since we were in a big town, I would try to come up with an alternate solution.  I ended up at Office Depot where a young man named Casey helped to run diagnostics on the computer.  It turned out that the internet card is damaged.  I could leave it for a couple of weeks for service or I could purchase a High Gain Wireless Dual Band USB Adapter.  Casey helped me chose one and even installed it on the computer using store internet. 

I got back to the campground and because the signal was so weak…I made limited progress.  I worked until 5:30.

We went downtown to the Thursday Farmers Market.  Main Street is blocked off.  There were two music venues, lots of local produce and other crafts and wares.  For dinner we went to the pink food truck and had figgy goat salads.  We sat at a little table enjoying the cooler evening air and the music and atmosphere.

I stayed up until midnight working on the blog.

Day 2 Redstone Campground White River National Forest Carbondale, Colorado

I was awake early.  I enjoyed my morning coffee and was watching for the momma bear and her cubs.  Instead, I watched a red fox sniffing around at a campsite across the road.  It was too far away for a good picture.  He explored the bear box and the fire ring and finding nothing to eat, he slunk off into the brush.

Today we planned to take the Lead King Basin Trail.  We have this really neat book that lists many of the trails.

We set out at 8:30 this morning with our picnic lunch packed.  We had no idea what kind of adventure awaited us! 

We had to access the beginning of the trail in the town of Marble.  This town is aptly named.  There is a marble quarry here where pure white marble is cut.  The marble here was used on the Lincoln Memorial in Washington DC and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington.

We passed Beaver Lake and our journey was underway!

At the start of the trail there were these signs posted…2 ½ miles into the trail was an area of extensive avalanche damage. 

We decided to go and take a look.  The ride was lovely. 

There is all kinds of bear food along the way.  Ripe raspberries, rose-hips, red, yellow, orange and purple berries, and lots of chipmunks!

Locals call the aspen trees “quakies”.  They are actually Quaking Aspens.  Today with the breeze blowing you could see the silvery leaves fluttering and well…quaking!

We arrived at the site of the avalanche and we were overwhelmed by the amount of damage we saw.  An enormous amount of snow came from very high on the mountain and toppled everything in its path.  The pine trees lay in a tangled pile like pickup sticks.  The Forest Service had cut a path through…a winch might be necessary! 

Much of the debris lay on several feet of compacted snow!

While Tim evaluated the trail ahead, I took pictures of the wildflowers.

Tim decided that he would like to try to get through the minefield of logs.  It started out ok and then it got harder…a lot harder!!

There were all manner of pieces of tree in the way.  Tim used a handsaw to clear part of it.  He drove up onto the log pile and there was a log jammed against the back wheel.  There really was not a good way to go backward…it was too late.  We were committed.  The only way was forward.  This is where our new winch came in handy…Kyle…we really could have used you here!!

We were able to winch the Jeep forward and then we were still stuck!  Tim came up with an idea to double back on the winch to help move a huge log out of the way.  This actually worked…at last we were free!!  I was standing outside directing Tim and operating the winch.  It was a little nerve-wracking but it was also fun to work together to make a plan and figure our way out.  When the Jeep at last was free and moving up the hill I was elated and I know I yelled out loud! 

The area after the avalanche was much easier to traverse and the scenery was beautiful.  We traveled up the mountain  on switchbacks and were treated to an aerial view of the damage from above…WOW!!!

We found the perfect lunch spot with 360-degree views…spectacular!!!  The blue sky, the mountains, the wildflowers, the waterfall, the patchy snow…

We were in Lead King Basin at 10,240 feet.

What we didn’t realize is that this trail dumped us onto the Devil’s Punchbowl Trail.  This Trail had an extremely high difficulty rating and is in fact very dangerous, several fatalities have occurred here.  We wouldn’t have chosen to ride on this trail but now our options were limited.  We certainly did not want to go back through the avalanche site. 

Fortunately, Tim is a very careful and good driver.  Slowly we made our way up the incline and along the shelf with steep drop-offs. We didn’t stop to take pictures because it was not okay to do so.  We were very grateful to come the part of the trail that was “the easy road through a scenic valley!”

We drove through Schofield Pass at 10,717 feet.

Past Emerald Lake…

Over a snow obstacle…yes snow!!

Finally, we arrived on smooth pavement in the town of Crested Butte.  We stopped for fuel and directions. 

We were able to take Route 12, Kebeler’s Pass a partially paved and partially graded but maintained road back the 60 miles to the campground.  I drove this part.  We stopped once to enjoy the view.

We left at 8:30 and returned at 5:30. We decided to go back to the Redstone Inn for dinner.  We were so terribly dusty and dirty from our adventure…that we showered first.  Tonight, we actually each had 2 drinks!  We were waiting for pictures to load for the blog, borrowing the Inn’s internet and so we even shared Bananas Foster for dessert!

Today was long but it was a very good day…we were able to work together to negotiate a tricky trail and we were rewarded by the gorgeous pictures that few other people get lucky enough to take!

Mileage:  67, 284   Redstone Campground White River National Forest Carbondale, Colorado

Please pardon us if there are not pictures posted with the blog each day.  Yesterday it took hours and hours to post the blog.  We have decided that we will try to post the journal every day that we have enough cell service.  We will add the pictures and catch up whenever we have better service…it will be much less frustrating that way!

We stopped along the Arkansas River for our breakfast.

The mountains over 14,000 feet are still garnished with patches of snow.  It is September and it won’t be long before the snow begins to fall again here.

Tim was getting a slight headache traveling at the higher elevations but it was better with ibuprofen and fluids.  We also took lots of breaks which gave me lots of opportunities to take pictures.

We passed over the Continental Divide at an elevation of 10,424 feet at the Tennessee Pass.

Today was a gorgeous ride on a curvy and winding road with occasional steep grade.

We are always scanning the boggy areas and ponds for moose and looking for bighorn sheep in the rock outcroppings.  We did see lots of ravens and magpies and an osprey scouting the river.

We passed through the town of Minturn, a pretty mountain town with big bright baskets of flowers and log cabins built along the riverside.

It was our intent to travel north of Salida through Buena Vista and on to Aspen.  There was a sign posted shortly before our turn that stated that no vehicles longer than 35 feet were permitted on Route 82.  The RV is 35 feet and then we tow the Jeep behind us.    

We decided to forgo that route and we continued north on 24 to Interstate 70…ugh an interstate!  If we turned and headed east on 70 we would arrive at the Baltimore Beltway in about 1611 miles!

This portion though of 70 is an amazing ride!  There was a rest area beside a small lake.

The drive through Glennwood Canyon had outstanding views. 

There was an extraordinary rest stop…like no other…on the Colorado River.

We have been on a lot of really beautiful drives…this ranks right at the top.

From 70 we accessed Route 82 and headed south to Redstone Campground.  We have a site with a view of the mountains along the Crystal River. 

There are active bears in the area.  Each morning, a mother bear and her cubs make their way down to the river across the campground.  Hopefully we will get to see them!

The Redstone coke ovens were built in 1899. Here impurities were burned out of coal. The coke was used to create steel for the railroads.

This evening we went exploring in the Jeep.  We took the road up to McClure Pass.

All along I have been thinking that the trees with white bark are birch trees…but they are quaking aspens.  The leaves are just starting to turn in some places to a limey green…it won’t be long before they are golden.

We found the Redstone Inn for dinner and enjoyed a delicious meal. 

The skies are slightly cloudy this evening as we work on the blog but it is pleasant enough to be sitting outside.