West 2009
 
 

Day 16

September 11

 
 
 
  Today will be more of a leisurely ride with lots of photo ops. So we have a leisurely breakfast across the street at the Golden Steak. They have quite a selection of good and helpful reading at each table and I find this book of particular interest as a tour guide ...  
 
 
  And after all of the miles that we have covered in such a short time, this tome is also very helpful ...  
 
 
  I also thought of purchasing this one since Dave was having a hard time distinguishing between a 'geyser' and a 'geezer' ...  
 
 
  But with a great breakfast put away and the sun coming up, the road beckons us.  
 
 
  And not wanting to visit my friends in a Moab Jail, I have to use all my powers of persuasion to stop Andy and Dave from hot-wiring this car and driving it to Denver. They keep talking about how sore are certain parts of their anatomies.  
 
 
  After the narrow escape from a life of crime, we managed to get the bikes packed up and head for some of the most beautiful riding on the planet.  
 
 
  We make a short run back down highway 191 which is nice and deserted at this time of the morning.  
 
 
  There's a little cut across at LaSal called highway 46 that will take us into Colorado where we will spend the rest of the day.  
 
 
  Just for good measure, I capture another Colorado state line sign which will be the last one I do on this trip. I reckon a feller can never have enough of a good thing!  
 
 
 

As we move along on the Colorado side, we enter the big town of Bedrock. I radio Dave -

"I think this is where Fred and Barney live".

 
 
 
  I reckon Dave found Barney but I don't know where Fred went ...  
 
 
  As we leave Bedrock behind, we catch a glimpse of the mountains we will soon be enjoying as only a motorcyclist can.  
 
 
  A mountain stream accompanies us on our approach.  
 
 
  The road threads its way through the narrow passes as the mountains rise up to greet us.  
 
 
  Highway 90 takes us closer to the mountains and to highway 145 through Naturita toward Lizard Head Pass. We pass by well known towns like Placerville and Telluride but keep moving.  
 
 
  This is same place that Bamarider and I stopped on our 2007 Rockies Tour.  
 
 
  And I get a shot of Frost at the same place I got a shot of SweetTreat back in 2007. This place reminds me a lot of many places that I visited on my Alps Tour in 2008. It is a place of quiet and breathtaking beauty - one of many such places that we will visit today.  
 
 
  Traffic picks up a little bit and we see the occasional bicyclist. But I'm sure that riding these steep mountain roads on a bicycle takes a level of determination that sort of thins out the crowd.  
 
 
  As we past this rural fire station, I guess there's more than one way to build fire lookout post!  
 
 
 

At the junction of 145 and 160 is the city of Cortez. It's time for a fuel and necessity break so we find the first station that looks like it can accommodate both. When I enter the store, I notice a young feller that keeps scanning the parking lot like he is looking for an opportunity for mischief. I tell Andy and Dave -

"Watch your stuff, fellers. That kid over there makes me wonder what he's up to."

Once we come back out, Andy is hit up by some local kids wanting money. He handles it a lot better that I would have and send them on their way without a contribution from him. I just don't have much patience for bums of any age or predisposition - let alone young ones whose tennis shoes are more expensive than the money I have in my wallet.

 
 
 
  After a short break, we head down highway 160 that will take us to Durango and fabulous Million Dollar Highway - US 550.  
 
 
  Durango is a pretty town but with the beauty it has brings lots of residents, lots of tourists and lots of traffic.  
 
 
  But soon we are out of the city and on to the "ice cream on the cake". Unfortunately, the first ascent is freshly applied chip and seal which makes for some uncomfortable and slow riding. But soon we are back on the butter smooth pavement and rocking right along.  
 
 
  Bend after bend greets us with a beautiful vista as the mountain peaks place hide and seek with the fir trees.  
 
 
  The greenery gives way to the bare mountain sides as they rise far above the tree line.  
 
 
  The highway weaves it's way among the aspen with more surprises around every turn.  
 
 
  Looking over my shoulder, it's hard to believe that I just came up that road.  
 
 
  But it appears that Dave's ever present cloud is lurking when we round this corner.  
 
 
  Off in the distance we can see the town of Silverton, a old Victorian type town named for the silver mining that made many men wealthy and some men dead.  
 
 
  But an adventure into the town proper will have wait for another day.  
 
 
  What makes the Million Dollar Highway so special is the combination of gorgeous scenery and the twists and turns found mile after mile as it hugs the mountain sides and bursts through the passes.  
 
 
  And mile after mile there are views like this one of a waterfall making it's way to the valley floor.  
 
 
  This reminds me so much of many of the hairpins that I encountered in my 2008 ride in the Alps with Dave.  
 
 
  Surprisingly, we do not encounter many bikes today but there are a few out enjoying the beautiful weather.  
 
 
  And of course we obey the 25 mph posted speed limit ...  
 
 
  And this reminds me of threading the needle ...  
 
 
  Soon we are approaching the town of Ouray, also known as the "Switzerland of America".  
 
 
  It's a beautiful little town that has managed to preserve most of the original buildings and yet accommodate progress.  
 
 
  Once you leave Ouray, highway 550 turns into just another road that makes its way to Montrose to intersect with highway 50. Highway 50 takes to our destination for the evening - the Country Lodge. This is the same place that Guy and I stayed in during our Rockies tour in 2007.  
 
 
  They have a really spacious cabin out back with three separate bedrooms, full kitchen and washer and dryer.  
 
 
  It's nice to get in a little early so we can wash some clothes and just kick back a little bit. But it sure seems like Andy and Dave are pretty stressed having to adjust to the recliners ...  
 
 
  Super is easy from here - just a short walk diagonally across the street. The Red Barn Restaurant is a good one with great service, great food and reasonable prices.  
 
 
  An unusual item catches my eye - they have a BBQ special tonight. I usually don't think of Colorado as a place for BBQ - much less a steak place, but Dave and I decide to give it a whirl. I have to say, it is some of the best pork, ribs, and beef brisket that I have ever gotten anywhere.  
 
 
 

As we are laying waste to the feast before us, I talk about tomorrow -

"Fellers, it would probably be good just to bag the Black Canyon. That would give us a lot more margin to get to Denver in case we have problems."

Dave says "Makes good sense to me. I'd hate to get the bike back late considering the other matter."

The rental agency was supposed to leave me a message on my cell phone about the extra charges but I have not heard a word from them. So I don't expect good news when we arrive and neither does Dave.

Somehow we managed to clean our plates and waddle back across the highway without getting hit.

 
 
 
  Back at the ranch, we swap cameras and stories and memories of our time together. It's been a great run and it seems a shame that tomorrow will be the last day that we three will get to ride together. But life is what life is and we've all got to get back to our respective places. The skin over my stomach has expanded and is pulling the skin over my eyes down, so I bid them a fond good night and retire to my quarters. And it does not take me long to be out like a light.