Heading South

Day 6 and Mother Nature tries a new trick.
Left Moab this morning for Arches National Park.
Lesson - you need to prebook entry and pay $2 to do so. Online or phone. One email address can book only one entry per day, so one person cannot book entry for additional people. Each person must install the app, create a Recreation.gov account before booking anything. So just phone right? Not if you want entry that day. When I called, it was “no available time slots remaining for today”. Was online at 8:55 am and booked 9 am entry for today. What a pain.
Anyway, by 10 am its over 95F in the park. Not too busy, but starting to get clogged in the view spots. ‘The Windows’ and “Delicate Arch” was enough. Close to 100F and time to go.
On to Monticello on 191. Then Monticello to Cortez on 491. Nothing to write home about. Blew thru Dove Creek and spotted a tank parked in front of the Police Station. Take that all you other police stations with an old piece of artillery! (No pic, sorry, too hot)
Cortez to Durango on 160 was last leg of this day. Around Mancos it started to get dark. A few miles further it started to rain. Then it got real serious about raining. I watched the thermometer move from 100F to 60F in about one mile. Then the first set of cross winds hit. About 10 miles and the rain starts to ease up. Another 10 and hit again, with rain you cant see thru and cross winds that were ‘a challenge’. But I was finally cool! Soaked thru (didnt bother with rain gear) and happy. Hats off to Yamaha for building a platform that grins when it rains and laughs at crosswinds. Onto hotel with free drinks for guests, and T’s Smokehouse for catfish with red beans and rice for dinner.
The only photos today are from Arches. Around 2000 miles now.



Looking down on entry into park.






Balance rock.




The Windows -left


The Windows -right. Check the scale, thats a person standing in the ‘window’.


Delicate Arch, scale, again, person under arch.


Thx for the positive comments, Glad to know the effort is appreciated.
-Steve

Great story and great pictures! Thank you so much for sharing. Hopefully I'll be able to do a similar trip one day soon. Just got my 2008 last year, but loving it so far. Can't imagine the heat your dealing with though. I'm dying here when it gets above 85. I'm sure you don't have the humidity though that comes with midwest living. Happy travels and thanks again so much for the great storyline you're generously sharing with us!

keep riding and taking pictures!! never saw this side of America. never toughed i would this, but you may also include pictures of the food , had to google catfish

bonami00 said:

keep riding and taking pictures!! never saw this side of America. never toughed i would this, but you may also include pictures of the food , had to google catfish

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Not a big food porn fan, but I will try! Todays lunch was a southwest Cuban sandwich. Pork belly instead of roast pork, and not swiss, some other white cheese I am not sure of.
-Steve

Day 7 -I’m taking it easier today. A 200 mile loop just east of 4 Corners. Been to 4 Corners when it was free, didnt want to pay $8 to eat the same dust again. Out of Durango on 550 to Aztec on the ‘Trail of the Ancients Scenic Byway’ to the Aztec Ruins National Monument in Aztec NM. (So thats another state) Google said it was open at 7am, but the visitor center opens at 9 and it’s the access to the ruins. Arriving at 8:15 am was a bad time to learn this. However, if you go into the picnic area and ignore a couple of signs, you can enter the ruins anyway. (Entry is free, so no one was losing any $$) My photos may be the only ones with no people in them. At the state line, like many states there was a weight scale for trucks. In NM, weight scales are either OPEN or CLOSE. Aztec to Farmington on 516 was the next leg. Farmington is bigger than I thought it would be and boasts a Year Round Fireworks store (buy one, get one free) and a hardware store that proudly announces (and in 12” letters) ‘we have Crosby shackles in stock’. I’m sorry I didnt need any.
From Farmington on 64 I’m heading to Shiprock to find the ship rock. This is a rock with a movie resume. Almost 7200’ in elevation, 1600’ above the plain it sits on “Tsé Bit’ a’í” or ‘rock with wings’ in Navajo can be seen from about 30 miles in any direction. View from 491, or closer from Indian Service Road 13. (Garmin calls it BIA-13, so you can use the intersection of 491 and BIA-13 to enter the location.) And know that the Service Road is paved all the way.
Shiprock to Cortez on 491, and its lunchtime. Stopped at the Loungin’ Lizard on Main St. for a southwest Cuban. Good food and service. Final leg is Cortez to Durango, the same road on which mother nature tried to kill me yesterday.
Cant escape the heat, but Durango is marginally cooler than the other side of the mountains. Its kind of moot, when its 95F vs 100F.

-Steve






From 491


From BIA-13

Thanks for the pics and ride-along Steve! Enjoy the scenery and do be careful in the heat.

~G

Evening update -
Durango has been invaded by Mini’s. Over 600.
I may run into them on the road tomorrow. Hope not. But look out PNW forumites, they are headed your way by next weekend.
Derailed Pour House was the dinner location. Good food and service.
-Steve

bonami00 said:

@sapest , lol your jezus is indeed scary, here is the jezus i found in the church of Wissant france View attachment 7602

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I have no words. . . . .
-Steve

keep going, learning that the USA has Aztec ruins, i am enjoying the ride from here

bonami00 said:

keep going, learning that the USA has Aztec ruins, i am enjoying the ride from here

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More ruins on Monday. . . . . (not Aztec)
-Steve

Day 8 begins at a wonderful 60F. Leaving Durango, heading west on 160 to Mancos, then 184 to Dolores, the beginning of the San Juan Skyway. Mancos is high desert, rock and scrub. Dolores is what I suspect is called alpine forest, there is even a sawmill just outside of town. On to 145 following the Dolores River, the valley is quite deep. Most of 145 crosses the San Juan National Forest. Up to Rico, its a nice ride, not great, just nice. Rico is at 8800’ of elevation. Rico to Telluride, now thats a different story. Very scenic, great 60 mph sweepers, Lizard Head Pass @ 10,200 ft.
Telluride is just like Jasper, Palm Springs and Key West. Lots of traffic, tourists and retail.
Nice mountain in the background. Parking hint - Down the center of the main drag there is a marked 20 min parking lane.
Still on 145 up to Placerville and onto 62, the Dallas Divide. The ‘divide’ is about 9000 ft, then down to Ridgeway onto 550 and shortly into Ouray, and lunch. Colorado Boy Southwest Pub. Only ok. Parking is a bother is Ouray. Not many flat or near flat parking spots, lots of hilly ones.
Out of Ouray heading for Red Mountain Pass, just over 11,000 ft. If the sweepers in the morning wasnt your thing, now there are two sets 4/6 back to back hairpins in wait. But before that you climb on a no guard rail somewhat narrow road with a ?300’? straight drop down. (If you do 550 south to north, the hairpins are all downhill, and you are on the rock face side coming into Ouray)
Finally coming into Durango is Pinkertons Hot Springs, a photo opp that I missed.


Rico Post Office


San Bernardo, Lizard Head, Sunshine, Mt Wilson, Wilson Peak




Downtown Ouray



Minis invade Look Out Point




OG marker


Hairpins next on the menu


Backside of Molas Pass

-Steve

Loving your trip almost as much as you, aside from reading it in the A/C (I'd still rather be riding). If you keep posting, I'll keep reading! Thanks.
P.S. Next time in Moab, go to Canyonlands Nat'l. Park. I thought it was more scenic than Arches (in a different way though) and my wife said it had better views than the Grand Canyon (that I've not been to). It's really a hidden treasure.

Coachpilot said:

Loving your trip almost as much as you, aside from reading it in the A/C (I'd still rather be riding). If you keep posting, I'll keep reading! Thanks.
P.S. Next time in Moab, go to Canyonlands Nat'l. Park. I thought it was more scenic than Arches (in a different way though) and my wife said it had better views than the Grand Canyon (that I've not been to). It's really a hidden treasure.

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I appreciate the kind comments and the thoughtful suggestion. I have been to GC South Rim enough times to learn not to go in peak season. The Grand Canyon is like Niagara Falls, you have to see it for yourself.
-Steve

Day 9 - thought I would take it easy today. Slept in a bit, did laundry in the morning cleaned the headlights and taillights, etc. A week of getting my ass fried every day is taking its toll, plus the elevation is kicking my fried ass.
In the afternoon I had booked the Cliff Palace tour @ Mesa Verde National Park. Couldnt get a morning ticket. A 2 pm ticket requires you to be at the park entrance at 12:45, since its about 75 minutes to get the right parking lot in time for the ‘safety briefing’ before the tour starts. Hint - if you want to eat a picnic lunch there is a picnic area with shade trees down by the museum. Turn right at the only 4 way stop on the park drive, almost exactly 20 miles from the entrance, and follow the ‘picnic area’ signs.
Lots of info on the cliff dwellers on the web, I was surprised to learn this settlement had about 100 inhabitants and was populated for only about 100 years.
And, of course, the day ended in the heat.
-Steve









White people attractant on Highway 160 just outside Mancos.

Parking lot at end of tour.

feel sorry for you ass, know how it feels, but not at 100°f thank you very much for the photo's

Day 10 Goodbye to Durango, where they have to paint “Stop Here” behind the intersection stop line, I presume to remind Colorado drivers to actually stop. Approx 250 miles north west on US 160 is a pretty boring ride thru scrub and rolling rock. There are perhaps a dozen interesting things to look at. Otherwise its empty. Really really empty. My camera went a bit bananas, I think because of the heat just after taking the Chimney Rock photo. So no photo of Baby Rocks, or Church Rock. Onto US 163 at Kayenta, after a great early lunch at the Amigo Cafe, sporting a Navaho/Mexican fusion menu. 100 miles later into Page, and a quick stop for a photo at Horseshoe Bend, (camera relocated to cooler spot out of the tank bag) then fuel. 89 to 98 (Or the other way around) to AZ-67, the only road to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Cabin 220 and dinner at the Lodge. Portions are way to big. The Lodge is populated with many hippy hiker chics who all need a shower. Some could use a bit more grooming, but this aint Cosmo. I journeyed out to Point Imperial and got soaked. Like I am sitting in ball sack swamp water. Time to head back to the cabin and dry everything. About 3000 miles now.


Pt Point Imperial in the rain.



20 min later the sun is out.







Cabin 220 is occupied Canadian territory


-Steve

Forgot the Chimney Rock photo.
Camera would not focus.
-Steve

Day 11 was to be the first day of the return journey. But I couldnt leave without seeing Angels Window, and the other viewpoints along Cape Royal Road that I missed yesterday. I wanted to see Rosevelt Pt, Vista Encantada, and Wallhalla Overlook. The rain held off long enough.

“We’re going to need a bigger camera”
Angels Window


Wallhala






Pt Rosevelt


Vista Encantada



I realize I forgot Horseshoe Bend from Day 10.

-Steve

“Some could use a bit more grooming, but this aint Cosmo.”
Glorious stuff. Cabin 220 now has a place on my bucket list.

DID said:

“Some could use a bit more grooming, but this aint Cosmo.”
Glorious stuff. Cabin 220 now has a place on my bucket list.

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Thank you. Glad you liked the prose.
-Steve