Hi All,
Picked up rental car yesterday, and I got a free upgrade to the latest model Mustang Convertible; awesome. Bright red too
Left Albuquerque, New Mexico yesterday and drove to Durango Colorado, with a side trip to Chaco Canyon, on the advice of an IIS'er. Glad I did, it was a very harsh but beautiful sight. It is amazing that the Pueblo Indians managed to eek out an existence there and in such an amazing way. The remains of the buildings a very interesting and the stonework rather amazing, considering that they were built 1000 years ago. Their society appeared to be quite advanced. They also have an observatory there, but I wasn't staying after dark, I needed to get to Durango.
The drive from Albuquerque was very interesting with a lot of desert with interesting features here and there. The road was two lane all the way to Bloomfield, the last major town before Durango. The speed limit was equivalent to 120kph, with all cars doing much more than that. Everyone was passing me, and I was a little over the limit, speed limit that is.
Today, I took a drive, with the roof down, through the Rocky Mountains between Durango and Ouray, which is over Red Mountain Pass. The drive from Durango to Ouray, via Silverton, was truly awesome. Having an open top drive through such beautiful mountains was wonderful. To look up and just see mountains all around was almost a spiritual experience. There is just too much to see really, but doing it in an open top is the only way, IMHO.
This is easily the best "road trip" I have ever done, without a doubt. To Ouray and back was about 250km. This road is quite something and is a beautiful road to drive, as it is in good condition. Although, in some places you only have inches between you and a very bad day!
With drop off's of a few hundred metres, almost straight down.
You need to pay absolute attention to the road or you are going to have, in fact, an extremely bad day. Any misstep and you are going to end up in a big ditch, a very very big ditch!!! In fact, an extremely huge ditch.
The road twists and turns, with some turns being almost 270 degrees switchbacks, and you have to stick to the speed limit, or you will get into trouble very quickly, particularly on these curves. The speeds on this road a quite low, for a very good reason.
Red Mountain Pass (11,0018 ft) was Awesome, with the capital A intended. It sure lives up to its name, as it certainly is red. The mountains up here vary so much it is nothing short of spectacular, truly spectacular. It gets cold very quickly in the mountains, as on the way back I got quite cold, but didn't put the roof back up though, and I was only in a T-Shirt. Next time, I will take a jacket. It soon warmed up again coming down the mountain.
As I approached Silverton, I heard the steam train blowing its whistle as it was coming through the canyon and it was such a haunting sound; it was beautiful. It sent shivers through me. If I had more time I would have done that trip too. Maybe next time, with a close companion. It would be more fun then.
I got some great shots of it pulling into Silverton.
Silverton is a very interesting town with very old blending in with old.
Really got the feel of the old west. I want to stay there next time, for a week, to explore these wonderful mountains. I could easily live up here, but I am told winters here are brutal. For instance Ouray County is usually cut off, because of metres of snow, for much of the winter.
Ouray town is quite beautiful with far more homes than I would have thought, but then, it is famous for its hot springs, another thing I didn't get to do this trip.
Since the early 80's, I have wanted to drive this road and I have now done so and an awesome drive it was, by far the best drive I have ever taken; and I have taken quite a few. This is the second best time I have had in the US, with the third best being Stellarfane. The best time shall remain untold, at least for now, but it was great indeed, and beat the mountains and Stellarfane, by far.
I used up 20+Gb of data on my 32Gb card taking photos.
Well, I am off back to Albuquerque tomorrow in time to catch the train to Flagstaff, where I will be for 5 days.
Take care everybody.
Cheers Peter
