Enjoyed the ride report Tim. Thanks for the heads up on the construction. Now going to look over my route to be prepared for delays. It'll be my first trip out west next week so will get a baptism by fire (TX/NM heat) both ways. Taking the low clockwise road to Midland, Carlsbad, Cloudcroft, Chama, Santa Fe, Bloomfield, Durango, Ouray, Black Canyon, Basalt, Gunnison and back thru Amarillo (from Palo Duro visit).
Greg, Durango is an easy approach from any other direction. Up through Bloomfield from the south, or over Wolf Creek Pass from the east. And Durango to Ouray is simply an easier drive than Ouray to Durango - because the OTHER guy has the dropoffs on HIS side of the road. Makes all the difference. You've chosen a great route. Just be prepared to sit a while on Hwy 50, somewhere east of Black Canyon.
Drew - Do you mean the Black Canyon? Not this year. Just jetted by. We were on a bit of a timeline because we were meeting up with friends down in Durango.
Mesa Verde is a really neat place. Hot too, by the way. If memory serves, it is the only National Park built around manmade artifacts as opposed to natural phenomena. Definitely work seeing. And considering the usual price of getting into a national park, this one's a bargain. If you're 62 and have your parks pass, it's free!!!
Looks like a great trip. You were in some of my favorite places, except for Mesa Verde. Three times we've tried to get there, and three times we've experienced some sort of minor tragedy. I finally got the message.
Did any of those minor tragedies happen to involve my camping trailer?
Just the one where we (I) totalled the van. And the trailer came through unscathed.
Oh yeah. I remember that one. Dang, and I liked that van.
Tim, enjoyed the report and will have to do those roads on a bike. Independence was great in a pick up, but would be bunches better on bike or hack.
In a hack???? Maybe if you're the driver. If you're the passenger....
Oh why not? The chair can always be flown over the edge if the bike gets too close.