HOGCDR
09-05-2009, 12:57 PM
COLORADO ROAD TRIP
TUESDAY 9/1: :couch1:
Departed 0645 from Sandy, UT with the temperature around 65 degree. Dressed out in chaps and heavy leather jacket, did not take my electric liner or gloves (bad mistake). I took Federal 40 east out of Heber City and even though the normal temperature range would be 90-95 degrees, it dropped to 45 degrees and I froze. I did not consider the elevation of this trip, 7-10,000 feet, lesson learned! Most of the Utah trip was very pleasant, traveling through the mountains, lakes, rivers and small towns.
BRIDAL FALLS
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639471276_xf6ch-L.jpg
DANIEL PASS
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639472609_LMb7Q-Th.jpg
NATIONAL DINOSAUR MONUMENT
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639474022_rcg3i-Th.jpg
I stopped off at the National Dinosaur Monument Headquarters Visitor Center after crossing into Colorado, near the town of Dinosaur. The largest quarry of Jurassic Period dinosaur bones ever discovered is the source of 200,000-acre Dinosaur National Monument's name. On August 17, 1909, 20 miles east of Vernal, Utah, paleontologist Earl Douglass discovered a 200-foot long sandbar of sorts which was layered with prehistoric plant and animal fossils. About 350 tons of fossils, including full skeletons and remains of some dinosaur species that were previously unknown, were excavated by Douglass and his crew. A quarry was built on the site and it was designated a national monument in 1915. A year-round visitor center has been built over the quarry to protect the fossilized dinosaur bones and skeletons. Dinosaur National Monument stretches east into Colorado. In both the Utah and Colorado portions there are mapped hikes through mountains, plateaus and deserts. Most of the established hiking trails in the monument are fairly short. Favorites include the Harpers Corner Trail, the Gates of Lodore Trail and the Red Rock Trail. Campgrounds are located near the visitor center.
From Dinosaur to Hayden, about 130 miles, its flat and hot desert/plain terrain. After Steamboat Springs the terrain turned back into mountains. I passed over Rabbit Ears Pass 9,426 and then travel through Hot Sulphur Springs, Winter Park, and Berthoud Pass at 11, 315. I picked up I-70 east at Empire and traveled through the Eisenhower Memorial Tunnel into Lakewood (Denver) where I spent the night. This was a 500 mile leg and it took about 10 hours.
EISENHOWER MEMORIAL TUNNEL
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639476027_H3X7q-Th.jpg
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639476603_5SS4w-Th.jpg
WEDNESDAY 9/2: :Popcorn:Popcorn
I started my morning off with a cigar and a Starbucks coffee while I waited for the sun to rise. I departed about 0630 out of Denver on Federal 285 southeast. The temperature dropped to 47 degrees and I wish I had my electric clothing. Like Federal 40, 285 is a great scenic two lane road through the both the Mt Evans Wilderness Area and Lost Creek National Wilderness. This road takes you over the Boreas Pass 11,482, Kenosha Pass 10,000 and then the Red Hill Pass at 9,993 before you reach Poncha Springs. As I headed for Alamosa the terrain turns to desert/plains and the temperature jumper up to 85 degrees. Turning north, 285 changes to 160 and the terrain changed back to mountains as I traveled through South Fork southwest toward Durango. This leg of the trip I passed through San Juan National Forest, passing over the Continental Divide at Wolf Creek Pass 10,550. At Durango I changed to Federal 550 north, this to Ridgway was the most scenic part of my road trip. Passing over Coalbank 10,640 and Molas 10,910 Pass, I dropped out of the sky and into a rain storm. I still had to travel over Red Mountain Pass at 11, 018 in the cold rain. Traveling in the outside lane, no guide rails, raining cats and dogs, I left my finger prints on my handle bar grips!! From Montrose to Grand Junction the desert/plains reappeared and the temperature jumped up to 95 degrees. I spent the night in Grand Junction. This was a 550 mile leg and it took about 11 hours.
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639469561_tqWkG-Th.jpg
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639465794_9P8vz-Th.jpg
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639458120_k23Ht-Th.jpg
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639451915_iYxjr-Th.jpg
THURSDAY 9/3: :run1::run1:
Again I found a Starbucks for a cigar and coffee to watch the start of a new day. From Grand Jct I took I-70 east until I picked up State 6 outside of Green River. From Green River to Spanish Fork the terrain was desert/plains, boring. I jumped on I-15 north and arrived at home about 1130. This was a 300 mile leg and it took 5 hours.
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639451270_Mq63a-Th.jpg
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639449762_AfxNL-Th.jpg
:shower1::grill1:
TUESDAY 9/1: :couch1:
Departed 0645 from Sandy, UT with the temperature around 65 degree. Dressed out in chaps and heavy leather jacket, did not take my electric liner or gloves (bad mistake). I took Federal 40 east out of Heber City and even though the normal temperature range would be 90-95 degrees, it dropped to 45 degrees and I froze. I did not consider the elevation of this trip, 7-10,000 feet, lesson learned! Most of the Utah trip was very pleasant, traveling through the mountains, lakes, rivers and small towns.
BRIDAL FALLS
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639471276_xf6ch-L.jpg
DANIEL PASS
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639472609_LMb7Q-Th.jpg
NATIONAL DINOSAUR MONUMENT
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639474022_rcg3i-Th.jpg
I stopped off at the National Dinosaur Monument Headquarters Visitor Center after crossing into Colorado, near the town of Dinosaur. The largest quarry of Jurassic Period dinosaur bones ever discovered is the source of 200,000-acre Dinosaur National Monument's name. On August 17, 1909, 20 miles east of Vernal, Utah, paleontologist Earl Douglass discovered a 200-foot long sandbar of sorts which was layered with prehistoric plant and animal fossils. About 350 tons of fossils, including full skeletons and remains of some dinosaur species that were previously unknown, were excavated by Douglass and his crew. A quarry was built on the site and it was designated a national monument in 1915. A year-round visitor center has been built over the quarry to protect the fossilized dinosaur bones and skeletons. Dinosaur National Monument stretches east into Colorado. In both the Utah and Colorado portions there are mapped hikes through mountains, plateaus and deserts. Most of the established hiking trails in the monument are fairly short. Favorites include the Harpers Corner Trail, the Gates of Lodore Trail and the Red Rock Trail. Campgrounds are located near the visitor center.
From Dinosaur to Hayden, about 130 miles, its flat and hot desert/plain terrain. After Steamboat Springs the terrain turned back into mountains. I passed over Rabbit Ears Pass 9,426 and then travel through Hot Sulphur Springs, Winter Park, and Berthoud Pass at 11, 315. I picked up I-70 east at Empire and traveled through the Eisenhower Memorial Tunnel into Lakewood (Denver) where I spent the night. This was a 500 mile leg and it took about 10 hours.
EISENHOWER MEMORIAL TUNNEL
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639476027_H3X7q-Th.jpg
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639476603_5SS4w-Th.jpg
WEDNESDAY 9/2: :Popcorn:Popcorn
I started my morning off with a cigar and a Starbucks coffee while I waited for the sun to rise. I departed about 0630 out of Denver on Federal 285 southeast. The temperature dropped to 47 degrees and I wish I had my electric clothing. Like Federal 40, 285 is a great scenic two lane road through the both the Mt Evans Wilderness Area and Lost Creek National Wilderness. This road takes you over the Boreas Pass 11,482, Kenosha Pass 10,000 and then the Red Hill Pass at 9,993 before you reach Poncha Springs. As I headed for Alamosa the terrain turns to desert/plains and the temperature jumper up to 85 degrees. Turning north, 285 changes to 160 and the terrain changed back to mountains as I traveled through South Fork southwest toward Durango. This leg of the trip I passed through San Juan National Forest, passing over the Continental Divide at Wolf Creek Pass 10,550. At Durango I changed to Federal 550 north, this to Ridgway was the most scenic part of my road trip. Passing over Coalbank 10,640 and Molas 10,910 Pass, I dropped out of the sky and into a rain storm. I still had to travel over Red Mountain Pass at 11, 018 in the cold rain. Traveling in the outside lane, no guide rails, raining cats and dogs, I left my finger prints on my handle bar grips!! From Montrose to Grand Junction the desert/plains reappeared and the temperature jumped up to 95 degrees. I spent the night in Grand Junction. This was a 550 mile leg and it took about 11 hours.
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639469561_tqWkG-Th.jpg
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639465794_9P8vz-Th.jpg
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639458120_k23Ht-Th.jpg
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639451915_iYxjr-Th.jpg
THURSDAY 9/3: :run1::run1:
Again I found a Starbucks for a cigar and coffee to watch the start of a new day. From Grand Jct I took I-70 east until I picked up State 6 outside of Green River. From Green River to Spanish Fork the terrain was desert/plains, boring. I jumped on I-15 north and arrived at home about 1130. This was a 300 mile leg and it took 5 hours.
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639451270_Mq63a-Th.jpg
http://mdl-myjourney.smugmug.com/photos/639449762_AfxNL-Th.jpg
:shower1::grill1: