See You Down The Road

Continuing the ride; we pick up  the Million Dollar Highway -
Hwy 550.   As I said in part one, rode into snow in the higher elevations.

Red Mountain; but here it is cloaked in white

Red Mountain in the Summer

One of the homes of Red Mountain City

In the area of Red Mountain Pass were many mines  The Yankee Girl,established in 1882 being one of the most successful pulling out over 100 million dollars in todays valuation in silver in the sixteen years of operation.

From Red Mountain pass you descend descend, winding your way to Silverton.  Wonderful riding throughout; but here you no longer have the cliff and the tight turns for the most part it opens up into good straights and sweeping turns.

One of the many streams and waterfalls along the highway. This one
is just a few miles outside of Ouray.
​

Silverton is another great place to stage out of.  There are some  old Victorian hotels, a couple of motels and campgrounds/RV campgrounds.   Silvertons weather is classified as subarctic.  While the days can be quite warm, I have had many days in the 80's, the Winters are brutal.  So unless you are into Heli skiing I suggest visiting in the late Spring through Fall. Silverton is the end of the line for the Denver Rio Grande RR. If you are in the area, do take the

time to ride the DRGRR.  I have been on it so often, feel as if I should be a conductor.  Just a great ride and scenery you will not have elsewhere.

                                                                                        Here I am on the shoot

Back to Silverton.   Silverton is a wonderful old Victorian mining town.  Several restaurants and  generally a great place to wonder about.  For lunch or dinner recommend  Handlebars.

Handlebars has a fine selection of food and a bar with a wide selection of beer.  Don't miss the homemade peach cobbler! ​Breakfast I like Brown Bear Cafe

Handlebars above

Interior of Brown Bear Cafe

Now that we have had a fine meal, lets ride!
​

On the road to ​Animas Forks Animas Forks is a ghost town located about twelve miles from Silverton and is part of the  Alpine Loop.  the Loop is a 65 mile system of dirt roads which connect the towns of Ouray, Lake  City and Silverton.  Riding the Loop will require a dual sport bike or a 4x4 with decent clearance. Elevation will be over 11,000 feet at Engineers Pass.

        Along the Animas River

Durango is just an hour away. Up and over Molas Pass.  

Whether you are riding to Durango or wish a beautiful place to have
a picnic  Molas Lake has camping available and a stunning place to
​spend some quiet moments.  Located on Highway 550 just a few minutes out of Silverton on the way to Durango.

One of the best, and easiest passes to ride/drive is Ophir Pass. Pretty well groomed for a dirt road.  Don't know if I would take a "street" bike over.

Ophir Pass is a high mountain pass at 11,789 feet  in any case don't know if I would drive it in vehicle other the a 4x4 or higher clearance
bike.

                                   About midway up from the Silverton side.

The pass is generally open June through September.  Check the local
weather for it can snow anytime of the year.  The Silverton side is not to exciting - beautiful but no "pucker factor" - Not so for the west side!
As you descend from the top of the pass you are presented with a gorgeous view of the valley; but it is a steep and narrow road.  And a   rather steep drop off!

Video of the assent from the Silverton side:

To Hell You Ride   thats what they said about Telluride in the old days.
Seems the name came about from the miners warning of the treacherous mountain journey they  had to take to get there.

I remrember it wasn't to many years ago when you could buy a nice little home there for cheap - I mean next to nothing and that was in the early 1960's.  Then it was "discovered" and only the pretty boys from
Hollywood or the tech gurus can afford it now. Telluride remains a destination not to be missed.  The ride, be it up and over Ophir Pass or the long way around it is worth the ride.

LIte lunch.

,Floradoras is a small restaurant, good food. If you can get the window
table and watch for the "stars "to walk by.   Yeah, me either; but I did want to run into Tom Cruz. Figured we could talk about his P-51's.
​At one time he had two.  Must be rough.  

Silverton to Durango is a nice ride of about an hour.  As mentioned above do take a moment or an overnight at Molas Lake.  If you are camping there, hope you brought you down bag, at over 10,000 feet
the published average lows during the summer is around 30 degrees at night.  AAA rates the Molas Lake campground the most beautiful
​campground in Colorado.   I believe it.

Durango is the pace for fine dinning and some exquisite lodging. 
The locals and the informed visitor will often go to the Durango Diner.

Always a breakfast favorite of mine is the Green Chile Burrito.

For a fine Italian dinner with an excellent wine list try Mutu's located downtown and just minutes from the train station.

If traveling to Durango in the peak summer months don't forget to
make reservations for the DRGRR train.  This is a must do.  The
ride is a couple of hours from Durango to Silverton.  My first rides
was in the 1950's and I still ride it everytime I am in the area.  Someday
I will transfer the 16mm film my father shot of the train in 1941.  Then
it was only a work train.  His film shows the sheep being taken up from the low pastures to the high pastures for summer.

So there you have it,  Dolores to Durango.  A wonderful ride. Beautiful
scenery.  Great ride.  Good eats.   So wonderful I go back just about every year.  Love Southwest Colorado  - God lives there!

​

See You Down The Road

Wasn't meant to be but it was a rather "cool ride".  My travel plans
required an  early AM departure from Dolores, CO.  I was going to
Ouray, Silverton and on into Durango that day.  Although I encountered  a fair amount of snow; not much was on the road and that was only at the higher elevations.  Of course all of the aforementioned towns are at "higher" elevations  Ouray is 7,792 feet,  Silverton is 9,308  even Durango is 6.512.

The ride from Ouray to Silverton is one of the most beautiful rides
you will ever take.  Anytime is great; but in the Fall it is the true meaning of the "Million Dollar Highway"  for the Aspens are a glow
in their yellow  splendor. 

Million Dollar Highway,  Hwy 550

This ride however was in the early Spring and I ran into snow.  As I climbed  out of Dolores via Highway 145. It was magic.  Wasn't to long that the fields went from emerald green to white.

Horses in the early morning light

Outside the town of Rico

Thankfully the road was mostly clear of snow. the scenery was one of the most beautiful I have had in the area.  As you climb up you will come to the town of Rico; really a wide spot in the road.

Aspens in Fall Colors

Couple of homes in Rico Downtown Rico

Ouray, Colorado.  

First time I was in Ouray was with my folks when I was two.  That was back in 1948.  

Left is me riding in 1948  the mountains of Ouray,  My, father - right with an Elk taken in the area sometime in the early 1940's

My father hunted the area for deer and elk many times during the 40's and into the 60's.  

Today Ouray is a mecca for 4 wheelers of all types jeeps, ATV's and some of the dual sport adventure riders.  Not all trails are technical, many in the area like Engineers Pass, Ophir Pass and more can be done with any dual sport bike or 4x4 with decent clearance.  I'll save these rides for another posting. 

Ouray overlook on the road to Silverton

You can find a bit of Jolly Ol' England in Ouray;  for a great lunch and a pint of Guinness pop into O'Brien's Pub.

O'Brien's Pub.  Nice selection of food and beer

If it is late in the day and you will overnight make sure you visit the Hot
Springs for a soak to remove the sores of the ride.

​From Ouray you ride the Million Dollar Highway to Silverton. and as
the first photo in this post it is apply named for the million dollar views!  Here is a video I shot  a few years ago:

Next post we will continue the ride to Silverton and over to Durango.
​

See You Down The Road