Returning to work after an Alaska Cruise.

[bwdmax]

Nice pics and good story telling as usual. Thanks

 

[humanrace]

You're welcome. Another week to go, but no more work.

 

[humanrace]

Mo left for Texas and I headed back to Snowy Mountain Range. It's the best way for me to get to north central Colorado without freeways and my ride through there with Maurice was fast paced because we had to work Thursday until after 2:00.
Happy Jack Road had some unusual rock formations in pastures.

Some had been strategically placed by nature so that they could be used to save fence posts and wire.

This is Tree Rock. I found it when I made a wrong turn. The age of the tree is unknown, but we know that the first trains to the west stopped here, and the crews would give the tree a drink. When the tracks were moved to a more favorable location, the first transcontinental road used the old train bed. Many postcards in the '20s were printed from pictures of this tree and the new automobile tourists took over the chore of watering the tree.

Why go to Bisti when formations exist right beside the road in Wyoming. Just kidding, Bisti is still on my bucket list. Maybe this fall when I'll be coming back to Texas from a job in California.

At the time, this was the deadliest plane crash in the US.

The Snowy Range that gave the road its name.

One of the beautiful alpine lakes.

Not many of these left. Pump then pay in Encampment, Wyoming.

I ate just down the street.

I don't know whether this is a joke or an old sign.

Other like minded people were also eating at the Beartrap cafe.

Wyoming and Montana are having a bear problem. I believe it's caused by two problems: 1-Restricted hunting which teaches the bears to not be afraid of humans and 2-People feeding bears through ignorance of bear habits and sometimes intentionally feeding the cute things.

This store in Kremmling, CO supplied me with my dinner fixins and milk for breakfast the next day

This cow and calf let out a loud Moooo every time the dairy case was opened. It could be heard throughout the store.

.
Utah? Nope, north central Colorado.

Looking more like Colorado in the distance. I used my rain suit quite a bit on this trip.

Sometimes I just have to stop and look.

It started raining for most of the next 200 miles. I should never have bought a camera that costs so much that I don't want to take it out of the case if it's raining, My old one took perfectly good pictures, and I didn't worry about it getting wet.

At this point, I had been away from home for over two weeks. Just before leaving on the trip, I lost my phone and didn't buy a new one because I was hoping it would show up. It did not. I stayed in this family-owned motel in Fairplay. The clerk suggested I remove my rainsuit under the awning before entering the room. I was already planning on it but saw an opportunity to borrow a water hose I had seen outside the office to rinse the dirt off of my suit. Both happy. My wife tracks me by looking at my credit card purchases. I had just gotten my luggage in the room when there was a knock on the door. It was that same clerk. she wanted me to come to the office to call my wife. My wife had seen my credit card entry for the hotel and they had already talked. The clerk was sympathetic towards my wife's predicament.

The hotel advertised "kitchenette," but the stove was an induction model with no pots and pans, or any other dishes supplied.

 

[humanrace]

The next morning, I decided to go to Cripple Creek and ride Phantom Canyon. It's a dirt road, but I rode it in 1992 on a Seca 650. It hasn't changed much.
I headed towards Denver on 285 and turned right on 77, Tarryall Road, a simply great road to ride. No traffic, pretty good pavement, good scenery and a nice stream to follow. Not too far after turning. Looking back.

Looking forward (south)

These rocky hills are a national landmark, according to a sign beside the road. I didn't know such a thing existed.

I saw this monument close to Cripple Creek, but I couldn't figure out what it was about.
This plaque says it is for active duty military killed fighting terrorism since 2001.

This one celebrates an annual ride for POWs

Cripple Creek has town donkeys. They are descended from mine donkeys turned loose in the 1920s and 1930s when the local gold mines played out.

Tourists can buy food in nearly any shop in town to feed them. They wander anywhere they want to.

Cripple Creek from the start of Phantom Canyon Road, just outside of town.

Gold played out in the early 20th century if you could only dig by hand and haul by mule. If you're willing to dig large quantities of ore and haul in gigantic trucks, you can still find gold.

This is a retired truck bed. For scale, the added walkway to the viewing platform is nearly 40" wide.

They don't build foundations like they used to.

Phantom Canyon was immediately beautiful.

And then it got better.

It goes on and on.

There are two tunnels.

It started raining just as I got to pavement and rained until just past Salida. I was headed to a campground on the Arkansas river about 5 miles past "Dan's Land, Free Camping." Google it. The campground has been converted to day use only. There goes my table, back to Dan's.

I came here about 20 years ago and Dan had just planted these trees. They are not trees that should be here. They require more rainfall than this area gets. Dan arranged sheet metal on the ground to channel water to the tree base. It worked. When I first saw the trees, they were about a foot tall. It was starting to rain. You can see the spots on the sheet metal.

It rained last night. I use my tent like a bedroll. I leave my pad and sleeping bag in the tent, put my rain fly in with them and my ground cloth stays under the tent. Everything is folded and rolled up to fit into a waterproof bag. Rain at night ruins my program because a waterproof bag doesn't allow my tent to dry out during the day.
This is Kenneth's truck. I met him last night. He got laid off from his job as a machinist at a car dealership in Massachusetts, so he is traveling and doing so as cheaply as possible. He's been at Dan's Land for about a week and was surprised that nobody has stopped by.

After eating breakfast and loading the bike.

On to Crested Butte when I return.

 

[Countingcoup]

Super cool stuff Denny. Thanks for all the great pics !
Happy Trails ...

 

[humanrace]

I decided to ride Hwy 50 west to 149 and then go south through Lake City and Southfork. When I stopped for gas, some folks told me to be sure to stop for a drink of water just after Monarch Pass. They told me I would see the blue barrel. ?????????

This is just after Monarch and no blue barrel. This is prettier than any blue barrel and I wasn't thirsty anyway.

A short distance further, I came upon the barrel and the water was indeed tasty.

If you happen to see this blue barrel and happen to be thirsty, stop.

I was riding west on Highway 50 when I saw a sign that said Hwy 114 with an arrow pointing left, followed by 17 miles. It was a dirt road, and my feeble mind read Highway 149 instead of 114. I didn't realize my mistake until I reached pavement.

There were a lot of these little piles of dirt visible in this picture. I saw an estimated 75 total piles.

I stopped and walked out to one. It is obviously man made, but for what reason. When I got back to the bike, the only car I saw while on that road stopped to see if I needed help. I asked about the piles of dirt and a woman in the passenger seat said they had just been discussing the mounds and had come to the conclusion that they were abandoned mines. I don't think that is correct, but I have no better explanation. Anyone? What one looks like up close.

Open range.

When I got to pavement, it was obvious to me that I had made a mistake. I've been on 149 many times and this was not 149. It was a very pleasant mistake.

114 followed along Cochetopa Creek for about 25 miles.

Beavers seemed to like it too.

When I got back to Highway 50 and headed west, I nearly immediately changed my mind. It had been a few years since I had been to Crested Butte and when I saw the sign, my blinker automatically signaled for a right turn, but first, a light lunch in the city park in Gunnison. Noodle soup, a slice of cheese and a fresh picked peach.

Scenery was good.

Crested Butte has an eccentric artist. He makes sculptures out of old car parts, mainly chrome bumpers.

Others have joined in the fun. I didn't read what this dragon fly or damsel fly, I don't remember how to tell the difference, was made from.

Someone is even doing cast bronze.

This one has been there for quite a few years.

About 25 to 30 years ago, my wife was saved from the dragon by this brave knight in shining armor. My wife makes fun of me because I hardly ever throw away a T-shirt. She still wears that blouse.

One would think that a walk in the woods would be some alone time. The eyes are watching.

The oldest church in Colorado. This is not the original building. This building wasn't completed until 1863.

I'm not sure if it is still being used as a church. The plaque says, "Property of the state of Colorado." I would have liked to go inside, but he door to Our Lady of Guadalupe was locked.

A stolen view of the interior.

The street leading to the church is a memorial to fallen soldiers.

Each of these trees represent a soldier from this county.

I stopped beside the road and found this gate. I'm guessing that it hasn't been used in a loooong time.

Any cow that leaned against it could free the entire herd.

I headed to my brother's house in Taos, NM. Since I had visited my mother, I felt it was time to visit pop. On the way, I stopped at the rest area next to the Rio Grande Gorge, a feature caused by the surface of the earth being pulled apart rather than erosion that created the Grand Canyon.

My brother was in the Taos search and rescue for years. He detested every square inch of this bridge.

They installed these call boxes after he retired. He now likes this portion of the bridge.

Home to Texas. No pics.