I was able to swing a couple of days off, so Dad and I ran up to Colorado for some father/son time. We had a blast and saw some great scenery!
Thought y'all might like to see some of the highlights...
The first place we headed was Creede, Colorado via New Mexico - Santa Rosa, Las Vegas, Mora, Tres Ritos, Taos, and over to Chama. From there we zipped through Pagosa Springs and up over Wolf Creek Pass. Has a small delay due to some construction, but the scenery was beautiful!
From there it was on through South Fork and Wagon Wheel Gap to Creede, which I think is one of the most ruggedly beautiful places on earth. An hour or so in 4wd got us here...
From Creede we went around to Montrose via the Lake City and the Blue Mesa cut through, with a quick side trip to the canyon of the Lake Fork of the Gunnison River. From Montrose it was on to Ridgeway and Telluride. We were on the road just as the sun was setting. You think the view was worth the drive?
We overnighted in Telluride (which is long on looks, character, and price, but short on actual ameneties unless you are drinking, stinking rich, or just feel the need to blow some money...). For a mere $200 we got a lumpy bed, no A/C, and a room right over main street across from the busiest bar in town. At least they threw in a decent breakfast - your standard bacon, eggs, and toast. Good thing, too. The menu price for the same thing was $15! My father, the urban sophisticate, decided to take a morning stroll. Hint - he's NOT the one with the backpack. Needless to say, we got some strange looks from the jetset crowd.
Then it was down the other side of the mountain following the Dolores River. We went by a campground that I've heard about since I was old enough to remember. Seems Dad and the fam camped there in the 50's. It snowed so much a tree fell across the river and crushed both tents. It's a family legend, now I know where it happened. A little place called Priest Gulch. Dad on the ridge overlooking the campsite where it happened...
From there it was a mad dash back home to Lubbock via Farmington, Cortez, Bloomfield, Cuba, and Bernalillo (north of Albuquerque). By the way, highway 165 from Bernalillo to Sandia Park looks like a spiffy shortcut. NOT! Unless you just have no other way to blow an hour or so it should be avoided at all costs! It's a few miles of pavement followed by 6 or 7 miles of rutted switchback that took FOR-FREAKING-EVER to get through. Dad is famous for his shortcuts that aren't, and this ranks right at the top!
Even though we went 1200 miles in three days, we had a blast. All in all a good trip.
Brad
