Unique Indian Motorcycle

This was parked next door to my RV this morning...

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Engineer Pass (almost)

I rode with Ken and Faye today with the intent of us driving over to Engineer Pass. However, that was before Murphy's Law caught up to us. Our first problem was when it started to rain around Silverton which made the trail a little more treacherous than usual. Then, Dave and Bev's transmission began to fail to the point that they were unable to shift into four wheel drive which was needed on the steeper inclines, so they had to return to the campground. Lastly, when we got to the turn for Engineer Pass, the clouds had moved in and you could not see the top of the mountain, so we decided to return to Highway 550 via the Alpine Loop.

The section of the trail we had to traverse was extremely rocky with severe off-camber obstacles on the side of a cliff. Needless to say, that created some heart pounding adrenaline rushes. I cannot repeat Faye's comments regarding the experience as this is a family oriented blog. Fortunately, we returned home safe and sound, albeit, with a few more gray hairs.

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Red Mountain & Ophir Passes

Red Mountain and Ophir Passes are easy, scenic trails requiring only a high clearance vehicle...

There are lots of old mining sites along Red Mountain

I got to play "King of the Mountain" with my very own throne

Another lunch with a view

Obligatory Ophir Pass photo

Surprise Party

Ken and Faye's friends, DB and Sharon, invited us over to their home for dinner. Much to my surprise and delight, it turned out to be a birthday party for moi complete with ice cream and cake...

It sure is nice to have good friends with whom to share the occasion

Jeep Badge of Honor

Ken introduced me to the Jeep Badge of Honor app that allows you to earn points and receive free badges that can be displayed on your Jeep...

I started with Imogene Pass and have received an email from Jeep indicating that I would receive my badge in 8-12 weeks. Hopefully, I will be able to collect a few more badges before I leave the Telluride area.

Imogene Pass

Imogene Pass is one of my favorite trails in the San Juan Mountains. It is the second highest driveable pass in Colorado and the vistas are simply stunning...

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My favorite way of "getting high"

Lunch with a view

Remnants of the Tomboy Mine

Update (8/19/2020): Here are some video clips from the dash cam (most of the segments are run at 2X speed to give you a feel for what it is like to drive Imogene without being too boring)...

Escalante Canyon

The Escalante Canyon trail has a little bit of everything you would want in an off-road adventure; scenic canyons, wooded mountain ridges, historical sites, rock-crawling and some tight switchbacks. I knew we were having fun when Faye started threatening me with bodily harm coming down from the Escalante Rim...

Dash Cam Compilation

I created a compilation of dash cam videos that I hope will give you a feel for what it is like driving in the San Juan Mountains. It consists of four distinct segments showing the diversity of the terrain...

San Juan Mountains

I do not believe words or photos can convey the awesomeness and beauty of the San Juan Mountains south of Ouray, Colorado. You have to experience it for yourself. It is one of my favorite places in the USA.

We decided to explore some new trails that no one in our group had been on before. This included spur roads where we had to return the way we went in. Here are links to some of today's trails - Arrastra Gulch, Maggie Gulch, Picayune Gulch. It was hard to pick just a few of the many photos that I took. This area is a postcard factory...

Having a Jeep is a real plus here

One of many mines

Occasionally, we RVers have to rough it

Mines and mountains 

Miles and miles of trails

Huge herd of sheep on the mountainside

Corkscrew & California Passes

Ken led a group of four Jeeps over Corkscrew and California Passes into Animas Forks and then back to the park via Silverton and the "Million Dollar Highway". I know this area is a popular tourist destination, but I was surprised at the amount of traffic we encountered on the trails today. From Animas Forks to Silverton was like a Los Angeles freeway (minus the homeless encampments). However, it was worth it for views like these...

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Centennial RV Park

After leaving Oregon, I thought I would spend most of August in southern Utah... until I saw the temperature forecast for that area. On a whim, I called the Centennial RV Park south of Montrose, Colorado and due to a recent cancellation was able to book a stay for a month. It's about 5-10 degrees cooler here which when you are living in a RV, makes a big difference. To add to my good fortune, Ken & Faye, who I first met three years ago at this park, are here for the month also. Now, if I can just get them to stop partying long enough to take their Jeep out, I will have someone to ride with off-road.

Party Animals