CVO Social > Ride Report
Ouray, Silverton, Durango, Delores, Telluride Loop.....aka San Juan Scenic Byway
JCZ:
I left the RV park here in Olathe, Colorado (nine miles north of Montrose) at 7:00 a.m. and 50F day before yesterday. Montrose has changed (grew) a lot since my first time here and even in the past five years, it's noticable growth. If you've never rode (or drove) this loop you don't know what you're missing......come on along for this ride.
Here is a shot where Hwy 50 turns the corner, downtown Montrose.
My view as I head south out of Montrose towards Ouray on US 550. This little town is quickly becoming a city. I see the snow capped peaks calling me....
The Uncompahgre River which happens to run right through the Uncompahgre River RV Park here in Olathe, Colorado where we're currently calling home for a month....
JCZ:
Ouray, Colorado....ground central for the Million Dollar Highway. Ouray was home base for the western CVO Owners GTG (Get Together) four years ago this month, Jun 2015. Here is a link to my ride report from that GTG..... https://www.cvoharley.com/smf/index.php?topic=102577.msg1325532#msg1325532
OURAY......There are several different versions of how US 550 got it's nickname that include "it cost a $Million a mile back when it was built" to "they paved over a $million in gold when it was paved" to the more prominent claim of:
Why is It Called the Million Dollar Highway?
The road was originally created by Otto Mears as a toll way in 1883 and operated as such until the 1920s when it was rebuilt. Historians aren't certain of why this highway has its name. One explanation is that an early traveler was so overcome by vertigo on the steep and winding stretch of road that he insisted he would never travel it again, even if he was paid a million dollars.
Mr. Biker Gnome is my road dog on this trip....
Having traveled ocean to ocean since I retired and we went full time in our RV I have to say that Colorado has more wildlife on the road than any other state....by far! Deer, elk, big horn sheep, coyote, squirrels, chipmunks, moose, antelope.....you name it, you see it in this state. And.....there never alone. Where you see one, there are more sure to follow.
Some of these shots didn't turn out so well.....I'm riding a motorcycle while trying to shoot pics.
And they keep coming. A heard of them. I had to stop and wait for them to finish crossing....
A view looking back down at Ouray....
JCZ:
Colorado had record breaking snowfal this past winter and it has resulted in many, many waterfalls that I'd never seen before on my prior trips on this loop.
The view south from Bear Creek Falls overlook....
The sun was reflecting off of the mist caused from Bear Creek Falls....
For those that have never been here, Bear Creek Falls is actually under the highway....
A lot of motorcycles on this loop day before yesterday....
and another one of those waterfalls at full flow...
Many of you that attended the GTG here in Ouray and went four wheeling with the group will recognize the Alpine Loop turn off...
The marmots are curious animals. Didn't seem to be afraid of us, but more curious. There was an old abandoned mine shaft at this location and some of the timber logs were sticking out over the cliff, very high up and the marmots like to sit out on the outter end of those logs.
If this guy were to slip.....it's straight down for a long way!
His body is as wide as the log he's sitting on. Note...all the green is on the far side of the river....he's out there on that log hanging over the canyon below. The log only stuck out about a foot but this guy wasn't even going to turn to look at me as I was behind him....
Another marmot on the other side....
JCZ:
Yes, there are places along the Million Dollar Hwy that it's literally straight down two feet over from the asphalt!
And a number of old mine shafts or caves along this route. Hard to ride a motorcycle, zoom my lens and get the shot while on the fly....
The pure white water of the Uncompahgre River.....aka melted snow...turned to foam.....
More deer in the road at the snow shed (tunnel)...
and yet another old mine shaft or cave...
I came across five different road construction projects on this loop ride. This one, by far, was the longest....at least half an hour possibly 45 min.
They were all putting down fresh oil and then crushed rock type gravel. And of course, like always, I went around and up to the front. Sure don't want to be behind all those cars, trucks and RVs on a road like this with no where to pass.
While this crushed rock type gravel should help a lot with traction and braking, it sure something you don't want to fall down on. It looked very, very nasty.
JCZ:
Silverton, at a little over 9,300' and I was already down to a long sleeve t-shirt and in the high 70s....
A back view of the town of Silvertown as I head south to Durango....
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