34 Days Through the Western United States and Canada

Day 3 – Monday August 1st
Leadville, Colorado to Ouray, Colorado

I awake to a beautiful, sunny morning after a long and much needed night’s sleep. No trace remains of the rain that had passed over the area last night. It’s a very cool morning, only 37 degrees. We stop for a cup of coffee and add a few extra layers before heading down the road.

Leaving Leadville behind us, we head south on Highway 24.

Morning sun on Highway 24 with the Rocky Mountains in the distance



Fifteen miles south of Leadville we take a west bearing onto Highway 82. Just west of the intersection of Highways 24 and 82, and east of the town of Twin Lakes, the two lakes that the town is named after lie nestled in a mountain valley.

The eastern twin of Twin Lakes



We head further west on 82 and approach nearer to the mountains and rapidly begin our ascent into higher elevations as the road narrows.

Ascending the Rockies



We’ll get higher and higher...



...straight up we’ll climb



There’s something special about being in a place like this early in the morning, before anyone else. There’s little or no traffic on the road yet this morning.

Heading into Independence Pass



The higher we climb, the more exciting the ride gets. At one of the hairpins we get off the bikes to take some photos of the valley.

Looking east toward the valley and the Tomichi River



Looking west toward the Rockies from the same spot, a much different view



Motorcycle Paradise



Mother Nature’s paintbrush at work



The beauty of the Rocky Mountains is dazzling



The final ascent to the summit



Independence Pass Summit



Starting the descent from the summit, we begin making our way west toward Aspen. One is touched by the fact that for miles and miles the countryside is still pristine and untouched. Except for the blacktop, this country still looks the same as it did when the first pioneers passed through these mountains.

It’s nice that some things don’t change much over time



And then again, it’s nice that some things do



C'mon Baby, Let's Do The Twist!



Seth heading for Aspen



Once in Aspen, Seth and I take a walking tour of the town. What a great place! We stop for breakfast at a sidewalk cafe, relax over a great breakfast and enjoying this lively mountain village.

Seth in front of Aspen’s historic Hotel Jerome



From Aspen we take a short detour to the Maroon Bells. The last time I was here you could ride all the way to the end of the road. Now they make you pay to ride a tour bus to the attraction. This is as close as we could get before they made us turn around.

Maroon Bells from Castle Creek Road



Maroon Bells from the Park Entrance



Continuing up Highway 82 through Snowmass, Basalt, and El Jebel, we take a detour on Catherine Store Road at the little town of Catherine, based on some advice from one of the friendly locals.

Looking down at Carbondale from Catherine Store Road



View of the Roaring Fork Valley, home to Carbondale



In Carbondale we turn south on Highway 133. South of Carbondale, Highway 133 glides through wide open pastureland before following a cleft in the valley and forging into the Crystal River Canyon.

Colorado Highway 133



Highway 133 is a beautiful and lightly-traveled highway. Local motorcyclists at a gas station back in Carbondale raved about what a great road this is, and they knew their home turf. This is an incredible motorcycle road through some of the most beautiful terrain in Colorado. Just north of the intersection of Highways 133 and 12, is Paonia State Park. The road twists its way for several miles through the park along the Paonia Reservoir, and it is a breathtaking ride.

Highway 133 in Paonia State Park



Paonia Reservoir



At the town of Hotchkiss, we head south on Colorado Highway 92, passing through Gunnison National Forest, the Black Canyon of the Gunnsion National Park, and the Curecanti National Recreation Area. One of the more memorable experiences of this road, at least for Seth, is having a wasp get into his jacket sleeve and stinging his arm. Seth, a pharmacist, was not disconcerted in the least. He broke out an aspirin, made a paste out of it and applied it to the welt. A little trick I will be sure to remember for future reference.

Colorado Highway 92



Colorado Highway 92 entering the Black Canyon of the Gunnison



The Black Canyon of the Gunnison – Morrow Point Reservoir



Morrow Point Reservoir from atop the Curecanti Needle



Highway 92 leads us to Highway 50, where we head east along the mirror-like Blue Mesa Lake, Colorado’s largest body of water. The Highway 50 bridge is visible for miles away as we ride eastward along the south edge of this vast lake, almost 20 miles in length. Nearing the bridge, the Dillon Pinacles come into view. Strange and beautiful, the Dillon Pinacles tower skyward, sculpted by volcanic activity of a prehistoric era. The bridge appears dwarfed by the lake, and the lake in turn appears dwarfed by the Pinacles. The hillsides are covered with acres upon acres of blue-green sage, the shrub that becomes the familiar tumbleweed when it dies. Some of the sage is fading into browns and grays, a signal that its gypsy-like afterlife is drawing near. In spring time, these shrublands come alive with wildflowers. Indian paintbrush, wallflower, and lupine dot the mesas with red, yellow and blue. Prickly pear cactus and juniper trees combine with the sage, the habitat for sage grouse, rabbits, and marmots.


The Dillon Pinnacles on Blue Mesa Lake


Highway 50 bridge over Blue Mesa Lake



Following Highway 50 east to Gunnison, Colorado we take a brief break. The change in temperature since early this morning is huge. It was in the upper 30s when we left Leadville. In Gunnison, it's over 100. I stop to soak my cooling vest in ice water. Soon I have to take it off again as we begin our ascent up Highway 135 to Crested Butte. From there it is a short distance on Highway 317 to the ski village of Mount Crested Butte. When we arrive at Mount Crested Butte, it's 58 degrees.

Mount Crested Butte



Mount Crested Butte, note the ski-lift in the foreground



On the northern outskirts of the village of Mount Crested Butte, the paved section of Highway 317 comes to an end. From here the dirt road will continue across Schofield Pass and into the town of Marble, not far from the Western boundaries of the Snowmass-Maroon Bells wilderness.

End of paved Highway 317



Heading back west on Highway 50 toward our evening’s destination of Ouray, we stop to take one last shot of Blue Mesa Lake.

Blue Mesa Lake



Ouray is my favorite spot in Colorado. The San Juan Mountains take on an especially rugged character here, and the “Million Dollar Highway” that crosses them is one of the most beautiful highways anywhere. But that crossing will have to wait until tomorrow morning, as Ouray is our destination for the night.

Nearing Ouray, Colorado


Arriving in Ouray, we eagerly settle down for a good meal and, of course, a cold beer.

End of Day 3
Location: Ouray, Colorado
GPS Mileage = 1850 miles
Today’s Mileage = 409 miles


Route Map: Day 3