Memories!: Scenic Route

"The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page" - St. Augustine

I love travels. I enjoy every bit of it and its great pleasure to get away from daily routine for some time. When trip to Denver came to my mind, I wanted to get an experience which I have never experienced before. I collected data on Denver. Thanks to my friends and google!...Got a list of bunch of places in Colorado. I selected the major chosen ones which can be covered in the given time without tiredness and filled with pleasant travel enjoyment. The map of our trip as shown below

My brother and I were about to set the journey through the state.

Day1: 2:00 PM, Start from Littleton (Denver), CO

Started our journey from Denver after a quick lunch. Already we were delayed because of my arrival to Denver. We had planned to take a scenic route and so my brother hit the gas, steering the car through US-285 South.

The road gets beautiful after some miles south to Denver. Green lush mountains, meadows, fields, ranches containing cows and horses. A wild mini river flows parallel to the road. Its a perfect drive. Sometimes the road climbs the mountains or gets into a wide open plain. Every where it is "Green...Go Green"! Looked like the road was not used by the commoners. Traffic was low. It becomes two lanes to single lanes at many places. Sometimes it was necessary to overtake the slower moving RVs or traffic. Unfortunately my camera was in the trunk during this and I missed taking the great shots of our path. Its a beautiful drive.

After some miles, we took the US-50 towards West. The road gets even smaller, curvier and scenier. After about 60 miles drive in this road we came to our first stop.

Day1: 5:00 PM, Break at Gunnison, CO

Took a small break after driving around 200 miles. We stopped at the McDonalds at Gunnison for a coffee. Took out the missing item in my hand, which is the camera. There is a railway museum up here in Gunnison, by displaying an old train, which I was able grab by my camera.

Also on the road there is a small stream of water flowing, usually that small stream may contain gutter water, but this was more fresh and clean.

After spending about 20-30 minutes again we hit the road towards further west in the same road.

Gunnison is a very beautiful small town.

There were fresh water lakes, camp grounds, RV rentals, and many picnic spots on the way. Trout fishing boards were seen near water in many places. Wild river rafting boards were also often seen.

There were also sharp curves in the road.

We crossed a place called Cimarron. It reminded me the 1958 movie "Ambush at Cimarron Pass". Was the movie about the same location which we are passing through?We caught the US-550S at Montrose on the way. It was dusk already. The road has other name for itself "The Million Dollar Highway". Its considered to be a great scenic drive in CO. Like it is said in Hindi 'Sone pe Suhaga', there was little shower too, which added an aesthetic look to the road trip.

US-550 Million Dollar freeway is again very scenic drive

The miles looked lesser but the estimated time given by the GPS was one hour more to reach the first destination. We thought that the GPS is calculating something wrong. However when we came near Silverton, we realized the reason. The road was climbing mountain after mountain with steep hair-pin bends and curves, which requires 15MPH or 20MPH per turn. Some place even did not have any protecting shields. There were steep cliffs through which the road was going through and just a feet slip may lead the vehicle to rollover 1000s of feet from the hill. Only skillfull drivers can steer the vehicle through. Help of navigator was always needed. It was already dark before we crossed Silvertorn. It took quite some time to cross even a mile. Road looked too scenic as it is going through the mountains. Posted speeds on this road was 30MPH or 35MPH, In some places the speed posted was 50MPH or even 55MPH, but immediately a steep curve will come and the speed for that will be 30MPH or 40MPH.

Since it was dark already, I missed many great shots. The journey looked never ending but we attained the end to this never ending road and we reached Durango.

Day1: 9:15 PM, Destination Durango, CO

I had already made a reservation at the Best Western Hotel in Durango. Durango is a tourist place and tourists from all over the place visit it.

We could sense that by the price of the Hotel per night. Its a small beautiful hillside town. Once after check-in the hotel, we went to the downtown Durango for getting some food. Finally ended with Subway as major restaurants were closed as it was already more than 10:00.

Took the food and then we rested in the hotel for that night.

Day2: 9:00 AM, Durango, CO

Morning we had a quick breakfast in the hotel's complementary breakfast room. The breakfast room has a display of a very old winchester gun.

We travelled towards the Mesa Verde, which was just an hour and a half drive from the town Durango.

Lots of bikers were also occupying the road.

The road had good speed posted on it and was good to drive. There were cottages, cabins and camp grouds in many places.

In one place a deer tried to cross the road and luckily the driver before our car, applied the brakes appropriately, or else it would have resulted bad for the deer. Some dead deers due to accidents were seen on couple of places in the road.

Finally we reached the Mesa Verde exit on the road

Day2: 10:30 AM, Mesa Verde Entrance

From entrance, the view of the Mesa Verde was spectacular. It was around 20-30 minutes drive up from the Entrance.

The road was again going through the hill and it was very scenic. It looked like one was going to the top of the mountain.

There were also mountain tunnels on the way

Some road streches were seen far. It was a wonderful drive. Everywhere there were signs of deer crossings and Boards saying Risk of Forest Fire today "HIGH"

Day2: 11:11 AM, Mesa Verde Top

Thought of taking a guided tour first. But since the line at the visitor center was big, we skipped the idea.

Took the local map and marked the interesting places to visit.

Cliff Palace was our first point of interest.

We skipped the guided tour too, however on the entrance we were able to hear the lecture of the guide. Only people who have purchased the ticket are allowed in, for others, they can view the place from a top place. Looked like it will take an hour to go down explore the area. Apart from water nothing is allowed to be taken down below.

On the way we took a break at Hemenway House

Then we drove to the next place, Balcony house. Here also people who took guided tour took some time and went down. This looked more steeper than the earlier one. We stayed for 5 minutes and then we set out.

Spruce Tree House looked very good. Below is some of the shots in sprucetree parking area

The library

The pathway in spruce tree

Took the trail down to the place. Small narrow lanes, but were properly placed. Took nearly 20 minutes to go down. Looked like some Harappa remains.

Trail path

Inside the Spruce tree

My cell phone did not gets the network here.

There is also a museum, which picturizes the life of the pueblo people in different era of time.

Day2: 02:30 PM, Lunch at Himalayan Restaurant, Durango

On our way back.

The straight road view to Durango

we stopped at the Himalayan Restaurant in the Main street Durango for lunch.

Food and Mango lassi was great. Lots of food and so we took the remaining in our to-go boxes. The people in the restaurant were friendly.

Day2: 3:30 PM, Journey on 160E

Started our jounrney again. This time towards east on the road US-I160. Lots of villages, single homes, ranches were on the path.

Some hills on the way to Pagosa Springs

Road was very scenic

Pagosa Springs is also a beautiful town on the way

Though the road was a freeway, it had signals at many places. Most of the time the road remains single lane, but at certain points to pass through, there was double lanes given.

Crossed through Bayfield, Pagosa Springs some small towns and villates on the way. Since I had the camera I tried shooting as much as I can.

Once crossing Del Norte, the camera battery went down and I missed taking the shots of Monte Vista. Finally we reached our other destination for the day Alamosa. Its a very small town. It reminded some small town in India.

Day2: 6:00 PM, Alamosa

We checked-in the Best Western hotel. We had to take an unprotected left on the freeway to get into the Hotel compound. We might have seen such roads in India, however seeing the same in CO was truely amazing. After check-in, we wanted to go out, so finally we ended up going to a local movie theater.

The theater itself reminded something which we used to use in India small towns. No credit card was accepted in the theater complex and we had to use the ATM for the cost. Very few people present for the show and the auditorium was exactly as the audiotorium of Vedaranyam, Tindivanam or Sivakasi, Tuty village theaters.

After the movie went back to the hotel. Consumed the food from the to-go box, which was a chicken biriyani, mutton gravey mixed with white rice, some chips and plenty of water! That was the day over!

Day3: 8:30 AM, Alamosa Best Western

Completed the complementary break-fast at the hotel. The hotel as a barbeque area in back of the registration office, there are dining wood tables, barbeque grills, in the open area and some big trees. Very good scene and place to be. Felt like
"ஊரிலே உள்ள குளம் அருகிலே வழர்ந்த ஆழமரம் நிழலிலே அமைந்துள்ள ஒரு திண்ணை போல" (Like being on a platform built on the shadows of the great peepal tree which is on the bank of a small lake in a village...)

There are plenty of old vintage model cars used by the visitors in the Hotel. So we tried to get them into our camera.

We set out for the next attraction of Colorado, the Great San Dunes.

Two different cell phones of the same company having the same network in Alamosa shows different time for the same instance.

Day3: 9:15 AM Towards Great Sand Dunes

Alamosa a small town

The road to Great Sand Dunes was narrower, looked like we were travelling from Srivilliputhur to Sivakasi.

The road and floras resembeled the same except for a hill on the left side, which was little far. Our quench for 'desi' dreams was quenched a little. Along with the drive the songs also added an edge to the environment. Ilayaraja's songs from Agni natchitram movie was playing. So we felt as we are in our 'mannu'(sand).

Day3: 10:00 AM Great Sand Dunes

Plenty of peaks on one side, So green as the Western Ghats of India on the Kerala border.

Looked like we were travelling towards 'Kutralam', but ofcourse soon the sights of the great sand dunes makes us feel, 'बच्छु तुम अभी भी यहीं पे हो' (Son you are still here only).

The Great Sand Dunes entrance

Great Sand Dunes itself looks like a hill or mountain of sand. The view of the Great Sand Dunes and the people hiking on it makes us feel like a some spilled over mount of sugar and ants are marching on it. So green on all sides and suddently there is this mountain of sand. How?

We took a walk on the plain sand to reach the dunes. Then we started climbing it. After about 20-25 minute walk, I got tired climbing the intermediate peeks. So my brother took of to go to the top along with the camera "Anna, I will walk towards the peek and exactly at 11:15 AM I'll start walking towards down"

I rested in intermediate peeks and then started my way upward. It was windy (sporadically) and luckily the weather was cool and cloudy. When I reach one peek, I took a small break, but then I feel, let me go to the next peek.

Once I reach the next peek, I felt again let me go one more peek and then stop. I reached the halfway of the path.

Saw many people are hiking and taking a break often. We forgot to bring water, so it was little risky of being dehydrated. It was fun and different experience overall. The mud inside was still wet and humid. It was exactly as some beach sand.

After 11:30 AM, we started to climb down the Dunes.

Day3: 12:00 PM Resuming our journey

After coming down and quenching our thirst we set out for the road towards CO-150 and then after some time we took the 6-North and then finally got into CO-17. Its a straight road , looked like travelling in the road near Tuticorin. So dry and not a single tree.

Only small bushes in the road. It was thrilling as there was not a single vehicle in the road apart from ours and there was one on the opposite side once in 10-15 minutes rarely.

After crossing the village Moffat, we could see many places with 'Alligator' boards on the display. Looks like there are many Alligator farms (mudalai pannai) on the way. We started to become hungry.

After some time we touched the US-285 and drove on the road looking for any village or gas station so that we can have our lunch.

Day3: 2:15 PM Villa Grove, CO

Even if it is a non brand place or no known place, we took our left turn into the village after seeing a board "Lunch at Loretta's". It was a small house cafe by a woman. We parked our car and entered the room. It was a typical village place. It reminded me of the mess in India especially the vegetarian mess on the road near Vaymedu in Nagapatnam district.

Saw the signs "Only cash or cheque", so I checked my wallet to see if I have any cash. I am person who don't carry lots of cash these days. Usually any one can see just a dollar bill in my wallet. Luckily the previous day when we used the ATM at the theater, I had cashed out 20 more and now I had just 19 and my brother had some ones or two.

Lets try to manage" was our comment after getting the seat. There were 3 more on other table, looked like they are some village ranchers.

I ordered a chilli hot dog with fries and my brother had a tortilla with some vegetable and chicken gravey. The cafetaria person served us some tortilla chips with some home made salsa just to start with before the food is ready. Food was served after we were done with our chips. To be frank I had never tasted such a good tasting hot chilli dog with fries. The bill was also smaller and was just 14 dollars. We came out satisfied with our lunch. If I pass by Villa Grove again, there will be a definite stop at this cafe.

Day3: 3:15 PM Drive Away

Resumed our journey again and drove north.

There are some residues of mines in this states. I got one snap of that too on the way

There were also pedestrians on the freeway

Halted at Pagosa Springs for gast at Shell station. There was a very old pioneer model of car on the entrance and there was a horse statue made of glass.

After filling up the car and having a coffee, I got myself a souveneir of Colorado from there. We had touched the road US-50W now.

After sometime on the road, there was a river which came paralley and having many rafting places on the way.

There was also a train track on the other bank of the river. There were many unused boogies parked on the track.

On the right side of the road there were hills. Again a scenic drive.

Day3: 4:30 PM Royal Gorge Bridge

Reached the Royal Gorge Bridge, which is one of the star destination in Colorado. The bridge model resembles SFO's golden gate bridge however a mini version of it, joinining 2 peeks of mountains.

There is a train journey for fun, which starts about 5 miles before the brige. Many people use that option to have more fun.

We took the entrance ticket to the park. Many tourists in the place. We took a walk on the bridge and its platforms were made of wood. Some take the helicopter ride or the steep train ride.

There was a small river flowing way below down. Hope it is Arkansas river as we saw the name boards on many places on the way. We took the tram ride to go to the other side and then return back.