Yesterday was moving day. We made the nearly 200 mile trek from Ouray to Buena Vista. No small feat seeing it rained the entire trip and we had to cross Monarch Pass - over 11,000 feet elevation. Yes, more cliffs and in a RV towing a Jeep. Chug, chug, chug. It stopped raining once we made it to camp but there is very limited internet and no TV - we're too close to the mountain behind us. It turns out there are 15 mountains over 14,000 feet here in the Sawatch Range and we are backed up to 6 of them. Seeing there is no TV we had a nice Mexican dinner at Casa del Sol.
Today we drove to Leadville, another mining town, in order to attempt Mosquito Pass. I say attempt because the road was so rocky we were getting tossed about like a carnival ride. Wanting to keep the Jeep in one piece and our bodies bruise free we turned around and decided to drive over Independence Pass instead. The road was much nicer but the climb was up to over 12,000 feet. There was still snow up there! On the way back we drove out La Plata Trail - another rocky Jeep road but along a beautiful creek.
After lunch we drove out on a Jeep trail called Four Mile Creek. Vaughan was checking it out for possible motorcycle rides tomorrow. His friend Brooks drove up from Ouray with his dog Sally to join the rides. I'll spend the day with Sally while they ride.
Had to throw in this picture in for Vaughan's cousin Barb - when is the last time you saw a McDonald's sign with only one arch and Speedee?
This was the raining trip in the RV over Monarch Pass at 11,300 feet.
Here is home for the next few days.
Snow on the mountains - but of course they are up at over 14,000 feet.
Two old abandoned mines.
This road to Mosquito Passmay look OK but believe me it's like travelling on a mine field. At 2 miles an hour we would have taken all day just to go the 20 miles over the pass to Alma.
It may have been rocky but there were wildflowers everywhere.
This is the ride back down off Mosquito Pass. Glad to be out of the rocks.
This is Twin Lakes at the beginning of Independence Pass - at the other end is Aspen.
The view down from near the top.
and the top - the air was very thin, and cold.
La Plata Trail over a scary old wooden bridge - just look at the pretty water and ignore the rotted wood.
Still on La Plata - lots of puddles - too much rain.
A scene from Four Mile Creek Trail.
A cute little speed bump.
Vaughan decided to check out this motorcycle trail on foot first before trying it on the bike tomorrow.
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