Kings River Bend, Ouray and Silverton

Today we were under way about 10:30.  We knew we only had about an hours drive, so there was no hurry.  We rolled along lazily as folks darted around us at every possible passing opportunity.  Years ago, I would have been one of the mad folks nashing at the bit to pass.

We arrived in Montrose and it was not quite noon, so I decided to fill up the fuel tank at the local city market fuel stop.  I discovered that the Fry’s card from Arizona, is a Kroeger card and works at City Market.  It saved me three cents a gallon.  The store had a really big parking lot so I got in and out easily.

We had reservations at Kings River Bend RV Park South of Montrose on 550.  We had been here last Saturday so we drove right here.

Your basic gravel RV park, but what you can’t see is the river right behind the drivers side of the Rig.

Now we know why its called River Bend.  The water is rushing by at an amazing pace. 

At about 1 we decided to head out for Ouray, Co to our South.  It is about 40 miles away.

	We spotted a flower garden in Ouray

We kept looking at the road heading up the hill to the South, knowing that it went up over Red Mountain to the town of Silverton.  It is part of the Million Dollar Highway, and very steep and without shoulders.  The drop offs are seemingly straight down.  But I headed that way anyway.

So I stopped to take a few shots of Red Mountain along the way.

The mountain stream runs almost blood red for part of the 22 mile trip.  My steering wheel has permanent finger indentations from where the road clings to the cliff, and there is not a single guard rail or any shoulder to pull off of the road.  So needless to say there are no pictures of the nasty parts of the drive.  

While in Silverton, as I was wandering around waiting for Loyce who was shopping by herself, I learned about the Narrow Gauge Train that comes up from Durango.  Web Site.

  This is a steam engine that pulls the cars up from Durango.  My initial reaction was count me in!  But I need to know a lot more about this before I go get a ticket.  How often would a fellow get a chance to ride an actual steam locomotive?

This one was obviously for display only as it was on a track that wasn’t connected to the line.  It had been painted many times, and even the steam pistons were clogged with paint.  It would take a lot of work to get steam up in this fellow!

We came back down about 6 arriving back here in the park well after 7.  A big day, but there is so much to do here.

Retired Rod

PS: for Al of the Bayfield Bunch, every other vehicle here is a Jeep!  From the very oldest CJ to the very newest Rubicon.  If you don’t have a Jeep you just aren’t in.  You had better get your self out here pronto!