Colorado Rocky Mountain Road Trip (6-24-15)

June 24th

The motel breakfast was tempting us with apple & cherry turn overs, so we decide to just eat something there.
Diana & Chris run to a fast food and get her something suitable for her to eat.

We go outside and have our morning devotion and prayer.
Twana read from her Jesus Calling book today.
Amazing how the daily devotion in these books can be perfect for the day.
Today's words are, Praising him in the storm.
Yep, Yep!!!





Today we ride to Ouray.
Our route keeps saying they are closing the road at 11am as they are working on the mountains along the road.
We should have no problem getting through the area before they close it.











There are a few spots that we have flag men and have to wait our turn going through the area as one side of the road is closed.
They are resurfacing some of the road along with the mountain repair, so this stretch of road is very active today.
Somewhere along this road Diana shouts out that she sees a bear.
Well, if you know this group, this is Diana's wish!
Sure enough I turn around just in time to see this black bear digging his claws into the red soil trying to get up the to the top of this hill.
Amazing is all I can say!
Of course none of us were able to get the cameras in time, but we saw him...we really did!!!!






Doug pulls into this little town Redstone, Colorado.
It is too early for anything to be open, but oh that is a really awesome little town.
The houses are filled with flowers, and the red poppies in front of several houses are just breath taking.
As we get back on the road I was able to get pictures of these stove looking things we noticed as we pulled off the road.
Of course I had to google it.





Interesting factoid inserted here!  Redstone Coke Ovens

Redstone really looks like a very interesting place, seems there is a castle there as well!











But we have to make some miles...so we are on the road again.
As we entered the Paonia State Park, we came to another halt.
The mountain is being shored up and they are doing some maintenance on it.
This is pretty interesting to me, since we just had a rock slide due to rain in our small mountain range of Turner Falls.
Funny thing is, Oklahoma is still getting bids and figuring out what to do a month later.
Heck, these guys could come and have it cleaned up in no time.
They are professionals  :)


























The hill sides have a few coal mines that are still in production.
The small town of Somerset was very quaint.


















As we make our way through some beautiful roads, we take a break for pictures.
I offered to take a picture for a few people and they in turn did the same for us.












The Blue Mesa Dam area was really a pretty site.
Looks like they were releasing water today.
The whole area was just breathtaking.
Enjoyed all the wonderful mountain roads.















Our lunch stop for today is in Montrose, Colorado.
The first place we tried to eat at was closed until 4 pm.
The others had spotted a place called the Horsefly.
Works for us, so we make our way back there for a good burger.













The weather has been really good today, but it is looking like we are going to get wet as we go into Ouray.

We reluctantly put on our rain suits.
I say this, because it is hot...and with a rain suit, we feel like we are in a sauna.
Once we got out of town, we get a good view of the dark blue skies that are ahead of us.
The rain drops start, and even though it is raining, it really feels pretty nice!
The rain wasn't that bad, but it sure did cool us down!

By the time we get to Ouray, I think we have all dried out.
The overcast and much cooler weather is a nice perk for this day.

The Ouray Inn is perfect!
It is really a cute little place, and they seem so very happy to have us here.

Everyone gets settled in and we walk about a block up to the main street of Ouray and do a little retail therapy.







The talk of dinner is being discussed, and there is a Mexican restaurant that Larry & Carla had eaten at, so we descend on them.
We have them seat us outside...guys at one table, and women at another....perfect...right??!!
Then the wind hit.
One of the umbrellas got caught by the wind and went flying over the wall.
Cold wind.....can we go inside!!!!
The waiting staff didn't mind it....we adjusted the sails and went inside.






Dinner was really good, and of course the fellowship of this group was even better.
What a fun day of riding.
We make our way back to the Ouray Inn, and bring out the margaritas and fireball.
Too bad we didn't have a campfire...it would have been perfect for the end of this day.
Time to call it a day....we are over and out  :)