Another Road Trip; TX-NM-AZ-UT-CO, July 2019

[PetitFrereArmada]

Next trail, the other part of Black Bear Pass. Driving up to Bridal Fall Veil. Just exactly where the trail is also impassable because of snow still on the road. You can see the snow in the first 2 pictures that is preventing Black Bear Pass to be open. But overall, amazing views throughout the day for me on the trails. Here some pics to share.

 

[SirCampalot]

Next trail, the other part of Black Bear Pass. Driving up to Bridal Fall Veil. Just exactly where the trail is also impassable because of snow still on the road. You can see the snow in the first 2 pictures that is preventing Black Bear Pass to be open. But overall, amazing views throughout the day for me on the trails. Here some pics to share.

Awesome trip updates!

 

[ITTOG]

Looks like a fun trip. Amazing photo's. Love the aerial shots. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks man. I thought it was good to get away from the Houston heat, but I am here in New Mexico and it is worse. The heat is on a different level. Then tomorrow I will be in Arizona for the next 3 days and a few people here in NM have told me it is worse over there. So, I think I will really be out of this heat only when I get to Colorado. So, it will be nice when I finally get there.

Were you doing any wheeling in AR? I used to live in Arkansas. In Arkadelphia precisely. I am also very used to being in Hotsprings area and Little Rock.

Posts about houston heat always make me laugh. If you travel at all you learn very quickly that houston is not that hot. Yes it gets hot at times but overall most of the south has much higher temperatures and indexes and almost all places east have higher humidity. I understand human nature is to think "I have it worse than everyone else". Anyway, hopefully the AZ heat wasn't much worse. Looks like you didn't let it hamper your plans.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Awesome trip updates!

Thanks a lot for taking the time to read it.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Looks like a fun trip. Amazing photo's. Love the aerial shots. Thanks for sharing.



Posts about houston heat always make me laugh. If you travel at all you learn very quickly that houston is not that hot. Yes it gets hot at times but overall most of the south has much higher temperatures and indexes and almost all places east have higher humidity. I understand human nature is to think "I have it worse than everyone else". Anyway, hopefully the AZ heat wasn't much worse. Looks like you didn't let it hamper your plans.

You are so true a out Houston is truly not that bad when you compare it to a place like Arizona. It can get truly hot there indeed.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Yesterday, I decided to visit Crystal Mill in the ghost town of Crystal. It is claimed that this is the most photographed thing in Colorado. I don't particularly believe that based on how hard it is to get there. And it is the only thing out there worth seeing plus I don't know if it is private property or owned by the state. But the locals claim ownership of it and you have to pay $10 and sign a disclosure, if you want to walk down to the river and take pictures from that angle.

Drones are not allowed. I asked why. They told me some years back, someone flew their drone and it went through the window of the building. Said individual crossed the little river to go retrieve his drone from the Mill. He kicked down the back door and then got his drone.

That vandalism made the locals barn the use of drones. That is what I heard from the guy working there counting the number of people and cars visiting all day.


The drive there is ok on some dirt roads until you get to the point where it says 4 miles on narrow road. Form there it is extremely rocky and very narrow. Hard to fond places to bypass each other.

Many people park their cars and hike the over 5 miles round trip. No way I can do that. The hole is not no walk on the park. I applaud those who hike it.

I saw some cars like a Ford Explorer and a Jeep Cherokee who did the trail. They were 4x4, but they had street tires. I was shocked they made it to and back.

I wanted to air down and when I saw those people with street tires doing the trail and not airing down, I just did the trail too without airing down. It was bumpy.

On my way back, I met a nice family from Texas in their Jeep who allowed me to put my gopro on their Jeep and they followed me as we rode back put of the trail.

I stopped at the bbq in town and had a good meal. Pretty good for being out there. I asked if I could fly my drone and take pics and they said sure!

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

And this is all about the ghost town of Crystal. Nothing to see. They have a store there that it seems visitors do not buy much from. I am surprised people still live there.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Since yesterday was my last night in Ouray, I decided to go and take my last pictures at some overlooks overlooking the town and a waterfall.

And this is basically the whole town of Ouray

And a few pictures from Box Canyon waterfall

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Today, I drove from Ouray to Longmont, passing through Aspen to drive on and visit Independence Pass and the Continental Divide.

I was happy to get to Aspen but I want to go visit Maroon Bells, but the process was just complicated. Basically, you can drive up to the lake only between the hours of 5pm and 8am.

I got there at 11am. Between 8am and 5pm, you have to pay $10 to park your car and pay $10 for a round trip bus pass. Buses leave every 15 minutes to drive for 20 minutes to get you to the lake. I didn't have time for all that since I was pressed for time. I just drove through Aspen enjoying the sights and then drove to Independence Pass. Very nice drive and tje road is very narrow at a lot of spots that one car has to stop to make room for another to pass.

Well, I enjoyed the sight at the top.

 

[Frazeur1]

Enjoyed your photos, some amazing shots from the drone! Thanks for sharing them!

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Enjoyed your photos, some amazing shots from the drone! Thanks for sharing them!

Thanks for the kind words. And thanks for taking the time to read my road trip.

The drone pictures truly gives a different perspective. I enjoy the views I get when I am flying, even when not taking pics yet. Bit looking at some things from a different perspective is truly nice. And when some people look at my pics while I am taking them, or the videos, they say they wish they could take a picture of themselves from up.

That is when some people have asked me how much I paid for my drone. Well, I tell them there are many different brands of drone and there are some cheap ones to some very expensive ones.

But I tell them my Mavic Pro 2 cost me $1,500. Then I have bought extra batteries, ND filters, extra sd card, put a yearly insurance on it, extra propellers, and carrying case. I just tell them that the drone carrying case I have with the drone in it and all its accessories all cost a grand total of over $2,000. I have told this to every single person who has met me flying out there and asked me how much I paid for it. I so remind them that you can always buy a cheaper one or a more expensive one. And the good thing is you can use it for a year or 2 even a d sell it and get atleast half your money back, if you keep it well.

 

[Frazeur1]

Yes, certainly some very different perspectives, it kind of fills in the gaps of what you see from the ground, so much more detail of the area/surroundings. I really haven't thought much about drone photos much before, until I saw yours. I really like seeing them, and your photography is very good! Great job with it all.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Yesterday was a super busy day. I went and spent the whole day drivong at Rocky Mountain National Park. On my way there, I used a scenic route that has this church on it. It is a historic site and it was built in 1927 and the Pope has even visited it. A very small church built on rocks.

I asked them if I could fly my drone and take pictures. They said sure. I was happy about that and so took over 20 beautiful pictures of so many angles. Beautiful pictures that I have to share more than one on this trip report.

A definite place to make a stop if using highway 7 to go to Rocky Mountain NP.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

Rocky Mountain National Park

The traffic in this park is very heavy. I visited during the week and it was still very busy. They told me that on the weekends the traffic is worse. If you get in through the Estes Park entrance, there is a dirt road that is 12 miles long and very scenic. Any type of car can drive on that road. Not suitable for RVs though. It has some very tight switchbacks and has a couple of trails and waterfalls you can stop at. Parking along the trail is veryimited. This road stays pretty busy and it is a short cut to get to the Alpine visitor center, which is a must visit place in the park to stop at for souvenirs and food.

 

[PetitFrereArmada]

RMNP 2