Great Divide Ride- the Ride Begins

[jakescase]

Divide Ride

And to Ouray:

 

[jakescase]

Divide Ride

After spending two days on our side trip, Ouray, we headed back toward our central focus, the Continental Divide.
On the way back, east of Ridgway was the "True Grit" country( part of the original version was shot there) and then on to the Divide at Cottonwood Pass.

Ouray is a pretty town; then on to "True Grit"

 

[jakescase]

Divide Ride

After lunch in Gunnison,we took some "Local Knowledge" which didn't turn out well. We had planned to take the Parlin-Pitkin and from there over Napolean Pass, Tincup and over Cottonwood Pass on the Continental Divide.We were advised that the 135 north toward Crested Butte and onto the Cottonwood Pass road(742) was more scenic-- Forget about it! Road work--
Finally got to pretty part of Cottonwood Pass rd:

 

[jakescase]

Divide Ride

And continuing on Cottonwood Pass

 

[jakescase]

Divide Ride

The next day from Buena Vista,we headed to Como( Historic Town)and onto Boreas Pass rd and past Mt. Silverheels:

:

 

[jakescase]

Divide Ride

To Boreas Pass and the Railroad Tank and from there on the Ute Pass (don't bother, Pine Beetles have ruined it) and north of Silverthorne toward Kremmling:

 

[jakescase]

Divide Ride

And over the Colorado( look how small) crossing Muddy Pass and Rabbit Ears Pass to Steamboat:




I hope this picture review has not seemed too much like your "Uncle's vacation Slides"--- Some of you asked for photos.
Next segment, Wyoming.

 

[jakescase]

Fascinating....

Most encouraged to hear people can still have an 'adventure' within the lower 48 which does not involve the danger of being kidnapped, the hassle of crossing foreign borders or winching from mud hole to mud hole in highly modified and uber expensive diesel Land Cruiser (unavailable for sale in the USA) or Unimog.

Whimpy? I think not and thank you for sharing.

Thank you for the comments. Certainly was "Whimpy" compared to the way the bicyclists did it.. The ones we passed didn't pass up water and fruit we gave them..

 

[jakescase]

This is YOUR trip and you should have what ever kind of adventure you want.
Don't worry if you measure up to the mega media trips or the hard core wheelers or anyone else.
Have the best trip YOU can have so you have the best memories you can have.

I did the Continental Divide route from Canada to Mexico and I did it too fast, trying to meet others expectations and I regret that. Granted my son's & I along with some friends will always have great memories and lots of stories. But it should have been so much more.

By the way I like your pics and I looking forward to more of your story as you travel. Enjoy this as life goes by too quick.

Thank you. We had the "luxury" of a month to make the journey... However 25 days in the truck was a lot.

 

[jakescase]

Divide Ride

Now on to Wyoming. Before leaving Colorado,"Fortification Rocks" north of Craig, then "ruts" from the Overland Trail, the first of 4 Continental Divide crossings that day and lunch at Anna Lope's ( Originally Grandma's Cafe)
And then on toward Lander-- Split Rock (An important trail marker),some wildlife and the interesting "Ice Slough." The Oregon Trail passed here.

General comment about the day-- A better route might have been the originally planned one-- 129 out of Steamboat through Clark and Columbine and skirting the Wyoming border to Slater. From there to East of Baggs and ending the day at Rawlins, instead of Lander. While Sinks Canyon south of Lander was different and scenic and the Lewis Lake rd nice, a better next day might have been Rawlins to South Pass/ Atlantic City and then Lander Cutoff to Boulder and then to Pinedale.
Hopefully Brushogger,the couple going the other direction behind us will have found this a good way.

 

[x32792]

In the photos above, there appears to be several red rotopaxs in your overhead rack. Here assuming they were filled with gas....How did that work out for you?

 

[jakescase]

In the photos above, there appears to be several red rotopaxs in your overhead rack. Here assuming they were filled with gas....How did that work out for you?

They performed just as advertised. Had to use one on the North Star/Pie Town/Grants portion. Expanded some in altitude differences. Subsequent reduction required tightening Lock/clamp. No leaks, somewhat unwieldy to handle on filling truck.

 

[jakescase]

Divide Ride

And now from Lander, through Sinks Canyon and Lewis Lake Rd. to Atlantic City/ South Pass City and on to the historic "Lander Cutoff Road"
First Sinks Canyon-- an anomoly explained in the sign, and then Lewis Lake road:
Including the inevitable "Kodak Moment"

 

[jakescase]

Divide Ride

To Atlantic City, South Pass and starting on the Lander Cutoff:

 

[jakescase]

Divide Ride

By our GPS driven Nav System, we crossed the CD 6 times that day, the 4th time on the ridge.And finally to the "Buckskin Crossing of the Big Sandy River"

Almost a "Hollywood Scene".. Native American herding cattle on horseback..

We lunched in Boulder and wound up the day in Pinedale. We had timed it so that we were in Pinedale for their annual Rendezvous-- quite a celebration, craft vendors and a parade the next day.