Day Eleven: Carbondale, Colorado to Durango, Colorado

The night was clear and displayed a bright Milky Way, and so I wasn't surprised to find a thick layer of frost on the triumph when I started loading her up.  The frost also gave me permission to lull a bit: given that I would be crossing Independence Pass (elevation: 12,095'), I wanted to give any water runnels and seeps time to thaw.

One frosty gas tank.

I eventually headed out Highway 82 to Aspen (past a highway sign that warned of icy conditions on the pass), where I stopped for an incredible breakfast of huevos rancheros.  While eating, the couple sitting next to me told me that a 9,500 s.f. penthouse apartment was for sale in town -- for a cool $21 million.  (They weren't in the market any more than I am.)  During breakfast the heat of the sun baked me out of my GoreTex layer.  Heading southeast with an endless string of traffic, we set route for the pass. The road narrows in places to a lane's width, and winds and climbs relentlessly.  A fantastic road.  On the bike all speed limits seem stupidly low, which is rather confidence-inspiring.  I'm by no means a road racer -- but several other riders on the road fit that bill, pushing HARD down the pass.  (The packs including a couple of Ducatis, which sounded incredible.  Dang.)  My much-slower cohort eventually reached the pass, and I stopped for the obligatory photos.  Here's two, only one of which shows the bike.

Me, in full regalia, at the pass.

Yet another photograph of the Triumph, this one at 12, 095'.

After the fun descent, Highway 82 joined with 24 and then 285 southbound.  The next few hours were far less exciting, battling a fierce cross-wind along long, straight, level stretches (though with mountains in the distance to both west and east).  A short jog west on 112 brought me to Highway 160 at Del Norte.  Here the scenery again came alive.  The ride west to Durango was incredible, winding through the San Juan Mountains and up over Wolf Creek Pass (where the bike again had me thinking "why the hell is the speed limit so low?").

Looking back up towards Highway 160's Wolf Creek Pass after the descent.

Too bad the sun was right in my eyes the last hour or so of the ride; otherwise it was perfect.  I checked into yet another KOA cabin, then headed into town for a dinner that was far more upscale than I had intended.  No complaints!

This post was written on Day Twelve of the trip.