Sept 26–Pagosa Springs

It was really windy all night last night, so neither of us slept well, thinking about the road out of Ouray.  We had two choices.  We could go back north and take I-50 east and then go south, which would have made today about 250 miles to get half way to Santa Fe, or we could go directly south from Ouray on what they call the “Million Dollar Highway” (named back when a million dollars was actually a lot of money) that goes straight down to Silverton and Durango to Pagosa Springs, which is a 120 mile day, with about a hundred miles tomorrow to Santa Fe.  No contest, right?  Except that it was really, really windy and there is a significant part of the road that is a sheer drop-off for a thousand feet or more.  But the G-Man has nerves of steel, so we took the short, breath-taking road.  I drove the Little Green Toad for the first 30 miles so poor Cleo wouldn’t have to drag it up those 7% grades at 10,000’.  Here’s a picture of Cleo on the road.  This is NOT the part of the road where that drop-off was on the right hand side of the road.  Even though I was in the little car following, I was keeping both hands on the steering wheel and my full attention on the road!

The view from the road after Silverton isn’t as colorful as the north end of the road.  The trees there are just beginning to think about putting on their gold coats.  It’s still a pretty view.

There was one single, solitary patch of color along the downward slope. 

So now we are in Pagosa Springs, contemplating the choice between a steak house and a Mexican restaurant, both recommended by out RV camp host.  Tomorrow is Santa Fe.