The Million Dollar Highway, US Route 550, Ouray, Colorado to Silverton, Colorado, an approximate 25 mile stretch of steep grades and hairpins on an asphalt road cut into the San Juan Mountains, which at every turn becomes an "OMG" moment. This scenic drive is perfect for photographers like me, but it also poses a problem for the photographer to sort through hundreds of photos to decide which to post on this blog or leave behind. And, the photos do not do this drive justice!
We had decent weather thank goodness with a small downpour in Ouray, where we found shelter in the many art galleries lining the main street. We knew we weren't going to venture to Silverton until the weather passed because we wanted to have the best drive possible, which we did! Thom did a terrific job taking us up, down, over, and back up, back down, and back over this beautiful mountain range where remains of a gold mine (Idarado Mine) are visible.
Enjoy the drive -
The view on 550 leaving Montrose.
I remember thinking, "this isn't so bad"!
Like many roads in Colorado, there are beautiful river runoffs like this one, which is located on 550 near Ridgeway, Colorado, a small town before Ouray.
Thom in the middle of "Main Street" in Ouray.
The "Gator Emporium", which was a very strange store but this was pretty cool when you walked in the doors.
I should have bought this!
In 1985, when we last visited Ouray, this was a Rexall Drug Store, which had a soda fountain in it. Today it is an empty building, once a liquor store. We spoke with a man in the old Rexall who told us their most famous citizen at the time was Bill Fries, a.k.a. C. W. McCall, who in 1986 was elected Mayor, ultimately serving for six years. He is the artist who recorded the hit trucking song, "Convoy" in 1976.
If you can't read, don't drive on this highway! There are very few guardrails!
Goodbye Ouray!
Deer "1"
We made it to Silverton after leaving Ouray at an elevation of 7706, climbing to an elevation of 11,108 at Red Mountain Pass, and then coasting to an elevation of 9318!
Downtown Silverton is a western city lost in time!
The "Bent Elbow Hotel, Restaurant and Saloon", a place we took the kids in 1996 after the train ride on the Durango& Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.
The Bent Elbow Hotel's saloon still looks the same!
Christ of the Mines - 16' tall, 12 tons of marble
We did the entire drive with the top down but we needed our "hoodies" for the drive back! My hoodie selfie!
This is how this road is the whole way. And, there are crazy RVers who actually take their RV on this road. I can't imagine encountering an RV around a turn when you can't see where that turn is taking you!
Deer "2" - where is the wildlife?
The mountains were gorgeous and the rock formations brilliant; we needed the top down to see above us!
Our RV is 13'8" - we would barely make it through this tunnel!
We made it back to Ouray! What a trip. I wish the color in these photos were better because it was absolutely breathtaking!
As noted above, this is Part One of our day, no on to Part Two (new blog post) ....
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