The Last Day in Colorado

Leaving Aspen and heading back to the same hotel in Sante Fe. The plan is ride over Independence Pass, loop back toward Gunnison then down to South Fork, over Wolf Creek Pass to Pagosa Springs then Santa Fe.

Independance Pass

This is a fun ride. The area east of Aspen is as close to heaven as I care to get right now and the climb up to the top of the pass is awsome. The road is lined with Aspen trees and the view down the stepp drop off to the right is so enticing that I have to keep refocusing my eyes back to the narrow winding road. You just don't get views like this back in Texas...

Proof that I was there...

I'll be adding a video of the ride over the pass after I get it cleaned up and uploaded to YouTube.

Bouncing back and forth over the Continental Divide

Looping back toward Gunnison took me back over the Continental Divide at Monarch Pass.

The water under my bike was left over from a group of Harley riders I waited on who were taking pic's in front of this sign. I have no idea if it was from one of the bikes or if they were just messy drinkers.

Somewhere along the line I crossed back over the Continental Divide and then came back across again via Wolf Creek Pass. I didn't stop for a sign picture but snapped a couple of shots along the way.

Smoke from New Mexico fires was in the air here...

South Fork wasn't much to write home about but Pagosa Springs seems to have really done a great job of developing the hot springs to make it a 'cool' place to hang out...

After this it was just a sprint to the Buffalo Thunder Hotel at Sante Fe for some food and and sleep.