From Ouray to Durango~Part 5

We're off for another interesting day in the Ouray area. Today, we drive to Black Canyon in the Gunnison National Park.

We're here.
Look down...

...way, way down.
God's phenomenal handiwork abounds!

A lot of smiling occurs.

Can you see the lookout below?

Yep, folks are looking out!

They are the tiny colorful dots.

Next, we'll drive to the bottom.

We're here.
 Look up...

...way, way, up.

It's time to exit the canyon now.

We hope you found the short 

but sweet visit enjoyable.

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Now we'll mosey over to the tiny town of Ridgway (population 979), only 7 miles from our campground. Being so close, we visited Ridgway several times during our trip. 

The town includes a handful of nice little shops which are spread out here and there, as well as a brewery, an Airstream food trailer, a small grocery store, a little hardware store, an ice cream shop, excellent pizza, and various other small businesses. We even attended an impressive Art in the Park event one day. 

While there, we encountered 
this old fire engine parked outside of...

...this 1882 stone & wood firehouse.
Notice the giant Eagle sculpture on this side?

With a little Googling, we found out that the firehouse is currently an artist's studio. 

Even more interesting, we learned that most of the 1969 movie True Grit with John Wayne was filmed in Ridgway and the surrounding area. The belfry on the top of the firehouse was added for the movie but it has never had a bell. 

For info about the making of True Grit in Ridgway, click here.

Here's a close up of the eagle. 

Isn't it cool?

We wonder if it was created by 

the firehouse's resident artist. 

See the busy white hummingbird hovering 

between the feeder and the ice cream sign?

Don't you love hummingbirds?

We all relaxed in a little sitting area next to the umbrella (behind the feeder) while indulging in some of the ice cream shop's quite tasty fare. 

Across from the ice cream shop is the park. 

Art in the Park was held here a few days later. 

We attended but sorry, no pics.

We sure liked the little town of Ridgway! 

It'd be nice to explore more in the future!

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Next, we'll drive into Montrose, eat Mexican food, and go bowling! 

Carrie just picked up a spare!

(These two pics came out of video, thus the quality.)

Not sure what Rick just did but 

we have no doubt, it was good!

We don't think more pics are necessary.

After all, you know what 

bowling looks like, right?

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Another day, Linda and I painted rocks while Joe & George decided to go hiking. We posted about that day on my Yak Yak Art blog which you can read by clicking here. 

Our two weeks in Ouray are about over! That was quick, wasn't it?

Moving down to Durango for a week is next on the itinerary. 

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This blogger was talked into riding to Durango via the Million Dollar Highway which I said back in 2010 would never happen again! But guess what? Yeah, it happened! 

The Million Dollar Highway has been dubbed one of the most dangerous highways in America and for good reason! It runs 23 miles from Ouray to Silverton on the way to Durango. While it's 23 miles of spectacular, majestic views, about 12 miles of it also navigates hair-raising curves on the edges of deep ravines with mostly no guard rails and little to no shoulder in most places. 

We opted to follow Joe & Linda since they've been up and down the Million Dollar Highway a lot over the years! Rick & Carrie chose to go around another way.

Here we go!

There's Ouray below as we leave 

on the Million Dollar Highway.

Bye Ouray!

As you can see, they actually 

have a guard rail here. 

Notice how the road just drops off on the right!

Plop!

(I took these two pics out of some video.)

Look at the curvy road ahead,
 and the abrupt edges! 

See how it winds with barely any shoulder, 

no shoulder in some places. 

Below is a very deep ravine!  

Phew! 
At last, we're on better ground.
Aren't you glad?

It's definitely a gorgeous drive and, 

as you can see, the sky was a rich blue today!

I must say this trip is on the better side of the Million Dollar Highway. Coming the other direction is even more harrowing!

We stopped in Silverton for a few hours but we mostly shot video so there's not many pics, however, you can see pics and get additional info from our 2010 and 2011 trip by clicking the links below. 

To read about our 2010 experience in 

Silverton and Ouray, and on the 

Million Dollar Highway, 

click HERE.

To read about our 

2011 train ride 

to Silverton from Durango on the 

Durango Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad, 

click HERE.

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Alas, we're not too far 
from the RV park now as we 
begin passing pristine Vallecito Lake. 

The RV Park is in Bayfield, 
about 45 beautiful minutes from Durango.

AND

We're here!

We love this RV park!

We will tell you about it in the next post.

Stay tuned for the final Colorado post.

Smiles,
D~~~~