6/23/2018.   Mostly sunny.   56F/83F

Over the Continental Divide: Grand Junction to Manitou Springs (Colorado Springs)

Slept in ’til nearly 8 o’clock after being up until 2 a.m. last night culling the bumper crop of yesterday’s photos at the Ogden railroad, classic car and Browning Museums, and writing up journal notes for the day.  Had breakfast this morning in the in the hotel’s tiny breakfast room which luckily had one table open that had room for the four of us.  It was simple fare: dry cereal, no eggs, bacon, or waffles … they had OJ, coffee, and yoghurt which was a bit on the thin side for a breakfast buffet, but enough to get us going for day.  We were on the road at the crack of 10:45, but this is one reason we like traveling with Carol & Jim so much … they are on our wavelength.  Traveling is to be enjoyed, not endured … and we don’t like being rushed!

Jim was the duty pilot of the today, and I was the designated navigator.  We chose a different route other than the make-the-best-time route on I-70 through Denver, and instead went southeasterly and east from Grand Junction on US-50 through Montrose, the Curecanti National Recreation Area, Gunnison, and over the Continental Divide at the 11,312′ Monarch Pass, which is higher than the top of Oregon’s tallest mountain, Mt. Hood.  Out of Grand Junction we had lots of lovely vistas with rimrock country, rock formations, lots of green grassy creek bottoms, and Blue Mesa Reservoir with its blue-emerald waters with lots of boaters out.  The summer touring season is well underway and going strong!  Lots of RVs, SUVs and family cars full of vacationing people, which is kind of nice to see … people out enjoying the great scenic sights of the American West.

Photo 5382.  On Hwy US-50, coming up on Blue Mesa Reservoir on the Gunnison River –
Rockies in the distance.

Photo 5422.  The four of us at Monarch Pass, 11,312′

Photo 5429.  Monarch Mt. Ski Area from Monarch Pass

At Salida, we turned north off US-50 and headed north up the Arkansas River Valley on US-285 to Johnson Village and stopped to soak in the fabulous view of the Collegiate Peaks Viewpoint near Buena Vista.

Photo 5459.  Arkansas River Valley from the Collegiate Peaks Viewpoint –
Mount Princeton at the center.

From there we went east on US-24 over some beautiful high plains through Hartsel, Woodland Park, and down the Fountain Creek Valley to Manitou Springs, just outside of Colorado Springs where we stayed.  I don’t ever recall getting such good weather for scenery when coming through Colorado before: cobalt blue skies and puffy cumulus clouds.

Photo 5488.  High broad valley near Hartsel.

Good thing we made a reservation well in advance for our hotel in Manitou Springs.  Turns out that the annual Pikes Peak Hill Climb was the next day (6/24/18), and all the hotels were booked up.  Spectators were allowed to get into position on the course from 3 a.m. to 7 a.m., and the race starts at 8 a.m.  The course is 12.42 miles, starting at Mile 7 on the Pikes Peak Highway — elevation gain is 4,720′ with over 156 turns.  This year’s race was won by Romain Dumas, a 40-year old French professional race car driver, and a factory driver for Porsche.  He won driving a Volkswagen I.D. R all-electric race car and broke the course record in the process!  Incidentally, Dumas also won the Pikes Peak Hill Climb in 2014, 2016, and 2017, plus has several wins at the LeMans 24-hour, the Nurburgring 24-hour and at the Sebring 12-hour among others.  My god this guy is a racing superstar!  But in case that is not enough for you, there is more at Pikes Peak: a cycling race, and a foot race: an ascent (up only) and marathon (up and down) too.  It makes my knees hurt just to think about it!

Photo:  Volkswagen I.D. R “Pikes Peak”, winner of the 2018 Pikes Peak Hill Climb
(Source: Autoweek.com)

More later.