After a complimentary breakfast of waffles, yogurt & fruit at pur Montrose motel we headed to the Black Canyon at 8:30am with 57 degree, blue sky weather. About a 15 minute drive from our motel. The canyon's name stems from the dark shadows created among the dark rocks in the narrow gorge at certain times of day.
Visitor Center inside the park. As is typical, lots of information and exhibits.
One of many canyon overlooks, this one a short walk down from the visitor center. Not the place for anyone with vertigo, but a knockout view down, down, down.
This photo actually taken by another human being, not some timer on a stick.
Those not wanting to look down could always just look across the canyon to the other side.
But if you do want to look down..... The view varies alot as you go from overlook to overlook.
Some people just can't get close enough to look down.
We intended to just take a picture of the sky and rocks, but dashed over at the last minute to steal the spotlight.
Norm pretending to read without his glasses - otherwise known in picture taking circles as artistic license.
The sun is higher now, dispelling early morning shadows.
About 26 miles of Montrose in Ridgway (yes, no "e") is Orvis Hot Springs where we planned to soak for awhile in their natural hot mineral baths. This place has been around since the 19th century.
Walls surround the baths, which could also give the impression it is some kind of supremecist compound.
Nope, just mineral springs inside after all.
A most pleasant setting inside .. Pam snuck her Iphone in despite them being banned. 15 minutes prior a couple had been laying on blankets drying off, in the buff.
Although Pam has photographed Norm from a respectable distance, both he and she have gotten with the program. No messy wet bathing suits to bother with later, either. The waterfall to Norm's left is a nice touch - he sat under it for awhile to soak his head.
All dried out, back on the road for the two hour scenic drive further south, from Ridgway through Silverton to durango, Colorado, not far from the New Mexico border. Twenty-five miles of the 80 mile stretch, between Ouray and Silverton, is known as the Million Dollar Highway. Possibly because it cost a millon dollars a mile to build in the 1920's or some say there is a million dollars worth of gold ore in the fill used during construction. Either way, the views are worth a million.
No longer the peak of fall foliage, but stll plenty of yellow and gold in many places.
Over 11,000 feet in mid-October and we were driving all the way with the car's sunroof open and the windows down. There had already been snow here, but you wouldn't know it. After this we had two more passes of nearly 11,000 feet to cross as well before reaching Durango.
The halfway mark, more or less.
Over 9,000 feet high, Silverton from this vantage looked a movie set.
Harleys everywhere, even in Silverton, where this one bills itself as the highest Harley dealership in the world. Norm would have broken down and bought a T-shirt just for the bragging rights, but 3XL was not to be had. Then again, this dealership does not sell or service actual Harley motorcycles - you have to go to (lower elevation) Durango for that. This is more an effete boutique branded clothing outlet, not unlike similar Harley "dealerships" located inside some Las Vegas casinos. Boooooo!
All that elevation made us hungry and that made Norm grumpy. Hence, a detour into Grumpy's where Norm gobbled a reuben sanwich with a side of chile and washed it down with a local microbrew. Pam was more dainty with her juicy burger, sweet potato fries and a beer also. Then we fell asleep (kidding!).
Inside Grumpy's, Mr. Grumpy waiting for the eats. There was a fellow banging the piano keys the entire time we were there. Oh well, it could have been a bagpipe instead.
This pig looked sort of sad, which brought forth an instinctive reaction from Pam.
Snow on the peaks made this meadow view really "pop"!
At an overlook, Norm swings the binoculars around to see what Pam is up to. You guessed it.
Did we say it was a nice day? You just want to eat it, or swim in it, or wrap it around you.
A view of the road ahead. Sections of the road have what are described as "vertiginous dropoffs" with no guardrails and numerous switchbacks. All true. It helps to have practiced on the Pacific Coast Highway first.
Sixty miles east of Durango and we have reached our destination for the day at 5 p.m. Yes, our cup runneth over with two hot mineral springs in one day. Break out the (dry) bathing suits for this one.
The imposing entrance to the public baths. We stayed in the adjacent hotel, The Springs, with use of the baths included for guests.
Inside, various bath venues with varying water temperatures, from 100 to 118 degrees.
Looking back at the main building.
Pam pointing to a "104 degrees" sign - just right, last one in is a lobster. Quite the park.
A soothing environment - the adjacent river is on the left.
The head just visible at the right corner of the pool is Mr. ex-Grumpy.
Norm's turn to dash out, take a quick snap and quickly scuttle back in, much to the amusement of the other spa occupants. You can tell the tourists every time.
Stairs leading up to our hotel, right background.
Early evening settles in and we think about turning in before midnight. Tomorrow a longish drive to Denver where we will visit with Norm's sister Inge.
Mileage for the day 210 miles.
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