There were some cool towns along the way but the most striking vista was Blanco Peak. At more than 14,000 feet, it has the fourth highest summit in the state of Colorado.
The Animas River, known for its trout fishing, flows through the heart of the city and along Historic Downtown Durango.
Durango was formed by a railroad company in 1880 to supply nearby silver and gold mining operations.
My morning started by heading south and I could really feel the elevation change as my car struggled a little bit and the temperature on a sunny August day dropped to 39 degrees. That was just on the 34-mile stretch from Silverthorne to Leadville, Colorado, on Highway 91.
From Leadville, I continued south on Highway 24 and then Highway 285 through central Colorado. Mountain peaks and blue skies with puffy white clouds were constantly part of the view. Every once in a while you would spot a little bit of last winter’s snow still clinging to some of the higher mountains.
The last time I saw the Rio Grande, it was at the southern tip of Texas along the Texas border nearly a thousand miles away. It’s almost impossible to believe it could be the same river. Here in Del Norte, Colorado, the water runs cold from the melting mountain snow that feeds it.
Heading west from Del Norte to Durango provides more steep grades and winding turns along Highway 160. I enjoyed the views but I was sure glad I wasn’t driving a semi. And I crossed the Great Divide again, this time at Wolf Creek Pass.
I crossed the continental divide part way through my side trip along Colorado Highway 6.
Farther west along Colorado Highway 6 on the way to Silverthorne. I believe the waterway is part of the Snake River system.
Vail Village is one of the most popular spots along the interstate when you travel west from Denver. Although best known as a ski area, it’s a nice place to stop any time of year. The village is very walkable and has lots of whimsical public art.
These murals are about a block or so away from Fort Lauderdale Beach not far from the intersection of A1A and Sunrise Boulevard.
To find them, look for the Primanti Brothers pizza place on A1A and wander around the shops and parking lots behind there.
I didn’t see any TV cops cruising down the street in a Ferrari on my most recent visit but I always enjoy strolling through the South Beach neighborhood of Miami Beach, Florida.
The best known section of this is the Wynwood Walls, which is surrounded by shops, restaurants and bars.
I spent some time just a few blocks away and found myself wandering by myself around an area that was off the beaten path near a construction site and yet still had plenty of amazing art work to explore.
– photo by Joe Alexander, all rights reserved
I was probably a week or two late to see the peak of the leaves changing colors, but there was still a lot of bright yellow in the trees. That made a vivid contrast to the red and tan striations of the rocky terrain in the park.
– photo by Joe Alexander, all rights reserved
Most of that drive takes you northeast up Interstate 15 through eastern Nevada, a sliver of northwestern Arizona and finally into the southwestern corner of Utah.
You never know what weather you’ll get when you book your vacation a few weeks out but I was fortunate to make the drive on a clear and sunny November day.
There were no traffic issues until I tried to park at the Zion National Park visitor’s center. I guess you need to get there early but I rolled in after 1 p.m. and the parking lot was completely full.
Amidst the crowds and hubbub of the international gathering of sports fans and gamblers, the Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo offered a place to find a little peace and quiet.
