Roadtrip day 16

Stayed in Walsenburg overnight, heading south to avoid the incoming snowstorm up Colorado Springs way, heading east to get to Durango for the night. Only storm touched part of the route was Wolf Creek pass above Pagosa Springs. The pass got about 8″ of snow that day, temps in the mid-teens at the 10,000 foot level, pass is at about 10,800 feet. Hadn’t driven in weather like that before, very limited visibility, windy, icy. Below the summit, passenger cars were sliding into snow banks due to the ice roads. The FJ Cruiser just held the line and drove right through, but was definately 20 minutes of hoping I’d make it through, and happy I had warm clothes and food in the car. Took this picture about 15 minutes after the summit, after you could actually see a little of the road, and it wasn’t so hazardous.

Got to Durango, got a nice room right near the train station.

Unfortunately, my good friends were out of town this one week on a dive trip, so I didn’t get to see them, but from a prior visit, knew some of the good places to visit. Had a great dinner at West by Southwest, a good Japanese Fusion resturant, and visited the open mike night at Cuckoo’s Chicken House and Watering Hole, which made for a fun evening.

Mar 26 2009