Through the Rockies

The ride from Durango to Pagosa Springs on Rt 160 was reasonably uneventful. Thr rolling hills look like the western Sierras foothills. After Pagosa Springs is Wolf Creek Pass. There was a little rain in the pass (10,500 feet). There is always rain in the pass!

We spent an hour or more waiting in a traffic jam to get througn a one-lane section between the pass and South Fork. The Gas station in South Fork was mostly unpaved and the part that was paved was covered with sand and gravel. This is a problem for Carol, whose legs aren't quite long enough to get a stable purchase on that sort of ground. This issue creates a lot of anxiety. There is a lot of stuff out on these back roads that is not paved. We can't even pull of the road to take pictures.

That is why I relied on the video, but the same two problems recurred:

• The sky is so bright that the rest of the shot is black as it tries to balance the exposure.
  
• I cnnot tell if I have held the button in long enough to turn it on (or
  
  Zoom!
  Zoomed in version of the Rio Grande Source pic
  off). so I am frequently not shooting when I want to and shooting when I don't
  

Rt 149 from South Fork up to Rt 50 is through winding valleys and over the mountains that separate them. We criss-crossed the Rio Grande several times even found its source at a relatively level, paved scenic overlook. We crossed back over the continental divide at Spring Creek pass (10,900') and it rained on us.

Later, we crossed Slumgullion Pass (11, 360') and it poured rain and pea-sized hail on us. I think this sort of stuff is great, in a sort of a halarious, slapstick way. Carol does not share my enthusiasm. No matter how bad it gets there is no place to pull over that is both level and paved.

We are now in Gunnison considering our options.

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Part of trip: Yellowstone

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