102.76 Miles | 2:50 Riding Time

Today is Saturday, May 11, 2024, and it’s Day 31 of my cross country motorcycle trip.

Well the forecast for the Million Dollar Highway was not so good this morning. While the road was technically open, snow showers, thunderstorms and 2.5 inches of new snow (on top of what fell yesterday) made it a bust for me. Someday, I’ll come back and ride it, but not this trip. I’ve ridden and will ride enough of this country’s beautiful roads that I’m disappointed, but not heartbroken.

As a “consolation prize,” I’m going to Mesa Verde, one of the National Parks on my list. I’m excited, and a little bit nervous about the road, which the National Park Service describes as a “steep, narrow, winding mountain road.” It was. It was also amazingly beautiful, rugged and inspiring. Oh yeah, and I survived.

I pulled in to the visitor center, got my stickers (all my souvenirs have to be small and flat, so…stickers adorn my computer), got the latest weather (thunderstorms expected in the afternoon—I should be out by 1:30 pm to beat them), road info, and what not to miss.

Then, I started on my journey. It’s about 20 miles and 45 minutes to get from the entrance to the main sights in the park. I pulled up the the entrance, and showed the ranger my National Park Pass…this was the first time I was using it, and it felt strangely good (Does that make me a park nerd? I’m ok with that.).

On the Mesa Loop road, there are about 10-15 stops with overlooks of the mesa dwellings. A few areas are only accessible if you are on a tour, so there were a couple things I didn’t get to see. A brief stop at the museum, cafeteria, and to fill my water bottle and I was on my way for the 20 mile ride back out of the park.

The ride down was a little unnerving, because I was on the cliff side of the mountain road for most of the way. It’s high and it was just starting to drizzle a little. I wanted to make it down before those thunderstorms came in, and thankfully,

Back on the main road toward Cortez, CO and Dolores. I arrived at the Outpost Motel and RV park in Dolores. Got checked in, and threw in a load of laundry, before the skies opened up and that thunderstorm rolled in. So…I had a nice nap before heading over to Montezuma’s Mexican restaurant for some dinner.

Colorado has been an adventure. The winds, the weather. I didn’t get to see everyone and everything I wanted to, but I still had a great time. I may swing back through northern CO on my way back—after Yellowstone and the Tetons. For now, I’m going to move on. Tomorrow, I head into Utah. Moab, Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce, Zion, and Snow Canyon (and I’m sure more) all await.

The Route: