My last North American post.....Colorado

After finding the camera eventually.....we drove back into Crested Butte as we wanted to drive up Kebler Pass, that was closed last year because of the snow.  There was no snow this time, but plenty of rain.....but it didn't detract from the lushness, wildflowers

and an abundance of aspen.

 A really pretty drive...but one Pass wasn't enough, so we went on McClure Pass.....

followed by Independence Pass...out of Aspen.  We tried to to this Pass last year but it was closed due to the snow.....and there was a bit of rain this time...but still beautiful.

Not quite finished with the Passing, we went for our 4th.....Fremont Pass, from Leadville to Silverthorne.....

 and finally our 5th Mountain Pass in a day...the old favourite...Loveland Pass!

and a short video of Stu "Passing"....5 COLORADO PASSES
Once we were down the last Pass, we hit the I 70!  A road I always hated..and this time didn't disappoint either....torrential rain, heavy traffic, impatient drivers!!  It still managed to look good though.

So we arrived at Connie and Bill's place in the evening and spent the next 4 nights there.  It was great seeing them again, hearing about their new house and getting a tour.  We went out for tea and caught up with Bev, a teacher from Stu's school last year and also met Connie's sister and brother in law, Candy and Ken...a great couple.  I got to see a bit of our old stomping ground again in Denver...even managed a quick trip to King Soopers (our local grocery store) to check out the renovations that were in place when we left!
It has been the most amazing trip travelling throughout America.  It is such a fabulous country to visit, so much to see, so cheap (compared with home)...it was fantastic having Donna and Paul over here, spending time with them in Florida and then being in contact with each other throughout our adventures.  House exchanges, couchsurfing, RV'ing, cheap, cheap hotels....from the Arctic Circle to Florida.....it's been a blast!  Thanks North America!!!

Colorado

Last year when Mum was here we did a trip to Bayfield, near Durango, to visit our Australian exchangee friends Warren and Sue, and on the way home we were hoping to drive the Million Dollar Highway.  They had a snowstorm that day and it was too dangerous to travel it, so we were pretty happy to be back this way again and to be able to drive it.
We drove from Alamosa to Gunnison, climbing up towards Silverton.

It all looked so different from the last time when it was covered in snow. The stretch from Red Mountain Pass through the gorge has steep cliffs, narrow lanes, and a lack of guardrails and going up Red Mountain Pass there are lots hairpin curves to gain elevation and narrow lanes for traffic—many cut directly into the sides of mountains.
So we we wondered how the hire car would cope with the road and where mum would sit if she had been with us....possibly on the roof....

but it drove a treat.... no problems!

This drive was truly spectacular...the colours were amazing, huge multicoloured mountains, lush green foliage, wildflowers....just fantastic.

Ouray was a small town in the mountains....filled to the brim with people...but lovely old buildings and plenty of shops!

We had to be in Gunnison that afternoon, so continued our drive watching distant storms...

 We got to Blue Mesa Reservoir, which is such a picturesque piece of water, just out of Gunnison.  Storm clouds were brewing everywhere with flashes of lightning...it was spectacular.

We arrived at Jodee and Lou's place that afternoon....we were going to do a non simultaneous house exchange with Jodee and Lou in April, but instead they generously let us stay at their house (we actually had the entire house to ourselves) by the banks of the Gunnison River. 

We got along really well, so pushed the friendship by staying there again on our way back to Denver.

We had a great afternoon....pizza at Crested Butte joined by Jodee and Lou's friend, Gary, a cool drive in the Cadillac, a quick video....COOL COLORADO CADILLAC

plenty of laughs and torrential rain. Thanks you guys!  We went to Crested Butte last year with all the Aussies for a weekend of snow fun!..It looked so different this time...probably more people than during winter...and not a spec of snow anywhere!

The next morning we had planned a leisurely getaway, but instead spent 40 mins looking for Stuart's camera...pulled the car and bags apart more than once!!  I eventually found it underneath my hat on the front seat!!! So we were away for our last adventure in North America.......

New Mexico....and 4 states in a day...

The plan was to get to Roswell, New Mexico that night...to check out the aliens!  First of all we saw the cane fields where it is obvious they would hide...

turns out they don't hide at all...and use all the modern day conveniences that we do....
fuel..

 a bit of KFC....

 shop at Walmart, just like us....

and even do their own research...

Stu caught up with a couple of mates in the street....

and while I found it all a bit alien,

Stu did a tour of the "research centre".....coming out with a few conspiracy theories of his own....

I was probably more interested in getting down to White Sands National Monument, than being in Roswell, so we made our way down there...about a 2 1/2 hr drive. 

What a beautiful place this was.

The Visitor Centre was a gorgeous adobe building....

The $80 we spent on a National Parks pass when we arrived back in the US was a very sound investment.  It allows you the freedom to drop into any US National Park.  This park had the added bonus of being right next to a missile range, which sometimes forces the park to close down. 

Fortunately for us, this day wasn't one of those days!
It was a really unique place...quite different to Sand Dunes NP in Colorado.

 and was well set up for people to sandboard down, with plenty of shelters provided.

Stu managed a "sand angel"....

which looked like it belonged in the Roswell UFO Research Centre!!

We climbed up and down a few dunes...but it was really hot.

A gorgeous place that I wished we could have stayed at longer, but we had to get to Albuquerque that night, which was a 6 hr drive away.

We had organised another couch-surf in Albuquerque, with a couple called Chris and Jaimie.  Turns out they would be in Colorado that weekend, but still said we could stay at their place.  We couldn't believe it.  We arrived at their new town house, in Albuquerque, to find the air con going, a remote to use their garage, a key to access the swimming pool, password for wifi, a bottle of wine, and a beautiful home with everything we could possible need...and they had  never met us.  We couldn't believe it.  It was fantastic!

with great views....

but the best part for Stu was that we were across the road from the Albuquerque Studios, where they film Breaking Bad!!

and the best part for me was driving past this groovy rattlesnake every day!

We went into Old Town Albuquerque to have a look, and it was very reminiscent of Sante Fe (capital) that we visited last year....very touristy, but great buildings, colours......

 

Stu went inside the church and there was some sort of service going on...it looked like a wedding, but if it was...only the bride turned up!

and I'm not sure what these guys were thinking in their "doof doof" car, but every few feet it bottomed out and hit the ground.....but it didn't stop them and they did numerous bog laps around the street!

We also went and looked at some petroglyphs, but the heat and the threat of rattlesnakes made us turn around and head for the air-conditioned car!

  That evening we spent at the house....chilling, before our next big day on the road.  The plan was to get to Oklahoma....so we qualified for a number plate and then head up to Colorado....so we drove a bit of Route 66 in New Mexico.....

but it was sad to see some of the small towns dying as the highway bypassed them....

We left New Mexico and briefly crossed into...

up to...

back into....

before finally returning to our favourite state....

and making a quick detour in Sand Dunes National Park after the sun had gone down....

We spent the night in Alamosa where we heard of the very sad news of the passing of a teacher from Maidens Park PS.  Elaine was a wonderful lady. Stu appreciated her professionalism, honesty and absolute dedication to her job and I really enjoyed our weekly chats...especially our Kimberley connection. A very, very sad day.