Having seen the Colorado Monument Road, I knew it would be hard to top. With so many routes to choose from and our last day before heading home we decided to head east on 50.
Frank, Don, Mikee and I headed east on highway 50 toward Gunnison. Along the way we found Blue Mesa Reservoir and stopped for the snapshot. Once in Gunnison we decided to take a less traveled road (135) north to Crested Butte for lunch.
The town is an artsy type of place with tourism the obvious sustaining industry. This is fine with me because like the rest of the area around Montrose, the scenery is free and the roads are appealing to motorcyclists.
Among the t-shirt and "paraphernalia" stores are scattered a wide offering of cafes and restaurants. There may be one that is a step up from uber-casual but I didn't notice one.
The Cowboy Saloon boasted BBQ and that is always a draw. Rustic would describe the interior. Framed exterior walls showed were unfinished and made of rough wood with the siding showing into the interior. The first three barstools nearest the entrance were western style saddles on pedestals. The staff was likewise laid back, yet efficient. The food was good and in the cool mountain environment, hot sandwiches hit the spot.
Once again we consulted the maps and almost decided to go over the pass which had been opened for summer. After a discussion of wet dirt roads with some input from the waiter, we got bluffed out and decided to head back down to Gunnison.
Intermittent rain and several previous long days in the saddle helped us decide to retire early and prepare for the long ride home. We took the scenic Highway 50 back to Montrose and spent the afternoon resting up and preparing for the marathon trip home.
All in all our visit to Montrose had been too short. So many roads, so little time. There were many people attending whom I had intended to see, and never did. I knew from the roster there were folks I had met in Arkansas, Tennessee, and New York floating around but again, so many roads.
I will say this. Not a minute was dissappointing. This is one place everyone should visit. Good people, good food, spectacular scenery. I hope to bring Pam here someday.
No comments:
Post a Comment