Storm Clouds Brewing

Million Dollar Highway near Ouray, Colorado

We awoke to a beautiful, albeit warm morning in Moab.  In an attempt to let Kate sleep in on her one full day off, David made coffee, and we enjoyed the morning sitting outside the camper.  As we gazed towards the east, we noticed an enormous amount of storm clouds gathering around mountains to the east.. the very direction we intended to travel.  We decided that it would be best to leave Moab earlier rather than later.  With hugs around, we said our farewells to Kate and headed toward Colorado.

The past few years we have ended our annual adventure by traveling the Million Dollar Highway (Route 550) between Ridgeway and Durango, Colorado.  David and I have been hiking, backpacking, and traveling this area for nearly forty years, and it never fails to bring us joy.  This time of year is exceptionally beautiful with all of the fall colors.

Dallas Divide, Ridgeway, Colorado

We were surprised to find the Dallas Divide with just a tinge of color.  In another two weeks, this place will be absolutely drenched in golds, reds, and oranges.  Unfortunately, we're feeling like horses heading to the barn right now and not willing to wait.

By the time we reached higher elevations near Ouray, the landscape was bathed in breathtaking fall colors.

We decided to stop at Mineral Creek Campground near Silverton, a favorite camping spot.  As we rounded one of the corners along the gravel road to the campground, I began to shout, "Moose, moose!!!"  David tromped on the brakes, looking bewildered as he tried to locate what I was pointing at... and he found him... a moose trotting right up the very road we were traveling.  This was a shocking experience for both of us.  In all of our years of visiting this end of Colorado, we have NEVER seen a moose until today.

He was young, perhaps only two years, scrawny and in velvet.  But a moose he be... I managed to catch this shot of him...  How come I always seem to get the derriere?

We arrived at the campground with storm clouds appearing to dissipate.  The area was covered in tiny pink flags.  When we registered, an information sign indicated that the pink flags marked flooded areas from the 2009 flood.  Of course, we had already set camp in one of those areas, not more than 15 feet from the creek.  No worries... right???

We enjoyed a lovely evening, reminiscing the trip.  By bedtime, storm clouds were gathering in earnest.  By midnight, the skies opened up and, oh my gosh, did it rain!  The wind gusted, buffeting the camper walls.  Rain pounded the aluminum roof.  By two, we had flashlights pointed towards the creek as the roar from the rushing water increased.  By break of dawn, we were dressed and ready to roll, fearing that the road would once again be awash from a flash flood.  We discovered that our campsite was on a knoll and now had rather large rivulets of water running on either side.  As we drove back to 550, we noticed that the creek was level with the road in several places.  We were more than a bit thankful that while Mineral Creek ran wild, it was still within its banks.

We detoured through Silverton for breakfast at one of our favorite stops, the Brown Bear Cafe. As we savored a hot cup of coffee, we realized that this year's trip had been quite the adventure.  We had traveled through fires, days of continuous rain, a freak snowstorm, desert heat, sheep, and now a flood!  Wow!

As we left Silverton, we pulled off on a high spot so that I could take one last photo... after the storm...

Silverton, Colorado

Next stop... TEXAS!!!

Ouray on Dwellable