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Durango Colorado UnRally/suggested routes?

connie_rider

Member
Member
A group of us "hope" to travel to Durango on Aug 13th to do some riding.
Should be there for 4-5 days.
Unfamiliar with the area.

Anyone have suggested routes and is anyone a local that wants to meet/ride with us?

Ride safe, Ted
 
See if the rally page is still up from the 2015 National rally held near there in Cortez a few years ago. Maybe some routes there? We (wife and I) rode the Million Dollar Hwy. Also be sure to take in the Mesa Verde Park, but watch your speed, the rangers run radar IN the park. Have fun.
 
Ted, will you be in CO the whole time? If so I may to try & get over, great riding not to mention it's cool at elevation.

Just my opinion of course, 550 is nice but very short lived & overrated. Really only good from Silverton to Ouray, heavy traffic & slow. Great scenery though.

My two favorites are 149 & then 92 around the north rim of the Black Canyon.  Off the top of my head, from Durango take 160 to 149 to 50 & then to 92. !60 goes over Wolf Creek Pass, 10,600 ft I think. 145 is also nice & you should consider Flaming Gorge also.

I'd have to look at a map to do any better.
 
Hi Ted, Cliff has some good comments on the roads you would be likely riding. Ron suggested checking the Rally Page and accessing the 2015 National in Cortez. That would be a great source too.  I have ridden a lot of roads in the area and you cannot go wrong on riding the 550 (Million Dollar Highway) and highway 145 that are close to Durango (Great Loop). Highway 160 is great from Durango to South Fork and beyond! Take 149 to highway 50 and go east or west. If west take 92 to Delta with a couple of cool towns Hotchkiss and Crawford to wander through! That's where the Black Canyon is! Also if you take the 92 before you get to Delta take the 65 north thru Cedaredge and go over the Grand Mesa! It drops you off at the I-70. Steve Cook lives in Montrose and knows the area so well and Nick (Nickrides) lives in Telluride and should be a big help too. I would say you have to visit Silverton and Ouray for sure! At least one beer in each town is a must! Durango is a very cool town and if the railroad is operating the trip up the mountains on the Narrow Gauge is something you do not want to miss! When you are solid with your dates Attila, Jack and I may meet you there!

:motonoises:    :motonoises:  :great:
 
Avalanche Brew Pub in Silverton. Yummy Cuban sammich, also. 

They are one block off of the main drag.

I have their sticker on a saddle bag.

On TDY near Hamilton MT.
 
There's (or was) a cool little town just off the main highway about halfway from Cortez to Durango, don't remember it's name though (Manco's CO?), that had a nice little breakfast bakery. Maybe you can find it.


(I think this is it)
Absolute Bakery
110 South Main Street
Mancos, Colorado
​81328
 
Hi Ted, Where are you staying at in Durango?

:motonoises:  :motonoises:  :great:
 
Staying at the Best Western Durango Inn and Suites.
May move about a bit, possibly a night in Montrose, but that will be our main base.

Ride safe, Ted
 
Hi Ted
Lets try and talk on the phone sometime.
Evenings are best
Give me a call with a map in you lap and I'll try and give you some Beta on the area
Lots of options, some choices will be temperature / weather driven.
Best Regards
Nick
970 708 1199
 
Ted when I went up that way with my son we left here and went to Carlsbad for the night.  Took a tour of the caverns the next day.  After that we we went across NM. I think through Cloudcroft, San Antonio and I know through an area that is the youngest lave flow in the US valley of fire of something like that.  We ended up in Farmington, NM. but I bet you can make Darango if you want.  None of it was all THAT except the caverns.
 
Thanks Bob.
Unfortunately; We're trying to do this in one week, so we're *trailering there, and back on the most direct route we can.
Plus; we have to meet others in Fort Worth area.
{* Yes; I know we're sinners, but we want to spend as much time in Colorado as we can.}
    {The trailers will save us time and it's cooler than riding in 100* temps..}

This is our tentative route; {To Colorado}
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Houston,+Texas/Durango,+CO/@33.4333434,-106.1860283,6z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x8640b8b4488d8501:0xca0d02def365053b!2m2!1d-95.3698028!2d29.7604267!1m5!1m1!1s0x873c02a6bd85fc23:0xdc2b8882a3a67e5a!2m2!1d-107.8800667!2d37.27528!3e0

This is two of the loops we want ride while there.
#1 {Million $$ Highway/US-550 and area's west of there}
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Best+Western+Durango+Inn+%26+Suites,+21382+US-160+W,+Durango,+CO+81303/Montrose,+Colorado/38.4517243,-107.324439/38.5346683,-107.5528053/38.4875271,-107.0590844/Lake+City,+Colorado+81235/37.6691256,-106.6407621/Pagosa+Springs,+Colorado+81147/Best+Western+Durango+Inn+%26+Suites,+21382+US-160+W,+Durango,+CO+81303/@37.8641073,-108.3891841,8z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m35!4m34!1m5!1m1!1s0x873c028379517bbf:0x2bbf2c25d02ec4e9!2m2!1d-107.894819!2d37.269904!1m5!1m1!1s0x873f50888a070817:0x517e467508b974d!2m2!1d-107.8761738!2d38.4783198!1m0!1m0!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x873f001ee153bcf1:0x9d2aa26c1fa2d73b!2m2!1d-107.3153335!2d38.0299967!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x873ddb6e9b07b449:0x7b8616cc41f8157f!2m2!1d-107.0097617!2d37.26945!1m5!1m1!1s0x873c028379517bbf:0x2bbf2c25d02ec4e9!2m2!1d-107.894819!2d37.269904

#2 {Million $$ Highway/US-550 and area's East of there}
https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Best+Western+Durango+Inn+%26+Suites,+21382+US-160+W,+Durango,+CO+81303/Montrose,+Colorado/38.2251405,-107.9946742/38.1259596,-108.2072075/Telluride,+Colorado+81435/37.476457,-108.4510168/Cortez,+Colorado+81321/Best+Western+Durango+Inn+%26+Suites,+21382+US-160+W,+Durango,+CO+81303/@37.8928383,-109.2289287,8.5z/data=!4m34!4m33!1m5!1m1!1s0x873c028379517bbf:0x2bbf2c25d02ec4e9!2m2!1d-107.894819!2d37.269904!1m5!1m1!1s0x873f50888a070817:0x517e467508b974d!2m2!1d-107.8761738!2d38.4783198!1m0!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x873ed87b70e6f473:0x38ee772171bae3e1!2m2!1d-107.8122852!2d37.9374939!1m0!1m5!1m1!1s0x87396f97719cc121:0x5ab0790925832f47!2m2!1d-108.5859265!2d37.3488827!1m5!1m1!1s0x873c028379517bbf:0x2bbf2c25d02ec4e9!2m2!1d-107.894819!2d37.269904

Ride safe, Ted
 
Hi Ted, You want some company from Southern California? Tentative right now for us.  Could meet you out there... and are you still thinking about riding the Devil's Highway then home? We would take 2 days to get out to Durango...and probably one going home from the Devil's Highway if we are aggressive. Hope others like Cliff can make it out too... you know Steve and Nick who live nearby may want to join in too... :)

:motonoises:  :motonoises:  :great:

 
You want some company from Southern California?
  "We'll talk to (almost) anyone"
    {err (Did you say Attilla is coming?)}...  :-[

Hope others like Cliff :-\  can make it out too... you know Steve and Nick who live nearby may want to join in too.
    There may be exceptions to my previous {Talk to anyone} statement..  :rotflmao:

The Devil's highway is still a possibility. If so, would be around the 18th or 19th.
666 is dependent on how much we get to see while in Colorado the first days.
  I'm for it!!
    But it will be a group vote.

I did some checking;
Durango to Alpine {top of the Devil's Highway} is about 6-7 hours.
Lodging/camping {??} is available in/near Alpine.
  I asked the others to arrange more time {to extend the trip} in case we opt to go that way.

Ride safe, Ted
 
So far the roads mentioned sound awesome. I've never been to Colorado so this will be fun. I'm just hoping for some cooler weather. Just spent an hour in the shop working on the bike and probably lost 2 lbs.
 
I gonna try & make over to ride with y'all. That'll give me about 10 days home from returning from the Smokies. I see there is a campground with in 5 miles each direction of the Best Western, so that's probably what I'll do. Being right at 1,100 miles for me I'll probably overnight somewhere, which is usually the KOA in Raton NM.

:motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises:
 
When we have our Meet and Greets for the Devil's Cut the last 2 years and hopefully this year! We have been staying at The Reed's Lodge in Springerville though I prefer the Best Western Sunrise Inn In Eager which is just south of Springerville.  More modern. Both places are just north of Alpine. Another place in Springerville that looks pretty nice and has a restaurant at the motel is El Jo Motor Inn.  Never stayed in Alpine but it is a cool mountain town. Alpine is 25-30 minutes south of Springerville. For riders in the Southwest a 15-20 minute ride!  :whoo:

BTW how many riders/persons are coming from your area Ted?
 
Thanks Cliff/Rusty.

There are 6 of us going. 4 of which are all COGgers that Cliff knows.
  Me, Jim, Bob, Robert.
One of the group is in a Motor home and will be at a KOA in Durango.

The Motels that you mentioned are the same one's I had found.
I guess we can make reservation's before we leave Colorado.

Ride safe, Ted
 
Just Cliff said:
I gonna try & make over to ride with y'all. That'll give me about 10 days home from returning from the Smokies. I see there is a campground with in 5 miles each direction of the Best Western, so that's probably what I'll do. Being right at 1,100 miles for me I'll probably overnight somewhere, which is usually the KOA in Raton NM.

:motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises:

Cliff, if you are staying Raton NM, you may want to review the NM restrictions:

https://www.newmexico.gov/2020/07/07/new-mexico-travel-restrictions-in-effect

Don't know if they will be in place when you are wanting to travel and stay in NM or not.
 
Is there a way to find out if Colorado/Arizona have the same 14 day self isolation/quarantine restriction?
If they do, we ain't goin'..

Ride safe, Ted
 
connie_rider said:
Is there a way to find out if Colorado/Arizona have the same 14 day self isolation/quarantine restriction?
If they do, we ain't goin'..

Ride safe, Ted

Ted, I did not see any restrictions for Colorado like in NM. Right now, you should be good to go. I did not check Arizona. Maybe some of the AZ/CO/NM COG'ers can chime in.
 
MotoCommuter said:
Just Cliff said:
I gonna try & make over to ride with y'all. That'll give me about 10 days home from returning from the Smokies. I see there is a campground with in 5 miles each direction of the Best Western, so that's probably what I'll do. Being right at 1,100 miles for me I'll probably overnight somewhere, which is usually the KOA in Raton NM.

:motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises: :motonoises:

Cliff, if you are staying Raton NM, you may want to review the NM restrictions:

https://www.newmexico.gov/2020/07/07/new-mexico-travel-restrictions-in-effect

Don't know if they will be in place when you are wanting to travel and stay in NM or not.

Thanks Kurt.

connie_rider said:
Is there a way to find out if Colorado/Arizona have the same 14 day self isolation/quarantine restriction?
If they do, we ain't goin'..

Ride safe, Ted

There aren't for CO as of right now, but could be by August. Just Google state by state travel restrictions. I'm even capable of that!  :nananana:
 
Well, at least your capable of something...  :nananana:

From the discussions, it appears that some of the group will try to re-locate on the 17th or 18th to ride the Devil's Highway {666/191} in Arizona.
Best lodging seems to be in Springerville.  {North of Devil's Highway}
Russ posted some Springerville Motels in previous post.

Here's a possible route to Springerville.
  (I like the Motorcycle Road, not the fastest)  :great:

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Durango,+Colorado/Springerville,+Arizona/@35.6830045,-110.8351487,7z/data=!4m14!4m13!1m5!1m1!1s0x873c02a6bd85fc23:0xdc2b8882a3a67e5a!2m2!1d-107.8800667!2d37.27528!1m5!1m1!1s0x8726115f98e5f5c5:0x26af3257bf990197!2m2!1d-109.2859196!2d34.1333799!5i2

Devil's Highway.....

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Springerville/Hannagan+Meadow/Three+Way/@33.5382768,-109.8304743,9z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m20!4m19!1m5!1m1!1s0x8726115f98e5f5c5:0x26af3257bf990197!2m2!1d-109.2859196!2d34.1333799!1m5!1m1!1s0x8727cce23e5d17c9:0xe3544546ddcafd8a!2m2!1d-109.329102!2d33.636639!1m5!1m1!1s0x86d80b02627ad787:0x5e257e0ea1e092e3!2m2!1d-109.2267!2d32.945499!3e0

Route home from Springerville.

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Springerville/Dallas,+TX/Houston,+TX/@31.9727812,-106.821371,6z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m20!4m19!1m5!1m1!1s0x8726115f98e5f5c5:0x26af3257bf990197!2m2!1d-109.2859196!2d34.1333799!1m5!1m1!1s0x864c19f77b45974b:0xb9ec9ba4f647678f!2m2!1d-96.7969879!2d32.7766642!1m5!1m1!1s0x8640b8b4488d8501:0xca0d02def365053b!2m2!1d-95.3698028!2d29.7604267!3e0

Ride safe, Ted
 
Hi Ted, On our route on Highway 191 Devil's Highway we take the 180 east out of Alpine into New Mexico and go south to the 78 east then to the 191 north through Clifton...nice café there for lunch and then we continue through Morenci and the great open mine there and take the famed 191 North back to the motel. Been told that's the best way to go but I have never done the road going south. Is your group wanting to go both directions that day? Certainly no harm in going both directions on the famed Devil's Highway! :)

:motonoises:  :motonoises:  :great:
 
OMG.  :-\
    Do you mean you might force us to ride "both" ways on the Devils Highway?    :sign0137:

                    Be still, my heart..  :rotflmao:


I can't speak for the group, "other than".
              We're goin' ta ride!  :motonoises:

                      :wee_hee:

Ride safe, Ted
 
Another fun thing to do in Durango is ride the train to Silverton, or Silverton to Durango, one way is enough. Round trip is too much.
If you have a even number of riders, half could ride to Silverton while the others take the train.
Meet in Silverton and switch.
The train ride is cool as hell and super scenic.
Nick
 
Lol...sounds like an unofficial national rally in the making....and as usual its all teds fault  :beerchug:
 
konehead said:
Lol...sounds like an unofficial national rally in the making....and as usual its all teds fault  :beerchug:

Na if there full up no big deal. I'm just a day away from Colorado and haven't got that much riding time in this year. But I do play well with others....mostly.
Not sure I could swing it but it's worth a look.🤔
 
Another good area to ride out of Durango is the area SE down to Navajo Res, Dulce and onward to Chama and beyond.
If its raining in the mountains, and it might be, thats a good option, scenic, nice open roads, few LEO's.
Denver Channel 9 weather in the early morning has a good futurecast, clouds and rain section in there weather reporting that does a good job for predicting the daily precipitation. Personally  I don't like riding in the rain much.
Nick
2014 C 14
 
Thanks for all the info. I also don't like rain riding. Really hope this will work out.

Stubby; send me a PM and I can send more details.
              If your open to another? {We'll talk to anyone}
            Proof; {The Old Guy on a Connie} may me coming from the SW..  :rotflmao:

Ride safe, Ted

PS: Lol...sounds like an unofficial national rally in the making....and as usual its all teds fault..  :sign0137:
      Pttttttttttttt... :p
 
Ted, probably will jinx your trip but I’m considering meeting you all, probably overnight at Cliffs and head west the next day. You thinking of arriving on Friday Aug 14?
 
You got a group going Ted. Dial just jumped from 3 to 5. If Kurt is going I gotta commit. Mayhap an UnRally?
 
Aww ____. There goes the neighborhood.  :-[

err; I mean; "Yahoo!!"  :great:

Ride safe, Ted {Fly Navy}

PS: PM's sent to both of you..
      I just realized, there may be 2 Marines there! (see Aww ____, above)   :mad:


 
Old Man on a Connie said:
You got a group going Ted. Dial just jumped from 3 to 5. If Kurt is going I gotta commit. Mayhap an UnRally?

All my trips have canceled due to Covid, The SE Spring Rally, Horseshoe Mtn Rendezvous, Bun Cooler and Kay & I were heading to Nova Scotia in June. I am ready to ride some where, Covid be damned! As long as Colorado doesn't lock down again, I'm going. Probably head to Cliffs and we will ride west from there. I'll bring some Kentucky windage to rehydrate with.
 
Oh noooooooooooooo!
An unsupervised MotoCommuter, Cliff, the Old Guy on a Connie, Rusty, "and" Attila....
  {In other words. I suspect their a bad influence on us nice {law abiding} folks...}  O:)

  We're all gonna go to jail.
          Ok, I'm in!
          :great: :great: :great: :great:

Ride safe, Ted
 
Can one of our Colorado coggers give us a covid 19 update for the area around Durango. Is everything closed? Is there a mask mandate and restrictions on gatherings of more then 10 people? We need to see if this is still a go before continued planning for the trip. Thanks
 
Jim Snyder said:
Can one of our Colorado coggers give us a covid 19 update for the area around Durango. Is everything closed? Is there a mask mandate and restrictions on gatherings of more then 10 people? We need to see if this is still a go before continued planning for the trip. Thanks

I'm from Utah but yes Colorado issued a state wide mask order on Thursday. You can goggle it for specifies. Not sure how well it's going over?
 
Hey Yankee!!
    I resemble that remark..
        (Are you comin'  ?)

Got this {mask update} from Steve Cook in Montrose Colorado.

No word on group size that I've heard.
  I doubt that we'll be together as a group while riding as we'll break into smaller groups. {slow/med/fast etc}
  My guess is; the biggest concern is in the evenings or meals. {??}

They turned on required masks today in all of Colorado. Places are open everywhere but bring a mask to get into restaurants, etc.

Steve


Arghhhh!!!    :mad:

Ride safe, Ted
 
Stirring this discussion a little.
  Everyone's being quiet.

The trip is still a go.... Lets have "sum" discussion.

Ride safe, Ted
 
Does not look like I can make it to Colorado or Arizona... :'( We have a home repair that needs to be done and likely kicks me out of coming. I look forward to all the pictures and stories from this fun adventure coming up! You all will have an awesome time in Colorado and the Devil's Highway!
 
Cliff and I spoke about this trip at the SE Beat The Summer Heat Social and we are still going as long as Colorado has not locked the state back down. Planning on arriving on the 13th. We will be camping, we did not decide where we would camp. Our plan is to for me to ride out to Cliff's place on Tuesday August 11th, we the will ride to Dalhart TX and overnight at the Holiday Inn on August 12th and roll in to Durango on August 13th. Other then that, we do not have any plans.
 
Just got a report from my Cousin in Ouray.
Next 10 days weather is 10% humidity, low of about 53 and high of about 75.
Partly cloudy..

Never know about rain, but I don't see the weather being much different when we're there.

After living in Houston, I'm not sure that I can stand the awful weather there...  :rotflmao:

Ride safe, Ted

 
Have a great trip Ted and friends!! It will be a very fun adventure and you will love the big hills, roads, and scenery they have in Colorado! The Devil's Highway will be a blast too! I look forward to all the stories and pictures!  :) Safe travels and stay healthy!

:motonoises:  :motonoises:  :great:
 
Awesome picture! Still have some great riding left! Have fun!! Stay safe!

:motonoises:  :motonoises:  :great:
 
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