Day 1: To Ouray Colorado

today we rode from Grand Junction to Ouray. The blue line is the Highway. The red line is the dirt forest service and ranch path we rode, the more scenic way.

We headed out of Grand Juction about 8:30, and headed to our first dirt road. We climbed up till we were on the Uncompahgre Mesa and between seven and eight thousand feet. We rode through National Forest land where cattle are also grazed. We rode through Ponderosa Pines and Quaking Aspen groves, which are beginning to turn colors. Here are some pictures.

We stopped about half way on our 145 mile ride to the old gold mining town of Ouray for lunch and that's where the group picture was taken.

After we arrived in Ouray and checked into our hotel, we did a 28 mile out and back ride up Imogene Pass. We didn't get quite all the way up to the summit of the pass. One of the guys was feeling the altitude so we headed back to town. Here are some pictures from a couple different viewpoints as we rode up the canyon.