Colorado trip 2004Report & Pics by Marcel Slootheer © 2004
Click here for the big version of this panorama shot taken near Abiquiu, New Mexico, 
Click here for the big version of this panorama shot (with a piece of rainbow) taken just South of Pagosa Springs, Colorado... 
Sunset just before Pagosa Springs... 
Next day near Hermosa Creek, just North of Durango. Climbing up Jones Creek. 
The Aspen are not yet changing color in this area... 
Further up the climb... 
Poser... 
At the top of Jones Creek. Unfortunately I couldn't complete my loop (up Pinkerton, down Dutch Creek and back on Hermosa Creek trail) because of some big storms that were moving in fast, I didn't want to get soaked by rain & hit by lightning. The descent down Jones was fun though... 
Since it kept raining in Durango I headed to Fruita on the Million Dollar Highway. Obviously it had snowed higher up, South of Silverton... 
Silverton, Colorado... 
Downtown Silverton... 
More of the same... 
Ditto... 
Last shot before heading on... 
Just South of Ouray... 
Nice scenery... 
Good color... 
Click here for the big version of this panorama shot taken just North of Ouray, Colorado... 
In Fruita I first rode Mary's Loop and Horsethief Bench... 
The Colorado river from Horsethief Bench... 
Self-timer shot... 
Good scenery... 
Then I checked out Rustler's Loop. Even though this is the easiest trail in the Kokopelli area it is now one of my favorite short loops (less than 4 miles) because of the awesome flow in the last mile... 
After a quick lunch I headed up the Moore Fun trail. This is the most challenging singletrack that I have ever ridden. It's basically a long set of climbs with what seems a thousand technical obstacles. It's easy to get totally frustrated with getting off the bike numerous times but one can also get a high after cleaning seemingly impossible sections. Anyway, 4.5 miles of rocks. By myself I was not able to show in pics how difficult a trail this really is... 
A midway park... 
Almost on top... 
Top of the world - from Moore Fun... 
A local... 
Hub high rocks... 
The Colorado river on the way back on Mary's Loop... 
Some scenery similar to what Moab has to offer... Then my camera ran out of juice and I realized I had forgotten the charger. Oh well, less stuff to carry on the rides that followed. Next day I did a couple of laps on Rustler's, then checked out the Bookcliff area North of town. Trails like Prime cut, Chutes & Ladders, Kessel Run, Joe's Ridge etc, are all a blast. In my opinion these trails are better than the great ones I rode the previous day but they can't be used when wet (as in, when I arrived in town). Anyway, I rode these trails a bunch before I returned to OKC... |