Leg #: 2 (Day 5)

Location: Mesa Verde National Park to Ouray, CO

Mileage Driven leg/total: 102/666 miles

Weather: 67 high / 42 low Lovely partly sunny weather except for a brief rainstorm overnight

Tofu Status: All systems working except: 1) small drip from water pump due to an improperly installed gasket (now fixed). 2) Webasto Heater still was not working. Our friend, Fred, has a theory that the burner needs replacement, but we aren’t in a place to get it fixed right now so no heat for now.

Highlights:
• Wildlife Sightings: Marmot, Magpies
• Sulfur-free hot springs and an undertground “vapor cave” at Weisbaden Motel and Spa. Less crowds than the more popular hot springs in town.
• Box Falls Canon Park with 85-foot waterfall through a slot canyon and stunning canyon views. The awesome power of water.
• Million Dollar Highway between Durango and Ouray, CO. Twisty turns and no guardrails with sheer drop-offs make for a fun drive and gorgeous views of the mountains, rivers and canyons. We listened to a GPS audio tour along the route and learned much about the history of this area.

Lowlights:
• Limited wild camping options near Ouray meant more driving and looking for a flat semi-legal spot than we planned to do at dusk. We ended up paying a local business $20 to park on their property in downtown Ouray, CO.
• Hike at Andrews Lake in Umcompahgre National Forest. What was supposed to be a flat easy 0.8 mile stretch-our-leg hike, turned into an hour long slog through ankle deep mud, mid-calf glacial cold and marshy bog waters and knee-high snow. Cold and wet feet are not our idea of fun.
• No heater, but that means more snuggles so maybe not a lowlight?. 🙂

Tiger (Provan) Sightings: 0

Next: Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park