Durango, Colorado-United RV Park 7/29 - 8/2 2020 Travel Tour

 From: casarollnotes.blogspot.com Tim and Linda Bunyan

Colorado Highway Route 550 is a spur of U.S. Highway 50. 

 The section from Ouray to Silverton is frequently called the Million Dollar Highway.  

It is a designated part of the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway.  The route travels through the San Juan Mountains.  It is the twelve miles south of Ouray through the Uncompahgre Gorge to 

the summit of Red Mountain Pass (Elevation: 11,018'--

--where RV's dare to tread!).  

We leave behind Ouray upon the Million Dollar Highway that connects Ouray to Silverton through the San Juan Mountains.  

We cross over these mountains that have been in our view since departing Moab!

We head out from Ouray to Silverton and our destination is Durango, Colorado.
The Highway is nicely paved and marked for safety.  Hwy 550 is part of the San Juan Skyway Scenic Byway.  "The Million Dollar Highway".  Tim awarded Ron&Fran the Million Dollar Highway banner for their bravery and proving the ability of the Black Knight and RV Imagine on the road!

Imagine that!

An "overpass" for an active avalanche shute on the Million Dollar Hiway south of Ouray.

The Red Mountain is in the San Juan Mountains of western Colorado, about 5 miles south of Ouray.  The reddish iron ore rocks cover the surface.  Elevation of the Pass: 11,018.

A series of steep grades and hairpin turns.

Spectacular view of the San Juan Mountains.

Breathtaking views on the Million Dollar Highway which was constructed finally in 1924.  Historically in the 1880s, the only way in and out of the mining town of Silverton was a narrow pack trail.  Russian immigrant Mears built a toll road over Red Mountain pass between Ouray and Silverton transforming the narrow pack trail into one that could accommodate wagons. 

 Now, this Million Dollar Highway is built.

Road Grader equipment is always ready to keep the highway open in case of rock slides and rain that may wash out the shoulder of the road.

We reach former silver mining camp: Silverton now a federally designated National Historic Landmark District, Population near 700; Elevation: 9,318 feet.  Silverton is one of the highest towns in the United States.

Grand Imperial Hotel 

Downtown Silverton, Population near 700.

In 1871 miners were allowed to stay after the Brunot Treaty.  In exchange for giving up four million acres, the Southern Ute Indian Reservation received $25,000 per year.

The town is catering to tourists during Covid by setting up outdoor seating for the restaurants to serve.

Odd, resident here is working on his airstream....'inside' his garage.  Must be he owns this historic land lot that served as a fueling station in years gone by.

Off-roaders and four-wheelers come to enjoy the mountain roads where the trailhead is located at the end of Main Street.

We do not stop for any amount of time in Silverton; we are eager to arrive at Durango as we are going to dinner with Carole Rominger, our financial advisor of over 20 years!  She moved from Sacramento to this small, country setting town of Durango, Colorado..

Ski area between Silverton and Durango.  Ready for snow.

We have come from 9,000 Elevation to 6,500' Elevation to the rural countryside of the town Durango, Population 16,000.

We arrive at United RV Park, at $45.00 per night.  It is located on the north end of Durango on the banks of the Animas River.  The Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Train runs through the campground.  With Covid, we canceled our train ride to Silverton.

  The sites are with water, electricity, and sewer.  Since we are here for only 3 days Tim and I opt for water and electricity and the dump station at the park at the end of our stay.

  This option (Water& Electric) (sewer as we drive out) saves about $40.00 for our entire stay.  

There is wifi available at this park.  Tim and I have such a premium, utility with our cell plan, we can view any broadcasts we choose by using our cellular hot spot.  Highly recommend this cell feature as RV parks wifi can be unreliable.  We use our cell booster and wifi booster system to improve the opportunity for RV Park offerings.

We are nestled in our spot here where shade is the premium to any site!  We've partial shade and good neighbors!  

Here is the fine rooftop of our RV.  Tim is very proud and happy with the solar installation.  The solar system is doing all the battery charging since June.  It makes me happy that Tim does not need to be so concerned with keeping the batteries charged. 

Tim has not had to charge the batteries with the generator since we left Sacramento!

Ron and Fran in their 25' Imagine travel trailer and the Black Ram Knight!

MikeG and Sherry in their 35' HighCountry 5th Wheel and their new Chevrolet Black Stallion High Country truck!  You may say they are 'living high'!!!

We are happy and Tim and I meeting Carole for dinner.  Mike&Sherry and Ron&Fran getting together for their evening.

We've come to the big town of Durango, with a Walmart, and a Population of 16,000.
 The last city we experience was Grand Junction, Colorado, Population near 58,000!
(two Walmarts in GJ).

Tim and I are going out to dinner!

Meet up just outside of Durango at the Cafe Kennebec.  Carol made reservations for the patio dining.

Beautiful views of the La Plata river and mountains.  Durango Rock Shelters Archeology Site is an ancient Pueblo people archaeological site.  People from the Late Basketmaker II and Basketmaker III eras inhabited the area between AD 1 and 1000.  (Mesa Verde about 35 miles West of Durango).

The Kennebec offers an atmosphere of casual elegance in comfortable surroundings and safe Covid spacing seating.

Tim and I tend to errands and meeting with Carole.  On the return to RV Park, we stop at the highly recommended fruit stand in the high school parking lot selling local Palisades peaches and sweet corn.

We are out with the gang Mike&Sherry and Ron&Fran at a local, safe seating, BBQ restaurant located near our RV Park.

The next day we go to one of our favorite things to do an outdoor music concert.  This is at a local winery: Fox Fire Farms.  The stunning location on a 900-acre ranch provides the perfect backdrop for dinking a glass of wine and an afternoon music special event. 

An afternoon to get away from it all.

Beautiful girlfriend, Sherry, looking especially good surrounded with flowers.

We have a table but the boys went to the truck to retrieve our extra comfy chairs.

The next day we take a countryside drive on U.S. Highway 550 in the Animas Valley.  The "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" film crew converged on the Durango area, making a big splash.  This is the rock cliff where the famous cliff-jumping scene was filmed.

Here is Mike with Baker's Bridge in the background where Old Shalone Road crosses the Animas River.  It's where Paul Newman and Robert Redford jump from a cliff into a river.  (through editing, they land in a different river, not the Animas, in the film).

The (Butch Cassidy and the SunDance Kid-movie filmed here: Newman and Redford jumping scene was shot on Sherwood Ranch at Baker's Bridge. 

 Many still come to the Animas River to jump in!  There is Mike climbing up to the rock....for a view...not jumping in!

There's one guy not going to jump in!

We end the day just as dark clouds threaten with rain.  We moved our lunch place from the outdoor picnic table to the grill patio at local James Ranch.

Here at James Ranch Market, it is open and well-stocked. We purchased grass-fed and whey=fed beef.  I purchased eggs produced from pastured hens.

10 miles out of Durango in the beautiful Animas River Valley.  Busy families, who utilize organic growing practices bustle in the day-to-day operation of the ranch and their enterprises.  It has been a peaceful, green visit to Durango.  Nice to enjoy the valley and countryside.  

Now off to some more "Rock Stars"!!.....following the early Puebleans from Durango to Mesa Verde.

Tim and I are moving on to Mesa Verde National Park for $20.00/night.  No concern for us to be without services.  We have our generator should we need air conditioning.  We expect to hike around the ruins on most days.  Mike&Sherry and Ron&Fran will join us in a couple of days.  They like their electrical plugin, water connection, and sewer connection, and Wifi availability.  We can plan to be comfortable by Tim running the generator for air conditioning, refilling the water supply, and sewer/dump station is available at the NP.  As it happens, we also have an uninterrupted Wifi signal at the NP from a 'repeater' on the restroom building.  "Home Sweet Home" .

The ancient Puebloans........without electrical power!