On the Road to Oregon: Colorado Springs tonight.

[DemoTex]

Another 10+ hour day. Vernon - Amarillo - Dalhart - Raton - Colorado Springs. One beautiful drive! I loved the signs at a rest area on US-64 in northern New Mexico: WARNING! WATCH FOR SNAKES! Of course that was the rest stop where Nick was in a sniffin' and peein' mood. The old boy rides in a kennel cage behind my seat in my Tacoma EXT cab pickup. He loves his dark place. Never a whimper.

Tomorrow? I don't know. I'm ahead of schedule. I could go the back roads thru Aspen to Grand Junction. Or the I-25/I-70 thru Denver. Or the fastest route through Cheyenne. I'm leaning toward the back roads thru Aspen. Are they clear? I see snow on Pike's Peak.

BTW: The truckers are much more civilized on CB-19 now that I'm out of Dixie. That "MoFo N____R" crap was getting to me. The FCC needs to get the 11-meter band back to the ham radio operators.

[havocmom]

1. Stay safe!

That stretch from Raton to Colorado Springs IS lovely, isn't it?

Scritch the dog for me.

[DemoTex]

3. I'm in awe!

I've always seen this from 35,000 feet! What a country! OMG, Dalhart to Raton on US-64! And I-25 out of NM into Colorado!

[havocmom]

7. LOL I always wanted to fly . . .

a WWI biplane. Low, slow, able to go where the car can't.

[Hawkeye-X]

32. I *HATE* driving over Raton Pass

the last time I drove over there, it was foggy as hell, and hard to see, and it was on Memorial Day weekend.

Scary as hell.

Hawkeye-X

[AspenRose]

2. It's May....they should be clear by now but one never knows

Enjoy the drive :-) I'm jealous

[DemoTex]

5. Thanks.

The forecast is for 38-degrees tomorrow morning in CS, and 85 by afternoon.

[stevedeshazer]

4. Keep the rubber side down, buddy.

Oregon's waiting.

[gratuitous]

6. Are you putting up the barbed wire or was that me?

Damn! Time's a-wastin'!

[DemoTex]

12. Who ever sells barbed wire and fence posts north of Amarillo must be rich.

DAMN! I took a 30 mile cut-over just north of the Canadian River. There was a point where I could not see a tree .. from horizon to horizon. Nothing but fences and windmill-powered stock tanks. And cattle.

[TheCentepedeShoes]

42. You came thru Amarillo

and didn't stop and say hey :cry:
Seriously, have a safe trip:hi:

[stevedeshazer]

27. I think we can let DemoTex in

[gratuitous]

40. So he's bringing beer? Good deal

Works for me.

[DemoTex]

8. Thanks Steve ....

Good terrestrial version of the pilots' "keep the blue side up"!

[kentuck]

10. What part of town are you in, DemoTex?

I'm in town.

[DemoTex]

13. La Quinta

Near the airport?

[kentuck]

15. You're on the south end of town...

Is that off Circle? I'm up in the old north end.

[XOKCowboy]

21. If he's at that La Quinta he's in for one beautiful reverse sunrise....

A reverse sunrise is not looking toward the east to see it come up, it's turning around and waiting for it to hit Pikes Peak. Beautiful way to start the day.

[Suich]

9. Hey, I was just wondering about you!

I love traveling on back roads if I've got the time! Have fun!

:hi:

[FightingIrish]

11. That's where my journey to Oregon began.

My dad was stationed at what was then Camp Carson. I celebrated my first birthday on the train home to Oregon.

Several things not to miss when you get here:

Near your new home:
Waldo Lake
The High Desert Museum
Hiking the Tam McArthur Rim
Newberry Crater
Rafting the Deschuttes

If you have time for a side trip to southern Oregon:
Crater Lake
Rogue River jet boat trips
Rogue and Applegate valley wine country
Historic Jacksonville

By all means get to the coast. It's all good.

I'd say I envy you but I'm already here. I just don't have the time to enjoy it all.

Stay safe

[L. Coyote]

14. Go Montrose - Ridgeway - Moab

Where in OR?

[DemoTex]

17. Bend

I'll be staffing the East Butte Lookout (USFS) for the fire season (5-26 through 10/10).

[Arugula Latte]

19. Once you're in Bend, if you have any free time, there are lots of

beautiful lakes in the area (as well as the Metolius and Deschutes Rivers). For example, here is Sparks Lake (I was there last summer):

[Trocadero]

23. Detroit Lake is beautiful, if you are going that far

[MauriceCobert]

25. a little grown up last time I was there

pretty place though

[stevedeshazer]

24. When I was young, I climbed South Sister

Sparks Lake and the Century Drive are beautiful.

[MauriceCobert]

30. Did some work at Clear Lake near the base of the Cascades

Some brush work then set tent up in an area that turned into a creek after it started raining. Hope you enjoy Oregon it has a lot to offer especially in Eugene and Corvalis, 2 liberal college towns. Also many of the smaller towns have a lot of California immigrants that have doubled the IQ. Nope there are not many Mo Fo rednecks anymore. We go edukatid. :)

[Arugula Latte]

34. Yep. I'm one of them California transplants, although not directly.

:)

I was living in DC before we moved to Oregon years ago. We visited Corvallis and Eugene with the thought we might move to either one, but ultimately decided we're the type that need to be in a larger metropolitan area. We love Portland and the state as a whole.

[MauriceCobert]

35. yes Powells books is great

That whole area up near OHSU and Portland State U is nice. If DemoTex has the time Portland is so nice this time of year.

[renate]

41. welcome to DU!!

:hi:

[L. Coyote]

37. Vale - Burns - Bend is the easy route.

Check the murals in Vale.
An interesting area on the route is around Moab, Arches and Canyonlands NPs.
Prehistoric museum in Price, UT, is especially good. Nine Mile Canyon a side trip there.
PM if you like rock art.

[Quantess]

16. The scenery must be fantastic. I'm jealous.

But, I'm hoping you'll say this is a vacation, not a relocation.
You do know there are no jobs in Oregon, right? :hide:

[eleny]

18. Better check the current conditions online since lots of roads are still closed for the season

Take it from someone who used to drive all over CO for a living - play it safe since it's only mid May.

[XOKCowboy]

20. Is Independence Pass open???

I know that they usually shoot for Memorial Day opening. I'd check on that before heading toward Aspen though you could shoot up US 24 to Vail and I-70. As someone who's traveled extensively throughout the west I'd be happy to give you some scenic drive tips.

[eleny]

22. Independence - not yet

[kentuck]

26. That's a hairy pass, even in July....

Don't they usually open it after Memorial Day?

[eleny]

28. Yeah

[XOKCowboy]

36. It's one of the most beautiful spots in CO though...

Just don't look unless you're in a pulloff. :)

I remember one time riding motorcycles over it and seeing one single black tire mark going straight at a tight blind curve. The drop over the other side was almost a thousand feet. That'll make you slow down and pay attention to the road.

[eleny]

39. I love that pass, too

[TheCentepedeShoes]

43. We were going from Colorado Springs

to Aspen, took a side trip to Leadville for lunch
My turn to drive and we headed up Independence Pass
Jeeezus is that a hairy ride!!
It was late Sept and absolutely beautiful with the leaves turning
Mr 'pede was taking pictures and saying "look at this, look at this"
Only thing I could look at was the back end of the car in front of me
Beautiful drive but scary as hell

[fizzgig]

29. take the mountain roads

the forecast looks good and it'll be one helluva beautiful drive. it'll beat the pants off driving through denver, hands down.

safe travels :hi:

[Hawkeye-X]

31. hey DEMOTex

Lemme know if I can buy you a beer if you come to Denver at a pub that is owned by our Democratic mayor, John Hickenlooper called the Wynkoop Brewery.

[DU GrovelBot]

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[mrs_p]

38. you should head up to Rocky Mnt NP

the wildflowers are beautiful! then you can take 25 to 14 to 287 to laramie (bypass cheyenne). the country is gorgeous this time of year.

edit: there is a more direct route up to 287 from RMNP if you want to go through Fort Collins

[KoKo]

44. Kick....DU'er on Road to Self Discovery...Worth Following...n/t