We were up early for us, not phased by the extra hour, our usual vacation time guess. Once ready, we headed out to breakfast. A place recommended by the host as a must-try. They served breakfast and lunch only. A few couples were outside waiting to be seated; the off-season made no difference in it was still busy on this Sunday morning. We had to wait about 20 minutes for a table in the small dining room, a good sign.
We received the looks I’d talked about. I mentioned the rudeness to friends that live in the area but are on vacation now. They said it might be a Texas thing because there are so many here; we did roll right up front with Texas plates. Amanda said it’s because we’re such a cute couple!
Breakfast was great despite the ugly looks from some! We both had a veggie skillet and biscuits. Amanda skipped the eggs but not me; they’re my favorite, and we’re on vacation! I add a side of grits as well. Much better than our Wyoming breakfast had been.
After breakfast, we went to get coffee from a shop that made great lattes the first day here. After ordering them, one of the couples that looked at us with disapproval came in to get coffee as well. What seemed as the manager or owner had to tell this couple a few minutes after ordering the nitro coffee system was down. The man walked up to check the nitro system out, explaining how he had a different setup, wanting to troubleshoot for the owner. Yep, one of those kinds of guys. He joked about how we were following each other, and we’d see each other in Aspen next. I offered up a much more fake laugh than Amanda did to the man who’d previously looked at us as though we were unworthy to eat in the same establishment as he!
It’s funny how people look at each other. Amanda is mostly oblivious to this, as many people are. As we walk, I will catch many women looking Amanda up and down, literally checking her outfit from head to toe. I’ll mention it to Amanda, and she’s none the wiser! I have the gift of discernment, and I am very attentive, observing much more than I speak, getting this from my father. To this day, my mother still asks my father, “how do you know this or that.” His answer is always the same as mine, “I just pay attention!”
After our coffee, we returned to the cabin to grab our Yeti cups for the long drive, hours, not miles today. We’d be heading to scenery from True Grit, Owl Creek Pass, down a dirt county road. Our cabin is down a county road, so we took the back way connecting to the other road we would need. The countryside behind the mountain would reveal grand vistas and pastures covered with barns, ranch homes, and vacation homes. All spread out a nice distance apart, half a mile or more between each. The farther we got from town, the more distant they became. Most of these places had grand 360 mountain views. We would see many beautiful small ranches, cattle, and horses sprawled through the pastures.
We meandered up this winding county road which turned muddy quickly, followed by snow as we gained elevation. The show got thick, but the ruts packed. I had thought we could drag some of the snow in the middle down, but the Subaru surprised me with its ground clearance. We would make it almost halfway to a young couple stopped in the road. They were backing up with her guiding him we could come to find out. She would look at us and then back at him as though saying you go talk them because I’m not! He followed the nonverbal, even noticeable to Amanda, command getting out to speak to me.
They had come to a spot where it got icy and had to dig out the wheels even to back up. I chalked this up to nervousness and inexperience driving next to the cliff and on snow. He was going forward, so that meant we were both backing up. I commented on how backing up like this was never a good idea. Then proceeded to back about a quarter mile down the snow-covered cliff to a turn. I had enough room to turn around here. Unfortunately, the snow was not packed where we would now place the wheels. The tires would spin as we got halfway turned around, the worst spot for this to happen! I went back and forth to no avail. Finally, pulling a little farther forward to the embankment, I felt our front tires sink, and I thought we were done. We went back and forth a bit more and got the snow packed enough to get free.
They had come to a spot where it got icy and had to dig out the wheels even to back up. I chalked this up to nervousness and inexperience driving next to the cliff and on snow. He was going forward, so that meant we were both backing up. I commented on how backing up like this was never a good idea. Then proceeded to back about a quarter mile down the snow-covered cliff to a turn. I had enough room to turn around here. Unfortunately, the snow was not packed where we would now place the wheels. The tires would spin as we got halfway turned around, the worst spot for this to happen! I went back and forth to no avail. Finally, pulling a little farther forward to the embankment, I felt our front tires sink, and I thought we were done. We went back and forth a bit more and got the snow packed enough to get free.
Griping about the couple making us turn around the entire way down to a junction in the road. We stopped to decide what to do. Go back after they cleared us or take the road ahead in a different direction. Then it dawned did they get turned around. It would do no good to go back now; without straps, we’d be no use anyway. So we decided to call it and head out.
The Subaru had impressive downhill control once in its off-road mode. It would maintain our slow speed nicely down the snowy road. We went for a while like this through all the sharp snow-covered turns. Then traffic came barreling down on us, an SUV followed by two pickups. I pulled over the minute I had a spot available; tailgating on a paved road like this with no snow isn’t a good idea, much less what we were on. As they went by, the couple that caused us to back up was leading the charge! With everyone far ahead, we could enjoy the views going down now. They were grand views over the pastures below, flanked on all sides with mountains.
Finally, we reached the main highway, and off north toward Montrose, we headed. The grocery store would be the first stop. Amanda needed to return the knee brace that didn’t fit, and the rough Durango store wouldn’t take it back because of covid! Forgetting the receipt when checking out, we’d receive credit, which was ok because I wanted to get some jars of green chilis.
As we went into the grocery store, we saw a homeless woman with a dog holding a sign. We discussed it and decided we would get her and the dog something. We grabbed a rotisserie chicken, a loaf of bread, and a jar of peanut butter. Thinking that would last more than one meal and feed the dog some too. When we came out, she was gone! We drove by a McDonald’s and thought we saw her. I was unsure, but Amanda recognized the dog because it looked like part boxer. We made the block, then gone again.
We continued to drive around looking for this lady and dog for 20 minutes. There was a man she had been sitting with her, so we pulled in and asked him. He promptly said that’s Brandi and Shiloh. They were his neighbors at the homeless camp. We talked with him a bit and gave him the food to get to her. It was good to know the food would find them and likely feed a few more. Brandi and Shiloh could use a prayer if you have a moment.
We then stopped by a hipster coffee shop, candle shop, bar, and gift shop; yes, all were in one shop. We got a gift for someone, a new backpack-style purse for Amanda, a maple spiced latte, and a tahini brownie. The people in this shop were the nicest we’d come across in Colorado shops yet.
We headed toward Gunnison, but the road still showed closed, so on to the Black Canyon. It was just outside Montrose, but we missed the turn and drove to where the road was closed. It was a nice detour because we saw the area free of snow. The cow we’d seen covered in snow would seem to be in the same spot!
Then back to the Black Canyon National Park. It was much more than I expected. The first overlook would amaze up. The canyon would be much larger than I thought it would be. It would dwarf the grand canyon of Yellowstone.
We stopped by the visitors center talking with a ranger and a gift shop worker who vacations in Port A, knowing a few other Texas spots. We told them of our last trip to the park, not making it all the way up because of the snow. They said it was a good thing we turned around because they sent everyone home at 11:30 through at morning and closed the park for the day.
The canyon was massive, running 48 miles with 12 in the park. One sheer wall would be 2,250 feet, and another spot would have a 90-degree drop on one side and 60 on the other. We stopped at a few different overlooks.
Amanda would want nothing to do with the steep views. After a couple of stops, she’d go look, say, ” Uhuh, ” and walk back to the car while I took pictures and videos! She was not having the steep heights of this canyon!
After a few stops and hikes into the overlooks, Amanda’s knee was done. We shied away from many that would be too far for her to walk.
We rolled back into Montrose for dinner with the Subaru looking a little rough after our muddy county road adventures. When we went through town before we noticed a Mcdonald’s with an old single arch sign and a new building. That was an odd sight, so we busted the Google Fu out. It seems that was the original sign from years passed, there are only 12 in the US like that now.
We would get to town just as our dinner pick would open, a Nepalese place. I wanted to try one in Jackson Hole, but we never made it. This is my first time seeing a Nepal-type restaurant; maybe it’s a mountain town thing. I guess we were in the mode after watching Everest! There were two here in Montrose, and they both served Indian food too. I’m sure the cuisine crosses over being neighboring countries. Amanda’s not a fan of Indian food; I think she just hasn’t tried enough to find what she likes. I
We ordered a large spread starting with samosas, deep-fried potato and pea-filled pastry, and pokadas, vegetable fritter made with chickpea batter. We followed that with thupka/sherpa soup, a vegetable and thick noodle soup, and garlic naan. For entrees, we had Nepali chili, lots of vegetables in a spicy tomato sauce, almost too spicy for Amanda. And MO: MOs, Himalayan style vegetable dumplings with tomato chutney, and onion naan, my favorite type of naan. The MO:MOs we’re our favorite for the night. It was delicious and we ate a lot, but we weren’t stuffer feeling, a plus of plant based eating. Ethnic places are always my favorite; we get to try different things, and they are typically loaded with flavor and almost always have tons of vegetable options.
We splurged on dessert from a steakhouse on the way back to the cabin, getting it to-go to eat after the dreaded packing. On the dark drive home, it sure gets dark early with the time change, we almost hit a deer. It would be the closest we’d come on the trip, only a foot or so away.
As we got back to the cabin, one last evening view of the mountains. The peaks lit in the full moon light and stars out. Amanda was able to capture a good photo with her phone in night mode.
Then it was full-on packing mode. The act of packing is worse than the leaving! We must have brought enough snacks to feed an army. The snacks were hit hard on all of our vehicle days which was most days, and we still had a large bag full. Given we’ve added to the load a bit as we come across good finds, we sure were ready for snack time!
We finished packing and hopped in bed with Everest on and our cheesecake and lemon ricotta cake in hand, soon to be in bellies. Then, getting up leisurely to load the car and head out, El Paso would be our layover.