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      07-11-2021, 11:39 PM   #4
Fugly M3
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Drives: 2023 M3CX
Join Date: May 2006
Location: SoCal

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Day 3: Durango to Steamboat Springs via the Million Dollar Highway

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So, for the second time in three days, I’ve had to alter the route because of the lovely Glenwood Canyon in Colorado. I70 closed for a mudslide. Morning starts with a great run along the Animas.

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My youngest brother is Bob, so this was just great to me!

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I left Durango around 9 am and headed up US 550 or the Million Dollar Highway…and boy was it. One of the prettiest drives I’ve ever done, totally worth it. Saw both the Durango Silverton trains leaving town when I did. I rode that as a kid, so it was cool to see it again.

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The MDH part of US 550 ends in Ouray and that’s an awesome little town, but appeared to be a total circus on 4th of July…albeit I’m sure a blast.

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Got some lunch in Montrose and then went up to CO 65 or the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway…this was also just purely incredible and also a faster, less trafficked road than MDH, so more fun.

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At the bottom the car found a shortcut over to I70 on what is called “45 ½ Road” and it was also purely stunning. Total change from up on Grand Mesa. Went from , cottonwoods, aspens and conifers to rock canyon and desert shrubs and brush in a matter of minutes…insane! Got off I70 at Rifle to take CO 13 up to US 40 into Steamboat. I’ve done this road before, so I was a little bummed I didn’t have a new road into the Boat, but it was still a great drive…another fun, fast sweeping road with a decent surface. There was a guy in a modded BRZ charging hard behind me and passing everyone I did...pretty sure it may have been turbocharged given how hard it was pulling!

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Got into town in time for an excellent dinner at Sauvage…great French style food on a prefix menu. Early to bed but ended up with only 3 hours of sleep for whatever reason, not the least of which was the concern about tomorrow’s rerouting due to potential hail!

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Last edited by Fugly M3; 07-12-2021 at 11:04 PM..
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