Day 14 T.G.I.F. part 2

When you’re riding a motorcycle for 10 to 12 hours a day you have plenty of time to think to yourself. During most of this trip my thoughts are as pleasant as the sights around me. Today was the second Friday that I’ve been on the road and my thoughts often returned to the dreaded days of last summer. Those Fridays will be forever in my mind but today the visual pleasures sure helped me to forget.
This morning our primary task was to get my rear tire fixed. We found a Honda dealer in Monticello which was about 20 miles North from where we were staying. We were in no hurry to get on the road because the dealership didn’t open till 9:00 AM. We left Blanding at 8:15 and arrived at 8:45. As we pulled into the parking lot we met a couple from Tennessee who were waiting to have their Goldwing repaired too. So Tom and I decided to go have some breakfast while we waited our turn. It was 11:30 when we finally pulled out of Monticello with my new Dunlop Elite III.
With a new confidence in my bike we took 191 North to 211. This is the entrance road to the Canyonlands NP. The colorful grandeur spires of cedar mesa sandstone that have been eroded over time, dominated the area. We left the park and took 46 east into the state of Colorado where it became 90. We continued till 90 became 145 and as we came over a mountain we could see the giant, white capped mountains of the Rockies. It was so nice to see mountains covered with green foliage again instead of the bare rock monuments we saw in Utah. As we drove into the mountains the air smelled so clean and fresh. It was obvious that the area has been receiving an abundance of rain because as we traveled along the creeks and streams at the base of the mountains, the waters were high and the current was fast.
We continued south on 145 past Telluride were we climbed to the elevation of 10,200 ft over Lizard Head Pass. I was literally higher than I’ve ever been, pure euphoria. We descended down into Cortez and took 160 east and arrived at our destination of Durango around 7:00 PM.
There are 2 possible loop rides we can take from here. One will take us east and then south into New Mexico and other north to Silverton and Ouray. So we’ll be staying here for 2 nights and deciding which ride to take depending on the weather in that direction.
Life is good.

Total miles: 365 Butt factor: 3