I'm leaving Moab, UT this morning to explore one more canyon by picking up UT-128 outside of Moab to follow the Colorado river. It is hard to believe that this river, this morning flowing gently and quiet towards lake Power can be the raging and powerful river having once formed this landscape and the Grand Canyon. Anyway, I enjoy the ride along the river and the change in scenery after every turn of this gently twisting road. Crossing the Colorado river I leave the canyons and immediately enter the wide, open plaines of Utah. In Cisco, UT, which is the saddest "town" on a road map I have ever seen, I join I-70/Hwy US-50 for a short while before US-50, "The Loneliest Road in America" splits off in Grand Junction, CO. Here I climb some passes again with the Uncompahgre National Forest and Plateau to my right, and the Grand Mesa and San Isabel National Forest to my left. From Delta, CO my way brings me to Montrose, CO and the Ute Indian Museum, entering the Blue Mesa Reservoir Area and riding along the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. Shortly later I come up to what is left of the Blue Mesa Reservoir at the Blue Mesa Dam and Lake Fork. Water levels are critically low and once a reminder of ....., but I have been down this road. I rather continue through Gunnison, CO and prepare myself for the last climb of today, the highest point on Hwy-50, the Continental Divide at the Summit of Monarch Pass at 11,312 ft (3448 meter). This ride over the pass compensates for the 5 mile gravel patch of heavy road construction after Montrose, CO, which was perhaps the worst I have encountered on this trip. Luckily the road was open for the weekend, during weekdays it is closed because of rock grinding and other works. From Monarch Pass I go down to where the water flow now to the Atlantic and call it the day in Salida, CO and set up my camp site.
Along UT-128, along the Colorado River
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