Another scenic loop

The weather has been great so we wanted to take another ride.  Years ago we stayed in Cimarron and really enjoyed exploring the area to its south.  Several John Wayne movies were shot in the area.  In fact we passed a couple places where some scenes in the original True Grit were filmed.  Pretty neat!
Our loop took us back down south to Ridgway then up over Owl Creek Pass at 10,114' then by Silver Jack Reservoir, up into Cimarron, and back to Montrose, about 150 miles including a side trip to High Mesa.
We packed a picnic lunch and a thermos of coffee and off we went.  The scenery is fantastic, I know you are probably tired of me saying that all the time, but it's true and it never fails to impress.

Along the way

Up over Owl Creek Pass and we began looking for somewhere to have our picnic lunch.  It's very hard to find a spot with any kind of a view :) but we kept at it until we found this little spot.  We wanted a place with a magnificent view, but decided to get by with this :)

Jan setting up

Me relaxing

This is a quick shot of Chimney Rock, one of the hundreds that are called that in the US, but this is the one in which the shoot out scene in True Grit was filmed beside.  It's kind of neat thinking the Duke was here looking at the same area.

Chimney Rock

We continued our ride and found this guy already getting ready for winter foraging for food to store away.  His mouth is full!

Mr Marmot

We walked around a bit enjoying perfect temperatures and no bugs, and just a gorgeous day.  Found another not so shabby place for coffee.

Coffee break spot

We drove up onto High Mesa, and realized we had been there with Ray and April years before.  It is a switchback road and when you come around the second switchback it looks like the side of the shelf road just disappears.  It was where I stopped previously when Ray and I felt uncomfortable.  We walked up the road and found out it wasn't too bad, so we got back in and continued to the top.  It was cool to rediscover a place we had already been.  As I've mentioned, this is monsoon season so the humidity is up some which impairs the views, especially in the afternoon, so this is the best we could do.

From the top of High Mesa

Gorgeous meadow

Another fantastic day!