Drive Time

Now I remember why Nick insisted we couldn't do 25 Hours of Frog Hollow  before. Winter weather can be so finicky in Colorado and the Turtle wouldn't manage. We left COS after work, knowing the I70 corridor was already getting hit hard with snow. But we headed south to avoid the Denver mess. Only to find our own snow. Monarch Pass was slick and icy in spots - the kind of traction the Turtle wouldn't handle well. Fresh snow dusted the trees, a white layer of icing the dark tree. There was a thin layer of fog hugging the ground as we approached the top of the pass. Slow and delicate driving. The van handled it well and we had no issues. After Gunnison we hit more snow. The narrow, winding road between Blue Mesa and Cerro Summit narrowed into the fog and snow. The trees, covered in frosting of snow, gleamed in the headlights of the van. Black ice covered the road, blending with the pavement. The fog was thicker here, nearly obscuring the rain. Slow driving but just fine in the van. Not fine if we'd been in the Turtle.

But once we got out of Colorado, it was time for the boring part. Utah. The clouds meant for a cool morning and a soft sunrise. Very light pinks and golds tinged the clouds as the sun climbed above the thick layer. No brilliant purples or oranges, just grays and light blues. Clean whites brushed the edges of the clouds. Far in the distance, where the sun already illuminated the stark rocks, the terrain glowed red and yellow. But the best of the color was gone. We would be left with the flatness of the fall harshness of the November for the rest of the drive.

Nick taking a break from the driving with La Salles in the background