We start the day late due to recovery efforts after an evening of exploring nightlife in the town. Jeff, Josh and I decide to ride the Gondola to the top of the hill, which is run at no cost as a green project to reduce car use. The hills are very steep here so we quickly gain altitude. The view of course is 5 star. This looks like a European Alp city, only a lot smaller than what one would expect. Off in the distance is an airport on top of a mesa and we can clearly see that the runway ends at the edge of the drop off. That would be an interesting flight if a plane was slightly overloaded, something like taking off from an aircraft carrier, where the plane can drop below the runway surface before gaining sufficient speed to transition into full climb. I will ask our corporate pilot what he thinks of this airport. We take some photos at the top but Jeff and I are slightly winded by the altitude so we decide to take the gondola to mountain city on the other side. There are a set of lifts to a huge bowl above the treelike, where the incline better serves intermediate skiers. The section to Telluride is for experts only and there are only a few blue square runs back to the village.
Back at the hotel we start packing slowly enjoying the last minutes in the hotel. It starts to sprinkle rain but the clouds are localized. By the time we leave Telluride, the rain stops. We look back and all agree that this is a place to spend a week to explore. There are so many sights and activities to enjoy here.
Our target is Durango and we are riding on nice roads, but we have been here before and once we get out of Telluride, the roads are in the transition zone between mountain and desert. The short cut roads keep us away from heavy traffic, but everyone is off a bit. We make it to Durango and the heat starts to get to us as well so we stop, take for ever to find an excellent brew pub to eat (we are tired and have more miles to go so we don't sample the beer). After lunch, the we explore town a bit, almost as if to delay getting back on the bikes but eventually, we get back on and agree to stop at Pangosa Springs. The plan is to get a swim, have a meal and get to bed early. We get a decent rate on a Quality Inn but soon learn that this is a tired facility in transition so the pool is turbid and the sauna barely heats. At least the hot tub water is clean so we grab some heat there, gab a bit and then start looking for dinner. Bummer, restaurants close at 9 and we are too tired to drive into town to find food, so we grab a snack or chocolate bar and agree to get up early.
Back at the hotel we start packing slowly enjoying the last minutes in the hotel. It starts to sprinkle rain but the clouds are localized. By the time we leave Telluride, the rain stops. We look back and all agree that this is a place to spend a week to explore. There are so many sights and activities to enjoy here.
Our target is Durango and we are riding on nice roads, but we have been here before and once we get out of Telluride, the roads are in the transition zone between mountain and desert. The short cut roads keep us away from heavy traffic, but everyone is off a bit. We make it to Durango and the heat starts to get to us as well so we stop, take for ever to find an excellent brew pub to eat (we are tired and have more miles to go so we don't sample the beer). After lunch, the we explore town a bit, almost as if to delay getting back on the bikes but eventually, we get back on and agree to stop at Pangosa Springs. The plan is to get a swim, have a meal and get to bed early. We get a decent rate on a Quality Inn but soon learn that this is a tired facility in transition so the pool is turbid and the sauna barely heats. At least the hot tub water is clean so we grab some heat there, gab a bit and then start looking for dinner. Bummer, restaurants close at 9 and we are too tired to drive into town to find food, so we grab a snack or chocolate bar and agree to get up early.
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