Summer 2009 tour - day 8 - 290 km


What a short day you say? Not at all, when you spend most of it on hairpin turns and hopping off to snap another shot of the gorgeous scenery.

Today's trip was along Colorado Hwy 92 (Montrose, Delta, Hotchkiss, Crawford) along the North Rim Black Canyon. Oh, and in Crawford at the last gas stop for 80 miles, you can get a nice serving of battered gizzards. Umm, we passed on that treat.


After the top-side tour of the North Rim, we went into the Black Canyon National Park. The first loop is up top, looking down into the canyon, with viewpoints all along the way. In this lookout, you can see the people at the tip of the lookout, contrasted with the cliffs at the other side of the canyon. You can see the river carving out the bottom.

Then you can take a side trip (if you're brave!) down to the river - descend more than 2,000 ft at 16 percent grade, with 10 mph hairpin turns (complete with mirrors).

At the bottom, you can meander along the river and almost get to the dam. There's a huge rock that has fallen off the cliff - went partially into the river, and you can still see where it gouged a huge chunk out of the road.