Day 13: Bluff to Cortez, Colorado

May 21, 2018

Today will be a long day. I tried to get an early start but many events delayed my departure. First I had to repair a soft front tire. Couldn't find the cause. Then I walked 200 yards to find that the steakhouse isn't open for breakfast. So I packed up everything, left the motel and rode through town. It seemed like I was out of town without seeing a restaurant, so I backtracked to the gas station/store and asked where is the restaurant. It was just around the bend from where I turned around. I pedaled 2 miles back and forth because of that. Then the Twin Rocks restaurant had rather slow service (but great views). I finally left the restaurant at 8:45 AM.

East of Bluff UT 162 follows the San Juan river upstream. But between Bluff and Montezuma Creek the road stays far away from the river and climbs 3 big hills.

Montezuma Creek has a store and a large school, not much else. A very Mormon farm town.

Near Aneth I started to see oil and gas activity. Aneth is an oil and gas town, not at all a Mormon town.

I enter oil and gas country after Montezuma Creek.

The highway stays close to the river between Montezuma Creek and Aneth. My last views of the San Juan river.

Aneth has a store 1/4 mile east of my turnoff. I didn't go to the store, and instead turned north onto County road 402 which is also known at Ismay Trading Post road. Traffic was light on the state highway but it was nice to get onto a no-traffic county road. Maybe a car every 2 minutes.

Much more brown after I climb away from the river in Aneth.

I turned onto the county road near the San Juan river and pedaled steep uphill in a side canyon. Cortez is 1600 feet higher than Aneth. The first few miles was mostly north, with a brisk south tailwind. But by the time I crossed into Colorado the road turned east, giving me a crosswind.

There was no Welcome to Colorado sign on this county road. The San Juan county Utah road simply turns into a Montezuma county Colorado road.

Translation: Leaving Utah, entering Colorado.

Ismay Trading Post is right at the state line in Colorado. Best I can tell it closed about 20 years ago. It appears to be a residence now but the building is in a beautiful state of decay. I don't think this back road was ever the main highway. I think it was a sleepy place even at its peak.

County road G enters McElmo canyon about a mile past Ismay trading post. Suddenly the arid desert gives way to irrigated pastures. Surrounding desert canyons have dry creek beds. McElmo canyon has a creek that somehow flows year round, able to irrigate thousands of acres. Later I learned that the water is diverted from the Dolores river via the Montezuma Tunnel. A very old water diversion project, completed in 1889.

Suddenly the barren desert becomes a green canyon.

It was a delightful change to see the green fields in the desert canyon. Elevation was about 5000 feet when I entered the canyon. Surrounding hills were mostly barren. As I gained elevation the surrounding hills became gradually more green.

McElmo Canyon. Sleeping Ute mountain appearing on the right.

I saw ruins here and there. I can tell this area has been irrigated for many generations. I suspect the first farmers were Mormon. The first diversion canals were probably dug by hand.

It was also a refreshing change to see big mountains. Actually the Sleeping Ute mountains only qualify as medium size mountains. From the opposite direction they passably resemble a man lying down. Not so much from this direction.

McElmo Canyon has many canals. Some were hand-dug by Mormon pioneer farmers.

I really enjoyed pedaling through McElmo Canyon. Almost no traffic. All the traffic stays on the state highways where you can drive 70 mph. On this road the cars can only go 40 mph because it's so narrow and winding. On the bike at 9 mph I see and hear the canals that motorists miss.

Rare view of McElmo creek. Here the canyon is too steep and narrow for irrigated fields.

Unfortunately the wind gradually shifted to the southeast in the afternoon. So I had a brisk headwind going east in McElmo canyon. Scenic and satisfying, but a very long afternoon of pedaling.

McElmo Canyon and Sleeping Ute mountain.

It became increasingly cloudy as the afternoon progressed. Sunny and 85F at Ismay Trading Post but the temperature dropped to the 70's in lower McElmo canyon, then to the 60's in upper McElmo canyon. That's more because of a minor storm passing through than because of elevation gain.

Rare wide flat area with fancy rail fences.

There were a few sprinkles late in the afternoon but not enough to get me or the road wet. The temperature dropped to 64F, motivating me to keep pedaling and not stop for very long.

I was amazed how many acres are irrigated from the small creek.

I stopped for a few minutes at a rare stone outcropping that extends all the way to the road. It's the trailhead to ancient Indian ruins deep in the canyon.

In the upper part of McElmo canyon I pedaled along the northern border of the Ute mountain Indian reservation. There were a couple of signs on fences, but no villages. Most people drive by without noticing that one side of the road is an Indian reservation.

Upper McElmo canyon, approaching 6000 feet elevation.

County Road G climbs out of McElmo canyon 5 miles southwest of Cortez. A sudden return to panoramic high desert views. Ahead in the distance are the La Plata mountains. Mesa Verde is closer but not as tall.

Back to semi-arid high desert after climbing out of McElmo canyon. La Plata mountains on the left. Mesa Verde on the right.

I continued past the airport, crossed busy US 160, then turned left on another county road that goes straight north into downtown Cortez with no traffic. Cortez is a regional center but has a population of only 9000.

I entered Cortez on a low traffic county road.

In downtown Cortez I turned right to go 4 blocks to tonight's home, an $86 room at Super 8. I arrived at 7:15 PM. Long before sunset but much later than expected. I walked to dinner at a downtown bar and grill.

Downtown Cortez at the end of a long day.

Today was the most difficult day of the tour with long distance, massive climbing, and mostly unfavorable winds. But the scenery was very rewarding. McElmo Canyon is an awesome bike route.

I'm exhausted but it doesn't matter because this is the last day of the bike tour. I'm energized to know that the tour was a success. I finally finished the Indian Country route on the third attempt.

Distance: 69.7 mi. (111.5 km)
Ascent/Descent: +3827/-2017 ft (+1160/-611 m)
Average Speed: 8.4 mph (13.4 km/h)

Today's ride: 70 miles (113 km)
Total: 593 miles (954 km)

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