Over Dallas Pass

August 9, 2022

Pa-Co-Chu-Puk Campground to near Sawpit

Wheelbarrows to transport campers stuff over a bridge

After a brief time on the highway with traffic, I'm soon able to leave the road behind to join a cycle path which in places uses the old rail route to Ridgeway. Including an old rail bridge.

Following an old rail route towards Ridgeway

After a few long days, instead of quickly continuing, I will just relax here for a bit. There is a bit to see, including in a paddock on the edge of town, a few men are operating a small loop railway using old trains and carriages, while a museum is in the old depot.

After changing a minor flat tyre, getting some food and emailing a few potential Warmshower hosts, it's after lunch time. Strangely, I have no cell service at all, so I can't contact my evening's Warmshower host by phone to confirm his address. I will just have to hope as I approach his location, either I find more wi-fi or I get cell reception.

The passenger train that went through here was known as the Galloping Goose

It's warm as I begin a climb on a highway which starts gradual. As it becomes a little steeper, suddenly a car pulls over and the man yells my name.

It's Steve, the Warmshower host whom I'm aiming for today. So now I have a crude map showing me his address, while kindly he offers to take my bags. Which I readily accept as it will be much easier to climb without them.

After sometime, eventually the unremarkable Dallas Pass appears. From here it's an easy descent all the way down to the junction near Placeville. The further I descend, the more red rocks are re-appearing

As I begin following the San Miguel River upstream in a red gorge, I pass through the small town of Placeville, where I have reception. It has been very random where I get reception with my Ultra mobile service.

Steve lives not far away and his large home is right beside the river but also the road. Steve allows me to relax for a bit, which allows me to try to find the hole in my air mattress using his bath.

After some time, I think I have found a tiny hole in one of the button sized indents in my Sea to Summit mattress. I have some repair stickers, so hopefully I can fix the leak.

After a few hours of relaxing, Steve offers to drive me to nearby Telluride for dinner. Along the way, Steve explains many things including a suggested cycling route to Telluride, because the road suddenly climbs. While from my view, I can occasionally see where the railroad went and it looks like in places I could cycle it.

As for Telluride, it's located at the end of a scenic gorge, with a high wall of mountains blocking further progress. While the main street has been preserved in the old West style. Steve explains over the past decade or so it has become even more popular with tourists, especially in Summer. While in winter many skiing options are available, so from town, there are chair lifts and a gondola.

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