Dangerous drive

[Kody]

We just watched "The worlds most dangerous drives". The program featured the "One Million Dollar Highway" in Colorado. What an unbelievable highway! The worst part ie, the most dangerous, was the 70 miles on "550" as it passed thru the mountains. Spectacular scenery but you would never get to see it even if you weren't driving. Only 12 inches separated the semi's as they passed each other and a group of bikies were racing thru the mountains at 60 mph for thrills. Amazing but definitely not for me.

Kody

[jss06]

The Million Dollar highway is well worth the trip. I have driven the entire mountain section several times. The reality is there are multiple spots to pull off and enjoy the scenery. Semi traffic is slow because of the steep grades. If everyone is driving safely you can enjoy the scenery even if you are driving.

I don't see how this road made it on that show.

[jss06]

The section he is talking about is heading north out of Durango, Co. all the way to Ouray, Co. This is SW Colorado in the San Juan Mountains.

[angib]

I don't see how this road made it on that show.

Yeah, they used the new meaning of "dangerous"- "requires the driver to be awake some of the time"

[djoyner]

I rode the Million Dollar Hwy last year on my motorcycle enroute to Vegas. Colorado has to be one of the prettiest states in the country. Here is a clip of my ride on the MDH from Durango to Ouray (the prettiest part of the ride are at the 3:40 and the 5:10 minute marks:

[48Rob]

Nice video!

Any mountain road can be dangerous if you don't pay attention, but slides and other natural incidents aside, it isn't that bad.
I've driven it several times in winter, and agree it hardly qualifies.

These are my idea of dangerous roads.
Rob

[jss06]

Think I have been on the road in the second picture. If not then something very simular.

[48Rob]

Phantom canyon road, from Canon City to Victor.

Rob

[jss06]

Never been on it. It looks a lot like the road up to Engineer Pass from 550 just south of Ouray, Co.

[djoyner]

Nice video!

Any mountain road can be dangerous if you don't pay attention, but slides and other natural incidents aside, it isn't that bad.
I've driven it several times in winter, and agree it hardly qualifies.

These are my idea of dangerous roads.
Rob

Thanks Rob. I've heard that buffalo/bison don't particular care for the sound of motorcycles, so that would be really 'interesting' to meet one on the road. Is that a GL1200 your're riding?

[48Rob]

It is my son (I took the pictures).
It was a Kawasaki Voyager. Nice road bike.

Bison are very unpredictable...it would have been nothing for him to flip the bike, with my son on it, off the road.
Fortunately, after huffing and staring a while, he ambled off and allowed us to pass.
Rob



He's 6'-4 to give some perspective...

[angib]

Yeah, but it's only a itty-bitty bison on his own. I once got driven for fifty miles down a country road in India, at night. Everything there uses the roads, up to and including bullock carts - take two small bison and hitch them up to a wooden wagon two or three times their size and you're getting the idea.

And bullocks are noted for their very poor electrical output, so these are unlit bullock carts ambling down the road at night. They are at no risk since their cart is so big/heavy that even a truck driving into it is probably going to come off worse, so why would they bother fitting reflectors to the cart, I ask you? After all, many there believe profoundly in fate, so if it's not your night to die, what needs is there for reflectors, and if it is your night to die, what use are they?

Now add in the curious idea that all Indian drivers had (I'm talking about the 1990s and it may not be true today), which was that leaving your lights switched on all the time at night was just a way to wear out the bulbs quicker and use more fuel than you needed to. If it's a long straight bit of road and a moonlit night, what do you need your lights on for? So it can get quite exciting when the driver flicked on the headlights for the one or two seconds per minute that he allowed himself, when they then lit up a bullock cart that he hadn't seen before.

I'm glad to say it is now quite rare for me to have nightmares in which bullock carts suddenly appear out of the gloom of my dream........

The photo below shows a guy making good use of his bullock cart. Actually this looks kinda small to me - but they may just be a reflection of my abject fear at the time.

As others are noting, my experience is that for dangerous driving conditions, rather than dangerous roads, the USA can hold its head proud.

[djoyner]

It is my son (I took the pictures).
It was a Kawasaki Voyager. Nice road bike.

Bison are very unpredictable...it would have been nothing for him to flip the bike, with my son on it, off the road.
Fortunately, after huffing and staring a while, he ambled off and allowed us to pass.
Rob


He's 6'-4 to give some perspective...

I see from the bottom pic that he's been to Devil's Tower as well. The Voyager looks very similar to my GL1200 from the rear. Wyoming/South Dakota has some great roads that are just perfect for enjoying from the seat of a bike.

I plan to pull my Tear across the country next year and plan to get back to that area (and Yellowstone NP).

Just today, I installed the door on my Tear and the FRP roof should be in place in the next couple of weeks.

[mustangcats]

Phantom canyon road, from Canon City to Victor.

Rob

I've driven that road...but the Shelf Road from Cripple Creek, CO to Canon City was much scarier. If you drive this road, I'd advise starting at Cripple Creek and heading south. That will put you next to the rock wall and oncoming traffic will have to hug the edge of the road and the cliff !

[jss06]

Here is the road up to Engineer Pass,



And this shows how far down it is to the bottom. Notice the river way down at the bottom of the cliff we are driving along.



And this is on the way to Imogene Pass out of Telluride.