Travels with Twinkles - July 25 - 29, 2026

July 24 - We had breakfast at Cracker Barrel before heading off on route 25 through Denver into the rush hour traffic.  Not so bad actually, just a normal rush hour with no major delays.  

We then exited onto route 70 where it became much more stressful as we entered a highway construction area in a mountainous area.  We made a stop in Idaho City at a visitors center just for a break, but somehow missed the interesting downtown Idaho historic area.  

The scenery was beautiful however, I wanted to make many stops, but it was difficult to pull over anywhere safely.  We eventually get on highway 91 south with more exciting steep mountain terrain to our destination in Leadville, CO.  

We had made a reservation at the Columbine Inn in Leadville but we had several hours until check in, so we walked around the historic area. Leadville was crowded with tourist traffic and the town seemed more bustling than I had remembered it from our last visit about a decade ago.  I really love this town, it's very cool in every way. 

The Silver Dollar is beautiful inside

Historic Tabor Opera House sign

Leadville is very into the outdoors 

Tabor Opera House

Beautiful old building are common in Leadville

Golden Burro Cafe is a another classic

Restored Steam Locomotive 641 at the old depot

We find one of our favorite eating places from years ago, "High Mountain Pies" and we're in time for lunch.  We were not disappointed, it was as great as remembered, possibly the best pizza in the west and coming from the New Jersey / New York area that’s saying something !  

Great outdoor patio too !

We also went to a great antique shop, Western Hardware,  where I bought a Country Joe McDonald album influenced by watching several recent "You Tube" documentaries about Country Joe McDonald and the Fish.  I believe this may be the coolest antique shop in the west.  It appears to have been an old hardware store from all the drawers along the wall.   I was so impressed that I bought their t-shirt.

    

We check into the Columbine Inn at 4 PM, immediately taking showers as we felt pretty disgusting.  It will be a good nights sleep for us tonight, the ARC leaves something to be desired when it comes to comfort and roominess. The ARC however has been performing well on these crazy mountainous climbs although it gets a little squirrelly in cross winds and curves at times and it has developed this squeak that annoys me.  

I return to the downtown area in the evening to look around, stop at a bar with live music, but it’s a bit weird.  Two musicians are playing in the rear of the room with everyone else sitting at the bar in the front, hardly anyone listening to them and practically everyone there has a dog.   

I left shortly and went to the "Silver Dollar Saloon" to look again at the beautiful historic interior. Two women at the bar started talking to me, very friendly, but pretty weird.  It was entertaining for a while until they left as it was about closing time.  I asked the bar tender if the interior was original and she said that the Bar Back was an original piece that came west on a wagon.  

Outside on the street, the sky was blazing with color, great light for photography and I took a few iPhone shots, then back to the Hotel. 

Amazing that this has survived

So much to see- very interesting

Sun lit buildings and dark storm clouds look amazing

July 25 - In the morning, at the hotel we go down for the free hotel breakfast which was a major letdown, a poor start for the day.           

We leave Leadville at about 10 AM traveling on route 24 through scenic mountainous country making a stop at Buena Vista, CO.  The Main Street is impressive with many restaurants, interesting shops and brew pubs. I grab a couple of bakery items, that's all it takes to make me happy !

The Public House

We then continue to our destination of Salida, CO.  The downtown area is alive with many people floating on tubes in the Arkansas River.  It’s definitely the thing to do in Salida.  Also lots of action on Main Street which is partially closed to car traffic.  All the stores are open and busy, things are booming.  We have a good dinner at a downtown restaurant at an outside table.  We then retire to Walmart for the night.

July 26 - We drive route 50 making a stop in Gunnison, CO where we take a break and have lunch.  We then continue  driving past the Blue Mesa Reservoir and arrive in Montrose in mid afternoon.

Mural and park on Gunnison Main Street

Great Cafe sign

We then continue driving going past the immense Blue Mesa Reservoir whose water level is way down and arrive in Montrose in mid afternoon.  

We explore the downtown area although most of the businesses were closed.  It’s a very hot 98 degrees which limited our time on the street.  The weather forecast calls for rain and the clouds are building fast as we go to the Walmart where within an hour it starts raining.

Cowboy roping a deer sculpture, I don't get it

City Hall complex is very nice

Cat mural, perhaps a little goofy

Very ornate building

Weirdly painted house to resemble a church

July 27 - We leave Montrose heading on route 550 making a stop in Ridgeway, CO and then on to Silverton, CO.  This route is extremely scenic, many wonders, but a monster to drive and we blast through without a stop which kind of “drives me nuts”, as I usually need to stop everywhere.   

In Silverton, CO, we do some shopping and have lunch, then as usual debate about staying there for the night or continuing on to Durango, CO.  Silverton is a favorite place, very scenic and colorful with an amazing mountain backdrop.

  

I knew of a nearby forest service campground which I had camped at a year earlier, it was easy and free, so we end up going there.  The day quickly turned cloudy with rainy periods and cold at night.  We could have used another blanket, one of these days we need to learn how this van gas / electric heater works.

It tends to flood at times

The campground is on the right

River view

July 28 -  We are seeing clearing skies in the morning, but it takes quite a while for the sun to raise over the mountains.  We take a ride back into Silverton to look for a breakfast place, find nothing open except “The Whistlestop” conveinance store on the edge of town.  It’s no prize, but better than nothing.  

We are taking route 550 which is a beautiful scenic ride.  We make a stop at Molas Pass at 10,899 foot and at Coal Bank Pass at 10,889 foot.  A short trail at Coal Bank Pass leads to a beautiful meadow and mountain view.

Great vista

Road view

This was the homeland of the UTE tribe

The views are great !

Nice trail

Beautiful meadow

 

We stop at Monarch Crest at 11,312 elevation and the Purgatory Ski Area with some great views, I contemplate taking the chair lift which is operating, but not that much of a thrill. 

Rugged looking snow plow

Beautiful view coming into Durango

We then continue to Durango where we take a break from that stressful drive and wander around the downtown doing some shopping and have a late breakfast meal.  Durango is an impressive town, lots to see and do.

Restaurant wall, is that woman posing ?

Great poster

Barefoot Shoes where "the wild still lingers"

Twinkles with new fabric

Famous boxing match at the El Rancho Tavern

The El Rancho still looks a bit wild

We then drive to Gallop, NM where we explore the downtown area for a while.  We go into the historic Richardson Trading Post to lust over the merchandise.

The place to go for Indian Jewelry

Great Indian weaving mural

It’s now noon time and we decide to continue on to Farmington, NM and get a campsite at the OK RV Park.  We then drive to downtown Farmington where Sue goes to a fabric store and I go to a favorite  bar, the Three Rivers Brewery for a drink.  Sue makes her way there afterwards where we meet and have a great conversation with a very interesting, well spoken, well traveled, ex Railroad employee, Navajo man. 

Great picture on the wall

Good wall decor

Work release area

July 29 - We have a small breakfast at an artist gallery housed in a repurposed old lumber yard building.  It’s very cool as there are several galleries that you are allowed visit and check out their work.

The room itself is a work of art !

The bathroom is also art

It’s now on to Holbrook, AZ where Sue visits a fabric store while I take a few downtown photos.

Beautifully restored Locomotive

Beautiful new downtown mural

We set up at the OK RV Park and then have a good dinner at the Mr. Maestas Family Restaurant which is filled with interesting old relics and photos of the past.

The Indian chief is watching

Dining room view

Back at the campground, I go to take a shower at the shower house and almost immediately a wicked storm hits with lightning and thunder, violet winds and hail.  I was marooned there for about 3/4 of an hour before I could get away and back to the RV with torrents of rain water running over the campground.

We had wondered why in the downtown area all the businesses on Main Street had piles of sandbags next to their front doors, now we know why, it’s to keep the water from passing under the doors during these violent storms.  

July 29 - We pack up and leave the campground, then make a stop at a hardware store to get a bolt to attach my tail pipe bracket to support.  Luckily, they had the bolt needed and I was able to crawl under and install it.  

We then take scenic routes 377, 277, 260 and 87 through several National Forest areas.  This area of Arizona is one I don’t ever remember traveling through before, it’s beautiful, very scenic and mountainous.  Many long uphill and downhill roads much like Colorado actually.  It eventually takes you into  the Phoenix area on by pass routes 202 - 101 and then onto I-10 for Tucson.  It was a long grueling drive arriving home at about 4 PM.