Gary Lewis Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share Posted July 21, 2018 Well, we successfully completed 5 days of 'wheeling around Ouray today! We have terrible internet connection, and as I'm still on vacation with my wife, neither of us want me spending a lot of time on the internet. So I'll fill in later. Possibly late next week, but more likely the following week. One thing I will report now is that Poughkeepsie Gulch is MUCH harder now than it was when I was here in 2000. I did make it up, but it's definitely not the "good beginner challenge" I described it as above! Gary, I figured I'd start with a trip report, with some pictures, and follow that up with my recommendations for you. As it's your thread would you prefer I put my trip report in it's own thread, or include it here? It is up to you. But I can see that you might want your own thread to describe your own trip. Either way, I'll be reading it, saving links, etc. Anyway, glad you've had a good trip so far. Hope the trip home is easy and you get caught up on everything there. But, don't forget to POST! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nothing Special Posted July 21, 2018 Share Posted July 21, 2018 It is up to you. But I can see that you might want your own thread to describe your own trip. Either way, I'll be reading it, saving links, etc. Anyway, glad you've had a good trip so far. Hope the trip home is easy and you get caught up on everything there. But, don't forget to POST! Actually the trip isn't over, just the Ouray part. Tomorrow we drive up to Denver to meet some friends for dinner. Then Sunday we're doing some 'wheeling just west of Denver (don't worry, I'll include that in my trip report too!). Then it's home long enough to unload and do laundry before jumping in the car and driving to northern MN for a family reunion. So I won't be HOME until a week from today, and even then we might just switch vehicles again and head to the cabin for the weekend! Am I starting to see what retirement might be like??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 21, 2018 Author Share Posted July 21, 2018 Actually the trip isn't over, just the Ouray part. Tomorrow we drive up to Denver to meet some friends for dinner. Then Sunday we're doing some 'wheeling just west of Denver (don't worry, I'll include that in my trip report too!). Then it's home long enough to unload and do laundry before jumping in the car and driving to northern MN for a family reunion. So I won't be HOME until a week from today, and even then we might just switch vehicles again and head to the cabin for the weekend! Am I starting to see what retirement might be like??? I LIKE IT! Yes, that's our retired life. Just wrote our kids today to give them out schedule for the next 8 weeks. Of those we will be gone or otherwise engaged for over half of the time with our anniversary trip, vacation, and a little show/swap meet that I hear is coming to town. And your plans seem quite similar. Ok, keep on truckin'! And don't forget to take lots of pics and make plenty of notes as we want a full report. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ford F834 Posted July 25, 2018 Share Posted July 25, 2018 I LIKE IT! Yes, that's our retired life. Just wrote our kids today to give them out schedule for the next 8 weeks. Of those we will be gone or otherwise engaged for over half of the time with our anniversary trip, vacation, and a little show/swap meet that I hear is coming to town. And your plans seem quite similar. Ok, keep on truckin'! And don't forget to take lots of pics and make plenty of notes as we want a full report. I finally remembered to watch the Black Bear video when I was in a place of good internet connection. I looked up a couple other videos of it as well, and I sure wouldn’t take a full size truck down that. It’s tight even for jeeps, and it wouldn’t be fun at all in a much bigger and heavier rig. While the woman in the video may have been overreacting to things it is quite sad and I think her husband was mean. She was genuinely terrified and he did nothing to educate her about navigating trails or calm her fears. Good way to get her to never go again. And sometimes it is just too much for someone, and it’s better to stick to things you can enjoy together. On the topic of roads I would not drive... have you seen videos of “Death Road” in Bolivia? I think some improvements have been made in the last decade or so, but it used to claim around 300 lives each year. There are no guard rails and in places it drops 2,000 feet. There are no emergency services except other motorists. On top of that it is busy, with haul trucks and busses that have the right of way over cars. No thank you. Here is a taste: https://www.facebook.com/Extreme4x4Nation/videos/1992030690807089/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 25, 2018 Author Share Posted July 25, 2018 I finally remembered to watch the Black Bear video when I was in a place of good internet connection. I looked up a couple other videos of it as well, and I sure wouldn’t take a full size truck down that. It’s tight even for jeeps, and it wouldn’t be fun at all in a much bigger and heavier rig. While the woman in the video may have been overreacting to things it is quite sad and I think her husband was mean. She was genuinely terrified and he did nothing to educate her about navigating trails or calm her fears. Good way to get her to never go again. And sometimes it is just too much for someone, and it’s better to stick to things you can enjoy together. On the topic of roads I would not drive... have you seen videos of “Death Road” in Bolivia? I think some improvements have been made in the last decade or so, but it used to claim around 300 lives each year. There are no guard rails and in places it drops 2,000 feet. There are no emergency services except other motorists. On top of that it is busy, with haul trucks and busses that have the right of way over cars. No thank you. Here is a taste: https://www.facebook.com/Extreme4x4Nation/videos/1992030690807089/ I agree on all points about Black Bear. That one's off the list, for sure. We are going for fun - fun for both of us, and I don't think it would be fun for me and I know it wouldn't be fun for Janey. And I have seen the videos of Death Road. Not a chance I'd try it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ctubutis Posted July 26, 2018 Share Posted July 26, 2018 I agree on all points about Black Bear. That one's off the list, for sure. We are going for fun - fun for both of us, and I don't think it would be fun for me and I know it wouldn't be fun for Janey. And I have seen the videos of Death Road. Not a chance I'd try it. It *is* unsettling to be a passenger looking out the side window, you really feel how you can fall off a mountain at times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 26, 2018 Author Share Posted July 26, 2018 It *is* unsettling to be a passenger looking out the side window, you really feel how you can fall off a mountain at times. Especially when all you can see out of the window is 2000' below you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 29, 2018 Author Share Posted July 29, 2018 Especially when all you can see out of the window is 2000' below you. For the trails around Ouray I'm wondering if there is some kind of rating. And not just one number, but maybe a series of numbers. One thought is something like: Shelving: How narrow the "shelves" are coupled with how many there are, coupled with how far the drop would be, to give a sense of how much angst there would be. In other words, one shelf with a two-foot drop is one thing, but shelf after shelf that is so narrow that placement has to be perfect, with a 2000' drop on each one is another thing altogether. Technicality: This might be a combo of steepness and smoothness of the trail, making it difficult for a novice driver. Turns: This could be a factor of the number of turns plus the tightness of the turns plus the drop off if you go wrong. Oh, and might this be different for different vehicles? Overall rating, blending the above. But, again, does this vary by vehicle? And driver? Hmmm. I'm making this toooooo complicated! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gary Lewis Posted July 30, 2018 Author Share Posted July 30, 2018 For the trails around Ouray I'm wondering if there is some kind of rating. And not just one number, but maybe a series of numbers. One thought is something like: Shelving: How narrow the "shelves" are coupled with how many there are, coupled with how far the drop would be, to give a sense of how much angst there would be. In other words, one shelf with a two-foot drop is one thing, but shelf after shelf that is so narrow that placement has to be perfect, with a 2000' drop on each one is another thing altogether. Technicality: This might be a combo of steepness and smoothness of the trail, making it difficult for a novice driver. Turns: This could be a factor of the number of turns plus the tightness of the turns plus the drop off if you go wrong. Oh, and might this be different for different vehicles? Overall rating, blending the above. But, again, does this vary by vehicle? And driver? Hmmm. I'm making this toooooo complicated! And now I think I know why I was thinking of ratings for the trails. I'm hoping for additional trips! My daughter and family just got back from Colorado and New Mexico and they were taken with it. (They took my new truck, Blue, and absolutely loved the truck as well.) That got me to thinking about taking them, or at least the grandtwins, out there. And I remembered the D&RGW train from Durango to Silverton. Janey and I rode that train in probably 1970 just after we were married, and then again in the mid-90's with our kids. And now I'd like to take the grands on it as well. So, we watched Support Your Local Gunfighter with them and I think they are interested. But, since the train ride ends in Silverton you are just 23 miles from Ouray. Hmmm! So, I think I need a good understanding of the trails out there, and not only the ones Janey would be willing to do. That's because I may get the opportunity to take my son on some of them or my grandkids, and their willingness to do things will be different than Janey's. Plus, we might have Blue out there and want to take him on some of the easier trails. (He's got a rear locker, but nothing up front.) Or, maybe rent a Jeep. Or tow one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nothing Special Posted July 30, 2018 Share Posted July 30, 2018 For the trails around Ouray I'm wondering if there is some kind of rating. And not just one number, but maybe a series of numbers. One thought is something like: Shelving: How narrow the "shelves" are coupled with how many there are, coupled with how far the drop would be, to give a sense of how much angst there would be. In other words, one shelf with a two-foot drop is one thing, but shelf after shelf that is so narrow that placement has to be perfect, with a 2000' drop on each one is another thing altogether. Technicality: This might be a combo of steepness and smoothness of the trail, making it difficult for a novice driver. Turns: This could be a factor of the number of turns plus the tightness of the turns plus the drop off if you go wrong. Oh, and might this be different for different vehicles? Overall rating, blending the above. But, again, does this vary by vehicle? And driver? Hmmm. I'm making this toooooo complicated! You are probably getting a little too ANALytical here (I hope I know you well enough to make that joke Seriously though, I haven't seen any ratings that break it down that far. But the things to remember are: 1) Every trail in the Ouray are has shelf sections, steep hills, and switchbacks. If someone has no tolerance for those things they should stay out of the mountains. 2) They rent brand-new Jeep Wranglers to people with zero fourwheeling experience to drive on these trails (except Black Bear and Poughkeepsie, the rental places will tell you you can't take their vehicles on those two trails). And I will try to give you some better ideas about the different trails, both in my trip report, and here, once I finish the trip report. And now I think I know why I was thinking of ratings for the trails. I'm hoping for additional trips! .... Fourwheeling trips and trips of any kind to Colorado are like Lays potato chips: no one can take just one! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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