It was a nice top-down day. However, the first part of the day was under grey skies, so I did not take many pictures. Overcast skies always make things look so gloomy, especially on photographs, which do not have much contrast to begin with. Later in the day, I ended up driving through green fields below a clear blue sky, but there is simply no way to convey wide open spaces well with a camera that can display only a little piece of it.

At the 11,000 feet Wolf Creek Pass, I took the path to the scenic outlook that is higher still. The path is a gravel road. We acrophobics dislike sliding on gravel with steep drop offs next to us. The path was hardly wide enough to let an SUV and a Miata pass. (Miatas have only a couple of inches ground clearance, so they cannot let the wheels at one side drop to the grass level way below the track level. SUVs have about 5 feet ground clearance but are driven by absolute morons that are afraid mud will get on the tires.) All in all, when I finally got to the end of this endless track, I did not spend too much time overcoming acrophobia and taking pictures of neighboring mountain tops in grey skies. I think it would be great with a bit of sun on it, though. The view was still impressive.

This detour had turned Bozo even dirtier, and I took the time to stop at a car wash so that he looks again nice from most sides.

At some time, the temperature became low enough that the heater was not enough and I had to go to the trunk to get my coat out.

At Walsenburg, after considerable searching for it, I took CO Hwy 10 to La Junta. This road seemed a throw back to the Nevada deserts, though it was considerably less hot. I had to take off my coat, but I kept the top down with no problems. I did have trouble staying awake, though. There is something hypnotizing in those perfectly straight roads that stretch to the horizon without end or real change.

From La Junta, I took CO 194 to Bent's Old Fort, at which I unfortunately arrived after closing time. The description sounded like fun. The road was a great drive through farmlands under a blue sky at a perfect temperature, though. And it stayed like that until I stopped at Lamar.

Pictures (click for larger size):