Stephen H. Long Trail 1819 — 1820

Day 17: September 9th, 2008 Monument — Cañon City

Map Monument to Cañon City

Also today I wake up early. Slowly I don’t understand this: Back home I am barely able to get out of bed. And around here I only sleep a couple of hours and I am still reasonably fit. I take a shower and collect my stuff together. Just past a quarter past eight I am finished. When going upstairs I already take my bags with me that I only need to get my suitcase later.

My friends are already up and await me in the kitchen. Harv has prepared an omelet and bacon — all really plenty of, because they already know me and have seen how much I usually eat. We chat for a while about many things and it is really hard for me to leave. You don’t get such a hearty welcome everywhere.

But around ten I pack everything together and put my stuff into the truck. After I have stored everything they both come outside to say good–bye. Barb quickly takes a photo of Harv and me in front of my car as memory. Then I leave.

First I drive over to a gas station. Then I take I–25 in direction of Colorado Springs.

Deer, Colorado Springs, CO

Old Stage Rd, CO

Old Stage Rd, CO

There I see how a deer got lost in the city. Then I continue to Old Stage Coach Road which I have already traveled in 2004 on my Zebulon Montgomery Pike Trail, Arkansas. This time I am not following Long’s Trail but just enjoy driving in nature on 4WD trails.

Old Stage Rd/FR368, CO

Old Stage Rd/FR368, Colorado Springs, CO

Old Stage Rd/FR368, CO

Old Stage Rd/FR368, CO

Old Stage Road and the following Gold Camp Road are extreme washboard roads like a couple of years ago. Sometimes you get the impression that the whole truck is falling apart.

Gold Camp Rd/FR370, CO

Gold Camp Rd/FR370, CO

Gold Camp Rd/FR370, CO

Gold Camp Rd/FR370, CO

FR370.1, CO

Gold Camp Rd/FR370, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

My GPS software shows again confusing directions and so I end up following a real rough trail from Gold Camp Road, which is still far away from FR379 which I want to follow. I realize this mistake pretty fast and turn around.

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, Colorado Springs, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

Then I program the waypoints into my old GPS. With this one I reach the correct exit and start my trail. The beginning is still very comfortable. But soon it is starting to get really rocky. I am so glad to have my lift kit. Otherwise I am sure I would have hit the rocks many times again. But this way, you are only get churned heavily. Anyways, I still arrive without any damage.

After this first stretch is made you continue on a very nice forest road. Indeed, this one is also pretty steep and has some rocks, washouts and hills in it. But you are still able to drive it pretty well. The road also looks like it had been reworked not long ago.

FR379A/Almargre, CO

FR379A/Almargre, CO

FR379A/Almargre, Colorado Springs, CO

FR379A/Almargre, CO

FR379A/Almargre, CO

My GPS software doesn’t know this road and is completely lost. But all in all I still have my old GPS. With the assistance of this one I reach the exit to FR379A and Mt. Baldy. Also this road is like the one before with some nice views of the valley below.

One point is a bit more difficult because due to a rock slide a portion of the road is blocked by a rock. But with my little truck I am still able to pass it without issues. Anyways, you still have an unpleasant feeling because at the side it goes down for a couple of hundred feet. And soon I will see what can happen, if you are not driving carefully around here.

Smashed truck on FR379A/Almargre, CO

But I still make good progress and arrive at the next surprise. It seems like they have left an old Ford Pickup truck laying around as vigil who obviously fell down the hillside. All in all, the truck is completely smashed and flat — and beside some wiring harness already completely parted out. Seems like one mistake can be your last mistake on this mountain road without any side rails. I quickly take a picture of this pickup truck remnants, then I continue my journey — still thinking of what the history of this truck was…

FR379A/Almargre, CO

FR379A/Almargre, CO

FR379A/Almargre, CO

FR379A/Almargre, CO

Finally I arrive at the end of this road, which is at almost 12000ft. It is not far to the summit. But the clouds are starting to roll in. Also I start to feel the height again. Therefore I decide to skip the summit hike and immediately start my drive back.

FR379A/Almargre, CO

FR379A/Almargre, CO

FR379A/Almargre, CO

FR379A/Almargre, CO

FR379A/Almargre, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

On my way back I am even able to pass the rock slide more easily. There is also an ATV coming towards me, for whom I free up the road. Soon he reaches me again on his way down and I let him pass once again. All in all he is able to drive way faster with his utility than I am able to. I slowly drive downhill in 4LO in first and second gear.

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

Soon I reach FR379 again which I want to follow all the way to Seven Lakes Road. In my map around Pikes Peak this part is shown as “Difficult”. But it doesn’t look this bad. It even looks like the beginning of my trail. Maybe they have “smoothed out” the road in the meantime.

However, it slowly starts to drip which starts an unpleasant feeling for me. All in all, these kind of roads may become impassable when wet. Inclines of 10 to 15 degrees over rocks will probably not be manageable when wet. But lucky me, it is only dribbling.

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

At the end of this trail things are getting really rough: The decline is around 10 to 15 degrees. There is even my first gear in 4LO almost too fast. But I make it to the bottom without any damage. The last stretch to Seven Lakes Road is again this steep and additionally rocky. But also this obstacle handles my truck very well. Certainly, the uphill run will be way more difficult to get up on this long incline. There I would need definitely the first gear. But then you run into danger to overheat the transmission. So it seems I have chosen the right direction by going from east to west.

FR379/Frosty Park, CO

On the “main street” I quickly take a picture of this last part which I drove down. When I go back to my car I realize that my CB antenna is completely hanging to one side. First I suspect that something is broken. But the antenna just became loose. So I quickly take my wrench out and tighten it again. Then I am able to proceed.

FR3796, CO

FR3796, CO

Gold Camp Rd/FR370, CO

Gold Camp Rd/FR370, CO

Gold Camp Rd/FR370, CO

Gold Camp Rd/FR370, CO

Gold Camp Rd/FR370, CO

Gold Camp Rd/FR370, CO

Gold Camp Rd/FR370, CO

Gold Camp Rd/FR370, CO

First I drive back to Gold Camp Road and on this one take the same way back as what I have driven in the morning. Also here this washboard road really annoys me. When I approach Colorado Springs the road is getting completely wet! There it has obviously really poured! Seems like I was really lucky!

Old Stage Rd/FR368, CO

Old Stage Rd/FR368, CO

Old Stage Rd/FR368, CO

Old Stage Rd/FR368, CO

From the road I get some nice shots of the valley before I reach the city again.

Highway 115, CO

Highway 115, CO

Highway 115, CO

Then I take Highway 115 at Colorado Springs.

Highway 115, CO

Highway 115, CO

Highway 50, CO

This one takes me along the Front Range. Unfortunately there is a lot of traffic on this road and so I am not able to go slow. The upside is that I make good miles now.

Finally I drive on the Interstate like Highway 50 to Cañon City. The Super 8 is found easily this time. In the meantime I have already stayed here for a couple of times. I also remember that there was a steakhouse around which was really good. When checking in I will ask where it is.

At the check–in I reach once again the peak. And the old guy at the reception is not really the fastest and brightest. Eventually it is my turn and I take a room on second floor. Unfortunately, this is the room directly at the stairs. Hopefully I will be able to catch some sleep tonight…

First I start checking my video taping of today. Then I make myself ready for shopping and dinner. When I am at my car I realize that I have forgotten my GPS. But I am already a little bit familiar with the area. So I think I can make it without it.

First I drive over to Wal–Mart which I find without any searching around. There are also some Country songs in my head where I plan to look for the CDs. But I am not able to find even one of it. So I just get some bottled water. This I immediately put into my cooler. Then I drive on for dinner.

Unfortunately I miss the restaurant once again and suddenly end up out of the city limits. I remember that I was also searching around last year when I was here. Eventually I am able to find it. It is way more towards the city center than what I had expected. First I again approach the wrong entrance door. The entrance is not to the front but on the side. Haven’t I done the same mistake already last year?!

Around a quarter past eight I enter the restaurant. The last guests are currently leaving. So I am the only guest right now in the restaurant. My server Kari is very nice and obliging. The steak tastes great and you can tell the wood charcoal smoke. And it is also very tender. Around a quarter to nine I pay and leave the Wild West Woodfire Grill.

Then I drive back to my motel. There I check my emails first. The next task is my diary. In between I prepare my coffee. You don’t want to waist anything at a room charge of $75. Around a quarter past eleven I have finished everything. Finally I quickly do my bookkeeping before I am eventually able to go to bed. Lucky me, the day tomorrow will not be a long day…