Canyonlands/Colorado National Monument Tour
Captains:	Bill & Becky Gillespie	Phone:	303.781.0032
Dates:	May 27 - 30	Day(s):	Friday - Monday
Meet Place:	Village Inn, C-470 & Broadway	Meet Time:	7:45 a.m.
Eat and fuel before meeting!!		Ride leaves at 8:00 sharp
Spend the Memorial Day weekend (3 or 4-Day) with Bill and Becky Gillespie. If you can't get away on Friday, you can meet the group Saturday evening in Moab, UT. This should be a great weekend with many things to see and do. You may have so much fun that you may not want to go home. Ride details follow:
Map for day 1 - May 27, 2005 Map for day 3 - May 29, 2005 Map for day 4 - May 30, 2005
Friday, May 27: C-470 to US-285 US-285 to US-50 (Poncha Springs) US-50 west to Montrose US-550 south to Ridgeway CO-64 to Placerville CO-145 north to CO-141 (near Naturita) CO-141 south to US-491 US-491 west to Monticello, UT (Overnight) Friday mileage: 425 Mi. The ride to Monticello on Friday should be a scenic one highlighted by Monarch Pass, the Blue Mesa area, Dallas Divide, San Miguel River Canyon, the breathtaking Norwood Hill, and beautiful downtown Slick Rock. Our start from Monticello Saturday morning should give us ample time to explore the Canyonlands area. Ten rooms have been set aside at the Canyonlands Motor Inn in Monticello under the names RMVTA or Bill Gillespie. You must confirm your reservation by May 1st. The number is 435-587-2266. The rate is approximately $45/room.
Saturday, May 28: Depart at 8:00am - Lunch in Moab Make sure you bring your National Parks Pass. Saturday's route includes side trips to the Needles Visitor's Center in Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park, an awesome peninsula viewpoint northwest of Moab some 2,000 feet above the Colorado River, and a tour of Arches National Park. Saturday mileage: (including side trips) 222 Mi. Rooms have been blocked out at the Silver Sage Inn in Moab, Utah under the names RMVTA or Gillespie. You must confirm your reservation by May 1st. The number is 435-259-4420, ask for Ben. The rate is $50 for 1-Queen bed and $60 for 2-Double beds.
Sunday, May 29: Depart at 8:00 a.m. - Lunch on the road US-191 north to UT-128 UT-128 to I-70 (at Cisco) I-70 east to Fruita, CO (exit 19) CO-340 to Colorado National Monument Road Monument road through CNM to CO-340 CO-340 (Broadway) east to First Street First Street north to US-6 (North Avenue) US-6 east to I-70 east of Palisade I-70 east to CO-65 (exit 49) CO-65 south to CO-92 CO-92 east to Hotchkiss, CO Sunday mileage: 215 Mi. From Moab we'll take "The River Road" and follow the Colorado River upstream past the historic Dewey Bridge. If memory serves me, when completed in 1916 the Dewey Bridge was the second longest west of the Mississippi River. At Fruita the route will turn south for a leisurely tour of the Colorado National Monument. Then it's on through Grand Junction and Palisade, the Napa Valley of Colorado, and over the Grand Mesa and eventually to Hotchkiss for the night. Rooms have been blocked out at the Hotchkiss Inn under the names RMVTA or Gillespie. You must confirm your reservation by May 1st. The numbers are 970-872-2200 or 800-817-1418, ask for John. The rate is $59 for 2 people, and $51 for a single.
Monday, May 30: Depart at 8:00am - Lunch on the road CO-133 north to CO-82 (Carbondale) CO-82 east to US-24 US-24 to CO-91 (Leadville) CO-91 to I-70 (Copper Mountain) I-70 to Denver Monday mileage: 250 Mi. Total mileage: 1,112 Mi.