Bikepackng The CT: Montrose, Ouray, Silverton, Durango

The morning of Tuesday July 28th we were at the Econolodge Motel in Gunnison Colorado after having pulled the plug on the ride yesterday. Our plan now was to drive to Durango and get some trail riding in before it was time to fly out. After making a few phone calls, I rode over to the airport and rented a Kia Sportage. We checked out Double Shot Cycles and the sporting goods store where James picked up some running shoes (I had my flip flops) and then considered a side trip up to Crested Butte but decided we better just head to Durango.

Main Street Silverton

We stopped in Montrose at the DQ for a snack then drove on to Ouray, a small town nestled between steep mountain slopes which was hosting a jeep jamboree. It was a long, steep, winding road up out of Ouray before we reached the pass and drove down to Silverton. A train runs between Silverton and Durango so a challenging adventure might be to take the train to Silverton then ride the CT back to Durango. We got to Durango with time enough to do some reconnaissance while we had the car. We located The Spanish Trail Motel, our accomodations for Friday and The Mail Print & Copy Centre which we hoped would ship our bikes. Pizza for dinner then we navigated to the Junction Creek camp ground near the CT trailhead and paid $20 to pitch our tents beside an outhouse. It was smelly but convenient for nature breaks  compared to camping wild.

Junction Creek Campground

July 29th - Got up at 7:00am and drove to the Durango Diner for steak-n-eggs. Tried to find  a Hertz office and ended up at the airport seventeen miles south of Durango to return the rental. Put the bikes together and hung out at the airport to drink coffee, use the WiFi, and plot a route back to Durango. We ended up on the Black Canyon Trail System, then after stopping at a coffee shop in town found Velorution Cycles were we reserved bike boxes - cool shop. Picked up some beer then back up the five mile hill to Junction Creek, had a campfire and scoped out trail riding for tomorrow.

Black Canyon Trails Durango

July 30th - From Junction Creek we rode the CT and did the Hoffeheins Dry Gulch loop. Later we rode down to Durango and checked out another bike store, an outdoors store and the Durango Brewing Co. Camped at Junction Creek again this day.

Gudy's Rest

July 31st - after breakfast got the bike boxes at Velorution and walked them over to the shipping office. Breaking down the bikes and packing them for shipping turned into a marathon effort to get the boxes to the optimal size for the best shipping rates. After this we walked from downtown Durango to the Spanish Trails Motel and got some food at the grocery store across the street. I arranged a ride to the airport with the desk clerk.
The next day I left the motel early to catch a flight to Denver, James was flying out later in the day bound for Vancouver. Not the best way to end our trip, so it goes.