Back in 2001, Tom and I took a trip out west with five other couples.  Sam & Marilyn, Jim & Dee and Dee's Mom, Marion, Cliff & Marilyn, Jim & Janice, Chris, Karen and their son, Drake.  We all left Michigan and the six of us met up in Nathrop Colorado.   We all came in motorhomes and everyone had a buggy except one couple, Jim & Janice, who had a Jeep. 

We drove through Creste Butte, over Schofield Pass into Marble, Colorado.  The altitude there was 10,707. Here's a shot of us right on Schofield Pass.  The buggy directly in front of us is our friends, Cliff & Marilyn.  Check out how wide the trial is and how high up we are.  Keep in mind, these are the trails stagecoaches took!

We got caught in a storm at the top of the mountain.  We all scrambled to beat the storm and we had to cross this on our way down! Time to get cooled off, at least the lower half!

We visted Tin Cup, Colorado where we had the best burgers ever!!  Stopped in Creste Butte for a shopping spree and ice cream.  Everyday we had to make a stop for ice cream!

We moved on to Silverton, Colorado and went over Red Mountain Pass.  If you ever get the chance, go and see this beautiful mountain.  This picture does not do it justice.  It is the most gorgeous sight ever!  Elvation is 11,008 feet.  What a view!

We camped outside of Silverton, and traveled through Black Bear Pass to Telluride, Colorado.  We had to come down the mountain on the pass criss-crossing all the way.  The steering radius on Tom's buggy was short so a lot of times to make the turns, he would have to back up and turn, back up and turn, doing this several times to complete his turn.  Yeah, you guessed it.  I was on the outside looking straight down and it looked like the front right tire was going off each time!  If any of the rocks would have crumbled, we would have been goners. 

Took a train ride from Silverton to Durango.  The train weaved in and around the mountains.  What a ride that was.  We also went to a place called Animas Forks.  Elevation 11,200.  Animas Forks was originally named Three Forks for its location at the junction of the North and West Forks of the Animas River (Rio de Las Animas.)  The first log cabin in Animas Forks was built in 1873, and by 1876 the community boasted having a hotel, general store, saloon, post office, and 30 cabins.  The flood of miners, mail, and supplies came over  Cinnamon Pass to Animas Forks, as that route was less rugged than the route to the south.  We enjoyed our time there with our friends, Jim & Dee, Dee's mom Marion, Chris, Karen, and their son Drake.

On the road again to Moab, Utah!  Weather was great.  Nice and hot.  Finally got a chance to shed our coats and raingear and actually went swimming.  The riding there was great.  Went through Hurrah Pass, elevation 4,780.  We stopped and had lunch each day on the trails.  Even laid out the tablecoth on the rock!  Here's a nice shot of all of us!

Tom and I took a day trip on our own one day and drove through the Canyonlands.  We actually saw the spot, (sign there told us) in the movie, "Thelma and Louise", where at the end they drove their car off the cliff.  Tom's buggy is sitting in that spot.

It was while we were in Moah our friend, Marilyn, Sam's wife, slipped and fell on some slippery rock and broke her ankle in two places.  Sam took her to get it checked out in Moah, but they did not have the equipment there to help her so she was flown by helicopter to Grand Junction, Colorado to get medical attention.  Sam rode with her and the next day the guys drove his buggy and motorhome 200 miles to the hospital as Marilyn was there for awhile.  They drove home on their own a few days later, when she was released. 

The rest of us winded up our trip out west by going to Archs National Park in Moah. 

The rest of us all left shortly after going to the Arches and began the journey home to Michigan.  Tom and I headed to Denver, Colorado.  Went up to Wyoming and drove up the eastern side of Wyoming into South Dakoto.  Spent the night in Custard State Park in Custard, South Dakoto.  Drove through the park and saw lots of Buffalos, Bison, and lots of Praire Dogs.  Saw the movie spot of "The Last Hunt" filmed in 1955, "How The West Was Won" filmed in 1961 and "Return of a Man Called Horse" filmed in 1975.  We also went to see Crazy Horse Memorial.  That was awesome.  Went to Mt. Rushmore.  Worked our way home and actually drove past the Crandon Race track where we race today.   Had no clue that some day we'd be racing there! Came home through the Upper Penninsula, down over the Machinaw Bridge and home to Grayling.  

Someday, we will make that trip again.  Someday.