Exploring the San Luis Valley - Guanella Pass / Cotopaxi / Salida

I should start by saying that I am not sure how we got from Guanella Pass to Cotopaxi but the route was amazing and the landscape gorgeous.

We came down the pass on its south side and met Hwy 285 at Grant, that much I can tell. After that though, the only thing I know is that we found ourselves on dirt roads with amazing vistas (click on the photographs to see a larger version):

Joe.

Denis.

Then we took a trail that crossed aspen forests and pastures.

It was both exhilarating (thanks to tight curves, and a sometime-rough terrain) and incredibly peaceful (we were by ourselves, the scenery was lush and green). If I hadn't been riding off-road, I could have been meditating... Possible reaching enlightenment... I will never know.

In the midst of a high altitude plateau, we stumbled on a herd of free roaming horses. They were magnificent but the encounter was quite surreal. A bit later we crossed path with two other bikers. As the laws of adventure riding dictate (I think) we stopped and greeted each other, exchanged technical information about our respective bikes and gear, discussed routes, snapped a few pictures and took leave of each other.

Photos courtesy of Joe Turse.

 It was quite surreal as well.

We eventually made it to Cotopaxi, right on time to buy water from the one-and -only store before it closed. We pushed forward to Salida and finally elected to camp on the Arkansas river. I couldn't resist experimenting with night photography and did a couple 10-minutes exposures:

The next morning, trying Joe's patience, I decided to shoot a few plates of the river. During that time, he went on the hunt for a good cup of coffee and some chain lub for our bikes.

Arkansas River, Salida, CO.

I made two tintypes, but one was damaged during that day's trip on the trail-from-hell.

More about that in the next installment.