It was an incredible drive today. We couldn’t believe our luck at finding the beautiful free camp beside a lake. We had a leisurely morning before continuing.

We drove the scenic byway through a gorge with towering colourful rocks either side. Every corner we took was another beautiful scene. and this lasted two hours.

We were slammed back into reality when we arrived in the busy town of grand junction. A quick stop at Walmart for supplies and some lunch and we were off again.

We are now heading north towards Canada. Just when we thought we were done with high mountains, we found ourselves going up, up, up over the Douglas pass. it was a rutted steep road with scary drop offs. The grade seemed steeper that the million dollar highway and poor Rodger struggled a bit.

We reached an altitude of 8368 feet, 3000 feet lower than the million dollar hwy, but it still felt high, and there was snow.

There were some freedom camping spots along the way but we opted for a campground in the town of Rangely. We need to dump our waste, have showers and top up water.

Today we finally left Durango. We left just before 10am and started the climb to Silverton which was at just over 9000 feet. Then we just kept climbing to 11000 feet. There was snow all around and it felt like a winter wonderland but in Spring!

It was such a pretty drive today. The million dollar highway is renowned as being a dangerous drive with hairpin turns, no guardrails, and sheer drop offs. I was a little nervous us parts, knowing our brakes had failed the other day, and some YouTubers were follow had their brakes fail going over there.

But all was good, and Mike barely used his brakes, opting for low gear instead.

The million dollar highway ended at Ouray which is a charming old gold mining town. If you’ve ever watched The Ranch on Netflix, it’s the town showed on the intro.

After the million dollar highway we followed the upaweep-tabegauche scenic byway. We found an amazing free spot to camp overlooking a river, complete with table chairs and fire ring. We’re not far from the ghost town Uravan where uranium was mined in the 1800s for luminescent on clock dials. Later on the uranium was used for the first atomic bomb (Manhattan project.) should have bought wacky backy in case we start glowing!

We hunkered down in Durango and caught up with cousin Melanie while we waited out a storm over the mountains.

We didn’t do much while we were there as it was cold, and snowing at times. We had a couple of nights out. One at a Mexican restaurant and the other at a Texas bbq place, which was every bit as good as the ones we tried in Texas.

It was a slow start to our day at Mesa Verde campground. I did some editing while Mike organised the van.

It was 11am by the time we left and Mike noticed the brake was squishy. ‘That’s not good,’ he said.

There was no reception on the mountain and I was feeling a bit sick, possibly due to the altitude. We drove for a little bit and the brakes were working a little bit, just very squishy. And we had a steep drive with hairpin turns to get to the visitor centre where we could get them to call for help.

Mike put the van in low gear, put his hazard lights on, and we limped down the mountain. Mike seemed to think it was the power assist that was the problem, and that it would be perfectly safe to drive to Durango. I said, ‘no, let’s stop at the visitor centre, ring a brakes place, and ask their advice before continuing.

I’d contacted Melanie, and she was going to send us her mechanics details.

What happened next took us completely by surprise.

As we pulled into the visitor centre we parked next to a rusty old truck, which looked like it had seen better days. On the side were some words. Can you guess what they were?

Okay, I’ll tell you.

High country auto mobile repairs. What were the odds of that? Mike bailed him up before he could drive off.

The mechanic had a look and noticed the brake fluid was low. Oh goodie, Mike said, we just need to top it up. But no, the mechanic said. We need to find out where it’s leaking.

He quickly established the drivers side rear brake cylinder was leaking. He said he could fix it, so went off to get the spare part from Cortez, 9 miles away.

Two hours later it’s all fixed and Mike reckons the brakes are better than before! It cost $260 to fix. not cheap but saved the hassle of finding a garage and waiting around.

The mechanic said it was just as well we didn’t continue to Durango, because if the fluid ran out we would have lost all the brakes. Scary thought!

It was a 45 minute drive over the mountains to Durango where the hills were dotted with pockets of snow.

We arrived at Melanie’s at 4pm, but she was at work. But she said make yourself at home, the doors unlocked!

So we had a much needed shower for the first shower in over a week!

We had a quiet night sleep in the Walmart carpark. A few other vans had stopped the night too.

We spent the day doing chores. First, the laundromat where we washed the COVID off everything. Clothes, towels, sheets, blankets.

Then to the car spa to give Rodger a good clean, and the bikes too. Neither of them had been cleaned since we bought them and they were covered in dust and bugs.

It was mid afternoon by the time we were done, so we headed for mesa verde national park and found a nice campsite for $10. We stayed at this same campground a few years ago when we were tent camping. Unfortunately it’s not open properly for the season, so no showers.

We drove up the steep drive to mesa verde, stopping at the summit which was 8500 feet overlooking the valleys and stunning views of the snow capped Rockies.

We then continued to the overlooks of cliff dwellings which were really neat. When we were here last time, we were able to walk around the dwellings, but now you need to do a tour.

We had a bacon and egg nap for dinner. Tomorrow we visit Melanie.

We had a quiet night sleep in the Walmart carpark. A few other vans had stopped the night too.

We spent the day doing chores. First, the laundromat where we washed the COVID off everything. Clothes, towels, sheets, blankets.

Then to the car spa to give Rodger a good clean, and the bikes too. Neither of them had been cleaned since we bought them and they were covered in dust and bugs.

It was mid afternoon by the time we were done, so we headed for mesa verde national park and found a nice campsite for $10. We stayed at this same campground a few years ago when we were tent camping. Unfortunately it’s not open properly for the season, so no showers.

We drove up the steep drive to mesa verde, stopping at the summit which was 8500 feet overlooking the valleys and stunning views of the snow capped Rockies.

We then continued to the overlooks of cliff dwellings which were really neat. When we were here last time, we were able to walk around the dwellings, but now you need to do a tour.

We had a bacon and egg nap for dinner. Tomorrow we visit Melanie.

We were going to continue heading north, but somehow we started heading south, next thing we know, we’re in a small town in Colorado.

They had a visitor centre there, so we stopped in and looked at their maps. Turns out we’re only 2 hours from where cousin Melanie lives. Mike was keen to go back to Durango and drive the million dollar highway, so we continued south.

We ended up in Walmart carpark in the town of Cortez, just ten minutes from Mesa Verde national park, which we’ll explore tomorrow. We’ve arranged to meet Melanie on Thursday.

In other news, animal control called in to Glenview to see Donny. Apparently he’s been making a right racket since we left. Our neighbour said he’s been sitting outside our window quacking. And Sophie said he’s taken up to sleeping outside our window. I know I had a bond with my duck, but I didn’t think he liked me. maybe a Feijoa landed on his head.

He might also be a bit unsettled as he’s started laying eggs. Anyway, Jenny will be picking him up and taking him to the farm.

We decided to stay another night at our panoramic view campsite, as it’s just so nice here.

I spent the day editing videos, and Mike made us some water bottle holders with his dremel. We knew it would come in handy for something’!

We only have room for our coffee cups when driving, and the holes aren’t deep enough for our drink bottles. So our drink bottles have been rolling around on the floor, and often leak all over the place.

So I found a bit of wood we’d been carting around, thinking it may come in useful one day. And Mike cut two holes into it for our drink bottles, and it fits perfectly in the cab. We’ll see how it works tomorrow when we leave.

Other than that, we had a quiet day and didn’t move from our spot. and i got a video completed.

We woke up to another incredible day in our boondocking site just outside of the north entrance to Canyonlands national park.

We entered the national park around .9am and it was already busy on a Sunday. I definitely prefer canyons to arches, they are so much more dramatic.

The weather is perfect. Sunny, bright blue skies, and a gentle breeze to keep it cool.

Canyonlands, in our opinion, is better than the Grand Canyon. The scale of it isn’t as grand, but the canyons are just as amazing. And the fact there are so little people makes all the difference. We even managed a few walks today, but we’re at altitude again and still slightly puffing.

After having lunch and a coffee, we left Canyonlands and headed to dead horse point state park. This is where some nasty cowboys rounded up some wild horses, kept the best ones, and left the others locked up without food or water so they died.

It’s also the cliff that Thelma and Louise drove their car off in the movie.

There is an amazing horse shoe bend as well.

It was about 2pm by the time we were finished, and I had it in my head where I wanted to camp tonight if it was available. One of the blm camps that was fully booked the night before.

We arrived and only one other person was there, so we took the best spot with 360 degrees looking over the canyons. It’s such a magic spot, we’ll probably stay two nights. Even though we can camp for free down below, we figure the $10 is worth it for the views, table and chairs, fire pit, and toilet.

We watched the sun set , played some monopoly deal, and went to bed.

We woke up to another incredible day in our boondocking site just outside of the north entrance to Canyonlands national park.

We entered the national park around .9am and it was already busy on a Sunday. I definitely prefer canyons to arches, they are so much more dramatic.

The weather is perfect. Sunny, bright blue skies, and a gentle breeze to keep it cool.

Canyonlands, in our opinion, is better than the Grand Canyon. The scale of it isn’t as grand, but the canyons are just as amazing. And the fact there are so little people makes all the difference. We even managed a few walks today, but we’re at altitude again and still slightly puffing.

After having lunch and a coffee, we left Canyonlands and headed to dead horse point state park. This is where some nasty cowboys rounded up some wild horses, kept the best ones, and left the others locked up without food or water so they died.

It’s also the cliff that Thelma and Louise drove their car off in the movie.

There is an amazing horse shoe bend as well.

It was about 2pm by the time we were finished, and I had it in my head where I wanted to camp tonight if it was available. One of the blm camps that was fully booked the night before.

We arrived and only one other person was there, so we took the best spot with 360 degrees looking over the canyons. It’s such a magic spot, we’ll probably stay two nights. Even though we can camp for free down below, we figure the $10 is worth it for the views, table and chairs, fire pit, and toilet.

We watched the sun set , played some monopoly deal, and went to bed.