What attracted me to Durango was Route 550, best known as The Million Dollar Highway. Similar to the railroad tracks that also head north out of town, Route 550 shadows the Animas River through breathtaking high mountain terrain and links Durango with Silverton, Ouray and Ridgeway.
The original highway was built in the 1880s, and today’s road generally follows the old route.
One story says The Million Dollar Highway got its name from the high cost of cutting the road through the treacherous Red Mountain Pass between Ouray and Silverton. Another says the name comes from the gold and silver deposits still buried beneath the road. I'd say the enjoyment of riding a motorcycle on this winding ribbon of asphalt through a rugged, forested mountain setting is priceless.
I departed Durango in the bright morning sun and aimed north toward Silverton. Because I'd been riding for many days and miles across the desert and prairie before entering Colorado, I had to shift my mental gears to prepare for the very serious mountain road ahead. Also, it was tough not to be distracted by the beautiful alpine vistas around every turn.
Soon the exhilaration of the ride and the rhythm of the steep, twisting road kicked in. I was in the "Zone." The 88 miles to Silverton went by quickly. Along the way, I had to remind myself to occasionally pull over, snap a few photos, relax, enjoy the view and smell the wild flowers.
Silverton is one of Colorado's most isolated towns. It sits in a glacial valley surrounded by 13,000-foot mountains. At 9,200 feet, the town's 500 permanent residents tough out cold winters that bring at least 300 inches of snow a year. In the summer, the road brings tourists.
I first saw this solitary town far below when the road crested the valley rim and began its long descent. When I reached the valley floor and drove down the wide main street, I felt as if I was on the set of the TV show "Northern Exposure." Many buildings, including the courthouse and jail, a few saloons and the Grand Hotel, are still standing from when this was a booming gold-rush town.
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