Roadtrippin' Colorado Style

This is the scene of a late-summer 1999 rockslide that covered the highway and frontage road with over six feet of rock. The funny thing is that this is the only major rock formation next to the highway for quite some time.

We exit the interstate in Gypsum so we can continue on US 6. This area of the state loves roundabouts.

US 6 goes under an old railroad bridge just before hitting the central business district of Gypsum.

A reassurance shield in Gypsum.

This button-copy sign is a remnant from the days where US 24 was multiplexed with US 6 through here. 24 goes to Leadville while 6 heads towards Vail. Kind of. There's times where it's a hidden multiplex with I-70 through there.

A Share The Road sign next to a rock cut.

The next roundabout we encounter. That should read TO 70, by the way.

Old skool bridge. Almost missed this shot: the bridge is around a somewhat blind curve.

Another sopt where the rocks change color.

US 6 slips to the north side of 70.

Approaching CO 131. Turning north here would take you to Wolcott, State Bridge, and on to Steamboat Springs.

The CO 131 bridge here is a one lane bridge over the Eagle River. It's such a lightly-traveled route that there's no signals or controls for traffic. As we can see, the one lane part isn't going to last much longer.

Since only demented roadgeeks would want to stay on this when there's an interstate highway available, CDOT signs 70's access points. This one is just after the CO 131 intersection. We're staying on 6.

Back under 70 here. US 6 pretty much follows the banks of the Eagle River through here.

That's one massive rock cut alongside I-70.

This is a tranquil drive at 65 mph.

That's a lot of double-yellow lines for no real apparaent reason. There's no indication that the road was recently widened or anything.

Avon, CO has taken it upon themselves to come up with their own city limit sign.

Here's Avon's first roundabout. Looks like that city sign was a recent change.

All of the bus stops through here look like this. I'm assuming they're heated in the winters.

The bike trails even get their own signs. The only real difference between these signs and the ones on the streets is the use of the wooden border.

Traffic light configuration. The cameras on the white arms are the detectors: they have replaced the imbedded detectors that were in the travel lanes. Big Brother is not watching, contrary to some privacy-rights freaks.

A small cluster of shops line US 6 just outside of Eagle.

This box culvert under I-70 is a de facto trail access, too.

I-70 lies on top of the old US 6 into Vail just ahead, so we have no choice but to hop back on the interstate to continue west.

This is the western END!! of US 24. If we were to continue straight, we'd eventually hit where we turned off to start traveling on CO 82. Signs of Fugliness™ here too!

Back on I-70. Even though there was no indication of it at all, US 6 turns onto 70 in the last picture.

Just after the narrow gorge seen in the distance in the previoius pic, the valley widens out to reveal our next town, Vail.

The first exit of Vail: the W Entrance.

All of the exits into Vail end in a roundabout. That U-turn to the frontage road is entertaining, I bet.

Second exit for Vail.

A snap of the Vail Valley. Vail Ski resort is immediately to the right, Vail Pass is immediately ahead.

A Chain-Up area for truckers. Vail sits at 8150 feet, and we're about to climb 2000 feet to the summit of Vail Pass. I love the streetlights.

The last exit to Vail. I think a little more thought could have been put into the names of the interchanges.

The onramp has a gate for when Vail Pass is closed due to weather. 70 starts an immediate climb up the pass after the merge.

Both sides of Vail Pass utilize multiple bridges over ravines. Most of these bridges have some sort of curve to them. Makes this pass extra fun in the winter.

The retaining walls holding up the westbound lanes are curved.

Still climbing, passing through the shadow of a ridge in this pic.

The westbound lanes have two runaway truck ramps. One curves in the middle. How evil is that?

Many of the cement barriers are in bad shape on the west side of the pass. Not these, though. My bet is the barricades get beaten up from sliding vehicles, rockslides, or both.