Some friends and I did a little road trip in SW Colorado this past weekend. Day One: We started with a fun night at the Great Sand Dunes, and camped nearby. I tried the 4x4 road (to Medano Pass) and got scared about getting stuck in the sand at night, especially with the weight of four people and gear, so turned around before it got too deep. Day Two: We then headed over to the Valley View Hot Springs, and then to the Pagosa Springs area for a nice night under the stars. Day Three: We took a nice hike, and then drove to Ouray, and tried to find a camping spot in the steep 4x4 roads above the city. At one point it was so steep that the poor van bogged down, which is why I am so interested in finding a dual range transfer case. We eventually found a spot in National Forest outside of Ouray. Day Four: North to the Hotchkiss/Paonia area to buy great Colorado produce including a couple of boxes of organic peaches.
Overall the van did great. We had at least one mountain pass per day, and while going was slow with so much junk, and a few times we turned off the a/c to give the hot engine a break, I was pretty impressed with the performance. Everyone was comfortable, especially my girlfriend and I who slept in the van. (I wish I would have taken a photo of the bed setup.)
Here are some shots of the trip.
Sand dunes above van.
Loaded down.
Hiding from the rain and snacking at hot springs.
Drying towels.
Last night's camping spot.
Overflowing with junk.
*Edited for grammar and duplicate pics.
