Scipio to Cortez Colorado

25 October

As posted on yesterday's blog we were on the road Eastbound at 11:00AM along the last piece of Highway 50 which would join the I-70.  We were hoping for Cortez, Colorado, passing through the wonderful broken landscape of South Eastern Utah which we have seen many times before. One of our favoutite drives.

Not happy with this map photo. I'll try to take and post a better one.

This time though we would turn off at Montecello and follow the 491 to Cortez rather than continuing south to Bluff, another interesting place.

At 1:45 we stopped at a Rest Area on the I-70 for lunch then turned south through Moab and arrived in Monticello at 4:00 where we stopped for groceries. The GPS said it was about an hour and a half if memory serves, so it looked like we would make Cortez at a reasonable hour.

Here are a few photos taken along the way:

Following the GPS through Cortez we arrived at the KOA RV Park to find it closed! We had seen another a few blocks back so turned around in the parking lot of a business just up the highway and headed back. Gillian remembered that we had stayed there years before in the Triple E but Art didn't remember it. He didn't like the looks of it from the street--it appeared too tight and small with too many trees so another round the blocks detour and we continued past the old KOA to a new one several miles east. We arrived at Mesa Verde RV Resort at about 6:15 and booked in for 2 nights.

Next day we browsed around the town, had lunch at a nice pub with nice local beers, took the dogs to the municipal fenced off-leash dog park where Tia wandered around quite happily and Prana was of course delighted, chasing balls (no matter who threw them nor which dog for!) and running and playing with other dogs. We had no trouble finding the dog park: It was right next door to the closed KOA!

Art also dropped into Four State Tire to discuss our tire episode and decided to bring the rig in next morning to have the other four tires examined.

7:40 AM he arrived, Gillian and the dogs close behind in the Jeep. Art again explained the incident in Scipio and asked that the four rear wheels be removed from the vehicle and closely examined. Gillian also had a concern about an apparent dent in the right front tire on the Jeep. She was told that it was due to the manufacturing process and was not a concern.

 Then we went off looking for breakfast, at a place recommended by the tire shop staff, Beny's Diner. The gave us directions but we also set the GPS and off we went. The route did not exactly match the directions but was in the same direction and the same general area.  We arrived to find a vacant restaurant with FOR LEASE signs on it!

Gillian remembered seeing another place back down the main street so we set off in that direction. We spotted it as we drove past and as we looked for a place to turn around there was Beny's Diner on the corner. They had moved quite some time ago--it seems the GPS had not caught up.

We had an excellent breakfast, family owned and operated it was friendly and professional.Sated, we returned to the tire shop to find them all done. It seemed that they had misunderstood and had removed all 6 wheels! The good news was the the rear tires wire in fine shape, there was sufficient tread and no sign of damage. Art was both angry with himself and relieved. The cost for the check?  $64.50. They also suggested that we get them re-torqued at their shop in Durango which was on our route.

Art later did a Google Search for G&G Tire Scipio and the second item was Ripoff Report! ARRRGGGGHHHH!