US Route 6 goes from Provincetown, Massachusetts to Long Beach, California (though the last section of it in California was renumbered by the state) and I decided to follow it, or at least sections of it, on the way home. Even bought a tour book called Stay on Route 6.

We stayed the first night in Ely, Nevada. On the way out of town I saw what looked like a good place to walk a dog.

No visible “No Dogs” signs, and no one else around.

That’s my boy, way down the road, being his own boss for a few minutes, sniffing or running as he pleases.

We made it to Grand Junction, Colorado that night.

The next day, we went on towards Denver, using a mix of the interstate and Route 6. A real treat was crossing the continental divided via Loveland Pass, at almost 12,000 feet. Part of the route goes past ski areas with slopes so steep I couldn’t imagine sliding down them on slippery sticks. But I’m a timid cross-country skier so maybe my perception is also a bit timid. The slopes I speak of are not in the picture below, but they didn’t seem too much different in steepness.

It was definitely still winter up there.

In Denver, there was some work to do to my car (backed into a tree and damaged the tail light on one side. Ooops.) and I stayed for a few days, visiting a friend who lives on a farm south of town. Then it was back to Route 6.