DDK - Die Deutschen Klassiker

I think we all love a road trip, so thought I'd share this one from last month with you.

Can't remember where I first saw it, but this ad caught my eye. I'd always wanted to cross the Colorado mountains and the fall seemed a good time to do it, add
in a car show 10,000 ft up and it seemed madness not to.



We'd be flying into Denver, over the mountains taking in the show in Telluride, on across Monument Valley, down to Sedona and flying out of Phoenix. Just over a
1000 miles and a couple of weeks to do it in, though Google did say 21 hours 31mins. Wonder if we'll see any nice cars on the way....



The car show is very small this being only it's 3rd year, they seem to like their Porsche's though.

The road from Sedona tp Flagstaff is wonderful, though busy
Interesting up to Bluff with the road through Monument Valley being awesome. Did it in spring last year, in snow...

Going to try to keep it to car...ish stuff, though there was lots of adventures along the way. Also ended up taking a lot of pics though the windscreen as yet another
great vista opened up in front of us, thought I'd post one of those every now and then.... this was day 1 as you leave the plains of Denver and head up into the
mountains for the first time.



We were starting with a slight detour, the first of many, to take in Pikes Peak. The 14,000ft mountain is where they have the annual hill climb, a phenomenal 12
and a half mile run with 156 corners! Up until a couple of years ago it was a mix of tarmac and gravel, but pay your park entrance fee and you can drive all the
way up to the summit.







First race was back in 1916 but the current record holder is Sebastien Loeb from 2013 with a time of 8 mins 13 secs in his Peugeot 208 T16

The altitude really hits you if you drive straight up, and park rangers stop you half way to tell you to keep a window cracked open a little to equalise the pressure.
If you time it right it's a great drive, though I can imagine if it's busy it must be a pain to be stuck behind a train of cars.

Talking of trains, Mrs Mike not overly impressed when after our 'quick' drive up she discovered she could have taken the scenic railway......
The already thin atmosphere didn't get any better when she saw my selfie taking efforts.



They stop you about a third of the way down and point a temperature gun reader thingy at your front disc's, too hot and they make you pull over to cool them down.

It had been high 90's in Denver but obviously very cold on top of Pikes Peak. Now back down as we head off towards Telluride, it's mid 70's and beautiful.



Car had a great sat nav, but can't beat a good old fashioned map.....



Mrs Mike not getting any happier, something about the accommodation apparently......

Couple more detours along the way included Crested Butte which had a reputation as a hippy ski resort back in the day, and Ouray, a real frontier kinda of town.
Great laid back feel to them, but getting used to that now in Colorado, a dope store in every town and don't have to wear a helmet on your Harley.

Guy had this stripped out shell of an Airstream next to his cabin, was going to knock and ask about it but was put off by the size of his kids high chair.....





Ouray's main attraction isn't for the zip wirer's, white water rafters, hiker's, biker's, trekker's or climber's, but the 'Jeepers' who descend on the place to drive the
mountain trails. You can rent a jeep for $175 a day or bring your own, they give you maps of the hundreds of miles of trails and off you go, some pretty serious
high altitude stuff with sheer drops of thousands of feet, sounds great fun! Tempted to buy this little beauty and set off, but the first snow had just closed the
high trail passes!





Garden seat anyone....

Wonderful stuff Mike.
Great pictures too. Well, apart from the selfies...

As I mentioned the first snow of the season and how quickly that view changes as we drive into Telluride....



The show's over two days and Saturday is bring your car onto Main Street, or bring a boat preferably....







"you're taking me to a car show..... in the rain"...... Mrs Mike still not impressed.

This was pretty impressive though, bet that was a handful in those conditions!





The wedding party were making the most of it though!

So the organisers put the show cars in the hanger at Telluride airport, a small selection here...









One for the hot rod boys..









A 1957 Corvette resto-mod, just the 6.3 litre motor.





...and the obligatory, what is it?

Some fabulous bikes.....







Well hopefully the weather for the second day tomorrow lives up to the branding on the show bus!

Great photos Mike. That's was a Studebaker Avanti.

Wonderful Mike, thanks for sharing

Nige wrote: That's a Studebaker Avanti.

well done Nige that was quick! I'd certainly never seen one before, and hopefully I'll never see another....

Those skys! Keep the pictures coming Mike.