Hairpin Turns On Oh My God Road

[Bob Boze Bell]

June 13, 2012

Woke up with two sisters looking straight up at Pike's Peak this morning. The two sisters would be the Two Sister B&B in an old house in Manitou Springs, Colorado. Had a great breakfast with the two sis's and a couple from Atlanta. After breakfast a musician compadre, Louis Mock, took me on a tour of the legendary Broadmoor Resort where he has played for the past 23 years. Really a classy joint.

 

The kids and Kathy flew out of Denver yesterday, so it's just me taking the back roads.

 

At around noon I off to Cripple Creek which I have always wanted to see. Stopped at the Mining Museum and talked with Jan Collins the director about the town, Wyatt Earp in Cripple Creek and prostitution back then, not now. She wrote a book on it and I bought it. I asked her if there was a back way to Canon City and she said there was if I wasn't afraid of dirt roads and scary heights. I said, "Is it any worse than the road from Idaho Springs to Black Hawk?" She laughed and said, "You mean 'Oh My God Road'?" Great name for that road. Pattarapan actually took a video of us traversing it and I'll post that when I get home this weekend.

 

Took the county dirt road and saw some crazy rock formations and of course had to stop to photograph it (with my PHONE!). Only met one car on the entire 27 mile run.

 

I just had lunch at Michael's Deli on Main Street in downtown Canon City and am heading for Trinidad, Raton, E-Town and Taos.

 

"Later."

—BBB

 

[Sue Cauhape]

Wild times, BBB. Glad to see you're surviving it. 

[Jim Pettengill]

Believe it or not, we used that shortcut for a high-speed sports car stage rally back in 1983 - closed to the public, of course.  Another great drive is the Gold Camp road from Victor to Colorado Springs.  We used that one on the rally, too.

 

Looking forward to hearing your talks at WWA in Albuquerque later this week.

[Bob Boze Bell]

That is just crazy Jim, but totally believable. The road is quite spectacular and full of some amazing turns with dizzying drop offs (but not as bad as Oh My God Road). landed at Taos tonight and found these digs:

Hint: Dennis Hopper owned it for a little while.

[Sue Cauhape]

That's a gorgeous place. Do you think Dennis haunts it? 

[Bob Boze Bell]

According to my host, he came back with his family shortly before he died to reconnect to the place, so it must have meant something to him.

[JimB]

If only the walls could talk.....

[Bob Boze Bell]

My host also told me Dennis is buried in Taos, so that says something, if it's true.

[Gay Mathis]

Buried (Find a Grave)

Jesus Nazareno Cemetery
Ranchos de Taos
Taos County
New Mexico, USA

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=52979594

[Bob Boze Bell]

Gay, that is incredible. You are amazing. Thanks.

[Sue Cauhape]

That's a great photo of Dennis on the Find a Grave site and I love the collection of memorabilia on his grave.