Durango to Telluride via Siverton. Start at 7AM. Pros make the run to Silverton in 2 hours! Crazy fast. Be sure to pause to read about the "over 100 gold and silver mines" in the area. Run down to Ouray (rhymes with "hooray") on steep descent, often with no guard-rails on the cliff side (left side) of the road, is worth remembering: approached and passed a long-bed tractor-trailer (7-foot culvert strapped on bed - road-missile), followed by p/u. Crazy high speed race downhill ensued... sound of jake-brake roaring off mountain walls at each curve behind me. I took the turns at 32-38 mph, the trucks at 15-25 mph. Bailed at overlook above town to take in overlook of hot springs and waterfall town: great western architecture, old mining town with multi-colored striated mountain scapes. Hit very cold rain just over pass from Ridgeway to Placerville. (15 mins earlier it was snowing there!) Fierce clouds, hanging on San Juan Mountains, had been threatening for hours. (I hate getting road splash on my pony!) As long as there is no lightening, the inconvenience of rain is just that. Checkout the "attitudinal" atmosphere that is Telluride: mountain bikes and long hours of free gondola access to slopes/town. Was welcomed with a comprehensive Russian Athletic Massage!