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October 7, 2015 · 19 Comments

The Ultimate Road Trip Through Colorado

Blog· Travel

“Travel as much as you can, as far as you can, as much as you can. Life’s not meant to be lived in one place.”

I’ve had quite the travel bug this year and a great urge to fulfill it. I’ve traveled to 8 states this year but unfortunately, they were states that I have already been to. I needed to change that so I headed to a place I’ve never visited – Colorado. I flew in to Grand Junction to meet with a few Texas bloggers so we could take the ultimate road trip in the 2016 Ford Explorer Platinum. I’m a bit of a snob when it comes to cars and luxury. I like my cars to have all the bells and whistles and I was excited to see if the Ford Explorer passed my test.

Anyone can write specs on a piece of paper but I wanted to try out all of the features the Ford Explorer Platinum had. We left early one morning from Grand Junction and headed South to Durango.  The first stop on our road trip was to the Colorado National Monument. Being my first time to Colorado, I was completely floored by the views. Every where we drove, the views got better and better. Colorado National Monument #ExploreMoreI can’t mention the views without mentioning how high in elevation we were! Being from Texas, I’m not use to driving up crazy winding roads. I rode in the back of the Explorer for this part of the trip. Thankfully, the Explorer handled really well on the slick roads and we had nothing to worry about. There was a time that I hated to ride in the back of any car, but the Explorer Platinum has so many upgrades in the back that it wasn’t bad. At times you feel like a second class citizen riding in the back seat because all the amenities are only up front but not in the Explorer Platinum. There were heated seats and I loved that the seats were much higher than usual so I could still partake in the conversation they were having up front. Exploring Colorado National Monument. #ExploreMOre

Colorado National Monument #ExploreMoreOur next stop on the ultimate road trip was Clark Family Orchards located in Palisade, Colorado. I’m not a ‘peach person’ but there is no way I could pass up fresh fruit. Road Trip through ColoradoClark Family Orchards #ExploreMore

We arrived at Clark Family Orchard and little did we know it was the end of peach season and they only were selling the little they had by the pound. Since I would be flying out the next day, there was no way I could take any home with me. Clark Family Orchard #ExploreMore

They did have a few samples that I was able to try and OH MY GOSH, they were the best tasting peaches ever! After a quick chat with the locals, we were on our way. We took the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway and I could do nothing but stare out the window in amazement. (Don’t worry, I wasn’t the one driving at this point.) Grand Scenic Byway #ExploreMoreThis was my view from the back seat, look at that view! Notice the awesome Sony system? We were able to jam out the whole trip because of the amazing sound system. There are a total of 12 perfectly placed, high power speakers that produces music like we were live at a concert! The Ultimate Road TripGrand Mesa Scenic Byway #ExploreMoreGrand Mesa Scenic Byway #ExploreMoreGrand Mesa Scenic Byway #ExploreMoreAfter our incredible trip on the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway, we made a quick stop at Ridgway State Park. The park’s popular campgrounds, beautiful reservoir, picnic and playground areas, extensive trails, and diverse wildlife offer year-round activities for all types of outdoor enthusiasts. This was my leg of the trip where I got to get behind the wheel and really see what the Ford Explorer Platinum is all about.

The driver and passenger seat are not only heated and cooled but have massaging seats. My back has never felt so good after a long road trip. Having three bloggers on a road trip together means there were lots of devices needing to be charged. Not once did we have to fight over a charging station because there were enough for us all.

I immediately noticed how smooth the ride was. At times, I would have to watch the speedometer because the Ford had some seriously pick up and go. Ridgway State Park #exploremore We didn’t stay too long at the National Park because we wanted to get to Ouray, also known as “The Switzerland of America.”  Ouray Colorado #ExploreMoreWe stopped for some chocolate and a little bit of window shopping. Box Canyon Falls is located in Ouray, so we hiked to the 285 foot waterfall to see even more amazing views.Box Canyon WaterfallWe planned our trip strategically so we could travel down the Million Dollar Highway. The locals told us the views were incredible, what they didn’t tell us was how crazy the roads were. I’ve never seen so many twists and turns on a road in my life.  Million Dollar HighwayThis stretch through the gorge is challenging and potentially hazardous to drive; it is characterized by steep cliffs, narrow lanes, and a lack of guard  rails; the ascent of Red Mountain Pass is marked with a number of hairpin curves used to gain elevation, and again, narrow lanes for traffic—many cut directly into the sides of mountains. Although the roads were trying at times, I never felt uncomfortable or that we were in harms way. I know it has everything to do with the Ford Explorer we were driving.

The Ford Explorer Platinum comes with  Intelligent 4WD that optimizes power train and braking systems, allowing the vehicle to deliver the right amount of traction to match the driving conditions. I love that the Ford Explorer Platinum works for me, not against me. There are so many great features and they are all easy to work and implement. Explore More with FordWe had an amazing trip and I loved being able to ride and drive the Ford Explorer Platinum. I was pleasantly surprised by all features that were included. The Ford Explorer Platinum is fully upgraded and the only features you can change are the color of the car and if you want bucket seats in the back. That says a lot about the vehicle and where Ford is going with their products.

Our trip ended in the mountains of Durango. It was such a fun filled day exploring more with Ford and some of my favorite Texas bloggers. If you want to learn more about the Ford Explorer Platinum, head to their official site or reach out to me!

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Comments

  1. Robin Rue (@massholemommy) says

    October 7, 2015 at 7:17 pm

    LOVING all your photos. I have never been to Colorado, but it looks gorgous there.

    Reply
  2. Kristi says

    October 8, 2015 at 7:38 am

    Looks like the perfect trip… a comfortable ride, great scenery and nice weather. What more could you want? Thanks for the great photos you shared.

    Reply
  3. Stacie @ Divine Lifestyle says

    October 8, 2015 at 10:21 am

    Colorado is so gorgeous. So is the Explorer Platinum. I’d love to road trip Colorado IN this car.

    Reply
  4. Dawn says

    October 8, 2015 at 11:03 am

    I’ve always wanted to visit Colorado. The scenery is so beautiful. That Explorer is beautiful, too!

    Reply
  5. Pam says

    October 8, 2015 at 12:12 pm

    Colorado looks so beautiful! And what an awesome car to take your road trip in, too.

    Reply
  6. Liz Mays says

    October 8, 2015 at 4:43 pm

    Driving through Colorado is just the best. I wish I could check out their parks too. It’s awesome that you were able to do it in the Explorer!

    Reply
  7. Marcie W. says

    October 8, 2015 at 6:02 pm

    Ford has really stepped their game up! We recently went browsing for vehicles and I fell in love with the Explorer Sport Edition.

    Reply
  8. Dawn says

    October 8, 2015 at 8:21 pm

    Colorado seems like such a pretty state! I love the picture you got of the waterfall.

    Reply
  9. Beth@FrugalFroggie says

    October 8, 2015 at 9:57 pm

    I love Colorado and I love the Ford Explorer. Let’s go!!

    Reply
  10. crystal says

    October 8, 2015 at 11:04 pm

    Colorado is just beautiful! I’d love to see it, especially in such a comfortable and stylish ride.

    Reply
  11. Debbie Denny says

    October 9, 2015 at 5:45 am

    Sweet ride you have for this trip. Beautiful views. So neat you saw all this scenery.

    Reply
  12. yumeating says

    October 9, 2015 at 9:02 am

    I miss my Ford Explorer. She was old and I had her for a loooooong time (we named her Betsy.) Because I live rural and have to drive a bit to get places, we eventually traded her in when she was almost 200,000 miles for a G6.

    Reply
  13. Kelly Hutchinson says

    October 9, 2015 at 9:02 am

    I have always wanted to visit Colorado. This looks like a great vehicle.

    Reply
  14. Ann Bacciaglia says

    October 9, 2015 at 11:26 am

    These photos are so beautiful. It sounds like you had an amazing trip. I love to travel as well. The Explorer looks very comfortable to travel in.

    Reply
  15. Christie says

    October 9, 2015 at 12:07 pm

    So many beautiful views and those mountains! I’ll have to take the family to Colorado someday, wow!

    Reply
  16. maria s. says

    October 9, 2015 at 12:37 pm

    The Platinum seems like a very elegant and upscale vehicle with lots of great features, even in the back seat which is awesome. I would love to visit Colorado one day, it’s like looking at the pages of a magazine, so gorgeous.

    Reply
  17. Chasing Joy says

    October 9, 2015 at 12:56 pm

    These views are amazing. Great photos. You shoud put them on a calendar.

    Reply
  18. Brandy says

    October 9, 2015 at 7:11 pm

    This looks like such a great time, I am hoping to get on a road trip this weekend – but in NH and possibly VT area, where I live. Looking forward to seeing if you go on more road trips, these are gorgeous photos!

    Reply
  19. traceyzimmer says

    October 13, 2015 at 7:54 am

    I’ve always wanted to visit Colorado and to see it that Explorer would be awesome! Amazing scenery and beautiful car.

    Reply

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