wanderlust: Carbondale to Ouray

Out of Gas in Marble

6000+ mile road trip beginning on EMPTY (typical)

So I quit my job this week to begin an epic road trip across the western US. After quitting my job, packing up my apartment, and registering for school all within a week, I was ready for a little relaxation on the open road. As I headed west from my parents place in Carbondale, I felt a sense of peace as I rolled down the windows, turn on the ipod, and began the long drive.

20 minutes later, I notice my gas lights on. This is a classic Kellyism. Kellyisms are basic, pragmatic daily tasks that get lost when my head is in overdrive. Pretty sure gas is the number one item on the checklist when undertaking a 6000 mile trip into the unknown. Somewhere near Redstone, I realized that I didn’t have gas and it was over 50 miles to the next gas station, The country gas station in Redstone was closed for the season and Paonia was a little too far to cross my fingers and hope for the best. I pulled into Marble, a rustic, isolated mountain town. Marble is the type of place people move when they want to live remotely, like off the grid remotely, away from the hustle and bustle of the metropolitan town of Carbondale, Colorado.(pop.6400).

With Braulio, my travel companion by my side, we venture into a coffee shop/consignment shop in Marble, where we are welcomed by a lovely soccer mom who suggests that we call public works to siphon off some gas for us. After several minutes, we get Robert, public works/ snowmobile enthusiast on the land line. Oh by the way, we have no cash. Robert says we can’t have city gas because its tax free, but offers us the gas in snowmobile as goodwill. Braulio and I drive up to meet Robert some ways up a dirt road. Robert is classic mountain man: gruff, unkempt, dry aged hands, greasy stringy hair, but a smile and a tank of gas at hand. Braulio and I are a sight for sore eyes; Braulio is a Dominican from Queens wearing tight jeans and a graphic tee, and while most days I look a little more country, today I am wearing a dress and preppy fedora and look more Houston wasp than mountain hippie. Needless to say, Robert, Braulio, and I were a motley crew exchanging a couple giggles and a gallon of gas. A gallon of gas, a prayer over McClure Pass, and then a slow role into Paonia; I survived my first obstacle.