You do know that the eastern half of the Colorado River Road is dirt and can be moderately tough depending on how sandy/rutted it is. Also, Buffalo Pass Road is unsurfaced - varying from good to poor. I thought it would be pretty good a number of years ago - but it was in really bad shape. Forest service roads vary from year to year. What can be a great road one year can be in bad shape three years later. Speaking of climbs - - there's a hefty climb northbound out of the Colorado Canyon if you go clockwise. The advantage of clockwise is that you may - repeat may - get strong tailwinds along the Colorado. Winds tend to be southerly in the stretch from Walden to Twin Lakes.