Jan 19, 2021 - Ch-ch-ch-changes

"It was the best/worst of times"* What a year 2020 was. Last January I was looking forward to the new year and the new decade. I like round numbers, and it doesn't get much rounder than 2020. In that long ago BC time (Before COVID-19), we had no idea how our world was about to change, or how we'd have to change along with it. I was looking forward to doing some new things along with enjoying the same old, same old: tennis and pickleball, playing cards, music around the campfire, traveling and meeting up with friends, old and new. We all had...

Oct 22, 2020 - Fort Stockton

Our last night was in the Walmart parking lot in Ft Stockton, our usual last stop before going into the park. We use this stop to get all the refrigerator and freezer items we will need )at least for the first couple of months.) We also had to buy several items that my sister (who is also working in the park for their first year) had forgotten. After several texts, I finally got her whole list, and we were good to go.

Oct 22, 2020 - A Turn in the Weather

Fort Morgan, CO We have had wonderful weather throughout our trip. Even the California and Colorado wildfires did not impact us much although we were aware of them from time to time. Occasionally we could smell the fires; we were unable to drive a couple of roads because of them; sometimes the sky was hazy. We just learned that Estes Park (Rocky Mountain National Park) is under a mandatory evacuation order. The sky is so thick with smoke that it is like nighttime at 2:30 in the afternoon. The thought of the devastation possible is awful....

Oct 21, 2020 - Garden of the Gods

Colorado Springs, CO Garden of the Gods was first called Red Rock Corral by the Europeans. Then, in 1859, two surveyors explored the site. One of the surveyors suggested that it would be a "capital place for a beer garden". His companion, awestruck by the impressive rock formations, exclaimed, "Beer Garden! Why, it is a fit place for the Gods to assemble. We will call it the Garden of the Gods." Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs is a beautiful collection of red sandstone rocks that have different shapes: toppled, overturned, stood-up,...

Oct 21, 2020 - Shopping

Before we left this morning we went by the Walmart to get all the canned and dry goods we are going to need down in the park. We had planned to spend the night at a Harvest host site in San Elizario, Texas. BUT, with the upsurge of covid in the El Paso area, they were not able to accept any guests. They have a dairy farm, and since Don was raised on a dairy farm, we thought it would be fun to check it out. We ended up staying at an RV park in Van Horn that we were familiar with instead. Oh well.

Oct 20, 2020 - Alamogordo

Amazingly enough both of our men looked pretty good this morning. Don swore he did not have a headache or any other signs of a hangover, which by all rights he should have had! We had a light breakfast with Bo and Olinda, then got packed up for the next leg of our journey, We reached Alamogordo by mid afternoon, and pulled in to Kathy and Johnny’s driveway, where they got us set up with electric so we could run the air conditioner for kitty. The temp was in the high 80s here. After minimal set-up, we went inside to visit for a while before...

Oct 20, 2020 - A Travel Day

Gunnison, CO Although we are up at 8,000 to 9000-foot elevations among ski resorts, we are experiencing lovely, shirt-sleeve, warm weather with temps in the upper 60s and lower 70s. It is hard to believe that it has already snowed at home. What a shame we missed it! As we travel, we often stay in smaller towns and, thus, end up with some interesting mom-and-pop lodgings. Our accommodations last night fell into that category. Built in 1927, it was lacking in some of the more modern amenities such as any 220 outlets and a bathroom larger than...

Oct 19, 2020 - San Juan River

South Fork, CO The San Juan River originates along the slopes of the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado. From there, the river flows through northwest New Mexico and southeast Utah before joining the Colorado River at Lake Powell. We spent most of the day following the San Juan up into the mountains. The views were wonderful although, because of the steep grades and sharp turns, only the passenger gets to enjoy them. Stopped from visiting Chimney Rock National Monument (Covid-19), we arrived at Pagosa Springs. Pagosa Springs is home...

Oct 19, 2020 - Belen

We took our time getting ready to go this morning since we only had about an hour’s drive ahead of us. Don planned to stay only 1 night, and to stay in the Walmart parking lot so we didn’t bother Bo and Olinda. But that was cut short when Bo called to say there was no way we were going to stay in Walmart. His language was a little more colorful than mine, but Don relented, and we pulled into their yard, in our usual place. AND we planned to stay for 2 nights as well. Olinda had dinner (yummy smoked pulled pork) the first night, and we...

Oct 18, 2020 - Silverton to Durango

Durango, CO Box Cañon Falls is right in Ouray and we walked to the trailhead from our hotel. It is a 285-foot waterfall that plummets into a narrow quartzite canyon. There is both a lower trail and an upper trail. We have been here before and did the upper at that time. The High Bridge Trail is a half-mile loop that gains 200 feet in elevation. Box Canyon is picturesque but it is also known for some birds. The largest swifts that migrate in North America, Black Swifts, arrive every summer season, arriving from Brazil in early June and...

Oct 17, 2020 - Mesa Verde

Ouray, CO Covid-19 has affected most of the National Parks in some way and Mesa Verde is no exception. At Mesa Verde we were told that there were no ranger tours so no one could actually go inside the cliff dwellings. That is something we had really enjoyed on a previous visit. Nonetheless, there was plenty to see. About Ad 550, the Ancestral Pueblo People moved onto Mesa Verde. For over 700 years, these people lived and flourished here, eventually building elaborate stone communities in the sheltered alcoves of the overhanging cliffs of...

Oct 17, 2020 - All Together

Laurie brought fried chicken, chips and salsa and joined us, Dennis and Diane for lunch. I made a potato salad and baked beans. Obviously we did not starve! It was fun getting caught up with everyone’s lives, kids, grandkids etc. After everyone left, I tried to get Don to go shopping with me since I still needed at least one pair of “chocolate brown” pants for Big Bend. But he wouldn’t go, saying he was concerned about the covid. First time he was this whole trip! I did not push, since all the highways had overhead signs warning of extreme...