Stillwaters run deep!

Tuesday, June 30th, 2015. After lunch we headed east on scenic Route 50 and cruised along the shores of Blue Mesa Reservoir. It was as beautiful an area as its name. There are several campgrounds around here as well but onward we went. Climbing and curving we reached Monarch Pass, our first of 5 Continental Divide Crossings in about 48 hours. There are several ski areas around in the Rocky Mountains and the slopes are quite steep. I've never had the pleasure of skiing on their soft powdery snow. But imagine it's a challenge! At the junction of 50 and 285 in Poncha Springs we stopped at an interagency information center and again picked up a BLM (Bureau of Land Management) map of the area. We headed north on Route 285 to about 1/2 mile past Mile Post 136 and turned right at a BLM sign for Hecla Jct Rec. Site. After a mile or two we saw the BLM sign and started climbing a hill. At the top on our right was a plywood sign with "Dan's Free Camping". The only requirement was "No Fires!" That is easy enough to respect. We entered a dirt round-about- parking area and chose a level sight along one side. There were two other groups here, and a young woman and her dog. She said that she'd been coming here for 17 years and that the other group of tenters were part of the local rafting guides and would probably come in later. They were quite when they did, I'm sure exhausted from their daily workout!

We had a relatively quiet night and left about 8 am at the same time as the woman. In an hour or so we crossed Hoosier Pass, elevation 11,539 feet and back down the other side to Route 9 and Breckenridge. Breckenridge is a lovely ski resort town and has lots of interesting historical buildings and current shops. I was able to find the perfect rain-gear and we stopped at a coffee and pastry shop. We strolled along Main Street for a while then continued on our way and turned on a side route along the east side of Dillon Reservoir. This dropped us onto Route 6 taking us through Loveland Pass, elevation 11,990 feet. Bob climbed the 45 stairs up the hillside across the parking area and we watched as a couple of skiers did the same then swooshed down what remained of the winter snow. The can claim having skiied in July!

We Continued down to Route 70 and noticed before we headed East on it that if we went West we would have traveled through a long tunnel on the Main Interstate! Somewhere in that direction is a gorgeous hike to Hidden Lake. We will have to research that when we return. But we headed east a short ways (about 3 exits) to Route 40 North as the heavens poured rain upon us. We have had it pretty dry all along and this was a "free truck wash!" It even cleaned the red dust from our tire rims that accumulated back in Valley of the Gods. We stopped at a picnic pull off and had our lunch and then continued on after the rain ended.

We crossed the continental divide again but now through Berthoud Pass, elevation 13,315 and hoped we would find our next camp at much lower elevation. Route 40 took us to Granby where we picked up Route 34 which would take us all the way through Rocky Mountain NP. Just before the NP lands we were in and out of National Forest areas and along a couple of large lakes. On the shores of one we chose to stop at Stillwater Campground for the night. We found a lovely spot that had it's fire ring and picnic table just a few steps from the water. It is the perfect spot for kayacks, canoes, sailboats and even motor boats were anchored around the bend. Several campers were here early to get a great view of the fireworks display that would be just across the lake in a couple of days. I wish I could say we had a quiet night, but a "not-so-nice" woman and her son arrived after midnight and parked about 2 feet from my window. Granted we had chosen a twin site but she was local and surely could have come in earlier. At 8 AM she decided to turn on her smelly engine to "charge her batteries!" and gassed me out. I walked off for 20 minutes then having to break camp asked if she could kindly shut it off. Thankfully she did!

We boogied out and hit the dump-station and took on clear mountain water for the remainder of our trip. After stopping at the National Park's gate for a map and info we cruised along the route and stopped at the lovely scenic viewpoints. Again we crossed the Continental Divide and saw a small group of Marmots frolicking on a large old snow patch. Near a peak on the road we came across a herd of elk making their way across. We got to stop and enjoy their crossing. At another stop we hiked in a ways and viewed the many beautiful alpine blossoms, I was able to count 13 different kinds. At one of the forks in the route we took Route 36 and stopped at the other main visitor center before exiting the park. In Estes Park we spotted yet another brewery and stopped to taste their sampler. This one had "free samples!" So we picked up a mixed six-pack of some of our favorites. Then headed to the parking lot for our lunch.

There was a go-cart race track just beyond the lot and several activities for kids of all ages. We headed out and tried to avoid the tourist packed main street and turned south on Route 7 a scenic and leisurely trek down to Route 72 which brought us into Arvada and where both Paul and Becca live with their mates.

We are spending just over a week relaxing with them, saw the fireworks just steps from Paul's patio while sitting in the back of his pick up truck. They were set off just up the road and we had a perfect line of sight at the spectacular display. Wednesday night after a 2 hour rain delay we were able to take in the entire Rocky's and LA baseball game. It was a close one but the hometeam lost. We watched the first half from "The Rooftop" and the rest of the game at field level along the first base line. Justin got the seats and parking all arranged ahead for us. We had a great time! Tonight we are camping together at Stanley Lake just 2 minutes from Paul's work and 20 minutes or so from both their homes. Monday morning hopefully before the Denver traffic bogs down the highway we will head East to Alabama first to meet up again with Dave Hoyt and his lovely wife before pushing North to New England!

"Going Places With Smiling Faces!"

Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP

Sunday, June 28th, 2015. We left Mesa Verde NP early in the morning and headed to Durango for me to reach the Kingdom Hall for my meeting. We stocked up at the Walmart then headed north on Route 550. We stopped for lunch and a walking excursion through the rustic town of Silverton, CO. There is a historic narrow guage railroad that runs from Silverton to Durango and back. There were a couple of breweries there as well and we checked out the Avalanche Brewery.

The sampler was displayed as ski boots on a downhill ski and was very good. Bob had a wonderful soup as well as the best cornbread (gluten-free) that I have ever tasted. I'm still trying to get the recipe which is supposed to be on their website.

From there we continued north on Route 550. It was very curvy and as always climbing up and down the mountains. There were few guardrails and you had to be on constant guard for danger. It is best not to be trailing anything around the tight S-turns some of which had speed limits of 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30 mph depending on the curve. There were several mining towns that boomed and a few of the mines are still working today.

One feature on the road was a snow slide tunnel built into the side of one of the mountains. It provides some safety in a high frequency avalanche zone. We paused at a few roadside pull-offs to enjoy the scenery safely. As evening wore on, we tired and sought out a place to spend the night. We stopped at a private campground just south of Ridgeway, CO. On Monday morning we only had about 5 miles to go to Ridgeway, then headed west on Route 62 through the Dallas Divide at 8970 foot elevation. Then Right on Route 145 towards Telluride.

We headed all the way to the historic end of town and found parking on a side street near the corner of Smugglers Brewery. We made a note to return for lunch after exploring the ski villages at both ends of the Scenic Tram. The rides are free all summer! With all the shops and restaurants open for the tourists and flowers blooming everywhere it is quite a colorful and exciting place to visit. We had 3 hours parking on our meter and returned back to the Brewery in time to have lunch and try their very tasty sampler. We were able to fill 3 of our half growlers and stick them in our fridge for our visit with the kids. We returned by the route we came and passed North through Ridgeway to Montrose and then East on Route 50 about 10 miles or so to the turn off for Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP. We headed straight to the fee booth. Free admission again with our Senior Access Pass. With the Ranger's direction we headed straight to the campground and found a nice site with electric hookup. It being warm the A/C was helpful. As we pulled in and leveled two mule deer walked through the brush on one side and one bedded down for a spell. They really are not afraid of humans here except for an a female protecting her young from a nosy dog, we found out. We were able to attend the evening Ranger talk on Wildlife in the Park. During the talk one mule deer grazed behind us in the lush grass just a few feet away.

Tuesday morning we drove through the scenic drive along the South Rim Road. There is also another section along the North Rim which is lesser traveled and may be gravel, it is closed in the winter. Our first view of Black Canyon as at Tomichi Point and it is very impressive. There is actually a trail from the campground through this point that heads to the visitors center. It appears to cling to the steep sides of the canyon at some points and I was glad we drove. As we left this spot we actually followed another vehicle and missed the Visitor's Center. It's sign was hidden in overgrowth. So we decided we'd hit it on the way back. It being early morning it was awe inspiring to view the canyon as the morning sun's rays were trying to illuminate the canyon valley below. In many places the sun does not reach! As far as canyons go, "Some are longer, some are deeper, some are narrower, and a few have walls as steep," writes geologist Wallace Hansen. "But no other canyon in North America combines the depth, narrowness, sheerness and somber countenance of the Black Canyon of the Gunnison." In just 48 miles in the Black Canyon the Gunnison River loses more elevation than the 1,500 miles of the Mississippi River does from Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico. The power of the fast falling enables the river to erode tough rock and created this landscape before us.

The canyon has been a mighty barrier to humans from time immemorial. Only its rims, never the gorge, show evidence of human occupation - not even the Ute Indians living in the area since written history began No early Spanish explorers to the Southwest reported seeing the canyon. The expedition led by Capt. John W. Gunnison, whose name was given to the river bypassed the gorge in its search for a river crossing. Back at the Visitor's Center we learned more about how it was eventually surveyed by some very courageous and daring men that somehow survived their journey down the river on a rubber mattress! There is quite a lot of history here as well, especially in regards to the 5.8 mile Gunnison Diversion Tunnel, begun in 1905 through the rocky mountain walls to bring fresh pure water to the farmers in the region. Lobbying began in the 1930's and in 1933 it was proclaimed a National Monument. Congress made it a national park in 1999,and the park now contains 14 miles of the canyon's total 48 mile length. Congress has also designated the park lands below the canyon rims for additional protection within the National Wilderness Preservation System. It is such a beautiful place to hike the rims and glimpse the river far below. We would love to return and take the water tour near the reservoir and dam leading into the canyon, that also includes the diversion tunnel.

The Gunnison River is extremely dangerous due to difficult rapids and portages. Even well-prepared kayakers will find the canyon challenging. The river is classified as Class V to Unnavigable. Neither of us are up for that. We did enjoy hiking to the vantage points including the furthest, Warner Point and chatting with 2 other couples doing the same as we went driving along the South Rim. It was a very intimate way to view the canyon, far from the crowds. After eating our lunch in the last parking area, and trading camping tips with one of the couples we began our exit out of the park ending at the Visitor Center. (the reverse of our usual routine!) Then back onto Route 50 East we continued.

"Going Places With Smiling Faces!"

Mesa Verde NP

June 24 thru 28th, 2015. Thursday afternoon through Sunday morning we saw all that we could in Mesa Verde. We had no problem getting a first come first serve campsite in the last loop, Apache. There were other sites in some of the loops but the few that had electric hookups were booked. They do take reservations for these, but we didn't know for sure when we would arrive. The days were quite warm in the 90's but the evenings began to cool after the sun set and we were comfortable. Even used a blanket on two of the mornings in the 60's.

We began getting information in the visitor's center, with their little newspaper and map. And since it was best to do so now, we purchased ranger guided tour tickets for the last tour of the day at Cliff Palace for this afternoon and Balcony House for Friday morning. On Friday we decided to stay another night and Purchased tour tickets for Long House for Saturday as well. Mesa Verde NP was created in 1906 and will begin it's centennial soon. It was created to preserve the archeological heritage of the Ancestral Pueblo people, both atop the mesas and in the cliff dwellings below. The park includes over 4,500 archeological sites; only 600 are cliff dwellings and only a few are accessible/viewable. The campground is about 4 miles into the park. Then heading south on the North Rim we head through a tunnel and start climbing up the mesa. I think we were pretty much at about 8,000 feet elevation most of the time.

One of the park rangers convinced us to get tickets to the last tour of the day at Cliff Palace. It involved climbing up a very high and straight ladder and guess who got to go first! "Feet follow Hands" I kept repeating and I surprised myself. I made it up! It was well worth the extra effort. There is so much to learn at these sites about the Ancient Pueblo Peoples who lived in this area centuries ago. Through very hard labor with hand made tools from stone and wood they built these impressive dwellings.

They farmed the rich fertile soil of the mesa tops and hunted and gathered pinyon nuts and native plants as well. Some of the crops they grew were corn, beans, squash and pumpkins. They devised check dam methods to trap water and soil and had to endure hard times of drought as well. They also socialized with their neighbors and gathered at some of these larger sites for trade and ceremonies (such as singing and dancing, and religious events.) They were quite skillful as basket-weavers, potters and stone masonry as is evident by what they left behind. For unknown reasons they left the area, and moved further south and east, although a 23 year drought may have been a contributing factor. Today the Hopi of Northern Arizona and the people of the Zuni, Laguna, Acoma and the pueblos along the Rio Grande trace their ancestry to these peoples.

In the late afternoons as the heat of the day and lots of hiking tired us out, we returned to our campsite and prepared our suppers. At 9 PM the first two nights we headed up to the nearby Amphitheater to hear a Ranger Talk.

On Friday we checked out Balcony House (ranger guided) and Spruce Tree House (self guided). And did some short hikes to Mesa Top remains of Pit houses and villages. All had kivas as a similar feature. Saturday we headed down the Wetherill Mesa which is a different experience. It is on the "quieter side" of the park and only 1 in 15 visitors come over to this side. Here we toured Step House and Long House. Long House (one of my favorites) is approximately equal in size to Cliff Palace, and fills an expansive 293 foot long sandstone alcove from end to end. There were several ladders to climb and descend here as well. It had about 150 rooms and 21 kivas and was inhabited by 150 to 175 people. Amazing stone and plaster work is evident. It has a large open space in the front area that is believed to have been used for large dances, drumming and singing activities. I can just picture it now as it might have been then.

Having enjoyed this lovely park we headed out Sunday morning towards Durango with hopes to return again someday. "Going Places With Smiling Faces!"

Movies made in Castle Rock Area

Wednesday, June 24th, 2015. We had a leisurely morning then headed out on Scenic Route 128 North from Moab. It follows the "calmer" section of the Colorado River above where it converges with the Green River. I believe that section of the convergence is known as the Cataract. This section was moving quite fast regardless and the water level was also higher than usual.

Still there were plenty of passengers riding in large Adventure Tour rafts as well as floating downstream "cooling off" in the current sort of near the rafts. Some were holding onto the side cordage of the raft. It was quite hot, around 100 degrees so I'm sure the water felt cool. I would not be floating downstream on purpose at any rate! There were a few kayakers and even a few paddle-boarders! I can't imagine what would happen if they fell off!

We headed up most of the route but turned back a few miles before we reached Route 70 at the site of the Dewey Bridge. Or what would have been the refurbished Dewey Bridge. It had quite a history of serving travelers from 1916 to 1986. In that year the new highway bridge replaced the aging structure. Through the local Historic Preservation's fundraising it was restored at great expense and rededicated in May of 2000.

It appeared burned and only supporting wiring remained. We later learned that an unsupervised 7 year old playing with fire accidentally burned the wooden bridge down. It was significant for its engineering accomplishment. It was Utah's longest suspension bridge (and longest clear span bridge) and at the time of its construction was the 2nd longest suspension bridge west of the Mississippi. In it's prime it was designed to support the weight of 6 horses, 3 wagons and 9,000 lbs of freight.

We slowly made our way back down the valley and stopped at one of two large ranches along the way. The Castle Creek Winery was closest to the road and we stopped and had samples. Then we headed on down the short drive into the Red Cliffs Lodge and checked it out.

It had many large cabins for rent which we suspect would be filled from time to time with crews from movie-makers. There is a nice Movie Museum here with lots of memorabilia from many movies. Several big named movies were filmed here as well as TV Commercials, Ads and Music Videos.

The Moab to Monument Valley area has been a popular filming location since early in the 20th century, offering dramatic western landscape for such popular John Wayne classics as Stagecoach, Wagon Mastered, Rio Grande and The Commancheros. I was surprised to learn that Thelma And Louise and Back to the Future II and III were also filmed here. The Lone Ranger Legend (as well as the newer one with Johnny Depp) and many others too including one of my favorite comedies, City Slickers II.

The views from their restaurant Cowboy Grill make a lovely setting and they are well known for their excellent Breakfast and Lunch Buffets. Their dinner entrees are enticing but more pricey. We had passed John Waynes' Cabin somewhere on our journey and we are told he stayed there while shooting some of these films. You can even ride on the range on horseback from here! It would make a lovely return visit in the future.

Near the junction of Routes 128 and 191 there is an extensive bike path with a large bridge over the Colorado River and safe trails along the river and highways as well, leading all the way up to Arches NP and beyond. Back to Moab we returned just in time to enjoy a delicious dinner at Fiesta Mexican Restaurant. After restocking our supplies at City Market (best value in area) and refilling the gas tank we returned to camp the Oasis. We sure appreciated the A/C as temps reached 102 today! On Thursday the 25th, we enjoyed a hearty french toast breakfast and caught up on the blogs a little, then showered and hit the road towards Mesa Verde. We headed South on Route 191 to Monticello, UT then East on 491 into Colorado, through Cortez's construction we picked up Route 160 East. We lunched in a rest stop between Cortez and entering Mesa Verde National Park.

"Going Places With Smiling Faces!"

Canyonlands; Needles, Island in the Sky, Arches and Moab, UT

Sunday, June 21st, 2015. From Devil's Canyon it was about a 10 mile ride to Monticello - where we waited about 1/2 hour for the visitor's center to open. We were productive during that time publishing 1 blog and finding our local bank. The visitor's center was conveniently located on the corner of what would be our short-cut to connect with Route 211 which leads straight up to the Needles section of Canyonlands NP.

After checking in at the Visitor's Center we headed for Squaw Flat Campground and at the end of Loop A tucked into a site with some trees and the rock formation at it's western edge. We hoped for some cooling shade later in the day. As the hot afternoon wore on the temps moved higher into the upper 90's. We hunkered down for the afternoon and kept hydrated and as cool as possible. At 6:30 PM we headed to the Cave Spring Trail passing the Woodenshoe Stone Arch formation glowing high on a ridge in the sunlight. This loop trail leads to a historic cowboy camp and rock art tucked under the hanging ledges of smooth granite then ascends 2 wooden ladders to an overlook with canyon views. We returned near to our campsite and parked at the location on Loop A where the sunset Ranger Program would be held. We had just enough time for a cold supper complete with a Klondike Bar to keep us cool. The talk was centered on pre-historic formations and his interpretations of living creatures of that era. We returned to our campsite and tried to sleep in the heat.

On Monday morning we rose at sunrise and broke camp. Heading straight out without hot coffee, east on Route 211 through lovely canyon ranch lands to Route 191 North to Moab. The Maverick Gas station south of town had an RV dump station as well. Then we hit the McDonald's for coffee and breakfast sandwiches.

Just about 5 miles north of Moab, we entered Arches NP and stopped at the Visitor's Center for a great film "Windows of Time". (which was not available for purchase yet.) It was a beautiful film and portrayed the life cycles of these stone arches. We did a driving tour in A/C admiring the stone formations. Keeping hydrated we did manage several short hikes here. The first was out to North and South Window (arches) and then across the parking area west to Double Arch. It is amazing how much freedom some children are given, as we saw a few hike up under the formations into areas that are "off-limits".

The next hike was out to Upper Delicate Arch Viewpoint. Followed by our surprise favorite, a sandy hike through a narrow gap in the sand to Sand Dune Arch! We ate our lunch in the picnic loop at Devil's Garden then retraced the scenic drive back to the park exit.

We returned to Moab and found an oasis. Riverside Oasis Campground at the North end of town with mature trees shading most all of the sites we discovered that they'd just had a cancellation and it was for a short site just a perfect fit for us. We were told by one of the employees who did lots of maintance on the green grass here that next year there would be a hotel on this site. We certainly enjoyed it with A/C, Cable TV, laundry on site and free showers. ($44.80/night) We were especially grateful for that A/C as the temps now maintained triple digits everyday. We enjoyed a much more comfortable nights sleep!

June 23rd, We headed out in the morning to Canyonlands Northern section, Island-In-The-Sky. There is a turn-off to Dead Horse SP (we didn't take) just North of the NP which has a campground with electric hookups but they were full. Here there is a legend of how cowboys used to trap and catch wild horses in this canyon area. Once, a band of horses died of thirst while trapped here 1,100 feet above the flowing waters of the Colorado River Below. Views from Island-In-The-Sky reach from the depths of the Green and Colorado Rivers to the mountain tops and above. Across canyon after canyon they stretch to the horizon 100 miles distant. It is a broad mesa wedged between the Green and the Colorado, it's Canyonland creates an observation tower. You can see The Maze and The Needles formations in the distance. We hiked the short trail to Mesa Arch - which offered spectacular views of the canyon lands beyond. We retraced our drive back to Moab and headed straight to Moab Brewery. Utah's regulations are that all drafts must not exceed 3.2 % Abv. We found their sampler to be refreshing yet a little lacking. The seasonal Nut Brown stood out for me. Bob bought a bottle of their Black IPA which did have the hoppy notes that he so loves and was not as restricted by Abv values. They also had 25 cent wings and we sampled 4 flavors of those! Back to the campground to catch up on the blog and some TV and get another cooler nights rest.

"Going Places With Smiling Faces!"

Exploring Monument Valley

Saturday, June 20th, 2015. We got up at 7 AM in the middle of the desert. No one for miles. The air was fresh and a pleasant 73 degrees. We were in the shade of a large butte a few hundred yards to our east. Making coffee and enjoying a breakfast at this spot was an easy decision.

After clean up we continued our trip around The Valley of the Gods Loop trail. This took about one hour with several stops for pictures and checking out the many blooming wildflowers. Bob was glad we were in a high clearance vehicle. While he didn't use the 4WD, the road was rough in many low spots where recent rain water traveled through the washes.

As we exited the loop trail back onto Route 261, we looked back at the sheer face of the Moki Dugway. We could not find any trace of the gravel road built into the cliff face. We were still in awe of this amazing place.

About one mile before our turn south onto Route 163 we took another detour. We turned right onto Road 316 for the 3-mile drive out to Goosenecks State Park. This park consists of a picnic area ($5 day use fee) or a camping use area(for $10 overnight fee). The park sits on a bluff about 1000 feet above the San Juan River. At this point the river makes multiple "Gooseneck" or 'S' turns through the canyon. This is one of the most impressive examples of an entrenched river meander in North America. At this point the river flows over six miles while advancing only 1.5 miles west toward Lake Powell.

As we were leaving the Park, Bob asked the ranger if the amount of greenery and wildflowers were normal for this time of year. He said the past 3 weeks had seen much more rainfall than normal. We were lucky to be here for the beautiful display of desert plant life.

Next we were off to Route 163 South to the Visitor Center at Monument Valley. Although the center was closed we visited several jewelry and gift shops housed at this complex of buildings.

Several of these shopkeepers mentioned that today at 1 pm across the road in the High School Gymnasium there was to be a Cree Family Pow-Wow. (It was actually a 2 day event!) In addition to the many drummers, singers and costumed dancers there would be authentic Navajo food for sale. We decided that this would be a more entertaining and authentic slice of Navajo Life than paying the $20 fee to get into the Navajo Tribal Park's Visitor's Center

Any doubts about outsiders being welcome were quickly put to rest. At the food booth out front, a very friendly Navajo gentleman was happy to answer any questions about food being served. Also I asked about taking pictures. He assured me that at most times pictures were no problem. Pictures of individuals in costume should be with permission. He explained in some detail how the event would progress into the late evening. We enjoyed a Navajo Taco, then went in for the show. ($6 for me, and $3 for Senior Bob) Dozens of dancers were ready in full dress Dozens more were getting ready. Many had suitcases or large bags holding multiple costumes. Eight separate teams (families?) with six to eight drummers and singers were spread around the outer edge of the floor. These teams were taking turns chanting and drumming. I wish we understood the meanings behind the song and dance. They were quite impressive and very entertaining.

At 1 PM, the event began with the Grand Parade of the dancers and the steady drum beating and chanting of the singers. It was quite a sight as the dancers filled the gymnasium floor. I got a terrific video of the entire procession. We stayed for about 2 hours enjoying the constant flow of activity. Finally we decided we should head North and get closer to tomorrow's destination of Canyonlands NP.

We headed North on Route 163 then Route 191. Just below Monticello, is Devil's Canyon National Forest Service campground. It was 5 pm and the temp was 85 degrees. The campground had some shade trees too. This looked like a perfect place to spend a quiet evening outside relaxing. We had time to reflect on another active day full of pleasant surprises. "Going Places With Smiling Faces!"