Monday, August 17, 2009
Palo Duro Canyon and TEXAS!
We'll we've left the cool! We drove to Palo Duro Canyon from Chama, a very long trip. When we got to canyon, we discovered they had just put down tar and rocks on all the roads in the park. It was quite a mess. We stayed in a campground that we had never stayed in before. It allowed us to walk to the play. We enjoyed the play especially the special effects that really surprised us the first night we were camped there. There was a huge explosion (the scene where lightning strikes the canyon) and it shook our trailer. We attended our meeting in Canyon and headed home. It's good to be back.
Monday, August 10, 2009
Cool Chama
We have spent the last few days at Rio Chama RV park just down the tracks from the Cumbres-Toltec RR. It has been nice and cool. We've not had to run the air conditioner at all. We just rested and walked the dogs. I crafted with some of the ladies who spend the summer here and it was fun. I think we will really enjoy spending the summer here. Bound to be cooler than Texas. The WIFI has been a little spotty so I've been slow getting this uploaded. When we get to Palo Duro Canyon we will not have any WIFI at all. We will be home on Sunday. It has been fun.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Traveling with the "Boys"
Last time we went on a vacation like this, it was with kids. I would never have believed that we would take along 2 large dogs on a 12 week trip of over 7000 miles....and enjoy it. The dogs have been exceptionally good travelers. They have the backseat which is covered with a canvas "hammock" that gives them more room since it covers the foot well. They usually doze as we travel the highway but let us slow down and up pop 2 heads to check out the change of 
scenery. Autie, of course, sits quite calmly watching the scenery. Ulysses sometimes get restless and tries to take his half out of the middle. Autie just rests his head on Ulysses when he takes up too much room. But we have yet to have any barking or fighting in the back seat. We make quite an entrance as we check into the campground because of the 2 happy faces sticking out the open windows. I'm amazed at the many dog lovers who come to ask about and pet the dogs in the campgrounds. Autie and Ulysses have made us get out and walk .JPG)
much more than we would have without them. They have provided us with introductions to other nice people and pets in the campgrounds. And amazingly they have been very good when we have left them in the trailer. Only once did they pull trash out all over and they were probably mad because we ran in and fed them and left for a third time. We are fortunate they are good dogs and we've enjoyed having them along.
scenery. Autie, of course, sits quite calmly watching the scenery. Ulysses sometimes get restless and tries to take his half out of the middle. Autie just rests his head on Ulysses when he takes up too much room. But we have yet to have any barking or fighting in the back seat. We make quite an entrance as we check into the campground because of the 2 happy faces sticking out the open windows. I'm amazed at the many dog lovers who come to ask about and pet the dogs in the campgrounds. Autie and Ulysses have made us get out and walk .JPG)
much more than we would have without them. They have provided us with introductions to other nice people and pets in the campgrounds. And amazingly they have been very good when we have left them in the trailer. Only once did they pull trash out all over and they were probably mad because we ran in and fed them and left for a third time. We are fortunate they are good dogs and we've enjoyed having them along.In...In...Internet
A Few Thoughts on 21st Century Communication while Camping.
Our trip is drawing to a close. Tomorrow, we head for Chama for a few days, then to Palo Duro Canyon. We will be back in good ole' West Texas in less than 2 weeks. Traveling has been tremendously fun. I have loved the many things we've seen and the nice people we have met. I've also enjoyed keeping friends and family up to date on the trip with this blog. It is amazing to me that in the short span of about 4 years, nearly every commercial campground has WiFI access. Some connections are really good while others are just plain frustrating. Cell phone connections have also improved immensely...good-by to waiting in line for the pay phone to check in at home. We have grown too old to camp in the back country away from the rest of the tourists and in many ways it is very nice to have all the comforts. However, tourist areas are busy and full of traffic making it somewhat less enjoyable.
Some of the times I've tried to update this blog I found that slow connections are blog-impossible. Since I was scolded for not checking in or updating my blog for over a week, I will let you all know that Internet connections for the next several days at Chama will be iffy and will be non existent in Palo Duro Canyon. Cell phone coverage may be limited as well. We're headed back into the techno past. So if you don't hear from us via this blog...we haven't fallen of the edge of the earth -- just out of tower range.
Our trip is drawing to a close. Tomorrow, we head for Chama for a few days, then to Palo Duro Canyon. We will be back in good ole' West Texas in less than 2 weeks. Traveling has been tremendously fun. I have loved the many things we've seen and the nice people we have met. I've also enjoyed keeping friends and family up to date on the trip with this blog. It is amazing to me that in the short span of about 4 years, nearly every commercial campground has WiFI access. Some connections are really good while others are just plain frustrating. Cell phone connections have also improved immensely...good-by to waiting in line for the pay phone to check in at home. We have grown too old to camp in the back country away from the rest of the tourists and in many ways it is very nice to have all the comforts. However, tourist areas are busy and full of traffic making it somewhat less enjoyable.
Some of the times I've tried to update this blog I found that slow connections are blog-impossible. Since I was scolded for not checking in or updating my blog for over a week, I will let you all know that Internet connections for the next several days at Chama will be iffy and will be non existent in Palo Duro Canyon. Cell phone coverage may be limited as well. We're headed back into the techno past. So if you don't hear from us via this blog...we haven't fallen of the edge of the earth -- just out of tower range.
Monday, August 3, 2009
The High Country
Our next stop was Ouray, CO, a charming town nestled in a high valley of the San Juan Mountains. We have always enjoyed camping there. The town is known as the Jeep capital of Colorado. Most people who go there, bring or rent jeeps, and tour the mountain trails. There is a large hot springs pool there, too.
Chuck took a jeep tour down the Black Bear Road, one of the most difficult jeep roads in the area. That way he gets to look while an experienced driver drives and narrated the history of the mining camps in the area. I decided to enjoy a quiet day at the campground with the dogs. You'll know why when you look at the series of steep switchbacks going down the mountain to Telluride. We drove to Montrose and did a little antiquing there. Also visited the Russell Stovers chocolate factory store...yum-yum. The next day we andered the shops in town and went to the Ouray County museum which was recognized by the Smithsonian as one of the best museums in the west. The recognition was well deserved and they have really added to the museum.
We have been staying at Ouray off and on for 30 years. Each year we wondered if they would ever restore or rennovate the Beaumont Hotel which in its heyday was a draw for the rich. For the past 30 years it was painted pink and rather a sad beacon on one of the street corners. They have now redone the hotel and it is lovely. The lower floors are shops, hotel lobby and a resturant. The lobby harkens back to the elegant Victorian days.
(After the remodel)
After 3 days at Ouray, it was time to brave the Million Dollar Highway, the scariest road in the area. The GPS screen looks like a mess of snakes as it shows the switchbacks along the narrow cliffside of the road we're to travel. The common wisdom is that tourists (especially wives )who make it down the highway are known to say, "I wouldn't drive that highway again for a million dollars." But I gritted my teeth, bowed my head and pressed the brakes on the passenger side( which was also the 400 foot straight-down cliff side) and we moved on to Durango which is famous for its narrow gauge train, which of course we had 
to ride. It was a nice trip up to 
Silverton, an old mining town, now specializing in mining the tourists.
to ride. It was a nice trip up to 
Silverton, an old mining town, now specializing in mining the tourists. We drove to Aztec, NM and visited their city musuem which had lots of things to see including 
old buildings from the past. We also rambled around Farmington which has become a large shopping mecca. Our last stop in this area will be Mesa Verde, one of my favorite parks. The campground we are staying at is divided by the Durango Silverton RR tracks. To Chuck's delight, 6 trains rumble through the campground each day. The campers stand along the tracks and return the riders waves. Ulysses does not like that black monster that makes such a loud noise and will take off if you aren't careful , leaving you on the ground behind. Autie just takes it in stride.
old buildings from the past. We also rambled around Farmington which has become a large shopping mecca. Our last stop in this area will be Mesa Verde, one of my favorite parks. The campground we are staying at is divided by the Durango Silverton RR tracks. To Chuck's delight, 6 trains rumble through the campground each day. The campers stand along the tracks and return the riders waves. Ulysses does not like that black monster that makes such a loud noise and will take off if you aren't careful , leaving you on the ground behind. Autie just takes it in stride.
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