Loveland to Goodland

I covered almost 250 miles of ‘land’ today, and went from Colorado to Kansas.  I took the first exit for Goodland with plans to stay at the Mid America Campground, but as I gazed at the campground from the exit ramp I decided to just hop right back on I-70.  No one was staying there and the campground looked miserable right in back of a truck stop.  I knew there was a KOA two miles down the road, so I headed there.  For only $5 more, this campground is 10 times better than the other one.
There are lots of trees here, and I think I’ve discovered where all the robins from up North have migrated to so far. 
Each of the cedar trees harbors multiple robins as they take advantage of the cedar berries that are perfectly ripe for their consumption.
With so many berries to chose from, the robins can be picky.
 It’s a matter of finding just the right berry to pick.
Aha!  That one looks perfect! 
Just like we toss our heads back to swallow pills, the robins do the same to swallow the berries.  I have often picked one of these cedar berries to roll between my thumb and finger to enjoy their pungent aroma.  It makes me think of gin.  :)  They have always been hard little rocks when I’ve done this, but today they were squishy like little blueberries.

What a bonanza for these migrating robins!  There must have been close to a thousand of them in the campground.  Mother nature knows how to take care of it’s own.  As Emma and I sat outside this early evening, we were also treated to the haunting calls of many sandhill cranes.  This was so much better than the sounds of the interstate behind a truck stop!

Tomorrow, I hope to put in about the same amount of miles and end up about 30 miles South of Salina, KS.  I’m very close to a time zone change, so I’ve decided to put my clocks ahead this evening so I won’t feel I’ve lost an hour shortly after I get on the road in the morning.  I’ll have to see if I can fool my inner clock into believing that.  :)
                                                                         THE END!! 

Thanks for stopping by….talk to you later,  Judy

Rocky Mountain National Park

Rocky Mountain National Park is another one of those parks where, on a good day, you have the chance to come home with some more of those calendar like pictures.  :)
I’ve never been to this park in the autumn, and really couldn’t get enough of the fall colors.  I didn’t take all of the roads in the park because as I neared the highest portion of the park, a snow storm began.  I’m a chicken when it comes to taking a chance with snow storms in mountains, so I turned around and headed back down.
If you read yesterday’s post, you know that this was a journey of remembrance for me.  Being out to see these natural wonders refreshed my soul.
Though the aspen colors were mostly past peak, there were small groves that were just brilliantly colored.
In a meadow near West Horseshoe Park, a bull elk was keeping watch over his harem of about 20 cows.
On the periphery of this herd were two much younger bulls that were hoping to maybe steal away a cow or two.  By the size of the big bull, I’d say these two probably won’t have any luck with that!  The bugling of that big bull sent chills up and down my spine.
When I arrived at this campground on Saturday, my oldest son, Daniel, met me at the office.  He lives about 90 minutes away outside of Denver.  He’ll be moving to Los Angeles in about two weeks, so I was glad we got a chance to visit before his move.  That’s his dog, Buddy, with him.  They both stayed for the night, so we had a nice campfire while we chewed the fat.  Emma was in 7th heaven with a four footed companion to bother.  I didn’t think she’d ever call down, but finally after midnight they both collapsed.

Today was spent running errands in Loveland, CO, and tomorrow my plans are to get through Denver and head for Kansas.  Life goes on…

Thanks for stopping by….talk to you later,  Judy

The beauty of plans made in Jello

There was a comment on the blog today from my friend, Mrs. J., asking when I was going to do the breeding bird survey in Minnesota this summer.  Sorry Susan, I guess I won't be doing that this year.  After thinking it over, I came to the conclusion that I lived in Minnesota for about fifteen years, and there are other places in this country that I want to experience.  You never know how much time you have, so I'll be heading for Yellowstone country.  Therein lies the beauty of being able to move my home where ever the mood takes me.  :)

I tried calling the Klamath Wildlife Area in Oregon again today with no luck.  I left another message after inquiring if the volunteer coordinator ever listened to his messages.  :(  I guess if he never calls back, I'll just have to wander out west all summer.  I can deal with that!  I kind of enjoyed last fall when I didn't have any commitments and just took my time enjoying Colorado and New Mexico.  Since I've adjusted to my income from Social Security and my couple of small pensions, that just may be the ticket for me this summer.

The thunder is rumbling away right now as I write.  It's been a while since I've been in a thunder storm.  I do like the power of nature, as long as it doesn't hurt my rig!  :)

I worked in the office this morning helping Peggy get everything ready for our first education program tomorrow.  I think we'll have over a hundred fifth graders descending on Doeskin Ranch in the morning for our Bridges to Birding Program.  I'll be manning the bird banding station with some help from a local volunteer.  It should be fun, but exhausting!

Thanks for stopping by....talk to you later,  Judy

The Sunday Blast from the Past

After visiting Arches National Park in Utah in September, 2008, I headed southeast into Colorado to spend three days at Mesa Verde National Park.

After spending about 600 years living on top of the cliffs, the Ancestral Puebloan people began building their villages under the cliffs. They still farmed the mesa tops, but lived below.

They lived in these cliff dwellings from about 1190-1270. Mesa Verde (green table) NP contains some of the largest and best preserved of these dwellings. This is Cliff Palace, one of the larger dwellings.

This is a portion of the Long House ruins.

I don't remember the name of this dwelling, but they were all fascinating to me. I took a half day ranger led tour while I was there, and felt it was well worth the $50 cost.

I was happy I had made reservations at the park campground, as there weren't any empty sites. The cost was just under $33/night, but that did include water and electric. I didn't qualify for an Interagency Senior Pass at that time, so I paid the full price.

After leaving Mesa Verde, I slowly made my way to Albuquerque to check off an experience on my bucket list. Stay tuned next Sunday for that blast.

Thanks for stopping by....talk to you later, Judy

Cochitti Lake COE Campground

When I left Lathrop State Park in Colorado yesterday morning, the forecast was for increasing winds throughout the day in Colorado. So I stopped to dump the tanks and pay for my Sunday night stay, and then was on the road by 8:30. The first 100 miles was smooth sailing except for the steep grades getting through Raton Pass (7,834') on the New Mexico border. Then, about 136 miles from Santa Fe, the winds hit with a vengeance! It was pretty much two handed driving the rest of the way. At times my hands went numb from gripping the steering wheel so hard.



I had decided to stop at a campground in Santa Fe with full hook-ups, laundry, and propane. This was probably the most expensive park I've ever stayed in. I couldn't believe how many people were staying there. The distance between sites was under ten feet...slide to slide. Not my kind of park, but I badly needed to do laundry and fill the propane tank. I was also very tired of driving. I did several loads of laundry, and got the propane filled on the way out this morning.



I drove a whopping 28 miles to get to Cochitti Lake Corps of Engineer campground. I have electric and water and the scenery of the New Mexico mountains and the lake in the distance is 1000 times better than looking out at pavement and my neighbor's rig. The water hook-up is interesting. It is over 50' from the rig and on a hill. There are 13 steps to get up to the picnic table and water hook-up. The water spigot is also about 5.5' in the air. I had to use a 50' and a 25' hose to reach it. I decided to just fill the fresh water tank and then roll up the hoses and store them. At this elevation, the temps at night may get low enough to freeze the hoses, so this seems a smarter idea to me than leaving so much hose out. A point of interest: I will be able to stay at this campground for five nights for less than the price I paid for one night yesterday.



By the time I got everything set up...including the DISH, filling the water tank, and erecting my trucker's internet antenna, a storm front began rolling in with determination. Since I go about these chores at a liesurely rate, I ran out of time to investigate the park or take any pictures before the rain began. I also tried a couple of times to register, but was unsuccessful. The rain is supposed to last through a good share of tomorrow also.



One of the blogs that I follow is written by a fulltiming couple that have been at this park for a good share of the last month as they wait for a closing on a sticks-n-bricks (townhouse) they are buying in the area. My plan is to meet them in person tomorrow and pick their brains about things to see in the area, and to find out where to go for groceries since we're pretty much out in the middle of no where here. Grocery shopping is a good chore for a rainy day. The sun is scheduled to return on Thursday through the weekend, so I've settled in for a six day stay.



Thanks for stopping by....talk to you later, Judy

Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve

I was up before dawn this morning, and anticipating my touring today.

Before I left, I took a picture of my site at Lathrop State Park. Notice the mountains surrounding the park.

This is one of the two lakes in the state park. When I arrived, yesterday, I met a man in the parking lot that had just caught three huge northern pike in the lake. The biggest one was over 32" and more than 12 pounds. I sure would have enjoyed catching any of the fish he had!

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At 9:00, I hit the road to travel to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. I drove about 70 miles to get there and went over La Veta Pass at 9413'. I'm sure glad I was in the car rather than driving the rig over that pass.

As I entered the park, I stopped for the obligatory photo at the entrance. A couple from Germany was kind enough to take this shot for me. I offered to do the same for them, but the wife was apparently having a bad hair day, and they declined. :) This shot is about ten miles from the visitor's center. Notice the nice fall colors on the cottonwood trees. The sand dunes are in front of the mountains.

These pictures don't do justice to the dunes, which rise up to 750' before the Sangre de Cristo (blood of Christ) Mountains.

These sand dunes have been here for more than 12,000 years. The winds shift them daily, but they persist to stay here. Two creeks surround the dunes and help to keep them where they are at. Several species of insects live on the dunes, and no where else in the world.
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When I visited here in the late '60's, this was a National Monument, but in 2004, the park was expanded and designated a National Park and Preserve by a vote of Congress. The park now includes the dunes, mountains, and wetlands. All these habitats are integral parts of the dunes ecosystem, and will now be preserved forever. What a good idea our National Parks are!

I took a parting shot as I left this magnificent area. Kind of makes you want to sing "This land is your land..."

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Thanks for stopping by....talk to you later, Judy

A short jog down the road

I was on the road shortly before ten this morning, and was off of the road by about 11:30! I only moved 58 miles down I-25 to Lathrop State Park, outside of Walsenburg, CO. There was some challenging construction along the way, and I didn't find a place to fill the propane tank. According to the weather forecast, I think I'll be alright for the next three nights.

Aside from the issue of the Colorado State Park pass, I've been really impressed with the parks I've stayed in. All of them have had very spacious sites with electricity, and pretty fantastic views. They have also been very large and offer many things for visitors to do. Emma and I took a ride through the park this afternoon, but pictures would be better if the tour is done in the morning. I'll be here at Lathrop for at least three nights, and use this park as a base for using the car to visit places in the area.

Tomorrow, I'll head out to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. The last time I was there was in the late sixties, so I need to visit it again. I also plan to visit a couple of National Wildlife Refuges a little west of here. I hope the weatherman knows what he is talking about. :)

Thanks for stopping by....talk to you later, Judy

The Royal Gorge & a surprise visitor

When I woke up this morning, there was heavy fog that was fore casted to be gone by 9:00. That didn't happen. I decided to head for the Royal Gorge anyway. It is located outside of Canon (there's a squiggle line above the first "N" so it is pronounced canyon) CO, about fifty-five miles from my campsite. It didn't take very long to escape the fog.
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This is the world's highest suspension bridge. It is 1,053 feet above the Arkansas River. The Royal Gorge Bridge and Park is a park owned and operated by the city of Canon City.
The best views of the bridge, in my opinion, are from the world's longest aerial tram. I took a ride on this tram.


I also took a ride down to the Arkansas River in the world's steepest incline railway. It has a 1,550' length at a 45* angle to the river.

From the bottom of the ride, you can look up at the suspension bridge.

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This park was a little too commercial for my tastes, but I guess I can say I've seen the Royal Gorge. The cost was $21 and included the rides. Many of the venues were closed because it was after Labor Day. I also skipped the wildlife park. I'm not crazy about zoos.

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When I got back to the rig, the temps had risen to the 70's and the wind was howling out of the NW. I hooked Emma up outside and enjoyed the balmy temps. After a while, I heard Emma scratching the ground, and when I turned around to look at her, here's what I saw....

I had no idea that there were tarantulas in Colorado. You can bet I flew out of my rocker to grab Emma so she wouldn't have a mishap with this arachnid! Spiders are about my least favorite things on earth....eeeek!
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My plan is to head about 57 miles south of here tomorrow, and arrive at Lathrop State Park. The winds have to die down before I can accomplish that, however.
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Thanks for stopping by....talk to you later, Judy

Pueblo Lake State Park, CO

It was in the upper 20's when I woke up this morning, but that was an improvement over the last few mornings. So, I dumped the tanks, packed up, and headed out of Denver for locations south.
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After only 115 miles, I pulled into Pueblo Lake State Park. I told you I wanted to take advantage of my Colorado State Parks Pass, so I'll be spending about seven more nights in state parks before exiting Colorado.

This is my site for the next three nights. I want to visit the Royal Gorge while I'm here and the optimal weather seems to be to do that on Wednesday.

This is the view out the window by my table. That's Pueblo Lake. Eventually, the skies cleared this afternoon and temps rose to 47. It's supposed to be back down into the upper 20's again tonight, but then a warming trend is supposed to begin.

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When I drove into the park I noticed a group of LoW's (Loners on Wheels) camping close to the site I chose. This is a camping club for single folks. While I was setting up the DISH, one of their members stopped over to chat. I ended up joining them for their social hour this afternoon, and got some good info on visiting the Royal Gorge. This was the Colorado chapter of LoW's, and they were out for their October camping get together. The winds and cool temps moved the social hour indoors to one of the rigs. I would guess that all of these singles are in their seventies. It was an enjoyable visit with them.

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I think I'll explore the park tomorrow and then visit the Royal Gorge on Wednesday. The sites here are pretty spacious, have electricity, and cost $18/night. The pads are paved, and can accomodate large rigs. Looks like a great park, especially if you have a boat.

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Thanks for stopping by....talk to you later, Judy

The sun returned

I appear to be having difficulties with moving the pictures around in the post again, so I'll talk about the last picture first. Since the sun warmed and brightened things up today, Emma and I took a drive around the park. The body of water is the Cherry Creek Reservoir with Denver and the snow covered mountains in the distance.
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It's a good thing that I unhooked the water hose yesterday, because the left over water in the hose froze. This afternoon, I reattached the hose long enough to about fill my fresh water tank. I then detached it again and stowed it away. The temps tonight are supposed to drop to 17*, and the next night won't be much warmer! Coiling up an ice cold hose is a real challenge, so I accomplished that while the temps got into the 50's this afternoon.

You can see how spacious the sites are at this state park. Way in the background are the Rocky Mountains.

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Shortly after noon, Dan and Crystal picked me up and we headed for Red Lobster to enjoy the all you can eat shrimpfest. It was a tasty meal. Dan will be coming over here tomorrow to work on a few of my computer questions.

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As nightfall approaches, I'll be closing all the shades and drapes to try to help further insulate the rig against the bitter temps tonight. Then I'll bundle up on the couch in the blanket my daughter made for me and spend the evening watching the tube.

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Thanks for stopping by....talk to you later, Judy

Brrrrr!!!

Well, the weatherman was correct. It was a raw, cold, snowy day today. The snow didn't accumulate, but the temp never got above 34*. Tonight it's supposed to be in the twenties, so I unhooked the water hose so it wouldn't be frozen solid in the morning. At least the wind has died down. I don't like this weather at all.

I did venture out to find a Wal-mart this morning to get my hairs cut and stock up on needed groceries. Then late this afternoon, I headed over to Dan and Crystal's for dinner. Dan had assured me that Crystal was a good cook, and he was certainly right. Crystal had prepared an absolutely scrumptious meal. As much as I enjoyed it, I just couldn't finish the huge serving she gave me.

I got back to the rig shortly after dark and am now bundling up against the cold temps. It's supposed to be sunny and in the fifties tomorrow before returning to below freezing temperatures again. All this cold has caused me to probably change my plans again, and just head straight for New Mexico on Sunday. I'll have to come back to visit those other places in Colorado in a more friendly (to me) season. :)

Thanks for stopping by....talk to you later, Judy

A gorgeous day in Colorado

Well, the horrible winds and rain finally stopped so I could leave Nebraska and head to Colorado today. I was on the road by 8:45 and drove the 198 miles to Cherry Creek State Park in Aurora, Colorado. About 120 miles into the trip, I began to see the mountains on the horizon. How magnificent they looked with their snow capped peaks! I arrived shortly after noon.

Let me tell you about the fees at state parks in Colorado. As I arrived at the entrance station to the park, I was informed that there was a daily fee of $7.00/vehicle (which means $14/day since I have a motorhome and a toad). There is also an additional $3.00 fee for water usage just for this park. That's in addition to the $22.oo/night camping fee. Since I'll be staying here for four nights, that would be $59.00 plus the $88.00 for camping. I'm thinking that is rather steep for a state park. So, for $30 more, I could have a one year pass to all Colorado State Parks that would eliminate entrance fees. I decided to go with that option. I guess I'll have to try to camp in as many Colorado parks as possible by the end of October, 2010!

This state park is truly an oasis in an urban environment. It is located in the middle of a spaghetti-like confluence of three interstates just outside of Denver in the city of Aurora. As I drove through the park on the way to the campground, I was astounded by the number of people bicycling and jogging along the roadways of the park on a Wednesday afternoon. What a wonderful get-away for the residents of Denver and the surrounding communities! The campground loop that I am in has very spacious sites and full hook-ups. There is some road noise from the interstates, but how convenient for me to visit my son.

Daniel, and his dog, Buddy, came over this afternoon and we had a wonderful time visiting. Emma was in seventh heaven romping with Buddy. She has now collapsed and is sound asleep on the dashboard.

I'm looking forward to the next few days visiting with Dan and Crystal, and seeing their place. The only down side of this is the forecast for snow tomorrow. It was in the seventies today, and tomorrow's high will be in the upper thirties. Yuck!!

Thanks for stopping by....talk to you later, Judy