SURPRISE AT OUR RV PARK

Along about 8:30 in the morning you can walk to the back of our rv park and see the train. We did not ride the train, this year maybe some other time when we pass thru. But I think it was just as much fun to sit there and listen for the whistle and then all of a sudden here it comes. Of course it is not enviromentally correct, but who cares our here in the middle of no where.

It has several passengers cars and one open one. Looks like they were having fun AND it was a beautiful day.

Well guess who pulled into our rv park today! It is Mitch and Barb whom we joined up with in Minn. and all went to the races. They are with a caravan traveling thru this part of the country. They will stay here a couple of days and then we will see them again in Albq. (you know I can't spell that!) I think we will all go in on the 8th.

This is a mule tail deer that likes to wander in our park. There is a younger one that hangs around also, hope all those deer hunters that are in town don't see them.!
I think that has you all all caught up so will post from Albq.

A Ride from Chama to Taos

We took Hwy 17 to Antonito,Co, beautiful country. At Antonito we found a little park, had lunch (we had taken a picnic lunch). A very nice park ....

Headed on to Taos and on the road to Taos saw this like subdivision of weird houses. Come to find out they are Earthships made from recycled material. There was a office open for tours, but come to find out they charge 5 dollars per person so since we aren't going to build in the near (or far) future I didn't see any sense in paying. Besides I would rather buy some Indian fry bread in the village.

The silver things you see are like beer or pop cans, hard to see how they make something warmer and in the background are tires with sand filled in around them. Maybe if Indians are going to lay siege to you it would afford some protection, otherwise could see no use. Any way drove on into town and toured it stopped at some place just to browse, and went on to the reservation as it closes at 4:30 and it was bout 3 then. Got out there and they were having a fiesta. So you were to park in a field and ride a shuttle in. Since we hadn't planned for that decided not to go. We headed for home.

Along a rest stop we saw this vette parked taking pictures, then pretty soon it caught up with us and Bill pulled over and let it pass since we were enjoying the drive. A couple of miles or so we caught it with it and a deer had just jumped into their window. How blessed are we!! John and Bill got out and talked to them and they decided if we didn't care they would follow us into Chama. We were about 12 miles away. It was a couple in their 50's and were from close to Durango. So they made it in ok, said the wrecker was on the way and that they would be able to ride in it home. It was a good thing as all the motels and cabins were full with deer hunters.
We move tomorrow to Albq, will be glad as think it will be warmer! I have enjoyed the mountains and all the beautiful scenery, but am ready for wide open spaces!

Crede to Chama,NM

Well I have always heard of Wolf Creek Pass, and this is the first time we have been over it. Well worth the drive. After we started down the other side there were 2 places for runaway trucks (or I guess rv's). It is always startling to see those signs

This is one of the signs I found fasinating .....

The mountains are so majestic, I had so many shots, couldn't decide which ones to show.

I hope you can see the differents layers in this mountain and that is aspens on top with the pretty yellow color.

Surprise in Creede

This is Don Howard and he and John use to ride together. John retired in 91 and Don retired in 94. He came from the Creede area and came back to live. We had forgotten that he was from the area, but read in the rv park pamphlet the # of a local vet, last name of Howard. John knew that Don's dad was a vet, so he called him and asked if Don was around and sure enough ! So for 2 days he has shown us around to places we would never have seen and it has been fun listening to them relive old times and catching up on other people they rode with.

This ranch and resort has been in Don's family for 3 generations. The cabins are very primitive, no bathroom. A outhouse not too far. There are buckets that guests can go get water for drinking and washing up. There is a wood stove for cooking and heating. I said "People PAY for not having running water etc?"
He said yes. Go figure what people like!

This was taken at our rv park on the first night. A thunderstorm moved thru just after we got here and left this rainbow.

The rv park is right on the Rio Grande River and this is what you see when you walk to the edge. Really nice rv park.
Tomorrow we move to Chama, NM I think it will be warmer there, altho it has been warmer than ususal here. Cold nights (26 to 30) and warm days. The humidity is about 40 per cent or less, so has been very nice.

Creede,Co Area

This is where the Rio Grande River starts and then begins its journey of 1885 miles to the gulf of Mexico

This also the Rio Grande as it flows along Hwy.149. It is called Clear Creek Falls about 25 miles from Creede.

Thirty-three miles on north is the Continental Divide. I did not know there is a hiking trail that stretches from Canada to Mexico, similar to the (I know I'm not going to spell this right) Appalachian trail

I hope you can see the different colors of the Aspens. It is quite beautiful. We can see the difference in the colors even after we have only been here a week. I have lots more pictures, but alas ... no more room.

On the Road to Creede

This a shot after we got on highway 160 from the Sand Dunes. The dunes were a land mark for the Indians, Spaniards, gold miners, and then settlers.

It is part of the San Luis Valley, of which Alamosa is the largest town. It has a SuperWalmart, but downtown is very much alive. Not many closed stores at all. Lots of potatoe, wheat and cattle farming.
The "valley" is very big, don't know the miles. In the picture above, hopefully you can see the rain not quite reaching the ground. Very beautiful

The road follows Rio Grande River and what a drive, the foliage is just turning, mostly Aspens , how can anyone look at this country (every part we have been in) and not believe in God!

The town of Creede is the only town in Mineral county and has a population of 867. I don't know if that is in the summer or winter. The rv park we are staying closes in Oct.
I think we just missed our friends Mitch and Barb by a few days traveling this road. Sorry we missed you!
See you in Albq.

On the Road to Creede/Vis Great Sand Dunes

Sixteen miles down the road is the Great Sand Dunes National Park.

When you are about 10 miles from it,this is what you see. It is so amazing here in the mountains to see these big sand dunes.

Where I am standing is a creek that usually runs all spring and summer. It comes from the snow melt and has barely dried up. It is about a half mile to where you start climbing up the dunes.

I don't know if you can see the people or not, but there are some at various distances up the dune. The ones on top have climbed a mile and a half. It is kind of like Mt.Rushmore, you could just sit and look at the dunes and try to imagine the formation of them.
The park is very nice,has rv parking, showers (if you played in the sand), picnic tables.

ProRodeo Hall Of Fame

We went to the ProRodeo hall of Fame on Thursday and is it nice. This is Casey Tibbs and is of course in the hall. The museum is well worth the money ,5 dollars per person and put together very well.

They have wonderful sculpturs all over the place. What was fun we knew several of the people that had been inducted. One of the men worked on the race track as an out rider when John was still riding. He was a saddle bronc rider. Then one of the men quit rodeoing and became a horse trainer and John rode for him.

It is divided up in sections as you can see, very easy to find whoever you are looking for. Marilyn said she only recognized the bull Bodacious and Don Gay, but enjoyed the whole thing.

What a statue behind us! I didn't get who he represented, but we had fun posing.
By the way this museum is in Colorado Springs. Colorado Springs has a lot to see around it. We've been here a week and still didn't see everything. Next time when we come thru.

Pikes Peak

This was taken from Garden of the Gods

Entry into the park .... shocked us how much it cost to get in $35 per car. Marilyn, John and I voted against it as we are going to take the cog train Wednesday. But Bill said he wanted to go (and he was driving, so that canceled our votes) so we went. We were all glad we did, was worth every penny.

About half way up ..... getting cooler

Loved this rock formation


I'm looking for the rest of my pictures and I see they have escaped me. So will publish this and go hunt for them and share them later.

Garden of the Gods

I mentioned before about my love of rocks, so you can imagine how I felt about this place. I don't have room for all the pictures I took (you're probably saying thank goodness!) but will share my favorites.

This one isn't named, but loved the shape of it.

Balanced Rock and has been this way for thousands of years.

Up in the right hand corner is called camels kissing. I didn't realize it, just thought the hole in the rock was cool.
Coming up next is Pikes Peak