What a time so far. So many stories and sights to share, but I need some structure to this report so sequentially seems to make the most sense.
First - I'm really tired. The last few nights have been very cold and I could not seem to get warm enough. Yesterday on another whim, I tired of the area I was in, and decided to relocate at about 10:00 pm. I asked a couple of locals at a gas station, "If you could go anywhere in Colorado right now, where would it be?" Both said quickly - Buena Vista area. Only 70 miles from there, so I decided it could be done. I asked them if it were a big enough town for me to find a place to sleep just on the fly. "Oh yeah, it's about as big as Woodland Park!!" Maybe I haven't seen all of Buena Vista yet, but it's not that big and it seems to be a big destination spot for river rafters. Consequently, I got here hoping to have a real bed and a real shower last night and found neither. Not a campground that late at night either. I was too tired to try. I ended up sleeping in a parking lot. Not my first choice, and not a good night's sleep. I woke at 5:00 a.m. so I could get out of the parking lot before the sun rose. Then I went around trying to find a restroom. Nothing was open. So weary eyed, I walked into the Super 8 Motel and asked to use their restroom and wifi. So - here I am. I thought I'd get something written while here and then be on my way again.
so - where did I leave off? Oh yeah - on my way to Colorado. I came to Colorado via Blanco, Texas for a day on the Blanco River with my daughter and then on to Midland to visit my parents and a night of sleep, and then on to Colorado Springs. I was headed first to the Springs because my daughter has a summer job there. So I decided I'd travel while she works and I'd be back to get her sometime around August 3-6.
So - meet my daughter "K" and all the stuff she is taking with her for the summer. Sheeeeesh!!! Look at all the stuff. I have two bags on the floor board - the rest is all hers. That's her behind the pile of stuff.
"K" does not travel well - so a stop at my friend's cabin in Blanco would break up the first 500 miles. On the way, she said she forgot some items she needed for her stay in CS, so a detour to Target was needed. Ugh. I knew this was going to be huge. Once inside, she took a look at me and said - "Mom - let me help you out here. You need some new cute clothes before you take off on this journey." She is a shopper. I'm not. I reminded her that I was camping and riding and fishing - but she assured me that bears would not attack me if I "look cute." Oh well. So I let her shop.
By the time she was done shopping for me, I had new purse, 3 new pairs of shoes, several shirts, some shorts, swim suit, skirt, sweater, and jewelry - no kidding. She's good at finding bargains. That night when we arrived at the cabin - she said we had to have a style show - "to show you what goes with what, Mom." Ugh. I gave in. No photos. Sorry. But - I bet this is the first ride report that includes a shopping spree and style show!
The next morning at the cabin, "K" found the keys to the Kawasaki Mule, and she was off - for a while. Then we went swimming in the river and fishing. We spent one more night there and then were on to see my parents.
The road to Midland and beyond is boring until Clayton, NM. "K" gets car sick - or just bored. I'm not sure which, but I handed her a couple of dramamine and soon she was out and I finally had some 'alone with my thoughts' time.
Rolling into Midland - this is what the temperature was: 107. I took this photo because I knew I would see a huge change within 24 hours. Sure enough - 55 degrees difference within 24 hours and 70 degree difference within a 5 days.
A night at grandma and grandpa's house and then on the road again - a 13 hour drive ahead of us. Most of them more flat land, but I did see a couple of hills in the distance and then this great train coming when I was walking out of the restroom at a rest stop. I took photos, "K" took time to unwind.
After the comments about snakes in the camping equipment thread, I laughed when I saw this sign at the rest stop. I mean - hey, if they hang around at rest stops full of people - they could be hanging around my campsite too!!!
Pretty soon - about the time you have HAD ENOUGH OF THIS FLAT WASTELAND, finally - the mountains do appear and things get beautiful. This is the first mountain pass - Raton. What a change.
AND - let me add this about "K" - she doesn't appreciate my need to take photos. So most of these, other than the rest stop ones, were taking out the window while driving. Not the way I like to work, but I don't like to be around a grumpy whining drama queen either!!
I arrived in Colorado Springs around 7:00 pm. She is going to be living right next to Garden of the Gods, so we made a run through there before settling in a hotel for the night. The next day, I moved her to her home for the summer. She will be living with friends of mine - and has a sweet set up there. I called her yesterday to see if she needed me to come by and see her before I headed further west - just in case she was getting lonely. Nope. She was on a mountain with a couple of friends she already made and "really, Mom, unless you just want to come by, I'm doing fine. Go have fun. Just send a SPOT message each day so I know you are still alive. I hope you don't take this wrong, Mom. Don't feel bad, I'm just so busy."
I don't feel bad. That just means she's adjusting well, and is going to do fine. Every parent wants to hear that. So......I travel on. More to come - next time I get some down time.
This is "K's" backyard area.
And coming up in a future report - a fishing trip yesterday yielded a few rainbow trout.
Great write up and pictures! Looking forward to more.
