August 28, 2013 – “Exploring Montrose, CO and Beyond”

We’re all settled in here at Cedar Creek RV Park, and decided to extend our stay due to 1) Labor Day Weekend approaching, and not wanting to worry about finding a campsite, and 2) There is so much to see and do in the area.

Montrose is an excellent spot to see some of the most scenic parts of Colorado. The vistas are all around, everywhere you look. No visit to the area would be complete without stopping at Black Canyon National Park.

Understandably, Painted Wall is the most photographed location in the park; looking back in history over 2 million years of geographical formations.

Another great day trip is Ouray, CO. As most mountain towns in the area, this originated as a mining town in the late 1800’s

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Carla and CC enjoyed the shopping in all the quaint and unique shops, and Carl and I wandered from bench to bench, just visiting and taking in the scenery.

The following day Carl went fly fishing, while Carla and CC did laundry. I sorted through the hundreds of pictures taken, and culled the unfavorable ones. Dinners are always a co-op effort, and are definitely ad lib, and if I must say, outstanding.

The next day we covered 130 miles, mostly off-road, across Owl Creek Pass, which served as a backdrop for the filming of the classic John Wayne movie, “True Grit”.

Also in the area is Chimney Rock, a unique geological formation similar to Devils Tower in Wyoming, and according to locals, is larger. Personally, having seen both, I have my doubts.

We met a couple from Florida that recommended a visit to The Double RL Ranch just south of Ridgway, CO, describing it as “the most beautiful place we’ve seen”. Well, alright then.

This 17,000 acre ranch is owned by Ralph Loren. For an in depth sneak peak at the inner workings of the ranch, click here to view a video produced by Oprah.

On yet another day trip, we traveled 60 miles south, to the mining town of Silverton. Today, this town would dry up overnight, IF the Durango to Silverton Railroad quit running. As it is now, it serves the local merchants well as it runs two trains per day during peak season, and one train per day year round.

Main Street has been saved by the National Historic Society, as well as many of the buildings in town, and except for the cars, looks the same as it did in the late 1800’s.

A local watering hole, Handlebars, came highly recommended, so being lunch time, decided to give it a try.

While the ambiance is very unique, displaying an eclectic mix of new and old, the food did not match our expectations.

And yet another day trip, we traversed back eastward toward Gunnison, and The Blue Mesa Reservoir, to Morrow Point. The National Park Service has a guided boat tour through the Black Canyon, a few miles downstream from the Blue Mesa Dam. After 236 stairs and almost a mile hike we reached our starting point, and boarded the boat.

Even this late in the season, Chipeta Falls is still flowing at a fraction of herself during the Spring thaw.

The trip lasted almost 2 hours, and the scenery was overwhelming. Steep canyon walls carved by the Gunnison River for over 2 million years; at some places the cliffs raise some 2,400 feet above the water.

That sums up a few of the things we’ve been doing to keep us amused and occupied since our arrival in Montrose. In a mere 6 days, we’ll say good-bye to Carl and Carla, and Montrose, as we journey back to Forest City, IA and our appointment at Winnebago. Thanks for stopping by, and until next time, take care and stay well…………………………………

August 19, 2013 "Hurry up and Wait"

While in Central Iowa, we made our way by Newton for a stop at Maytag Dairy, for some of their fantastic blue cheese. After sampling some white cheddar and havarti, those were also in our shopping basket.

Hurry up and wait, is what we are now doing. Making our way to Leach RV in Lincoln, NE for our August 6 appointment, we decided on a stop in Papillion, NE for a week long stay at Walnut Creek Lake RV Park. We have stayed here before, and even though they only have electric, the peace and quiet offered outweighs the absence of full hook-ups.

In keeping with our travel theme this year, CC planned a visit with her longtime friend, Dixie, who lives nearby. Plenty of laughter is always present when those two get together.

While in the area, Dixie and her family treated us to pizza at Big Fred’s, an Omaha tradition since 1965. CC and I ordered a small, and we had leftovers. The others in the party ordered larges, and also had leftovers times 10. Later in the week, Dixie invited us for a family meal with Nathan, Nicole, Elijah, Dixie, Noah, CC, Lindsay and Mackinsey.

On the morning of August 6, we traveled the short 55 miles westward to Lincoln for our 8 o’clock appointment at Leach’s. We had three items for them to repair; the passenger side front slide needed an adjustment (or so we thought), the door awning was not fully closing, and the fiberglass engine access door had separated from the steel frame, most likely on the roads of Indiana. Shortly before noon we were notified to door awning had been adjusted, and the engine access door would need to be removed. According to Leach, Winnebago did not use enough adhesive when they attached the cover to the frame, and the adhesive would need to cure overnight. OK, no problem. The slide was another matter. They diagnosed the problem as a broken slide roller, which was beyond their expertise to repair, and we would have to go to the factory in Forest City, IA if we wanted it repaired. The following day when we returned to have the engine door reattached, Leach presented me with the bill, and I was not a happy camper. It seems the Extended Platinum Warranty they sold me in 2011, would not cover any of the repairs, part of which was $165 to diagnose my slide problem, which they did not or could not fix. To say that I am not pleased with my experience at Leach would be an understatement. IMHO, they are just like most of the RV Dealers we have visited; maximize profits with minimal effort.

OK, more hurry up and wait. Our appointment at Winnebago in Forest City is September 9. Do we hang out around Lincoln / Omaha for the next month or move to a cooler climate? We normally spend the month of September in our old home state of Colorado, so this year will be different and we’ll do August. With that decision behind us…….westward ho! As we traveled along I-80, needing fuel, we pulled into Flying J. When we were ready to pull away from the pump, I realized the two truckers on each side of me had pulled out at an angle, fencing me in. I’m sure they were having a good ol’ time knowing exactly what they were doing, so we just sat and waited them out.

We arrived in Elizabeth, CO, and pulled into our usual spot on C and D Loop at Rick and Zoe’s RV Resort. The following morning I got up early enough to capture a shot of the rising sun.

While our time in Elizabeth was short, we had an enjoyable visit and caught up on the past years events of our mutual friends and immediate families. Dinners were always memorable with lively conversation, great food and wine.

While we were in Troy, MO last month, we tentatively made plans to spend August and/or September with Carl and Carla, playing tour guide for them in our old home state. Carl and Carla arrived in Elizabeth, and Rick and Zoe were gracious enough to let them camp overnight before our departure to Buena Vista, where we spent two days sightseeing.

The drive from Buena Vista to Gunnison over Monarch Pass had CC white knuckled, as she buried her head in her Kindle as we descended the steep, winding road. After we arrived and got settled in at our campground, Carl was anxious to experience some off-roading in the National Forest around Lake City.

After a brief two day stay in Gunnison, we moved westward on US-50 to Montrose, where the Cedar Creek RV Park will be our new home for the balance of August. We have numerous sights to see and things we want to do while we are here, so I’m sure the time here will seem short. After Labor Day, CC and I will head eastward to Forest City, IA, and Carl and Carla will continue their journeys through Utah, Arizona, and New Mexico.

Thanks for stopping by. Until next time, take care and stay well………………….

September 8 - 30, 2012 "Back Home(?) in Colorado"

We are back at Cherry Creek State Park, enjoying life in the city; visiting friends, having lunches with ex-bosses, meeting with CC’s computer guru to fix a few problems, and generally doing “back home” activities. That pretty much sums up our month here in Colorado. Even though we have been gone over two years, it still feels like we’re home while we are here, and we definitely don’t need the Garmin. I hate to admit it, but I haven’t taken a picture in weeks, as our life here is probably much like your life while you are “home”. But, that is getting ready to change.

We’re dealing with a case of “Hitch-Itch”, so on Wednesday, we’ll leave here in route to Oklahoma to visit CC’s mom, once again enjoying life on the road. Take care, stay well and thanks for stopping by...........

September 1 - 7 "Murphy Returns.....AGAIN!"

We left Lander in route to Rawlins, WY and moved to our new home at the RV World Campground. While the management was more than friendly and helpful, the park was not much more than a gravel parking lot. We later discovered the other options in Rawlins are no different. But, we are only here for a night or two, so we made do with what we had; we have definitely stayed at worse.

The following morning we decided to see the thriving metropolis of Rawlins, and in doing so, stumbled upon a sign that read “Wyoming Frontier Prison Museum”, and so off we went. (As usual, click on any image to enlarge)

Visiting a prison was never on either of our bucket lists, but I must admit, it was interesting. The prison opened in December 1901 with 104 cells in cellblock A, and had no running water or electricity, and a heating system capable of warming the inside to just 20 degrees above the outside temperature. The weather in Rawlins during the winter is frequently below zero. The “modern” gas heater in the picture below in cellblock A wasn’t added until 1978.

During its operation, it housed over 13,500 inmates; 9 were sentenced to hang and 5 met their demise in the gas chamber. It was closed in 1981. The inmates would stick pictures on the walls of their cell using toothpaste, the only approved method. Anything else would have led to them being charged with destruction of state property. It is said the gentleman that drew his likeness on his cell wall met with swift and cruel punishment.

I can’t imagine being incarcerated with such harsh conditions, but in those days, if you committed the crime, you did the time. The grey and white stripped uniforms were made of a denim/burlap material, and were very harsh to the skin; at least they didn’t suffer from eczema. Other inmates liked the grubs and were actually rehabilitated before earning their release; while others did not fare nearly as well.

The following morning it was eastward to Cheyenne, an easy 150 mile drive across I-80. The roads were great and it was an easy drive until the southerly winds picked up forcing me to put both hands on the wheel. And then it happened, 55 miles from Cheyenne; Murphy returns! He manages to rear his ugly head at the most inopportune times. Something no one likes to see on their dash, the amber “Check Engine” light was on. CC grabbed the Freightliner Manual to research our options, but as she read aloud, “Take the vehicle to the nearest authorized service center”, my heart skipped a beat. She quickly got on the internet and found a service center in Cheyenne, and after calling them, and speaking to a service advisor, my heart resumed normal operation. The tech said, “Bring it in, and we’ll look at it. As long as the light stays amber, everything is OK, but if it turns red, pull over and shut off the engine.” My heart returned to its skipping routine, hoping and praying we would not have to pull over.

We arrived about 11:30, did some paperwork, and took the Equinox to find some lunch. The technician said he would call me if they found anything. After lunch, we found a shopping mall. CC had not seen one in weeks, and the look on her face was pure satisfaction, as she was grinning from ear to ear with excitement. She found Jacques Penne to her liking and departed with a few pair of shorts and a cute t-shirt type blouse. Around 3:30 we returned to Floyd’s to check on the progress of the rig. They were just pulling into the service bay as we arrived. Four LONG hours later, the problem was diagnosed as a glitch in the ECM (Electronic Control Module), the brain of the rig. The technician reprogrammed the ECM with a software update from Freightliner, and by 8:30 we were on our way to our original destination, Tom and Trudy’s, just north of Cheyenne.

We spent the next couple of days visiting with them and Ed and Bev, who had driven their MH up from Ft. Collins to join in the festivities. It’s always good to re-connect with old friends, even if it is only once or twice a year. When I was younger, I never knew older people could or would have so much fun. On Saturday, we fired up Tom’s smoker, loaded it with ribs, pork shoulder and sausage, imbibed in a cerveza fria or two, and continued the funfest. Thanks to Tom and Trudy, for opening your home and your RV Park; we had a great time!

The next leg of our journey took us down I-25 south to Castle Rock, and east on CO-86 to Elizabeth, where we will be staying at Rick and Zoe’s homestead for the next few days; it is so quiet and peaceful. We have an appointment on 9/12 back in Denver to have some repairs done on the rig; it’s always something.

CC made the monumental decision to lose her 9 year old locks. Women can understand this decision, but it is harder for men, since they are pre-programmed to realize and accept that they will eventually lose theirs to Father Time. Now, a couple of days later, she says she wished she hadn't cut it, adding "I look OLDER now". What do you think? Please feel free to comment as she needs some feedback.

I try to be supportive by reminding her that she is, after all, a Great Grandmother, but for some reason, that didn't help much. Geeez....what's a guy to do?

We plan on spending the month of September in Colorado, and after it cools down in the Midwest, move to the Oklahoma City area in October to spend time with CC’s mom. Thanks for stopping by and until next time, take care and stay well my friends……………

October 4 – 9, 2011 “Pheasant onto Glass”

After a wonderful month in Colorado, we departed CherryCreek State Park on Tuesday morning. When we started the engine, I noticed an unusual sound of a small motor emanating from the front of the rig, so I unlatched the generator compartment to take a look see. The source of the noise was quickly and easily identified as a vacuum pump; but why was it running constantly? Before we hit the road, I decided it was probably prudent if we stopped at RV America in Aurora and got it diagnosed. The service manager took one look and listen, and said the motor would stop running when we got to a lower altitude where the air wasn’t as thin. He was correct. Soon after crossing into Kansas the pump quit running constantly. We learn something new every day on this adventure.

We made it the 340 miles to Hays, KS, arriving about 6:00 pm. After provisioning at Wally World, we declared this the “first boondocking” in the new rig. The next morning we topped off the diesel with 84 gallons at $3.53 per gallon, and headed eastward on I-70 shortly after 8 am.

In the 30+ years we have traveled this route, there has ALWAYS been road construction, and this trip would be no different, as the road narrowed to 2 lanes just east of Russell, and the speed limit reduced to 60. I had my hands full trying to avoid orange construction cones, coupled with a 25 mph side wind hitting us broadside, at times almost forcing me into oncoming traffic. 

EXTREMELY LOUD "POP !!!"

“What the hell was that? It sounded like a gunshot.” As soon as I uttered those words, my eyes were drawn to a different area of the windshield. (Click on image to enlarge)

The only thing CC saw, out of the corner of her eye, was a bird flying, and then “Wham”.  As we slowed to 50 mph, I wondered IF the windshield would stay intact until we got to Salina. Luckily for us, it did, as we gingerly drove the 30 miles to Safelite for a closer and professional inspection. Matt, the service manager, told us we were the third vehicle this week that has come in after hitting a pheasant. He also said the windshield “would probably hold together” but if we got stopped by a Kansas State Trooper, they would more than likely ticket us AND not let us drive it until the windshield was replaced.

I had that “Have you ever been to Vegas?” feeling, "How lucky do you feel?"; not sure if that’s bad or good, as I once again looked around for Murphy. We called our insurance company, and the soonest they could arrange for a replacement windshield in Salina was 3 days. Our other option, limp on for 250 miles into Oklahoma City, straight south into 25-35 mph head winds. This time, CC and I both looked around for that Irish lad, and he was nowhere to be found. So…………………next stop Oklahoma City, providing our Guardian Angel was present and up for the task.

We decided to bypass the Kansas Turnpike from Wichita to the Oklahoma border, knowing there are usually one or more State Troopers at the gate. Keeping our speed between 50 and 55, coupled with the head winds, was the equivalent force on the windshield of driving 75 – 90 mph. We finally arrived at Twin Fountains RV Park in Oklahoma City around 6:30 pm. Thank you GA!

We’ll be here for a couple of weeks visiting family and friends. CC is having one-on-one time with her Mom, under the guise of helping her clean house.  (Translation for us guys: Girl talk and shopping)

Until next time, take care and stay well. Thanks for stopping by.


ps Seems like we may have left the Denver area in the nick of time. In the comments below, Zoe mentioned the change in weather, and posted this picture of their fountain / waterfall on her Facebook page.

September 18 - October 3, 2011 "Cherry Creek State Park CO"

After returning from Powell, we needed some R&R. For those of you that have been, understand, and for those of you that haven’t, it’s no cake walk. Actually it took only a few days to unpack, clean, and store the items that won’t be used until next year, but one has to ask the question “Is it worth it?”

CC has been busy reuniting with old friends and workplace associates, with the customary lunches and happy hours. Since we only have one vehicle, while she has been whooping it up until the wee hours of the morning, I’ve had my nose to the grindstone, re-arranging the basement and eliminating duplicate (or semi-duplicate) items. After 3 trips to Wally World for plastic storage trays, I can now declare the basement “tolerable and manageable”.

While here in the Denver Area, we have also been invited by friends Tom and Leslie for a Mexican Fiesta dinner complete with the best damn margarita ever. Dave and Jeannie offered up some “Q” from Tony’s and also imbibed on a few adult beverages. Fellow Goldwingers and RV’ers Ed and Bev visited us in Elizabeth. Our old neighbors Gary and Michelle, along with their 2 kids,  (German Shorthaired Pointers, Cash and Windy) joined us for simple, and slightly overcooked burgers and Michelle’s homemade brownies. Another friend, Jeanne, from the "hood" stopped by for a visit and a chance to catch up on what has happened since we moved. To all, a heartfelt thank you. We enjoyed every minute of our visit, and value deeply your friendships.

Rick and Zoe cut off our electricity in Elizabeth, due to non-payment of rent, forcing us to move to Cherry Creek State Park. (Not really…..just kidding……but they did threaten to…. Really….Would I BS you?)

On Friday morning, Rick and Zoe joined us at the campground in their motorhome. (I personally think they felt bad about forcing us to move, and were just trying to make amends….Really) Later in the day James and Jenna arrived, and later that evening Steve and Penny pulled in, to totally disparage me and my synopsis of the situation. So, ......  this had been planned(?); imagine that!  With that said, only one thing to do; Party On!  All pictures and videos of the weekend were destroyed, to protect the innocent(?).  All kidding aside, we had a great time and truly enjoy the company and friendships of the "innocent".

Our plans for the next couple of weeks are to move southward to Oklahoma, to visit CC’s mom, and to catch up with old friends there. I’m not ready to move, as the weather here has been just perfect; highs in the 80’s with lows in the 50’s. (Perfect for getting your sleep on!) But as the old adage reminds us, “All good things must come to an end”. So with that……………….

Until next time, take care, stay well, and thanks for stopping by.

August 25 – 31, 2011 “Our New Home”

We received a few inquires as to what is involved in the installation of a ceiling fan, and what the cost of the MCD shades were. The short answer is, they were included in the price of our new motorhome; a one owner 2010 Itasca Ellipse 42AD with only 4,100 miles on her, aptly named “Elly”.

Since we were impersonating “The Jefferson’s”, we also decided it was time to upgrade our toad to something with better fuel economy, a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox that is rated 22 in town, and 32 on the highway, almost double the MPG of the Jeep Wrangler.

Purchasing a new automobile is definitely NOT one of my favorite pastimes, but I was pleasantly surprised how easy this purchase was. I have had a GM MasterCard for 20+ years, and had accumulated almost $3,000 in earnings. GM places limits on each of their models, and on the Equinox it was $1,000. When the sales manager took my card to apply my earnings to the purchase price, he returned asking me, “Did you know you were a “World” member?” Sure, I replied (but hadn’t a clue exactly what that meant). He said, “You can use ALL of your earnings toward the purchase, if you’d like”. Now, where I come from, that’s called a no brainer. (Click on any image to enlarge)

Followers of our blog realize we have been searching for a diesel pusher and something more comfortable, since we live in our rig full time. What caused us to bite the bullet and move up? Well, it was a combination of things. One, a fellow full timer of one year, just like us, commented that he bought his third rig first; a 2010 Tiffin Allegro Bus. That got me thinking about the concept. Secondly, saving $80K on this 2010 versus the 2012 42AD, we picked out at the Winnebago Rally last month. And lastly, the unit was barely used. The speedcook oven, cooktop, outside entertainment center, Kingdome in-motion satellite system, and 2 of the 4 TV’s had never been used, as the original owner had only used it 4 times.

It only took us 3 days to move in to the new rig, and the time it took for Chevy to order and install a new base plate and receiver (for the bikes) on the Equinox was 5 days. Leach RV had almost a week to fix the little things we noticed that weren’t right, move the brake and light systems from the Jeep to the Equinox, and do the final detail, which included waxing and topping off the diesel and propane. So………..... After being in Lincoln for 2 weeks, we finally departed.

The trip across Nebraska in I-80 was like floating on air. The air bag suspension, coupled with the 400 HP Cummins, kept the ride soft and the noise in the rear; neither of which we were accustomed to in the Suncruiser. CC and I each commented that this rig, 4 feet longer that the Cruiser, didn’t handle like it was bigger at all. Do I have buyer’s remorse? Not at all. Do I think we overspent? Anytime money leaves my hands it causes me redefine our plans for retirement and this lifestyle. Are we happy with our decision? So far, so good. If momma's happy, everyone's happy.

We arrived at Tom and Trudy’s in Cheyenne, WY, around 4 pm, and were set up by the time they got home from work. They have a wonderful home on 2 acres they built about 7 years ago.

Complete with a 40 foot by 60 foot “pole barn”, as Tom refers to it, where he houses all of his “toys”; 4 motorcycles, a boat, 2 trailers, and their “baby”. I think everyone with a motorhome needs a “pole barn”, don’t you?

We had a wonderful visit, and it was great to catch up with old friends. One thing life has taught me; when you re-aquaint with good friends, time spent apart seems to disappear, and you resume just like you had seen each other yesterday. Thanks Tom & Trudy, for everything!

From Cheyenne, we bolted down I-25 to our old stomping grounds around Denver, CO. CC pushed that big rig right through downtown and out to the “burbs”, where we arrived at our friends, Rick and Zoe, just outside of Elizabeth, CO, about 50 miles SE of Denver.

We will be in the Denver area for the month of September. Only a brief side trip to Lake Powell on the tenth, for 7 days on Rick and Zoe’s houseboat, and then back in the Mile Hi City for the remainder of the month. We have doctor appointments, haircuts, and hopefully a few lunches and/or dinners with friends here in the area. As CC said as she piloted the rig down I-25, it’s good to be home. I couldn’t agree more.

Until next time, take care and stay well…………………..