I’ve heard a lot about the town of Buena Vista, a cool little mountain town alongside the Arkansas River in the foothills of the Rocky Mountain’s Collegiate Range. When trying to describe it, one RVing friend said “It’s a ‘food truck’ kinda town.” But often times when there is a lot of hype about a place, it can be a letdown. Not so for Buena Vista. Continue reading
Reports from the field indicate that the road to the boondocking spot just up from Poncha Springs where I parked in 2015 is no longer pleasantly passable for a rig the size of the Winnie. The road was rough, rutted and potholed when I drove it three years ago, but others more brave than I deemed it “even worse now.”
And Salida East, once a free BLM boondocking spot on the Arkansas River, has Continue reading
This post was meant to be about the Crested Butte Wildflower Festival. Of which there was virtually none. No wildflowers and no festivities. Imagine my surprise to strategically plan my itinerary to coincide with the Wildflower Festival in the “Wildflower Capital of Continue reading
I used to not think much of “black top camping.” Why on earth would anyone choose to pay money to stay in a parking lot? Particularly when you can often drive a few more miles and find a boondocking spot? But there are those instances where the assets outweigh the asphalt. The Lake Fork Campground overlooking beautiful Blue Mesa Reservoir is just such a place. Continue reading
As a child growing up in rural Texas, I had two grandmothers as influencers; “Big Granny” and “Little Granny.” They were as different their descriptive nicknames. But they had one thing in common, and that was their love of flowers. Continue reading
Colorado has been in my sites as my summer destination this year since the end of the season in 2015 when the declining temperatures cut my exploration short, sending me back south. This summer, my hope is to travel further north and see some of the areas I didn’t get to explore last time.
But at the same time, I want to also hit some of the places I missed along the way. My attempt is to walk that fine line between revisiting (remembering?) what I’ve missed Continue reading
The US Dept of Interior recently posted on Facebook, “Moonlight brightens snowy dunes at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in Colorado. Experience the park after dark by stargazing, listening for owls along the foothills or going for a full moon walk on the dunes. Cold temperatures are the norm in winter, so bundle up with warm clothing and sturdy footwear for an unforgettable nighttime adventure.”
I find this an odd promotion, considering the park is miles from nowhere, and they have closed the one and only campground within the park. Continue reading
Well, that completes my whirlwind loop through southwestern Colorado. The blog is now caught up and I am in the rare state of “real time” as I sit high atop the Colorado National Monument overlooking Grand Junction. Tomorrow, I will wave goodbye to the “Colorful Colorado” highway sign as I cross over into Utah. Continue reading
The Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park is only a small part of the 48 mile long gorge, carved over 2-billion years by the mighty Gunnison River, a tributary of the Colorado River. The National Park protects the steepest and deepest 14-mile stretch of the gorge. The park is bracketed on both ends by recreational areas; Gunnison Gorge to the west, and the larger Curecanti National Recreation Area the east. Curecanti is formed by a series of three dams; Blue Mesa Dam, Morrow Point Dam, and Crystal Dam, each creating reservoirs of the same name. The largest of these is Blue Mesa Reservoir, Colorado’s largest body of water. Continue reading
The bus stop from Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, termination of our hike, is right across the street from our hotel, where Mark is waiting. Not only has he unloaded our bags, but he has already scoped out choices for brews and burgers. The man makes an excellent Continue reading