Trip #145 (76): Big Beautiful 4th of July in CO etc
Southern Colorado near Antonito, then farther south to Heron Lake near Tierra Amarilla, NM
July 1 - 5, 2025
Left Tuesday, July 1. First three nights at Elk Creek (outside Antonito CO) boondocking site #2. very good weather sort of warm but not bad took Sheila two days to get with the program for some reason tired and slow. Arrived about 1 PM and after set up did the very bumpy road ride to the gift shop and the red bear whatever, not much in there but they have Wi-Fi on the patio took it easy the first night didn't even carve. About 42 in the morning the only cold night
Wednesday July 2 - took a bike ride on the road behind the campground of course running into a forest service man who was surveying for a future potential timber sale about two years off. Pick the man's brains got a lot of info but mostly we noticed his satellite device called a geode we want one OK I do. Continue to ride the bike on the rocky and bumpy trail full of horse shit because the branch nearby takes people out for horse rides nice day but there were a lot of bugs up there so we had to keep moving. went until the road ended and came back, and after lunch took the drive up the road 23 miles to Platoro, the old mining camp up the road named for silver and gold. Very weird little place visited a weird little café and hotel Lodge and drove over the washboard road back - unbelievable scenery everything looks gorgeous except I see some trees are starting to die up above, forest service man did mention a bug is moving in. Played the game outside I won't talk about who won I'm not talking about winners for the rest of this trip for obvious reasons, but did that and not as cold this night oh yes we were both so tired it was lights out by 9:30 me included. Of course I had to wake up at 3:30 for two hours but there you go. Bill was talking to himself the usual but he didn't punch the nightstand.
Thursday July 3 - the plan was to take a hike so we did, drove over to Elk Creek trailhead (which we camped at once though he doesn't remember, but I will prove it), did very very beautiful hike about 4 miles really really nice enjoyed it but I should get real hiking shoes next time. An extra cool part of the hike was some weirdo who came down the trail with four or five very curious llamas, they were so cute they saw us from far away and kept poking heads up to see what we were. We did a hike many years ago in Durango with llamas it was so much fun, anyway Mr. weirdo kept walking no chatting OK keep going but he had those llamas loaded up like an old prospector. Came back in time for some sprinkles sat outside in carved until the rain came. Did coerce Bill to go out with me to chop down some Aspen, every time I try to go somewhere to get pay dirt or a log, someone has to come by - I can't sneak anything. Sprinkled on & off, played the game again (again not discussing winners), and (try not to roll a three) tomorrow we move onto Heron Lake. Must also say today was the day Congress approved the big beautiful bill and it's going to be signed and so we watched the Trump rally in Iowa good to see the country getting its bearings straight once again; we could not stay that other course much longer.
Friday July 4 - we got a very slow start leaving Elk Creek campground because check-in is very late at Heron. So I get up early surprisingly, and around 8:20 saw my chance to rape the forest, well I dug a couple shovels of mud that I call pay dirt, and took my bike back up that camp road to look forw downed Aspens. Found several, had a small saw, and loaded up the bike with spoon fodder. It's the Fourth of July and the campground filled up a little bit more but not too bad but lots of more families. We took this morning opportunity to also ride bikes toward the Duck Lake Trail just riding basically on the washboard bumpy road to the trailhead and back. Headed for Heron I don't even know what time, maybe 11? Stopped in the town of Chama to see a potential wildlife area Boondocking in case we ever wanna ride the train. It's a nice day, but getting warmer as we are descending in altitude, we drove over a 10,000+ pass leaving the Last campground, many boondockers for the holidays. But warmer here, warm enough to run the air once we get here, why not. We have electric and water. Thought I would sit down outside and try to carve up a nice green aspen when the itching started, turns out I'm sitting under age July Juniper no see um patch so that was the last of my outdoor sitting. Itching and mini hives like a mofo I am so sick of those bastards. So because of them and the heat we stayed inside until later in the day when we took a great bike ride in this shitty looking park down toward the half empty reservoir, tomorrow we plan on doing some more. Watched Washington DC's Fourth of July display rather than doing anything locally because we are lame-o's and too far to travel for fireworks. Having electric and water is so nice to have, but we have shit for a signal as in none, one bar that is useless so no researching of any kind. Did some indoor carving try not to make a mess, but man this wood is hard. Trying to use this no Internet time to study the Texas maps. And on that note there was a huge flood in Hill country Texas and people are missing, many of them, not good. Kerrville to be exact.
