Trip #144 (75): Colorado & NM: Pueblo, RMNP, Buena Vista, Red River
June 5, Thurs - Drove to Pueblo for the first 2 nights, good weather, nice and cool. Come hell or high water, we were going to have a slopper tonight, something we missed 2 years ago in August when we came for the state fair. Beautiful night, went to the Coors Gray Tavern, turning out to be the big hot spot, having been in biz for 100 years, and it was pretty good--not hot chile but good for sure. Dinner and a drink apiece and the bill was $30... sure it was happy hour but she made a mistake, and didn't care when we told her so. That was weird.
Friday - Great cool weather, rode bikes on trail from park all the way to town to the old railroad station, which we could get into this time. Not much going on, a barber shop and an banquet hall, but some beautiful woodwork and stained glass; 20 miles. Great trail, actually. Around dinner time the big storm came rolling in but just missed us with the promised baseball sized hail.
Saturday - Drove north to Rky Mtn, after a stop outside Denver for the Woodcraft store, good stop, got 2 carving knives but not a lot of advice. LONG line to enter the park, and a very busy Estes Park. Didn't get in until about 3:30 or later. Didn't do much, but walked a trail off the CG a short way, which would be the hike we took on Tuesday. Site C120, cool temps, and cold nights, maybe 37 one night. Such a quite CG, people are so well behaved. And gorgeous views of mountains as well as two remaining glaciers.
Sunday - Hiked in the AM. In the afternoon went to the Wool Market, which only took a few minutes. Then we walked and shopped the town, got a few dice and lapis marble #2, then had lunch at mediocre Casa Grande right in town on the river. Before going back to camp, we drove up to Bear Lake and did a very short walk to the lake (256 feet the sign said) amid the masses, took a look and left promptly. Place is packed.
Monday - Hiked to a very gorgeous Biershadt Lake, taking a trail across the street from the Glacier Basin CG. But that was also the parking lot for the Bear Lake Bus so the place was PACKED. Quite the uphill climb but we did it, probably about 4 or 5 miles total, having walked from camp. Late in the afternoon a very large elk came along and settled down for a nap across from us. Most people passing by didn't notice him, but they did notice his smaller friend who wandered around. That kept us busy for the afternoon, taking 4000 pics. The campers sure enjoyed that.
Tuesday - lazy day, Bill kind of out of it due to allergy meds. Did a short hike on the trail off the CG that went out of the park and ended up at the Timothy Matthew Stone Christian center, need to read about that, found them online, but they have some super prime land. Probably did 3 or 4 miles. Sat around camp for the rest of the day, me carving and listening to the Karen Read trial cuz we have a great signal in camp. Big full strawberry moon tonight, but the clouds rolled in late in the afternoon, warming up a bit more every day, but I was awake at 2am to get a good look.
Wednesday - Left Rocky at 9:30 and didn't get to Northrop Mt. Princeton CG until past 3pm. Long drive with plenty of traffic and a provision stop in Boulder. Mixed skies and some sprinkles, but the temp warmed up to the mid 80s at one point. Dang truck radiator boiled over at a gas stop in Conifer, so had to stop again for more coolant in Buena Vista. Nice weather tho, still cool enough upon arrival, but once started setting up camp the big wind came thru, blowing dust by mostly pollen, tons of it, but no precip, whew. Canyon i.e., hole, CG noisy with the roar of wind in the trees, a ripping river over there, and cars and trucks along the road. But sill nice. Did some more carving cuz there is no signal! Ugh! Night came and so did a couple HUGE skeeters on the screen wishing I would come outside again. Hoping to see that full moon tonight, TBD. (Can't remember, tried looking but had a huge mountain to get over first. This is Mt. Princeton behind us, a 14er.
Thursday - Today we spent some time in the am looking for access to the rail trail, which we later found after cruising through the mountain neighborhood. People realllly live up here, wow. The trail was at 8825 ft, ok not so high (camp is 8600) but realllllly in the mountains. Nice wide ride on the edge [turned out you can see it from the CG, and vice versa, the flat line for what used to be the track for a narrow gauge train.] but not very long, only about 4 miles one way. Lots of people on it, kids and dogs, but hey, that is a precipitous drop people! Turned around when the sky readied to rain and I didn't want to be up there if it did. And it did, a bit. As it would all day long. Later we drove up to St. Elmo, haven't been up there in probably [15? 2010?] years? Been a long time. A preserved mining ghost town privately owned by a history group, but it has a nice antique shop, where I got my metal yard gator years ago, and this time I got a bird for the welding project. Wandered around there until the rain came again, but this time it lasted longer and reallllly muddied up the truck after the drive down. A few drops and lightening later when back in camp but that was about it. Good that it dropped the temp to 62 on the way down. Watched Dish, earlier big news was that Trump got rid of the CA EV mandate earlier, but at 7pm the next big news was Israel bombing Iran. Try going to bed with that on your mind and no internet.
Friday - headed to Red River. Warm, very warm. WTH iPhone with the lyin' temps? Took a new road to get here, heading south from Fort Garland rather than 285, nice ride. And passed thru what the sign claimed as the oldest town in Colorado, land grants. you know. Arrived to Elephant Rock CG Site #4 to find it was too small for us (actually it wasn't once we looked with boots on the ground); however, it was full sun along the road so there being several other available spots we moved to a shadier one, the handicap one once again (a trend?). Got busted by the host when we hooked up to the water to fill the tank, stupid rule about not doing that. Ohhhkayyyy. Crammed in to the spot as the hosts watched and yammered on, all good. Kinda warm and no elec for a/c, so off to town for dinner. Walked around for other potential spots instead of Red River Brewery, but nothing looked too great so back to the RRB. But first - as we were checking out the wine fest in the park, what do you know, free entry after 5 -- and here, use this little glass for free tastings. Really? So in we went there first. Plenty of mediocre NM wines but ended up really liking an Anejo tequila out of Albuquerque, so after a bottle of that we went to the RRB. Guess we need something else to do tomorrow cuz we planned on doing this festival tomorrow, but that didn't take long to do... Back at camp it was pretty full now and the campfires were stoked. Noticed an old road/path behind us so walked up a short way then decided to save it for tomorrow.
Saturday - OK warming up fast so did a morning walk up that vertical path behind us. Ended up going no where much, but up a ways along a deep arroyo, lots of run off here. Decided to find a place to bike, and after more time that I could have thought we could have spent at the visitor center, it was decided to bike at the Enchanted Forest (only because Bill asked about it--she didn't offer it, good going lady) which is the cross country skiing area on the top of a mountain down the road. Turned out to also be a great logging road, tho steep in parts, but did prob 6 miles up there at 9800'. (Came down with three little branches to ax for spoons later, green wood!). We did the easy path, but so glad for all the signage up there, you could really get lost. Went till we made the top then came down. Next we continued on the Enchanted Trail to Eagle Nest, which was looking very cute and summery! Have been here once or twice but been a while. Spent some time at the Visitor Center with Wilford Brimley=like man, which almost convinced us to come back for 4 of July, until I remembered I have a BTK event in Lamy that day. Gorgeous, gorgeous area, so green trees looking good, no burnouts, just so nice. Temps slightly cooler but not cool by a long shot. Maybe 82. Stopped at the Eagle Nest Brewery, the hot spot just before town, but sat inside for a beer and wine while all the kids played outside. Passed the Flying Horse Ranch on the way over and never saw so many elk in my life in one spot. More even than Yellowstone. Brimley said that ranch is owned by Mr. Direct TV. Local gossip. So back we go to the trailer to hang out (also noticing how the pine pollen is PILING UP on every surface, unbelievable) wine up, and head back to town for dinner, after Bill smashed my hand in the window earlier. (Eyeroll). Nothing major, but boy did it hurt at the time! Again walked the boulevard (Bobcat is the good jewelry store, but no finds this time last night), and again ended up at the wine event hoping to hear a good band but no one showed! So OK, wandered all over trying not to go back to RRB so ended up at Capos. It was late and the sun dropping so had to go somewhere. Prob wouldn't go again, but the place was busy so we even had to wait. Food was OK, nothing great. Back to camp, that was a fun and full day.
Sunday, June 15. Father's Day. Short drive back to home. Coming back to a minor heat wave -- is 95ยบ minor? Hot at home.
RIP: Sly Stone, Brian Wilson, LA ICE riots, Israel and Iran swapping bombs
