July is Colorado

Car Camper?

What the what?

Forgotten

Ty didn’t take any big hits on the head this month, that’s not to say he didn’t take any, just not any BIG hits. July turned out to be just plain fun being with family and friends; doing a lot of hiking and other fun activities. You know all the pictures of the “Walmart” people and their weird outfits on YouTube? Well, we got one! This is the weirdest vehicle we have ever seen!!

Ty forgets his shoes at Amy’s when we swung by and Scotty had to send them to us.  Then I am looking around for my favorite flips when Scotty sends me pic with text “these yours?” We don’t have many possessions, think we could keep track of what we had.

Alpine Trl

Bucket List Checked

Wouldn’t ya know it, many of the things I have on my bucket list I checked off right here in Colorado! Always wanted to camp high up in mountains secluded (or mostly) and we did that in Turner Ponds NFS campground in the Wolf Creek area. Altitude over 9,000ft and a late afternoon storm came in and left the camp in a couple of inches of hail. Always wanted to hiked a good portion of the Colorado Trail and we did that when in Pagosa Springs on the Lobo Trail/link to CT. Always wanted to hike the Alpine Tunnel Trail (don’t ask me why it just always looked like a beautiful trail to hike) up in St Elmo and when did that. So satisfying to check things off, don’t ya think?

Lobo Trail Hiking BV All of us at cabin ATV Rafting kids in hot springs Amy Tessa Sweet Sixteen

Family Fun

Always good to go home! Spent the first 11 days and 17 loads of laundry at Amy’s having fun with family, visiting a few friends, doing laundry and walking the dog. Wouldn’t change it for anything.

Then we all (Amy, Scott, Tyrus, Tessa, Avery, Jaden, Dakota and Talia (Tessa friend)) went to Buena Vista, Chalk Creek to be exact and spent a week there. Amy and Scott’s friends, John and Jess Hernandez and their 2 boys, Rueben and Mateo, also came with us. Oh, and not to forget the dogs, Lacey and Bradley were a part of the fun. Fourteen of us! We pull Wanda into the circular drive out front and that’s where we stayed. You know how the beginning of the vacation seems to go so slow and then it suddenly takes flight and we are saying our good byes. But not before we went rafting on the Arkansas, ATV up in St. Elmo area, golfing, horseback riding, hiking, and campfires at night, 2 birthday celebrations, night out on town. Great fun, lots of memories.

Rick Joann Morgan BachelorMine North Clear Creek Falls

Rick and Joanne Morgan

On our way to Pagosa Springs, made a stop in South Fork to visit for a couple of days with friends, Rick and Joanne Morgan. They were Anthem residents at one time, and we RV’d with them a couple of times around the state until they took flight and became almost full timers, camp hosting for several years. Then when the bug for travel had waned, they settled in South Fork. Many of us Anthem “folks” wondered how they could settle in such a remote place. Well, I can offer my thoughts and that is after being on the road in remote places that have the wide-open views, not a lot of people or stuff going on that when it comes time to settle the thought of going back to the crowds, and the hustle bustle just isn’t for them. And I get it!

A little on South Fork since Rick and Joanne are great host and gave us a grand tour of SF and Creede, which are two areas in Colorado that Ty and I have never been. IT IS BEAUTIFUL!!!!!! Need I say more? SF is hardly a town, more of a crossroads and Creede is a tourist town for the summer enthusiasts who like to fish, atv, touring mines or just enjoying the beauty of the area. Both towns pretty much close down for the winter months and are glad to have their peace and quiet back for a spell. Lots to do in this area; summer is rafting, fishing, hiking, ATVs, taking scenic drives. Winter fun includes skiing at Wolf Creek, cross country skiing or snowshoeing and cuddling up by a fire. I fell in love with South Fork. AND Pickle Balsamic which we picked up in Creede. Great on salads.

Fourmile Falls

Pagosa Springs

Another unexplored place by us so we made the most of our time here. First hiked to Fourmile Falls which is actually a 6+ round trip hike that was rated easy/moderate. I think it was definitely a moderate/hard. Lots of ups and downs and rocky. But worth it as we could get right up to the base of the falls with the water rushing down at us. The spray was so refreshing. The falls get its name because it is on the Fourmile Road.

Then hiked Piedra River Trail. Truly spectacular trail along the river and the wild flowers were out in all their glory. Took so many pictures of the flowers, it is a good thing that the cameras are digital so one can delete most of them.

Also went to Chimney Rock – a very sacred Ancestral Puebloans of Chaco Canyon site. It is thought that this site was actually a religious gathering site as there were not many permanent living houses but evidence of large gatherings. The Chacions were astronomers and the moons presence between the Chimney Rock and Companion Rock had special meaning to them, so it is thought. The moon has a special phase called Major Lunar Standstill, which they celebrated.

Chimney Rock What is the MLS?
The moon’s orbit of Earth oscillates or wobbles, gradually causing the moon to rise at different points on the horizon over the years. The entire cycle of wobbling north to south and north again takes 18.6 years. At each end of its swing, the moon appears to pause for about three years, rising at the same point on the horizon before beginning to move back toward the opposite end of the swing. This pause is known as a MLS and happens every 18.6 years.

Of course, then as any good tourist we spent an afternoon in Pagosa Springs, walking downtown and viewing the hot springs. There is also a river running through the heart of town and watching all the tourist bob up and down and their rafts is entertaining.

Back to Chalk Creek

Last week of July and we headed back to Chalk Creek to be with Cindy and Harry Atkinson. Friends whom we met in Anthem but moved onward early on but we stayed in touch. Saw them last October when we passed thru Surprise AZ. We have been visiting CH and their families and friends for many years up at Chalk Creek – love that place so. We didn’t do much as they played with the kids, but did meet them every night for dinners which was good enough for us as we were tired and needed a week to relax.

Laundry Reversal

Left Chalk Creek and started to make our way to Missouri, via Boulder. Remember how the kids would come home and dump the laundry on the floor and as soon as it was done, back out they were. We sort of did this as I did waltz in with a load or two of laundry. Also managed to help out with Tyrus’s football team dinners for two nights and then we hit the road again.

Next destination

Odessa Missouri to met brother Will and bride Pam for our 9^th annual RV trip. Going to see MO and hopefully Arkansas.

Can’t Leave Without Sharing All the Wildflowers