San Luis Valley Day Two

Sunset last night

Woke up to a beautiful, cool morning.  Opened the windows and turned on the fans to get some of this wonderful fresh air.  Had breakfast and about 9:30 got in the jeep to explore. 

We first went out on a little road off the campground entrance and ended up going up and into and over the mountains that we see out our front windshield.  Went quite a ways back into the mountains (foothills) and shared the BLM road/land with the grazing cows.  Didn't see ANY desert tortoises that were threatened by the cows. (for those of you keeping up with news for past several months, you know what I'm talking about; for those who don't know, start paying attention to the news...lol)  







There wasn't anything but cactus, cows and anthills.  Nice, quiet drive.  Then we turned around and came back to RV for lunch. 

Campground is the little oasis in the center

 The wonderful cool morning had turned into a really sunny day--and the sun is HOT-- so we put up the blackouts, turned  on the air, ate lunch and left again.

It seems that each day since we left a week ago, there's been a daily casualty of one sort or another.  First the headlights and wipers; then, the morning we left Dalhart, one of the A/C's came on and immediately shut off (breaker problem-easy fix)  The electric water heater is still off, but the propane heater is cranking out HOT water, so that's not an issue.  Today's casualty:  See pictures below. 

Rearview mirror came off windshield

The Fix:  Take it off

THE ROAD TO BONANZA:

Tried a few county roads and then found the road to Bonanza, Colorado.

 It's a semi-ghost town now, but does have a population of around 14 people.  We think it also serves as a camp for hunters during the  hunting season.  It's loaded with  history:  Click here for info on Bonanza. 

Main Street, Bonanza, Colorado (no kidding)

Old Bonanza Mine

 Did a visit to the Bonanza cemetery...lots of old gravesites....some must still have family who cared enough to put markers up....others just had a wooden marker/rocks.  

Some died as recent as 1987, but most were from the 1800's

Bonanza Cemetery

We enjoyed our drive through Bonanza and continued on into the Rio Grande National Forest for some 4 wheeling trails.  We drove up several trails and just explored a bit.  Saw three deer.

Would love to see what's at the end of this drive.

Along the road to Bonanza, we passed several "ranches"  Elk Horn Ranch, Walking Thunder Ranch, Bonanza Ranch....the entrances were VERY impressive--didn't see the houses.  Not sure what they are ranching unless it's cows and really didn't see that many cows.  Didn't see ANYBODY working outside.  

It is very dry here so the wildflowers we saw along the trails were so thirsty looking, but here's a few pictures of what we saw.

It was a fun day.  Enjoyed being out and about.  Tomorrow is Monarch Pass day.  I hope it's  not as bad as my nerves think it will be.  We've done it before, but not in a motorhome.  Will be glad when tomorrow is over and we are parked at the Ridgway State Park for 10 days.

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