Saturday....Pictures are worth a few words...

We had a great night last night, but this morning decided to  not go any backroading today..so......these pictures show you exactly what we did today.  Tomorrow we get back to the jeepin'....

g'nite


A

Pucker Factor 10-Last Dollar Road

Hmmmm....what a day.  Explored the campground a little bit...it's so lovely.  Ridgway State Park is around

Us from across the loop

the Ridgway Reservoir with 3 areas...one is a day use area (Dallas Creek) and the other two are campgrounds (Pa-Co-Chu-Pak Campground-which is where we are--Site 251 and the Dutch Charlie Campground) .  Our campground has  two loops.   Dutch Charlie has five.  On the other side of our loop G is the Uncompahgre River.  We tried to get a spot on that side, but they were all booked at least six months ago.  Altho, you can't really see the river because of the vegetation, you can really hear it.  There are also two ponds for fishing along with the river.  It's really pretty and very popular--especially towards the weekend.  The campground is full, but very quiet...really nice.

After leaving the park, we proceeded to the Visitor's Center in Ridgway wanting information on the locations of where the movie, True Grit,  Got the info plus more.  She told us how to get to the location of the old homestead of Mattie Ross (character was played by Kim Darby) on Last Dollar Road.

She told us to look for a 4 rail wooden fence on the way marking the property of Ralph and Ricky Lauren.  Double R-L Ranch.  He owns 17,000 acres (yes, 3 zeros) of this beautiful countryside.  The rail fence goes for miles, and miles and miles....and miles and miles (I think I read 30) along Highway 62 towards 147.  We drove right up  into his ranch

along a Forest Service Road with his ranch on either side.  Just beautiful.  We saw nothing of his house--I

On Ralph Lauren's Ranch...

suspect, with his money, he could find a spot that is invisible to anybody.  I know the peaks are behind his house, so we suspected it was behind a little foothill.  Very interesting.

We proceeded down the highway (still seeing his rail fence) and turned on Last Dollar Road to see the old homestead.  Proceeded on and reached a fork in the road.  One went to Sawpit; the other went to Telluride.  We took the right to Sawpit.  Wow, what a beautiful drive.

True Grit homeplace

 We're still on Forest Service roads....no traffic..nobody riding your butt trying to pass.  Came DOWN several switchbacks into the little community of Sawpit, then got on 147 into Telluride.  It was packed with

Sawpit Road

people.  They were having a Playwriter's Festival so I guess all these were Playwriter's of some sort or

another...We drove through the town, turned around and drove back.

Back to the spot where we took the fork to the right, well Last Dollar Road was the fork to the left.  All signs say...4 wheel drive only/good tires/high clearance/do not drive in wet weather..we fit all those descriptions, so when we saw Last Dollar Road just outside of Telluride, we took it.  Another pretty drive and then we entered a thick, thick grove of aspens

One of the many, smaller mud puddles

with a little trail of sorts...lots of mud puddles (some rather big), rock slides ...no problem.  Then we started up the mountain.  Rough, rough trail, no bigger than the jeep hugging the mountain with a sheer drop on MY side.  Just as we started up, it started raining.  Then, just at the peak, it started hailing.  It was slickier than owl snot or whatever.  Not familiar with either snot or whatever, but you get the idea.  I was thankful for the rocky road--at least the tires had something to grip.  OMG...now we meet a jeep..he didn't look any less stressed than us.  Now we are trying to go down and we meet a SUV (would NOT do it in one of those) then another  jeep and 4 dune buggies.  Each time we had to pull over (?) like, where????Obviously, we started at the wrong end.   I was also thankful for the little handle that goes across the dash in front of me--I was white knuckling it--I looked down at the drop off and decided that was not something I needed to do again.  Both hands were gripping the handle; therefore, no pictures.  We have been on many, many ATV rides...some where we had to be wrenched across a snowslide but they were  not any worse than this.

Looking back--it was worse than  it looks around the bend....LOL

Fortunately, we got down and, altho, it was a rough ride, it was beautiful down those dark, shady trails through the aspens--can't imagine what September would look like.  We both said we'd do it again.  Along the way, we spotted a deer and an elk...


Drove back to Ridgway and visited the Dennis Weaver Memorial Park.  It's on 60 acres and dedicated to his memory.  He's best known as Chester on the old TV series, Gunsmoke.  It was an awesome place.

Dennis Weaver Memorial

 Hundreds of "prayer stones" were placed all around the memorial.  It's very tranquil and makes you relax whether you want to or not.  I added my prayer stones.




After that, we went to the True Grit Cafe (full of the movie's and John Wayne memoribilia.)  It was delicious--we both had what you see in the picture on the left of the website....and brought enough home for another meal.

End of a tiring 75 mile trip through some beautiful territory and some thrilling rides.  We are pooped.  And plan to watch the movie, True Grit to refresh our poor memory.  Finally found a DVD at.......the True Grit Cafe...where else?   Tomorrow we go out east towards Owl Creek Pass, where another scene from the movie was taken.

Monarch Pass

We're here. End of Blog.  LOL



It was not nearly as bad as we both thought it would be.  The motorhome performed very well.  Held a steady 35-40 up the mountain and that wonderful exhaust brake held it at about the same coming down.  Driver said we'd never made it w/o it.  Only had to step on service brakes 3 or 4 times.  

Monarch Pass

It was just driving.   Monarch Pass was  not the only pass we had to go through...maybe the longest but not necessarily the steepest.   


We got away around 9:45.  Had to empty all the tanks to be as light as we could be and hook the  jeep up.  Arrived at Ridgway State Park about 2:30--we did pull over 3 or 4 times...beautiful scenery. 




Really nice park...very, very spacious.  There are lots of various campers here, but certainly don't get the idea of being cramped.  We sit in our "front yard" and don't see anybody else...only trees and a dry creek in front of us.  A beautiful view of the mountain in the side/front.

Ridgway State Park, Colorado

About 10 minutes after we got here, sat down outside and wow, a huge bolt of lightning and thunderclap....it was just over the mountain, so we got back inside on some rubber. Thunder is very loud here in the valley.  

It rained until 4:30 or so and is thundering again.  We had gotten a weather issue on heavy rain here with possibility of flooding in creeks....so glad it waited until we got here.  Altho, it did rain on us a bit on the way, the wipers worked great.

There are lots of nice hiking/biking trails around the park and would love to go biking, but seats are soaked...and  it's still raining a bit.  Another day.

I think it will be good sleeping tonight.  Very cool, rainy, distant (and not so distant) thunder.  Will open the windows and enjoy.

Tomorrow we are going to Ridgway in the Uncompahgre Valley and visit the True Grit memorabilia...the living quarters of Rooster Cogburn, the True Grit Cafe, then out on the county roads for some of the sites where the movie was made.  Mattie Ross (Kim Darby) home (remains of home) is on Last Dollar Road.  Depending on time, we may continue on Last Dollar Road over Dallas Divide to Telluride.  Looking forward to seeing some sights.

A

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.

A

San Luis Valley Campground, Villa Grove, Colorado

Finally got through Texas!  And are in Colorado just south of Salida.  Beautiful place.  Small, very quiet campground in the valley...of course...we are facing directly to the west, so the sun is brutal again.  But it is not the 99 degrees it was in Dalhart!  Warm, but with a nice breeze.

Had an uneventful night in Dalhart...after the storms moved through.  Lots of lightning and thunder..some rain.  But no skunks under the bed, so that was a good thing.  Actually left before 9 this  morning.

Have tackled two small passes so far and are pleased with how everything is working.  We passed another motorhome that had to pull over at Raton Pass just before the summit...not a good thing.  He'll have a hard time getting any momentum now.  But we certainly weren't speeding going uphill.  LOL.  The driver said he's grateful for the $27 switch for the exhaust brake on the way back down.  The passenger thinks he's not using it enough.  Whew.

I knew we'd gotten into Colorado when the pronghorns started appearing along the side of the road  Always a pretty sight.  We stopped for diesel at Raton...not as cheap, but not too bad. 


Have seen lots of RVs of all sorts...lots coming FROM the mountains...I'm assuming there are lots in front of and behind us too.  All sorts of toys being pulled behind motorhomes, fifth wheels, trailers....quite an assortment.














We arrived at San Luis around 2 ish (ET), got set up and took a walk...been riding for three days.  My toes look like sausages.  When it cools some, we may take another one.  Mountain views from all sides...nice park...but on a washboard gravel road for about half a mile....Our poor jeep has changed colors.  






We'll be here for two nights...and then on to Ridgway State Park south of Montrose on Thursday.  That's when we tackle Monarch Pass.  Will take an extra pill for that day.

That's all for this day....

We're nestled behind those trees

View out the front

Corral RV, Dalhart, Texas.....cattle country

My blog yesterday was rather boring, I realized.  No pictures, just lots of words.  For some reason, neither of us thought of a  camera at the festival so I had no pictures to post of Natchitoches.  A south Louisiana friend send me a couple so will share with you.  The empty seats behind us are mostly Texas folks...must be dancing somewhere.  LOL.

South Louisiana

Oklahoma and Arkansas

Bonsoir Catin---a great band!

We really enjoyed the weekend with all of them.....

The short stay at Sunset RV was okay.  Quiet -- after we found out what the rumble was that happened every 15 minutes--sounded like a tornado, but was a train.  Not a problem.  We finally got cooled down; the sun was right in our front window , but after putting up our sunshades and curtains down, it got comfortable.

I read a book several weeks ago about a family who went backpacking/camping in the Pacific Northwest near the Canadian border.  The little girl and her dog wandered away and got lost for several days in the forest.  Both US and Canadian patrols looked for her for days.  Meanwhile, a grizzly bear was tracking the little girl in the woods.  She knew when he would get close because of the horrible odor that surrounded him.  When it got stronger, she learned to seek shelter in a cave or someplace.  It was a good book.

For some reason, this must have stuck in my mushy brain because I dreamed about it.  A bear was chasing me and the odor was terrible.  And it kept getting worse; therefore, the bear was getting closer.  Just as he got to me, of course, I woke up.  Bear was gone but the odor was not.  A skunk had apparently sprayed something right under our bedroom.  Just about midnight.  It was awful, awful, awful.  Lingered for about 30 minutes.  Woke Ronnie up too....not sure he was dreaming of a stinky bear.  Weird how your subconscious (or is it unconscious) mind works.  

Anyway, after breakfast, we got off around 9:15.  If you've followed ANY of our blogs, you know we don't get up and going very early.  It's a good road...even found diesel for $3.59....probably will be the last time to see it, but it was nice.  -

We stopped for lunch south of Amarillo (we'll get there by morning-Glen Campbell always did) at a rest area.  Turned on the generator and had air back in the kitchen.  We plan to turn it on again about 30 minutes before we get to the RV park so it won't be so hard to cool down...we'll probably be in the sun again.

At Corral RV Park/Dalhart Texas--a nice park.. and even has a shade

The drive has been pretty....flat.  Ranches, fields, cows and haybales.  And then more of the same.




Looks like a thunderstorm is brewing north of Dalhart, so maybe we'll have rain tonight.  That's okay.  Plans include pork chops, sweet potato fries and tomatoes for dinner/movie/bed.

Tomorrow we head up to San Luis Valley RV for a couple of nights.  Will be a long, hard day, but the last haul on Thursday will be short--in mileage but I suspect the hours will be long.  Mountain driving...don't look forward to that.

A