Back to Colorado

Since our Murphy visit we have arrived back in Colorado, right now in Carbondale, leaving for Montrose this morning, then after the holiday weekend we will make our way to Durango for our 5 week stay.  This is a bit of a transition for us, as you know we don't normally hang around one place for an extended time, but Durango is special to us, and so, of course is Florida for the winter.  This time we have an appointment to get our battered truck fixed as well.

Even with our project in Dubois, WY, we did have a good time.  The campground, Longhorn Ranch, was an unexpected pleasure.  We were in one site far away from everyone else, huge and right on the Wind River.  Once again we had planned to fish, but with our cooler replacement, and finding we were there at the wrong time to fish, the water was still very warm, we didn't wet a line.  But we learned our lesson hanging around each day waiting for the AC in Buena Vista, so this time while the cooler was being shipped we went up to Brooks Lake, which was recommended to us by our fisherman friend on the Madison.  It wasn't too far, about 25 miles or so, and was very beautiful surrounded by mountains and meadows filled with wildflowers.  We took a picnic and had a lovely lunch overlooking the lake.

Beautiful spot

Very pretty

We noticed a trail that seemed to go around the lake so off we went.  Well, it turned out the trail was part of the Continental Divide Trail, and did not go around the lake, but we took it a mile or so, watching carefully for bears.  There were signs everywhere as it is quite remote and with the high foliage reminded us of the many "beary" spots we saw in Alaska.

Wildflowers abounded!

It was beautiful even in the rain that poured down for about 15 minutes

We had a chance to go in and walk around the quaint western town that is Dubois, and had a great lunch at the very busy Cowboy Cafe.

Then we headed south to an overnight stop in Vernal, UT at the KOA, at first a bit timidly as we worried about our cooler repair, but all was and is well with that. After our quick stop we continued on to Carbondale, CO.  One thing we noticed and tried not to dwell on was how absolutely lucky we were to have had our cooler fiasco happen where and when it did.  Let me tell you, on this entire route to Carbondale which is about 500 miles, at least 450 is absolutely in the middle of nothing with no cell phone coverage, must be that clean living:-)

Interesting views

Pretty desolate

The coach at an overlook

Our route took us over the dam at Flaming Gorge on a side of the lake we had never been on before.  Pretty interesting, but the photos are not real great as the rains came down as we got near the dam.

Rain showers as we get closer to Flaming Gorge

Crossing the dam

Looking back down at the lake

So with our cooler, then jack fluid, then generator slide out, we came to our exit off I-70 in Glenwood Springs, a route we had taken before.  There were many construction signs and lane changes and closures which we watched carefully to see if any of it impacted our travel.  Seeing nothing, we exited and immediately the road narrowed down between jersey barriers and a sharp curb that I honestly did not think we could fit through!  I am so careful with our tires not to ever curb them, I felt that unless we could turn around, NOT POSSIBLE, I had to at least curb the tires if not rub against the barriers.  With 10 or so cars behind us and nowhere else to go we proceeded oh so slowly and miracles of miracles I did not hit the barriers or even curb the tires, but we weren't done.  The construction cones were so narrow as they led us up and through an intersection, and then up to the bridge where we cross the Roaring Fork, and WHAT, the bridge isn't there, ROAD CLOSED!  Now we are in traffic, in downtown, narrow streets, people and cars everywhere, now what?  I make a turn away from the bridge, can't make a U-turn, too tight, so head up a cross street that heads right up the mountain, and stop.  We make a plan that involves us heading up the mountain and making a very tight turn to somehow get back onto the interstate.  We had to raise the rig to make this off camber turn, and then see ahead, "NO LEFT TURN".  That's the way we have to go!  The hell with it, we turn anyway, get back down to the construction, make our way through another extraordinarily tight lane and finally get back on the interstate going back the way we came to exit at an earlier exit that we think will get us across the river and down to Carbondale.  We do that through more construction, both of us pissed, and can't believe there were no signs!  We really think we must have missed them.  Well we get to the KOA, and tell our story when we check in and find out the owner was up the interstate earlier today and she was amazed there were no signs either, she even called the Colorado DOT to report it!  So we weren't crazy.

So we spent several days here trying to fish, well actually fishing, just not catching:-)  We fished in the beautiful and famous Frying Pan and also the very pretty but warm Crystal River that was just a walk from our campsite.  We had a good time, but no fish.

The beautiful Frying Pan

Picturesque Crystal River

A view of Mt Sopris on a walking trail right beside the campground