FALL HABITAT TRIP: Part 2 Pagosa Springs Work

Part Two – Habitat for Humanity in Pagosa Springs

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Monday, August 13, 2012

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     It cooled right off last night!  We used the sleeping bags instead of just a sheet and blanket.  Felt great and slept well. 

     Up leisurely to read, I caught up on some scribbles and journaling, breakfast.  Then we packed a light lunch and took off for Wolf Creek Pass area.  Nothing too strenuous today – it is a rest day, but we wanted to explore a little!  We passed who I think is our group leader driving in – he was blocking the road out! 

Pagosa Valley from pass overlook

     This is one gorgeous valley.  A series of small lakes, wide open grassy meadows filled with sunflowers, horses, and cows.  Old fashioned wooden fences add to the charm.  Wolf Creek Pass is only 17 miles from the campground.  The first 9 are gradual uphill, and then the road steepens dramatically for the windy climb to the summit.  There is an overlook at the two mile mark that provides a wonderful view to the west of the valley.  We stop for a couple quick pictures, and I realize I have left my camera battery charger in the trailer, and the light is blinking.  This will cut down on the picture taking this trip! 

View northwest from Lobo Overlook. 

     On up to the pass and a road that cuts up to the top of Lobo Overlook and a radio transmitter station.  What a great view in all directions.  An array of wildflowers AND a cold wind!  We put on our windbreakers, but even then it is chilly!!  We find some dwarf fireweed, white daisy like flowers, pussytoes, and on the way back down….gentians and harebells and paintbrush!  Plus lots of hellebore and goldenrod.  Rick makes a cell call to his mom – we have coverage from the top!  I left a message with mine – she was probably at the church! 

     From the pass we drove down to the Wolf Creek Ski Area, and found a road that wound down through the ski runs to a large meadow and lift, and then down to Albert Reservoir.  Mt. Albert is one of the hikes we will take.  It sits to the southeast of the ski area.  Grab a snack for lunch at the boat dock at the reservoir. 

Treasure Falls

     Back over the pass and down to the base of the mountain and the trail to Treasure Falls.  A great legend about lost gold buried somewhere here, but now you find an interpretive trail on the geology and change, including an 1985 blow down during a very wet spring when the mountain basically just collapsed in one area and washed out over the freeway.  The falls itself didn’t have a great deal of water in it – misty!  We spotted mountain ash bushes, wild geraniums, some fireweed, and lots more pussytoes. 

     The sun has come out and it is warm, unlike this morning when the skies were pretty cloud filled.  You can tell the afternoon storms will still arrive, but for the moment in the sun….it is hot!   (Probably all of 85 maybe!)  Good news!  The camera battery has been blinking all day, but it hasn't given out on me!  

     Back to the trailer around 2 to find most of the group has checked in.  I meet Mark and he gives us our name tags.  Must remember to wear them now!  We are scheduled to meet around 4 pm as a group before the 5pm dinner down at the shelter. 

Group introductions as we await dinner. 

     One of the single gals in the group (Peggy from north of Denver) has had motor home problems and won’t be making it until next weekend.  She can’t get her rig repaired until Thursday.  But….another couple has come in who missed another build due to a family emergency.  We have room, so they will be joining us.  So…a net gain!  Our group includes team leader Mark from Texas, Jim also from Texas (they are both full time RVers), Lori and Jerry McHugh from Boulder City, NV (right by Vegas), Mike and Barb from Arizona near Phoenix, and Jim and Jo Ann from Yuma, AZ, who are the latecomers to join us.  Jim and JoAnn are also former middle school teachers.  Mike and Barb have only done one other build – here in Pagosa last year.  The McHughs are on their 15^th.  Everyone else somewhere in between.  Rick and I and Peggy are the only first timers….the rookies! 

Cindy (in green) Habitat director goes over a few details. 

Rick visits with Jim

     After we eat, Terry, the Repairs Coordinator, went over the jobs we have before us this week.  It is varied, but all doable!  Lots of painting, plus other work including roof repair, installing siding and insulation, organization, caulking, etc.  There is a homeowner’s association in Pagosa that was levying fines right and left for failure to maintain a certain standard.  Fortunately that has changed in the last year to a more proactive policy as opposed to punitive.  They are now offering interest free loans to help homeowners make the repairs.  Habitat is providing the man power.  The homeowner has to provide their “sweat equity” but in this case sometimes that is hard.  They might instead provide some of the lunch, etc.  This is a new partnership, so avenues are still being explored. 

     We will be carpooling to the job site tomorrow, located about 5 miles on the other side of town.  Rick and I have offered to drive the Honda.  An exciting day ahead!

     Back to the trailer to relax, catch up, and go to bed early!!!  G’night

Tuesday, August 14:

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Jim Smith's home

     First day on the job!!  We meet at 8 to carpool to the site out in the Pagosa Lakes region (by the City Market complex and Wynham Resort west of town.  Rick and I thought we were driving, and at the last minute didn’t have to, but we chose to go alone as all our stuff was already packed in the truck.  It is about 11 miles to the site.

"Walk About" to learn our jobs. 

     The home, owned by Jim Smith, is located in an open area north of the highway – just north of the massive Wynham Resort area.  Jim comes out to meet us.  Following a short devotional message and prayer lead by Mark, our team leader, we take a “walk-about” with the Repair Coordinator Terry Pickett.  Terry has a great sense of humor and ready with puns.  A great smile.   The Mark divies us up into small groups to handle the jobs.  I end up working with Jimmy, probably the oldest member of the crew, on the woodpile.  Our job is to saw apart three sections of old wooden stairs, remove the screws, and then split into small pieces for Jim to use in his wood stove.  Rick is helping Mark on the gap in the porch window moldings (Over an inch letting in air!)  Eventually that job grows exponentially until the entire section of the wall is removed, windows and all!  Rick is so good at demolition! 

Down comes antennae!

Others are cleaning out the garage (stuffed full) and a storage shed (also stuffed full).  Homeowner Jim helps those groups by identifying items he wished to keep, but it was a bit overwhelming for him!  One other group took down the TV antennae and then did repairs to the soffits in the eaves to prepare for painting. 

            I was working in the sun all morning and it was warm!  Went through two complete water bottles!  Used muscles I will feel in the morning – including hammering more screws through the board to be able to remove from the opposite side because the threads were stripped.  When possible I had a power drill to reverse the screw with, but most of the time the wood was so rotten it didn’t work.  Then we took a heavy mallet and “split” the board into two sections for firewood. 

Rick is on demolition of this porch section! 

            Morning break with goodies, and then a lunch break an hour later.  A couple from the Catholic church brought our lunch out and served it to us: pulled beef on a bun, watermelon, cookies and chips.  Very good.  By the time they arrived, the garage crew had cleared the entire area out, we set up a table inside in the shade, and all moved our chairs in to get out of the sun. 

     By the time lunch was over, the clouds had moved in.  We worked the afternoon in much cooler temperatures, and even a rainstorm or two!  Basically the garage is completely done, the firewood done, the antennae done.  Still need to repair the soffits and porch.  Painting should be able to begin tomorrow.  We stopped work around 3:30 pm.

     Quick stop at City Market to pick up some dish detergent, then back to Elk Meadows.  The skies almost look like smoke, but I think it is just rain.  The mountain outline to the northeast is stellar – nice and jagged. 

The Habitat Tool Trailer

     Showers, and then a relaxing time together enjoying ‘happy hour’.  I brought out the salsa I made for the potluck dinner Monday night that ended up not being a potluck.  It was entirely consumed and enjoyed.  Made me feel good!  Mostly everyone just ate a little and shared from the day’s experiences, and a little more about each other.  When a few raindrops started falling around 6:30p we all headed to our respective trailers. 

     I will be early to bed tonight.  I am going to be sore!  And another day of work ahead tomorrow.  But rewarding.  Homeowner Jim’s neighbor was over during the afternoon to tell us how much everyone appreciated our help and how good it was for Jim.  Evidently he has really “come out” of a recluse shell in the past couple years since Habitat has started working with him.  That's job satisfaction too!

Wednesday, August 15:
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Gathering for morning devotions

     It got down in the mid-40's last night and I slept well! (and HARD!)  By 8 we are enroute to pick up the ice (The Rose Restaurant downtown donates whatever ice we need daily as long as we bring a bag or two to put it in!) Another couple of hot air balloons are in the sky as we drive west to the homesite.  We split into three groups basically today.  Mark and Rick are still working on the porch, Colbs, Jo, Mike, and Jerry on the eave soffits, and Barb, Lori, and I remove the shutters, scrap, and caulk all day! I think I went through about 5 tubes of caulking.  I learned to cut my tip a little smaller which helped.    Jimmy provided the truck to help make a few runs to the lumber yard, etc., so he was running errands alot.  Probably good....Jimmy is 76 and worked a little too hard in the sun yesterday.  As it was....it didn't end up being a real good day for him.  He lost some keys, damaged his canoe.  Said he picked up some lotto tickets enroute home so he could have a better day tomorrow.

Ginger caulks around the windows. 

     We are starting to get into a rhythm as a team.  Everyone went to work today - share tools and ladders when necessary.  We didn't get as far as we had hoped because the power nail gun couldn't get enough electricity for compression to work.  That would have made life easier on both the soffit and porch teams.  We three gals nearly finished all the caulking, scraping, etc.  Tomorrow will definitely be the start of painting!
     Lunch was a special treat - a full dinner meal of chicken, rice, beans and tater sauce, salad, and Tres Leches cake for dessert (with strawberries on top)  The Catholic Church has been providing all week.

No problem with the quality of the lunches! 

     We stop enroute home at a fruit stand and Lori and Jerry pick up a watermelon for "Happy Hour".  Rick and I get our showers and then start some laundry prior to that.  I cut up the loaf of sourdough tomato bread I have left, Rick lights the pilot in the oven, and we brown it up with Johnny's.  It needed to get eaten.  For the same reason, I contribute tossed salad tonight!

The soffit crew in action. 

     I moved my colorful table cloth to the "community" table, which is between our trailer and Jimmy's and is under the biggest tree in our area.  That shall be our happy hour table.  Others brought dried apples, nuts, cheese and crackers.  Everyone brings their own drink in a glass.  Tonights discussion centered on family roots for several in the group, traveling, and then a bit of politics.  That got a little more controversial as one might expect!
     A pretty sunset - mostly a pinkish glow to the clouds and then a couple of little cloudbursts as we prepared for bed.  A good day.  Looking forward to another good night's sleep!

Thursday, August 16:

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Lori paints primer over our speckled caulking! 

     Good night, although our neighbor's dog Penny decided to play with her bone at 5:30am – we weren’t sure what it was and Rick checked to make sure a bear wasn’t outside messing with stuff!  All we heard was clunk a thwap, zonk!  With the cloth sides to our trailer, we hear more than most people!  Penny later suffered, however, as she ran into a barbed wire fence chasing a cat, and got some bad cuts down her back. 

     Bears have been a problem around Pagosa this summer as there isn’t enough food in the mountains for them.  It will get worse as they are trying to “stock up” for the winter.  The berry crop was hurt by the drought conditions. 

    Back at the homesite to basically do the same as yesterday!  Lori is the only one to branch out today – she primed boards and trim all day!  Barb and I continued to caulk – every place where there is a joint between two boards!  We ordered more caulk once today and told the repair coordinator to bring ANOTHER case tomorrow!  I said that I am leaving an infestation of plastic worms everywhere in the yard!  My caulk gun continues to dribble, even though I keep pushing in the lever to stop it. 

Rick hammers in trim on the upstairs window. 

     Rick worked again in the porch for most of the day, but when it was just some finishing work he left that to Mark and went and trimmed some windows.  The soffit team is behind – but it is hard work up on high ladders.  We had a lot of trouble today with power equipment – constantly blowing circuits, etc. Which meant difficulties in making cuts, and failure of the power nailer to work. Finally Terry went next door and asked to plug in to their outside outlet.  JB just doesn’t have good power in his house! The power nailer really helped the soffit team pick up a little speed.  

     No rain today!  The skies did cloud over in the afternoon which was a blessing – it diffused the sun so it wasn’t so hot.  JB has been on site everyday – interacting with us as we work.  We left some of the lunch leftovers with him today. 

Not all jobs are glamorous, but necessary!
Way to hold that ladder, Jo Ann!

     No happy hour this evening.  We stopped at the ice cream shoppe enroute home and everyone enjoyed an inexpensive ice cream cone!  Yeah!! 

     Lazy evening of writing, drawing, reading, etc. 

Note:  I have been collecting a little souvenir everyday of my Habitat work.  Day 1 was an old rusty screw from the woodpile.  Day 2 was a bolt from the shutters we took down.  Day 2 and 3 are caulk worms!  What fun!  

Friday, August 17:

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     A light rain fell last night, but it didn’t last long.  Just enough to make me get up to check the windows, etc.  Beautiful morning with the robins again bopping around.  I haven’t seen as many hummingbirds lately, but it has been a little cooler. 

Rick finally gets to paint!  

     We are on our way shortly after 8 – Rick and I have been riding with Mark the past three days carpooling.  Cuts down on expenses, because we don’t stop to buy anything on the way home!  I do want to go to the thrift store tomorrow to pick up an old shirt to use for staining. 

     We quickly get busy today after Jim Colbs gives the devotion on Wolves!  The soffit crew has the south side to finish, Rick volunteers to go up high and caulk and prime the upper window and soffits on the north side.  The gals all set to work painting the gray on the garage and shed.  By day’s end….the soffit is finished, the garage is totally done (I did all the red trim work on it!) and the shed just needs the trim painted.  The house needs to be painted still.  We are going to split up into two groups tomorrow after devotions at the campground.  A larger paint crew to finish the house and a smaller crew to head out to Patty’s house to figure out the skirting. 

Lunch time cleanup!  And silly Mike!

     We got stopped a little early today by a fierce thunderstorm that started dropping rain.  Rick decided to get off the high aluminum ladder, especially as the winds picked up!  I was rushing to finish the garage trim, but got it done….barely. 

     Twice today neighbors have come over to say how much they appreciate the help JB is getting from Habitat and how much nicer the place looks already.  Just cleaning up the area around the house, the garage, etc. has made a big difference.  The paint is looking pretty sharp.  I’ll get pictures tomorrow! 

Happy Hour in the Rec Cabin

     Lunch was sloppy joes, cole slaw, chips, and cupcakes.  We are certainly eating well.  We left some of the leftovers with JB and took the rest to Happy Hour.  Due to the rain, HH was held in the little rec cabin.  It was just three couples today – Mark and Jimmy didn’t join us and Mike and Barb were meeting relatives for dinner.  But Colbs had bought a griddle at the thrift store and wanted to try it out.  He grilled some onions and zucchini squash.  It was great!  We ate the rest of the sloppy joe meat, cole slaw, watermelon, crackers, and a little more jello.    Seems like all we are having to cook is our breakfast each day! 

     Rick heard from Mike’s relatives that the storm that came into town dropped a little snow up on the pass!  Winter already?  It is cooler tonight – will be in the 40’s this evening for sure!  I am doing devotions in the morning, so glad it is here at the campground.  I can just bring my laptop out.  I have a scribble drawn and ready to go!  G’night! 

Saturday, August 18:
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Our Pagosa Springs team with Terry Pickett, ACH4H
Repair Supervisor

      Whew!  Back at the trailer after a hot, hard day painting!  Have had a well earned shower and feel human again!  But, the good news is, we are basically DONE at JB Smith's house - having completely painted and trimmed, caulked EVERYTHING, cut wood for a new screen woodpile, cleaned out the garage and shed, removed an antennae, and remade the sun porch and soffits for the eaves.  He was pleased.

JB Smith's finished home

     I painted red trim ALL DAY!  Basically probably painted 90% of all the trim.  Rick did the upper window and the upper bar across the north and south sides, plus a little help on the back porch door.  Otherwise, I did the garage, the shed, and all the rest of the house.  Whew!  Spent two hours or more in the morning just on the sun porch windows - alot had to be done with brush cutting into the windowpane area, etc.  But I have a careful hand for that sort of painting, so God was using my talents where they lie.  Maybe not what I LIKE to do, but we got 'er done!
     Lunch was hot dogs with a wonderful bean mixture on top, plus an apple/blueberry cobbler type thing for dessert.  And watermelon!  I made a quick call to Mom Mac during lunch to find out about Kady's visit and end to her bike ride.  Good visit.
    Rick had made a suggestion to Terry to use the extra wood to build a screen for JB's firewood.  JB jumped at the idea.  Rick thought he would be doing the construction, but since he was painting at the time, Terry gave the job to Jerry and Colbs.  Not sure they were happy with it, but with Rick's help painting at the end, they finished the job!
    Three of the team went to Aspen Springs (about 10 miles west of town) to work on the Brown house skirting - our next project starting Tuesday.  We will also be staining some out buildings there I think.

At the outdoor tables at Bear Creek Saloon - before our
order arrived!  

     After we finished at JB Smith's, we took a group picture with JB, and then JB took one of the group with Terry Pickett, our repair coordinator.  He has done a tremendous job.  I really enjoy his sense of humor and willing attitude.  I would work anywhere for Terry.
     Then Terry suggested we all meet at the Bear Creek saloon and grill for a beer and some nachos.  He found ready takers!  A congenial time together and some good chicken and pork nachos.
     Now back to relax at the site tonight.  Two days of REST ahead of us.

Fall Habitat Trip - Part 1

THE DRIVE TO PAGOSA SPRINGS, COLORADO

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Thursday, August 9, 2012   

            We are off!!!  The week of packing and figuring, planning and anticipating, is over.  We pull out of Baker City around 8am, having the tires all checked at Les Schwab as we leave town.  We are definitely a little heavier than other trips, but in pretty good shape! 

            Down to Boise and into the airport departure zone to drop Jed off.  He will have a good wait until his 6:30 flight, but he said he has plenty of “work” to do!  Doctorate type work! 

            At the first rest area past Boise (about 15 miles) Rick pulls over and I take the wheel.  Once I get the hang of it again, driving is fairly easy.  I do miss using the cruise control, however!  Most everyone passes me as I move along at 60 mph, but that speed seems to agree with the Honda and doesn’t overtax it. 

            There are fires in the air!  From Ontario on we are caught in a dense smoggy air.  Around Mountain Home large areas are burned down to the freeway.  It doesn’t make this stretch of highway, which is questionable in beauty most of the time, any prettier! 

            At Twin Falls we gas up again, grab a sandwich at Subway, and Rick takes over for the final 110 miles into Pocatello.  I don’t get a really good sense of the mountains and beauty of Pokey because of the smokey skies.  There are many wind turbines as you come into the city, and we caught a view of American Falls Reservoir.  We gas up (AGAIN! – third time today and a total of $125 worth!  But we did average 10 mph and we used the air conditioner most of the day) and then follow the road a mile out to the KOA. 

Pocatello KOA campsite

            Our site is rather exposed – the truck seems to be in the shade for awhile, but not the trailer.  So we put up the awning to block a little sun.  (With a bit of difficulty as we don’t want to get out the directions, but we haven’t put it up since May!)  I messed up and immediately loosened my screw too much and lost the washer from INSIDE the bar.  It took a bit of pinky finger maneuvering, but I managed to get it back on.  Whew!  We only flop down the main bed end to conserve what air conditioning we get.  Since this is a short stop and we don’t plan to go anywhere, we just raise the hitch enough to level the trailer.  Tomorrow hitching back up will be easy – just lower back down onto the truck and presto!  We can take off. 

Sunset in Pocatello, ID

            We get the air conditioner moving, hook up the TV set, watch a little Olympics while I get caught up on reading, journaling, blogging, etc.    Eventually it cools off a little and after a light dinner (salsa, pretzels, and salad) we take a walk, enjoy a little time swinging on the porch swing of an empty Kampin’ Kabin, and then take a few pictures of a red-orange sun as it sinks below the clouds.  A perfect first night of our Retirement Life.  We saved our “celebratory dinner” for tomorrow night. 

           

Friday, August 10, 2012

            Up at 6:15 to shower, grab my d365 off the internet and check the roads, and we pack up and are on the road by 7:30am with a coffee in hand! 

            The area east of Pocatello to the Wyoming border is beautiful rolling hills, mountains, and high altitude farmlands.  In the spring it would be gorgeous, but it is pretty dry right now.  We are stopped once for road construction, but otherwise cruise down through Kemmerer and into Little America and Green River.  Gas in Green River and then a drive through a residential area to find a shady tree to park under to grab a bite to eat. 

The panorama from 191 south. 

            It is only a little over a hundred miles to Vernal, but what a fascinating hundred miles.  We have opted to take Highway 191 on the east side of Flaming Gorge Reservoir, thinking it will be more direct and won’t drop down as low in elevation.  So much for our research!  Heading south from near Rock Springs, we quickly climb to the top of a wide ridge plateau with canyon like vistas to both our left and right.  We continue on the ridge for 20 miles or more – and then cut to the southwest and angle more toward the Utah border and the south end of Flaming Gorge Reservoir.  Eventually, while driving through areas heavily burned by fire over the past few years, we drop down steeply (9% grade for several miles) and emerge to drive OVER the dam!  We were both shocked to find THIS road went over the dam, and the other one didn’t! 

Flaming Gorge Dam

Turkey vulture!

Decided to stop at the Visitor Center right there are the dam and explore more – including a tour down into the dam itself!  There are huge birds soaring everywhere and we eventually learn they are turkey vultures.  We see an array of them perched on the electric towers during the tour.  Flaming Gorge dam is nearly 500’ high, with a concrete arched construction similar to Hoover Dam.  We take an elevator down to the bottom level and the turbines and generators.  Then out to feed the fish that congregate at the water outlets – this is one of the best fishing rivers in the country. 

Aspen trees!

From Flaming Gorge we climb, and climb – up to the junction with the west side road and then we climb some more….eventually to an 8400’ pass.  Poor Honda, but the truck plods along great.  The west side of the gorge is much greener with more pines and aspens.  At the top of the summit, there are groves upon groves of aspen trees.  A nature walk through the aspens was also available, but at this point we needed to keep moving!  We spent nearly an hour and half at the dam! 

And then, we see a sign indicating an 8% downhill grade for the next 9 miles of sharp hairpin turns and switchbacks!  Oh boy.  At one point Rick has the truck down in first gear to lay off the brakes.  And going that slow wasn’t too bad since some of the curves said 20 mph!!  It was a bear, but at least Ouray won’t seem so bad now! 

Vernal KOA campsite

We pulled into the Vernal KOA around 4:15 amidst a heavy wind storm, dark clouds, and occasional drops of rain.  But nothing more really developed.  We got the trailer set up except for the back bed – decided to make sure no rain was coming first. 

Rick took a short run and then we both hit the swimming pool for a little cool off and exercise(no danger of lightning anymore) and then dinner time!  Our special meal is always sourdough bread, crab, cheese, and a bottle of wine.  It tastes great!  I couldn’t get the “fancy cheese” I wanted so I went with “his and hers” cheeses – pepper jack for Rick and Swiss for me!  We’re both happy! 

Quiet evening of a little Olympics on TV and catchup on the computer.  Rick drove all the way today, so he deserves to be a little tired.  And some of that road wasn’t the easiest driving with the trailer!

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Vernal flowers

            Whew!  An eventful day of four major happenings!   We left the Vernal KOA just after 8am, as we waited to pick up a few items we saw in the gift shop and we’d forgotten to go before they closed the night before.  Through Vernal to find a gas station, eventually arriving at a Maverick underselling everyone else by at least 5 cents!  Vernal is gorgeous with petunias – all in white, pink, and purple.  Hanging baskets, sidewalk baskets – all overflowing.  I have never seen anything like it. 

            Smooth drive east on 40 to the Colorado border and we head down to Rangely.  So far, so good.  Around 9:30, just after turning south on 139 to cut down a “black highway” to the interstate 72 miles away, we hear and clanky clank clank of metal.  Rick quickly pulls over and we find the propane tank, still attached by the hoses, on the road.  Oh dear.  Rick turns off the propane.  We smell a little leakage and he finds a small crack in one of the connectors.  We also have to improvise with the tablecloth bungees to hold the tank in place long enough to return to Rangely.  After checking a couple places, we are sent to the Ace Hardware Store.  In this case, “Ace was the place with the helpful hardware man…named Roger”.  For $15, Roger fixed us up with a new connector, new screws, lock washers, and wing-nuts to re-secure the tank to its mount (obviously we had lost the other screws – we think the bumpy road loosen them), and to purchase three bungees for added security.  We lost about an hour and a half, and a good deal of stress!  But, all fixed up! 

View back down canyon from Douglas Pass

            Midway between Rangely and Loma we had to go over the 8200’ Douglas Pass.  It proved more formidable than yesterday’s summit as the road was in much worse condition.  Very bumpy.  A long drop down the south side of the pass with steep hairpin turns.  More tough driving for Rick. 

Near entry to Colorado National Monument

            We have two major stops today, both involving National Parks.  Near the Interstate 70 junction and the town of Fruita is the Colorado National Monument – a 23 mile rimrock drive through spectacular rock formations, 3 tunnels, and some serious elevation changes.  We find the Visitor Center is 4 miles up from the entrance station, key word being UP!  Again, Honda has to work to pull the trailer up to the top of the mesa.  At this point we decide we’ve done the worst of the up, we might as well drive with the trailer through the park and end up in Grand Junction where we want to be anyway! 

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            Since most of the views were going to be on the driver’s side going in the west to east direction, I opted to sit right behind Rick so I could take pictures out the window.  Already a bit behind schedule, we didn’t plan to stop at the pull-outs which was a good decision – there was no place to park a trailer at any of them anyway!  So my pictures are ALL from the window of the truck as we were on the move!  The descent down into GJ was also filled with hairpin 15 mph turns.  Agh!! 

            Finally, after gassing up in GJ, we are enroute to Montrose and our Cedar Creek RV Park.  We hope to get to the Black Canyon National Park visitor center before they close at 6 pm (so I can get my Passport stamped!)  The road from GJ to Montrose is a steady climb, the stretch from Delta to Montrose much more interesting with mountain ranges appearing in the distance and GREEN! 

            We get set up at our campsite – first time to have cable TV and we probably won’t even be here much to enjoy it!  (Later find out we didn’t connect very well for some reason, but by then Rick was too tired to figure it out and went to bed!) 

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

            On the road east on 50 to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, just 20 minutes drive from the RV Park, but….UP again!!  Fortunately this time the truck is NOT pulling the trailer as we climb 2500 feet again to the top of the mesa. 

            From all the horizontal strata of Colorado National Monument, the Black Canyon is marked with vertical dykes and plugs all over the place.  Little red rock, and mostly volcanic gniss, granite, and black rocks.  The canyon is extremely narrow, like a huge crack in the ground.  The Gunnison River has carved it out due to the extreme volume of water which drops more feet in elevation in its 20 miles than the Mississippi does in 1500!  An amazing site.  Rick wanted to drive down to the Portal Entrance, where the diversion channel brings the waters of the Gunnison to Montrose and beyond, but the 7 mile drive was marked by 16% grades and he decided the Honda brakes had had enough of a workout today!  We drop most of the rim drive, stopping to take many of the short hikes out to the viewpoints.  A beautiful evening.  We ate a picnic dinner at Pulpit Rock. 

            Home to the trailer amid a lightning storm in the distance and a spectacular sunset.  I took over 330 pictures today, so the rest of the evening is spent downloading, uploading, and editing and writing herein very quickly!!  Goodnight!

  

Sunday, August 12, 2012

            Our last day of travel and we are excited because it is a mountain day!!  Up and out of Cedar Creek RV Park, sorry we didn’t get a chance to take advantage of the mini golf (it was even free!) or walk along the creek.  But we had a great time at Black Canyon instead. 

From Ridgeway we are headed up this notch. 

            Gas, coffee, and we are on our way.  Only 170 miles to Pagosa Springs, but several mountain passes, including one at 11,000 feet.  This is a spectacular drive through the heart of the San Juan Mountains, 13,000 and 14,000 foot peaks, aspen groves, and years of mining memorabilia.

            First stop is Ridgeway, a gateway town and also a junction making possible a loop road trip through the mountains.  Then just 11 miles to Ouray.  We have never approached Ouray from the north and it suddenly comes up at you.  Much different than when you dropped down on it out of the sky!  The main street slopes to the west.  We didn’t stop, as Rick wanted to get up and over the worst of the road early on this Sunday morning before traffic picked up.  We can come back over with just the truck later if we choose. 

Sloped Main Street of Ouray, CO

Red Mountain of Red Mt. Pass fame

            The first six miles out of Ouray are literally the Million Dollar highway, even though everyone uses the term for the whole 82 mile route from Ouray to Durango.  This section has literally been carved, S turn by S turn out of the hillside.  It is steep, sharp, and spectacular…..if you are not the one driving!!!  Rick said he would look at the pictures tonight to know what he saw today!  Mostly he had to concentrate on keeping the trailer and truck on the narrow road (without much of a berm or guardrail and steep drop-offs), whether to downshift to gear one or two, brake or not to brake, etc. etc.  Exhausting work for him! 

            I, on the other hand, took pictures from the windows of the truck.  All of our pictures today of the mountains were taken on the move!  I don’t know the names of most of the peaks or passes, but I know the sky was blue and the clouds puffy white, the peaks an array of grays, blacks, reds, and browns, and the hillsides covered with aspens, spruce, pines, and firs.  Everything was so green.  (Fire danger is low in this area right now!) 

A hillside of aspen trees!

Catholic Church in Silverton

I loved the old fashioned teller windows at the bank!

            We stopped in Silverton to stretch our legs.  Walked around the back streets and then Main Street.  Found three little churches to photograph (that was my worship for today!) and the shrine up on the hillside that the Miners built to Christ.  The county courthouse and city hall are gorgeous old buildings.  We were impressed overall with the Victorian charm and decorations on many of the houses – and a liberal use of the full spectrum of paint colors!  Stopped along Main Street for an ice cream cone.  I think it will be lunch! 

            Gradually our blue skies are filling with clouds and by the time we reach Durango, we have even felt a few drops of rain.  Off and on, and nothing too intense.  We only saw one flash of lightning all afternoon.  We gas up in Durango as we have heard that prices are nearly 15 cents higher in Pagosa Springs.  It should last for a little bit anyway! 

Our new Pagosa Springs 'home' for the next month. 

            Last leg of our journey down – 62 miles to Pagosa Springs from Durango.  High elevation rolling hills, with more and more forested areas coming into view.  We stop at the main shopping area, which is about 3 miles WEST of town, then a visit to the Visitor Center to pick up some Monday reading material, and finally a drive through town and on out to the east about 5 miles to Elk Meadows Resort – our home for the next month. 

            Nancy, the owner who I spoke with on the phone is not available, but another guy finds where we are to be on the map, and helps us locate our spot.  We get settled in and meet Barb and Mike Smith from near Phoenix, AZ, who are also part of the Habitat group and camped next to us.  This is their second build, as they came up to Pagosa last summer also.  (Anything to get away from the heat of Phoenix, Mike said!) 

            After three tries, I give up trying to find Nancy in the office.  I get the internet code from Mike so I can get started on-line.  Nancy can come find us if she wants any money!  Cell phone coverage is going to be hit or miss, mostly miss.  I did get through to both boys, but couldn’t send a text to them.  Couldn’t get through to moms.  Will have to use this great internet connection for most of our communication. 

Hummingbirds!

            Rick and I have an early dinner and Rick spends a bit of time in conversation with Mike while I start downloading pictures for the day.  Then a walk down to the river where we see a deer, a hobo camp (not really, but it is an odd collection of very old campfires, benches, chairs, and tables.)  A beautiful sky as the sun gets ready to set.  Enroute back we pass a camp where there are four hummingbird feeders set up (a rather permament home).  There must be 20-25 hummingbirds zooming around and drinking.  They flew right up to our chests to “check us out”.  Unnerving yet so cool. 

            The crickets are chirping, the traffic on the highway is dying down (we are only 100 feet away at best) and the night is cooling off.  A great start to a new experience.  G’night.  

More mountain pictures from today.....or you can click HERE to see all of today's pictures!  

Mt. Ireland Hike

August 3, 2012

At the top of Mt. Ireland: Jed, Mike, Rick, Ginger

Click HERE to see hike photo album
     Today's hike was chosen by Jed, home for just one week this summer.  It was a new location, a peak, and now accessible in our Honda truck!  Mike Braymen joined us for the adventure.
     Mt. Ireland, at 8320' is not one of the highest peaks in the Elkhorns, but it rises prominently alone in the western area of the range between Sumpter and Granite.  We drove about 10 miles west of Sumpter and then turned up Rd. 7370 for a slow and bumpy 3 miles to the trailhead.  There is a fire lookout at the summit, and we found the car parked that we later learned belonged to the lookout guard.

Helicopter with drop bag

Helicopter making first swing
around tower

     One of the most exciting features of the day was the helicopter drop that took place!  Shortly after beginning the hike we heard the sounds of a chopper, and saw it circle around the lookout and then leave.  We were puzzled.  Then, over the course of the next hour and half, it made three more trips to the lookout, with a dropbag attached each time.  By the third drop we were caught in the trees, but on the summit ridge.  I was hoping for ONE more drop when we had a really good view. No such luck.  Upon arriving at the top, we found they had delivered mostly water and wood.  A two-man team comes up on a ATV (how...we aren't sure having been over the trail!) and they manage the land end of the drop, unload and pack the supplies up to the tower, and then pack out the drop bags remaining.  Nice guys.

Trail went through some old clear cut areas. 

     Back to the hike itself.  Steady climb for the first bit, then a nice gradual traverse of a ridge through forested slopes.  We crossed a couple of trail signs, the last at the base of the main summit ridge in a meadow of dock.  From the final sign it was a good 1000' more up to the lookout tower.  All in all, a climb of about 2300'.  No wonder my muscles are a little sore!
     Not many wildflowers this trip.  The phlox and lupine seemed past.  Mostly dock and occasional fleabane and sunflower types.  Did see some monk's hood growing in one damp seep.

Sign - covered with goat hair
on the backside! 

Lakes, Lees, and Angel Peaks from Mt. Ireland

     Great view from the top in all directions!  We met Andy at the tower, who has been on duty since July 1 and will remain until the end of October.  He showed us how to use the fire locator in the center of the tower, and we used the sight to confirm the identity of several Elkhorn crest peaks.  Great to view the entire range from north to south all at once.  It was easy to identify the Anthony basin peaks, Mt. Ruth, Red Mt., Rock Creek, Elkhorn Peak.  To the south Strawberry Mountain, and Ironside Mt.  Too hazy to see the big peaks of the Cascades in the western horizon, but evidently on a clear day you can see to Mt. Rainer and Hood.  Bald Mt. and Phillips Lake could be seen.  Rick spied Sharon Defree's house with his binocs!  We also could see the meadows of Whitney area.

Mike oriented our map to help in peak identification!

Tea pot plus to deter the goats!

     The mountain goats have been a problem at the top, so Andy has all sorts of shiney metals hanging from the edge of the tower to detract them from entering the area underneath.  Not just foil, but metal pots and pans!  We saw alot of goat fur shed on the back of the signpost.
     The west side of Ireland is a huge cirque of rocks.  Just north of the peak, Baldy Lake nestles down in the trees.  You can't see Downey Lake because a ridge is in the way.  We built our Inuksuk out on the rocks overlooking the cirque.  Jed and Mike did the construction.  I just provided rocks!

Mike and Jed with inuk construction

Mt. Ireland Inuksuk

     We left the summit about 2 pm, Jed and I heading down in front, Mike and Rick a little behind. The trail is dusty, especially toward the top, and you didn't want to follow too closely or you were eating dust!  After the main junction with the Deep Creek Road, Jed and I missed a spot where the trail veered to the right off the road.  We realized our mistake halfway down a very steep section of road, commenting, "I don't remember hiking up this earlier!"  Eventually, thanks to Jed's GPS app on his Galaxy, Jed led the two of us back to the main trail, using a picture marker he has posted earlier in the day!  We still beat Mike and Rick back to the truck, even with our detour!
     Great hike, great company!!!