2023 – Mid September – Ouray, CO; Black Canyon NP

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Molas Pass

Ouray

Waking to a cool clear morning, we head back into Durango for gas for the next part of our journey.  We stop at a farmer’s market for ‘Palisades’ peaches.  We happened across these a few years ago and are hooked.  We also find plums, crenshaw melons, and coffee; we are set to go.  The ride to Silverton turns into an adventure, first heavy rain, then sleet, enough to accumulate on the road.  The weather changes between rain and clear for the next 30 minutes before finally clearing, giving us dry pavement.  The road winds up and over mountain passes, dropping into valleys.  Passing Silverton, the mountains take on hues of gold, copper and cream.

2023 – Early September – Cinnamon Pass; Handies Peak; Durango, CO

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Molas Pass

Our 6 AM alarm wakes us, we are ready.  Opening the garage door, heat and humidity slaps our faces, yet another reminder of why we are leaving.  We will be gone only two weeks but will enjoy every minute.  As of September 6th, we have enjoyed/endured 62 days, 29 of them consecutive, 100°+ temperatures.

After breakfast we pack our essentials; clothing, laptops, and camera gear.  Food goes in last.  We stuck with our regular plan of cooking everything at home, only having to thaw, then heat our meals each evening.  Unfortunately, our camper doesn’t have a freezer big enough for all our meals, so some of our prepared meals stay home.  Don’t worry we won’t starve.

Houston - WI - SD - CO trip, Sept. 2018, part 3

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This is part three of our trip.  Go to The Thursday September 27 posting for the first part of the trip.

Leaving Mount Rushmore we drive to our campsite at the Sylvan Lake campground in Custer State Park.  The campground is on the Needles Highway.  For those of you unfamiliar with the Needles Highway it is a mostly two lane road winding over, around, and literally through some of the rock formations making up part of Custer State Park.

Great Sand Dunes National Park - mid August 2018

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View of Great Sand Dunes NP

This is our first extended trip where both Nicida and I are officially retired.  Being retired means we are leaving on a Monday, when most people are back to their routines.

I have made several improvements in the camper since the Great Basin trip.  I added an inverter so I am able to work on images and writing for this blog while on the road while memories are fresher.  I have added several small storage pockets for miscellaneous stuff. Employing YouTube I found an idea for a shower frame modifying it for the camper and adding a curtain.

Road trip part 2, Sept 2017

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Instead of making the usual quick dash back to NM I am making a circle route by way of MN, SD, WY, and CO.  This is a reconnaissance trip.  I don’t have as much time as I would like to spend at each of my destinations.  Instead I am beginning my list of places to visit when I am out of a job - by choice.

Expanding horizons, June 16, 2017

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Up to this point the range of my hikes has been dictated by leaving, hiking and returning home the same day.  I have been looking to expand my hiking area by adding day(s) to my explorations.  I’ve never really been a hotel person when getting out for hiking/photographing or fishing, not that I don’t like hotels, generally they just aren’t located at the trailhead or trout stream of choice.  So for the past period of time I have been looking for a large pickup and an in-bed truck camper.