Sunshine almost always makes me high! (John Denver)
A stop at Camping World was disappointing. First, it appears they have no facilities to accommodate overnight guests. Years ago, Camping World stores had several camp sites to accommodate travelers who needed work performed on their rigs.
Prior to the camping world stop, we sample some good Missouri BBQ for lunch. Both the pulled pork and burnt end brisket were excellent!
We set up camp in Bennett Spring State Park. Tomorrow we intend to hike a 7+ mile trail that features a long natural tunnel. There is a 2 1/2 mile trail that has our interest too.
Here's what the park's website has to say, "The Bennett Spring area was founded by pioneers who used the cool, rushing waters of the spring-fed stream for gristmills. Now, it’s one of America’s premier trout destinations where people come to wrestle with rainbow trout and fish a stream that’s stocked every night. Bennett Spring State Park has fishing, hiking that runs from simple to strenuous, and a lodge with hearty stick-to-your ribs food. The park's proximity to Interstate 44 makes it an easy trip from all parts of Missouri."
Note: There is a hatchery on the premises.
After a couple of hours, we crossed the border into Kansas. The praise is flat with houses few and far between. Occasionally we'll pass a town just off the highway, but for the most part, we seem to be driving through cornfields. We drove through Colby, Kansas, referenced in John Denver's song"Matthew."
One of the small towns along the way advertised "Free Land" on a billboard on the highway. The sign offered that "water and electric are provided... All we need is you." Don't know how much free land they're offering. There are no trees, just lots and lots of prairie. This part of Kansas reputedly has a lot of wind. We saw warnings for high winds yesterday. Today the wind might be blowing 30+ mph, right on our beam. If we were a boat and this were water, we wouldn't be burning fuel today.
We made camp at Cedar Bluff State Park & Reservoir, about 13 miles off the interstate. The wind diminished as nighttime approached. This state park offers sites with hookups. We chose to plug in to electric but the water is turned off for the season. This site doesn't offer a sewer connection, although there are sites that have all three hook-ups. The sites are huge and there are lots of them; over 1100 according to one piece of literature we read.
We made it to flat ground today. It's a mile high, but it's flat! Relatively speaking, that is. It wasn't easy to get here. Here's the story:
We departed Basalt at 1000 hours, headed east on Highway 82. Shortly after passing through Aspen, we started up the Sawatch Mountain Range. (FYI, a winter storm warning is in effect for Aspen. Four to seven inches of snow is predicted by this evening.) as we gained elevation, it started to snow. The higher we climbed, the harder it snowed. We started to get concerned about going through Independence Pass ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Pass_(Colorado) ) in the snow.
We really got concerned when the two lane road narrowed to one and one-half lane. There were no shoulders; just rock to the left and a thousand foot drop-off to the right. In a few places there wasn't even room for an on-coming vehicle to pass us. Luckily, when one did appear, we were just happened to be at a turn out.
We were now over 10,000 feet in almost blinding snow. An on-coming car flagged us down to tell us his wheels started spinning at the pass. He turned around rather than take a chance on having a problem. That was all we had to hear. We were ready to turn around, but we have to find a turn out to do it. There's no way to turn our rig around on a morrow mountain road.
Eventually we found a marginal spot to try to get the rig turned around. With some jockeying around, we were able to complete the 180 degree turn and head back down the mountain. Defeated but not deterred, we made our way back through Aspen. We passed our starting point about 2 1/4 hours after our departure. That was wasted time and mileage. By the way, it was sunny in the valley!
Given that snow in the higher elevations, we decided to stay on the interstate highways. The first alternative route had us going down state road 24. It has three passes all over 10,000 feet. What was supposed to be a trip of a little over 150 miles became a trip of almost 400 miles. We decided to scratch the Great Sand Dune National Park, our original destination for today, and go through Denver on our way to Kansas and, ultimately, our nephew Jeff's home in Ozark, MO.
Even though we are on I 70, we weren't through with the mountain Passes. We ran into snow again at Vail Pass and there were Ivey road warnings around Eisenhower Tunnel. We mistakenly thought it would be easier going through a mountain tunnel. We didn't count on the ice!
Outside of Denver, things flattened out and the driving was much easier. Just when we thought we'd have smooth sailing, we began to see signs reporting high crosswinds on the way to Kansas. High profile vehicles should proceed with caution.
Fortunately, the high winds must have subsided before we arrived as the wind we did have wasn't a problem. We made it to a KOA Campground in Strasburg, CO. and settled in for the night. Freeze warnings are predicted for tonight. We fired up the electric heater and had. Pizza delivered to the trailer.
Tomorrow we'll be in Kansas!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Pass_(Colorado)
The foundation had nearly 1,000 acres in Old Snowmass. Half of that total was granted to the Windstar Land Conservancy, a spin off of the Foundation and the Aspen Institute. We walked the John Denver Meadows, where a wetlands restoration project is underway. It seems the wetlands were drained in the early part of the 20th century.
We wish the Foundation well. It has done great and interesting work in the past, perhaps it can again.
In the evening we attended another tribute concert for John Denver. John Adams and the band were very good. We thoroughly enjoyed the day.
We returned to the CG where I tried to fix the second breakdown we've had to date. A couple of days age, the check valve on the city water connection failed. I couldn't find a replacement part so I plugged it temporarily. It'll be fixed properly when I find the part.
Today, I went to put the driver's side power window down, and nothing happened. That's funny it worked yesterday. What could have happened overnight? Don't know! I checked all the fuses and found no problems. I don't have a volt meter on board, so I'll have to take it somewhere to find out the problem.
We arrived in Aspen a bit early, promptly found a parking spot and walked around town. At 1830 hours, we entered the Wheeler Opera House, tonight's venue for the John Denver tribute.
The Wheeler is a fine old theatre that seems well maintained. Judging from the posters of future shows, they seem to have quite a few productions. The Dave Matthews Band will be there as will Judy Collins, to name two up-coming shows.
At exactly 1930 hours, the lights dimmed and the show began. From the beginning, it blew me away. About an hour and fifteen minutes in, there was an intermission. There were numerous items in the silent auction. I bid on a Bedell BMB-24G guitar. I would have been nice to win it, but I was out bid at the wire.
The second act was equally as entertaining and moving as the first. All the musicians had some connection with John. Most were in his band at one time or another.
After an encore, the show finished with a recording, by John Denver, of "This Old Guitar." A single spot light up a guitar and floral arrangement that had been placed centervstage. The musicians, silhouetted in various poses, stood silent and still in tribute. There wasn't a dry eye in the house.
The evening highlighted what a strong body of work was left behind by JD's premature departure from Mother Earth.
It was a moving tribute and a lovely evening. It provided Anna Marie and me with memories we will cherish for the rest of our lives.
 | This Old Guitar [Map] |
Following Snowmass, we drove to Historic Basalt where we roamed the streets, did a little window shopping, and enjoyed lunch on the banks of the Roaring Forks River.
In the evening, we went to see Money Ball at the local cinema.
That's about it for today!
About 50 people participated in the Meet n' Greet. Following some announcements an distribution of the schedule of the week's tribute activities, five guitar players/singers lead the assembled crowd in a sing-a-long. The featured songs included, "Welcome to My Morning," "Back Home Again," and "Rocky Mountain High."
At the conclusion we set off for another walk around Aspen, stopping for lunch at the Bakery.
Following lunch, we continued our walk and then drove to Maroon Bells, two peaks that are over 14,000 feet. We hiked the trail leading to Crater Lake and got a great picture from high above Maroon Lake.
The following description was excerpted from beentheredonethat.com and the GORP link on the webpage:
"The Maroon Bells, at 14,156 and 14,014 feet above sea level, are two of the most spectacular of Colorado's 53 mountains above 14,000 feet. Located very near Aspen, Colorado, this view has become symbolic of the beauty of the Rocky Mountains."
"Not enough words are available to describe the beauty of this area. Panoramic high passes, beautiful alpine lakes, quaking aspen groves, meadows sprinkled with wildflowers and jagged peaks greet visitors to this area. This is not the wilderness to visit if you are seeking solitude. Large numbers of visitors are drawn to the beauty of this area. Many come to traverse some of Colorado's best-loved mountain passes, among them Avalanche Pass, Buckskin Pass, and Electric Pass. By far the most popular area in the wilderness, however, is Maroon Lake. Visitors to the Lake are treated to views of the twin peaks of the Maroon Bells reflected in the waters of Maroon Lake. Maroon Lake is set in a beautiful U-shaped alpine valley which is sprinkled with wildflowers. This is probably one of the most photographed spots in all of Colorado!"
The scenery is spectacular! The Skyway did not disappoint. It lived up to all our expectations. The snow covered Rockies are impressive, the grandeur magnificent. Perhaps even more impressive than the Grand Canyon!
Here we are, riding up, down, over and around the Rockies Mountains listening to and singing along with John Denver. It is nirvana!
After almost six hours of impressive mountain scenery, the likes of which we have not experienced, we found ourselves in Carbondale, home of the Eco Goddess, an eating establishment owned and operated by Lisa Ruoff. The Ruoff family and I go back to the 60's when I was best friends with Lisa's Uncle Bob. His sister Janet married Rob Ruoff. I got to know Lisa's Mom, Dad, and siblings very well. Lisa, the baby of the clan, came along at about the time I was starting my career. That limited my time with her and her family.
Anyway, here she is, in Carbondale, CO, running her own business. We planned to arrive in Carbondale at around lunch time, find her establishment, say hello and enjoy a healthy lunch. We had a lovely visit and an outstanding lunch.
Eco Goddess is all about healthy, organic food. There are not meat dishes on the menu, but that's OK when you can do such amazing things with vegetables! if you're ever in Carbondale, do yourself a favor, skip the Fat Burger and enjoy a healthy meal (try the Veggie Lasagna) in a warm, friendly establishment run by an owner who cares about you, healthy consumption, and her business. You won't be disappointed!
When our meal was over, we drove another ten miles or so to the Aspen-Basalt Campground where we set up camp. We'll be here for the next week to check out Carbondale, Basalt, and Aspen
We were successful and had the best Ranger Tour of the trip. Ranger Jeff Brown is passionate about his job, the subject matter and clearly enjoys involving people in his interactive presentation.
The history of the Ancient Puebloans is incredible and follow up reading is high on our list.
Following the tour, we took a self guided tour of the Mesa Top. It was great.
We enjoyed excellent lite fare at the Spruce Tree Cafe. Before making our way down the mountain we watched the orientation movie and walked through the museum. The collection of artifacts is most impressive. Included on the site is a research library.
Crews are currently building a new Visitor Center and Research Center.
We're off to Mesa Verde NP but first, a stop at Four Corners, the only place in the USA where the boundary lines of four states meet.
The Four Corners Monument is operated by the Navajo and Ute Nations.
Surrounding the medallion marking the intersection of the borders is a viewing patio. Around the patio are booths from which Native Americans sell their wares. Some of the pottery and Arts and Crafts are very well executed.
After driving almost three hundred miles, we chose to set up camp in a private campground outside the Mesa Verde NP.. The campground offers free Internet access (it works but it's SLOW).
Tomorrow, we'll get an early start in order to score tickets for a guided Ranger tour of the Ancient Puebloan cliff dwellings.
Just to our north, we can see a mountain range. The peaks are covered in snow. The weather forecast for Aspen (we'll be there in two days) is for highs in the 60s with lows in the 40s. That's acceptable to us. Let's hope it's accurate!
After breakfast, Marje and Ed pulled up stakes and headed for Sedona. In addition to a weekend Arts Fair, they hope to find thicker air and warmer temperatures. Morning temps have been in the low 20s and the daily highs hover near 50. We have been waking up to temps in the low 40s inside the RV. It's tough to get out from under the covers when it's that cold!
After bidding goodbye to our traveling companions, we set out for a walk on the Bright Angel Trail. The trail, one of the most popular in the world, descends rapidly from the trail head near the Bright Angel Lodge. We went down far enough to feel enveloped by the walls of the Canyon on one side while on the other side, sometimes only two or three feet away, the drop off was deep and scary.
Surprisingly, the walk back to the top wasn't nearly as rigorous as the walk up the Navajo Trail in Bryce Canyon.
We had lunch in the Arizona Room at the Bright Angel Lodge before heading out on the Red Bus to Hermit's Rest. Mary Coulter was the architect for the building which blends perfectly into the surroundings. If your in the neighborhood, the views from Hermit Road shouldn't be missed.
On the way back to the campground, we bought souvenirs of our visit to the Grand Canyon for the grandkids.
There's a famous quote by President Teddy Roosevelt in which he stipulates his opinion that every American should see the Grand Canyon. Certainly this is an amazing place. The size and scope of the Canyon defies belief. Every time I get a glimpse of it from the rim, I'm awestruck by its enormity, beauty and unforgiving ruggedness. It may well be something every American should experience at least once in his/her lifetime. During our five days split between the north and south rims, we didn't get the feeling that many Americans were here. Yet there were no vacancies on the North Rim and there are crowds of people here at the South Rim. Most of the people it seems are from other countries. We have heard conversations in German, French, Spanish, Swedish (and perhaps other Scandnavian Countries), Australian, Japanese and perhaps Chinese. Indeed, foreigners seem to outnumber the Americans by a significant number.
There is a significant Native American presence although not in the tourist areas. The Park is surrounded by Indian Reservations. To the west is the Havausupai Reservation. This tribe operates the Sky Walk, a five hour ride from the South Rim (only 1 1/2 hours by car from Las Vegas). To the east is the Navajo Reservation. Six other tribes, the Havalapai, Yavapai, Southern Paiute, Zuni and Apache claim portions of the Grand Canyon area as their native lands.
In Mathers Campground, there are several species of pine that contribute to the Christmas Tree order. Combine that with the odor of bacon cooking over an open fire on a frosty morning, and you get the idea of what our morning walk smelled like!
After breakfast, Ed and Marje went off in search of propane. Anna Marie and I set out the walk some trails. It took almost one mile to clear the campground. Our sites are way in the back.
We made our way to the rim trail and began our walk heading east toward the Yavapai Geological Museum. The rim trail is very popular and accessible. There were quite a few people just strolling along. We, on the other hand, had a pretty good pace going. By the time we finished checking the museum, it was time to head back to the campground where we were supposed to meet Marje and Ed. We decided to board the Orange Bus which promptly too us to the visitors center where we boarded the Blue (Village) Bus to get back to the campground.
Marje and Ed weren't there, having decided to do some exploring by car (motorhome). After lunch, Anna Marie and I took the bus to the visitor center where we watched the introductory movie. It was very well done. The photography was outstanding as was the writing for the narration.
We hooked up with Marje and Ed, joined them in the motorhome and set out for the Village to see the historic district.
We went in the Hopi House, Verkamp's (now a visitors center, and El Tovar before heading back to the campground.
We grilled steaks on the wood fire along with a can of beets. In the camper, Anna Marie made Apple Crisp, a delicious treat.
Marje and Ed may be leaving for Sodona tomorrow, so this may be our last meal together for this trip.
If so, we'll miss them.
As for us, we still have a couple of trails to explore, we want to do at least a few miles on both the Bright Angel and the Kaibab Trails.
We'll leave the Grand Canyon on either Sunday or Monday, visit Mesa Verde for a couple days and then make our way to Aspen for the 14th Annual John Denver Tribute.
