Fort Collins

We were up again at 7 and out hooking up the truck. The neighbor, Tom from Texas, was out helping back me up. I usually forget something when I have someone helping, so I slowed way down and did things very deliberately, so as not to miss anything.

Tom and his wife Leigh (Lee) have been super neighbors and have offered to help us in any way. From not letting us go to the bad mexican restaurant, to guiding which pass to go over next, they have been in Buena Vista as work campers since May.

We were on the road by 10:30, and traveled thru Leadville and over Freemont Pass at 11,300 feet. The highway joins I-70 at Copper Mountain. From there we went to Dillion and up again to Loveland Pass. This is again at 11,200. The truck spent a bunch of time in 1st gear on this climb at about 4,000 rpm and 35 mph. If we were any heavier, it would be too much for the F150.

We zoomed right thru Denver and drove North to Fort Collins. We are at the Lakeside, KOA North of Ft Collins. This is a local destination park that is out in the country on a small lake. They have Grass and concrete pads to park on.


Try to move the picnic table and grill to another more suitable spot. LOL.

This is a really nice place, and is within 40 or 50 miles of Estes Park, without all the agrivation of the tourist trap parks. Also this is the home of Colorado State. We drove down and around the campus this afternoon scoping out the lay of the town.

With the GPS and a bookmark on the KOA, it is impossible to become lost. We are at 5,000 feet here and we feel like we are back to sea level. Plastic bottles in the fridg are caved in from the higher air pressure. I couldn't get the sewer cap off of the trailer, until I opened the gray water valve to equalize the pressure. It sounded like I had opened a can of coffee.

I took the picture of the trailer with the little pocket camera, and as I was up loading from the SD card, I found the picture of the restaurant we went too when we came down off of Pikes Peak. It was called the Stage Coach, so the front has an appropriate prop.


The back of the restaurant is a deck that overlooks a fast running mountain stream. We had a great time at dinner that night, and took this picture to remember the place by.

Tonight we went to a neighborhood diner, in the small town to our North. The diner was called Vern's. This was quite the experience as I had the special, all you can eat spaghetti. Meat balls extra, salad extra. Loyce had the broiled chicken and double vegis so as not to eat the mashed potato side that came with. An experience to be sure.

The place was full of taxidermy projects, deer, bear, buffalo, mountain lion, and all manner of birds. A country experience to be sure. As I sit here I am stuffed like that Xmas goose. And I only had one plate of spaghetti. Honest!

Tomorrow, we will go to Loveland and up the Thompson river canyon to Estes Park. Depending on how early of start we get, we will see how far we go into the Rocky Mountain National Park.

Should be fun!

A quiet Labor Day

We were up fairly early for us, but still only 7:30. We had the lazy morning, with breakfast and trying to decide if we wanted to do anything else today. We struggled to come up with a plan.

So if all else fails, go to Wal Mart, LOL. So we decided we would go to Salida about 27 miles South of Buena Vista. We drove the state highway to see some different scenery, and didn't drive too fast.

Salida is older, but is mostly store fronts that are unoccupied. Maybe falling down would be a better description. But some of the stores do have businesses in them. One restaurant on the river seemed nice but it was packed. We were there right at noon, and the deck over the river was totally packed.

We drove to the highway and went West toward the Wal Mart. We shopped for about an hour, and then had to take the groceries home. We haven't left the camper since.

Tomorrow we will leave the snowy peaks CG, and will travel to the North up over the 11,200 foot pass between Leadville, and I-70. Slow and easy will be the rule of the Day. Once we reach I 70, we will head back East toward Denver. We have reservations in a KOA up North of Denver.

The day will be about 200 miles. If we get a good start it shouldn't be too bad a travel day.

A total relaxing day.

We got up this morning and the day was bright and sunny. Seemed like a good day to go wash the truck. It was still muddy from the trip over cottonwood pass.

The gravel road on the West side, was dry, except for the water truck. The truck that wet the road before the road grader smoothed the wash boarding around the switchbacks. Road grader driver on a mountain cliff road, now that's my idea of a good job. Not.

So the car wash at the South end of town, became my job of the morning. I have learned to take the brush on the pole and a bucket of soapy water along to scrub between pressure washes But the truck look really nice when I returned.

We decided to stay close to home today, not because we didn't have more destinations that we could visit, but we were tired the constant day trips. As well, because it is the big weekend, the tourist count is way up, so we are hanging back.

So we have absolutely nothing to report and the cameras were snug in their tote bags all day.

We even took a nap in the mid afternoon, something we haven't done since we left on this trip.

And if you remember that clean truck, it began to cloud up over the mountains to the West of the campground later in the afternoon. Then sprinkles, and then all out rain with the temperatures dropping to the 50's.

So tonight is has rained for about 4 hours, and it is cold. The campground is in their rigs and the weekend is something of a bust. But Loyce got much of the washing done this afternoon and we will be hopeful of the day tomorrow.

We have watched the never ending coverage of the hurricane, and the RNC canceled convention, which has left the networks in a complete bind for something to fill the time on TV.

A really slow day. Say a prayer for the folks down in the gulf region, our hearts go out to them.

We went to Fairplay

After yesterday's adventure, we needed a down day. One where we didn't challenge a mountain pass. We tried to hang around the campground and watch the campers arrive for their big weekend, but that became boring quickly.

Folks have to hurry to arrive, hurry to set up, hurry to have some fun. It just served to make us want to get away for a while.

We went over the mountain to the East, only about 9,500 feet. Forty miles up the road toward Denver, is the town of Fairplay, Co.

This is the historic main street. Yes you can stay in the Hotel, and Loyce said the man was actively describing his rooms to all that would listen. They were about $59.


This street has board sidewalks, and could be right out of the 1890's. Loyce found the store she wanted right off the bat. Dolls!


We split up, and I went up the street to the hat store. This is a hat factory, not just a sales store. Check that board sidewalk.

They made most to these hats right on the premises. They have a machine from 1890 that goes over your head and copies the exact shape. If you have a big bump in the middle of you forehead, it copies it exactly. Then they transfer the shape to a hat block, where they form your new hat. Once formed, it is baked in a hat oven that permanently locks the shape into the hat.


I did buy a hat from these folks, but it was one that was made in China, for not near the price. But at least I bought something. LOL.


Tonight, I barbecued some hamburgers, and when the sun went down, I went to the group campfire. Loyce passed on the excitement, and stayed back to watch some TV.

The owner of the Campground, spent the daylight part of the evening, giving everyone rides on his model A Ford firetruck. He has benches in the back where the hoses used to be. The old 4 cylinder brings back a sound that has been gone forever.

As it got dark, they parked the firetruck, and built a large campfire out beside the Campground office. Folks began to assemble. The owner, and several of the work campers, brought their guitars and they put on a sing along. Everyone joined in, if they knew the words. At one point, they told us that if you sing a country song backwards, your beer will fill back up, and your wife will come back. That brought some laughs. It was fun, and felt like I should finish it all off by sleeping under the stars on my saddle. If I had one.

Camping and campgrounds are a lifestyle choice. I have never had these kinds of experiences at Holiday Inn Express.