Playing In Nature’s Paradise – Pagosa Springs, CO

Gorgeous Wolf Creek Pass

If you folks think we’ve been wasting away the past few days by playing and frolicking around in the forest you would be…errmm well…correct.

Truth be said pooch, the cats and us have been reveling in our newfound paradise of lush trees and rugged mountains ever since we arrived in Colorado. The area of the San Juan Forest and Pagosa Springs is simply an outdoor lovers dream, and when you ask the locals about the thing to do you’ll always get the same answer “get out there!”. So being well-trained humans that’s exactly what we’ve done.

Up high on the trail near West Fork Campground

I’ll start by putting it in perspective. Pagosa Springs sits in a gorgeous high-mountain valley at ~7,000 feet surrounded by rugged mountains and three million acres of San Juan National Forest and Weminuche Wilderness, the latter of which is Colorado’s largest at about a half million acres.  Within this natural haven lies everything imaginable from fish-rich streams to lakes, ice caves, hiking trails, backpacking, mountain bike rides and 4×4 backcountry roads. It’s so very huge that you could easily lose yourself for several months (without meeting a soul) and still be left with several years of outdoor activities to go.

Driving on Hwy 160

A short drive opens us the landscape even more. Wolf Creek Pass lies just to the North of town on Hwy 160 with a base elevation of ~10,350 feet. It boasts “The Most Snow in Colorado” at an average of 400 inches (mostly powder, don’t you know) and is a winter skiers paradise. In summer it hosts the famous Continental Divide Trail, at 3,100 miles long the highest, wildest and arguably most difficult of the “big three walks” in the US. Start at Wolf Creek Pass and you can take a leisurely 19-mile hike to Elwood Pass or, if you’re feeling motivated, a stimulating 76-mile stroll to New Mexico.

The pretty (and perhaps rich?) Treasure Falls

And the fun doesn’t end there. The area abounds with tall tales and Indian history. The healing hot springs of Pagosa were thought to be a gift from the gods and became the center of a deadly battle between Utes and Navajos in 1867.  More riches are in the hills, and according to legend in the late 1700′s a massive treasure of gold was buried and lost somewhere around Treasure Mountain.  

We’ve been hiking and driving our way through the trails and the scenery, including a short jaunt on Treasure Mountain (you never know, after all). It’s been days of “ooooh” and “aaaaah” kind of moments sprinkled by gorgeous mountain weather and even {{gasp}} some light rain. Although we’ve failed to discover the hidden millions, we’ve managed to find a treasure-trove of natural beauty and that, my friends, is utterly priceless.

Snow still lingers on the rugged and crazy Continental Divide Trail by Wolf Creek Pass

Just another piece of gorgeous scenery for the taking

First Steps in Colorado – San Juan Forest, CO

First steps in the lush green of Colorado!

Well folks we’ve made it to Colorado! We took our first steps late yesterday afternoon dropping our jacks in a beautiful forest valley just north of Pagosa Springs, releasing our feet onto the glorious green floor and refreshing our senses with the fabulous chill of the San Juan River running only 20 feet away.

This is truly a special place. The Colorado Rockies blow me away every time I see them, and as we walked the river I was stunned by the towering beauty of the mountains around me. It’s amazing that a mere 80 miles of driving can take you from a semi-arid lake area to the lush green of a deep mountain forest. Yet here we are only a few hours apart in an environment so different we might as well be a world away.

Morning mist in the valley

Last year we spent six weeks right in the heart of the Rockies. This year we’ll be spending a month or so exploring the southern and southwestern reaches of the state. I have no doubt we’ll be just as enamoured. Colorado has a special vibe that speaks to the primal nature in all of us. It’s got the soul of a sweetheart with an outer fringe of the rough and wild. Just the way I like my mountains…and my men  

The hills are calling, the streams are singing and we’re more than ready to answer their call. Bring it on, Colorado!

Afternoon by the mountains

The view 20 feet from our campsite at West Fork

SP Campground Review – Heron Lake State Park, Los Ojos, NM

The very pretty Heron Lake

A nice, spacious State Park within walking distance of Heron Lake in North-Central New Mexico.

Link to campground here: Heron Lake State Park, NM
Link to map location here: Heron Lake State Park, NM

1. Site Quality = 4/5
   Heron Lake has ~6 separate camping areas dotted around Heron Lake. The electric hookups are in Willow Creek/Blanco area of which Blanco is the newer and (by far) more spacious campground.
   -> In Blanco the sites are very large (several could easily fit 2 big-rigs), very flat gravel with great separation, 30Amp/water, picnic table and fire-pit. There are both pull-throughs and back-ins with varying levels of shade.
   -> Willow Creek has a similar set-up, but campsites are much closer together with less privacy. Willow does have 4 full hookup sites. 
   My main ding is that there are no real views of the lake from either Blanco or Willow Creek.
   -> Outside of these two there are ~5 other primitive and non-hookup camping areas dotted around the lake. Most are very tight, more uneven and not suitable for big-rigs. The only area we thought accessible was Ponderosa Campground (non-hookup) which had limited shade/privacy, but did boast more open roads/sites and full views of the water.
2.  Facilities = 3.5/5
   Good facilities. Flush toilets and showers, all spacious and kept decently clean. Only ding is that (like all the state parks here) they have that timer button on the shower. All campgrounds have access to the lake via either trails or boat ramp. Picnic and fishing opportunities. On-site dump station.
3. Location = 3/5
   The campground here is nicely located next to Heron Lake, but is a tad longer drive from town (~15 miles to Chama) and the associated sights. Another slight ding is the lake area right near the campground is covered in very large slate blocks making walking along the shore a little more adventurous. However there is plenty of opportunity to fish and hike on-site including the pretty Rio Chama trail.
4. Pet Friendliness = 5/5
   Good doggie-spot. Lots of hiking right from the campground as well as short 10-min walk to the lake to splash and play.

Overall Rating = 3.9
BONUS ALERT = Spacious camping within walking distance of Heron Lake!

Summary: Heron Lake is a fairly large State Park with ~7 separate campgrounds dotted around Heron Reservoir. It’s a slightly unusual lake in that portions of the shoreline are covered in large slate blocks. However it’s set beautifully with lots of hiking and areas to fish. The electric hookup sites (Willow/Blanco) are spacious and pretty, especially the newer Blanco section. Neither of these have views of the lake, but it’s a short 10-min walk away. Many opportunities for non-hookup and primitive camping around other areas of the lake. You are ~15 miles from Chama and the associated sights. The campsite does seem popular and fills up with families in the week-end, but still manages to feel natural and relaxed. Overall a decent location in a good setting. It doesn’t make the top of our New Mexico stay, but it’s a lovely area and we’d certainly stay again.

 Extra Info:  Decent 3G connection from Blanco. Sites cost $18/night (full hookup – 4 sites in Willow Creek only), $14/night for 30Amp electric/water and $10/night (no hookups). Camping fees can be covered with New Mexico Annual Camping Permit. 60 sites in electric (Willow/Blanco) area with ~250 developed sites overall. Approx. 75% of sites in Willow/Blanco are reservable, with reminder first-come-first-serve. On-site dump station.

Extra, Extra Info – Railroad Buff? If you’re a true railroad buff and would like to be right next to the action, the private Rio Chama RV Park is right in town and walking distance to the Cumbres & Toltec Railroad. It gets good reviews.

View of our extremely spacious and private site in Blanco (non-reservation site #60). Easily space for 2 "beasts" in here.

Typical back-in site in Blanco (reservation site #43 shown)

View of one of the large pull-throughs (#54). These guys actually parked 2 rigs in here, although I'm not sure it's technically allowed?

View down campground loop in Blanco showing lovely separation (site #55 on right and #57 in background on left)

Another view down Blanco. Site #38 on right, #39 on left.

View of on-site facilities

Vision of a Mountain Railroad – Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad NM, CO

One of the many different locomotives still in use on the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad

Like all great projects they claimed it couldn’t be done. Yet in the end all it took was a man, a vision, some industrial ingenuity and the fortitude to make it happen. It was the early 1870′s and prospectors in hunt of gold and precious metals had flooded out west, most making the perilous journey over the Colorado mountains by wagon. Seeing the opportunity William Jackson Palmer founded a new company the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. His dream was the vision of a connection from Denver to El Paso, Texas and he was a man at the forefront of his time.

The terminus and narrow-gauge (3-foot) tracks at Chama, NM

What gave Palmer the edge was the idea of using narrow-gauge tracks. In the midst of a massive mining boom Palmer drove 3-foot gauge tracks (compared to the standard 4-foot 8 ½ inches) deeper, higher and over more rugged terrain than any other constructor. He built an extensive network of lines into small mountain mining towns in Southern Colorado and by 1890 boasted the largest narrow-gauge railroad line in North America. With competition rife and the advent of larger locomotives however, Palmer was eventually forced to convert most of his tracks to standard gauge, but because of an interesting twist (the Sherman Act of 1893) a precious few remained.

The scenic stop at Cumbres Pass (elev. 10,015 feet)

The Cumbres and Toltec Railroad encompasses the modern living history of one of these remaining line. Built in 1880 as Rio Grande’s San Juan Extension, serving the silver mining district of the San Juan mountains, it is the longest (64 miles long) and highest (peaking at 10,015 feet) coal-fired, steam operated narrow-gauge railroad in North America.

And…IT…IS…COOooooL!

Historic shot of a rotary snowplow at work. Drifts sometimes reached 20-feet at Cumbres Pass.

Now, normally I’m not the type to get wound up in a tizzy about railroads, but this thing has been so beautifully preserved by such a passionate group of people that it is positively electrifying. The southern terminal at Chama, NM is gorgeously set at the base of the San Juan Mountains and supports a small museum, original terminus building, 1899 machine shop, tool sheds, coal tipple, stock yards and over 100 historic freight and maintenance-of-way cars including the original Rio Grande steam locomotives.

One of the genius rotary snow plows on display

There are contraptions I’ve never seen or imagined including the genius rotary snow-plow, massive machines that cleared snow drifts over the high passes in winter. Groups of passionate volunteers (Friends of Cumbres and Toltec) are on-hand to answer questions and support the railroad, while cars and the orignal railroad yards are open for self-guided visits. You can then either take a ride on the train or follow the tracks by car on the fabulously scenic Hwy 17 to Antonito, CO.

One of the many train rides open on the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad (map from www.cumbrestoltec.com)

Whether you’re a rail enthusiast or just an interested tourist, no doubt this is a touch of industrial history worth seeing. It’s the story of a man’s vision preserved  and transformed into a fascinating collection of artifacts. And, you can still get on and take the ride….cool, indeed!

The restored telegraph office at Chama terminus in New Mexico

The car inspectors house at Cumbres Pass (elev. 10,015 feet).

Following the tracks along scenic Hwy 17

Last Few Days of Enchantment – Lake Heron, NM

Mine....all mine....!

We’re nearing the end of our time here in New Mexico. What started off as a potential 2-week trip with the idea that ”we’ll just make a couple of stops” turned into a tremendous 2-month exploration of a fascinating and diverse place.  I’m not exaggerating when I say that New Mexico has blown us away. It’s a hidden gem and seems so under-visited that you can easily find remote and relaxing spots almost everywhere. We’ve camped without reservations and without a fixed timeframe, a luxury we don’t always have with a “beast” our size. 

At the beginning of our time here, I sat overlooking the sunset at Brantley Lake and declared myself ready to be enchanted. There’s no doubt the travel gods heard me and gave us a better ride than we could ever have imagined.

Definitely the only nutters out here

We’ve got a few more days in the very quaint and cute area of Chama in North-Central New Mexico before we go. Yet again we’re next to a gorgeous lake (Heron Lake) and have established ourselves firmly as the only nutters who are actually walking and swimming in it. You can’t blame the Cuban-boy -> if anything Mr.Florida man should be shunning these chilly waters. Then again perhaps the Danish girl is rubbing off on him, or pooch is getting really good at goading him on, or it’s just the magic of New Mexico bathing his soul.

There’s no doubt the enchantment of this place has weaved its way into our hearts. New Mexico has made its mark and we’ll most definitely have to come back for more.

So, you coming in or what?

Just another beautiful, deserted lake

Capturing The Perfect Shot -> Pet Portraits

With diffuse light I can really bring out the details in Polly's coat

Polly is a black mutt and from a photography point of view it I couldn’t have picked a harder subject. If you’ve ever tried to photograph a black dog you know exactly what I mean. In half the shots doggie comes out as an unidentifiable black blob, while in the other half the background gets so “blown out” so that all you can see is an alien white mass (with black blob in front).

But thankfully I’ve got a trick or two. This past week in the forest we’ve had the absolute perfect conditions (soft, filtered light and a neutral background) so I snapped up a bunch of Polly shots and decided to share some of my tips on the blog with another addition to my photography series. So, here ya go:

This was taken on a cloudy day

1/ Target Soft, Diffuse Light - I’ve always gotten my best pet shots in a soft, diffuse light.  Bright, direct light tends to bounce hard off shiny pet coats and ”blow out” the picture. It’s just far too harsh and the effect is even worse on dark-colored pets. A much better option is to find somewhere the light is filtered (e.g. through a window or under a forest canopy), or use very late evening or early morning light. Cloudy days are another great time to shoot. This kind of light will even out the coat and allow you bring out the details in your picture.

Sometimes you'll only get a second for that shot. My shutter speed was 1/200 here.

2/ Go Fast - Pets, like kids tend to move around a lot and sometimes it can be hard to capture the moment without blur. You best bet with pets is to go fast. So, set your camera to a fast shutter speed (around 1/200th is pretty good, or even faster if doggie is very active) and snap away. If the pictures look too dark I’ll usually up the ISO (to 400 or so), but I’ll always try to keep the shutter speed fast. On my Nikon SLR camera I use a simple fast lens (50mm f/1.8) for all my pet shots. On my point and shoot I’ll fix the shutter speed and let it chose the rest of the settings. Some point and shoots have a “pet” setting which does the same thing.

Getting those eyes is key. I used soft window light and a toy bribe for this shot.

3/ Get Those Eyes - One of the secrets to any kind of animal photography is to get the eyes in focus. The eyes are the window to the soul, and for pets in photos that certainly rings true. Even if the rest is out of focus, if the eyes are sharp the picture is really appealing. So, try to focus there and worry less about the rest.

Keep a simple background

4/ Choose a Simple Background - When you’re doing any kind of portrait work you want the focus of the shot to be on the subject. A busy background is always distracting, so try to choose a neutral or very clean background. For up-close work an even neutral-colored background works great (leaves, ground, wall etc.). For wider shots you can include some clean background (e.g. ocean, forest), but make sure the pet remains the main focus.

Get down into your pets' world

5/ Get Low and Close - Most of my best pet shots come from playing with perspective. So, I usually try to get down low and close to the pets’ level, or shoot from above or the side or below. Getting down low and close will get you more into your pets’ world and that’ll show in the shot.

Interaction with family can create lovely, intimate shots

6/ Cheat, Play & Bribe – I almost always bring treats or toys when I’m shooting pets. With Polly I’ve trained her to look at the camera, and get a treat for it, which helps to get that connection with the shot. You can dangle the treat right next to the lens as you’re shooting or get great “action” shots while your pet plays around with a toy. With the cats I’ll usually dangle a toy or treat. Interacting with people can create wonderful moments too, so bring in your other half to capture some family moments.

Snap away and you might get something unusual and fun

7/ Snap Away – In the digital age it’s so easy to snap away and I definitely encourage that with pets. Don’t be discouraged if your first shot isn’t any good. Just snap away and see what you get. Sometimes catching unusual moments (such as kitty yawning, or doggie laughing) can create really interesting shots and it only takes that one moment to get the perfect shot!

That’s about it folks. Got any tips of your own?

Spring Blooms In Summer

Blooms galore in the forest

So it’s officially the first day of summer, the solstice, the longest day of the year. Technically the earth’s axis is at exactly 23.4 degrees relative to the sun. Historically it’s a day of celebration, ceremony and fascinating pagan rites, but in Nina terms it means beautifully long sunny days and barefoot walks in the grass.

It’s the turn of a season and the beginning of a  fabulous new day.

Beautiful blue in the turf

We woke up in style to the most glorious of mornings, slightly on the chilly side but beautifully refreshing, and astonished to find the very first drops of rain this year had fallen in our forested “back yard”.

After I had peeled off the cat (who had hermetically sealed herself to me with the low temps overnight), and put the hair back on hubby’s chest with  an espresso so solid even a Turk would approve, I took pooch by the reins and bounded with youthful joy, or my best impression thereof, into the moist and fragrant forest.

A show of white for the morning

Ahhh to be a fawn of the forest, fairy of the trees and dryad of the greens. Doggie and I skipped with all abandon up the creek and immersed ourselves in the new scents of dew.

And then I noticed the blooms.

Not that I hadn’t seen them before, but on this day they seemed to shine particularly bright. As if on cue blooms of spring much delayed by drought and a long winter blanketed the forest for the first day of summer.

A dust of dandelion

We had a fine time pooch and I, out there by ourselves. I snapped up flower shots on my stomach while doggie bounded around with ever-hopeful thoughts of rabbits and squirrels. No locals were harmed and we returned with dignity intact to the campground. 

It may our last day in the forest, and the end of a very enchanted ride, but it’s the beginning of a whole new season and I, for one, am really looking forward to it.

NFS Campground Review – Columbine Canyon, Questa, NM

Enjoying a glass by the stream next to our RV site at Columbine Canyon

A lovely forest campground next to a running stream near Questa on the Enchanted Circle in NE New Mexico.

Link to campground here: Columbine Canyon, Carson Forest, NM
Link to map location here: Columbine Canyon, Carson Forest, NM

1. Site Quality = 4/5
   Very nice site quality here, especially for a National Forest. All sites are paved with a good selection of larger and relatively flat ones. The entrance to the campground has a small circle of 8 large, perfectly flat open sites easily accessible to big rigs, but with limited shade/privacy. The remainder of the campground runs away from the main road up alongside a creek and has more private and dispersed forested sites of varying size/flatness. On left a selection of back-ins (#10-17 or so), with pull-throughs on right (#21 onwards), several of which can accommodate larger rigs. All sites have good separation, lovely “sitting areas” with picnic table and fire-pit, while some even have direct stream-access (e.g. #26/27). No hookups.
2.  Facilities = 2/5
   Very basic facilities here. There are several sets of pit toilets, kept nicely clean and several water spigots. Access to the stream and many (many) miles of hiking directly from camp. No showers or dump station.
3. Location = 5/5
   Another lovely location. You are deep in the woods here, shielded from the wind and right next to miles of wonderful hiking. Short drive to popular Red River as well as to visit other sights (e.g. Wild Rivers BLM).
4. Pet Friendliness = 5/5
   Great pet playground. The stream provides wonderful refreshment, plus there are literally days worth of hiking in Carson National Forest on the trails directly from camp.

Overall Rating = 4
BONUS ALERT = Camp deep in the woods next to the calming song of a running stream!

Summary: There are 5 forest campgrounds on the Northern End of the Enchanted Circle between Red River and Questa, but Columbine Canyon is by far the most accessible, quietest and nicest in our opinion. Set beautifully in the forest right alongside a running stream, the campground has both fully open sites as well as more private forested sites. All are paved with good access, nice separation and a selection large and flat enough for bigger rigs. There are lovely “sitting areas” and even a few sites with direct stream access (we thought our site #26 by far the nicest of the lot). The surrounding area has plenty to do and see including Red River, Wild Rivers BLM and literally days worth of hiking (there is access to at least 40 miles or so directly from the campground). This is a typical primitive forest campground with no hookups and no dump station but it feels wonderfully peaceful and secluded. It also has full protection from those famous New Mexico winds, a rarity in the area. We thoroughly enjoyed our stay and would most certainly come again.

 Extra Info:  Verizon extended network with a few bars, so you’ll get a slow 1X connection, but no more. Sites cost $15/night (no hookups). All 27 sites are first-come-first-serve. Several on-site water spigots, but NO dump station.

Extra, Extra Info: More Remote? If you’re looking for something more remote El Aguaje Campground at Wild Rivers BLM has plenty of room for big rigs and allows camping right on the upper rim of the gorgeous Rio Grande Canyon for $7/night (no hookups). Very few people seem to go there.

Extra, Extra, Extra Info: Boondocking? There is aparently a lovely boondocking spot nearer to Taos off Forest Service road 9 at Cebola Mesa. Official RV size limit is 32′, but we weren’t able to make it over there to check if they take bigger. If anyone goes, let me know!

View from front of campground down right-side of loop. Pull-through #27 on left. You can just (barely) see our RV peeking out in pull-through #26 behind it.

Another view down campground loop from the upper side. Site #22 in front, with an RV in site #23 behind it.

Typical back-in site (#12 shown)

View down campground loop showing one of vault toilets and site #14 behind it

View from top of loop. You can just see site #17 hidden on left.

View of "circle" at front of campground with sites #1-8

View of one of large, spacious and flat back-in sites in lower circle. Site #3 shown.

View of our very spacious and private "sitting area" by site #26. Although you can't see it in the pic, the stream runs directly on the left.

The Ultimate RVer?

43 years in a Volkswagen Beetle...now that's what I call extreme RVing!

I often talk about the interesting and unusual people we meet RVing. Believe it or not, the folks who full-time RV are as varied and individual as the stars. We’ve met young couples in their 20′s, families with home-schooled kids, older people (up to late 80′s), artists, writers, geeks, individualists, professionals….and they full-time in all kinds of rigs anything from pop-up trailers to enormous 45-foot Class A’s with almost equally large trailers. In fact, the more your RV and get around, the more you realize that all kinds of people do this and just about anyone can live this lifestyle if they’re willing to be flexible.

We’ve been on the road for almost 17 months now and we pretty much thought we’d seen it all….until we met, let’s call her Doreen. She’s a quirky lady no doubt, and her lifestyle goes in the definite realm of alternative . For the past 43 years she’s been living out of her Volkswagen Beetle with no phone, no internet and just a few coolers of food and vitamins. We met her here in Columbine and got chatting about her life. Asked why she’s still in the same car she simply answered “well, I started out and just didn’t think of stopping”. She’s been just about everywhere (as you’d expect) and knows all the regular campground hosts by name. The ultimate RVer? I don’t know, but she sure puts RVing in a whole new perspective. Something to think about on a Sunday afternoon…

Finding Great Things to Do on the Road

A scenic shot from Wild Rivers BLM overlook at the confluence of Red River and the Rio Grande. A fabulous recommendation from our camphosts.

We’ve been very busy these past weeks exploring all the cool little corners of The Enchanted Circle NM. There is so much to see here, and so many interesting side-stories to discover. From hidden petroglyphs in the Rio Grande Valley, to the moving and beautiful Vietnam Veterans Memorial (the life-work of a father in memory of his son), stream hikes in Cimarron and Columbine Canyons, gold history in Elizabethtown, beer and music festivals in Red River (another one coming up this week-end) and wild, wide open views at Wild Rivers BLM (talk about remote!). It’s a wonder we get time to eat and sleep!

The very moving and beautiful Vietnam Veterans Memorial near Angel Fire, NM

Some time ago someone asked me on the blog how we find all these interesting spots. I do seem to have a happily gifted nose for good food and wine which, combined with a total lack of direction leads us into a plethora of unusual and fascinating areas. But, I also cheat a bit and figured I would share some of those ideas on the blog. So,with that said here’s my winning poker hand for finding great things to do on the road.

A restored wagon in Eagle Nest. We got tons of interesting history on the place from the Visitor Center and our neighbors.

1/ Go to the Visitors Center – Many major towns, especial those with a bit of a tourist bent have a visitors center, and if you get chatting you can find out all kinds of interesting things to see and do. They’re a great resource from anything from sightseeing to hiking and eating out.

2/ Talk to the Camphost – If you’re in a campground with a host, they’ll often be someone who’s very familiar with the area. As an example our current host here in Columbine Canyon Forest has been coming to this area for 40 years. Talk about experience! He gave us tips on great hikes as well as the remote (and totally amazing) Wild Rivers BLM. I always make it a point to chat to the host.

Hidden petroglyphs on the Vista Verde trail at Orilla Verde. We found them by chatting with the local Ranger about his favorite hike.

3/ Meet the Ranger - If you’re anywhere near a forest or BLM, the local ranger can be a wealth of information. Not only can they tell you about camping and boondocking spots, but they’ll help you root out some great hikes too. We met the lead ranger at Wild Rivers the other day who gave us all kinds of history on the area as well as the best place to remote-camp with the beast (it’s El Aguaje Campground in Wild Rivers, by the way -> *no-one* goes there). After an hour chat he even offered us a hosting job. We may well come back for that one!

The cute little ski town of Red River rocks it out with food, wine and music festivals throughout summer. A good tip from our neighbours.

4/ Get Friendly With Your Neighbors – I’m naturally a very sociable person and will usually stop to chat to neighbors in the campground. You’ll often meet people who are local or have traveled to spots you have yet to see. In Eagle Nest we met a couple who RV for blues festivals and that’s how we found out about the week-end gig at Red River. We also met Bob at the same campground…the guy who knows a guy who knows about the gold…you know…

5/ Go Online - The online RV forums are a *wealth* of information on RVing, but they can also be great resources for things to see and do. If I’m testing out a route or destination I’ll often ask on the forums. There are also a bunch of great websites including Roadside America, a fabulous resource for quirky and unusual attractions on the road.

Hiking to Gold Mountain in Columbine Canyon. A wonderful recommendation from our host.

Oh and if you’re wondering how I get all the cool low-down, apart from natural charm and bribes I ask two very simple questions…first ”What is your favorite thing to see/do/eat in the area?”…and second “Why?”. The lead-off question gets the info flowing, but the second question gets to the really juicy stuff. It’s an old sales-trick don’t you know, and it works every time. Got any tips of your own?