Free Overnight RV Parking = Finding “Freebies”

Gotta love free parking at Walmart!

So, we’ve been avidly planning our route to OR these past two days. As is typical in summer most of the public campgrounds are booked solid, but we’ve managed to find a few sweet spots that we’re really looking forward to. For the couple of nights where we can’t book we’ll rely on free overnight parking along the way. Most people who full-time RV know this trick, but I thought it’d still be nice to do a quick post on it for those who don’t.

Free overnight parking is a convenience many old-timer RVers know about.

I call them “freebies” and they’re spaces where you can park for free (no hookups) for the night. In my mind this is not the same as ”boondocking” (= camping out in the boonies/nature). When you “freebie” you don’t camp and you don’t stay for the views. It’s simply somewhere convenient to pass the night, usually right next to the road. We did one on the way to Grand Junction staying overnight at Walmart locally the night before our 7AM RV appointment. Not only did it give us the chance to stock up on some groceries, but it was safe and a perfect location for the night. There are lots of places who offer this wonderful service and a couple of rules that I follow each time we use them.

Who Offers Free Parking?

Parking at an abandoned lot off the I-10 in Texas.

I’m always amazed at the number of places that’ll let you stay overnight, even a “beast” size like us. Here’s a short list:

• Walmart - Most Walmarts allow overnight RV parking unless there’s a city ordinance that prohibits it.
• Casino’s – Many Casino’s have secure parking areas where you can stay for more than one night. Some even give you a discount on a meal. Live.Work.Dream wrote a great post about them here. Also check out www.casinocamper.com.
• Flying J’s - Many Flying J Truck Stops have a separate RV parking area where you can spend the night.
• Big Stores – Some of the larger stores (K-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot, Camping World) will allow you to spend a night.
• Rest Areas – Some rest areas (in some States) allow you to stay overnight. The Interstate Rest Area Guide sells an e-book with all the details.
• Others - Plenty of other unusual spots allow one-night stays. You can find lots of additional listings at www.overnightrvparking.com and at the fabulous Escapees Days End Directory.

April 2012 Update – There is now a new service launched by the fine folks at Frugal RV Travel called Boondockers Welcome where you can connect with other RVers for the chance to overnight for free on private property. Another great resource!

What Are The Rules?

We always make sure we park in the very back of the lot where we won't be in the way.

There are really no “official” rules for free overnight stays, but there are a few unofficial ones which I always follow:

• Ask Permission - This is rule #1 and I think it’s critical. Unless you know for a fact that the spot allows overnight parking (i.e. it’s clearly marked), then the right thing to do is to ask for permission. Before we arrived in Grand Junction, CO I called ahead to ask Walmart if we could stay. There are actually 2 Walmart’s in the area and only one allows overnight parking (because of city ordinance), so the phone call was worth the trouble. If I show up at a spot without calling, I’ll go in and ask the manager on-site.
• Park Out of the Way – If you’re parking at a business chose a spot where you won’t get in the way of the regular daytime customers. At Walmart I’ll try to park at the very back of the lot.
• Don’t Set-Up Camp – These “freebies” are overnight parking, not camping. So, keep the slides in and the jacks up. We’ll sometimes put out one of the small slides (as long as it doesn’t hang into a parking spot) and we may run the generator in the early evening but I don’t push it further than that.
• Use Some Cash – This is not really a “rule”, but I like to spend some money at the spot I’m staying. It’s a way of giving back to the business for letting me stay for free.
• Be Courteous – Be nice to your “hosts” and your neighbours.
• Don’t Overstay Your Welcome - Most of these places are really just overnight parking spots. Some (like Casino’s) might let you legitimately stay more than one night, and others might allow it if you ask (and have a good reason), but for the most case it’s just a 1-night deal and it makes sense to support that policy.
• Leave It Spotless - It goes without saying that you shouldn’t dump gray water or leave trash at these spots. Leave it clean and spotless.

And the last thing, although it’s not a rule is more common sense. If you don’t feel safe don’t stay. Most of the big businesses are pretty safe, but there might be areas of town that are rougher (esp. in big cities). Overall I love ”freebies” and consider it a priviledge that I get to use them. Got any favorites of your own?

RV Slide Woes & A Total Change in Plans

“When life throws you a curve ball, learn to hit a good slam off it” Anonymous

"The Beast" goes into the shop

There are a bunch of classic quotes centered around the life and curveball theme, but they all got one thing in common.  Sometimes things just don’t work out as planned and so you gotta learn to play the game differently. 

That pretty much summed up what went through my mind after we’d spent 2 full days (that would be 48 hours for those counting) sitting at the RV repair shop only to hear the tech tell us “I’ve tried everything I can think of and I just can’t fix it”.

Bummer!

I can definitely recommend these guys

The thing is, I really believed him. This shop (Humphrey’s RV) in Grand Junction came highly recommended and our experience, apart from the fact that we couldn’t get our problem fixed, had been excellent. The customer service was friendly, the tech and mechanics up-front and honest. They let us stay overnight (with 30Amp) on-site and ended up only charging us for 4 hours of labor (!!) because they felt bad they couldn’t fix the issue. Honestly, I would recommend them wholeheartedly and had nothing (at all) to complain about.

Hanging out at Humphrey's RV

But that still left us with the situation of a broken slide. You know the story of the leak and bend from our “incident” in the mountains, but turns out our slide problem was much more serious than that (and *not* by the way related to the “incident”). Over the past year of RVing the whole slide seems to have somehow gone out of alignment and the back corner was “catching” the side of the RV everytime it came in , bending the RV wall and causing a “pop” on release (yikes!) 

Our free camping spot for the night at Humphrey's

We’d made a note of it about a month ago and thought it could be fixed by a simple alignment. But ohhhhh, nooooo…..the slide was fully aligned, fiddled, checked, taken apart, put together, even had a shimmy put under the back (to raise it 1/4″), but nothing worked. After spending several hours with Monaco on the phone and trying everything they could it looks like we might need a total slide re-build.

OK…not what I had planned…hmmm, what now?

My new "do"...it's been a while

The manufacturer of our coach is in Oregon and looks like that’s the logical next step. That means Idaho is out the window and Oregon in. After feeling rather depressed and decidedly “non-Zen” for an evening, we found some bright spots in the whole ordeal:

• Weather: The weather in Oregon seems fabulous right now. Idaho (at least the southern part which was our plan) is roasting. Ass in the sand and feet in the ocean…oh yeah, I can dig that!
• Hair: The 2 days we spent at the RV shop gave me time to get a haircut of which I was in dire need (my last professional cut being over a year ago). Hairdressers worldwide are rejoicing at my transformation.
• Time: Paul’s got a couple of weeks on his own next month (while I go to Denmark for a family reunion) which will be fruitfully spent getting repairs. Time-wise it’s kinda perfect.
• Money: We have an extended warranty which covers the slide, so it’s not like the financial concern is there.
• Why Not? We’re mobile and fancy free, so why not make the drive?

So all in all we’ve decided run with this curveball and take it where it goes. That means a TOTAL change of driving plans which we’ll be working on over the next 2 days. In any case, Oregon here we come….

SP Campground Review – Ridgway State Park, Ridgway, CO

View of the boat pier from top of Twin Fawn trail in Ridgway State Park

A huge and lovely park by water and mountains in Ridgway CO.

Link to campground here: Ridgway State Park, Ridgway,CO
Link to map location here: Ridgway State Park, Ridgway,CO

1. Site Quality = 3.5/5
   This is a HUGE park with 3 separate campgrounds and over 250 sites. Overall there’s good access and decent separation with a selection from full hookups to electric. All sites are large, asphalt and have lovely “sitting areas” with picnic table, fire-pit and grill. Both back-ins and pull-thoughs available (pull-thoughs tend to be nicer in my opinion). The only real”ding” is that some sites are rather unlevel, and the 2 campgrounds close to the road do get some road noise.
   -> Elk Ridge = this campsite is set furthest away from the road (very quiet) up the mesa-top hill on the reservoir side of the park. There are some views of both the cimarron mountain ranges and the reservoir through the pinyon-juniper trees. Sites are slightly closer together than the other 2 campgrounds, but with bits of shade. Electric hookups only (30 Amp). A few very unlevel sites, but also some outstanding sites with panoramic views (best mountain views from#177, 179, 181, 184, 186 with some decent reservoir views from #82, 87, 89)
   -> Dakota Terraces = this campground is on level with the reservoir and closer to the main road (thus some road noise). Sites are nicely separated, but with less trees than Elk Ridge. Some sites have excellent open views of both the lake and the mountains. Direct access to swim beach and water. Electric hookup only (30 Amp)
   -> Pa-Co-Chu-Pak = this is a separate campground further north and below the reservoir dam (next to the river). Large and relatively flat sites. You do not have the open mountains views of the other two campgrounds here, but you do get full hookups (water/sewer/30Amp). Some road noise from sites closest to the highway.
2.  Facilities = 4.5/5
   Very nice set of facilities here. There are flush toilets, large showers (only ding is that they are pay only, $1 for 4 mins), and  modern laundry. Lots of additional facilities all around the park including picnic areas, swim beach, fishing pier, playground, and boating. On-site dump station at Dakota Terraces.
3. Location = 5/5
   This is a fabulous location. You are right next to a beautiful body of water with miles of hiking within the park, yet you are only a short jaunt from Ridgway (shopping, restaurants) and within easy drive of the entire Million Dollar Highway (Ouray, Mt. Sneffels Wilderness, etc.)
4. Pet Friendliness = 5/5
   Another great doggie spot. Lots of hiking trails, plus easy access to splash in the water especially from the Elk Ridge/Dakota Terrace campgrounds (from Elk Ridge take the Twin Fawn trail down to the water for a nice, secluded water play-area).

Overall Rating = 4.5
BONUS ALERT = Camp with views of water and mountains!

Summary: Ridgway is a huge State Park set in a lovely location right next to Ridgway reservoir at ~7000 feet and within view of the stunning Cimarron mountains. There are 3 campgrounds, 2 of which sit by the reservoir with electric only (Elk Ridge/Dakota Terraces) and one which sits below the dam by the river with full hookup (Pa-Co-Chu-Pak). In general sites are large and easily accessible with pull-throughs being the nicer of the lot. All have lovely “sitting areas” and a few on Elk Ridge/Dakota side have excellent views of the mountains and lake. We stayed at the highest campground (Elk Ridge) as it was furthest away from the road (and thus the quietest). Elk Ridge has a variety of sites from sparse to decent shade, a few nice views (see above), but also a selection of closer-spaced sites and some very uneven sites (we needed to jack up our back on blocks to get level). We thoroughly enjoyed the full range of facilities, miles of hiking and water access at the campground as well as the views. Also, the park was a great base to explore the Million Dollar Highway and surrounding mountains. You are half-way between the high mountains and the high desert of Western CO, so it does heat up here in summer. When we come back we’ll probably stay again at either Elk Ridge or Dakota Terrace, but try to choose one of the more scenic sites.

 Extra Info:  Full Verizon signal at Elk Ridge campground. Sites cost $20/night for electric (30Amp), $24/night for full hook-up (Pa-Co-Chu-Pak only). There is an extra daily park fee of $7/day (can be covered with the Colorado Annual Parks Pass). Over 250 sites, all reservable. On site dump station at Dakota Terraces. On-site laundry.

 Extra, Extra Info – BOONDOCKING: If you’re brave enough to make the drive on the Million Dollar Highway (Hwy 550) there are a few boondocking spots along that stretch. We saw several rigs parked near the entrance to Ironton Park (milemarker 85) just off the highway. Next to Silverton there are apparently 2 popular (= might be crowded) boondocking spots; one east up by the old Eureka townsite and one west along the road to South Mineral NFS CG  (we didn’t visit either of these, but were told about them).

NOTE/ All of my site pics are from Elk Ridge Campground. You can get LOTS more pics of all 3 campgrounds from HERE

Typical back-in site (site #104 shown)

View of our site (#105) in D Loop. We did have a "slice" of mountain view from our side window, but not much shade.

View down our campground loop (our RV on right) showing mountains in the background.

Another view down "D" loop (site #87 on left).

View down "E" loop (site #184 in front with 186 behind). Both these sites have outstanding mountain views to the side.

Another view down "E" loop (site #178 on right)

View of one of the lovely "sitting areas"

View of playground in Elk Ridge

View of main facilities in Elk Ridge

"Arial" view of Dakota Terraces as seen from the highway

Hiking with Polly on one of the many trails

Friends & Goings On – Ridgway, CO

Stunning Lower Blue Lakes in the Mt. Sneffels Wilderness

It’s been a week of friends and goings on here in SW Colorado. The small town of Ridgway sits at ~7,000 feet just west of the craggy peaks of Mt Sneffels Wilderness. Here “America’s Switzerland” drops off rapidly towards Utah’s dry desert with Ridgway as a kind of cross-over between the two -> It’s not quite mountain, not quite desert but a mix of high juniper and rolling valleys with views of beauty.

We came here to explore the Million Dollar Highway, romp around in the oh-so-tourist towns and…as it turns out…meet some friends. All of it totally worked out.

David "Rusty" Ford rocks out some country music

Years ago when I was young and green and first started working my very first boss, David eased me into the whole crazy semiconductor business. Back then he had an RV, not that I had the faintest idea what that was. Well, we stayed in touch and years later he’s a fulltimer with a side-line of rocking out some music. We just happened to hook up as he was giving an impromptu concert in Montrose. How funky is that?

The small railroad museum in downtown Ridgway

That wasn’t the end of our social extravaganza. Sam, one of my blog readers just happened to be staying at Ridgway the same week as us. He came over with his lovely wife Jennifer and a bottle of wine, which we considered more than mighty friendly of him. We had a good chat while he gave us a ton of tips on the area. Cheers, Sam!

View from the road at Ridgway State Park. The Mt.Sneffels Wilderness is peeking out in the back.

As for Ridgeway, it’s a cool little spot. The town itself is more laid back than touristy Ouray and a bit more casual than funky Silverton. On one side the mountains call to hiking, jeeping and wilderness, while on the other Ridgway State Park offers boating and camping. The whole area is, in fact a bit of a jeeper’s paradise with no end of 4×4 roads to get lost in the outdoors. We’ve had a load of fun exploring the area and doing some classic hikes (highly recommend Lower Blue Lakes!). It’s more crowded than our previous location, but it’s got a charm all its own that worth the trip. And you definitely can’t beat the company

Want to see “Rusty” Play? David’s got a full winter schedule starting Nov 4th at Trivetti’s Restaurant in Green Valley, AZ. He’ll be playing every Friday and most Sundays. Be sure to make reservations for when either WhetStone or “Rusty” Ford are playing. If you’re in the area check him out, and let him know Nina say’s “hi”.

Hiking the gorgeous Lower Blue Lakes Trail

The funky old fire-truck in downtown Ridgway

Me and "Rusty" Ford

Wildflowers galore in the mountains

Looking into the valley from Mt Sneffels Wilderness

Polly gets wet at Ridgway State Park

Million Dollar Views, Mines & Brothels – Silverton, CO

“The election was a very quiet one compared to former years. There were only four shooting scrapes, sixteen fights, and thirty drunks up to three o’clock, at which time our reporter was unable to follow his regular vocation”
The Gladstone Kibosh, April 13th, 1901

A rough and tumble mining past

The Gladstone Kibosh was a fictional newspaper that ran farcical bits of news for over 7 years. It was a total laugh and a fine representation of its time. Silverton in the early 1900′s was a place of enterprise, riches, desolation, tall tales and wild west. It was a town where millions were made and millions were lost and you needed both a tough skin and a good sense of humor to survive it. Just my kinda old west town!

It started, like all the SW Colorado stories with gold and silver. In the late 1800′s the draw of riches drew settlers like magnets to the San Juan Mountains. Silverton, lying as it did in a wide basin became a natural a focal point. The arrival of the Rio Grande Railroad in 1882 sealed the deal and it grew like a weed into a rough and tumble mining town.

Notorious Blair Street, Silverton

With growth came all the reputation and notoriety of an old west town. Down the main drag (Blair Street) there established an astonishing 34 saloons and bordellos, the biggest enterprise outside of mining. The brothels with classic names like “The Bent Elbow” and ”Shady Lady” were run by hard-nosed madams and independent women looking to make their own way. Out here money, gambling, booze and loose ladies ruled the roost.

One of the many great displays at the Mining Museum in town

The Silverton of today has kept all the lure of that fascinating old past. There’s a fabulous museum dedicated to its’ mining history (Mining Heritage Center) the original Silverton Narrow Gauge terminus and Railroad, notorious Blair Street with many of the old saloons, and a bunch of cute little cafes and shops. You can even pan for gold at the Old Hundred Gold Mine. We spent a cool 4 hours exploring all of it, eating at the local BBQ and even getting to see the steam engine come into town (and you BET I was excited!).

Sheer cliffs and sharp drop-offs at the Uncompahgre Gorge of the Million Dollar Highway

But you gotta make the drive to get to all this wonder, and that drive is one in a million. The 25 miles between Ouray and Silverton make up the core of the famous Million Dollar Highway  (Hwy 550).  Characterized by sharp curves, sheer drop-offs, towering cliffs, narrow lanes and nothing between you and your maker this is not one for the faint of heart. There are big ‘ol 18-wheelers who make the drive, but I saw an outer wheel come off the edge as one of them took a turn, and was rather happy “the beast” was safely back at camp.

Downtown Blair Street in Silverton, CO

Why it’s called the Million Dollar Highway no-one knows. Some say a million dollars of gold ore are hidden in its fill-dirt, others that it cost a million dollars to build. I like to think it’s the views, but that’s just the romantic in me. Either way it’s one helluva drive and worth the time to take the winding road. This is the place where riches were made, and the drive, the spot, the history and the views make it all worth a million dollars in my book. A good day indeed!

Views from Hwy 550

The Silverton steam engine in town!!

Thee Pits Again BBQ. Featured on TV it's THE place to eat in town.

Bits of mining history are everywhere on the Million Dollar Highway

Old miners hats at the museum

Downtown Ouray as viewed from Hwy 550

Downtown Silverton

Now THAT's what I call lunch. BBQ at Thee Pits Again.

NFS Campground Review – Cayton, San Juan Forest, Rico, CO

View near camphost site at Cayton. "Shaggy" the marmot (on the rock) has been co-camp-host for many years here.

A wonderful forest service campground high in the SW Colorado mountains on Hwy 145 near Rico, CO.

Link to campground here: Cayton Campground, Rico, CO
Link to map location here: Cayton Campground, Rico,CO

1. Site Quality = 4.5/5
   For forest service it rarely gets any better than this. The sites at Cayton were entirely renovated a few years back and it definitely shows. They are large, spacious, flat compacted dirt with good separation (bar a very few exceptions), nice selection of open or shaded and great sitting areas. Each site also has a picnic table, fire-pit and an area to pitch a tent. There are 2 loops
   -> A lower “big RV” loop (sites 2-20) all of which have 50 Amp hookups and several of which sit right next to the stream (particularly sites 10, 13-16), but do have the disadvantage of being right next to the road as well
   -> An upper “small RV” loop (sites 21-27) which is further up the hill (away from the road) and has just as big sites as the lower loop, but simply no hookups. Our 40-footer could fit into either loop without issue, frankly.
   We thought all the sites nice, but the most private were probably #10, #11 in the lower loop and #21, #22 in the upper. My only (veeery minor) ding is that the lower loop sites do get some noise from the Hwy which runs right next door. However the lovely river sound washes out most of it.
2.  Facilities = 3.5/5
   Very decent facilities here. There are several new (modern) and spacious pit toilets and several on-site drinking water spigots. Also a dump station but this is *only* for black tank (you are legally allowed to dump gray at your site, believe it or not).
3. Location = 5/5
   I really think this is a fabulous location. Set high in the CO mountains there are stunning views from several points in camp as well as jeeping (Bolam Pass goes right from the entrance) and direct access to the river from the campground entrance area (this is apparently a prime fly-fishing spot). There is a lovely ”hidden” trail next to Site #21 and endless hiking at Lizard Head Wilderness only a few miles north on Hwy 145. Also you’re only ~6 miles from Rico (with restaurants, cafe) and ~15 miles from Telluride (shopping, restaurants etc.)
4. Pet Friendliness = 5/5
   Fabulous spot for doggie. Lots of space to hang out in camp as well as access to romp and play in the river (from your site or just outside the main campground). On-site walking trail near site #21 as well as miles of hiking in nearby mountains.

Overall Rating = 4.5
BONUS ALERT = Camp next to river and mountains at 9,400 feet!

Summary: Well, we simply LOVED this campground and area. Set beautifully in the high Colorado mountains at 9,400 feet, this is the gateway to endless hiking in the stunning Lizard Head Wilderness and the cool towns of Rico & Telluride. The campground is set right next to a stream with spacious sites, good separation and great “sitting areas”. Selection of choices from river-side (#10-16), to upper loop, from electric (50Amp) to nonhookup and from more open to fully shaded. LOTS of outdoor activities here including hiking, fly-fishing, jeeping and sightseeing. Very decent access throughout (a few tightish turns in the back of the lower loop, but nothing that worried us).  The only minor ding I could give the place is that the lower loop is right below Hwy 145 and you can hear some of the traffic in camp (mind you this is true of almost all the campgrounds on this stretch of road), but from our site most of the noise was washed out by the running river. In summer this spot is perfectly cool and absolutely delightful. This was most definitely our kinda camp and we would certainly come back.

 Extra Info:  NO Verizon signal here (zippo, zip, nada) -> free WiFi at the Dew South Cafe in Rico ~6 miles south. Sites cost $20/night for electric (50Amp), $15/night for non-hookup. 27 sites on 2 loops, with 18 electric. 16 sites are reservable, with other half first-come, first-serve. On site dump station (for black tank only -> you are legally allowed to dump grey at the sites).

 Extra, Extra Info – BOONDOCKING: There are actually a slew of boondocking sites in the open forest service and BLM land alongside Hwy 145. Two particular areas near milemarker 43 and 44 looked easily accessible, open and firm enough to take big rigs. If you have a smaller/lighter rig there are some more private and simply stunning spots up at the top by Lizard Head Pass (take the dirt road to the right towards East Fork trailhead at the pass and you’ll see several previously used spots)

Typical pull-through site (#1 shown)

Typical back-in site (lower loop #12 shown)

Front view of our site (#15)

View of lovely "sitting area". This was our site (#15). The river runs right behind (Paul is standing there) and Hwy 145 up above to the left.

View down lower campground loop (site #6 on left, #5 behind in the back)

Another view down lower campground loop. Our site #15 on right, with #16 & 17 behind.

Another view into lower loop. Sites #20, 19, 18 shown left to right

View down upper loop. Sites #25, 26, 27 shown front to back.

View of facilities

Hanging out by the river near camp

The 7 Links Challenge

Thanks to fellow bloggers/digital nomads Technomadia we were nominated to participate in the 7 Links Challenge hosted by Tripbase. It’s a fun little internet thread that gets you to highlight 7 specific posts from your blog, followed by which you nominate 5 other bloggers to participate. It took a bit of digging in the old mental archives, but hopefully I managed to hit some good choices. Do lemme know what you think!

1/ Your most beautiful post

Enjoy the moments given to you

One of the things I love about travelling is getting out and lost in nature, often with both doggie and camera in tow. I have my most beautiful experiences in life doing just that and I try to share those special moments and feelings on the blog.

I’ve written several posts along this line, but there was one where the comments from my readers, especially made the post stand out for me:

• It’s All About the Journey

2/ Your most popular post

Without a doubt the one post that gets the most consistent views is our post on finances. People want to know how much this lifestyle costs and I’ve tried to share that here:

• The Costs of Full-Time RVing

3/ Your most controversial post

I can’t say I’ve ever written anything really controversial, but I guess my most debated post was probably this one:

• Is Boondocking Always Cheaper?

It’s a different view on a topic people tend to feel strongly about.

4/ Your most helpful post

The WheelingIt 2010 Map

It’s hard to make a choice here. I try to write helpful posts on the blog every few weeks or so touching subjects such as RV Pre-Flight Check, Understanding Solar, Finding Cheap & Natural Campgrounds, Getting Connected and so forth. I generally get pretty good feedback on these, but by far the posts that get the most “that was helpful” comments on are my campground reviews. They started out just as a kind of personal log for me to keep track of where I’ve been, but seem to have become one of the most helpful and oft-referenced  sections of the blog. A bit of a cheat here since it’s really more than one post, but I summarize all our stops on a map here:

• The Journey

5/ A post whose success surprised you

We meet so many interesting and unusual people on the road, and this particular post was just a quick, passing “by the way” kind of  blog on one of these folks. Much to my surprise the post generated waaaay more interest than I ever imagined, even getting picked up by a several online news sources and links. Who knew people were so interested in alternative lifestyles?

• The Ultimate RVer?

6/ A post you feel didn’t get the attention it deserved

Dogkittylution #5 - Express Joy to It's Fullest

This link was a real dilemma for me. I always feel the reader makes the blog, so if a post doesn’t generate interest it’s probably because it didn’t hit the right notes with the audience. 

Nonetheless I’m on a secret quest to spread joy and happiness in the world and in that line the following post makes my choice. Hope you’ll join me in making these resolutions come true:

• Dogkittylutions for 2011

7/ The post that you are most proud of

I think humor is a key part of life so I’m most proud of the posts where I can convey and share that with others. Then again, I’m also a geek at heart having spent many years in science and technology (oh yeah, I’m one of those gals). We were deep in the TN forest last year when both of those things came together in a single post. We had sooooo much fun coming up with this one:

• Geeks in the Forest = Pondering The Equations of Life

So, now comes the moment to nominate 5 other bloggers. It’s a tough choice with so many interesting and wonderful bloggers out there, but I’ll list a few of those I follow who haven’t yet (that I know of)  either been nominated or done the challenge:

• The Bayfield Bunch
• Our Take on Freedom – Escaping the 9-to-5 before 25
• Semi-True Tales of Our Lives on the Road
• Our Life on Wheels
• Geeky Explorers

If I didn’t pick you, know that you are all worthy and I still love you :) Which reminds me -> it’s about time I update my blogroll (I follow alot more great blogs these days). That’ll come next…

Hiking Off We’ve Gone, You See…

I must excuse our lack of be
‘Coz hiking off we’ve gone, you see
Flowers bloom and mountains call
To which our inhibitions fall
We tread the path where others fly
To reach beyond the skies a-high
Though we return in body true
Our hearts stay high within the blue
(Nina Fussing, July 2011)

We'll be in the mountains when you call..

It’s not often that poetry flows out of me like that, but I just can’t help getting inspired out here in the wilds. A late spring has the ground simply bursting with wildflowers, while the gorgeous Colorado mountains provide a stunning backdrop with no end of “oooh” and “aaahh” moments.

Aspen Trees frame the mountains on Lizard Head Trail

Yup, we’ve gone a-hiking. In fact it’s been the kind of week where “let’s go for a quick walk” has turned into 4 hour hikes up and over mountains passes. This is some of the most spectacular hiking I’ve done all year and it’s just darn near impossible to stop. There’s always something to see “right over the ridge there”.

Pooch of course has been everywhere with us, bouncing and playing in the mountain meadows while my camera has been clicking almost off the hook.

Driving on a dirt road to Dunton, CO

Interestingly enough almost all our hikes have been solo. There are literally hundreds of miles of hiking trails in Lizard Head Wilderness and the surrounding San Juan and Uncompahgre Forests, but only  a few seem to be frequented. Imagine our surprise therefore to make a connection at ~11,000 feet on the mountain.

It was a Wednesday morning and having seen no-one since we started out at 8AM, we stopped to chat with the couple coming up the trail. We exchanged stories, as things go, and eventually got around to the topic of RVing

Meeting Dick & Fran on the trail

“Oh yes, I have a son who RVs around in a Casita with his wife and dog” said Dick

“Really?!” I answered “that sounds exactly like this blog I follow…”

Polly soaks in the view at ~12,000 feet

And indeed it was. In a perfect example of unexpected fate we had just met the father of Imperfect Destiny half-way up a remote mountain in the Lizard Head Wilderness. They were even staying at our campground. We ended up having drinks and dinner over the next 2 days, getting to know yet another great couple on the road.

So yes, we’ve been out hiking..and driving…and exploring…and soaking our senses with all the colorful richness of the mountains. And it turns out we’ve met some people too. Don’t you just love those moments?

Coming next: 7 Links and another great campground review…

Columbines color the ground at Kilpacker Trail

Paul poses in the meadow in front of Lizard Head Mountain

View from the top of the world...

Early morning sun

Color in the meadow

Paul and Polly pose in the wildflowers

On the trail

Just another beautiful day...

Mountain Chic – Telluride, CO

View of Sheep Mountain (13,188 feet) from Lizard Head Pass

I’m back at the Dew South Café reconnecting with the world. First of all I’ve got to say I LOVED all the feedback on my last blog post. Many of the responses had me spurting out my coffee in giggles, much to the amusement of my fellow café-goers.

Life is about love, laughter and sharing experiences, and I truly felt all of that  coming through in those comments. So, thank you again for making blogging such a fun and interactive experience. It keeps me engaged, motivated and thoroughly honored to have you all as followers!

The gorgeous road to Telluride on Hwy 145

As for goings on, we’ve had a busy few days playing out here in the mountains. Lots of positive things have happened including a chance encounter, a couple of fun outings, some outstanding hikes and a nomination from a fellow blogger to participate in a fun online thread. But, I’m getting ahead of myself.

Let’s start with life at 9,000+ feet in the SW Colorado Mountains. It’s the playground of the outdoors, destination of ski bums and nature hippies, and home to the rich and famous. All this mixes to a vast and wild wilderness dotted with cute mountain towns, touched by a sense of both the ultra-rustic and the ultra-fancy. We have both right here within ~20 miles of driving in either direction of our campground. On the south side is Rico is an old mining town which retains much of it’s unique character including the unusual collection of folks who make it their home. On the north there’s Telluride and Mountain Village, a destination that blends history with new-style chic.

Old and new combine at Telluride, CO

For today’s blog post we’ll take a ride to the north for a bit of class. We’ve put on our best hiking pants, brushed doggie to a fine and fluffy shine and loaded up the car for our drive through the mountains. The trip to Telluride is a fabulous wind over Lizard Head Pass, past 13,000 and 14,000 foot peaks and through the stunning curves of Hwy 145.

You can still find some of the old hippy-time culture hidden around town

The town itself, like most of the mountain towns here has a history in mining. The first prospectors settled around 1878, followed by the Rio Grande Railroad in 1890 and a massive immigration boom. Through the next 20 years Telluride churned out millions in gold and silver as well as over 350 miles of mining tunnels. Mining dropped off after WWII and the town remained lax through the 1960’s. Then winter recreation recreated the place in 1970’s and it’s been a high-class tourist destination ever since.

Puppy parking -> Now, THAT's cool!

The town has an abundance of Queen-Anne style Victorian architecture and cute, little café’s, restaurants and shops, giving the impression of a small San Francisco neighborhood transported to the mountains. You can taste the class and fame of the place, but it’s also got a softer side including a super dog-friendly slant.

On the riverwalk w/ Polly into town

There’s a pretty river-walk with free poo-bags on just about every corner, “puppy parking” throughout town and a good selection of outdoor restaurant seating for pooch and owners. Even the gondola ride (free by the way) from Telluride to Mountain Village has special doggie-friendly compartments. Combine that with a never-ending slew of summer festivals (Bluegrass, Jazz, Yoga, Art and Film, Mushroom…even a Horror Show Festival, many with free performances), miles of hiking & biking trails, and you’ve got quite the quaint little mountain experience. Paws and thumbs up from us!

We had a cappuccino with a view, some relaxing walking and a classy little day-outing for the whole family. Tomorrow we’ll get back to the dirt and wilderness and the rest of our mountain story. Until then may laughter fill your soul, love embrace your heart and the richness of life’s experience make your day.

Walking around downtown

FREE Gondola ride to Mountain Village...pooch friendly to boot!

Houston, We Have a Problem

It all started innocently enough...

Having allowed a few days between “the incident” and the present, I am now in a sufficiently recovered state to relate the story in all it’s gory details. So, here we go:

It was one of those days. You know, the type that nags at you from the beginning that something isn’t quite right. In my eternal optimism I’d shrugged it off. After all the sun was shining, birds were singing and we were heading up to a gorgeous spot at ~9,000 feet. Honestly, what could possibly go wrong?

Enter Scene Chocolate

The Instigator...

All started well. The drive was pretty, the weather (albeit a little wet) was cooperating and the scenery was fantastic. Having arrived happily at our lovely campsite in the mountains, I had the brilliant idea to make a cup of hot chocolate.

“Look honey, the pressure difference has popped up the top of the cocoa can”

Hahahaha….mirth all around. Even the dog had a good giggle. Only the cats were indifferent.

“Poooufffff”

As Nina unleashes the can a mushroom cloud of cocoa powder spreads in a finely artistic layer all over Paul and the sofa. I mention the mushroom shape merely to give you a detailed visual of the pressurized explosion. The scene became eerily quiet, so much so that all you could hear was crickets. Given that we were ~200 miles from the nearest gryllus assimilis that gives you a full and complete appreciation of the moment.

Strike ONE

An hour or so later, having meticulously cleaned the chocolate (to the mild enjoyment of the cats), I snuggled down to a hot chocolate and a book. “Aaaahhhhh” The sweet pitter-patter of rain was on the roof creating a cozy and romantic environment. All was good…

Enter Scene Water

The Enabler...

“Plop”

The sound was unexpected, coming as it was from the inside of the RV. A moment of panic followed with the words

“Honey, there’s water coming out the side of the slide”

“Oh, sh……..t!” was the harmonized answer

We’d  been having minor issues with the kitchen slide for some time, but this fell into the category of most definitely “not good”.

So, out with the ladder to have a look at the slide and try to de-bug the situation. It stopped raining for just enough time to let us appreciate the fact that we had no frikkin’ idea how to fix this. Not to be deterred, we went inside and decided to forget about it for the moment. After all there was not much we could do about it right now.

Strike TWO

Now at this point, a more superstitious person might have decided to pack to all up and go to bed, but I am more of the stubborn breed. I settled down with my book and proceeded doggedly with my plan to enjoy the evening. We’d had a few hiccups no doubt, but this was going to be a good day…damn it.

Enter Scene Ladder

The destroyer...

Having once more nestled in and made myself comfortable it started raining again, this time with increased vigor. A few moments later water came dripping out from the slide ceiling light.

“We’d better bring in the slide” said I wisely, and proceeded with said action

“Crunch, crack….sproooong”

“Oh, sh……t” was really the only reasonable response

The Result...

If you’ve followed the narrative closely thus far you might have remembered the ladder that was left outside in Scene II. In a great demonstration of stubbornness (and general lack of concern for its owners, I might add) it had defied movement and managed to get caught in the edge of the slide, thus producing the aforementioned sound effects. The ladder was entirely unharmed, but had produced a perfectly arched bend on the slide corner. The “sprooong”, by the way, was a rivet being ripped off the slide. Despite our combined horror at the situation, I had to give it credit for stamina.  Either way, this was most definitely Strike THREE. By this point the cats were thoroughly amused and we were thoroughly defeated.

Let's frame that moment, shall we?

Now, there are two universal truths that apply to every life circumstance such as this:

1/ At some point, somewhere you will do something utterly brainless, completely idiotic and it will be entirely your fault.

2/ How you proceed to handle said situation is entirely up to you.

And indeed it was. After some ritualistic cursing and general mutual slapping of foreheads, we decided to let it go. These are only “things” after all. We’re keeping the slide in for now and have made an appointment at the RV doctor inGrand Junctionin 2 weeks time. The cats have had their entertainment, we’ve had our lesson and life goes on. It’s going be another beautiful day tomorrow and until then…well, we’ll just have to see.