April 29, 2015. Day trip to Cortez

CAMPGROUND: Another night at Dolores River Outpost

LOCATION:  Dolores, Colorado in SW Colorado

WEATHER: Sunny. Highs in 60s

We drove into Cortez to buy some caulk to put on the roof to hopefully prevent future leaks.  While there, we had lunch at the Trophy Room, with huge animal heads staring down at us.  $1.00 tacos!

The girl in the back is painting a mural on the wall.

After our errands, we visited a lovely winery tucked into a canyon south of town.

It was one of the nicest wineries we have ever visited.  The owner greeted us, and invited us in for tasting (in her kitchen).  The tastings were generous and free.

The wines were very good, so we bought a bottle of meritage and Cabernet franc.  

Back at the RV park, George fired up the grill.

The owner's dog befriended George. I took this picture to attach to our application for house-sitting and pet-sitting.  There is a house sitting assignment in Santa Fe, New Mexico that we hope to get.  We wanted a picture to show that we like animals.

DINNER:  Grilled, thick porkchops.  I had put a cayenne pepper/chipotle rub on them.  Really good.  Sides were arugula salad with cherry tomatoes, and a baked potato.

April 28, 2015. Anasazi ruins

CAMPGROUND: Another night at Dolores Outpost Cabins and RV Park

LOCATION:  Dolores, Colorado, in SW Colorado

WEATHER:  Mostly sunny. Highs almost 60

This RV park has a great location.  This is the gathering area/firepit

There are some cute cabins, too.

It is right on the Dolores River, with a sitting area and river walk.

We took a drive to a nearby reservoir which is very popular in the summer.  We checked out one campground there, for a possible stay.  Then we went to the Anasazi Museum.  We learned that thousands of Puebloans  had lived in this area starting in about 1100 A.D.  This area has the most prehistoric sites in the USA.  

 They gave us a map showing ancient pueblos we could visit.   We drove through farmlands and gravel roads to one of the pueblos.  It was a village of about 40 families for several hundred years.

We biked to the Dolores River Brewery.  It was hopping with locals.  They are famous for their pizza.  We will have to check it out.

DINNER:  Leftover mushroom pasta with some rotisserie chicken bits.  Salad of cucumbers in Greek yogurt. 

April 27, 2015. Good-bye, Durango......Hello, Dolores

CAMPGROUND:  Dolores River Outpost Cabins and RV Park.  Cute little park with only about 10 sites.  Only one other camper here.  Nice rustic cabins,  vacant right now as it is off-season.  On a beautiful bubbling river.  Full hook-ups.  Small shower/laundry/bathroom.  $200/week.  4 stars

LOCATION:  Dolores, Colorado, about 70 miles west of Durango

WEATHER:  Very pleasant.  Few clouds/showers. High near 60

We took our time preparing to leave Durango. The steam engine came through at 10:00 as always

The train riders today will enjoy gorgeous snowy views, as the mountains have 3+ feet of snow.

Another piece of trivia about the train.  Durango is a real sports enthusiast's town.  It is famous for its mountain biking.  Each year, they hold a race with bicyclists racing against the train for about 50 miles to Silverton.  I heard that sometimes bikers win; sometimes the train.

So, good-bye, Durango!

Now that George has had his birthday, he is making me do more of the hook-up and unhook-up tasks, and drive.  I drove the mountain road to Dolores.  Not too happy.

Dolores is a cute town of about 1000.  It gets busy with river rafters and kayakers in the summer and skiers in the winter.  We will use it as base and explore the area.

After getting set up (including putting on the tarp over the top of the camper to prevent more leaks), we strolled around the town.  We stopped at their small library, one of the nicest I've ever seen. It is located along the river and has a cozy reading room with a fireplace.  There are a couple of restaurants that we will want to try out.

This RV park has a central gathering area with grills, a firepit, stacks of wood, and tables and chairs.  We used one of their grills to cook dinner.

DINNER:  I experimented with a new recipe called Pork Milanese.  I breaded thin boneless porkchops with panko and Parmesan.  We cooked them quickly in the iron skillet in the hot covered grill.  Served with arugula and cherry tomatoes.  You will be seeing many pork dinners coming up, as we plow through "buy one/get one free" packages of pork chops!  :-)

April 26, 2015. Happy birthday to George!

UCAMPGROUND:  Another night at United Campground.  (We got a discount for staying a week)

LOCATION:  Durango, Colorado

WEATHER:  Rain and cool.  Highs in 50s

We awoke to the sound of water leaking.....plop, plop, plop.  Oh no, we have another leak!  George had fixed the other one, but now we have at least 2 more in other places.  We set out buckets and went back to sleep.

Later, in between downpours, we covered the leaking areas with our tarp.

Checking our emails, George received this photo from daughter Meredith and her husband. This is their new puppy, Raja.

It rained all day.  The  nearby San Juan Mountains, where we drove yesterday, received another 10 inches of snow.

On our first day in Durango, we volunteered in a city-wide trash pick up event.  They gave us a certificate for a hot tub soak.  George redeemed it today, enjoying the warmth and relaxation.

We went to Steamworks Brewery for lunch.  We have now made it to all of Durango's 6 breweries/brewpubs. Time to move on!

DINNER:  Rotisserie chicken with leftover jambalaya rice and peas.  It will be nice to hopefully start grilling again.  

 

April 25, 2015. Million Dollar Highway

CAMPGROUND:  Another night at United

LOCATION: Durango, Colorado in SW part of state

WEATHER:  Cold and rain/snow. Highs in 50s in valley. 30s in mountains

We took a drive on what is called the Million Dollar Highway.  It goes north from Durango to Silverton and Ouray, about 75 miles.  It was built in the mid-1800s for the mining companies.  There are 3 theories as to how it got its name:

1.  It cost $1M to build

2.  After the road was built, they realized that the rocks that were used contained millions of dollars in gold and other minerals

3.  Someone who drove the frightening highway said, "I wouldn't drive that highway again, for a million dollars".  

I would go for #3.  The highway climbs to 10,000+ feet with sheer drop-offs, rocks on the road from avalanches, no guardrails, and impossible double-switchbacks like this one....

To add to the excitement, it had snowed about a foot overnight, so the snow plows were out, and there were signs warning of icy roads.

We drove through snow and low clouds.  It was really beautiful.

There were only a few cars on the road, and we all crept at about 30 mph.  We drove past elk herds, beautiful mountain lakes, and ski resorts. 

Ouray is a beautiful Victorian mountain village.  It is called the "Little Switzerland of the USA". This is the view from downtown.

We had smoked trout dip for lunch at the Ouray Brewery.  We plan to return for a week or so, once it warms up.  (There is another easier route we can take with our camper.)

There are many hot springs in the area.  This bubbling rock reminded us of Yellowstone.

DINNER:  Time for leftovers......I stretched the leftover fajita mix with onions, mushrooms and red peppers, and served it with slices of grilled polenta.  Sprinkled on some cheddar cheese and tortilla chips, and ...voila!

April 24, 2015. Durango Wine Experience

CAMPGROUND: Another night at United Campground

LOCATION: Durango, Colorado, in SW Colorado

WEATHER: Rainy and cool. Some sleet. Highs in 50s

After doing some shopping, we stopped at the Animas Brewery for lunch.  Their clam chowder was great.  This little deer was waiting for us outside the brewery in the parking lot.

This weekend is the Durango Wine Experience.  We decided to buy tickets for the  wine "walk-about".  Our camper neighbor friends went, too.  We took the trolley to the event downtown. 

 

About 15 shops participated in the event, mostly art galleries and boutiques.  Each had a few wine and food stations set up.  We tasted some great wines, including this favorite.

When we returned to the campground, our neighbors invited us into their lovely fifth-wheel RV.  It is so spacious!  

No dinner tonight, as we had enough snacks at the wine tasting.  

April 23, 2015. More fun in Durango

CAMPGROUND: Another night at Union Campground

LOCATION: Durango, Colorado in SW Colorado

WEATHER: Nice again. Highs about 60

One of the best aspects of our on-the-road life is meeting people along the way.  We met our neighbors here for cocktails our first evening, and have enjoyed talking with them every day. They  are full-time RVers, too.  They have been traveling for about 3 years.  Like us (as well as 3 million other full-timers), they claim South Dakota as their residence and have a mail-forwarding service from there.  They have South Dakota license plates, like we do.  A common question is "are you really from SD, or are you full-time and just registered there?"  Then comes the exchange of business cards.  This is ours..

Early in our travels, we met a lovely couple from Belgium in the Okefenokee Park.  Strangely enough, we ran into them two more times in campgrounds in Louisiana and Texas.  Elly.....we are thinking of you!

Just like clockwork, at 10:00 AM, the Durango and Silverton steam engine train whizzed by our site.

Today, there were several other campers out taking photos.  This train was also used to film the old Shirley McClain movie, "Around the World in 80 Days".

We did little jobs around the camper this morning.  I scrubbed the floor, not a big job as it is so tiny!  The other day, I mentioned to George that I'd like a paper towel holder.  Handy ( and cheap) as he is, he made this one for me today....

I cared for my new basil plant....

Then, we caught the trolley, loaded our bikes, and stopped at Durango Brewing Company.  This is #5 out of Durango's 6 we have visited.  Our camper neighbors joined us there for lunch and a beer. Then, we biked the rest of the way downtown on a bike path that follows the river.  We visited the interesting train museum, then met our new friends at the Diamond Belle Saloon where the waitresses are dressed in can-can type outfits.  

We put the bikes on the trolley and returned home. Such convenience!  We even get the reduced senior fare!

DINNER:  Asian fried rice, with mushrooms, peas, onions and ginger.  

April 22, 2015. Durango history

CAMPGROUND: Another night at United Campground

LOCATION: Durango, Colorado, in SW part of state

WEATHER:  Nice. Highs about 60

We ran errands around Durango, and planned our next part of the trip.  

Downtown Durango has a lot of history,  Jack Dempsey, heavyweight fighter, fought on a downtown corner.  Butch Cassidy lived here, as well as other famous outlaws.  We learned that the steam engine train that passes by our campsite daily was used to film the movie Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

The Strater Horel was built in the 1860s.  Author Louis L'Amour wrote many of his novels in a room here.  It has been beautifully restored. 

We hope to visit their saloon or restaurant.

We had lunch at yet another Durango brewery.  We have been to 4 out of the 6 breweries so far.  Two to go!

I bought a flowerpot and potting  soil for my little basil plant.  I hope it grows.  I have to bring it in every night as it gets below 32 most nights still.

DINNER:  I made Mexican tostados.  I used some of fajita meat leftover from the Mexican restaurant the other night.  I added onion, mushrooms, bell peppers and shrimp.  Then, I placed  the mix over tostados and melted cheese on top in the microwave.  Side of avocado slices.  I couldn't get George to eat more than one tostado, so we have yet even more leftovers. :-( 

April 21, 2015. Biking Durango

CAMPGROUND: another night at United Campground

LOCATION:  Durango, Colorado, in SW part of state

WEATHER:  Very nice. Highs about 60

Our day started with the daily steam engine train tooting as it passed our campground.

We biked into Durango from the outskirts, where the campground is located.  George said it would be downhill.  He was wrong!  There is a great bike trail system here. 

Spring has sprung here, and the trees and flowers are in bloom. Just beautiful!

We stopped for lunch at one of Durango's 6 brewpubs!  We had their signature dish.....pasties, in the Upper Peninsula style.

We parked the bikes and strolled along main street.  We love this town.  It is full of cute shops, bars, restaurants, coffee shops, and yes.....pot stores.....

There are lots of people out and about.  There is a college here, so lots of young people.  

We stopped at a distillery and George had one of their specialty drinks.

We hopped on the Durango Trolley, our bikes on the rack, and returned to the campground.  Great system!

It is so nice that it doesn't get dark until later.  We chatted with neighbor campers who have been on the road for 4 years, and a couple visiting from Germany.  

DINNER:  Jambalaya.  I jazzed up the mix with shrimp, sausage and onions.  Really good.

April 20, 2015. Durango days

CAMPGROUND: United RV Park. Full  hook-ups. Beautiful bathrooms. $38/night. 4 stars

LOCATION:  Durango, Colorado, in SW Colorado

WEATHER:  Sunny. Highs in 50s

We moved to this RV park where we will stay 7 nights.  We love Durango.  Population of 15,000.  Very vibrant.  There is a college here, so lots of young people.  There is a trolley stop right outside the RV park. We plan to ride the trolley to downtown.  

There is a popular steam engine tourist train here, that goes right through the RV park.

We spent the day doing computer work and reading.  

DINNER;  I found a great variety of fresh mushrooms at the grocery, so made an Italian mushroom penne pasta casserole.  I sautéed regular mushrooms, portabellos, shiitakes, and chanterelles in garlic butter.  I added bell peppers and onions, lots of cheese, and a little cream sauce.  I tried baking it in the microwave/convection oven on the convection setting, but the oven didn't bake it very well.  Not sure if the problem is the oven or the user. :-).

April 19, 2015. Park clean-up in Durango

CAMPGROUND: Best Western Durango Inn.  5 stars!

LOCATION:  Durango, Colorado, in SW part of state

WEATHER: Sunny. Highs in 50s

We drove about 50 miles from Cortez to Durango.  Each month, we stay in a hotel one night and have our mail delivered.  It seems like such a luxury, spreading out in a hotel room.  

We had seen a poster yesterday asking for volunteers to help clean up the river. Earth Day is this week. We thought this would be a great way to meet people, so we met up with the volunteers in one of the city parks.  We were the only non-college aged volunteers.  There were about 50 young adults.  We split up, riding  a rafting company's old school bus, to the city's dog park.  Others went to other sections of town. We picked up garbage for about 2 hours in glorious weather.  Then our group walked back along some of the city's bike trails.  We had to walk, as our bus broke down!

Back at the main park, all the volunteers ate bowls of delicious soup, donated by a brewpub.  Many of the students came up to thank us, and the organizer even gave  us a gift certificate!  They were so appreciative and surprised that visitors would help with this activity.

The city of Durango is really cool.  Lots of young people.  We stopped by the preserved Rochester Hotel for a look.

Then, we stopped by a different brewpub along with some of the other clean-up volunteers.  There are 6 brewpubs in Durango!

We sat next to a couple that were rafting down the adjacent Animas River.  They just stopped off at the brewery for a beer, then continued on. 

We got settled in the hotel, and ate fajitas at the nearby Mexican restaurant.  The evening was topped off by watching my favorite PBS show, Call the Midwife.

April 18, 2015. Snowed in!

CAMPGROUND:  3rd night at Ancient Cedars RV

LOCATION:  Mesa Verde, in SW Colorado

WEATHER:  Cold. Highs around 45

We awoke to a winter wonderland!

It snowed about 2 inches during the night.

Everything was so pretty.  The snow covered the Mesa.

Our water pipes froze during the night.  We decided that we might as well stay here another night, rather than deal with hooking up in the cold and snow.

We took a road trip to explore the area, as we are planning to stay around here for 1-2 weeks, waiting for it to warm up before we go north and/or to higher elevations.  We drove into the city of Durango and had lunch at a brewpub.  There is a music festival going on, and musicians were jamming all around town.  These were in an old hotel lobby....

On our way home, we stopped in the small town of Dolores to see if we might want to stay there a while.  We stopped at their little microbrewery where everyone was super friendly.

DINNER:  Chili made with leftover turkey burgers.  

Tomorrow is supposed to be warmer, and the snow should end.

April 17, 2015. Mesa Verde Indian Cliff Dwellings

CAMPGROUND: 2nd night at Ancient Cedars RV Park

LOCATION: Mesa Verde National Park, in SW Colorado

WEATHER: Cold.  Highs about 40

We joined a ranger-led tour of one of the ancient Indian Cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde.  The tour started with a long warning of the difficulty of the trail.  

First, we had to climb this long ladder.  Straight up!

Our Indian guide was excellent, not only telling us about the history of these dwellings, but also the spirituality of the people.

About 40 people lived at this site, called Balcony House

Their craftsmanship was amazing

We had to climb other sets of ladders, then squeeze through a tiny tunnel.  What an adventure!

Our Indian guide posed with us.

For those listening to my rant the last few weeks about the crowded Spring break season, I'm happy to say that things are back to normal.  Most of the tourists now are old folks like us, and international visitors.  Many Europeans and Asians rent campers and travel around.  This is the camper van rented by the Swiss couple we met.

We had lunch at a different microbrewery in nearby Cortez.  We shared some soft tacos and a delicious green chile stew.

DINNER:  Sautéed shrimp in garlic served over leftover mashed potatoes with an onion/bell pepper medley.  

April 16, 2015. Four Corners, USA

CAMPGROUND: Ancient Cedars RV Resort. Electricity and water, although we didn't hook-up water, afraid that the hose would freeze overnight. Beautiful showers, laundry, dish sink. $35/night. Nice recreation room with big screen TV and library.  Wifi, and great TV reception. Pool, but not open yet.  5 stars

LOCATION:  Mesa Verde, Colorado.  In SW Colorado

WEATHER:  Cold!  Highs only in 40s

We left SE Utah in the AM, driving a scenic byway.  We saw Mexican Hat, a rock formation that looks like a guy with a sombrero. This was recommended in our book "1000 Places To Go Before You Die". 

We drove through Monument Valley, dipping down into northern Arizona, through miles and miles of  gigantic formations that look like castles, cathedrals, and statues.  It was all Navajo Indian reservation area.

George wasn't too excited, but I insisted we stop at WORLD FAMOUS Four Corners.  It is the only place in the USA where 4 states form an exact corner...Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico and Utah.

It is Navajo land, so they charge an entrance fee.  A real tourist trap.  At the pay gate, a weird sign proclaimed that no human body remains are allowed on Navajo land.  Um.....

I did the requisite pose, with limbs in each of the 4 states.....

We stopped at a brewpub for lunch.  We tried the Navajo Taco which is popular here.  It is Indian fry bread with taco toppings.  We split a half order, which was more than enough!

We stopped at an RV park in front of Mesa Verde National Park where we will visit tomorrow.  We met a neat couple from Switzerland who are traveling around western USA, and invited them for a drink, and to keep warm, as they have a rental van without heat.

DINNER:  Leftover Italian soup.