Memory Lane

On our way to Wolf Creek Pass and Pagosa Springs, Dave couldn't resist turning in to Big Meadows. Dave's grandparents took him and his siblings camping and fishing there every summer.

The summer we were engaged I got to join the Franklin clan for a weekend. We've been back about a dozen times since then with our kids, family, and friends.We camped when I was pregnant with Caleb. The next year, we hung a johnny-jump-up in the tree to keep our 6-mo. old amused, and borrowed a baby backpack to hike with him around the lake. On Laurel's first visit, she was nearly a year, but not yet walking, so I spent the week trying to keep her from crawling through the dirt. A few years later, Caleb and Harrison were able to climb the Big Rock and leave their sister stranded, just as Dave and his brothers had done with Jennifer. That might have been the year that Caleb, who NEVER wet his bed, had an accident in his sleeping bag on night one of a four-night stay. (OK, not all the memories are good).

 The road wasn't paved, but we took it anyway. On the way, we spotted this deer wandering on the road.

Loud pipes save lives. This guy heard us coming and had no desire to become a Heritage Softtail hood ornament.

 The campground was closed! Good thing we hadn't planned on staying there. I vaguely recalled seeing a notice that it would be closed in 2011 when we were last there with our friends the Kraemer's in 2009. It will be open next year after campground renovations are complete. They're probably making the sites bigger to better accommodate the RVs. I imagine a new sign is on order as well.

 Ahh! There's the lake. Several people were fishing.

I take a moment to enjoy the view. Not sure what Dave was looking at.

 Here's proof that we were there!

Dave's grandpa Earl, who died in 1993, caught many trout out of this lake, and he loved this place more than any other place on earth. I had to take one last shot of Dave in front of the lake that hold so many good memories for him, his family, and for ours.

Living the Dream, or, The Open Road

Getting away for even just a long weekend is never easy. For us, summers are challenging because we have a lawn service, and it's our busiest season. However, our boys work with us, so they know what to do, and Caleb now has a driver's license.

So Dave arranged for the boys to take care of a few lawns on Friday and Monday, and suddenly we were free.

Dave had always wanted to ride his motorcycle on the scenic mountain roads in Colorado. We decided to put the Harley in the back of the truck and enjoy the AC as we traveled through western Kansas. We had put it in the back of the truck once before, when we drove the Harley to Dallas to pick up the truck which Dave saw on ebay. Still, it's a dicey operation. At home, Dave and Caleb managed to get the bike in the back of the truck without a hitch using our curb and ramps.

In the back of our minds, however, was a nagging concern about we were going to get the motorcycle back off the truck. Dave scoped out Salida, and decided the boat dock area near the river would work.

He lined it up, got out the ramps, and rolled it off as smooth as you please.

 We parked the truck in the alley behind the hostel where we'd spent the night, then loaded all the gear we would need for the next three days on the bike.

And we were ready to roll. As we got on the open road heading toward the mountains, I realized how worried I'd been about all the necessary details coming together. I thought, "We're actually doing it!"

Almost immediately, Dave said, "We're doing it!"
We were living the dream.

Dave Nearly Loses His Sole in Durango

I've got to skip ahead a bit on our trip because I can't wait to write about our evening in Durango. We decided to wing it and didn't book a hotel until we got into town at about 8 p.m. We found a vacancy (not an easy task) at an acceptable Knight's Inn. It was a little ways away from the historic downtown district, but Durango has a trolley, so we decided to take it.

This free trolley will take you downtown. 

Our hotel gal told us the trolley stopped running at 10 p.m., but we decided we could walk the mile and a half back. We got dropped off and enjoyed window shopping and checking out the night life.

After listening to a band for a while (more on that in a following blog), we decided to walk back to our hotel.

On the way, we saw a cool old Chevy Suburban,

and an old Honda Civic.

and this great rooster in front of a neat coffee shop in a renovated old home. That's when it all happened. Dave's trusty Keen sandal, which had lasted for four years, became a flapper. The heel portion of the sole came unglued, and it flapped with every step.

I was nearly lying on the sidewalk from laughing so hard. But we kept going, Dave flapping every time he lifted his left foot.

Then the flapper flopped into the street, making me laugh even harder. Dave had lost his sole in Durango.

Dave says he thought, WWJD? What Would Jarrod Do? Referring, of course, to my Hillsboro High School friend known for always carrying a Louis L'Amour paperback in his back pocket.

So, Dave picked up his sole and stuck it in his back pocket and continued on to the motel

with his new moccasin.

A Hostel and a Hike

I'd been to Salida several times before, but it wasn't until last year when we had to get our 4-wheeling licenses, that we actually got off the main (ugly) drag and down to the cute historic district by the river.

So I was pleased that the hostel Dave found for us to stay in was in the historic district, just a block from the city park that borders the river. This was the charming street we found after our long day of travel through western Kansas.

While Dave called John, the owner of the hostel, I took some photos.

This is the hostel, painted fun and funky colors throughout.

We enjoyed the cooler temps and the short walk to a restaurant that John recommended.

In the middle of the mountain in the background is the "S" for Salida.

It was nice to see people out enjoying the evening, after coming Wichita where people are hibernating next to their ACs to escape 100-plus temperatures.

On our walk, I notices the "S" on the mountain, and also what looked like a trail going to a lookout tower. Back at the hostel, I asked John about it. He showed me a map, told me how to pick up the trail. He said the hike would take a little over an hour. I was in.

So, at 6 a.m. (only 7 a.m. Wichita time) I got up and headed for the trail. I was a little confused on where it actually started, but I saw a guy with a marathon tech shirt (good sign!) and his recquisite dog (why do Coloradoans always have a dog or two in their vehicles?) in the parking lot, and he pointed me in the right direction.

On the side of the hill about halfway up, the sun just touching the tops of the mountains looking to the west.

Like lots of hikes, it was a lot more involved that it looked from the ground.

View from the top.

I made it to the lookout tower, but didn't bring my Sharpie to mark my accomplishment. I should have had a jogger who was there also take my photo for proof that I made it to the top. I guess you'll just have to trust that I'm the one who took this photo and not 'Dave. 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Here's the "S!" 

Rocky Mountain High

About two weeks ago, when Wichita was on day 20 or so of 100-plus degrees and we were getting tired of pushing mowers over crispy grass, my husband decided we needed to go to Colorado.

When Dave gets an idea, he makes it happen.

So, last Thursday we had the Harley loaded in the back of the truck (we decided we would really like AC on the trek through western Kansas) and we headed for Salida, Colorado.

We were nearly there when we saw there had been an accident.

This wrecker truck was attempting to pull out

Whoops! To the left of the rafts is an old school bus that overturned on this river access road while transporting a load of rafters.

the bus that is upside down. It had been transporting people to the river and pulling the trailer of rafts. Some people told us that out of the 50 or so people on the bus, only 6 needed to go to the hospital, and it didn't seem that anyone was seriously hurt.

 

So, we snapped a few pictures and continued on our journey. We had lots of adventures, so be sure to check back every day this week for a new installment!