Alamosa to Santa Fe (Ray takes a wrong turn)

Howdy all,

December 30 update.

Alamosa to White's City (entrance to Carlsbad caverns).

Wow what a day of driving. First we start off with a bit of an adventure (i.e. Ray took the wrong road) then we go through a highly over rated town and then onto Roswell for a UFO experience and then down to White's City at the entrance to Carlsbad Caverns.

So first off is it possible to have 3 dogs and 1 person on a bed?
You can answer that one for yourself.

So lets get going.

Alamosa to Santa Fe

Well as with most days we start out driving. The road is nice and straight and we are cruising along. And then a distraction happens. In this case we are going through Antonetio Colorado which is part of the historic Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railway. A narrow gauge railway that runs between Charma New Mexico and Antonetio Colorado. It was not running, but the site of the old engines and such was enough to cause me to miss my turn off. Leading to a whole adventure.

Today the C&TS Railroad is comprised of 64 miles of former Denver and Rio Grande Western trackage. While officially headquartered in Chama, New Mexico, the railroad splits most of its functions between the terminuses of the railroad. At its Antonito end, the Cumbres and Toltec Commission offices are headquartered, along with the railroad's main car shop, where repairs to rolling stock are performed. The main center of actual operation for the railroad is located in Chama, where the locomotive repair shop is located.

So instead of taking 285 straight down to Santa Fe we end up doing the Colorado 17 Scenic Byway (now doesn't that sound better) which takes us up and over several 10,000 foot plus passes.

Notice on the photo below how clean the edge of the snow line is on the right. The folks in Colorado know how to keep a good sharp show edge. Very impressive.


So the Scenic Byway ends up in Charma New Mexico where the railway starts. Then it was down to Santa Fe on highway 85 (instead of 285). Here we got to see a good bit of painted desert type of formations. We had hoped to stop at the Ghost Ranch Living Museum since Ray had routed the trip that way. But alas it was closed. So you are not going to get to experience it. (Aw Shucks)



Of course we all know how much Ray loves city's (not). But when you get to see a Lab it makes it at least bearable. So we made it through Santa Fe thanks to this fine fellow.

Price to Alamosa

Howdy all,

Monda, December 29 was a fun packed day. We started out in Price Utah and ended up in Alamosa Colorado. Not as far as we wanted to go but that is how the cards played out.

Along the way we stopped in Sego Canyon to see the Petroglyphs and then Fruita Colorado to view Dinosaurs then over to Gunnison where we got to cruise along Morrow Point Resevoir. A truely impressive body of watter. Then over to Alamosa where we had to go over a few high mountain passes, including Monarch pass which is over 11,000 feet.

Price to Green River:
This was the first stint of the drive. About 60 miles. Goal was to have breakfast at Bens Cafe in Green River. It has been a tradition the last few years. Along the way you get to see some incredible sceneary. and of course while there Joe went to a antique shop (I called it a junk store and was reprimanded) where he got a 70's womens bathing suit.




Green River to Sego Canyon:
See separate write up on this part of the trip.



Sego Canyon to Fuitas
See separate write up on Dino adventure.
Along the way Mook took the opportunity to be super cute and posed for some pictures with Joe.


Fruita to Gunnison:
Well here is where we found out that there are no Exxon, Mobile, Chevron or Texaco stations to be found in Colorado (or at least on our route). So we had to settle for Shell and only get 5% off on gas instead of 30 cents a gallon. Very very bummed. May not go to Colorado again if this keeps up.

Regardless of this set back we had a good time. The high light of the drive was the Morrow point resevoir. Joe got a number of pictures of the lakes with mist coming off the water. I of course was more interested in going for a walk with the kids.




In Gunnison we stopped for lunch at The Bean Cafe. I recommend the #2 Turkey and Sprout on Rye. Gunnison is wonderful little town with lots of little restraunts and such. It has Western State College (or as we called it Wasted State). It was on my finalist list for college's back in the early 80's but after arriving in Bozeman for a Sauna party at the Johnson's I decided I didn't have to look any further. I had found my home. (as well as a neat family to attach myself to)

Gunnison to Alamosa:
Ok, this was a bit frustrating. The drive was very scenic and the roads were good. But if you ever do this drive do NOT reach Monarch pass (elev 11,313 feet) at 4pm when the Monarch Basin Ski Area is getting out. There was a 18 mile traffic jam until we got to a place where we could head south and boogy again.

But along the way Joe found some neat clouds to take pictures of, and of course Mook was again super cute.






So there you have it. The adventure of Monday December 29, 2008

Stegosaurus Mania

As if Sago Canyon were not enough we stopped in Fuitas Colorado to view the Dino Journey Museum.

The Dino Journey Museum is an interesting place with lots of different Dino's.

Did you Know?

1. Did you know that Colorado is the 'Stegosaurus State?'
2. The first Stegosaurus ever found was collected from near Morrison, Colorado, just west of Denver.
3. The giant sauropod dinosaur Supersaurus was collected from near Delta, in western Colorado.
4. "Brontosaurus" means "thunder lizard".
5. The oldest dinosaur body fossils in Colorado are from near Glenwood Springs and are approximately the same age as the ancient trees at Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona.
6. Pseudo-dinosaur fact: Of sites producing pterosaurs (flying reptiles, not dinosaurs) in the Late Jurassic of the western U.S., almost half are in western Colorado.
7. Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops have been found near Denver but not in western Colorado. Only older relatives of these two dinosaurs are found in western Colorado.
8. During the Early Jurassic, most of western Colorado was covered in sand dunes, and we find dinosaur footprints in these rocks.
9. A young duck-billed dinosaur was found in marine rocks in western Colorado -- it had been washed out to sea (from what is now Utah) and sank to the bottom.
10. Apatosaurus, a dinosaur found near Fruita and at several places in Rabbit Valley in western Colorado, probably weighed about as much as 150,069 Big Macs.
11. Through most of dinosaur times, dinosaurs shared the world with smaller animals like frogs, salamanders, lizards, mammals, and turtles.
12. The giant Supersaurus probably weighed about 92,400 pounds.
13. Some adult dinosaurs from the Fruita Paleontological Area in western Colorado were smaller than a chicken.

Here are some fine examples:



Mymoderaplta Mays:

Sago Canyon Petroglyphs

Howdy All,

I have a special treat for you. On the way south from our over night stay in Price Utah we stopped at Sago Canyon to view the petroglyphs. To get to them you have to first know that they are there as they are not well marked and second you have to drive way back into 9 mile canyon to get to them. This time of the year the road was very snowy so the Escape got put through its paces.


For those of you who do not know what a petroglyphs is, it is a native American wall paintings. At Sego there are three styles. Fremont, Barrier and Ute.

Here is the Ute panel:
It has been scrawled on by idiots but you can make out most of the stuff.


Here is the Barrier panel:
The panel is very mummy like and have a bit of space alien design.



Here is the Fremont Panel:

Here a Moose, There a Moose

Howdy all,

I thought I had written about the Moose. But I have looked back and I have not. So time wise sort of slot this in a few days ago.

Well needless to say if I am writing about Moose then there must be Moose to write about. Well up at the cabin there are a few Moose. Joe was out walking the dogs when he came across these fine beauties. He was able to get the Mook back to the Cabin before he could spot them and chase them off. (he is a very protective Mook)

Ok, there needs to be a story so here it is. We were up at the Cabin a couple of years ago when Greg brought out his Moose call to show us how it worked. He gave out a couple loud Baaaaarrrrreeeeeeekkkkkkkaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh (need very low voice). We were all laughing up a storm at the sound. And poking fun. You expect a Moose to come to that sound, are you nut? Well about 5 minutes later this big Bull Moose (not the one pictured below) came out of the woods on the other side of the pond and looked around with this look of "you called".

We have never doubted Greg's ability to call a Moose again.

On the way home

Well Joe, Shaq, Reese & the Mook and I are on our way home.

We are over nighting in Price Utah. A little mining town where we have stayed before.

If you are ever in Price, I recommend the National 9 Inn. It is dog friendly and has a good area for the kids to go romp after a day of driving. I highly recommend room 145.

The drive from Polaris to Price was interesting. It was very snowy and slushy through Idaho. We stopped in Idaho Falls and had lunch at one of my favorite brew pubs, the Brownstone. I recommend the Fish and Chips.

Afterwards we drove down to Salt Lake City. Along the way we went through a couple mountain passes that were a bit dicey. Not because of the weather, but because of the idiots on the road who should not have been there.

Ok, I learned to drive from famed Rally driver and Ice driver Satch Carlson in Alaska. In Alaska he is renowned for a few other things but that is another story. Satch taught me how to be confident in all kinds of driving conditions. And above all else, when in doubt hit the gas instead of the brakes. The theory is, if power can't get you out of whatever problem you find yourself in, the brakes will only make it worse. Witness that in over 30 years of driving I have NEVER been in a wreck. Several close calls but never a wreck. That means not one that I caused or even one that was inflicted on me. (very proud of that fact)

In Salt Lake we stopped for gas and to clean the wind shield and then a wonderful drive on Hwy 6 through a winding canyon that had these wind mills.


Tommorow we head towards Grand Junction to see the Dinosaur museum and a couple of other places and try to do the back roads across Colorado.

Sasquatch siteing in Montana

Just what is he doing with that Wildebeest?

Joe got this wonderful coat at a thrift store in Butte. It is Faux fur but has down inside and is incredibly warm. Joe is such a thrifter.

Bonfire of the vanities

ok, not really. But it was a nice Bonfire.

The Nickelson clan joined us at the cabin in Polaris. Suzy, James, Derek and Rosie. Suzy is the mom you would want if you were growing up today. She gets the kids out doing things (whether they want to or not).

James built this great bonfire. We roasted Marsh mellows and had beers and a wonderful time. even though away from the fire it was cold.

Opening Day

Friday was spent enjoying opening day at Maverick Mountain, a wonderful little ski area in Polaris. It has only 1 lift, but it packs 27 runs. So Friday I strapped on my skis and headed up to enjoy the slopes. It had snowed all day on Thursday so the snow was excellent.


Of course it was a bit cold, but it was an excellent time. I met a lot of wonderful people on the lift. A professor of mathematics at the school in Dillon, a carpenter and hard core Constitutionalist (i.e. supported Ron Paul in the election) and a kid just about to graduate from college and wondering what his future is going to hold given the economy is in a shambles.

I told him what I did in 86 when the economy sucked. I went to Grad school. And look what it got me. I got to travel all over the world, see wonderful things, meet a host of wonderful people (many who are friends to this day) and in the end I am part of the many the proud the 6.7% unemployed. But between then and now I had a blast.

The Holiday Feast

Howdy all,
(Picture above is Coby, Suzy & James's Golden Retriever)

Shaq, Reese, the Mook and I all hope that you and your families are having a wonderful holiday season. We certainly are.

Each year on Xmas eve my Montana family (it is nice to have lots of families around that have adopted you) gathers at Suzy & James house for the traditional Spaghetti Feed and Gift opening extravaganza.

In previous years Peter has come up with me and made the Fondue, he was unavailable as he is spending Xmas at his partners family in Ohio. So we were all a bit nervous about the Fondue this year, but Molly (of Molly & Nick fame) had kept a sharp eye on Peter's technique over the years and did a wonderful Fondue. So potential crisis was averted.

Joe who came up from Austin (I flew him up and he will be driving back with me) is an expert Egg Nog maker (no he does not go down to the store and pick up a gallon of Egg Nog). So he made a huge vat of Egg Nog for the festivities. I of course proceeded to partake and just parked my self by the vat.

There are a few traditions that I have for the Holiday season. First is the Holiday Snap Shirt (shirt with snaps instead of buttons, incase you don't know). Each year I go out to one of the western ware stores and pick up the seasons shirt. This year I am feeling very patriotic and of course proud of our next President. (ok, I won't get into one of my political tirades. You are saved for now) .


The second tradition is the "Family Photo". Of course there is the "Serious photo" and then you have to have the "Fun Photo". I always get fun hats or such things for the photo. This year was Mexican Wrestling theme.




And of course you can tell the success of any party by the after party activities. Needless to say it was a success.

A Day at the Elk Horn Hotsprings

So what to do when it is snowing profusely and the ski area is not open?

Well you go to Elk Horn Hotsprings (for $1.3M American it can be yours).

So Joe and I went out to the Elk Horn for a day of hanging out in the hot springs. It is a wonderful way to spend a day\\.

Reese the Coffee dog and other tails

Pictures to be added once I am at a more stable Internet connection

December 19

Reese the Coffee dog

Well we were driving to the cabin in Polaris and decided to stop in a lovely little community called Silver Star. It has a little antique shop that Joe and I dropped in to see if any bargains were available. Alas there were not, darn the people who know what things are worth.

But while stopped Reese got into the Coffee. And I'm not talking the coffee in liquid form, but the coffee in the ground form. She ate a 12 ounce (340 grams for my foreign readers) bag of coffee grounds. All I can say is thank goodness they were decaf beans.

Needless to say she was in the shit house as there was coffee grounds everywhere in the back of the car. I had taken care to put the frozen meat and stuff in the glove box to keep her away from it, but did not imagine that she would go after the coffee.

Lucky for us there is a Safeway in Dillon that we could replenish Joe's coffee stock.

December 20

Chilly day.

Well we are at the cabin and enjoying the solitude. Lots of good snow coming down and a great day to stay inside and read books, watch movies and such.

No TV at the cabin so it is a good thing that I have digitized a couple hundred movies onto my hard drive and can watch them. Pleasantville, Nicholas & Alexandrea, 13 days, Beautiful Mind and of course episodes of the Simpsons.

The Simpsons is the souce of all wisdom in the world, if you cannot find a Simpsons analogy to cover just about anything you are not well versed in Simpsonian, and should watch more carefully.

December 21

Driving around

With Maverick Mountain ski area not open yet we decided to go driving around. Joe and I loaded up the kids into the Escape and away we went.

There is a nice loop to do from Polaris. You drive out to the highway then take a right and head towards Jackson Montana, home of Jackson hot springs. Then up to Wisdom where you take a right and head over to Wise River for lunch at the H&J.

There is a summer road between Polaris and Wise River, but being that it is not summer it is not open. So we had to go the round about way. Along the way we got to see lots of open ground, and cattle up the wazoo. And of course we stopped at the air field just outside of Wisdom to let the kids out to frolic.