Thanks ... 'Til We Meet Again

Back in Tucson ... all is well in our house (in fact, we were a bit taken a back that our house survived just fine without us ... we were thinking that we were important).  Tomato plants were lush with tomatoes waiting to be picked (Paul picked a bowl full).  The orange and lime trees were standing tall still full of fruit.  Just a bit surprising that we can leave and everything is still as we left it ...

We wanted to take a moment to thank all of you for the warm and wonderful support that we received from friends and family as we explored the West with Bambi ... so many more roads yet to travel ... a pleasure to share what we can share ... a delight to hear from all.

This cowgirl (and her fella) want to thank everyone for their comments, observations and humorous takes on our wanderings ... and, borrowing a comment from our friend, Bob, who quoted Mark Twain, "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindness."

Bambi knows that "not all who wander are lost" ... 'til we meet again.

The Last Supper ...

We left Durango ... but not before a final tribute from the Durango and Silverton coal-fired, steam-powered train ... this tourist train is a major draw to the Durango area, including fostering a spin-off Iron Horse Bicycle Classic, where cyclists "race" the train from Durango to Silverton.  The train runs through the middle of our campground ... two trains in the morning and the return trip in the late afternoon, early evening.

We drove to Bonito Campground in the Sunset Crater Volcano National Park, just north of Flagstaff,  Arizona ... And, completed a large loop in our travels.  Side note:  When Sander was very young, we would hike with him ... roughly doing as many miles as his age (2 miles when 2, 3 miles when 3, etc., up to the age of 7) ... his first question was always, "Loop trail, Daddy? ... Loop trail?".  He very early in life decided that a "loop trail" was okay, an "in and out trail" was not ... he didn't want to go forward on a hike, if he knew that he would have to re-trace each step forward ... so, we were sensitive to finding (or sometimes creating) "loop" trails to keep him willing to hike with us.  We found a "loop" trail for Bambi's travels ...

And, we had our last supper on the road ... we eat well in Bambi ...

Arizona greeted us with an significant thunder and lightning monsoon rainstorm ... the thunder rolled through the mountains, lightning crashed all around ... rain poured ... we were quite grateful to be inside Bambi (and sympathetic to the tent campers surrounding us who were getting drenched) ... Bambi keeps us high and dry ... Arizona welcomed the rain (as did we).

Durango ... Weminuche Wilderness and Wild Kayaking

Another amazing day in Durango ... we hiked the Vallecito Creek Trail into the Weminuche Wilderness (east of Durango, north of Vallecito Lake).  The trail initially followed the Vallecito Creek, then crossed a ridge to continue the trail along the Pine River ... steep rocky canyon walls with rushing water racing through the abyss below and eventually hiking alongside the waters to the first bridge over the river.

Each turn in the trail could have yielded another picture  ... I tried to restrain my photography or we'd never have finished the hike before the late afternoon thunder and lightning storm hit.  We did take some time to watch some kayakers make their way down the canyon.  We initially ran into them as they hiked up the canyon ... the kayaks attached to their backs with a form of kayak backpack ... we spoke to them ... the kayaks weigh approximately 70 pounds ... they are carrying paddles and wetsuits ... helmets and Go-Pro cameras.  They put into the river just above an incredible drop ... we watched, along with other hikers, as they skillfully worked their way through the swirling, tumultuous water and dropped down the river.  Simply amazing ...

We finished up the night at Ken and Sue's Restaurant in downtown Durango ... we've been "working" our way through Durango's highly-rated restaurants ... unfortunately, this was a less than satisfactory meal ... but, we continue to enjoy the energy and excitement of the downtown Durango scene.

The night was capped off by a downpour complete with lightning and thunder ... Bambi got a rainwater rinse.

Tomorrow we head back to Arizona ... Coming full circle back to Bonito Campground at Sunset Crater Volcano National Park.

Durango ... Animas River Trail ... Ice Cream ... Life is Good

Bambi was right ... as usual ... dinner and a good night's rest makes all right in the world.

One of the features of our campground is that we can access the Animas River Trail from our campground (actually, a couple of miles of road riding, then connecting right into the Animas River Trail).  It is a magnificent bike ride ... and, after the rains the previous night, the river was flowing swiftly, the air was clear, and sky blue.  All of Durango seemed to be out on the trail celebrating just being in Durango ... kayakers on the kayak obstacle course, river float trips ambling down the the river, children and their watchful parents navigating the trail, craft fairs in the River park, skateboarders riding along the trail, homeless soaking in the sun in the parks ... just a town full of life.  Every turn would support a photo, but we just pedaled along and enjoyed a lovely bike ride.

And, for the fans of data, Mr. Gipper (our GPS) was acting up and loosing signal ... Regina Derzon would have teased us about running out of batteries ... so, no data log from the GPS, but the bike trip was 23 miles (22.9 to be exact).

And, no trip is complete without a tour of downtown ... and an tour needs ice cream.

This cowgirl is delighted to be in Durango again ... Bambi agrees.

Another long drive ... Durango, Colorado

Another long drive today ... this time from Steamboat Lake State Park (near Steamboat Springs, Colorado) to Durango, Colorado.  We hit a construction zone between Montrose and Ouray that required a 40 minute wait along the highway as huge trucks removed equally huge boulders that were formerly a part of a mountainside that was being removed to widen the road ... the delays in both directions of traffic snaked up the roads as far as the eye could see and beyond.  We then wound our way the the three mountain passes, Red Mountain Pass, Molas Pass and Coalbank Pass before dipping down into Durango.  I had hoped to stop and get some pictures of the snowy peaks, rushing water and bare timberlined mountains, but none of us really wanted to stop (Bambi just wanted to get to Durango before it rained again).

After a long drive, we were eager to return to the United Campground in Durango that we had found to be such a treat last year.  Unfortunately, there is a time and place for good experiences and this was not the time or the place.  Unlike our visit last year, which was early in the season and the campground was relatively empty ...  this time the campground was completely subscribed ... everyone is cramped into the campground, cheek to jowl, and it feels again a bit like an RV "ghetto" or at least a crowded tenement.  Last year we were delighted to discover cable TV at a campground ... this year the owners decided not to offer cable TV (a financial complaint with the cable company).  Last year we had a good WIFI connection ... this year we are situated in the last campsite in the last row and cannot make a good WIFI connection (for that matter, not even a good cell connection ... more Internet "purgatory").  Even some of the magic is gone from the trolley ... it still runs out to our campground, but the tourist trolley that was free last year, now charges a dollar a ride ... certainly not a bank-breaker, but takes a bit of the fun out of the experience (might as well drive our car into town) ...

Bambi told us to get some dinner and to stop whining ... tomorrow will be better a day ...

Wildflowers, Lakes and Mountains ...

I hope that it was a mountain stage on the Tour de France ... as we channeled our inner mountain cyclists as we rode our bikes to Pearl Lake today.

The day started mildly enough ... cool temperatures (first time that we've used Bambi's heater during this trip) ... clear skies around Hahn's Peak ... time to take an early morning trail hike around the edge of Steamboat Lake (Willow Springs Trail) to the Visitor's Center ... a riot of wildflowers littering the meadows ... birds quite content to scoop up the bugs and scattered seeds from the flowers (even willing to serenade us) ... chipmunk curious about our walk ... even a mule deer made his presence known ... easy five mile walk as we also scouted out some potentially new campsites for trips in the future (Bambi wants to be nearer to the lake).  Lunch and nap ... a relaxing day in the high country of Colorado.

Then, I think that Paul recommended taking a bike ride.  I had the brilliant idea to ride our bikes to Pearl Lake State Park ... approximately 6 miles away.  I am sure that it was my idea because I have no one else to blame.  The "rolling hills" that we experienced on our drive into Steamboat Lake State Park became mountains of significant elevation ... the altitude, 8,000+, became a very tangible issue to my endurance.  I puffed like a steam engine long overdue for retirement ... barely recovering my breath before the next "mountain" ... we did make it to Pearl Lake State Park ... realized that storms were in the distance and returned as quickly as my labored breathing permitted.  I now know, on a visceral level, why professional cyclists train at altitude on mountain courses.  Bambi was glad that we got back before it rained ... and I was glad for the long, hot shower.

Arriving at Steamboat Lake State Park ...

After a long ride in and out of rain storms from South Dakota, through Wyoming and into northern Colorado, we arrived at Steamboat Lake State Park ... about 26 miles north of I-40 outside of Steamboat Springs, Colorado.  Steamboat Lake State Park is tucked in under Hahn's Peak in wildflower strewn meadows and coniferous forests at about 8,000 feet in elevation ... we found cold (finally a chance to wear long sleeve shirts, long pants and jackets) ... and we were fortunate to set up camp before the rains rolled in over the mountains.

This is the campsite that Bambi had been hoping to find ... sweet!

George S. Mickelson Bike Trail ... Simply amazing

Today we rode the George S. Mickelson Trail (www.mickelsontrail.com) through the Black Hills of South Dakota.  The trail runs 109 miles from historic Deadwood (north) to Edgemont (south) following the old Burlington Northern line.  We started at the Mystic Trailhead (12 miles north of Hill City) and rode approximately 11 miles north, past the old mining town of Rochford through two tunnels and over several trestle bridges, one as high as 100 feet, alongside several different creeks, including the Rapid Creek.

This was simply the most amazing rail-to-trail bike ride that we've ever ridden.  The day was cool (low 60s), with some cloud cover (including a smoky haze blown down to area from fires in British Columbia), and gentle breezes keeping us cool (and blowing mosquitoes away).  The ride ran along several creeks, gentle grade (average grade of 4%), through steep canyons lined with crumbling slate cliffs.  The two tunnels were tall and the entries were covered with metal mesh to catch the crumbling slate ... cool and damp inside the tunnels, not long enough to need separate lighting to traverse the trail.  Tall Englemann spruce trees lined the steep canyon walls along with forests of Ponderosa pines and sprinkling patches of birch.  Butterflies flew alongside darting in front of our bikes and wildflowers were lining the trail.  We rode for a short distance alongside of a dirt road, but there were few vehicles ... otherwise, we had the quiet of the forest, songs of the birds and sound of water from the creeks. We saw few other cyclists, but everyone was truly impressed with the trail's unique grandeur.

Our only regret is that we don't have time to do the entirety of trail ... Bambi says that he is willing to return in the future so that we can complete the trail ... and we'll be delighted to return to this trail.

Tomorrow we head for Steamboat Lake State Park in northern Colorado ...