Day 52

I stayed in bed until 9am.  No one else was up and I was keenly feeling the need for some extra beauty sleep.  

The morning wasn’t much better than last night.  I had several texts and messages from people who I didn’t have good answers for or was too late to do what needed to be done.  I was feeling behind the 8 ball with the Colorado itinerary.  I assumed that role last minute because I was the only one really interested in seeing Colorado and the boys were just want through it.  If we were to see much, I knew I needed to have a plan.  I had been counting on a night in a hotel with internet to do my research.  I had used the hot spot some, but was still feeling scattered.  Jake saved my bacon.  Having an enthusiastic friend who is a native Coloradian and avid adventurer sure comes in handy!  I was very grateful for his suggestions and input over these several days!  Thank you!

I had a long talk with Mom that got started by a look on my face when she was responding to Joshua in a frustrated manner because he was being inconsiderate.

The hotel plan was always tomorrow night, tomorrow night.  So I hadn’t changed clothes since my last shower and been too cold, careless, and in a hurry to use deodorant.  I had some good exertion sweats and some nervous ones.  I was sour.  Even though everyone else was almost ready to go, I decided it was in everyone’s best interests for me to change.  Mainly because I’d be in a much better mood if I had a baby wipe bath and a clean shirt.  My “dirty” clothes standard has changed some … it’s gotta be a least 3 or 4 days old.  It’s too cold to change more than that and you don’t sweat much winter camping. 

Mom helped me get some cream cheese bagels and cottage cheese ready for the road.  We left around 1:30pm.

In Montrose, we took a side trip to Black Canyon in Guinness National Park.  We went to the south rim and the visitor center which was open, surprisingly.  It’s a popular climbing and trout fishing spot.  Some of the history is neat with the tunnel and all. 

We continued to Ridgway, stopping to check out a few state park campgrounds along the way.  Ridgway is a very pretty little town with a beautiful mountainous back drop and cool houses and shops.  After some discussion and research we decided to camp at the Ridgway Dutch Charlie State Park rather than the Priest Lake Campground a ways off our track and at 10,000 feet.  Meaning cold. 

We paid for our campsite and then drove back to Ridgway to get cell phone reception to reserve a room for tomorrow night in Colorado Springs.  Then back to the state park.

It was around 7pm when we pulled in.  There were deer all over the pace.  We saw an 8 point buck with a very tall rack.  

We got very excited to find there were real bathrooms!  With flush toilets and a heater!  We haven’t had that since Apgar in Glacier!

We picked a site and Joshua started campaigning to not set up the tipi.  No dance of precipitation and it was about 45 degrees, low 32 degrees.  Jeremiah was leaning that way.  We started bargaining.  I was interested in being on the road early so we would have more time to sight see on our way to Colorado Springs.  We agreed no tipi if everyone would either be up by 7am or packed and ready by 7:30am. 

A few kettles of water were heated for dishes and I made peanut butter mayonnaise lettuce sandwiches with carrots for dinner.  I prepared lunch for tomorrow.

We were burrowed in sleeping bags fairly early with the dogs tied to cots and everyone under the picnic shelter.  The night wasn’t very peaceful as the dogs barked at rabbits, deer, and other bumps in the night. 

Day 51

The wind picked up early in the morning, rattling the tipi and shaking loose a few of the tent pegs from the sandy soil.  The rain had stretched the fabric and several peg loops came loose.  It was snowing in a 55mph wind.  Joshua raised the center pole a notch after re-attaching the loops.  Mom was packing her sleeping bag and tell us to pack up and get in the van so we could get out of here.  I insisted that we didn’t just throw everything in the van or else it would never fit.  Jeremiah insisted that we check weather and road conditions so we wouldn’t be packed up and stuck.

The storm was now south east of us … where we wanted to go.  We might be snowed in until things melted in the afternoon.  I packed the car, Joshua took down the tipi, and Jeremiah stowed the stove.  I got to used my waterproof mittens for the first time.  It blew and snowed until we were done packing around 7:30am.

I think they want in.

The snow had all melted (never stuck) on the roads.  We drove to the General Store.  The owner said he woke up and worried about us.  This wind and snow hand’t been forecasted.  There was less than an inch in the valley.  We talked education for a while.  He was an engineer in the Air Force and flew fighter jets in Vietnam.  We used the internet to check forecasts and road conditions to make a plan.  

We headed to Vernal about 8:30am and promptly got stuck on the west side of the pass above Flaming Gorge Reservoir on 44.  We lost momentum and traction and there we sat.  

Thankfully there were two lanes so we didn’t have to pull very far off the road to leave a lane clear.  We ate oranges, trail mix, and oatmeal raisin Cliff bars for breakfast.  Several people stopped to see if we need to help.  The snow plow came by going the other way and then back our way.  

Jeremiah was on the phone helping Leah solve a network issue, so we awaited a while longer.  It was starting to melt a bit. 

We were finally abel to spin and slide our way to the top, having to back up and try again a few times.  The east side of the pass was better.  

Phosphate mine north of Vernal

Looking toward Vernal

Really interesting geology, from bright red rock/clay to these yellow sandy sculptures.

Litte park along the road.

Fed and watered the dogs ....

gathered stove fuel ...

bundled and stowed it.

We rolled into Vernal which was straight up balmy in comparison.  We got an oil change and rotated the bald tires to the back  Walmart wouldn’t do it because or tires were too bad.  Back to Walmart for a forgotten return.

We drove a ways toward 70 and then decided to go 40 instead, so back through Vernal.

Actually we were leaving.  :P

I hope the scenery is more colorful than the sign!

In Dinosaur, CO we stopped at the visitor center for a state map.  We found the guy digging in the yard with a pocket knife.  He explained that he was cleaning out the sprinkler openings so the system could be winterized.  Once again we talked campgrounds and sights to be seen and weather at the campgrounds.  He was a weather guru, has is own weather station, and is a passionate proponent of wunderground.com.

Rock wall paintings along the highway.

We drove to Grand Junction hoping to stay at a Marriott since we could get a friends and family discount there.  It was high time for showers again.  That didn’t end up working out in time so we went to Natural Grocers for dinner around 8pm.  We were planning on eating int he community room with some wifi.  This was the first Natural Grocers we’d been to that didn’t have  a community room.  They did have Amy’s pot pies on sale, so we bought 6 of them and used the microwave by the door.

Mom wanted to camp tonight and come back for the hotel tomorrow night.  Jeremiah didn’t want to waste our nicest day of the week in a hotel and snow was predicted for Thursday night.  Mom then wanted a guarantee that we would get a hotel Wednesday night if we spent Tuesday night in the San Juan Mountains.  So we pulled over again and got on the hot spot to check rates in other cities about 10pm.  Finally decided to carry on, expecting cell service at the campground. We were headed for the James M. Robb, but little did w know there were three.  The one we shoed up at didn’t have a campground.

Back down the road to the James M. Robb Island Acres.  It was late when the tipi was set up.  I kept talking myself out of being cranky.  We were all sleep deprived from our all night drive to our early evacuation of Dripping Springs.  And now this.  And we had one day to see the San Juan Mountains and surrounding areas.  We would need to be driving to Colorado Springs all day Wednesday.  We needed to get on the road early. 

The tipi was still frozen and wet, so Joshua put the liners in except for on the doors.  Because of the ground I had my head in front of one of the doors … to be blown on through the open flap to dry the tipi and dripped on by the lack of liners until it dried.  If those things did happen I was too hard asleep to care.

Day 50

I slept until about 8:30am.  I tried to convince myself I ended more sleep, but my toes were cold and it was most definitely morning in me and in the world.  I let the dogs run around and worked on trip notes.

I put away the groceries bought in Bozeman now that the care was a third empty and I could get to boxes better.  I pulled out a container of cottage cheese to go with the raisin bread for breakfast and made turkey and hard salami sandwiches for lunch.

We were on the road before 11am.

Topped of the gas tank in Dubois and drove throughout own in the daylight.  North of town, we stopped at the overlook for the Grand Tetons.  We talked to a couple from Pennsylvania and took pictures for each other.

Next we drove through Jackson.  I've heard a lot about it and it was neat to see it in person.  There is definitely a lot of money running around there.  I wouldn't mind window shopping in that town ... lots of cool stores.

We stopped in Pinedale, WY at the public restrooms and park.  A very nice facility that provided a good break.  We were able to get water, throw away trash, and played with the dogs.

That's my sweet puppy!  :P

In Rock Springs, we had some trouble finding workable internet to check weather and campgrounds.

And snow fences.

We camped at Dripping Springs near Dutch John, UT.

We got in around 7pm and shortly decided we should go buy water in town after Jeremiah had come back empty handed from his spring search.  At the General Store, we met the owner who was originally from Brunswick, MO.  Water was $2.99 a gallon.  We talked for a while about water sources (he said he'd drink out of the reservoir), fun things to do around, and the history of Dutch John.

Back at camp we had quesadillas again.  It kept getting warmer and warmer.  The general store owner said they'd cancelled the storm in Montana.  I washed the back log of dishes before we ate and left the dinner dishes until morning to do with the breakfast dishes.