Hit the road about 9:30 AM. It took a couple of months but we have landed in Iowa for awhile.

We traveled in vacation mode and had a great time.  San Diego and later the Grand Canyon for a week and trout fishing in NM. Got across Kansas without having weather problems. Got our trailer worked on and made it back to IA for now a brief stay as we contemplate our next adventure. 
You can go to our home page that links to our past travels.

Terry got my old Grand AM out of storage and it started. It's on the right edge of the above picture. 

We left Quartzsite at the end of March and now just go to Iowa. We needed to get back for doctor and dentist appointments. Terry gets to have his 5 year colonoscopy done again. We do get these down, and so should you.  My father died from colon cancer long ago. It is a disease that now can be prevented with early detection. Also need to get the truck serviced as it has a couple of recurring oil leaks again. Need to get the breaks checked also. 
So this is down time to regroup and get it back together. 

I have been spending much time working on my desktop computer. I ran into a problem where it said I have disk drive error problems on boot but it wouldn't let me run a chkdsk /f. on reboot. Said I had a bad installed program preventing the scan. If I tried to do a system restore to a date in the past it said can't do that do that I a had disk drive with errors. Catch 22.  I could do a chkdsk without the /f and all would come up good. So I had to do a full backup restore (I have Acronis True Image backup Program) and of course my last full system backup was not recent. We we never learn. I did have current data backed up (Use Second Copy 2000) so had to restore all that also. Everything was working except I would get you need to do a disk drive scan on boot at times. Now just getting to a point I can us this hunk of junk again. I connected through my Droid smart phone to re download Microsoft updates. Faster than my Satellite service and unlimited bandwidth usage. 

lt also it took me 8 hours to get me MotoSat Internet dish to lock on to the 89W satellite yesterday. We now have DirecTV off the same dish on a LNB so we had to watch TV last night via local digital broadcast TV. I worked with it all last night and it finally locked on about 11 PM. Sometime these FRED'S are just too much. You better believe I have the Sat settings written down so I can get up doing it manually if needed since we are not about to move for awhile. Have taped tonight's Final American Idol show. So will watch it a little later.  Now that I have this machine restore need to do a full system backup. 

Hit the road about 9:30 AM. 

We came up US 59 to Ottawa from Chanute and got on I-35 to Olathe. 

We changed our plans on the fly as we orig. had planned to head to Platte City by taking US 73 to Levenworth and cross over and stay at a PassportAmerica RV park. But as we hit I-35 I said why don't we just go straight through KS on I-35. Terry my reliable navigator said go for it, I can get you through KS. I said are you sure? (I had not looked at the map you see.) We had a long... look at each other...  and I put the pedal to the metal and went for it.  Now I-35 is under construction and the signs said to take I-435 east around KS to connect back up with I-35 on the north side. So we did do that.
Not like going from Quartzsite to Parker, AZ for an outing to get groceries, me thinks. 

This country is overgrown (living in the BLM for six months makes you forget just how big this country has become. But in this case the six lanes were well marked and mostly new so we moved on with traffic and did fine. 

Now back on I-35 we just kept heading north. It's me again, don't stop till I drop. We passed up a couple of RV parks we found using my Driod smart phone that had pools in Missouri. It was 88 in our rear view mirror temp gauge. But no, I kept on going.  I don't think you can ever take the vacation mode out of us totally. We opted to head to Winterset, IA and the "Bridges of Madison County" fame. I could see online they have a nice city campground and we might just explore the area as we have lived so close and have never done that before. We are only 50 miles from Des Moines, IA  after all. 
Now the links   Official Madison County website   Madison County Discover. Explore. Fall in Love   Covered Bridges of Madison County, Iowa

We are watching the weather as storms are west of us... They seem to be moving north, but I knock on wood anyway. I have lived through these, living many prior years in the midwest area and have no love for these spring weather seasons. Too many close calls. My nerves don't handle storm warnings well. 

But for now, Terry announced he wanted to make Runzas from scratch for supper. Where he got that idea is beyond me. But I'll let him do his thing, if it makes him happy to cook for us. 
 

We spent Saturday and Sunday right here in Chanute, KS. 

On Saturday the cars and people kept showing up and we knew something big was going on. It turned out to be a round robin Little League and a adult men's slow pitch softball tournament on the main field was converging on the Chanute city ball parks fields. And we were right in the middle of it. 
All these pictures were taken from out front our 5er door so to speak. 

The men's softball teams had some good hitters and some of the hits came over the outfield fence and came very close to hitting our 5er. 
Some even went over the top of us. If they hit the ground they came to a dud, but if they hit the black top road around us they bounced big time. Several cars were hit. The little leaguers who were not playing at the time stood behind the outfield fence to try to catch the home runs and keep them from hitting our 5er.  I never got an answer but it seemed if a player hit a home run he stayed at bat for another turn. What is that all about? A couple just kept hitting balls at us. Stop that... one home run at  is enough, me thinks. Or maybe with slow pitch home runs don't count. Guess it's time for a Googe search.

The little leaguers we having a great time. And it was fun watching all that energy. 

Some of the teams played four games to get to the final championship game. They were from all over the area and I think Fort Smith won the little league big one. They even had teams that lost play each other for third place. I had to go over and get closer to watch the final game.  They gathered for the awards and all went home tired but happy, me thinks. 

You've got to handle it to these Kansas folks they were into this sport big time and were friendly to us who were camped right in the middle of it all. 
They had to walk right past us to ge to the rest rooms in the high pointed roof building. 

These pictures were taken today on Sunday after the action to explain the logistics of how we were camped right in the middle of the action. 

It was a hot and windy day in Kansas yesterday and all had a good time including us.

Now for the rest of the story....  when we went to bed the little league ball field lights we still on and no one around. 

I got brave and called 911 and announced "This is not an emergency call"  Explained the situation and she was friendly and said they would check it out. Can you imagine the cost per hour to light a ball field...  Well we woke up a 2:45 AM and the lights were still on. So knowing me, I call again.  I got the same person and she said they had been working all night to find someone to come and turn them off.  I had a good laugh about that with her. I think 911 was a county thing and not just Chanute.  I got the drift several people had told them where to put it when they called. She said they now realized they needed to update their records as to who to call.  I hope the city charges the ball field user the cost of running the lights. The little league had a food tent on site to help cover the costs of the teams to travel to this event. Me thinks they might need to do more fund raisers to cover the cost of the lights they left on all night. Wonder if they will be billed big time for the power. 

We plan to hit the road heading north again in the AM. One of the reasons we stayed all weekend was the wind factor. It was blowing big time on Saturday and today but should calm down a bit on Monday. Glad we stayed as we were entertained big time by the ball games. I spent months at our picnic table watching the dust go by in the BLM in AZ. But this weekend we now actually had up close people clsoe by to watch. Even batting balls away. A good time watching life in small town America. It brought back memories of life growing up in Iowa. My hometown (Lowden, IA) had a huge ball park with lights, stands, with beer and food sales. Every I think, Thursday night in the summer, they had a town team play other towns and the baseball was top notch. My oldest brother was a pitcher who played with them for a few seasons, after his professional minor leagure tour eneded. Anyway this weekend brought back memories I had forgotten about. Thanks Kansas.
 
 

We spent the day in the Chanute city RV park waiting while or our trailer was worked on. 

The Big Truck Ford dealer got to our trailer at 8 AM sharp so we had to figure out how cool our heels all day. Note they had it yesterday afternoon also. And glad they called and asked if we could come in early the day before our scheduled appointment.  Good people doing good work. 
Now Chanute is a fine place but if you have seen it once you have seen it all. So after giving up our home for the second day we headed off to breakfast  at the only place in town that is open for breakfast in the morning. We did research this. It is the only option.  This is not your Country Kitchen or a Village Inn. Basic food and just good enough to make it bearable. I'm sorry but if a place claims to be the place to eat breakfast it ought to have good food to rave about. It doesn't. But the locals come out to eat here... My only guess they have been conditioned that this is really all there is. Now there is a no name brand donut shop on the road heading to downtown that has the morning terrific blocked up on the narrow main drag. Can you believe people are still bulking up on donuts for breakfast. Guess they got tired eating a THE Breakfast Place in downtown. 

Breakfast 7 days a week 6 AM to 2 PM

Anyway this was the second day for us to eat here. We did this two days last year also and knew right where to go for early food.  Knew what to order and what not to order. Friendly staff but it would never be my first choice if we had an option. Don't do the western omelet. The main section allowed smoking.  If I ever wanted to do a 6 AM to 2 PM eatery I would do it here in Chanute and do it right, until a big chain came to town and did me in. 
Sort of wish one would do that to compete with this place. We only come here once a year so who am I to suggest how this town eats. 

After breakfast we got hold of Ron at NuWa so we could get our two new tires and get them to the Ford dealer. I asked him if E rated tires that were EOM were good enough and he said yes but he didn't have any available. Only the Gs we had talked about. He gave me a better price so we headed over to pick up two of them. He will ship two more back to our local HitchHiker dealer in Iowa for later install on the front axle. I will have to pay shipping but that should be offset since I shouldn't have to pay sales tax of about $40 for each tire since they are being shipped out of state. I hope NuWa understands that so I don't have to remind them. 

Now for the rest of the story... 

At last we get the call the trailer was done.  Jake explained that not just the rear axle was attached to the frame by more than 1/2 inch off center on the right side but also the front axle was off the same amount. They had to drill a new connection point and move the axles forward. Me wonders how Young's Frames just up the road from NuWa could produce a unit so out of alignment. Seems this heavy truck dealer has had to deal with this more times than we would like to think. The truck dealer hinted they used to just refer the units this far out of alignment back to NuWa and Young's but they have developed  a way to fix the alignment by drilling a new connection point. Me thinks this is not a new problem for NuWa and their supplier of frames from Young's Welding. A huge loss of quality control by Young's Welding. NuWa should get each trailer aligned with documents before they accept them from Young's. This is not cool and I'm not a happy camper that we had  to go through all this nonsense. The bottom line is NuWa picked up the bill directly for the alignment. But still I had  four only 1 1/2 year old early worn out E rated tires that needed replaced. I chose to replace them with G rated tires. So $600 with tax I got two G rated tires that would have not have been needed if this trailer had been produced in proper alignment. And still need to install the two other new tires when I get them later on. Still I like my trailer and the two G rated new tires are nice, now just need to get the last two new ones installed. I should have gotten a better deal on replacement tires from NuWa but what Ya Gonna Do. Think a post on the NuWa owners forum is in order. Mike the owner of NuWa does read that... I have raved for years on forums about NuWa quality.  We did take the factory tour while we were here and was still amazed about how they put these units together.  Only now with the new production model only 6-8 units a week. These are basically hand made units to users specifications. Will I buy another one of these ... YES and so should you... 
It's Friday night and the weather is perfect and we are back in our 5er. That's something...

As I was sitting out on the picnic table at the Chanute city RV park and a hitchhiker owner walked over and we talked. We RVers do that. He said he has a 2007 HH and had some interior moldings that were not wearing well. They told him his unit was several years out of warranty. He insisted and went up the chain and he said they now have agreed to fix him up. Now that's NuWa for Ya doing what is right. even if it isn't. There is a reason why they have a loyal base of customers. Even when sometimes we are not exactly happy, we still love our units and this company. 
 

Service day at NuWa and axle problems...

This is going to be a quick post with more later tomorrow. 
Its been a big day and  I'm tired... 
The first order of the day was to get our butts out of bed and get the 5er over to NuWa at 7 AM. Now being retired this is a stretch to get up and do that.  But we did it and got there 15 min. early. We are still used to west coast time. 

Later the the minor screw problem in the kitchen floor was taken care of by Darrel at NuWa service and crew without delay. 
We are most impressed as always with the customer service at NuWa. We just shake our heads in disbelief on the their customer service. They just ask what do you need and it is done. That's why NuWa (Hitchhiker) is one of the best, and why customers come back to buy their second or even  third unit. We have now had two HitchHikers (first one LS and now a Discover America) and we will buy another if this one ever wears out. Or if they have new models with options we just can't live without. 

We still needed  as our next maintenance item was to get our 5ers rear end alignment checked out. It was scheduled for Friday.
The truck dealer called and asked if we wanted to get our trailer in early to check out the alignment problem as we had noticed abnormal tire ware in our rear trailer tires. Inside edge is worn as you can see. Most trailer tires wear out from age not from road use. We were glad we even noticed this and are getting this issue taken care of.

We took our trailer over to them about noon as NuWa got us fixed up in good time.  Later they called and said stop by so they can explain what they found. As we were right across the street at the city RV park we were there in a flash. They informed us the rear axle was attached to the frame 1/2 inch off center causing our problems. Not good news but at least we knew what was going on. Even more glad the axle was not bent but just welded off center to the frame by Young's welding, who do the frames for NuWa.  (Hitchhiker) as this makes it a warranty issue. Not just a bent axle. 

We went back over to the NuWa factory just down the road and talked to Ron in customer service and he said this would be of course covered. 

So on Friday the Ford big truck dealer will move the axle by redoing the frame connection.  Then check the front axle. We will also be replacing the tires on the rear axle as they are worn abnormally due the this condition. NuWa will prorate the cost of the new tires. 

We are thinking about changing the tires from type E to G. NuWa only has two G ties in stock. So we will decide in the morning if we want to go the next higher rated tires and if they are really needed on our rig. We have a 2009 348 SB Discover America. We trust Ron in at NuWa customer service and will ask if he thinks if we should upgrade tire size or stay with what we have with the trailer we have. 

So now on to tomorrow to see how all this works out. 

So glad  the truck dealer called and asked us if we could come in early or we would have been here on a Friday deadline and most likely would have been here over the weekend. That may still happen, but so be it... we need to to get this fixed so we can run on down the road without worry, me thinks.  Chanute, KS is such a friendly place to land in, if that is where you need to be. 
 

Enjoying the inside of our 5er today. 

Terry did not have to go out and wash the 5er. today. It started raining before we got up and poured most of the day with thunderstorms. I of course kept a close watch with my Droid smart phone (I have full 3G bars) and main computer for weather reports. The big stuff has been staying south of us in Oklahoma. The whole state was covered in a red box. It is hot down there and the storms are moving west to east across the state. It has cooled here with the rain all day so no tornado watches for us at this time. Now we have TWC on, and they have the Vortex 2 storm trackers running around like crazy in the Oklahoma City area, with pictures from helicopters and such. 

We ran into the TWC Vortex storm trackers last year when we took a more southerly route across OK at this same time of year on our way again to Chanute.  Let me tell you it is not a good day when you are driving down the road and you see a whole mess of huge fancy radar and satellite trucks and people doing live reports right in front of you. "You say to yourself  "I think we are in the wrong damn fu*king location."  The term screwed comes to mind real guick.  You scream... how did we go so wrong to let this happen to us!
This year we were already in Chanute, KS and missed all the Vortex 2 action. No warnings for us except flooding. But watching to make sure the storms do not move northeast toward us. 

Terry doing his thing at the table with the netbook computer. I got the netbook to use in the truck, but was more hassle than useful. The Streets and Trips Navigation was hard to set up and use. Now use my Driod instead for navigation when needed. Very cool.  I asked him if he wanted a larger unit and he sez he likes this small one. 

We are happy campers as while looking around for the weather channel number I saw MSNBC is now on DirecTV in HD. 
We spend lots of time watching the Channel for Politics. Now it's in HD Yeah...
We weren't total slugs today. We, I mean Terry cleaned the bathroom. My job was to talk him into it. What I'm best at. 
 
 

We have landed at the home of NuWa who made our HitchHiker.

We left Platt, KS and drove again some very smooth highways. From the start at US 160 at Trinidad in Colorado and in Kansas US 160 and US 56 and US 400 all have been some of the best roads we have been on. We will take this route again. And with great cost effective camprounds along the way. See my last few blogs to find where we stayed overnight. Not just in RV parks but real campgrounds at almost free rates. This is one fine way to cross eastern Colorado and Kansas. 
Oh I guess, we did have a slight delay with this flagman today. 

I have to say man as it doesn't look like any woman I have ever seen. 
The manfacturing tag even said... Remote Controlled Flagman. By the way, I looked and didn't see anyone sitting around controlling this thing. Me thinks they were just timed back and forth between the two units. 

Are no jobs sacred anymore. Wonder what this FRED cost so as to be able to replace that summer job for the local kid. 
Now thinking about all this do you think a local kid or an out of work adult would even want to stand in the sun and heat all day and be a Flagman anymore. Now to be fair if the construction company wont pay a living wage, guess they should use these machines. After all people are needed to make these things and bet they make good money doing that.  Which creates more jobs, standing on the highway flagging down traffic, breathing exhaust fumes, or in a factory building these things.  I stop now.... movin on... the light just turned GREEN.

Since Terry had been drinking his hot tea we had to pull off the road for a pit stop. We stopped at the tiny burg of Beaumont and as we turned off the main US 400 highway we saw this sign heading into the burg. 

Just what you need in Kansas, me thinks. 

Also when we went a bit further to find a place to turn around we ran into this hysterical marker. 

Do see this link to the Hotel and the history of the area. 
Beaumont Hotel in the scenic Flint Hills of Kansas in 1879. It was first used as a stagecoach station and stopping place for travelers from Fredonia and Wichita. In 1885, Beaumont was established as a railroad town. The water tower, built in 1885, stands across from the hotel and is the only one still in use in the United States. The former roundhouse, built in 1890 across from the hotel, employed 90 people. Beaumont was established as the overhaul station between St. Louis and Wichita. The Beaumont Hotel, then known, as the Summit Hotel, was the highest point on the Frisco Line from Ellsworth, Kansas to St. Louis. Guests included cattle barons from Texas and Oklahoma and the elite of the Frisco Railroad. It was used as headquarters for those who shipped or brought cattle in to fatten. While the cattle barons and ranchers stayed in the hotel, the cowboys camped outside.
The Bed and Breakfast Hotel and Cafe. 

Continuing on we did at last come to Chanute, KS. A friendly place we like to sort of feel is home away from home. It is the birthplace of HitchHiker fifth wheels after all. The city RV park  is Free for a couple of days and then only $10. It is part of a huge park complex with lake, golf course,and many several ball diamonds. All well maintained and a pleasure to stay here. We opted to grab one of the few sites directly behind the outfield of the ball field. No trees to the south so we know we can get a good satellite signal. Hope they have a game or two planned so we can watch the action.

The view through our 5er door.

The view form our dinning area window at one of the ball fields and the main section of the RV Park. 

We are happy to be here and will get our 5er in for minor service on Thursday and then across the street to the huge truck center so they can look at our rear trailer axle alignment on Friday. 
It is clear and warm (leaving the NOAA weather scanner on just in case) and Terry will do steaks on the grill tonight... what could be better...

Wednesday is a day off so we are just going to hang and relax and get ready for our appointment on Thursday. 
Did I say they let you wash your rig here. Oh Terry...
 
 
 

Yes we are deep in Kansas now Toto. 

We have eluded the Wicked Witch of the West who has not found us yet. 

We have eluded the storm gods so far. Click your heels...  Or for the rest of us knock on wood...

This is the norm looking out the windshield as we trek down the road. 

We left Ulysses to the east on US 160. It turns south but we took the KS 144 cutoff to US 56  and then up to Ensign and another shortcut east to Ford. If you do this route no need to go up to Dodge City. 

At Ford down to US 400 again an onward east.  Went through Greensburg. You know that was where teh city was blown away with a huge tornada.  They have rebuilt green so to speak. But we found the downtown was a little overbuilt. Fancy and up scale.. Don't think the population who is left can support the commerce. 
Moving on I had found a county park at Pratt at www.freecampgrounds.com   So we headed for that.

Did you know there is a Walmart in Pratt. We stocked up. We were out of milk. But as you can guess that is not all we got. 
We missed lunch so we went into Walmart hungry. $54 bucks later we left to find the county lake. My Droid led us right to it. Damn it is starting to sound like Terry...  I told him I would ignore my Droid navigator and make a wrong turn if it would make him feel better. As if I had followed his directions that would be the norm. 

But our FRED directed us right to the county park. And what a nice facility this is. 

I had Terry unload all the firewood we have been carrying that we got on back roads around the Grand Canyon so we could burn it. I saw on the web reports that Iowa and other states were doing a big time search, with fines, for wood brought into their states. 
A quarantine prohibiting the movement of firewood, ash nursery stock, ash timber, or any other article that could further spread EAB (Emerald Ash Borer) is pending from the Iowa Department of Agriculture. A federal quarantine would follow the state quarantine.
Dealing with the ash borer. 
• Don't move firewood. 
Officials are asking campers to get their firewood at the campsite. IA for one said they will provide firewood at the campsite for you to use. 
So we are not going to carry firewood as we travel.  Please do the same... Don't carry firewood across state lines. 
As an example... Ashes account for 5 to 6 percent of forest trees in Iowa, and as much as 60 percent of some city stands, the Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports. The state has 88 million ash trees, 30 million of them in urban areas.
All of these trees are going to die... it is only a matter of time. This is just in one state... All we can do is slow it down. That's the fact.
If only if the Good Witch of the East could help us now. I would click my heels until the magic wore out, if it would help. 
Wikipedia article about the Emerald Ash Borer

Sorry for the down article... Check back tomorrow and I will get you back up again as we move on across Toto land. 
Click your heels together now, and all will be alright, me thinks.... 
 
 
 

Onward to Kansas Toto...

We again woke up to clear skies so we took off for southeast Colorado and Kansas. 

We took US 160 from Trinidad to the east. Now this is a very lonely highway as you get into it. We clicked our heals and headed on. 
If we were lucky we would meet someone every half hour or so. There is nothing between Trinidad and Kim (see the map) and at Kim you could see it was once a bustling town with a movie theater. But now not even a gas station that we could see. They still had a school. How do you support a school and not have a grocery store or gas station.  This is many miles from any sized town. What winter must be like in this former bustling city. With a super wide main street so clean, well kept lawns, but a city lost in time. 

Internet file photo
With three huge grain towers that were now shut down since the railroad left town. (We took pictures but they were lost uploading) 
Highway US 160  was a smooth good blacktop road.  If you want to take the back roads across this part of the country, this is one you will like. 

We had planned to stop at Springfield but you know me it was just past noon and I just kept going. I got on my Droid smart phone (had 3G service in Kim no less) confirmed that at Ulysses, KS the town had a park next to a lake (9 sites e/w for $8 a night.)
So yes we kept on trucken. Crossed over into central time as we got to KS so lost a hour. 
But we still got to Ulysses and their Frazier City Park at about 3:30 PM central time. 

As you can see this is a gem. with 9 level cement pads, 30 amps and  water. Oh and did I say $8 and you can stay for 14 days. 
Golf course attached if you are into that. 

We got here early enough for Terry to mix up a rub to do the rack of pork ribs we bought a few days ago. 
Sunday night, great weather, forecast is looking good for the next few days. Who could ask for more, me thinks...
 
 

Day trip on the National ByWays  Highway of Legends 

We woke up to clear skies. Just what we wanted for a day trip to the mountains. How nice of the gods.

Wall painting in Walsenburg.

We left Trinidad and went west heading to Cuchara. First roadside stop was where we learned that coal really was a big deal here in the past.  When they closed the mine they sold the houses to anyone who wanted to say. 

 This was coal country until they shut down in about 1941.   Cokedale  was a big time smelting town. 

The views were more than one could ask for. There is a reason they call this a Scenic Byway after all. 

At the Cuchara Pass we could see it had probably snowed last night while we had rain in Trinidad. 

We had thought about taking the even higher Byway cutoff over to Aguilar but looking at the wet muddy gravel road we decided against it.  Looking up we were worried the road might just be blocked due to snow. After all we are in a dually non 4X4 and it gets stuck on wet grass so if we were to run into snow we would be screwed. As you can see from the map it crosses the pass again at a much higher level. 

Later in the day when we toured Aguilar coming down I-35 form Walsenburg and saw they had a sign that the Pass going west was closed. Guess we made the right choice. 

So we stayed on the main route to Cuchara, a small tourist trap. I hate tourist traps, Terry loves them. So unnatural.
Sure the locals need to make money so they can live in paradise ALL the time. I know, I know. 

We continued on to La Veta fueled up and head off for Walsenburg. But not until we captured this shot going north from town. 

We stopped for a bite to eat before hitting I-35 going south back toward Trinidad.
We stopped at Aguilar on the way back down the front range to see this monument to coal.

Every turn in the road reminded us of why we do the www.HitchItch.com web site. 
Hitch Iitch  The restless urge to see new territory beyond the curve in the road ahead...

It was a great day trip exploring southern Colorado. 

Sunday we will check the weather forcast and head out across Kansas if all looks good. 
 
 
 

Up and off down the road we went.  At 10 AM that is.

We had planned to go east to La Veta and then south on CO 12 to Trinidad. I had looked ahead and stumbled upon the National ByWays Highway of Legends on that route. Terry came up with a better idea as we pulled out of the RV park this morning... How dare my navigator come up with better routing plans. He suggested we go straight over to Walsenburg and down to Trinidad and find an RV park and then day trip the Highway of Legends on Saturday. Why do a hard pull over this scenic road, and then after we get to Trinidad, wonder what to do on Saturday. I had to admit that made sense to me. Now stop us, being rational. 

The La Veta Pass on US 160 was cloud covered as we got higher up on the pass. It was still clear in this picture. 
What you wanted a picture of blinding fog with nothing in it for you to see. This was an easy pull. Putting it in second gear to hold the downgrade worked well. 

I stopped at a Interstate overpass going south from Walenburg and got out my Droid smart phone and looked up Trinidad RV parks on the map feature to see if it would find more RV parks than we had found on the web already. It still found only three along with the CO state park. We called them all. The State Park had only one site left with an open view of the south for our sat dish. But to get it we would have to call another numbr and reserve it. They couldn't do that while we were on the phone with them. And since when can you reserve a site, same day. We do not like CO State Parks anyway. Sort of the KOA of state parks. $24 for a site $6 entrance and $8 reservation charge.  And Yes you have to pay the daily entrance fee even when paying for a campsite. A rip off. 

The private RV parks in Trinidad were after thoughts to motels or a down and out mobile home park. We settled on Budget Motel and RV park. (not to worry this was not a national motel chain or even a truck or car rental outfit) $30.88 including tax. 15 sites, about 5 usable. See picture below. We got the end site where we could actually extend our slides. The other two RV Parks were worse if you can believe that.  But we have landed and settled. Now watching the weather for our day trip on Saturday. 
Let alone the forecast for next week when we venture out into tornado alley. Across Kansas.. .no less.. ToTo.. If you remember we have a service appointment at the NuWa factory at Chanute, KS on Thursday. All this risk to just get a samll screw removed from popping up in the kitchen floor. 
Or if it all goes to hell and the 5er is destroyed, and we servive.  We do have a brand new replacement policy for five years.  We like the one we have just fine. All together now ... Knock on Wood.  At least we would be at the factory to pick out a new unit. 

Back to today... and the here and now.

Looking at the picture... there is another staggered site between us and the one you can see with the connections. Two sites using one set of utilities.
All this needs is white lines like a parking lot. There is no way you could get other units in here next to each other with slides. Only if every other site was used. We got our site, first one in, our heat pump is working and we are happy. 

If you want to look ahead, see this link for Highway of Legends which is a National Scenic ByWays
The Scenic ByWays road goes west out of Trinidad on CO 12. 
Hoping the weather clears and we have a good day trip.

It is now overcast with rain on and off. It has been a long time since we have seen this kind of rainy weather. 

We took a getting to know the area drive to downtown Trinidad to look around. 
The old main Street has some unique architecture.
Worth a drive through even if you don't stop overnight. 

I found this link to Postcards from Trinidad: Downtown Trinidad 1905-1965  VERY COOL do click on it.
These old post cards give a fascinating glimpse of Trinidad as seen through the eyes of generations of tourists.
Use the scroll bar to view the postcards. 

Terry is making dough for a homemade pizza for later while we watch Bill Maher on HBO. 
 
 
 

A day trip to the Great Sand Dunes National Park.

There is a National Park right up the road north of us and with my Senior Pass why not, we get in free, so off we went, but not untill in the afternoon mind you.  In the past when seeing a NP sign we would drive right on by. But now with my Senior Pass we stop and enjoy the splender. 
Below some road pullouts on the way to the park on CO 150 north of US 160.

This overlook was all about the Medano-Zapata Ranch History.

In 1806, President Thomas Jefferson sent Lt. Zebulon Pike to discover the source of the Red River, which was considered to be the dividing line between the newly acquired Louisiana Purchase and the Spanish Territories. In the dead of winter, Pike crossed the Sangre de Cristo Mountains with twelve men. Upon exiting Mosca Pass, he described his first view of the sand dunes. He said it was as if one was looking upon a sea. We know from his journals that he descended and camped in a “copse” of cottonwoods that is now the headquarters for the Zapata Ranch. Unfortunately, Pike wandered into Spanish territory and one month after building a fort, the Spanish imprisoned him. Over one year later, he and his men were released at the Texas border.  Read more about the history of this area...   Southern Utes,  Spanish Explorers,  Mexican and American settlements.

Next on to the Sand Dunes...

Ok we had to stop. They had a pullout and see the cement sidewalk right up to the sign for picture taking. 
Up the road at the entrance station the guy was in the main building when we drove up, so he ran out to the station and when I showed him my Senior Pass he looked at us and said "You guys borrowed that from your dad didn't you?"  I slide my drivers lic out from under it and he said without looking "I believe you, and waved us through." without checking to see if the pass and drivers ID matched. It is the slow season me thinks. How would you like to sit in a entrance station with no traffic. You signed up for a career as a park ranger to explore and protect the wilds... and you end up on a tour at a toll booth in an out of the way NP. Later on the way out a lady ranger at that station stopped us and asked for our entrance receipt. I told her the story and she just rolled her eyes and  waved us out. He was supposed to give us a sticker for our windshield. 

We stopped at the visitor center and watched a very well done video about this wonder of nature. We learned a lot. The park is also preserve to protect the areas vast wetlands. Who knew there were wetlands along with sand dunes. Very interesting area. See their visitor guide. pdf
and of course the glossy handout  you get at all NPs. See the  History & Culture  and Nature & Science sections. 
So there you have it, everything you might want to know. There are creatures (that exist nowhere else on this earth). Only here. 
Click the Nature & Science above link to see them.

Now you know we would never try to climb to the top of the dunes. It is about 8200 ft here, and they are about 750 feet higher. 
SO I borrowed a picture from the gps.gov site. 

As we always do, toured the campground loops. The place was overrun with kids in tents. Hundreds and hundreds. Some huge group of some sort. 
The sites were small and only a couple sites big enough for an RV could get into. This was one, it was empty with a great view no less. 

 There is a private RV park high overlooking the whole area before the NP entrance station for bigger rigs. 
I looked it up so don't have to. Great Sand Dunes Oasis   RV spots $28 with great views. 

We are now back in our little (PassportAmerica) $10 price is right RV park in Blanca, CO. Next time might hit the above private RV park.
But since the weather went overcast in the afternoon, glad we are hiding out for less. It was still about mid 50s so not that cold. 
Terry is cooking chicken gumbo with sausage and other good things. 
Next in the morning after checking the wearther will head on out to the plains of Kansas. 
 
 

A clear and calm morning so off we went. 

After long hot showers last night and clean flannel sheets we sleep well.
We had talked about getting up early but only managed to hit the road about 9:30 AM. 
We have over a week to kill before we have to be in Chanute, KS so what's the rush was our thinking while still in bed waking up.

And our map of the day... US 64 from Navajo Dam to Chama and up CO 17 to US 285 and then Alamosa and now at Blanca, CO

Taking CO 17 makes a good shortcut. We will do this route again. Anything to keep Terry out of Taos. 

  And right away this one. 

CO 17 north of Chama is a fun road to drive. Colorado must have money as the entire route had its markings repainted. We did drain most of our fresh water tank when we dumped at the campground to reduce the load over the passes. (We once drove west up the 10% grade from Jaskson Hole, WY with a full tank of water, Never Again.) We stopped and told the campground host at Cottonwood campground at Navajo Dam who was out and about visiting with campers that the water mess at the dump station was fresh water and why we drained it.  But I don't think he understood as his reply was "That's Good" which didn't make sense to us. We just drove on around the campground loop. As we passed by our old site another host was already gathering our left over campfire wood which we had gathered from the neighboring site and not used. Was a slow day for the hosts me thinks. 

Our Duramax diesel did not even groan on this route into Colorado. It sure helped we had changed the fuel filter a while back. 
We had plenty of power. Like I said before I like the back roads when even with the switch backs so I can slow down and put it in 2nd and then brake when I get going a little fast for my liking. I don't have to worry about the engine downshifting and revving up. There was no traffic at all, had no impatient drivers on my tail. 

We followed the narrow gage train tracks of Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad for some of the drive. We have wanted to take this train trip but they don't startup till May 26 and end in late Oct. so we our travels have never meshed with their schedule. But when it does we sure will book a ride. We have been on the the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad trip several times and know just how great these trips are. 

After we got to flat country at 7816 ft (the pass was 10230 ft) (My Droid Altitude App confirmed it) we stopped in Alamosa at where else Walmart and then on about 15 miles east on US 160 to Blanca to a Passport America RV park. At $10 a night. Just a place to stay, and we got satellite service but no 3G cell data service. The woman in the office was very friendly. 

I got to try out my new Droid Incredible smart phone with Navagation as I stopped south of Alamosa and told it to use my current location and take me to Walmart. (I really didn't know where the store was.) As it talked to us, it did just that. It would be cool if I could program it with Terry's voice so I would think he was giving the driections. He hates FREDs that outshine him... 

Looks like we are not level but we are not very far off. We jacked up the hitch a bit so we can unhook easily so we can be on the go for a day trip. 
From just out our door this is the view. Terry took this shot.

We are now planning to stay here a second night and tour the Great Sand Dunes National Park on Thursday which is just north of where we are at. What's the rush, me thinks... 
 
 
 
 

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