Aug 29th – Mon – to San Antonio TX
When we set up yesterday, we noticed a badly worn spot on a tire on the 5th wheel. When we had the work done on the rig and got 2 new tires, we knew one tire was wearing slightly on the inside so Terry has them turn it around and put it on a different axle. It might have been out of balance (trailer tires aren’t generally balanced) because now a strip on the side about a foot long had no tread left. So we started the day by changing the tire which certainly beats changing it on the side of the road after a flat. Then shortly after we got going, the “check engine” light came on. This happened a few months ago and a Chev dealer had to reset the computer so we figured that would be the case again as no other message showed up.
Our drive was only 90 miles and once again we thanked Wanda for getting us through the maze of highways to the southeast corner of San Antonio. Actually the address is Elmendorf but we are only 15 minutes from downtown SA in Braunig Lake RV Resort which does have its own little lake.
The first thing we did after lunch was find a tire shop. Amazingly enough, a Discount Tire that the park employees told us about had the tire we needed in stock. They were incredibly busy but we weren’t in a big hurry and Terry did have them balance the tire. There was no Chev dealer nearby so we returned to the park and relaxed for a while before deciding to check out the pool. It is a little ways from our site and the temperature was a toasty 109 so we drove rather than walked. Immediately, we got a message on the DIC saying “Cleaning DPF, keep driving until this message goes off” so we headed for the freeway while I dug out the manual. I found out that DPF is “diesel particulate filter” and cleaning happens often and unnoticeably. But sometimes it needs more cleaning which results in the message and can take up to 30 minutes of CONTINUOUS driving above 30 mph with no extended idling which meant we were in the perfect place on the freeway. After 15 minutes, we turned around and the message – and the check engine light - obediently went off less than 10 minutes later – YES, one more glitch handled!
Now it was time to head for the sparkly clean pool where the water temperature was perfect. I can’t figure out how they keep it cool enough in this heat. There are a lot of rigs in this park but only a young woman & her small son were in the pool with us. I think most of the tenants are living here full time.
After we were sufficiently wrinkled, we headed back to the rig for drinks, dinner & TV.
Aug 30th – Tues – San Antonio
After breakfast we went “downtown” where the Riverwalk and the Alamo commemoration site are located. The office here had told us about a place to park which at $10 for a day is the cheapest price. We wandered to the Riverwalk and took a boat tour. We did this the last time we were here but again it is amazing how much you forget especially when the guide is spouting facts for 35 minutes. A young family sitting next to us was from Spokane.
Even though the temperatures were climbing rapidly, we walked a lot along the river and then through a multi-story shopping complex. We sat at a table outside to have a beer and watch the ducks, pigeons & carp snap up any bits of food.
It was too hot to do much more so we tried to find a couple of places to check out FTA (free to air) but they were both not there any more. So we stopped at a Big Lots and came back to the park where we hit the pool again. This time there was one young lady sunbathing and 3 people came just as we were leaving. Then it was time for another quiet evening.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Aug 26th to 28th - Carlsbad NM to Kerrville TX
Aug 26th – Fri – to Carlsbad NM
After replacing the landing jack clips and moving to the dump to empty our waste tanks, we were on the road about 9. This meant we avoided rush hour traffic which can be pretty bad in Albuquerque. Terry thought we would take I25 south to I10 but when I checked on the GPS, it was almost 100 miles further than going about 40 miles east on I40 and then south on 285 – thank you Wanda!
We stopped for diesel in Vaughn, for a sandwich in a rest area somewhere south of that and pulled into Carlsbad RV & Campgrounds just after 2. The temperature was 103 so after setting up and drinking a glass of ice water, we checked out the indoor “heated” pool. I still can’t figure out where they got cold water for the pool as I could not run enough water to get cold water in our tap! It took Terry a while to ease into the pool but it was very refreshing.
On the way back to our rig, we paused to speak to a couple who had just checked in and who we had passed on the highway earlier today - we recognized their tow car. We told them that we were going to the bat flight this evening at Carlsbad Caverns and they decided to go as well. The bat flight program started at 7 and the bats started flying out of the cave about 7:40. It was very disappointing as there is a much smaller colony this year due to dry conditions and fewer mosquitoes for the bats to eat. Last year the bats looked like smoke coming out of the cave and formed visible “clouds” as they flew away.
It was still 91 degrees when we got back at 8:30 but the AC was doing a good job.
Aug 27th – Sat – Carlsbad
We lazed around a bit and had breakfast before we went back to Carlsbad Caverns. We walked down the Natural Entrance and then did the loop around the Big Room. We have done this before and it is amazing how much you don’t remember. It is so incredible that we have Senior Passes and get into national parks for free as it certainly encourages us to repeat these visits. The 2 larger elevators are being renovated but there weren’t a lot of people so we didn’t have to wait to take the elevator 750 feet back to the top. Even a wait would have been better than walking back out the Natural Entrance – 1 ¼ miles with an elevation gain of 800 feet.
Back in town, we filled up with diesel and stopped for a hamburger for lunch. We relaxed for a while and did some research & emails on the computer and then went to WalMart for some ingredients for dinner.
Aug 28th – Sun – to Kerrville TX
I personally think we are crazy – heading east & south in the summer when nearly everywhere in the country is having hotter than usual temperatures.
We left at 8 intending to stop at Sonora Caverns but decided we had enough caves for a while and carried on to By the River RV Park & Campground just outside of Kerrville and just off I10. We did stop for fuel & lunch in Ozona (!!) but otherwise just cruised along the freeway and kept the AC going. There is not much to see in the part of Texas that we drove through.
Apparently a lot of snow birds stay in the Kerrville/Fredericksburg area of Texas because of the low prices and moderate temperatures. The employee who checked us in was from Colorado and didn’t know the winter temps here however.
We are in a large, shady spot on a sluggish fork of the Guadalupe River. When we set up, it was 104 outside and 100 inside. We sat outside in the shade for a while to give the AC time to get the inside cooled off, took a walk to the river proper and then crashed inside. We got a bit of a thunder/rain storm which really turned up the humidity and definitely convinced us to watch TV inside for the rest of the evening.
After replacing the landing jack clips and moving to the dump to empty our waste tanks, we were on the road about 9. This meant we avoided rush hour traffic which can be pretty bad in Albuquerque. Terry thought we would take I25 south to I10 but when I checked on the GPS, it was almost 100 miles further than going about 40 miles east on I40 and then south on 285 – thank you Wanda!
We stopped for diesel in Vaughn, for a sandwich in a rest area somewhere south of that and pulled into Carlsbad RV & Campgrounds just after 2. The temperature was 103 so after setting up and drinking a glass of ice water, we checked out the indoor “heated” pool. I still can’t figure out where they got cold water for the pool as I could not run enough water to get cold water in our tap! It took Terry a while to ease into the pool but it was very refreshing.
On the way back to our rig, we paused to speak to a couple who had just checked in and who we had passed on the highway earlier today - we recognized their tow car. We told them that we were going to the bat flight this evening at Carlsbad Caverns and they decided to go as well. The bat flight program started at 7 and the bats started flying out of the cave about 7:40. It was very disappointing as there is a much smaller colony this year due to dry conditions and fewer mosquitoes for the bats to eat. Last year the bats looked like smoke coming out of the cave and formed visible “clouds” as they flew away.
It was still 91 degrees when we got back at 8:30 but the AC was doing a good job.
Aug 27th – Sat – Carlsbad
We lazed around a bit and had breakfast before we went back to Carlsbad Caverns. We walked down the Natural Entrance and then did the loop around the Big Room. We have done this before and it is amazing how much you don’t remember. It is so incredible that we have Senior Passes and get into national parks for free as it certainly encourages us to repeat these visits. The 2 larger elevators are being renovated but there weren’t a lot of people so we didn’t have to wait to take the elevator 750 feet back to the top. Even a wait would have been better than walking back out the Natural Entrance – 1 ¼ miles with an elevation gain of 800 feet.
Back in town, we filled up with diesel and stopped for a hamburger for lunch. We relaxed for a while and did some research & emails on the computer and then went to WalMart for some ingredients for dinner.
Aug 28th – Sun – to Kerrville TX
I personally think we are crazy – heading east & south in the summer when nearly everywhere in the country is having hotter than usual temperatures.
We left at 8 intending to stop at Sonora Caverns but decided we had enough caves for a while and carried on to By the River RV Park & Campground just outside of Kerrville and just off I10. We did stop for fuel & lunch in Ozona (!!) but otherwise just cruised along the freeway and kept the AC going. There is not much to see in the part of Texas that we drove through.
Apparently a lot of snow birds stay in the Kerrville/Fredericksburg area of Texas because of the low prices and moderate temperatures. The employee who checked us in was from Colorado and didn’t know the winter temps here however.
We are in a large, shady spot on a sluggish fork of the Guadalupe River. When we set up, it was 104 outside and 100 inside. We sat outside in the shade for a while to give the AC time to get the inside cooled off, took a walk to the river proper and then crashed inside. We got a bit of a thunder/rain storm which really turned up the humidity and definitely convinced us to watch TV inside for the rest of the evening.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Aug 22nd to 25th - Bernalillo
Aug 22nd – Mon – Bernalillo
I researched on the computer for oil change places and we went to find one. On the way we saw a WalMart and decided to try it again. This time the employee knew how to find the torque that he needed (a large chart that the other store should have had?) and there was no one in line. Getting an oil change at WalMart also gives you something to do while you are waiting!
As we were going to our next errand, we realized that we could get a $2.99 breakfast at the casino and since it was after 10 it was a good idea. Of course it cost us a bit more with some gambling but not much.
We went to a trailer supply place that a neighbor in the park told us about to get new spring-loaded clips for the landing jacks. One of them broke when we were in Canon City and the repair shop welded it but it didn’t slide well and Terry didn’t trust it. At the store we discovered that there are 2 sizes and we didn’t know our size so off we went to find an RV dealer with a Montana. We finally found one and decided not to buy their clips at $59.00 a pair but went back to the first place to buy them for $33.
On the way back we had to go right past another large casino. The weather was very hot and air conditioning sounded good so we stopped. I did OK and slowed the losses even if I didn’t cover Terry completely. Back at the rig we turned on the air & TV and enjoyed a drink before dinner. We stumbled onto a TV program called “American Ninja”. It was an entertaining 2 hours about 10 Americans trying to complete an obstacle course in Japan.
Aug 23rd – Tues – Bernalillo
After coffee & a bowl of fruit, we went to see the camp host and pay for our site. It costs $22 a night and includes 50 amp electric & water. There is no sewer but there is a dump in the park. We figure it is a good price and we can pay an extra $5 to wash the 5th wheel so we will stay a few more days. We ended up chatting with the host (Nancy) and a city employee – this is a city owned campground – for quite a while.
The water pressure disappeared late yesterday and was still bad this morning. Terry checked every connection as it seemed as if there was more water at the tap than in the rig. When we talked to Nancy we found out they had the same problem and then we saw a short item on TV that said Bernalillo lost a water pump so we knew it wasn’t just us. But that put a crimp in the plans to wash the rig.
I made breakfast about 11 and then we went to check out a golf course that we can see from the campground. We had to go past the casino to get there and decided on the way back that we could play golf tomorrow morning (when it is cooler) or we could spend the money in casinos. You can probably guess what we chose!! Yep, the casino again where we played a long time on half our normal allowance.
We had more water when we returned so Terry got everything out and washed the 5th wheel. I cleaned one recliner and washed the fan blades (embarrassing!) before helping Terry by using a long handled squeegee to wipe off the water.
We were just finishing when a neighbor moved in. We found out that they (Bob & Leah) lived in Pierre SD and lost their home in the recent floods. Of course in an area that rarely floods, they did not have flood insurance so they bought an older motor home & tow vehicle and are heading for San Diego for a new start. We invited them to join us for hamburgers for dinner which we were able to enjoy outside in our private casita which is another reason why we like this park.
Aug 24th – Wed – Bernalillo
Here is something you haven’t heard for a while – jelly biscuits for breakfast. Then we did more cleaning & organizing & visiting with neighbors before finding a laundromat. Yesterday laundromats and car washes were closed in Bernalillo due to the water pump problem.
Then we felt we deserved a break and headed once more to the nearby casino as they had specials today for 50 & “better” card holders. Terry once again won some money and kept us going for the rest of the afternoon.
About 4:30 we decided to take advantage of the half price, very good buffet for us older folks.
We came back to the rig expecting it to be cool from the air conditioning that we left running. Oops, Terry cannot read the thermostat and just turned on the fan so it was HOT.
There have been thunderstorms and flash flood warnings all over New Mexico since we have been here but we are not in an area affected by the floods. We had a bit of rain in the evening – naturally since we washed the rig!
Aug 25th – Thurs – Bernalillo
There was a lot of lightning, thunder and short rain storms last night. We didn’t sleep too well so were lazy and watched TV in bed before getting going. After breakfast, I backed up files on the computer and worked on expenses while Terry washed the outside of the windows on the 5th wheel. The weather is still very hot so this time we set the air conditioner correctly before going for a drive and then stopping for groceries & misc items at WalMart.
We have been looking at the Atlas and browsing the internet to decide where we are going from here and finally decided that we are going back to San Antonio TX. The weather was cool and rainy when we stopped there previously so we want to check it out again.
I researched on the computer for oil change places and we went to find one. On the way we saw a WalMart and decided to try it again. This time the employee knew how to find the torque that he needed (a large chart that the other store should have had?) and there was no one in line. Getting an oil change at WalMart also gives you something to do while you are waiting!
As we were going to our next errand, we realized that we could get a $2.99 breakfast at the casino and since it was after 10 it was a good idea. Of course it cost us a bit more with some gambling but not much.
We went to a trailer supply place that a neighbor in the park told us about to get new spring-loaded clips for the landing jacks. One of them broke when we were in Canon City and the repair shop welded it but it didn’t slide well and Terry didn’t trust it. At the store we discovered that there are 2 sizes and we didn’t know our size so off we went to find an RV dealer with a Montana. We finally found one and decided not to buy their clips at $59.00 a pair but went back to the first place to buy them for $33.
On the way back we had to go right past another large casino. The weather was very hot and air conditioning sounded good so we stopped. I did OK and slowed the losses even if I didn’t cover Terry completely. Back at the rig we turned on the air & TV and enjoyed a drink before dinner. We stumbled onto a TV program called “American Ninja”. It was an entertaining 2 hours about 10 Americans trying to complete an obstacle course in Japan.
Aug 23rd – Tues – Bernalillo
After coffee & a bowl of fruit, we went to see the camp host and pay for our site. It costs $22 a night and includes 50 amp electric & water. There is no sewer but there is a dump in the park. We figure it is a good price and we can pay an extra $5 to wash the 5th wheel so we will stay a few more days. We ended up chatting with the host (Nancy) and a city employee – this is a city owned campground – for quite a while.
The water pressure disappeared late yesterday and was still bad this morning. Terry checked every connection as it seemed as if there was more water at the tap than in the rig. When we talked to Nancy we found out they had the same problem and then we saw a short item on TV that said Bernalillo lost a water pump so we knew it wasn’t just us. But that put a crimp in the plans to wash the rig.
I made breakfast about 11 and then we went to check out a golf course that we can see from the campground. We had to go past the casino to get there and decided on the way back that we could play golf tomorrow morning (when it is cooler) or we could spend the money in casinos. You can probably guess what we chose!! Yep, the casino again where we played a long time on half our normal allowance.
We had more water when we returned so Terry got everything out and washed the 5th wheel. I cleaned one recliner and washed the fan blades (embarrassing!) before helping Terry by using a long handled squeegee to wipe off the water.
We were just finishing when a neighbor moved in. We found out that they (Bob & Leah) lived in Pierre SD and lost their home in the recent floods. Of course in an area that rarely floods, they did not have flood insurance so they bought an older motor home & tow vehicle and are heading for San Diego for a new start. We invited them to join us for hamburgers for dinner which we were able to enjoy outside in our private casita which is another reason why we like this park.
Aug 24th – Wed – Bernalillo
Here is something you haven’t heard for a while – jelly biscuits for breakfast. Then we did more cleaning & organizing & visiting with neighbors before finding a laundromat. Yesterday laundromats and car washes were closed in Bernalillo due to the water pump problem.
Then we felt we deserved a break and headed once more to the nearby casino as they had specials today for 50 & “better” card holders. Terry once again won some money and kept us going for the rest of the afternoon.
About 4:30 we decided to take advantage of the half price, very good buffet for us older folks.
We came back to the rig expecting it to be cool from the air conditioning that we left running. Oops, Terry cannot read the thermostat and just turned on the fan so it was HOT.
There have been thunderstorms and flash flood warnings all over New Mexico since we have been here but we are not in an area affected by the floods. We had a bit of rain in the evening – naturally since we washed the rig!
Aug 25th – Thurs – Bernalillo
There was a lot of lightning, thunder and short rain storms last night. We didn’t sleep too well so were lazy and watched TV in bed before getting going. After breakfast, I backed up files on the computer and worked on expenses while Terry washed the outside of the windows on the 5th wheel. The weather is still very hot so this time we set the air conditioner correctly before going for a drive and then stopping for groceries & misc items at WalMart.
We have been looking at the Atlas and browsing the internet to decide where we are going from here and finally decided that we are going back to San Antonio TX. The weather was cool and rainy when we stopped there previously so we want to check it out again.
Monday, August 22, 2011
Aug 19th to 21st - CO to NM
Aug 19th –Fri – to Salida
We continued with the waiting and trying to contact the insurance company. We did the coffee & doughnuts in the park again this morning and then back to the repair facility where Terry told me about a waiting room so I didn’t have to sit outside on a hard bench to read. The wheels finally got there about 3 but then we had to wait some more while someone went to get lug nuts and then made another trip to get the correct size of lug nuts!
Our rig was finally pulled out about 4:30 and we were on our way west. We were about 7 miles out of town and just about to lose cell coverage when the service manager called and said our microwave turntable was sitting in the office. I said we would be back, we found a place to turn around and headed back. Just as we were pulling off the highway, we saw the service manager turning around to go back to the shop as he saw us. We lost cell coverage as I was talking to him and he didn’t hear that we were coming back. So we got the turntable and headed out once again.
We ran out of water in the rig this morning and I asked Terry a couple of times to find a way to put some water in but in the relief of getting everything done he forgot. So we drove past a few dry camping areas to a campsite that we had seen on our previous trip to Salida. We pulled in only to find that they did not have any vacancies. We passed WalMart and finally decided that since it was close to 7 we better not drive further hoping to find a place to stay. We returned to WalMart, went in and bought 3 gallons of water and stayed there overnight.
Aug 20th – Sat – to Great Sand Dunes National Park
Terry returned a socket for the new lug nuts that he bought at WalMart (wrong drive size) and we were on our way fairly early. We went through Alamosa and then west & north to just before Sand Dunes Park to an RV park that we found in a brochure. We had no trouble getting a spot as all the UFO people (!?) are camping in the tenting area.
We set up, put some water in the fresh tank, did some cleaning and had a late breakfast. A young couple on a motorcycle who camped beside us was leaving. They had broken a latch on a storage box and lost their map so we gave them a map and a strap with Velcro to hold the box together. Then we went to Great Sand Dunes Ntl Park a few miles away. We watched a film, browsed through the visitor center and drove to a parking area where a lot of people head into the dunes. We had sandals on and they are not recommended as the sand gets very hot so we took pictures and came back.
Then it was back to Alamosa for diesel, a socket and an oil change. I guess 2 out of 3 is OK. We tried to get an oil change at WalMart (only place in town to get one on Sat afternoon) but they did not have the specs for the drain plug torque (rig is too new?!!) so they couldn’t do it. We got some steaks for dinner, hit a rain storm on the way back and relaxed. The rain was over by the time we got back to our site so Terry didn’t get wet when he BBQ’d the steaks and we were able to go for a nice walk after dinner.
Aug 21st – Sun – to Bernalillo NM
We woke up early as we went to bed early so we were on the road just after 8. We went back to Alamosa and then pretty much straight south. We drove through several rain showers on the way but most of the areas looked like they needed rain. It would have been a 4 hour drive but we stopped for lunch and a little gambling at a casino.
We got set up at the Coronado Campground where we have stayed before. Then we decided that we didn’t have quite enough gambling so we went to the Santa Ana Star Casino which is way too close to the campground.
It was time for happy hour when we got back and then dinner.
We continued with the waiting and trying to contact the insurance company. We did the coffee & doughnuts in the park again this morning and then back to the repair facility where Terry told me about a waiting room so I didn’t have to sit outside on a hard bench to read. The wheels finally got there about 3 but then we had to wait some more while someone went to get lug nuts and then made another trip to get the correct size of lug nuts!
Our rig was finally pulled out about 4:30 and we were on our way west. We were about 7 miles out of town and just about to lose cell coverage when the service manager called and said our microwave turntable was sitting in the office. I said we would be back, we found a place to turn around and headed back. Just as we were pulling off the highway, we saw the service manager turning around to go back to the shop as he saw us. We lost cell coverage as I was talking to him and he didn’t hear that we were coming back. So we got the turntable and headed out once again.
We ran out of water in the rig this morning and I asked Terry a couple of times to find a way to put some water in but in the relief of getting everything done he forgot. So we drove past a few dry camping areas to a campsite that we had seen on our previous trip to Salida. We pulled in only to find that they did not have any vacancies. We passed WalMart and finally decided that since it was close to 7 we better not drive further hoping to find a place to stay. We returned to WalMart, went in and bought 3 gallons of water and stayed there overnight.
Aug 20th – Sat – to Great Sand Dunes National Park
Terry returned a socket for the new lug nuts that he bought at WalMart (wrong drive size) and we were on our way fairly early. We went through Alamosa and then west & north to just before Sand Dunes Park to an RV park that we found in a brochure. We had no trouble getting a spot as all the UFO people (!?) are camping in the tenting area.
We set up, put some water in the fresh tank, did some cleaning and had a late breakfast. A young couple on a motorcycle who camped beside us was leaving. They had broken a latch on a storage box and lost their map so we gave them a map and a strap with Velcro to hold the box together. Then we went to Great Sand Dunes Ntl Park a few miles away. We watched a film, browsed through the visitor center and drove to a parking area where a lot of people head into the dunes. We had sandals on and they are not recommended as the sand gets very hot so we took pictures and came back.
Then it was back to Alamosa for diesel, a socket and an oil change. I guess 2 out of 3 is OK. We tried to get an oil change at WalMart (only place in town to get one on Sat afternoon) but they did not have the specs for the drain plug torque (rig is too new?!!) so they couldn’t do it. We got some steaks for dinner, hit a rain storm on the way back and relaxed. The rain was over by the time we got back to our site so Terry didn’t get wet when he BBQ’d the steaks and we were able to go for a nice walk after dinner.
Aug 21st – Sun – to Bernalillo NM
We woke up early as we went to bed early so we were on the road just after 8. We went back to Alamosa and then pretty much straight south. We drove through several rain showers on the way but most of the areas looked like they needed rain. It would have been a 4 hour drive but we stopped for lunch and a little gambling at a casino.
We got set up at the Coronado Campground where we have stayed before. Then we decided that we didn’t have quite enough gambling so we went to the Santa Ana Star Casino which is way too close to the campground.
It was time for happy hour when we got back and then dinner.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
Aug 16th to 18th - Canon City
Aug 16th – Tues – Canon City
We got going early this morning to get the 5th wheel into the repair shop at 8. Then we stopped at WalMart to get coffee & doughnuts and went to a nice city park to enjoy them. We walked up & down the old historic downtown area of Canon City but some stores didn’t open until 10 so it didn’t take us too long.
Next we went to Colorado Springs to pick up replacement tires. We were waiting for insurance approval to get wheels in Denver but didn’t hear anything so stopped at Costco for lunch & shopping and came on back. The problem with the mag wheels is that our design is no longer made. The repair shop found one in Elkhart, Indiana but the cost of the wheel and the air freight to get it here in less than 3 weeks was prohibitive so the service manager asked the insurance company to buy 5 new wheels for less money.
We hung around the repair shop when we got back – I sat in the shade and read a book and Terry put pressure on the employees by hanging around & pacing. They pulled our 5th wheel out beside the shop so we could stay in it overnight. The gate is locked at 5:30 so we walked to the nearby WalMart and got chicken for dinner. We do get some TV reception here but not very good and few channels. But our cell phones and wifi access work!!
Aug 17th – Wed – Canon City
Again we were up early as the repair guy said he would arrive at 7:30 and he did. The manager’s daughter was going to pick up the wheels in Denver so we went for a drive west to Salida. Just past the RV park where we were staying, the road drops quickly to the level of the Arkansas River which runs through the Royal Gorge. It was a lovely drive to Salida where we stopped at a tourist information place and then went for breakfast. They also had a “historic” downtown area so we parked to see what was there. The first thing we saw was the Arkansas River running right along the edge of town with a little bridge with a cement rail perfect for leaning on and watching kayakers practice rolls in rapids. We continued on up & down the street, wandering through several fun stores and buying nothing.
We still had lots of time to kill so we made a loop south then east to Westcliffe, Wetmore & Pueblo. We had just filled up with diesel in Pueblo when the service manager called and said the insurance company would not approve the new wheels and told him to “buy one that matches the best”! One we got headed back, I called the insurance rep only to be told that she works 7:30 to 4 EST and it was now 2:01 so I got her voice mail.
Back in Canon City, we found out that the wheel fender & decal had not arrived today so they pulled the body guy off our rig since it couldn’t be finished until tomorrow anyhow. So more reading & more pacing and we are back in our rig in the repair facility lot. Terry is outside right now probably rehearsing what he will say to the insurance rep tomorrow.
I don’t think I mentioned that the “n” in Canon has an accent ‘ ᷃ ‘ (which I can’t get inserted in the blog) which makes the name pronounced “Canyon” – like the ‘pina’ in front of ‘colada’.
Aug 18th – Thurs – Canon City
This entry will sound much like yesterday’s. Up early to be ready to pull in the slides when the mechanic showed up at 7:30, then try to call the insurance rep and then try to figure out what to do all day. We had received an email from the insurance rep which didn’t help much so we left to go to Cripple Creek to the casinos. About 5 miles down the road I suggested that maybe an email would get through so we turned around, got our computer, sent a response and continued on to Cripple Creek. When we got there and had cell coverage again, we had a voice mail from the insurance rep but of course got her voice mail again.
Thursday is Senior’s day at one casino so we took advantage of bacon, eggs, hash browns, toast & coffee for breakfast for $2.22 each before we proceeded to lose our allowances. We headed back to Canon City and the repair shop for reading & pacing. Do you see a pattern here?
About 2:30 we decided to go to Dairy Queen for ice cream and of course go the phone call we were waiting for as we were driving. Terry stated our case to the insurance rep and she agreed that they would pay for tires and she would look into the wheel situation. We went back and told the service manager about this development and then went for ice cream.
The wheel fender & decal arrived but the molding around the hot water tank arrived with bends in it so another one should be here tomorrow. The side metal is installed & painted, the wheel fender is installed and we are back in the parking lot for the night. We are on the opposite side of the repair facility and we get 6 clear TV channels and are plugged into 30 Amp so can run the air conditioner. Considering that it is still in the high 80’s at 8 o’clock, that is a good thing.
We have high hopes that we will be out of here late tomorrow afternoon.
We got going early this morning to get the 5th wheel into the repair shop at 8. Then we stopped at WalMart to get coffee & doughnuts and went to a nice city park to enjoy them. We walked up & down the old historic downtown area of Canon City but some stores didn’t open until 10 so it didn’t take us too long.
Next we went to Colorado Springs to pick up replacement tires. We were waiting for insurance approval to get wheels in Denver but didn’t hear anything so stopped at Costco for lunch & shopping and came on back. The problem with the mag wheels is that our design is no longer made. The repair shop found one in Elkhart, Indiana but the cost of the wheel and the air freight to get it here in less than 3 weeks was prohibitive so the service manager asked the insurance company to buy 5 new wheels for less money.
We hung around the repair shop when we got back – I sat in the shade and read a book and Terry put pressure on the employees by hanging around & pacing. They pulled our 5th wheel out beside the shop so we could stay in it overnight. The gate is locked at 5:30 so we walked to the nearby WalMart and got chicken for dinner. We do get some TV reception here but not very good and few channels. But our cell phones and wifi access work!!
Aug 17th – Wed – Canon City
Again we were up early as the repair guy said he would arrive at 7:30 and he did. The manager’s daughter was going to pick up the wheels in Denver so we went for a drive west to Salida. Just past the RV park where we were staying, the road drops quickly to the level of the Arkansas River which runs through the Royal Gorge. It was a lovely drive to Salida where we stopped at a tourist information place and then went for breakfast. They also had a “historic” downtown area so we parked to see what was there. The first thing we saw was the Arkansas River running right along the edge of town with a little bridge with a cement rail perfect for leaning on and watching kayakers practice rolls in rapids. We continued on up & down the street, wandering through several fun stores and buying nothing.
We still had lots of time to kill so we made a loop south then east to Westcliffe, Wetmore & Pueblo. We had just filled up with diesel in Pueblo when the service manager called and said the insurance company would not approve the new wheels and told him to “buy one that matches the best”! One we got headed back, I called the insurance rep only to be told that she works 7:30 to 4 EST and it was now 2:01 so I got her voice mail.
Back in Canon City, we found out that the wheel fender & decal had not arrived today so they pulled the body guy off our rig since it couldn’t be finished until tomorrow anyhow. So more reading & more pacing and we are back in our rig in the repair facility lot. Terry is outside right now probably rehearsing what he will say to the insurance rep tomorrow.
I don’t think I mentioned that the “n” in Canon has an accent ‘ ᷃ ‘ (which I can’t get inserted in the blog) which makes the name pronounced “Canyon” – like the ‘pina’ in front of ‘colada’.
Aug 18th – Thurs – Canon City
This entry will sound much like yesterday’s. Up early to be ready to pull in the slides when the mechanic showed up at 7:30, then try to call the insurance rep and then try to figure out what to do all day. We had received an email from the insurance rep which didn’t help much so we left to go to Cripple Creek to the casinos. About 5 miles down the road I suggested that maybe an email would get through so we turned around, got our computer, sent a response and continued on to Cripple Creek. When we got there and had cell coverage again, we had a voice mail from the insurance rep but of course got her voice mail again.
Thursday is Senior’s day at one casino so we took advantage of bacon, eggs, hash browns, toast & coffee for breakfast for $2.22 each before we proceeded to lose our allowances. We headed back to Canon City and the repair shop for reading & pacing. Do you see a pattern here?
About 2:30 we decided to go to Dairy Queen for ice cream and of course go the phone call we were waiting for as we were driving. Terry stated our case to the insurance rep and she agreed that they would pay for tires and she would look into the wheel situation. We went back and told the service manager about this development and then went for ice cream.
The wheel fender & decal arrived but the molding around the hot water tank arrived with bends in it so another one should be here tomorrow. The side metal is installed & painted, the wheel fender is installed and we are back in the parking lot for the night. We are on the opposite side of the repair facility and we get 6 clear TV channels and are plugged into 30 Amp so can run the air conditioner. Considering that it is still in the high 80’s at 8 o’clock, that is a good thing.
We have high hopes that we will be out of here late tomorrow afternoon.
Monday, August 15, 2011
Aug 13th ot 15th - Canon City
Aug 13th – Sat – Canon City
I stayed in bed and read while Terry drank coffee and started watching another movie. Then I decided that it was time to figure out how to secure our recliners so they don’t turn and rock when we travel. We have tried several variations of crossing the existing straps but nothing works really well and a blanket between the backs of the chairs will not stay in place. We bought some fleece fabric so I added elastic to secure it over one chair. Terry got out a box with various straps, moved some D-rings and figured out that we needed a couple more rings.
We headed into town to get them and to visit the repair place to see what is happening with our parts. The main service guy was not in but another guy said the wheel well skirt will not be a problem to get but the mag wheels are not easy to find. We went to a couple of places looking for the D-rings – and found them - stopped at Verizon for some information and came back to the park where I made a late, light lunch.
Terry wanted to talk to the service guy who was due back about 3 so he went back to town while I caught up on expenses. The service guy ended up not getting back to the shop so we don’t know any more.
We were going to have all-you-can-eat ribs at a nearby restaurant and were told that they sold out last week so we should get there about 4. There were few cars there at 4 so we came back and had a drink. We drove by again at 5:30 and there were still not many customers so we decided to go to the Fireman’s Ball instead which the owner of the park told us about. It was held at a bar & restaurant just down the street and had a buffet dinner and a dance later. After we ate, we found out that the band didn’t start until 9. We didn’t want to sit & drink until then so we came back to the rig for a while and then went back for the dance. We had a beer while we waited for them to set up, listened to 2 songs and decided that we were definitely too old even though the music was supposed to be from the 60’s & 70’s.
Aug 14th – Sun – Canon City
We left early to drive to Manitou Springs just west of Colorado Springs to take the cog railway up Pike’s Peak. We had lots of time to stop for breakfast at a pancake house. We saw cars parked all along the narrow, hilly road up to the railway station so when we saw a parking lot advertising $5 parking near the station, we pulled in. After we picked up our tickets, we discovered a free lot for train customers a little further up the road!
Our train left a few minutes late at 10:45 for the nearly 9 mile, 1 hour & 20 minute steep ride to the top. There was a very personable “conductor” on our car who pointed out things to see, provided little history lessons and included a few jokes. We sat across from a young couple who live in Denver and enjoyed talking with them.
We had about 35 minutes at the top to walk around, take pictures and visit the gift shop and snack bar. I had read on the website that it would be cool at the 14,100 foot elevation so we wore long pants and took light jackets which we were glad to have. You can drive up the mountain on a toll road and a lot of vehicles were parked at the top. A 13 mile hiking path also goes up the mountain and a lot of in-shape, ambitious people walk up or hike at least part of the way.
It started to rain when we were going down. We went to The Garden of the Gods but just drove through and took pictures rather than get out in the rain for closer shots. We stopped for a hamburger and then came back via Cripple Creek and visited a casino that we missed last time! Terry started out winning money while I slowly lost. Then we turned around with Terry giving back the money he won and me winning a bit but not keeping it. When we were walking out, I had $10 left so we each took $5. I lost mine and Terry turned his into $20 so we cashed out and drove home. We got home about 8:30 and had ice cream for dinner.
Aug 15th – Mon – Canon City
Terry got up fairly early and played games on the computer. I read for a while in bed and finally got up and got going. After breakfast, we made yet another trip into town to the repair shop. I sat on a bench and had a lovely long chat with cousin Pat while Terry waited to talk to the service manager and then paced around waiting for me to get off the phone to tell me that we had to come in later in the afternoon. We stopped at Radio Shack to get some information about Dish Network which was a waste of time. Back at the rig Terry did some research on the computer while I did some cleaning and then made lunch.
I got the use of the clubhouse to do a couple more loads of laundry. Terry carried it over and then left to go to the repair shop again. I had just finished when Terry came back and said we would take the 5th wheel in tomorrow morning for the sheet metal work, stay in it in the yard of the RV/repair place tomorrow night and then they would paint on Wednesday. We will also probably have to drive to Colorado Springs and maybe Denver to pick up tires and wheels so we can get on the road again soon.
I think blown tires are part of our life right now. We were coming back from town today and a truck going the other way blew a tire just as we passed it. Terry jumped and swerved and I wasn’t sure if the tire was ours or his for a moment.
I stayed in bed and read while Terry drank coffee and started watching another movie. Then I decided that it was time to figure out how to secure our recliners so they don’t turn and rock when we travel. We have tried several variations of crossing the existing straps but nothing works really well and a blanket between the backs of the chairs will not stay in place. We bought some fleece fabric so I added elastic to secure it over one chair. Terry got out a box with various straps, moved some D-rings and figured out that we needed a couple more rings.
We headed into town to get them and to visit the repair place to see what is happening with our parts. The main service guy was not in but another guy said the wheel well skirt will not be a problem to get but the mag wheels are not easy to find. We went to a couple of places looking for the D-rings – and found them - stopped at Verizon for some information and came back to the park where I made a late, light lunch.
Terry wanted to talk to the service guy who was due back about 3 so he went back to town while I caught up on expenses. The service guy ended up not getting back to the shop so we don’t know any more.
We were going to have all-you-can-eat ribs at a nearby restaurant and were told that they sold out last week so we should get there about 4. There were few cars there at 4 so we came back and had a drink. We drove by again at 5:30 and there were still not many customers so we decided to go to the Fireman’s Ball instead which the owner of the park told us about. It was held at a bar & restaurant just down the street and had a buffet dinner and a dance later. After we ate, we found out that the band didn’t start until 9. We didn’t want to sit & drink until then so we came back to the rig for a while and then went back for the dance. We had a beer while we waited for them to set up, listened to 2 songs and decided that we were definitely too old even though the music was supposed to be from the 60’s & 70’s.
Aug 14th – Sun – Canon City
We left early to drive to Manitou Springs just west of Colorado Springs to take the cog railway up Pike’s Peak. We had lots of time to stop for breakfast at a pancake house. We saw cars parked all along the narrow, hilly road up to the railway station so when we saw a parking lot advertising $5 parking near the station, we pulled in. After we picked up our tickets, we discovered a free lot for train customers a little further up the road!
Our train left a few minutes late at 10:45 for the nearly 9 mile, 1 hour & 20 minute steep ride to the top. There was a very personable “conductor” on our car who pointed out things to see, provided little history lessons and included a few jokes. We sat across from a young couple who live in Denver and enjoyed talking with them.
We had about 35 minutes at the top to walk around, take pictures and visit the gift shop and snack bar. I had read on the website that it would be cool at the 14,100 foot elevation so we wore long pants and took light jackets which we were glad to have. You can drive up the mountain on a toll road and a lot of vehicles were parked at the top. A 13 mile hiking path also goes up the mountain and a lot of in-shape, ambitious people walk up or hike at least part of the way.
It started to rain when we were going down. We went to The Garden of the Gods but just drove through and took pictures rather than get out in the rain for closer shots. We stopped for a hamburger and then came back via Cripple Creek and visited a casino that we missed last time! Terry started out winning money while I slowly lost. Then we turned around with Terry giving back the money he won and me winning a bit but not keeping it. When we were walking out, I had $10 left so we each took $5. I lost mine and Terry turned his into $20 so we cashed out and drove home. We got home about 8:30 and had ice cream for dinner.
Aug 15th – Mon – Canon City
Terry got up fairly early and played games on the computer. I read for a while in bed and finally got up and got going. After breakfast, we made yet another trip into town to the repair shop. I sat on a bench and had a lovely long chat with cousin Pat while Terry waited to talk to the service manager and then paced around waiting for me to get off the phone to tell me that we had to come in later in the afternoon. We stopped at Radio Shack to get some information about Dish Network which was a waste of time. Back at the rig Terry did some research on the computer while I did some cleaning and then made lunch.
I got the use of the clubhouse to do a couple more loads of laundry. Terry carried it over and then left to go to the repair shop again. I had just finished when Terry came back and said we would take the 5th wheel in tomorrow morning for the sheet metal work, stay in it in the yard of the RV/repair place tomorrow night and then they would paint on Wednesday. We will also probably have to drive to Colorado Springs and maybe Denver to pick up tires and wheels so we can get on the road again soon.
I think blown tires are part of our life right now. We were coming back from town today and a truck going the other way blew a tire just as we passed it. Terry jumped and swerved and I wasn’t sure if the tire was ours or his for a moment.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Aug 10th to 12th - Canon City
Aug 10th – Wed - Canon City
When we set up yesterday we discovered another casualty of the tire blowout – our microwave turntable fell on the floor and broke. Since we don’t have phone service, we took the MW model number and insurance contact information to the service guy at Royal Gorge Truck & RV and then went to WalMart where luckily the insurance rep called while we were in cell phone range.
It took a while to wander through WalMart as they had some clearance sales and then we got some groceries.
I made lunch after putting everything away and then we were back out again to check out things to do in the area. We are staying about 1 mile from Royal Gorge which has rafting, zip lines, train rides and museums. Pike’s Peak is also not too far away. We can’t really make any reservations until we have more definite dates on our repairs but we got lots of information.
Back at the park, we went to check out the laundry room and get some quarters. The lady working at the desk asked how long we were staying and when we said a week she told us that she would give us a key so we could use laundry facilities at the clubhouse instead. It was a nice building with TV so we could relax on comfy couches while waiting for the laundry instead of running back & forth to check on it. There was only 2 washers & dryers so by the time we finished it was time for happy hour & dinner.
We get no TV in our rig so we bought a couple of inexpensive DVD’s with multiple movies and watched 3 of them.
Aug 11th – Thurs – Canon City
An employee at the Royal Gorge visitor center told us yesterday about an early, discounted ticket for the Royal Gorge bridge that could be purchased between 7 & 8:30 but could be used all day for the rest of the facilities that opened at 10 or 10:30. Since it is nearby, we went about 8 and bought tickets and then came back to the rig and had breakfast before going back to spend a few hours in Royal Gorge park.
We watched some rafters go down the Arkansas River and saw a tourist train in the bottom of the gorge before we rode the incline railway to the bottom of the gorge. There are 2 “trains” on tracks that go down the side of the gorge. Actually, one goes down while the other comes up. There are viewing platforms at the bottom and you can take as long as you want before catching a train back up. Then we walked across the suspension bridge over the gorge and took pictures. Vehicles can also cross the bridge but it is mainly pedestrians and “golf” carts.
We found some shade to watch a short, comic performance by a young lady and then found the building for a ½ hour magic show. By now we were ready for lunch so we got a BBQ pork sandwich which left a lot to be desired.
The employee at the tourist center had suggested that we ride the tram over and take the bridge back but the tram wasn’t running yet when we walked over the bridge so we found you why she made that suggestion. The walk to the tram (past a “zoo” with buffalo & elk and a petting zoo) was very uphill and it had gotten hot. If you forget that you are hanging 1000 feet over a canyon by a cable with 15 other people in the car, the tram ride is a fun 4 minutes.
We went back to town to check for messages on the phone and to make a quick stop at WalMart. Then it was time for a visit to Dairy Queen for some cooling ice cream on the way back to the RV park.
We were watching more movies with windows open and fans on when it started to rain. We closed all the windows except 2 that slant open rather than slide but they got closed shortly when it started to pour rain and the wind pushed the rain in those windows as well. We lost power for a short time and there were streams of water running down all the hills in the park. We certainly made a good decision to view Royal Gorge in the morning.
Aug 12th – Fri – Canon City
We took advantage of slack time this morning to clean & organize the large cupboard above the TV. It is amazing how long you can search for things before you decide to do something about it!
Then we went to Cripple Creek via Guffey. Guffey is a small, old, western town where everything is an antique store or looks like one. Cripple Creek is an old mining town which has been restored with small casinos. The entire main street is lined with casinos, hotels & restaurants. Buses bring people from Colorado Springs as you can get to the town from the east (Colorado Springs) or the southwest the way we came. We made a circle so the return trip was not as long. The road climbs to over 9000 feet which makes you think you would be in the mountains but there is a lot of level ground and ranches with small hills around them.
We left at 10 and got back at 7:30 so it was a full day. We had lunch there and Terry won enough money to keep himself in the black but not me. I had put meat & gravy in the crock pot so was able to get dinner on the table pretty quickly. Terry went to the office and rented movies to fill the evening.
When we set up yesterday we discovered another casualty of the tire blowout – our microwave turntable fell on the floor and broke. Since we don’t have phone service, we took the MW model number and insurance contact information to the service guy at Royal Gorge Truck & RV and then went to WalMart where luckily the insurance rep called while we were in cell phone range.
It took a while to wander through WalMart as they had some clearance sales and then we got some groceries.
I made lunch after putting everything away and then we were back out again to check out things to do in the area. We are staying about 1 mile from Royal Gorge which has rafting, zip lines, train rides and museums. Pike’s Peak is also not too far away. We can’t really make any reservations until we have more definite dates on our repairs but we got lots of information.
Back at the park, we went to check out the laundry room and get some quarters. The lady working at the desk asked how long we were staying and when we said a week she told us that she would give us a key so we could use laundry facilities at the clubhouse instead. It was a nice building with TV so we could relax on comfy couches while waiting for the laundry instead of running back & forth to check on it. There was only 2 washers & dryers so by the time we finished it was time for happy hour & dinner.
We get no TV in our rig so we bought a couple of inexpensive DVD’s with multiple movies and watched 3 of them.
Aug 11th – Thurs – Canon City
An employee at the Royal Gorge visitor center told us yesterday about an early, discounted ticket for the Royal Gorge bridge that could be purchased between 7 & 8:30 but could be used all day for the rest of the facilities that opened at 10 or 10:30. Since it is nearby, we went about 8 and bought tickets and then came back to the rig and had breakfast before going back to spend a few hours in Royal Gorge park.
We watched some rafters go down the Arkansas River and saw a tourist train in the bottom of the gorge before we rode the incline railway to the bottom of the gorge. There are 2 “trains” on tracks that go down the side of the gorge. Actually, one goes down while the other comes up. There are viewing platforms at the bottom and you can take as long as you want before catching a train back up. Then we walked across the suspension bridge over the gorge and took pictures. Vehicles can also cross the bridge but it is mainly pedestrians and “golf” carts.
We found some shade to watch a short, comic performance by a young lady and then found the building for a ½ hour magic show. By now we were ready for lunch so we got a BBQ pork sandwich which left a lot to be desired.
The employee at the tourist center had suggested that we ride the tram over and take the bridge back but the tram wasn’t running yet when we walked over the bridge so we found you why she made that suggestion. The walk to the tram (past a “zoo” with buffalo & elk and a petting zoo) was very uphill and it had gotten hot. If you forget that you are hanging 1000 feet over a canyon by a cable with 15 other people in the car, the tram ride is a fun 4 minutes.
We went back to town to check for messages on the phone and to make a quick stop at WalMart. Then it was time for a visit to Dairy Queen for some cooling ice cream on the way back to the RV park.
We were watching more movies with windows open and fans on when it started to rain. We closed all the windows except 2 that slant open rather than slide but they got closed shortly when it started to pour rain and the wind pushed the rain in those windows as well. We lost power for a short time and there were streams of water running down all the hills in the park. We certainly made a good decision to view Royal Gorge in the morning.
Aug 12th – Fri – Canon City
We took advantage of slack time this morning to clean & organize the large cupboard above the TV. It is amazing how long you can search for things before you decide to do something about it!
Then we went to Cripple Creek via Guffey. Guffey is a small, old, western town where everything is an antique store or looks like one. Cripple Creek is an old mining town which has been restored with small casinos. The entire main street is lined with casinos, hotels & restaurants. Buses bring people from Colorado Springs as you can get to the town from the east (Colorado Springs) or the southwest the way we came. We made a circle so the return trip was not as long. The road climbs to over 9000 feet which makes you think you would be in the mountains but there is a lot of level ground and ranches with small hills around them.
We left at 10 and got back at 7:30 so it was a full day. We had lunch there and Terry won enough money to keep himself in the black but not me. I had put meat & gravy in the crock pot so was able to get dinner on the table pretty quickly. Terry went to the office and rented movies to fill the evening.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
Aug 9th - Canon City CO
Aug 9th – Tues – to Canon City CO
We had a little mishap today. About 25 miles north of Colorado Springs on I25, we blew a tire on the 5th wheel. I was on the phone at the time and heard & felt the “explosion”. The bad news is that it took out or damaged quite a bit of the skirting around the tires.
The highway has a shoulder wide enough to drive on and we were able to pull up a bit to a gravel area and get off a little further. Terry started to walk back to get a large piece of tire off the left freeway lane when a police car pulled up behind us so we set to changing the tire. At this point, the first police car moved into the right freeway lane to force all the traffic to the left lane so we didn’t have to worry about getting hit. A second police car picked up more debris and then parked in the median with his lights on to warn traffic. It was the back, left tire that blew so we pulled the front tire up on a ramp and then jacked the back axle up a bit. We had traffic backed up for a long ways so Terry was really sweating trying to get it done quickly – and was helped by the 80+ temperature.
I got on the GPS & phone looking for RV repair places in Colorado Springs and we found one that wasn’t backed up 2 or 3 weeks. We were there for 1 ½ hours and the guy was still trying to finish the estimate so Terry got mad and we left. We were heading for Canon City anyhow so we carried on – with no spare as the Goodyear dealer in Colorado Springs would have had to order a tire. In Canon City, we drove past the RV park where we thought we were going to stay and said “no way”. This put us right in front of an RV dealer &service place so we pulled in. A very nice, knowledgeable service guy looked at the damage and said he could fix most of it right away by fabricating & painting but would have to order the fender skirt & decals.
We drove about 10 miles further to an area with many RV parks, picked Prospector’s RV and registered for a week. After we set up, we discovered that there is no Verizon access here! We headed back to town to file an insurance claim and get something to eat as we had eaten nothing all day and by now it was 4:30. While I waited on hold with the insurance company, Terry went into WalMart and got dinner.
Back at the RV park, we set out chairs and a table in the shade of a lovely tree right beside our site and had a much deserved drink with dinner.
I normally don’t post just one day on the blog but since we have no phone access, I thought it would be nice for people to know where we will be for a week. We are using the park wifi so at least we are not totally cut off from technology.
We had a little mishap today. About 25 miles north of Colorado Springs on I25, we blew a tire on the 5th wheel. I was on the phone at the time and heard & felt the “explosion”. The bad news is that it took out or damaged quite a bit of the skirting around the tires.
The highway has a shoulder wide enough to drive on and we were able to pull up a bit to a gravel area and get off a little further. Terry started to walk back to get a large piece of tire off the left freeway lane when a police car pulled up behind us so we set to changing the tire. At this point, the first police car moved into the right freeway lane to force all the traffic to the left lane so we didn’t have to worry about getting hit. A second police car picked up more debris and then parked in the median with his lights on to warn traffic. It was the back, left tire that blew so we pulled the front tire up on a ramp and then jacked the back axle up a bit. We had traffic backed up for a long ways so Terry was really sweating trying to get it done quickly – and was helped by the 80+ temperature.
I got on the GPS & phone looking for RV repair places in Colorado Springs and we found one that wasn’t backed up 2 or 3 weeks. We were there for 1 ½ hours and the guy was still trying to finish the estimate so Terry got mad and we left. We were heading for Canon City anyhow so we carried on – with no spare as the Goodyear dealer in Colorado Springs would have had to order a tire. In Canon City, we drove past the RV park where we thought we were going to stay and said “no way”. This put us right in front of an RV dealer &service place so we pulled in. A very nice, knowledgeable service guy looked at the damage and said he could fix most of it right away by fabricating & painting but would have to order the fender skirt & decals.
We drove about 10 miles further to an area with many RV parks, picked Prospector’s RV and registered for a week. After we set up, we discovered that there is no Verizon access here! We headed back to town to file an insurance claim and get something to eat as we had eaten nothing all day and by now it was 4:30. While I waited on hold with the insurance company, Terry went into WalMart and got dinner.
Back at the RV park, we set out chairs and a table in the shade of a lovely tree right beside our site and had a much deserved drink with dinner.
I normally don’t post just one day on the blog but since we have no phone access, I thought it would be nice for people to know where we will be for a week. We are using the park wifi so at least we are not totally cut off from technology.
Tuesday, August 09, 2011
Aug 7th & 8th - Idaho Springs CO
Aug 7th – Sun – to Idaho Springs CO
We left about 8:30 for our long 53 mile drive to Westminster CO where we were going to stay at an Elk’s Lodge. When we arrived and looked around, the only sites available were very narrow or in the overflow parking lot with electric only so we decided to continue on to Idaho Springs which is west of Denver. We are staying at Cottonwood RV situated on a little creek about a mile off I70 – very peaceful.
We had trouble getting cable TV so the owner came over and put a new end on our cable which solved the problem. After a late breakfast sandwich, we headed to Black Hawk which is 14 miles away and consists of casinos. Like a lot of Colorado that we have seen so far, you drive through narrow, winding canyons with a stream to get there. It doesn’t open up too much so the casinos are all multi-storied and backed into excavated holes in the mountains. We parked in a parking garage which always makes Terry nervous with our big truck but it was high enough and the slots were just wide enough to wiggle into.
We spent the rest of the day and into the evening going from one casino to another. We earned points at one casino to get 4 free buffets (with all-you-can-eat king crab) which we took advantage of for dinner. We weren’t doing too well on the slots but I won a bit of money right before dinner which lasted us until we left about 8.
Aug 8th – Mon – Idaho Springs CO
Yep, we headed back to Black Hawk this morning. We were going to have a breakfast buffet but we were about 10 minutes too late. We checked and found out that the buffets earned yesterday had to be used yesterday so we gambled to get enough points for lunch today. We thought we had enough but found out it was “double points” day so we went back to the slots. On the third spin on a machine, Terry hit a bonus and got $446.90 with his 40 cent bet!
After lunch we continued our casino hopping and gathered cards for our collection. I was not doing well but Terry was pretty lucky. At a machine that we had not played before, he got one symbol across the whole screen and won $100.00!
After dinner that was paid for by coupons from yesterday, we drove to Central City which is just a mile or so away and is more casinos. They are older, smaller casinos and we were pretty much gambled out so we drove through the town – very “restored” and picturesque – and came back a different way on the “Central City Parkway”. This road does not follow a canyon but ends up on the side of a mountain with lovely views and 8 percent grades down to I70.
We left about 8:30 for our long 53 mile drive to Westminster CO where we were going to stay at an Elk’s Lodge. When we arrived and looked around, the only sites available were very narrow or in the overflow parking lot with electric only so we decided to continue on to Idaho Springs which is west of Denver. We are staying at Cottonwood RV situated on a little creek about a mile off I70 – very peaceful.
We had trouble getting cable TV so the owner came over and put a new end on our cable which solved the problem. After a late breakfast sandwich, we headed to Black Hawk which is 14 miles away and consists of casinos. Like a lot of Colorado that we have seen so far, you drive through narrow, winding canyons with a stream to get there. It doesn’t open up too much so the casinos are all multi-storied and backed into excavated holes in the mountains. We parked in a parking garage which always makes Terry nervous with our big truck but it was high enough and the slots were just wide enough to wiggle into.
We spent the rest of the day and into the evening going from one casino to another. We earned points at one casino to get 4 free buffets (with all-you-can-eat king crab) which we took advantage of for dinner. We weren’t doing too well on the slots but I won a bit of money right before dinner which lasted us until we left about 8.
Aug 8th – Mon – Idaho Springs CO
Yep, we headed back to Black Hawk this morning. We were going to have a breakfast buffet but we were about 10 minutes too late. We checked and found out that the buffets earned yesterday had to be used yesterday so we gambled to get enough points for lunch today. We thought we had enough but found out it was “double points” day so we went back to the slots. On the third spin on a machine, Terry hit a bonus and got $446.90 with his 40 cent bet!
After lunch we continued our casino hopping and gathered cards for our collection. I was not doing well but Terry was pretty lucky. At a machine that we had not played before, he got one symbol across the whole screen and won $100.00!
After dinner that was paid for by coupons from yesterday, we drove to Central City which is just a mile or so away and is more casinos. They are older, smaller casinos and we were pretty much gambled out so we drove through the town – very “restored” and picturesque – and came back a different way on the “Central City Parkway”. This road does not follow a canyon but ends up on the side of a mountain with lovely views and 8 percent grades down to I70.
Saturday, August 06, 2011
Aug 4th to 6th - Loveland CO
Aug 4th – Thurs – to Loveland, CO
I kind of misjudged reporting the altitude yesterday – Rawlins is at 6800 feet. We headed to Colorado today. The snow fences we saw yesterday were half of what we saw today. A lot of them are a newer design with posts in the ground and a vertical fence rather than slanted sections with braces on the lee side. As we approached the south side of Wyoming, there was more grass and huge herds of cattle.
We found a PA park in our book but they did not have a space for us for 3 days. They called a park just down the road so we are at the Canyon Valley Campground just west of Loveland. It is a small park off the main road so I expect it to be quiet tonight.
After we set up and had a late lunch, we went back to Loveland so I could get a much overdue haircut. As we walked into WalMart, it started to rain but stopped by the time we were done. We made one more stop at a hardware store before heading back to the campground to relax and have a good dinner.
Aug 5th – Fri – Loveland
I packed a lunch and we went to Rocky Mountain National Park. A couple of miles down the road we entered a narrow, steep-walled, scenic canyon containing the Big Thompson River. We went through Estes Park (a town) and entered the park. I took this opportunity to get my Golden Age Pass as I am officially an “old fart” according to the federal government.
We drove along the Trail Ridge Road which is the only road through the park. We only went part way through – to the highest point on the road which is 12,183 feet. We saw a herd of elk beside the road and had to brake suddenly to avoid running over a coyote who knew he had the right of way crossing the road. The scenery is stunning and the Trail Ridge Road would cause some of our friends to look the other way when the edge of the road is looking over a canyon. Terry suggested that we come through Steamboat Springs and pull the 5th wheel through the park – what a mistake that would have been!
We found a picnic table to have our lunch and as we were eating the wind came up and dark clouds moved in. We continued to where we were going to go for a walk but when we saw a sign saying the parking lot was full and we would have to take a shuttle, we turned around and went back to Estes Park where it was much warmer than the 55 degrees on top of mountain.
We wandered up & down the main touristy street of Estes Park and bought a decorative item for the empty wall beside the steps up to our bedroom.
We had a new neighbor at the RV park and we enjoyed talking to them (Charlie & Deloris) before and after dinner.
Aug 6th – Sat - Loveland
We had a piece of molding and a panel partially pop off in the kitchen so Terry got working on that first thing this morning. It had only been stapled and the wood behind did not even go the entire length of the panel so Terry put in some screws and glued the molding on to cover the screws. Of course he was working in the small area behind the counter so it wasn’t easy.
Then we went to hang our new wall hangings and 2 of the 3 had keyhole cutouts for screws upside down. So we had to make a trip back to Estes Park (22 miles) and exchange them for correct ones.
We explored more of Loveland and found it is quite a large city. We had a couple of small items to pick up at different stores, got diesel ($3.75) and had lunch. We drove past our RV park to see what was up the road and found very nice, large houses and lots of horses & boarding farms.
Back at the rig, we hung our wall art which took a while as the 3 pieces had to be level & equidistant apart and secure. We were both kind of cranky which got interesting sometimes!
We thought we were going to get a rain shower to cool things down but it only amounted to a few drops so it remains hot tonight. Our neighbors toured the park today and we talked to Charlie for a bit this evening.
I kind of misjudged reporting the altitude yesterday – Rawlins is at 6800 feet. We headed to Colorado today. The snow fences we saw yesterday were half of what we saw today. A lot of them are a newer design with posts in the ground and a vertical fence rather than slanted sections with braces on the lee side. As we approached the south side of Wyoming, there was more grass and huge herds of cattle.
We found a PA park in our book but they did not have a space for us for 3 days. They called a park just down the road so we are at the Canyon Valley Campground just west of Loveland. It is a small park off the main road so I expect it to be quiet tonight.
After we set up and had a late lunch, we went back to Loveland so I could get a much overdue haircut. As we walked into WalMart, it started to rain but stopped by the time we were done. We made one more stop at a hardware store before heading back to the campground to relax and have a good dinner.
Aug 5th – Fri – Loveland
I packed a lunch and we went to Rocky Mountain National Park. A couple of miles down the road we entered a narrow, steep-walled, scenic canyon containing the Big Thompson River. We went through Estes Park (a town) and entered the park. I took this opportunity to get my Golden Age Pass as I am officially an “old fart” according to the federal government.
We drove along the Trail Ridge Road which is the only road through the park. We only went part way through – to the highest point on the road which is 12,183 feet. We saw a herd of elk beside the road and had to brake suddenly to avoid running over a coyote who knew he had the right of way crossing the road. The scenery is stunning and the Trail Ridge Road would cause some of our friends to look the other way when the edge of the road is looking over a canyon. Terry suggested that we come through Steamboat Springs and pull the 5th wheel through the park – what a mistake that would have been!
We found a picnic table to have our lunch and as we were eating the wind came up and dark clouds moved in. We continued to where we were going to go for a walk but when we saw a sign saying the parking lot was full and we would have to take a shuttle, we turned around and went back to Estes Park where it was much warmer than the 55 degrees on top of mountain.
We wandered up & down the main touristy street of Estes Park and bought a decorative item for the empty wall beside the steps up to our bedroom.
We had a new neighbor at the RV park and we enjoyed talking to them (Charlie & Deloris) before and after dinner.
Aug 6th – Sat - Loveland
We had a piece of molding and a panel partially pop off in the kitchen so Terry got working on that first thing this morning. It had only been stapled and the wood behind did not even go the entire length of the panel so Terry put in some screws and glued the molding on to cover the screws. Of course he was working in the small area behind the counter so it wasn’t easy.
Then we went to hang our new wall hangings and 2 of the 3 had keyhole cutouts for screws upside down. So we had to make a trip back to Estes Park (22 miles) and exchange them for correct ones.
We explored more of Loveland and found it is quite a large city. We had a couple of small items to pick up at different stores, got diesel ($3.75) and had lunch. We drove past our RV park to see what was up the road and found very nice, large houses and lots of horses & boarding farms.
Back at the rig, we hung our wall art which took a while as the 3 pieces had to be level & equidistant apart and secure. We were both kind of cranky which got interesting sometimes!
We thought we were going to get a rain shower to cool things down but it only amounted to a few drops so it remains hot tonight. Our neighbors toured the park today and we talked to Charlie for a bit this evening.
Wednesday, August 03, 2011
Aug 1st to 3rd - Thermopolis & Rawlins WY
Aug 1st – Mon – Thermopolis
We went golfing with Dennis this morning. It was a 9 hole course and Dennis rented a cart but we decided to walk. Unfortunately, we started too late so it got really hot and the course was hillier than we thought so we got a workout – and it didn’t do much for our games.
In the afternoon we went for a drive. We drove through the bison grazing area in Hot Springs State Park and saw the small buffalo herd from a distance. We walked through a park to swinging bridge but just as we were starting across, the wind came up and we decided to go back. Dennis wanted to make a buddy burner so we stopped at a few stores looking for cans & candles without any success. We also made the mandatory stop at a grocery/liquor store.
Thermopolis is a small town which has the world’s largest hot spring. There are 2 water parks with slides, pools and hot tubs which are all supplied by the hot springs. There is also a small facility with an indoor and outdoor pool that you can use for free for a 20 minute soak each day. Excess water from the hot springs runs through the park and creates mineral terraces before running into the river.
After dinner, Dennis & Susie came over again to visit and enjoy the buddy burner. Actually, Dennis found a small tin and enough candles to almost fill his own buddy burner.
Aug 2nd – Tues – Thermopolis
We slept in a bit this morning and then did laundry before going out to do some more exploring. We stopped at a visitor center and picked up some information. We walked up & down the main shopping block in town, browsed through some stores and found a tin & some candles for another buddy burner for Dennis. Terry discovered some energy and cleaned up the outside of the 5th wheel when we got back.
We figured we better at least try the mineral water while we are here so we put on our bathing suits and went to the small hot pool facility. You have to sign in, separate to go to the men’s & women’s sides for a shower and meet in the pool. Luckily part of the outdoor pool was in shade as it was very hot today. The water in the pool was 102 degrees so the attendant opened a valve to heat it up a bit. “Pool” may be misleading as it is 3 ½ feet deep all over and has concrete benches built into the bottom. Seemed just like another hot tub to me except some of the 27 minerals stink.
We were sitting out before dinner when Dennis & Susie were doing laundry so they joined us for a bit when it was done. We had a late dinner and called it a night.
Aug 3rd – Wed – to Rawlins WY
We enjoyed the picturesque Wind River Canyon on the way to Riverton and a casino this morning. I continued my losing ways while Terry hung onto his money until we had lunch. Then it all disappeared and we continued down the road to Lander and towards Laramie.
Obviously there is snow & wind in this part of the country because there are miles & miles of snow fences along the roads. There are also several places with barriers that close off the highway when it’s impassable. We crossed the Continental Divide a couple of times and were at 6600 feet for a while. But that didn’t keep it from being hot.
We are in the RV World Campground in Rawlins. We had a brief rain shower which cooled things down a bit so we are comfortable with windows and door open.
We went golfing with Dennis this morning. It was a 9 hole course and Dennis rented a cart but we decided to walk. Unfortunately, we started too late so it got really hot and the course was hillier than we thought so we got a workout – and it didn’t do much for our games.
In the afternoon we went for a drive. We drove through the bison grazing area in Hot Springs State Park and saw the small buffalo herd from a distance. We walked through a park to swinging bridge but just as we were starting across, the wind came up and we decided to go back. Dennis wanted to make a buddy burner so we stopped at a few stores looking for cans & candles without any success. We also made the mandatory stop at a grocery/liquor store.
Thermopolis is a small town which has the world’s largest hot spring. There are 2 water parks with slides, pools and hot tubs which are all supplied by the hot springs. There is also a small facility with an indoor and outdoor pool that you can use for free for a 20 minute soak each day. Excess water from the hot springs runs through the park and creates mineral terraces before running into the river.
After dinner, Dennis & Susie came over again to visit and enjoy the buddy burner. Actually, Dennis found a small tin and enough candles to almost fill his own buddy burner.
Aug 2nd – Tues – Thermopolis
We slept in a bit this morning and then did laundry before going out to do some more exploring. We stopped at a visitor center and picked up some information. We walked up & down the main shopping block in town, browsed through some stores and found a tin & some candles for another buddy burner for Dennis. Terry discovered some energy and cleaned up the outside of the 5th wheel when we got back.
We figured we better at least try the mineral water while we are here so we put on our bathing suits and went to the small hot pool facility. You have to sign in, separate to go to the men’s & women’s sides for a shower and meet in the pool. Luckily part of the outdoor pool was in shade as it was very hot today. The water in the pool was 102 degrees so the attendant opened a valve to heat it up a bit. “Pool” may be misleading as it is 3 ½ feet deep all over and has concrete benches built into the bottom. Seemed just like another hot tub to me except some of the 27 minerals stink.
We were sitting out before dinner when Dennis & Susie were doing laundry so they joined us for a bit when it was done. We had a late dinner and called it a night.
Aug 3rd – Wed – to Rawlins WY
We enjoyed the picturesque Wind River Canyon on the way to Riverton and a casino this morning. I continued my losing ways while Terry hung onto his money until we had lunch. Then it all disappeared and we continued down the road to Lander and towards Laramie.
Obviously there is snow & wind in this part of the country because there are miles & miles of snow fences along the roads. There are also several places with barriers that close off the highway when it’s impassable. We crossed the Continental Divide a couple of times and were at 6600 feet for a while. But that didn’t keep it from being hot.
We are in the RV World Campground in Rawlins. We had a brief rain shower which cooled things down a bit so we are comfortable with windows and door open.
Monday, August 01, 2011
July 29th to 31st - Deer Lodge to Thermopolis WY
July 29th – Fri – to Deer Lodge MT
We are taking a rather odd route but we look at the Atlas and find an area that we haven’t explored and if it is kind of in the right direction and has something that we would like to see, that is where we go. We took Hwy 12 from Orofino to Missoula and then hopped on I90 to Deer Lodge where we are staying at Indian Creek Campground.
The drive and scenery on Hwy 12 was lovely. We followed the Clearwater River for a long way and then the Lochsa River. The road condition was excellent and there was little traffic. We stopped in Lolo (edge of Missoula) for fuel and lunch and lost an hour as we changed to Mountain Time.
After we set up, we drove into town to find a tire dealer. When we left Orofino this morning, Terry noticed a nail or screw in a back tire in the truck but we weren’t losing air so we figured we would wait until we were at a tire shop to pull it out. When we got to the tire dealer, I got out to spot the nail as Terry drove but it was no longer in the tire! We figure it was just a short nail and it was in the thick part of the tread. So we drove down the main street and stopped at a grocery store for a few items on the way back.
It is clear and very warm here. We had the AC on when we were out but turned it off when we returned as it is too noisy and there is a nice breeze.
July 30th – Sat – Deer Lodge
We went to 5 museums here that are all covered by the same admission fee. The largest is an old prison that was in use for over 100 years and was closed in 1979. A good job has been done of making a self-guided tour of the buildings & grounds. Attached to the prison is a car museum with 140 restored cars. Across the street is a toy museum (mostly dolls), a Western museum with a (non-working) bar in the back and a pioneer museum (?) that also had wood carvings done by one man over his lifetime. Many of the carvings were horse-drawn wagons, sleighs, etc. A replica of a 20 Mule team was 9 feet long.
We stopped at a hardware store and a couple of grocery stores before heading back to the rig with fried chicken for a late lunch/early dinner. After eating, we went to a nearby car wash and cleaned up the truck. Back at the RV park we cleaned the inside, the windows and any missed spots. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing, watching TV and checking out places on the computer to see when we leave here.
July 31st – Sun – to Thermopolis WY
We had planned to stay in Cody today but it was pretty early when we got there so we kept going to Thermopolis. Just as we left Cody, we hit road construction and a very bumpy gravel road. A sign said the construction was for 10 miles and Terry was ready to turn around and take a longer route when we hit pavement again. There were a few more short gravel stretches before a return to smooth pavement. When we started driving, it was 72 degrees and climbed to 91. We also climbed to 6200 feet which is not hard to do when so much of Montana & Wyoming is at or near 4000 feet.
We are at the Eagle RV park just out of town. After we set up, we sat outside with a drink. A neighbor (Dennis) was having trouble opening his motor home door so Terry dug out his tool box to help. After dinner, Dennis and his wife Susie came over to visit. Their granddaughter, who lives with them, came over a couple of times between watching movies. We sat out until just after 10 when rain drops made us decide that we were done.
We are taking a rather odd route but we look at the Atlas and find an area that we haven’t explored and if it is kind of in the right direction and has something that we would like to see, that is where we go. We took Hwy 12 from Orofino to Missoula and then hopped on I90 to Deer Lodge where we are staying at Indian Creek Campground.
The drive and scenery on Hwy 12 was lovely. We followed the Clearwater River for a long way and then the Lochsa River. The road condition was excellent and there was little traffic. We stopped in Lolo (edge of Missoula) for fuel and lunch and lost an hour as we changed to Mountain Time.
After we set up, we drove into town to find a tire dealer. When we left Orofino this morning, Terry noticed a nail or screw in a back tire in the truck but we weren’t losing air so we figured we would wait until we were at a tire shop to pull it out. When we got to the tire dealer, I got out to spot the nail as Terry drove but it was no longer in the tire! We figure it was just a short nail and it was in the thick part of the tread. So we drove down the main street and stopped at a grocery store for a few items on the way back.
It is clear and very warm here. We had the AC on when we were out but turned it off when we returned as it is too noisy and there is a nice breeze.
July 30th – Sat – Deer Lodge
We went to 5 museums here that are all covered by the same admission fee. The largest is an old prison that was in use for over 100 years and was closed in 1979. A good job has been done of making a self-guided tour of the buildings & grounds. Attached to the prison is a car museum with 140 restored cars. Across the street is a toy museum (mostly dolls), a Western museum with a (non-working) bar in the back and a pioneer museum (?) that also had wood carvings done by one man over his lifetime. Many of the carvings were horse-drawn wagons, sleighs, etc. A replica of a 20 Mule team was 9 feet long.
We stopped at a hardware store and a couple of grocery stores before heading back to the rig with fried chicken for a late lunch/early dinner. After eating, we went to a nearby car wash and cleaned up the truck. Back at the RV park we cleaned the inside, the windows and any missed spots. The rest of the evening was spent relaxing, watching TV and checking out places on the computer to see when we leave here.
July 31st – Sun – to Thermopolis WY
We had planned to stay in Cody today but it was pretty early when we got there so we kept going to Thermopolis. Just as we left Cody, we hit road construction and a very bumpy gravel road. A sign said the construction was for 10 miles and Terry was ready to turn around and take a longer route when we hit pavement again. There were a few more short gravel stretches before a return to smooth pavement. When we started driving, it was 72 degrees and climbed to 91. We also climbed to 6200 feet which is not hard to do when so much of Montana & Wyoming is at or near 4000 feet.
We are at the Eagle RV park just out of town. After we set up, we sat outside with a drink. A neighbor (Dennis) was having trouble opening his motor home door so Terry dug out his tool box to help. After dinner, Dennis and his wife Susie came over to visit. Their granddaughter, who lives with them, came over a couple of times between watching movies. We sat out until just after 10 when rain drops made us decide that we were done.
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