The Continental Divide

We've been in the Rockies for about two weeks, sometimes without internet so this update is long in coming.

We have spent that time driving the Honda all around and over the mountains.  In one day we crossed four summits, three of them on the Continental Divide.

Monarch Pass is on US Highway 50.

Also spent some time wading in the headwaters of the Arkansas River.

Look closely, there's gold in this sand.

Nice dry camping spot along the Arkansas river.

One day we drove about five miles on a dirt road into the national forest looking for places to dry camp.  Dry camping is where you camp out in the national forest without any hook-ups or picnic tables, fire rings or rangers.  The next two pictures were taken on that road.

These two pictures were taken from the same location.

Still lots of wildflowers blooming.

We are now at Lathrop Lake State Park in southern Colorado slowly heading south back into Northern New Mexico.  We are just kicking around following the cool weather but it is possible to go to high where it is getting into the mid 40's degrees at night a bit to cool.  That was up about 10,000' near Leadville, CO so down the mountain we came.  

We are doing well and are still having fun.  The Winnebago is running good and so is the Honda.  We have spent several days in a row without internet and I lived through it.  

See you around the corner.

Evie and Joy

We Went Into The Mountains

We're back in Colorado.  Yesterday we were happily enjoying our stay at Eagle Nest Lake SP in New Mexico and had planned on staying there till thursday when someone came in and parked next to us.  That's ok, someone else was there the day before, but the energy around these people was very heavy.  So late last night we decided it was time for us to move on down the road.  So we are now at San Luis Lake State Park in Colorado. One of my moms brothers use to live not very far from this park so after getting the rv settled and the car unhitched we took a drive to Crestone, CO.

Wild horse country, but not a one to be seen.

The road to Crestone.

I got to stand in a creek , this is upstream.

This is down stream.

Until tomorrow.

Evie

We get to see some cute things come into campgrounds.  This guy was from Texas.

Day Trip to Santa Fe Ski Area

One day last week we took a trip up the mountain where the Santa Fe ski area is.  When we started up the mountain it had its head in the clouds. This is what was going on at the top, around 14,000'.

Lots of thunder, lighting, rain and hail.  

The reason we drove up that mountain was to check out some state campgrounds.  They were ok but no cell or internet, no way.  

Sunset from Eagle Nest Lake SP.

Until next time.

Evie

Eagle Nest, NM

We spent several days in the area of Angle Fire and Eagle Nest, New Mexico.  These two small towns are in the mountains at around 8,258' in elevation.  Cool man cool.  Temps hover around 75 degrees during the day and in the 40's at night.  We will spend the next six weeks moving around at this elevation to stay cool.  

Ran into a couple of other solo women rvers while at Eagle Nest State Park.  Charlene is a van-dweller, that's her sitting on her door step.  She has a blog and you can follow her by clicking  here.  And Roxanne who travels and lives in her Toyota Prius.  Roxanne and I bump into each other often.  Roxanne also has a blog, click here to see hers. There are many of us who live and travel in our rv's.  Some rv's are bigger than others but the process is the same.  You get rid of all you stuff, sell the house and buy something that fits your needs and hit the road.  

SwankieWheels on the left and The Good Luck Duck on the right.

A different style of wind turbine alongside a cell tower at the visitor center.

The view from my bedroom window.  

That patch of white on the water is a flock of White Pelicans who spend their summers here.

Prairie dog.

 We made a fast trip to Albuquerque to rent a mailbox at a UPS Store.  We left Eagle Nest and drove the rv to Santa Fe where we checked into The Roadrunner RV park for two nights .  The next day we drove the Honda into ABQ., about 1 hour away.  That is the first step in establishing residency here in New Mexico.  Many full time rvers struggle with the question of where they will use as their domicile and I won't go into that here as there have been reams written on the subject.  For mom and I, we love it here in New Mexico, and spend most of our time in New Mexico state parks and when we are official residents of this beautiful state we will be eligible for a discount.  I'm now in the process of changing over some of my address, some I will leave using my California address and now have that mail forwarded to our new box.  In Sept. when we again return to ABQ. for doctor visits I will apply for a NM driver's licenses. 

The roadside sunflowers are in bloom.  

As tall as the car all along the road and in fields.

We are now back at Eagle Nest SP where it is a cool 77 degrees, and where beautiful clouds often blow in, in the afternoon sometimes bringing cooling rains.

Thank you for using the Amazon link at the top of my page.  

Until next time.

Evie and Joy

New Mexico Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Angel Fire

We went to see the New Mexico Vietnam Veterans Memorial today.  Because the Vietnam war was my generation's war I know a lot of young men who went and served.  Some came home and some didn't.  I still have a hard time thinking and talking about so this will be mostly pictures.

"The Memorial was established in 1968 by Victor and Jeanne Westphall to honor their son, Lt. David Westphall, who was killed in Vietnam in May 1968. When it opened in 1971, it was one of the first Memorials of its kind in the United States dedicated to Vietnam Veterans."

 reprinted from the brochure. 

This is a picture of LT. David Westphal, in the hat.

  It is a picture of every young man who went

to Vietnam for their country. 

 Young and full of life, most were right out of highschool

 with their whole life in front of them.  

War is hell.

Until next time.

Evie

Ten Days on the Banks of The Rio Grande

We spent almost two weeks in the South Fork, Colorado area checking everything out.  Most of that time was spent on the banks of the Rio Grande in a National Forest campground.  It rained almost every afternoon keeping the temps down in the 'nice' range, cool at night and in the 70's during the day.  We did bring the rv into town to an rv park for two nights to have it washed and waxed by a mobile wash and wax guy.  We had bugs on the front from South Dakota last fall.  I'm happy to report that they are all gone. 

Along the river which is just out of the frame to the left.

View from rv of the Rio Grande.

We took a 19 mile dirt road trip to see the Headwaters of the Rio Grande.  

The Rio Grande flows for 1248 miles, from Colorado to the Gulf of Mexico.

Still lots of wildflowers to be seen.

Columbine, the state flower of Colorado.

This area is in Mineral county.  The scenic highway is called The Silver Thread.  Silver being the most important mineral in the area, but with silver comes other things as well such as amethyst.  So of course I bought an amethyst pendent. Sorry no picture.

We took another dirt road tour of some of the mining area above Creede, CO.

Rain drops on windshield, sorry.

We went to The Last Chance Mine where the owners are slowly restoring the old buildings. 

Note man in blue shirt working under falling down building.

Gift store where I bought my pendent. 

View down the valley below Creede.

It's all about beavers and their ponds.

We are heading south towards Taos, New Mexico and will post about that soon.

See you around the bend.

Evie

You see all types of rv's in campgrounds.

Green tent is on top of a small utility trailer. 

We are seeing more and more of this type of tent camping.

Thank you everyone for using the Amazon link at the top of my page.  Some of the things bought using it have been,

Yarn

LED light bulbs

CD's

Pens

and more.  Thank you!