Roger here.... Our Wednesday night stay was at Lathrop State Park about fifty miles south of Pueblo, Colorado. We left Seibert so early in the morning that we arrived at the state park just before noon. What a unique and beautiful place! Our pull-through site with electricity gave us a panoramic view of Hogback Ridge and the Spanish Peaks. The first thing we noticed was the ever-changing appearance of the mountains and the spectacular white (and sometimes gray) clouds rolling across the bluest of blue skies.
We had half a day here, so we put on our hiking shoes and took the boys on a three-mile hike to the top of (and across) Hogback Ridge. The first part of the hike was through a low scrubby area, full of cactus, some of which still had remnants of blooms. We saw a cool mule deer with a full set of antlers, but he bounded away before we could get the camera out.
As we began to ascend the ridge, we were surrounded by huge, heavily eroded, sandstone boulders. Some of them were covered with brightly covered lichens (red, yellow, and green).
Near the top of the ridge, the trail became a little dicey - more like mountain climbing (scrambling) than hiking. I was concerned that our chicken doggie, Chaplin, would be afraid and balk at the erratic climb, but he bounded to the top.
The view from the top was stunning, especially looking straight down, but the mid-afternoon lighting and an increasing cloud cover made for poor photography. (Dianne here: If you look closely, you can see our motor home.)
The ridge was indeed a ridge. As we walked along, the drop was pretty much straight down on both sides. Dianne picked up a few souvenir rocks. Fortunately, they were small enough to put in her pocket (remember Lucy's hidden boulders in the movie The Long, Long Trailer). (These weren't anything rare; just a small sample of the igneous rock that originally formed the mountains, and a couple pretty sandstone rocks from the base. I'll mark them with "CO" so I'll remember what state they're from when I add them to my collection in Texas).
As we carefully kept our balance, we passed by a gnarly 200-400 year old juniper tree.
And then... What was that? Was that a rain drop? The clouds look a little darker than when we left? Is the wind picking up? Was that another rain drop? Isn't it about 45 minutes back to the camp ground? We didn't bring rain panchos, did we? Do we have anything to keep the camera and cell phone dry? Was that another rain drop?
The trip to the top of the ridge was leisurely. The trip back down along the circular trail was purposeful. Fortunately, we made it down the steepest part of the trail before the sprinkles turned into a more steady rain. Jasper became a "dog possessed" as we speed-walked to the campsite. We made it back with wet clothes (and fur), but with a feeling of exhilaration. (Just love that wet-dog smell....)
We woke up the next morning to a sky full of vibrant orange/pink clouds. What a beautiful place. Too bad we only had a day here.
I know that Dianne talked about our drives heading west. When we left Colorado Friday morning for Taos, NM, I do want to point out that our first steep ascent and descent through a western mountain pass (the La Veta Pass on Route 160 west of Wahlensburg) went well. We did travel as slow as 25 mph in second gear for a portion of the crossing, but the engine did not overheat. (We passed by two semis with heavy loads who had to stop and cool a bit on the shoulder. Our motor home performed like a champ; slow but sure.)
Using the lower gears on the descent prevented me from having to use the brakes to maintain a safe speed. Dianne held up well, too. She didn't even complain about my driving - probably too scared to talk. (Actually, I was very impressed by my hubby "The Gear-Master.")
The next posts will describe our adventures in Taos and the surrounding area - one of my favorite stops so far.
Hi all -- Dianne here. We left Patoka Lake bright and early on Labor Day and drove and drove through Southern Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri. It was uneventful and an easy drive until we encountered some really strong winds in Missouri. We stopped for the night at Country Gardens RV Park in Odessa, MO, right off I-70. The RV park has a country store which specializes in Amish cheeses, spices, and jellies/preserves/butters, etc. We had fun picking out some snacks for the drive, including cheeses and pepperoni-flavored beef sticks.
When we have long driving days (these were much longer than we normally drive) we often have a snack tray and nibble while we drive. Then we'll fix a late lunch at a rest area and walk the boys.
In case you're wondering how our menagerie all travel down the road:
Charlie the cat must be in his sherpa bag (to keep him from getting lost in the open spaces when the slides are in). This keeps him safe from the slide-out gears and also in case we need to make a quick exit from the motor home, we can just grab him and go. He doesn't like it when I first stuff him in there, but then he always just settles in and sleeps.
Jasper rides on the Lazy-Boy Recliner or the couch, whichever suits his fancy at the moment. He usually just sleeps the day away, too, until it's snack time. The minute I put the snack tray out, he is at full alert. I then have to eat with one hand and keep him at bay with the other. It's my own fault for spoiling him, I know, but he is especially sneaky when it comes to stealing food (a common whippet trait).
This looks like Chaplin is being punished, but actually we're being kind. After much trial and error, this is the only way he travels well in the motor home. The engine noises and coach rattles give him anxiety attacks if he's loose. He feels more secure in his little "travel house."
Day Two of Westward Ho was all about crossing the state of Kansas on I-70. Those of you who have done this before know what I mean! Starts out green and hilly, but then much of the day was spent looking at mile after mile of grain sorghum fields and wild sunflowers along the road. We made it through Kansas City around 7:00 a.m. with no major problems.
We had planned to "Wal-Mart" it at Goodland, Kansas overnight. We were on such a roll when we drove through Goodland that we decided not to stop. We drove on to Seibert, Colorado and found a Passport America (50% discount for us) park right off the interstate. It is the kind of mom & pop RV campground we like to patronize: very well-managed, friendly, and clean. Not to mention cheap for us! $12 with our discount for a relaxing evening with electricity (in other words tv and internet) was a no-brainer. We will definitely stop again at Shady Grove Wi-Fi Campground in Seibert, CO for an overnight next time we're passing through.
It's always exciting after days crossing the flat plains when the first mountains come into view, and this was no exception!
We continued down I-25 to Walsenburg, CO and stopped around noon for the night at Lathrop State Park. What a treat! I'll let Roger blog on that one as soon as he gets a chance.
Dianne here: We're a little bit behind, because we were deep in the forest with no internet over Labor Day weekend. We're already in Colorado, on our way to New Mexico. First, though, Roger will update you on our Labor Day weekend at Patoka Lake.
Roger here.... Our last weekend in Indiana, and it was a good one!!!!! We spent our last two days in the Hoosier state with our camping friends - Chuck & Cindy and Pat & Audrey.
The location was Patoka Lake State Park, where Chuck and Cindy managed to reserve the best three sites in the park -- secluded, and overlooking the lake from a wooded point. Patoka Lake is the second largest reservoir in Indiana. There are 400+ campsites at the state park, but from our spots it seemed as if we were the only people there.
The first full day was pontoon boat day (rental from the marina). (Dianne here: We paid $25 extra to reserve a "dog-friendly" boat. The translation of that was, a boat no one else would want! It was an ugly duckling, with shredded upholstery from dogs jumping off the back end. The ugly-duckling boat didn't hamper our good time at all.)
Sophie (lounging on the back of the seat)--
-- and Jasper joined the humankind on the boat. We left Chaplin in the motor home, because we knew he'd be scared on the boat. Jasper was cold part of the time, but we kept him snug and warm, and he seemed to enjoy the ride.
Despite the chilly day (after a month of mid-nineties), Chuck and Cindy seem to be having a good time.
The same for Dianne and me.
As we neared the campground area, we docked the boat and enjoyed some of Chuck's "breakfast juice."
The view on the isolated rocky beach was great.
Later, Sophie enjoyed some cuddle time with Audrey and Cindy,
while Captain Pat drank his breakfast juice from a special glass (measuring cup) after one of the plastic cups blew overboard.
(Dianne here: I'm glad to report that after a full day on the water, the plastic cup was the only thing that went overboard; Chuck and Cindy both left the boat wearing their glasses, unlike our kayaking (mis)adventures.
Ed and Karen joined us mid-day on pontoon boat day, bringing lunch. Evenings entailed snacks, excellent dinners grilled in the open air, and campfires. Audrey and Pat brought us a special wine bottle holder that sticks in the ground and includes separate wine glass holders. Perfect for evenings by the campfire.
Speaking of campfires.... Dianne and CHUCK were up to their old tricks. Previous tenants of the campsites had left a long, long partially burned log at our campsite (legal at this particular state park). At some time during our last evening, a suspicious trail appeared in the dirt. It looks like someone dragged the log to Chuck and Cindy's site. Probably Chuck. By the way.... the fire was great.
Two long, long driving days and we will finally be in the WEST!
Roger here.... One of the reasons we decided to spend some time at Prophetstown State Park was its proximity to Lafayette, IN and Dianne's family. We were hoping to spend some time with the "cousins," but as an added bonus, my younger brother, Dick, drove over from Ohio where he is starting a new job.
My brother is six years younger than me and is my only sibling. (Dianne here: The "old photo gremlin" strikes again, tee-hee...)
We have remained close our entire lives, frequently spending quality time on the telephone; however, his employment has taken him all over the country (Michigan, Ohio, North Carolina, Oregon/Washington, back to Ohio), but never near Dianne and me. Our visits have been few and far between, so it was a great surprise when he told us he would be able to drive to Lafayette on Saturday.He showed up in his newest toy (he has always collected toys) a Nissan 350 Z Touring Car. I must admit that his high-performance, two-seat convertible is a head turner. After a visit under the awning (talking about his wife who is coordinating the move from the West Coast and his son - a junior at Gonzaga), the two of us headed to our alma mater, Purdue University, just a few miles away (in his car - with the top down, of course). I offered to drive our Toyota Matrix, but he would have nothing of it :-). I was happy to have a seat belt and a handle to keep me wedged in the car.
We drove around campus looking at the newest construction, including the new Neil Armstrong Engineering Building (with a bronze statue of Neal in front). Amelia Earhart is another famous Purdue alumnus.
We drove by the update of Mackey (basketball) Arena. Mackey is no longer just a big circle, but has extensive wings attached to the original structure. I've been told that fans will no longer need body armor to get to the concession stands at half-time. We also stopped at a couple of the bookstores to check out the latest Purdue-wear. I did do some damage, buying a t-shirt and a rain-proof hooded jacket. Following our motor home rule, I discarded an old ratty jacket and a frayed t-shirt before bringing the new purchases into the motor home.
Side note.... Rumor has it that Purdue's men's basketball team may be ranked number one in the nation in the pre-season polls. Time will tell.
Before leaving the campus, we parked in the "village" and visited an iconic Purdue institution - Harry's Chocolate Shop. For all the non-Purdue people out there, Harry's is really not a chocolate shop, though that is a good thing for students to tell their parents. Harry's, founded in 1919, is a bar. Rumor has it, that the "chocolate shop" was a front for a speak-easy during prohibition! Nonetheless, with a huge antique bar and a plethora of TV screens it is still quite the place. On the way out I picked up some plastic beverage cups to use with our Indiana University friends when we see them next weekend :-).
Dick wanted to try out my new bicycle (a possible new toy), so when we returned from our short visit to the Chocolate Shop, he took it out for a spin. I went along on Dianne's bike, after removing the white basket and the yellow flower. Shortly after the ride, he sped off to visit his mother-in-law near Indy. It was great to see him. Dianne's turn.....
Dianne here: I am SO mad at myself!!!! This is the second year in a row that I've had my cousins join us at Prophetstown State Park for a cookout, and for the second year in a row I forgot to take any photos while they were here! I just get so excited to see them that I forget all about it. Here is a photo of the empty chairs where we sat and enjoyed wine, beer, and conversation after dinner.
My cousin Charles and his wife, Leslie, live on the Robison family farm (now theirs) near Mulberry, Indiana. They provided the delicious hamburgers from their own farm-raised beef. Leslie also graciously brought me some zucchini, squash, and tomatoes from her garden. What a treat! My dear cousin, Becky, brought the best black bean/tomato/corn salad we've ever eaten, and apple-grape salad, too. What an easy dinner for me! All I had to contribute was dessert. It was SO good to see Charles, Leslie, Becky, and her husband, Rich.
Becky, Charles, and I were "stair steps" growing up; all of our birthdays fall within a few weeks of each other in late August and early September, with Charles, then me, then Becky born a year apart. We always celebrated our birthdays together at grandma's house as kids. We spent so much time together as babies, toddlers, and kids growing up, that they seem more like brothers and sisters than cousins. I promise that next year when we get together that I will not only put my camera by the door (like I did this year), but I'll wear it around my neck so I don't "space it" again.
After Roger and Dick had their "guy time" at Purdue and Harry's Chocolate Shop, Roger took me there for lunch. I took his picture in the scarred wooden booth. I wasn't expecting much at all, but I have to say my veggie sub was one of the best sandwiches I've had in my entire life! It was soft+crusty bread, warm grilled vegetables and mushrooms and melted cheese. YUM.
Sometimes I think we don't include enough photos of the "boys"; after all, our blog is entitled "Travel With Whippets." Here's a shot of them doing what they do best on a hot afternoon.
We've really enjoyed our time here at Prophetstown, but now it's time to move south to Patoka Lake to meet up with Chuck, Cindy, Pat, and Audrey again for our final camping weekend of 2010. We'll update again from there!
