Montana Trip - Day 5

[up at 0630L - last day in the Navy... - made calls to ensure I can take care of retirement paperwork on the 1st (A-O-K) - left Vernal and drove north on US-191 - stopped for a hike (1.5 miles each way) at [Red Fleet] State Park - wasn't too hot when I started - only took one bottle of water - sand, rocks, tough trail to navigate - found dinosaur tracks at the end of the trail, on the edge of a reservoir - lots of tracks, actually (a trail for several groups of various sizes) - it was tougher walking back to my car (hotter, drank all my water) - Thank God for the dinosaur footprints painted on the rocks, or I would have gotten lost! - as I left the trail, noticed there was a guide book and trail log (I should know to look for that by now...) - back on the road, drove through changing terrain - signs told what was along the road (bones, coal, oil, gems, etc.) - trees, plateaus, cliffs (all stunning) - made it to Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area around 1130L - at fork in the road (US-191 and UT-44), drove towards Dutch John - got (some) gas (expensive!) and then ate lunch at the Flaming Gorge Lodge (Green River Jumbalaya) - drove back to UT-44 and stopped at the Gorge visitor center [at Red Canyon] - pleasant weather, great views - stopped for a few more photos and continued into Wyoming - used WY-414 all the way to Mountain View - turned onto Business I-80 and stopped at Fort Bridger - visited the State Historic Park (people setting up for Jim Bridger Days) - nice lady at the museum told me about Mormon Trail (etc.) - talked to some other interesting folks - got a root beer float next door before getting back in the car - drove a short distance to I-80 (weird to be on an interstate again...) - very windy - gas just before leaving Wyoming (Evanston) - nice scenery: big hills and canyons - called Katie to wish her a happy birthday - turned on to I-84 (nothing like the I-84 I've used in the East!) - just before junction of I-84 and I-15 (south of Ogden), got off interstate and used US-89 and UT-193 to get to Hill Air Force Base [Layton, UT] - located lodging and got my stuff to the room - ate dinner at the Food Court (Taco Bell $5 box) - back at room - laundry and unpacking - then I discovered my digital camera in the laundry as I switched it in the dryer (!) - disassembled it and hoped for the best - was getting so much done (more prep for visit to the Family History Library in the morning), didn't notice what time it was - bed around 0100L (took longer to fall asleep)...]

Montana Trip - Day 4

[up around 0645 (saw part of sunrise over mountains) - drove down to the Great Sand Dunes (0750) - had to walk five football fields to get to first hill - cold sand - animal tracks - hills and valleys - following others but finally settled for 475' dune - at top, HUGE valley below - too far to cross - getting hotter - headed back down hill (high school field trip ?) - on way out of the park, saw herd of elk along road - took pictures and waited behind an RV (State Trooper...) - drove back to hotel to shower and change - (1000) decided to take a chance and drive across the valley to visit the source of the Rio Grande - used county and farm roads (gravel) after dropping off mail in Mosca - made it to US-160 without much trouble - paralleling Rio Grande all the way - stopped at South Fork and learned you need a 4X4 to drive up to the source (reservoir) - got other info about the state (very helpful) - drove back to Del Norte and got Subway for lunch - then on CO-112 to US-285 - could see the sand dunes the whole time I was in the San Luis Valley - figured out I probablly lost two hours - scenic drive through a canyon all the way to Salida - drove through town - drove north again, paralleling Arkansas River (pretty) - rain off/on - changed to US-24 - gas in Buena Vista ["Bunah Vista"] - turned onto CO-82 to drive across the Independence Pass - scenic! - twin lakes, snow on mountains, creeks along road - some speedy BMWs several times (in a hurry) - passed Mount Elbert (highest point in CO) - crossed continental divide (12093 feet) - drive down was OK (not as scenic) - saw lots of bikers - road narrowed to only one car width a few times! - drove into Aspen and explored in a car - finally had to park - walked around in the scenic downtown - very high end people and shopping establishments - got ice cream - filled bottles up with Aspen (tap) water - recycling (etc.) - after about an hour, got back to car and explored neighborhoods around the town (lots of Sotheby signs) - on my way down to I-70 via CO-82 - weird HOV lanes, lots of stop lights, TONS of traffic, gas costs $0.50 more than everywhere else (I was not happy) - made it to the interstate and made good time to Rifle (crossed [Colorado River]) - used CO-13 all the way to Meeker (VERY remote, but still some traffic) - then CO-64 to Dinosaur - unbelievably remote!! - no cars for nearly 50 miles - driving through White River Valley - pretty - rain and lightning in the distance - swithed to US-40 - snacks at Dinosaur - mesas everywhere - drove into Utah around 1930, sun peeking out of clouds - "Yampa Plateau" - checked on lodging as I entered Vernal - found a cheep place (Weston Lamplighter Motel) - caught up on email and prepped a little for genealogy research in Salt Lake City - some TV - bed around 2300L.]

Montana Trip - Day 3

[restless sleep - up early and saw wonderful view of stars and (later), sunrise... - should have taken a shower again, but didn't and then the owner turned off the water to work on his well - (0800) back to Volcano - bought park pass - drove to top and then hiked around the rim (1.0 miles) - echo - elevation (8,200 feet) getting to me, but I made it - beautiful views - back on the road (west on US-64/87) to Raton (looking for an oil change place - no luck) - instead, used I-25 south to US-64 and then headed over to the Enchanted Circle - passed NRA site - arrived in Cimmaron around 1045 - found a place for an oil change - meanwhile, walked to post office - back to pick up my car, nice chat with workers - lunch at Heck's Hungry Traveler (Heck-of-a-Burger with chopped green chili) - back on the road - drove through Cimmaron Canyon - rock faces (Palisades Sill), cool running water (very pleasant), deer along road - came to Eagle Nest and chatted with (Texan) welcome center owner - he suggested I drive north on Enchanted Circle to see Red River and Questa - it was a good choice (nice mountain communities) - had some rain (wipers...) - arrived in Taos from the north - got gas - couldn't get into town (traffic jam) - attempted to visit Taos Pueblo (closed) - finally gave up and left town on US-64 - stopped at Taos Gorge (Rio Grande River) - vendors and bridge repair - walked across for photos - drove across and stopped at a rest area for a bit (more photos, hiking) - US-64 all the way to US-285 (biotechture) - then north into Colorado - awesome views of Taos Plateau and mountains - stopped for a bit in Antonito (railroad National Monument) - continued north to Alamosa - help from lady at visitor center - drove out on CO-17 to Mosca and then [CO-6] to Great Sand Dune National Park - visitor center (German lady working there, speaking with tourists) - on their recommendation, headed back to Zapata Falls - 3.6 mile drive on bumpy gravel road then 1/4 mile hike - stunning views of valley and dunes - (recommendation of other hikers) had to wade into water to be able to see the falls, but worth it! - on way back down saw spectacular view of valley (bison herd) - drove back towards dunes (tired), so stopped at the Oasis and found a room at their Lodge - had dinner at the little restaurant (just before they closed) - Navajo taco (mmmm) and beer - watched sunset (1930) - great conversation about town with High School Senior (school K-12 with 375 students, area population, farmers salting clouds, Rio Grande source, etc.) - back to lodge - went swimming in the pool - relaxing - bed around 2300.]

Montana Trip - Day 2

[left hotel around 0800 - beautiful (cool) morning - drove to nearby Washita Battlefield - toured the new visitors center (only one there) and watched movie - drove to Battlefield site and toured it with ranger and one other person - learned a lot about Oklahoma Indian Nations - more dry riverbeds... - finished around 1145 - then on my way west again - used back roads (OK-47) into Texas - then farmroads (some gravel) - located site of last scene of the movie "Cast Away" - drove on gravel farm roads back to TX-152 drove to Pampa and then on to Lake Meredith - Canadian River - drove around the lake (north) and located the dam - lake almost empty - found a few day use sites but missed the visitor center (south side) - got back to US-__ and then filled up with gas in Dumas (same place as 2010?) - used US-78 all the way to Capulin, New Mexico (good road, but I missed the chance to use a four lane...) - ominous clouds in the distance... - terrain finally changed to rolling (green!) hills - temps also much cooler (nice!) - arrived at Capulin Volcano (looks like Vesuvious) at 1720 (too late to go up) - checked in town (population 49) for lodging and found a cabin - drove back to Des Moines to have dinner (Mexican - green chili) at Sierra Grande (the big, Etna like volcano behind the restaurant) - drove around Volcano (Folsom - destroyed in the early 20th century by flash flood - location of archaeology discovery of spears in mammoth bones) and back to camp ground - lighting and thunder all evening (scared horses) - worked maps and internet to plan route - bed around 2130L (!)]

Montana Trip - Day 1

[found out this week I wouldn't be able to start my new job until (at least) the middle of September - I'll play along for a bit, but I had to get away from the 40 C weather... - left the house around 1400L - drove on US-287 to Vernon, TX - crossed Red River on US-283 - Altus (pretty sizeable, actually) - gas at AFB - explored nearby - continued north on US-283 (saw "mountains") all the way to Sayre - explored down-town - later looked for Sayre-Doxey cemetery - located it near interstate 40 and found Coogan stones - got on I-40 (west) and began to look for a hotel - realized there wouldn't be any until the Texas border, so doubled back to Hixta - asked for rate in Sayre (WAY too much) - saw BECKHAM VORTAC ? - prairie dogs along roadside - drove on to Cheyenne and stayed in the aptly-named Motel there.]