The crew and I drive Forest Road #639, searching for a boondock.
The dirt road carries us up Trail Ridge which is due west from our previous camp by Williams Creek at Bridge Campground (see previous post).
It’s pretty here, but this doesn’t look promising. Goes up steep on the right side of the road and drops down on the left side.
Here’s how the area looks in the Colorado Benchmark Atlas:
An opening between the trees reveals how high we are on the ridge.
“Wait a minute, guys,” I tell Bridget and Reggie. “I want to take pictures. You can get out later. This isn’t a good place for you to run around.”
I point the camera at the mountains, slightly to the left . . .
And, slightly to the right, at the valley below . . .
At the top of the ridge we come upon a very large campsite.
Tanks and a holding pen for cattle are off to one side. Campers and vehicles are parked on grass near the trees.
“I don’t want to go further. I don’t know about this road . . . .”
I turn the PTV around and we head down the ridge.
“There’s a pretty, grassy area along here somewhere. It’ll be a good place for you to get out . . . Here it is!”
Gee, I wish this were a campsite. What a great camp this would make.
I let out the crew and they scamper across the grass.
“A fire ring! A fire ring! We CAN camp here! Isn’t that great, crew? In the morning we’ll move here!”
Sunday, June 12
Our camp on Trail Ridge, Forest Road #639, San Juan National Forest, Colorado
In order to put the Best Little Trailer where I want her, I must back in between two patches of wildflowers. I don’t want to crush them.
I place my wheel chocks along the borders of the flowers.
I can’t see the flowers in my side mirrors as I back in, but the bright yellow chocks are clearly visible.
This photo shows the fire ring that I couldn’t see from the road.
Across the road is a forest of aspens. When the light is right, they present a luminous view from the door side of the BLT.
After recent camps with fees, I’m happy to be boondocking again!
I love free camps! Since we will stay here several days, I set up the folding table on the forest side of the BLT.
Later I wash dishes in a basin.
Doing dishes in a forest is much better than in a kitchen! Clean dishes sparkle in the sunshine . . . .
Bridget relaxes.
Reggie finds a boulder to climb on and a pine tree to sniff.
He can do a lot of exploring on his 50 feet of tether.
I estimate we’re at approximately 8,200 feet at this camp.
The trees are a mix of gambel oak, pine (some are Ponderosas, others Lodgepole maybe?), aspen, and spruce (as best I can identify!).
I’d call the aroma “woodsy with a scent of pine.”
Temperatures at night are comfortable with windows closed. During the day they’re in the 80s, moderated by breezes coming up the ridge.
(Jumping ahead to real time a week later, the afternoons are hot. I run the ceiling fan. We sit in the shade. We wait until late in the day for our walk when it is cooler.)
Tiny birds flit among the tree tops and sing. These are the “singiest” birds ever!
They sing well before dawn and all through the day. I’ve yet to identify them.
An owl hoots at night, adding charm to the crew’s nocturnal potty run.
We see no wild animals other than ground squirrels or chipmunks which Reggie tries unsuccessfully to catch.
We do come upon a path of tall grass pressed down. Bridget and Reggie go nuts sniffing it. Bear maybe?
Next post . . . Excitement comes to Trail Ridge Camp!
rvsue
THANK YOU FOR SHOPPING AMAZON FROM MY BLOG!
Follow any of the links or ads you see on my blog and your purchases at Amazon will send a commission to “RVSue and her canine crew.”
Here’s a sample of items recently ordered by readers:
Good Grips Swivel Peeler
AM/FM Hidden Radio Antenna
Coleman Classic Propane Stove
Women’s Natural Fit Cargo Shorts
Personal Memoirs of Ulysses S. Grant
Water Filter with Flexible Hose Protector
CLICK LINK TO SHOP AMAZON NOW!
1st?!
YOU DID IT, DAWN! CONGRATULATIONS!
First
Tie!
It’s a good day for Dawns. 🙂 And for Janis, too…
LOL
ALSO FIRST! CONGRATULATIONS, JANIS (GRANDJAN)!
Looks PERFECT!
OM Goodness! A 3 way tie!
ANOTHER FIRST PLACE! CONGRATULATIONS, DAWN!
Yeahhhh!!!
Good morning Blogerinos! Have a great day and those where temps are soaring, do be careful!
I GUESS YOU’RE IN SECOND PLACE, VELDA! YAY!
Special thanks for the picture of the atlas and where you were !!
Huggs Grandjan
You’re welcome, Grandjan. The map photo does add a lot… I thank weather for the suggestion…
I want to be there!
Awww…. Hey, I think you’re in third place, kinda’… 🙂
I did mean I want to be in that boondock, not in the finish line. : )
That’s what I thought you meant. 🙂
Oh, now you’ve done it again! You’ve got us on pins and needles waiting to find out about the excitement! I am wondering about the vague reference to a potential bear, though. Hmmmm….
Love teasing you guys… Hi, Suzette!
Amazing spot. Love the cliffhanger at the end. Lovely photos. I can smell the fragrance of the trees and feel the breeze. Ahhhh
Thanks re the photos, Lee. I need to go outside with these two cuties and feel the breeze myself…
Hi Sue,
Loved the photos!
Carolyn (Arkansas)
Glad you did, Carolyn!
Hi Sue, you love leaving us in suspense – don’t you?! What a lovely campsite you found. Bridget gets to relax and hopefully the length of his tether allows Reggie to explore AND burn off energy. It would drive me bonkers if I couldn’t catch a good site of the birds in order to figure out what they were. Have a great day.
I think the tiny birds might be Pine Siskins? I don’t know. I’m guessing. They stay up in the trees and it seems like they’re moving all the time.
I throw Bite Me as far as I can and Reggie fetches. Reggie thinks he has to get Bite Me as fast as he can and return to me as fast as he can. Gives him good exercise.
Beautiful site Sue and what a place for the little doggies to explore. Just my kind of camp.
There are several places to camp around here, although not on this particular road. You can see other campgrounds and forest roads on the map. Beautiful country!
Beautiful country once again…Sue you sure have a knack for filling our blogosphere with beauty…I can almost smell the pines and feel the breeze…ahhhhhh
Hi, millie… Finding beauty isn’t hard at all. 🙂
Sue, beware of the Forest roads for wash-outs and/or slides coming down. We have several this year wash out (sluff off) with all the moisture.
Also you in are in Bear country possible lion also, so you know about your trash/food items. Lions ought to have plenty of deer to feed on so your dogs should be okay.
If in brushy areas check for ticks especially on the dogs.
Always liked that area you’re in, and if your into old West, there used to be a Museum of Red Ryder paraphinlia (sp?) just west of Pagosa on the Hiway, was run by Fred Harmon’s Daughter I believe.
Enoy Colo.
This all makes me sort of nervous for the Crew.
Hi, Bob,
I appreciate the warning/reminder about slides and wash-outs, also bears and lions. No fleas or ticks for which I am very grateful. No biting insects either.
Close, lol. Paraphernalia.
Wow, that’s a long ways up…elevation wise. I’d be nervous going up that road but I’d still want to explore what’s up ahead until I was too apprehensive to continue like you did. I’m curious how easy it was for you to turn around on that road. Was there a spur for easy maneuverability?
It was easy to turn the PTV around. That big campsite is set back from the road. I simply used the lane into it to turn around.
Gosh Sue I am so inspired by your boondock skills! I plan to camp in established campgrounds for this first summer getting to know my Casita, but maybe in the early fall I will venture out to see what is off the beaten path for free camps around some of the beautiful PNW. Seeing how you scout the locations first on your maps and online and then with just your PTV has been very helpful in figuring out a plan. I’m going to get a solar set up over the “off season” (no such thing really, right?) so that next year I can be free to go untethered. Maybe Reggie will be ready for that too – haha. Enjoy the rest of your time on the ridge!
Your plan sounds good, Molly. By the time you are ready to scout out boondocks on your own, you will have read about how to find them several times here. 🙂
Molly – Do you already have your Casita? Keep us posted about how much fun you have. Most Casita owners love to hear the newbies’ excitement when they first get it.
Chris B
I do! I got mine in November so this is the first summer of adventures and I just LOVE my tiny house on wheels. I added fabric caravan bunting and tiny lights to the awning and really enjoy everything about it so far. Thanks!
What the heck is “fabric caravan bunting?”
Oh the cuteness….you can look up fabric bunting on a site like Etsy (people who handmake pretty things) to see – brightly patterned small triangular fabric “flags” on a fabric string. A lady in Serbia sewed mine. : ) I have always enjoyed reading a lot of British novels, especially mysteries, and it is more of a thing over there for their cute little camp trailers. I couldn’t resist on the Casita.
I see what you mean now. Thanks. I’m not into cute, although many folks do have fun with things like that. Go for it!
I love this camp. Another one to add to my favorites. It looks just like what I look for in a camp too. The big difference from here would be ticks and mosquitoes would be eating you alive here. It is getting hot here already. Almost 100 here, but still a breeze now. In another month it will be still and hot and humid. Your pictures make it feel cooler though. Stay safe and so glad to have to back.
Thanks, Jean… It’s good to be back. Gosh, I hate ticks and skeeters, sorry you have to cope with that, plus the heat. It has been hot here in the afternoon the past few days. There’s an hour or so around 3:30 when the temperature is high and the breeze stops. Suspended animation for me and the crew until it cools off again… Hope you can keep cool.
#30. Wow, I’m hitting the big time now!! I love this Colorado Camp and driving the Trail Ridge. We have driven it at two different times when we visited out there. We never tire of the beautiful views. We started at Estes Park both times as DH and I love the town. Now I will go back and read the whole post.
Oh no, we’re not even close to Estes Park. That’s in the northern part of Colorado and we’re way south of there about 19 miles north of Pagosa Springs. Maybe you’re thinking of Trail Ridge Road as Penny in AR mentions (below). Once you read the post and see the map, you’ll know it’s not the same place.
I know you are in the southern part of the state. Trail Ridge Rd., I think starts in Estes Park, but it goes a very long way westward & southward. It is one of those scenic highways. We got off south of Denver as that is where our friends live, but we were not at the end.
Just so everyone reading this has it straight. The crew and I are camped on a ridge called Trail Ridge, but we aren’t on Trail Ridge Road which Barbara was on. Our road is FR #639.
Sue and crew, Just dropping a line to say I’m still lovin’ your posts. Thanks for all your efforts to blog so we can tag along 🙂 Pat K in Bulverde
You’re welcome, Pat K…. Keep lovin’ the posts and keep cool in Texas!
Whew…at first I thought you meant Trail Ridge Road that goes over the continental divide, between Estes Park and Grand Lake…..would really require bravery to pull a camper over that! Looks like you’re in a beautiful spot….can hardly wait to find out what the excitement was! Oh, I hope you got to use the bear blaster horn!?.
Hi, Penny,
I looked up Trail Ridge Road and Estes Park in my Colorado Benchmark. The roads look like spaghetti around there!
It’s beautiful but very high…goes above the tree line. My hubs drove it years ago but he wouldn’t now. I like the road you are on better! That’s such a pretty area.
“Above the tree line…” Ooh…
Should I go for Wolf’s Pass or not — That is the question.
hm-m, good question, occasional tingling feet and shortness of breath where you are now, driving and towing on that pass-10,000ft. plus elevation…
Sounds like you’re tempted anyway, you really do like to tease us with cliff hangers,don’t you?
Haha! Why not? I’m teasing myself with the prospect of making it through that pass… I hate quitting!
I’ve told you about hubs problem with heights and he drives it okay, wincing only slightly! And it’s not a long stretch, then some pretty country. Creede area is pretty….maybe there are some boondocks around there.
Did he go through Wolf Creek Pass at 10,857 feet?
Yep, really not too bad.
That’s encouraging!
Why are these posts lines so short? Some are only one letter long and hard as hell to read!
Gosh, I find that place so-o attractive, especially in the fifth photo ,of your campsite. To be able to place your home amid the blue flowers , uncut grass,ferns and trees-no gravel, cement or man made improvements, wow! To me that’s among the top of advantages to boon docking, being able to step out ones door into the real world as it was created and meant to be. I have to wonder if that’s why the singiest birds ever greet morning light and sing throughout the day…I’d feel like doing that, too, if I was there. Between my happiness for you being so delighted that you could, in fact, stay there and my own delight at seeing the pictures of your adorable crew I’m all smiles as I type this, thanks, Sue 🙂 !
You’re welcome, weather. What a great reaction to this post and to our campsite. You make a good point about living where there are no “improvements.” One really feels a part of the forest here. Thank you for the sweet message and smiles.
Gee, you’ve put in a lot of hours since this morning’s replies on the last post, putting this one together and replying to everyone on this one.Did we all make you miss your nap with the crew? I hope you get enough rest prior to moving in the morning if you still plan to.
About our possibly needing to log in, would we log in with the name we want to comment as?
Good question. I would say, “yes,” use the name you would comment as, if only for the reason it’s less confusion. I have no need to know real names or last names.
I leave the laptop on while I do other things. Not much napping today. I took a chair and the crew to a cool part of the forest where there are more breezes and heavy shade in order to get through that hot time around 3:30. You are always very considerate, weather. Hope you’re comfortable where you are. 🙂
Thanks, I am and have been comfortable, even on days like yesterday that reached 90 plus degrees. Like you do, I’m able to take advantage of breezes and shade when outside and find the rare need for air conditioning, occasionally use a fan indoors.
Are you considering the use of our logging in because Hostgator is insisting on it being done or to prevent future problems that you see as likely? Would you be able to tell readers that was about to be implemented as a requirement prior to installing it as a feature needed to access your blog? Not that I anticipate it being a problem for me personally, I’m asking questions more for the sake of knowing how it might affect you in terms of set up and maintenance, size of readership and Amazon sales and because others may be curious about all of this, too. If you’d prefer it not be a topic of discussion, feel free ,as always, to delete this.
I’m confused by “considering the use of our logging in” and “about to be implemented.” I thought everyone was ALREADY having to log in. Please clarify. I’m at a disadvantage because I can’t see what readers see when they log in.
No, logging in to read your blog is not needed. I click on rvsuendcrew.net and it opens, as it always has. When I want to reply I click on the reply option below each comment , a comment box opens for me to type in, below it my name and email appears because I entered that long ago and it’s recorded here. Nothing has changed , there is nothing new, like a need to log in the way boxes appearing when you were having problems indicated would be necessary . I hope I’m explaining this clearly, ask for what I’m missing ,okay?
Sue, are you seeing Weather’s post like me…short lines or is the problem on My end (phone)?
I think it’s probably on your phone. With extended conversations on my blog the margins become larger, squeezing the type. This causes unreadable text on some mobile devices. I don’t think you need to fix anything.
I think I will change my settings so it does not allow so many replies on one thread.
weather… I appreciate your help. I was under the impression that people were logging in due to the comments of a few who mentioned it. I will email you about this.
Re your questions in your previous comment: Hostgator is insisting I use a registration box as well as a log in box. In other words, readers register one time (name, email address, solve a simple captcha math problem).
Then to open my blog they use the log in box (username, password, solve a simple captcha math problem). If they check “remember me” when logging in, they only have to enter username and password one time.
From what a couple of readers have shared, it seems like they are seeing a log-in box. No one has mentioned having to register. And you say you don’t even get a log-in box. I’m totally confused how some readers see a log in box and others don’t.
I have very little specific feedback to understand the situation, which makes the information you’ve shared very valuable to me.
To answer the other question… Yes, both are true– Hostgator is insisting on it and the purpose is to prevent future problems. Yes, it probably will have a negative effect on readership and Amazon sales.
I contacted another web hosting company and they didn’t reply. I dropped the effort because now there isn’t enough time to switch my blog to a new web host before it’s time to renew with Hostgator (tomorrow). It’s foolish to start a process like switching web hosts when I may not have internet connection at the next camp.
Another thought just occurred to me…
Readers who say they got a log-in box may have been referring to the one that popped up when my site was down. Oh, boy, is this confusing or what…
The way I understood the comments on this topic people were saying they would be willing to do what you are describing, not saying that they currently had to. To be clear, for me and I think for those that have mentioned it, connecting to your blog is still done as it has been all along.
Switching web hosts, should you decide to do that later, would likely only cost you their fee plus the extra monthly fee renewing with Hostgator will make you liable for until the term expires. I think you are wise to renew it to keep this open and continue looking at other options.
Krystina said she checked the “Remember Me” box which indicates a log-in box appeared.
?
Oh, I’d missed the comments from June 20th on the Guest Blogger post , so I hadn’t seen Kristina’s reply or your asking readers for feedback about whether they were currently being asked to log in , register ,etc.
At this point, from what I gather Hostgator’s continuing to allow access to your blog won’t continue unless you successfully install a log in feature that everyone will need to use. So this window of time wherein it isn’t necessary is either one they are unaware of,temporary or being reassessed or renegotiated-
“is this confusing…?” Oh,Yeah! HaHa ! I believe somewhere is a solution that will keep this blog &community you have fostered open to all the blogorinos without it costing you readership or sales. I will help in any way that I can, be that research, phone calls or whatever. I hope you don’t feel discouraged . It’s just another hill to climb-you’re good at that 🙂 !
Everything you wrote in your comment is true… I don’t know how much time I have before Hostgator shuts the blog down again. Gee, is this fun or what? 🙁
Sue, a login box appeared for me but I couldn’t login as I had no password as we had never established passwords. I do not see how anyone could login without a pre-established password and username.
Thanks for the info, Ginger. That’s not what I’m talking about now. After all that… with the blog down and the log-in box that no one could use…
After all that, I tried to install a one-time registration box followed by a log-in box (also one-time if Remember Me box is checked.) If I ever install it correctly, you would register, choose your password, log-in… and after that first effort, logging-in would be quick and simple. Trouble is… I haven’t figured out yet why I can’t install it properly.
If, in fact, Krystina saw and used it, perhaps it partially,incorrectly or temporarily was installed and that’s why you aren’t able to now? You might try looking wherever new files, apps or downloads are stored in your computer, if it’s there, uninstall it and begin over again. Not knowing the name of it I can’t look for real info that might help.
I was thinking the same thing. Start all over again. Can’t do that in the afternoon, too many connection drops. Please don’t try to look things up for me– There are too many issues for me to explain for you to be able to do that effectively.
Okay, I understand , both about it’s being too hard to explain for my research to help and the dropped connections. Looks like you’re in for more waiting and hoping all continues to work 🙁 Hang in there. I’m off to run errands and will ck. in later.
Still short! UGH!
Just to add to the confusion, I am getting on your site the same way I have always gotten to your site..rvsueandcrew.net and there you are.
Whatever it takes, I am in.
Hey Shirlene about to work part time only and soon be living the dream 🙂 Are you checking in from at work or from near the ocean?
see comment below..sorry did not go where I wanted it to go.
Found it, enjoy lunch and life,catch ya later
Me too Shirlene. I’m on RVSueandcrew as usual, no login, no remember me. If we have to do the login and remember me, then so be it.
Hi Sue and Crew,
What a beautiful campsite! I’m so glad you’ve found a free, peaceful site after struggling with the stress if your blog crash. I’m so happy you’re back. You have no idea of grief your followers felt thinking we had lost you and each other.
I love camping in the aspens. There’s something about them that exudes peace and coolness. I love the flickering light that comes through their leaves. If you are at 8200′ elevation you all must have done some acclimating. That’s getting up there!
I have a question. Do forest roads typically have turn around areas at the end of them? We are often hesitant to drive too far for fear we’ll come to a dead end and have to back out.
I’ll be waiting for news about the excitement you had.
Happy trails to all three of you.
Hi, Marilu,
I have some idea of the grief people felt when the blog was down. I felt something similar about losing you! Plus the stress of wanting to fix it and fast…
Bridge Campground is 7,600 ft. as was a previous campground (don’t remember which one… Target Tree maybe?). Occasionally I’ll feel tingles in my feet at this camp and sometimes shortness of breath when walking up the road. Mostly I’m sleepy and take a nap with the crew right about now (Bridget and Reg have already started without me.)
“Do forest roads typically have turn around areas at the end of them?” I’m hesitant to make a general statement about that because there are lots of forest roads and I’ve only driven on a small percentage.
I look at the road before starting on it. Does it look like someone has been up it recently? Does it look like it is graded periodically, maintained in some way? I figure if there’s evidence a big grader goes up a road, it has to turn around somewhere, right?
What occurs sometimes is not the road ending in a dead end. What will happen is the road becomes narrower and narrower and in poorer condition.
Is there turn-around room? That depends upon the length/wheelbase of one’s vehicle. As soon as I see a tendency for the road to narrow (or if I see ruts made by OHV fools), I look for a turn-around place. Sometimes I make a 16-point turn with the PTV!
Of course, I have to be more concerned with where to turn around when the BLT is with us. The PTV/BLT hitched together can turn on a surprisingly short radius. Even so, there’s always backing-up. Yuck. Only had to do that once so far.
Sometimes I get out and walk with the crew to see what’s ahead. I also rely on my Benchmarks… If the road is shown with a heavy dash (see map in post), that means it’s good, at least at the time of printing. The lightly dashed roads and the fine, hairlike roads on the map are riskier. Those risky roads can lead to the best places. 🙂
I was just wondering about the hash marks and small thin lines on the map. Thanks for explanation.
Do you understand now or are you asking for an explanation?
I Was commenting about your last paragraph ^^^. Hash marks mean gravel/dirt roads? I do intend to purchase a Utah Benchmark soon. Dreaming & planning a bucket list trip while hubs can still travel. He is in oxygen 24/7 so wondering about elevations.
That’s right… I call them dashed lines. Bold dashed lines are the best of the gravel and dirt road. Not bold. dashed lines are lesser gravel and dirt roads. Thin, hairlike lines, usually squiggly, are spur roads, often one lane dirt. If a road requires 4 wheel drive, it says so on the map. This feature is very helpful for me.
What a beautiful spot. We’re presently just 2 hours from our home base for our summer religious convention. We’re going to stay here a couple of extra days to explore & then thinking of turning north to Mackinac Island in upper Michigan then on to New England. But your sure making Colorado look like we need to be there. May have to rethink this. Have lots of fun. Loved the pic of Reggie on the big rock. I could see him telling Bridgett, I’m king of the hill?
Hi, Nancy,
I’ve heard upper Michigan is gorgeous and I know that New England is. 🙂 Wherever you go, whatever you decide to do, I wish you safety and good memory-making…
Reggie is a big shot when he climbs up on something. Bridget was watching him in that photo of her relaxing. She looks like she’s thinking “Oh. Isn’t that nice, Reggie. You climbed a rock. Yawn.”
My pup and I were just sharing a turkey sandwich (he gets turkey only, not bread and cheese), and I thought of you and your pups! Oh, Sue, how you keep finding sites with such beauty! And the Crew looks to be having a grand ole time there. I do love the picture of Reggie Man on the bolder sniffing the tree. He is just a bundle of personality! HRH Bridget is looking happy and healthy too! You do indeed life a blessed life, and we are blessed because you share your adventures with us all. Don’t keep us waiting too long for the excitement! Prayers for safe travels for all of you.
Thank you, retiredcajunlady. Yes, we are blessed with this life.
Bridget and Reggie fell in love with this site right away, when I let them out the first time we came up here. Then when we returned with the BLT, they were skipping around in the grass, happy to be in this spot again. It’s one of the few places I’m able to hook two 25-foot tethers together and let Reggie roam 50 feet from the center without him getting tangled easily.
Hey Sue! What a great idea about the chocks! Will have to try that! We picked up some of those balls on magnets and those are great to match up… my left and my right get so screwy backing in…
Gorgeous place!
Hugs!
Barb
Hi, Barb!
Chocks are usually a bright plastic, work well for guiding a back-in. I’m sure you know, when backing, to hold the wheel at the bottom. Turn the wheel left for left, right for right. Hey, if the balls-on-magnets work for you, that’s great!
You know, I finally understand this! If my hands are at the bottom of the wheel and I turn the wheel right, it is actually being turned left, which causes the trailer’s rear end to go right.
What a clever way to teach someone.
And a clever way to fool one’s brain!
Oh yes I KNOW it, but can I DO it 😛 that is the question! LOL
Am getting better. I LOVE the idea of the visuals with the chocks! Made perfect sense to me!
I have finally (!) learned that my hard of hearing (even with aids) husband does not hear me better when YELLING directions at the campground 🙁 I have perfected my silent directional skills…
And all the other campers say “AMEN!”
Thanks again for the simple but GREAT idea!
You’re welcome, Barb.
I’m confused. Holding the steering wheel at the bottom, don’t you turn left if you want to back right, then turn right if you want to back left? All I know is it’s dyslexic to me! No insult intended. I have to back slowly watching the direction of the tail end in the mirrors.
Love that first photo of the Casita with the purple wildflowers in the foreground – I really think that is the prettiest campsite photo you’ve ever taken. It looks like a wonderful place to spend a few days. Any creeks or streams nearby? I”m looking forward to the coming “excitement” – you do know how to hook us, don’t you Sue!!
Hi, Cynthia,
I like that photo, too. The color of the chair, the mat, the Casita decal, and the flowers tie it together. As for the prettiest campsite photo, I’d have a hard time choosing one out of the five years of camps. 🙂
I don’t know of any creeks or streams up here on the ridge. Williams Creek is the closest, I think.
YAY! Very glad to see you here! What a drop dead gorgeous place to call home! WOW!
sorry I wasn’t able to help yesterday but looks like you did ok all by yourself! Chuck and I are heading out to eat shrimp with friends! Again, good to see ya! Hugs to the crew!
You guys love shrimp! Remember the shrimp at Zion? That was a good time. Don’t remember the name of the place… Have fun with your friends!
Wildcat Willies! hahaha! We cheat! We buy the T-shirts to remind us of our favorite places! 🙂
Oh, yeah, Wildcat Willies… How could I forget!
Hi Sue – It’s 96 here and I’m only about three miles from the beach. No A/C! However, my friend introduced me to this piece of microfiber cloth that you can purchase online at Amazon. They are called Enduracool Microfiber. You wet it, wring it out and wrap it around your neck and you would not believe the difference! Clete’s is blue, mine’s a Hawaiianish red and orange and Diego’s is blue and green. I would not believe it if my friend didn’t show me how cool it stays! I have no relationship to this company, I find that it’s making my 96 degree much more comfy than hot having one. Mine is a pretty Hawaiianish print in orange and red!
Looks like you struck it rich again with a beautiful campsite. I love green space! I think that I prefer bear over mountain lions, or better yet, just a big dog!
Chris B (patiently waiting to see the excitement at the new site)
Hi, Chris B,
I’ll look up that product and post a link in a minute.
Mission Enduracool Microfiber Towel
A nifty item to take camping, hiking, backpacking… Dip it in a stream, put it around your neck.
Hey Chris b
Hubby has a couple he puts in the freezer. When no longer cold he rotates them.
He swears by it. I think it may be similar to what you have. Anyway you might give it a try.
Nancy s
Hi Nancy – Some reviews on Amazon state that they are the same as using a cotton towel but I disagree. They don’t drip and aren’t heavy. It made our warm weather yesterday bearable!
We were gifted a couple of these in 2013 when going on a cruise. They are great! (and not like a drippy towel)
Pat K in Bulverde
What a beautiful spot! The views of the mountains and valley were spectacular. Please don’t get too high up in those mountains! Looks like Reggie and Bridget enjoy that area also. Love the picture on Reggie on the rock.
Sending a big hug to all
Hug to you, too, Pauline. We’re taking change of elevation very slowly. If it’s too rough on us, I’ll turn around.
What a beauty of a site! And how cute Reggie looks atop that rock. King of the Hill!
Hi, Marcia….He is a cutie. Even more so in person… or is it in dog? 🙂
?
Nice post and photos Sue, after reading and checking the comments there’s no reason for me to caution you and the crew on the animals up there, but be safe and secure and maybe you should get your air horn out and set it up right to be on the safe side of things, ,,,, love you and give a hug to your baby’s, ,,, Piper n rusty
Hi, Rusty,
I do have the antenna up with the air horn on it. Nice of you to show concern and wanting us to be safe. Hugs to you and Lady Piper..
Hi Rusty…be safe up there in Utah. 🙂
I had to go to a Hospital in Mt. Pleasant, I got infection in my left leg, I got a Tetitness shot, and I V, and Antibiotic pills. No fever, but my leg was swollen and very red with a haft dollar size wound, I’m taking it easy for a while, ,,, Piper howled while I was in the er ,,, and she was in the entrance of the er, I could hear her while people were going in and out,, she had water and shade,,, now I hope the VA picks up the bill, ,,,,,,,,, rusty n’ Piper
Get better soon, Rusty.
I did Sue, went in at 10am, got out at2pm
Whoops, I thought you said I should get in soon, sorry my eyes, with all the meds that is in my body, ,,,,,,
Take care Rusty. Keep us posted on your condition and recovery.
Thank you, Renee, the area of the infection is red, but it’s getting smaller than what it was, the infection is called Cellulitis, I’m taking 2 pills in the morning and 2 in the evening, of Sulfamethox/trimetho,,,,,,,
Hi Sue and Crew, just love it all, can’t wait to see what the excitement is!
I’m teasing too much. Don’t want everyone to expect something horrendous. I’ll say this much… no bear attack, nothing like that. 🙂
Such a beautiful camp – I’m here in Phoenix where we’re having record heat – 118 yesterday and 117 today. I feel cooler just looking at your pictures. Can’t wait to hear what the excitement is – glad it’s not a bear attack or anything like that.
I can’t imagine that kind of heat, Phyllis. I hope you can stay home in air conditioning…
Yay! Aspens! I just love them!
They love the breeze as much as we do. 🙂
That place looks just lovely. Bird song is the best music. I love to listen and try to understand what they are saying. Crazy, I know, but fun.
I have my Jet Pack now and got it activated. Tested it with the antenna and sure enough the antenna boosted the signal!
Bought the Jet Pack 6620L on Amazon for $99 and ordered the cable and antenna pig tail from there too. I drove to my local Verizon store and paid them $10 for the SIM and to activated it on a pay as you go plan. Now to get the Antenna mounted on my Alaskan camper. Maybe tomorrow.
Thanks so much for pioneering this setup and sharing your experience.
You’re welcome, Carol. Mick n’ TN is responsible for my antenna.
You are setting yourself up very well!
Doing dishes IS way better outside!
I even enjoy the task which is pretty incredible!
Me too
I used to leave the theater mumbling to myself about the long wait of one full week till the next Saturday matinee. Then I could find out what fate awaited the villagers in the peaceful little hamlet of Tranquil as Capt Evil high in the mountain bunker aimed his earth destroying ray gun at them. Now you, my friend Sue are doing it too. I blame you if I cannot surrender to the arms of Morpheus at night. Oh hell, I’ll admit it, I love a mystery and you have mastered the art. Missy, watch the kids for ticks in that brush. Great pics, which I have grabbed for your photo file. I got phone calls from three Grandkids and two Great Grandkids yesterday…Made my day…
How nice that you heard from the grands and the greats. I’m pleased you had a good Father’s Day, Jim.
Enjoyed your creative comment!
Whooooo- hoo!! Now that’s my kind of campsite !!! It is beautiful…and the crew are having a great time sniffing out the varmints!!!Hahaaaa! Enjoy!!
Thanks, Betty-Shea… We are!
Glad you’ve got lots of shade! And such a beautiful site with all that green grass and wildflowers. Reggie looks like he is very, very happy :-))))
Yes, the crew is happy. They are Queen and King of Trail Ridge!
A fire ring! Yay! Amazing places you’ve discovered! Reg man looks like a Dahl sheep on the rock! Such a silly boy!
Flattened grass….deer perhaps? Just make lots of noise when you walk..Sounds like the tooter is at the ready! Remember to Blow it like you mean it! Giggle giggle! Have you ever given it a test run?
Forgot to give you a bad time about the cliff hanger!
Speaking of wolf pass….the you tube video of it shows plenty of turnouts in case you get someone impatient behind you.
The only thing about going into a turn-out to let people pass is you lose your momentum on a steep grade. When I’m climbing or coming down a steep hill, I don’t give a royal hoot about the impatience of people behind me. I put it in 2nd, put on the flashers, and take my sweet time. Fortunately many of the roads going up and down long grades have passing lanes.
Hi, cinandjules,
What made me think it wasn’t deer was the width of the path of bent grass. I suppose it could’ve been a herd but I imagine deer walking through the grass, not trampling it in a wide swath as they go. No hoof prints anywhere. Who knows?
Yes, I sounded the tooter soon after it arrived. That thing really makes some powerful noise!
Moose
Maybe. The grass wasn’t broken like hooves would do. It was bent over, that’s all.
Does the forest service make the fire rings? Can someone suggest a place for a ring? Can you make a ring and if a ranger comes by act dumb and say it was here (I will assume the answer is no in this case). From the campground app I have it seems Colorado has a large number of forest sites that can take somewhat bigger trailers (25-30 feet) compared to some other western states.
Hi, Rhodium,
I imagine that the forest service has made fire rings to create campsites. I don’t know exactly where. I’ve always assumed they were made by campers before the rule went into fact. And I suppose one could go to the ranger office and suggest a fire ring some place. I don’t know how successful that would be.
Making a new fire ring and then saying “It was here when I got here” is pretty dicey (not to mention unethical). Rangers know their districts. They patrol all the time. They know where the sites are and can see if rocks have been moved recently.
You are absolutely correct, Sue. Never make a new boondock site. Always camp where others have previously and never make a new fire ring, unless you use one of those portable fire blankets, so when you are finished, you remove it and leave no trace. Same goes for off roading. When we aren’t out camping, we are jeeping. We never make a new trail and we never go around a puddle resulting in creating a wider road, unless others have done it already and the new detour is too far gone to undo.
Absolutely beautiful site, so glad you found it!
Thanks, Rover Ronda. Nice of you to say so!
Could you park there if there was NO fire ring?
No. Well, I could, but one is not supposed to make new campsites. The ranger drove by about our 4th day here. If this weren’t an established campsite, I might have received a citation. I think the fine is $245.
Ouch! Note to self…look for ring. A bit Tolkien-like!
Good one!
I have a question I’ve never seen addressed,. And it might not be an issue for you, Sue, since you don’t generally travel far at one time. But maybe a blogerino can chime in.
How does one keep a travel trailer (anything other than a Class A/B/C) cool while going down the road? I’d hate at the end of a long day of driving to have to wait some more before it’s cool enough to sleep!
Inquiring minds want to know!!
I encourage others to reply to your question, Ladybug. My two cents: Turn on the Fantastic Fan in the ceiling. Make sure all the windows are open and the vent for the fan is wide open. The fan has a setting for in-flow and out-flow. Put it on out-flow and run it on high. BTW, if you’re in a low humidity area, the air temperature drops significantly after sundown. I don’t think that happens much in Tennessee.
BLOGORINOS: How does one keep a travel trailer cool while going down the road?
Wonder if you could keep the Fantastic Fan on on out-flow as you are traveling. Isn’t it 12 volt?
I don’t know if that’s a good idea or not. As Ladybug mentioned, I don’t drive long distances in one day. One big reason is I don’t want a blow-out from overheated tires or an accident from weariness. Interior heat has never been a problem for us.
Anyone have a comment on running the fan while towing?
Definitely not. I’ve seen others leave just their vents open going down the road and the air turbulence really makes the vent covers move around. That’s a good way to lose one!
I don’t think you can. There really is no way to do this. I would not think it’s safe to run your generator to run the AC while going down the road. As soon as we get to our site and we’re securely parked, I switch the fridge from automatic (it’s using solar as we go), to propane, open all the windows, and turn on both Fantastic fans to pull the hot air out. It cools down quickly.
Hi Sue!
I just love the look of this camp spot it’s beautiful, the kids look like they have been enjoying themselves there. Glad you are enjoying Colorado, some really beautiful country and I’ve only seen a tiny portion of it. I am trying to get into a productive frame of mind while counting down the days til I get my new canine companion…so very excited lol puppy breath is THE BEST THING EVER! ☺️ Looking forward to the surprise 😉
LOVE puppy breath!!
Hi, Chris Ann,
Anticipation is the pathway to gratitude. When your new puppy enters your life, your delight will be magnified by having waited for him/her to arrive, at last…. That’s what made Christmas of “olden days” so special. Anticipation grew day-by-day as preparations were made (no fantastic movies, light shows, hoopla, pre-Christmas gifts, etc.) leading up to the Big Day.
Anyway… I wish you and your “crew” a happy beginning and many years of living and loving together. 🙂
Hi Sue, thought I’d lost you. Had to resubscribe … all is well now I see.
Love the current Ridge Camp and your descriptions of it. Looks so perfect, spacious private kitchen is wonderful. Can’t wait to see what happens next…
Take Care Sue and Crew!
Hi, Diane,
I’m glad you made the effort to stay with us. Your comment about my “spacious private kitchen” made me think about all the money and aggravation people go through to remodel their kitchen to make it big and beautiful.
As for me . . . .I flip up my foldable table, plop down a basin of dishes to be washed, take a jug of water, pour it in, let it sit in the sun until warm…. and so on. All the while I’m hearing birds sing, taking in the aroma of woods and pine trees, feeling the sun on my back and the breeze on my face, while my two sweet pups play and relax around me. It sure puts granite countertops into perspective. Ha! 🙂
Add insulation such as Reflectix Mylar backed bubble wrap material to windows to reflect sun. Fan on. Window open away from fan so it draws air through. You can add that same insulation Inside the back of cupboards where they share outside wall and in closets. lowers temp gain by quite a bit. We sat in a fairgrounds parking lot for our two advance days before a rally with barely enough power to run our class B van AC but had as much Reflectix as we could find places,for and it was much more,comfortable than the outdoor air temps of 100! Kind of spent time like in our cocoon before temps dropped by 30 degrees for rest of rally, thankfully.
Fantastic photo RVSue!!! Like everyone here I LOVE the pic of Reggie on the big boulder. You are so brave going up roads that you don’t know! I wasn’t very brave about that AT ALL. The pic of the BLT in the blue flowers is magical and calming 🙂 It was 85 here yesterday…WHAT??? I was out in the yard at 6 am but then came in around 11:00….enough. I know I don’t post very often…super busy with the yard and getting ready for a yard sale…but I read every post and every reply. Stay happy and safe.
Good morning, Krystina,
You say you weren’t very brave about going up roads that you don’t know. It wasn’t that you “weren’t very brave.” Your rig was not suited for it. If I had a large Class C I wouldn’t take it up forest roads looking for a boondock. As I’ve said before, one’s rig determines how one will RV.
I think you’re a whole lot braver than you give yourself credit. Look what you did! You stepped out of your comfort zone into the unknown doing what thousands and thousands of people wouldn’t dare even to try. I admire you for that, Krystina.
Good luck with the yard sale!
You have a knack for finding cozy places for you and the crew to enjoy. Being a map-lover, I love the Benchmark maps you use. I googled Benchmark maps and they have some inexpensive maps of specific areas and some more expensive atlases. I didn’t see any for the northeast part of the country (I’m in NH). They have Atlases, Folded maps, Digital maps and Custom maps to choose from. I noticed that your map has little tents indicating camps which would be very helpful. I was wondering which ones show the camps, i.e. are they a custom map or do they all show camps?
My brother lives in a beautiful wooded area with bears around. I bought him a loud air horn and some bear spray for his birthday. He hasn’t used it yet. He has bee hives and raises chickens and has several fruit trees so wildlife are attracted to his little “farm”. I got the idea of the air horn from you – Thanks Sue!
Hi, Marlene,
The air horn idea came from a fellow middle school teacher and friend in Georgia who gave me an air horn as a retirement gift and bon voyage gift shortly before the crew and I started full-timing. I hope your brother never has to use his, but it’s good that he has one… a thoughtful gift!
As for Benchmark maps…. The only ones I’ve seen, the only ones I own, are the full-sized “road and recreation atlases” for individual western states. They’re the ones that cost around $18 – $22 each. Therefore, I don’t know if the others do or don’t have the campground symbol of a tent, as one can see in the photo in this post.
Amazon has inside images of the maps. Maybe clicking on the images at Amazon will give you a better idea what they are like.
Benchmark Road & Recreation Atlas
As far as I know, Benchmark maps are for the western states only at this time: WA, OR, CA, NV, AZ, ID, UT, WY, MT, CO, NM.
Sue
Your killing me.
I hunted the high country around Pagosa for years and love that area.
I sure need a fix from that high country, but your pcs will just have to do this year.
Ron
Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome, Ron. It’s a pleasure knowing my photos bring you enjoyment as you reminisce about your Colorado high country days. 🙂
I’ve been camping and wandering around Colorado, but farther north than you. Steamboat Springs, Rocky Mountain NP, Leadville. I was thinking about drifting southward, below US50, but staying above 9k feet to avoid the heat. I don’t know. I might stay put if the afternoons are hot where you are.
It’s hot in the sun, okay in the shade. I like it because there aren’t a lot of people. I guess they’ve gone home to air conditioning or they’re coming your way. 🙂
Hey Sue… I’m seriously considering buying a Casita, and just want your thoughts on the quality and overall ease of use of your camper? Are there any stress fractures, etc? Love your blog and your new addition to the family!!
Hi, Ms. Minimal,
I rate Casita high on quality and overall ease of use. It’s impossible for me to give a comparative report because Casita is the only travel trailer I’ve ever owned and the only one I’ve ever camped in. I don’t know about any stress fractures.
Excellent, I’ve been following your blog for years and she still seems to be very healthy! 🙂 Thank you.
If you haven’t already done so, read up on Casitas at casitaforum.com
Hi Ms. Minimal and Sue!!
I also own a Casita. I love it! I’m a single woman and once I learned how to hook it up to the tow vehicle, it was easy to drive and maneuver. Backing into spots was surprisingly easy to learn. I’m posting a comment to let you know if you buy a new Casita from the factory, Sue could get a commission if you let the sales person know. 🙂
Thank you, Reina and Arrow.
Great news! Extra income is always welcome.
Hello My Friend, I am checking in from work. About to have lunch with my daughter who works nearby. One of the perks I am going to miss. I have not confirmed a real date to start part time, hopefully after my vacation in July. But I should also get a week off work when I get my pacer. So time off coming in all ways. Thanks for asking.
🙂
Hi Sue,
I have been gone for the last 8 nights camping and just got home today and got caught up! I guess I missed a bit of excitement.
Loving all the camps I missed this past week. I will say it again, I just love Colorado!!
Good to have you back with us, Jolene. I hope you had a wonderful camping trip!
Hi,Marilyn, in response to why you see such narrows replies that appear one letter at a time-are you reading on a phone or small portable device? On my laptop the narrowest messages have room for 27 letters or spaces per row. In a thread of replies such as the ones you just replied on,each new reply is more indented than the previous one to distinguish replies from new comments. The last few thus become quite narrow. I hope this helps 🙂 , if there’s more discussion about any one subject than fits easily in the place allotted , we can begin again here at the bottom of the comments section.
Yes, if a thread is long, just refer folks to the bottom of comments and write there, starting a new thread. I’ve been guilty of reply after the text become skinny because comments are displayed differently on my admin page. I’ll be more careful in the future.
Marilyn… I’m sorry for that frustrating situation.
Ah ha! Yes, usually use my phone and it often occurs on long threads… mystery solved. BTW I placed my Amazon order for a ham radio battery, charger, añd a pond pump filter, a mongrel of an order eh?
Yippee! A big hug and a thank you, Marilyn!
Yikees!!! Now I am more confused then normal. Not 100% sure what the heck I did. I remember them asking for the user name and password which, of course, I did not have. Since you have been back up everything seems “normal”…business as usual.
Okay, now I understand what happened. Apparently the registration and log-in boxes never appeared properly. They only appeared when my blog was “down.” Thanks for clarifying that, Krystina.
Hum, HOWEVER, I am noticing that I have to click on the “notify me of follow-up comments by email” every time I post a comment on the same post from you.
Sorry about that. I removed a lot of features/plug-ins (notice the weather report is gone, for instance) in order to figure out what caused CPU usage to spike dramatically. Eventually I’ll get things fixed.
Wonderful pictures as always! I can’t get enough of them …. flowers, Bridget and the Reggie Man!
Sue…I know that you worry when you haven’t heard from a reader in a while….I’ve been super busy with moving up to Oregon and into our new (to us) house. I’m finding that I donated and gave away lots of stuff while packing, and I still have too much stuff now. So more stuff has to go!! It took a while to get our internet up and running….our son helped with this….we ordered a “telephony modem” through your blog…..and you picked it as a featured item!!
Whenever I had a spare minute to look at your blog to get caught up, naturally I had the same problems as other readers. The login box was particularly scary…as I know I had never set up a user name and password, so I thought that perhaps some malware was phishing for username and password I commonly use… I kept checking back, but sometimes got the hostgator error 500. Eventually you were back as before…yippee!!
So….if you do have to go to a login box, how would we know where to go and register???
At any rate, another item I ordered you also featured….the yellow and white striped oilcloth. I used it to line the area under the kitchen and bathroom sinks. It’s very cheery, and I think of you and your blog when I see it.
Thanks for the great post on your boondock…wish I were there!
Hi, cc and canine,
Sweet of you to comment because you know how I worry! Speaking of worry, if a log in box is ever implemented on my blog, before it appears you will see a registration box which you fill out one time… name, email. You’ll have a chance to create your password.
Thank you so much for your Amazon purchases. You order interesting stuff, that’s why they’re featured. 🙂 I wondered how the yellow striped oilcloth would be used. Now I know… Those oilcloth designs are cheerful. I should order some to use as a tablecloth on my folding table or campground picnic tables. Thanks again…
Enjoy your “new” house!
Lovely area Sue…I would love such a one too!! Thanks for sharing. No problems coming to your blog…just acts as usual. We have had a lot of computer problems lately as hubby decided it best to not use the wifi feature…but be plugged in via wires…heh, the folks that run things are not pleased…so he has quite a lot to do on mine to get it all back to where it was. Sigh…oh well…maybe one day we will toss them all and just live as we have for most of our lives!!
? Thanks Sue. Sure did miss reading your posts during the snafu. Sometimes we don’t realize how much we treasure something until it’s gone… thankfully it was just a short time. We’re enjoying your adventures. Carry on!
Wow Rusty…that is not a good thing. Happy to hear that you got the attention you needed and that you are on the mend. Give Piper a hug for me for all her pain and suffering outside the ER 🙂
Once more from the top…funny, though I haven’t heard someone leading musicians say that recently, the phrase came to mind this morning. After trying to get some notes just right everyone starts over again, song fills the air with beauty , the reward for all the efforts.
Good morning! I hope something similar to that for your day, Sue and everyone. First light here in central NY state was soft , just bright enough for the fur and feather creatures to see and find their breakfasts.A change in color some describe as gray followed. I see clouds promising a cleansing rain ,wildflowers and farmer’s crops won’t wilt now- instead they’ll multiply.
Without the widget I can only guess what it’s like near your sweet home in Colorado, so I’ll make up my own prediction- Mixed conditions in the skies and moods-expect a 50% chance of a little more muddling through a mess, then a 100% chance for the joys of summer.
Register and Login is no big deal to me. Many websites require it and it’s just a one time thing. Hope you can put this behind you soon.
Sue, I would like to weigh in on the hosting thing, in regards to a registration box, if I may. First of all I am certainly not a computer wiz, but I am a world class surfer of the web. The way I understand it the biggest focus, after you take away content, that keeps people at and coming back to a website or blog is accessibility and ease of use. We all know how fast we leave a website if it is not user friendly, I wouldn’t even walk away from this host if they try and make you have people log in, I would run, just as fast as you can to another web host. If you feel that the task of moving it is more than you are willing or able to do you could certainly find someone to either help or just do it for you. You probably have a loyal follower that is more than up to the task. This is just my opinion of course and we all know your loyal followers would do whatever we needed to in order to read it but I feel you would GREATLY impact being able to attract new readers. People are pretty lazy when it comes to surfing, in our instant gratification technology world having to register and log in to read a blog is not going to be worth the trouble for most new people.
ChrisAnn
ChrisAnn, very well said and I agree with you.
I’m glad you are feeling better Piper and Rusty.