Our camp at Clear Creek State Wildlife Area, Colorado, as seen from the creek
Thursday, July 28
In typical fashion, our first full day at a new-to-us camp is spent relaxing and checking out the environment around us.
Before the campground awakens, Bridget, Reggie, and I walk the trail near our campsite. It hugs the bank of Clear Creek.
We find shady dells with little beaches of sand and river rocks.
These places have an atmosphere of make-believe.
Here is where unicorns quietly appear out of the morning mist, where elves decorate cookies in the hollows of trees, and where chipmunks hold tea parties for their friends. Birds and butterflies deliver invitations to all woodland creatures.
Reggie finds that chasing squirrels is a tough challenge here.
“It’s an unfair contest, Reg.”
While Bridget reflects on . . . what? Who knows?
“It’s peaceful here, isn’t it, Bridge.”
I notice three big swimming holes where the water is at least waist-high.
“We ought to come here when it’s really hot. I could cool off with a swim,” I say to the crew.
“Okay, let’s go back to camp.”
Friday, July 29
On our way to Clear Creak State Wildlife Area on Wednesday, we drove through Buena Vista, passing City Market. I wanted to stop for a few items but the small parking lot was packed, leaving no room for the Perfect Tow Vehicle with the Best Little Trailer hitched behind.
Today we return to Buena Vista and City Market.
Even though it’s not yet 9 a.m., the parking lot is nearly full and the store is bustling with shoppers. When I return to the crew waiting in the PTV, a fiberglass trailer is parked nearby.
Cute as a button!
Next we stop at a store where I find a comforter on sale.
We need a spare. Bridget had an accident last night, poor thing. I had to throw the comforter out the door. Usually I limit her water intake late in the day and I also take her out for a potty run in the middle of the night.
I think what happened is she went down to the creek and drank a lot of the cool water before going inside for the night.
Fast forward to a view of the comforter already on our bed!
Bridget has her grumpy face on. Ears back. Eyes half closed.
Cheap comforter at $19.99 for a twin size. (Sometimes cheapo is preferred.)
The important thing is the blue matches the decor!
You may wonder why we need a comforter in the middle of summer. The nights, especially the predawn hours, are very cool.
Okay, back to Buena Vista . . . .
We gas up the PTV at Love’s where I buy four quarts of motor oil.
The PTV needed two quarts of oil added recently which bothers me. Like Bridget and me, I think she’s beginning to show her age. She’s eleven years old (what’s that in van years?) and has 162,861 miles on her odometer. I always keep at least two quarts of oil stored in the PTV in case she needs it. Now I have four quarts in reserve for her.
Before leaving Buena Vista, I park the PTV next to a water spigot at the town park.
No water comes out of the spigot! I anticipated this and had bought water at City Market, so we’re okay.
On the way home we stop at Railroad Bridge Fishing Access.
The state of Colorado makes access easy for people who fish or raft or simply want to be close to a river. As one travels its roads it is not uncommon to come upon signs with a fish symbol indicating a place to park with a trail for fishing the river.
A walk-about is Bridget’s and Reggie’s reward for being good.
It’s also a time for me to take photos which is my reward for . . . um . . . for being good, too, I guess. Ha!
Railroad Bridge Fishing Access along Route 24 between Buena Vista and Leadville, CO
The crew loves to roam around someplace new.
It’s a treat they have come to expect every time we go somewhere! I try to include them in photos for this blog, but they dart around so much that none come out very well.
Hmm . . . I sense a lunker in that deep hole by the rock.
The color of the water changes depending upon the light. It may be hard for you to believe that the blue in the next photos is real. It is!
Arkansas River
The Arkansas has become one of my favorite rivers!
“C’mon, crew. We can’t stay. I need to take us home and put the groceries in the fridge.”
As the dispersed camping area comes into view, I put on the brakes.
Wow! The weekend crowd is arriving already and it’s only Friday noon!
rvsue
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Clear Creek dispersed camping Saturday morning (The BLT is far right, out of frame)
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