Delta and Montrose. Hot, hot, hot.

AWednesday, June 17

Carbondale is a nice place to spend a day. Just across the street from where we are parked is the City Hall and Recreation Center; both of which have a free wi-fi connection. If someone needed it, the Rec. Center has shower facilities. 

Gopher and I  took an early morning walk around the old downtown area. Modest homes, but well maintained, nice gardens, some interesting sculptures, etc.  

We headed north on CO 133. Right now we're in the Bogan Flats FS campground on the Crystal River. Since the FS started using concessionaires, the cost of camping has gone up. Here it's $22/night plus $5 more if you have a second vehicle like a tow car. We pay half with our Golden Age Passport so it's $11/night for us. 

From our site. Crystal Creek

We put the hummingbird feeder out. So far we have identified the Black-chinned and Broad-tailed Hummingbirds.

 

I started a new book the other day. The  Fateful  Lightning  by Jeff Shaara. It's the fourth, and final, in his series on the Civil War. Over the years,  I think I have read every book written by Jeff or his father, who's name eludes me now. They have written about the American Revolution, the Civil War and about both WW-1 and 2.  They are novels, but the main characters, like General Sherman, in this story, are real. Like James Mitchner,  the stories are very well researched and based on historical facts.

Had a little campfire tonight and toasted marshmallows.

Gopher likes hers uncooked.

Every site here is reserved for this coming weekend. 

Thursday, June 18.

Drove to Delta with the idea of spending a day, or so, exploring the area. We started at the dump station behind the visitors center. I had hoped to get water but the water at the station was signed as not potable. There was a city employee topping off a water fountain nearby. I asked if he knew where I could get some fresh water, hoping he might say, "sure, help yourself". He did. I used his water hose to top off the tank. 

The local Forest Service office had a wealth of good information. I got the maps for the Ridgeway, Ouray and Telluride areas. 

Then we had lunch at the Brick Wall restaurant nearby. A very good choice. We started on a drive suggested in the Fielder book were using. The area around here is high desert; not real interesting to us so after perhaps, ten miles, we turned back. It was over a 100* around here today. We gave up on Delta and started heading towards the mountains again. Tonight we're in Montrose. The bank temp. sign read 103*.  Right now it's 9:20 and its 81* outside.

 There is a  city park in Montrose that allows free overnight RV parking.   It's the West Main Trailhead Park on CO 90. 38.47486. -107.88461. 

In the morning, we head to the mountains. The Fielder book talks about the Owl Creek Pass near Ridgeway. At just over 11,000' that should be nice and cool. The best movie ever made, True Grit,  was filmed around the pass. If it's good with The Duke, it's good with us. 

http://co-montrosevcb.civicplus.com/143/Owl-Creek-Pass-and-Silver-Jack-Reservoir