Salida to Lake City, CO

Sat (9-19-09): Today we drove from Salida, over Monarch Pass, stopped in Gunnison for a break and walked around a taxidermists store (Traders Rendezvous), drove past the Blue Mesa and down to Lake City. We are camped at the Elkhorn RV Resort [713 Bluff St; 970-944-2920]. Lake City is a small town way out in the mountains of southwest CO. We ate at the Luna Restaurant tonight--very very good. In another few days it will be closing and the owners will be going to Mexico for the winter. Most of the shops in this town close up this next week. After dinner we headed to the jeep rental place to pick up our jeeps for tomorrows trail adventures.

Aspen Heading Up Monarch Pass

Curvy Road Going Down Monarch Pass (Campbells Coach is Almost to Curve

Beautiful Sunflowers in Gunnison Gardens

Bees were Busy Pollenating these Hollyhocks

Traders Rendezvous Taxidermist Shop in Gunnison, CO

Artic Fox Display

Donna at Taxidermist Store Display

Traders Rendezvous Antler Display

Luna Restaurant in Lake City

Salida, CO

Thu (9-17-09): Today we drove from Green Mt Falls to Salida, CO. We stopped at a Wal-Mart in Canon for breakfast at a Subway (we didn't realize that they had breakfast subs--we had a western omlete sub) and inquired about a prison tour. There are several prisons here in Canon, even a super max prison. We found a Prison Museum just down the street with a Minimum Security Prison right next to it. So we all "went to prison", but just for a tour!

Prison Museum--All Teens Should Walk Thru These Doors for a Visit--It would leave an impression!

Donna in Prison Garb--I've Been Eating A Lot with Nothing Else to Do in Prison!

The drive from Canon City over to Salida was so beautiful as we drove the windy road along the Arkansas River.

What a Beautiful Day for a Drive Along the Arkansas River!

We are camped for 2 nights at the Heart of the Rockies Campground, site E-5 [719-539-4051; 800-317-4052 16105 US Hwy #50 W] www.heartoftherockiescampground.com/. We have a mountain view on all sides. Guess who else is here camping--the Coopers, Nan and Jim from Crystal Lake. They will join us again when we get to Ouray next week.

Last night was a Fillet Mignon special at Quincy's and the 8 of us (Halsteads, Coopers, Campbells and Tolsons) took advantage of it. Yum, very good. Even had a blue margarita as a special. I tried taking a picture of one, BUT my camera wouldn't work. Chuck as since fixed it!

Fri (9-18-09): Chuck and I drove north up toward the Ghost Town of St. Elmo. It was another beautiful day to ride close to the mountains and see the colors. We found a cascading stream along the way.

Tonight the whole group went to the Fiesta Mexicana restaurant for dinner. Authentic Mexican food and margaritas.

Jim and Nan Cooper, Our Crystal Lake Friends!

My Grande Burrito Dinner--It was GOOD!

Manitou Springs, CO

Wed (9-16-09): This a.m. we stopped in Limon, CO to fill up at the new Flying J. Very nice facility! We had an early lunch there and our watress, Sandi, was really sweet. As we got closer to Colorado Springs, it started to rain and the Halsteads started to have trouble with their coach! As we got to the downtown area, it was POURING and was running down the streets. Couldn't believe just how deep it was in the right lane (about a foot). We stayed in the other lane! Not ideal for driving thru a city. Wished I'd have taken some pics!

We didn't make it up to Pikes Peak today because there was no parking at their facility for us and that was probably a good thing as the view wouldn't have been very good for a train ride. It did stop raining late afternoon so we did go to the Garden of the Gods (which Chuck and I had visited two years ago, but the rest hadn't) and drove thru looking at the rock formations and went to the Visitor Center and the Trading Post. We had tried getting a pic of a Pinion Jay the last time we were here and one didn't cooperate as they don't usually sit still. Well, Chuck got lucky this time and one posed for him! Chuck also took several pics of the snow covered Pikes Peak in the clouds. It was dinner at The Nile Cafe in Manitou where we learned what a Hookah is and they even had them for sale for about $250.00 1/2 price. Then we drove back up the mountain to the campground for bed!

Pikes Peak in the Clouds

Garden of the Gods

Pinion Jay (He Posed for Us)

Trading Post at Garden of the Gods

Hookahs For Sale

We're here at the Rocky Top Motel & Campground Site MH35 in Green Mt Falls, CO for the night. It's warm jammies and electric heater time.

Early Morning View out the Coach Window

Check out our friends, Halstead's, blog for more info and another perspective of our trip.

Topeka & Goodland, KS

Mon (9-14-09): Kansas is a WIDE state and it seems like forever to travel across it. Last night we stayed in a Wal-Mart [785-357-4827; 2600 NW Rochester Rd; 39.094600, -95.672500] in Topeka and tonight, would you believe, we are camped in yet another Wal-Mart Supercenter [785-899-2111; Exit 17; 2160 Commerce Rd; 39.334155, -101.726440] in Goodland. This one has been the best parking so far. We were "camped" on the side of the store just behind the garden center. The area was just big enough for our 3 coaches. Mem had heated up some home made vegetable soup that she had brought and made some toasted cheese sandwiches. It was still warm enough for us to sit out side to eat when we got there before the sun went down. After supper, we walked over to the DQ and Jim treated us all to ice cream.

Tue (9-15-09): Some of the things we passed today were a windmill farm, a small herd of buffalo, an Oz Museum, Calvary Museum, and Fort Riley "Home of the Big Red One". {RalphP, maybe you know what the "Big Red One" refers to?} All places we might visit on another trip west. The western part of KS is called the "High Plains"--rolling hills and you can see for miles. But there is not much to see but mostly scrub land!

Kansas Windmill Farm

Goodland Kansas Wal-Mart "Camping"

DQ Desert {Chuck, Donna, Lois, Jim, Larry & Mem)

Kansas Sunflower (Isn't it Beautiful!)

Hazelwood, MO

Sun (9-13-09): Today our Discovery caravan (Campbells, Halsteads and us) met up in Hazelwood, MO for an overnight stay at Cabela's [314-225-0100; 5555 St. Louis Mills Blvd; 38.791960, -90.412944]. Actually we parked in a lot behind the Mall in a dirt truck parking area. We were not allowed to park on the pavement around the Mall. See pics below. We went into the Food Court for lunch and then walked the whole mall. Cabela's had some really neat stuffed animal displays of many animals including Africa. We got up close and personal with a couple of grizzlies and a polar bear! This mall has alot of activities for young people like ice skating, Nascar racing, skateboard ramps and a Merry-go-Round. Walking this big mall was good exercise!

Camping at the Mills Mall

Happy Hour--Shirley, Mem, Larry & Dallas

This evening 10 of us had Prime Rib at one of our favorite restaurants -- Beefeaters, in St. Charles, MO www.banquetcenterofthelittlehills.com/beefeaters.html. Unfortunately, our friends Bob and Nance Roth weren't able to meet us for dinner this time as they were in Branson and the Hellrungs were busy getting ready for a trip to Memphis. But Mem and Larry's friends were there and we enjoyed getting to know Dallas and Shirley better.