I love that drive, I love that drive. It’s a slow scenic four miles to get out of the park. The speed picks up when we get on the C470 freeway to head west then north to Hwy 285. That’s where we turn into the mountains. Highway 285 is modern four-lane all the way to Conifer. Through the hogback, then the narrow winding canyon section, past Tiny Town, Windy Point, and the Meyer Ranch Open Space. Past Aspen Park, and Conifer, traveling against any traffic. Commuters live in the mountains and drive to Denver in the morning. After Conifer it gets even better. The road reverts to the older two lane highway. It gets a little rougher. It gets a little slower. Past the Black Mountain Inn, the house that looks like a castle, Shaffer’s Crossing, and Pine Junction. Past the twin traffic lights of Deer Creek, to the top of Crow Hill, then two miles of seven percent downhill to a hard right turn, directly into the middle of Bailey. Forty miles, the first ten, driving next to the mountains looking at them, the next thirty driving through them. What a ride! A good morning at work, a trailhead into Lost Creek Wilderness Area for lunch, and a good afternoon at work. Then I got to see the backside of everything on the way home. And know what else? I get to do it again tomorrow! It’s all good.
Chatfield
A short drive, a short day. From Colorado Springs to Littleton, Colorado. Arrived at Chatfield State Park by lunch. We arrive on a Sunday. We’re setting up while everyone else is leaving. We’ll be gone before the next weekend rush. Tomorrow, the commute to the mountain town of Bailey. We wouldn’t normally stay forty miles away from a job, but no choice. No RV parks in the little town of Bailey.
Birds
We got thrashed. Every morning at the campground in Silver City. By its name, you might think that a singing thrasher would produce a harsh sound, but not so. A thrasher sings the sweetest song, sung to us with great enthusiasm every morning while we were there.
Colorado springs
It was a good day at the zoo.
Colorado springs
Woke up to a pack of chubby gamble quail pecking their way through the bird seed I’d spread the night before. An early leaving, and a nicely uneventful day driving. Stopped at Garden of the Gods Campground, and met up with Becky, Brian and Kids after dinner. Yesterday, when we figured out we would be passing through Colorado Springs while they were here, we called and asked if we should join them or not, considering that this was a family spring break trip for them. They put it to a family vote and called us back. The vote, from this family of six, came out 6 to 1 in favor. 6 to 1? They voted yeas and nays. Conner, the one-and-a-half year old, voted both. Tomorrow, we all get to meet up for a day at the zoo.