TD2 2021 Adventure -- Week 6 -- "Brakes are Important"

Hello everybody,

Here's your eighth installment of Thistle Dew Too's (TD2) 2021 Adventure.  This is Week 6, and we've now turned northward.  It's been getting a bit warm where we were last week, and we want to head through Colorado and get a little Rocky Mountain High -- that should cool us off!

So we headed up toward Taos, following a Madrid, NM shop lady's recommendation to take the scenic "High Road to Taos" to get there.  We camped along the Enchanted Circle scenic byway, but only spent a few brief moments driving through Taos itself, as this quaint old town's roads (and tourists) were not so conducive to RV navigation.  

From there we took RT 64 through Chama and into Colorado.  What an amazing road -- quite scenic and remote, with no cell service and little traffic for many miles!  And it's up over 10,000 ft, but with modest grades the whole way.  Drive it if you get the opportunity!

Once in Colorado we had an interesting experience.  There is road work on RT 50 (continuing into 2022) that periodically closes the road for extended periods.  Indeed, my phone GPS re-routed me away from it due to the road being closed.  But later, my phone re-routed me back (I guess the road had re-opened), so we doubled-back, only to see a flashing sign that said it would close again for the night in about 45 minutes.  Could we make it?  We weren't even sure how far it was to the construction area, and there were quite a few steep inclines along the way that slowed our progress.  But we arrived just in time for the last group of vehicles that was led through the construction area.  Phew!

As we were going through the construction zone, I had started to hear my brakes making some noise.  We pulled into to a campground on the Blue Mesa Reservoir -- the largest reservoir in all of Colorado.  And when my neighbor at the campground mentioned the noise to me, I knew I had a problem.  Metal-on-metal sound with my front brakes.  Not good in the high passes and steep grades of the Rocky Mountains.  

The next day as we drove through Gunnison, CO, we stopped at a visitor center so I could post a message on the Lazy Daze forum to see if anyone knew a good mechanic nearby.  And then we went into the visitor center, and I asked the lady there if she had any recommendations.  She gave me a couple, and sure enough one of them had great reviews online, so I called (this is now Friday at 11:30AM, and they're closed on Saturday) to see if they could take a look.  Brian, the owner, said come on by and they'd check it out and *might* be able to take us that day!  Well, it all worked out, and while they were replacing our front brakes, we got to walk and dine and shop in their lovely town.  Couldn't ask for a happier resolution to this problem; we felt quite lucky.  Oh, and we tested it later that evening, as we went over Monarch Crest at 11,312' with quite steep grades on the other side!  

Certainly some excitement during this week.  Of course those aren't things easily photographed, so that means we had to take more scenery pictures -- and here are a few preview shots:

Looking rather ominous, perhaps time to leave the centerline

"I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky" -- John Denver

Is this pose good for you?

Blue on blue on blue at the Blue Mesa Reservoir

Please click this link to access the full set of photos for Week 6 ("Brakes are Important") of our TD2 2021 adventure.  As you move your cursor over each photo, you will see a descriptive caption, and if needed, place the cursor on the caption itself to read the whole thing, or just double-click the photo.  

Next up, we'll be heading north while meandering eastward to position ourselves near the Canadian border for a shortcut home (if they open the border on 7/21) in Week 7.

So until next time ... Steven and Carol Crisp are wishing you all the best and hoping you are having fun! 

 

Four Corners Monument (4-Bagger)

You've heard of a 2-fer?  Well this is a 4-bagger.  Yep, four states in one visit.  So even though it is a kitschy, touristy thing to do, we wanted to do it anyways -- because, well, we're tourists after all, and we're not above kitsch ;-)

Four Corners Monument, intersection of UT, CO, AZ, and NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Clever People, intersection of UT, CO, AZ, and NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Couple of Tourists, intersection of UT, CO, AZ, and NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

And One Clown, intersection of UT, CO, AZ, and NM, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

So after taking the maximum three photos (keep it moving people), and buying a few trinkets from the Navajo artisans that sell their wares at the monument, we were on our way toward Glen Canyon Recreation Area, where we read about a good boondocking location.

Heading Out, intersection of UT, CO, AZ, NM, and RT 160, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Interesting Landscape, RT 160, Navajo Territory, AZ, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Colorful River Bed, RT 160, Navajo Territory, AZ, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Coal-Fired Power Plant?, Navajo Territory, Page, AZ, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Glen Canyon Dam, Page, AZ, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

We noticed a large coal-mining operation as we were driving through Navajo territory, and sure enough, there is a railroad that runs between the mine and the coal-fired power plant pictured above.  It is not an attractive sight, and there is some hope that it might not be in operation much longer.

It was surprising to us, given the hydro-power from the Glen Canyon Dam (just a few miles away), and of course the potential of solar power in this part of the US.  Oh well, I guess in the end it is mostly an economic decision (coal is currently more costly than natural gas), since the EPA certainly won't be applying pressure from the current administration.

Now, about that good boondocking location ...

About Time for a New State

We spent a lot of time in New Mexico.  We were really impressed with how much it had to offer, and what interesting sites to see and places to stay.  But we had a rough outline of a plan to got us to my Sister's house in a couple of weeks, so it was time to move on.

A number of the people we met at Bandelier National Monument had recommended we also check out Mesa Verde National Park, so that's where we headed next.  We got there after the visitor center had closed, and hoped to be able to camp in one of their campgrounds (or boondock in a parking lot).

Approaching Mesa Verde, Mesa Verde National Park (NP), Mancos, CO, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Looking' Good, Mesa Verde NP, Mancos, CO, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

At least I'm Colorful, Mesa Verde NP, Mancos, CO, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

So that might give us just enough time to drive to the top before the sun set.  I couldn't believe we just kept gaining elevation and eventually got over 8000 feet high and could drive right on the top of the mesa.  Looking at that first photo, you would not think that was possible, but in fact this "mesa" is actually a "cuesta" and it slopes downward in the back.

The cliff dwellings were significantly restored during the 1900s, so it is possible to imagine a bit how the Puebloan ancestors may have lived here over the years.  Not unlike (and sometime after) Chaco, there was a mass migration away from Mesa Verde as well.  The most likely explanation is severe droughts during the 1300s.

Wispy Clouds and Blue Sky, Mesa Verde NP, Mancos, CO, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Square Tower House, Mesa Verde NP, Mancos, CO, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Smiling Couple, Mesa Verde NP, Mancos, CO, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Cliff Palace, Mesa Verde NP, Mancos, CO, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Fire or Sunset?, Mesa Verde NP, Mancos, CO, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

On our way out of the park, we pulled over to let some cars pass us on the decent, as we need to use a lower gear and slower speed to drive the steep grade.  A park ranger stopped by, and we asked him about camping in a campsite or adjacent parking lot.  Unfortunately, that is not allowed.  So we headed to our fall-back plan we saw when we turned off for Mesa Verde.

The following day, we debated going back and doing a more leisurely tour of Mesa Verda.  But instead we opted for a quick visit to the Visitor Center (gotta get those passport stamps and pins ;-).

Camping Nearby, Ancient Cedars at Mesa Verde RV Park, Mancos, CO, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Visitor Center Shadows, Mesa Verde NP, Mancos, CO, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

Canyon Climber Statue, Mesa Verde NP, Mancos, CO, March 2017 © Steven Crisp  [Click on the photo to enlarge]

We then opted to head off to our next destination, to get credit for four states at the same time (can you guess where?).