western NM - August 2004

The western portion of the Carson National Forest is a beautiful area with less altitude than the eastern portion and many meadows alongside the road where various wildflowers were blooming. It was a delightful drive. I stopped at Hopewell Lake and paid the day fee for a little fishing in the meadow stream below the lake but soon realized the water was too low and the wind too high.


I then stopped in Los Ojos to shop at Tierra Wools. Sheepherding, wool growing, and weaving has been a way of life in this community since the ancestors came to the valley almost 200 years ago seeking pastures for their sheep. What excellent woolen products they have!


Not far away I located Heron Lake SP where I would spend the night. After finding my spot I went back 10 miles to a bridge and fished the Rio Chama. The stream was small but what a fun hour! I quit at dusk after catching probably 20 in an hour, kept four, and cooked two for supper. Heron Lake is a spacious campground in a semi arid region with a nice hot shower.


On Wednesday I drove 12 miles north to Chama, NM, a cute very touristy town with scenic train rides that last all day. I opted to not spend my day on the train although I think it would be most enjoyable. I went to the library and then had a leisurely drive west through mesas to the Navajo Lake Dam and eventually found Cottonwood Campground at the Navajo Lake State Park. It was two miles down the dustiest dirt road I ever saw. But it was worth it to fish the San Juan River.


I drove over to fish the braids at the Texas Hole since the water was a little high and fast in the area of Cottonwood campground. What a great place to be, meandering among the fish while I fished. I can now see why the claim to fame of this river. I couldn't resist going back on Thursday for my 5th day of fly fishing in New Mexico before heading north to Colorado.

Taos, NM area - August 2004

At last I am heading to Utah. I decided to make the trip to the four corners area (New Mexico, Utah, Colorado and Arizona) with my plans pretty well set in jello. I took the fly fishing paraphernalia just in case and am sure glad that I did. I stopped near Shamrock, Tx the first night after a 497 mile drive and then turned north on August 19, 2004 at Tucumcari, NM, but not before buying a small pizza and a piece of fried chicken. It is time to go to the forest. I soon found myself at 8600 feet in the Carson National Forest in the Sangre de Cristo (Blood of Christ) Mountains. I enjoyed the lush greens of the forest but it wasn't long before I confirmed that afternoon thunderstorms would probably be an everyday reality. I stopped at La Junta Canyon and got a nice little camping spot alongside the creek before a gentle rain set in about 4:30 (now mountain time). There was a small stream running alongside the campground but I had not obtained a fishing license yet.





On Friday I drove the 25 miles or so to Taos and went in search of the tourist places. By early afternoon I found bumper to bumper traffic. The architecture was enjoyable and there was ample opportunity for shopping. I then took the 86 mile enchanted circle scenic route in the mountains north of Taos which was quite a lovely drive and more to my liking. The enchanted circle is advertised quite well and it led me to small communities that I might not have known about otherwise: Angel Fire, Eagle Nest, Red River, and Questa.









Campground shopping for the night led me to the Taos Ski Valley on the north side of Taos where I located a beautiful free spot alongside Rio Hondo in the Lower Hondo NFS campground. Places like this make me appreciate traveling in something small. And here I was back in the forest which always makes me happy! I was parked right alongside the river and could sleep listening to the water rushing over the rocks.


On Friday I settled in at Junebug Campground alongside the Red River. Each afternoon there were expected showers but they didn't usually last too long. Junebug campground is just a few miles outside of the town of Red River. It was the perfect spot to begin my five days of New Mexico fly fishing. I spent Saturday listening to music and sampling chili at the Chili Cookoff. Hot Chili Days and Cool Mountain Nights was the theme. Indeed!




Red River was inhabited by Ute, Jicarilla, Apaches, game trappers and prospectors in the 19th century. By 1905 there were 3,000 inhabitants when gold, silver and copper were mined until the supply dwindled. Today Molybdenum mining is in operation. The town is surrounded by Carson National Forest and is 8,750 feet in elevation. There is now a population of less than 500 but an average daily tourist population of 4,000 enjoying biking, camping, skiing, fishing, four wheeling, hiking, and magnificent scenery.




August 22 was a 44 degree night and blueberry buckwheat pancakes for breakfast never tasted so good. I read that one should eat 70% of the diet in carbohydrates to offset the altitude. No problem! I caught one little brook trout and two rainbows not far from my camping spot. After I left the area I looked over to see the mountains where I had so much fun.


On Monday I was off on a day trip to the Wild Rivers Recreation Area, a beautiful drive that followed along the rim of the Rio Grande Gorge to La Junta Point where the Red River converges with the Rio Grande The Rio Grande has sliced an 800 foot deep gorge through the high plains of northern New Mexico. The semi-arid area is home to pinon and juniper forests but in view of the Sangro de Christo Mountains. There was a nice little visitor's center and suitable BLM campgrounds. I then went south towards Taos to the Fish Hatchery where there is a very excellent section of the Red River River with access to wade and fish. I didn't catch any fish but the experience was excellent just the same.

I stopped at the Rio Grande Gorge Bridge the next morning before continuing west on 64. A desert landscape lay between the east and west mountain ranges of the Carson National Forest.





In one area the desert was dotted with solar homes that were the most creative things I have seen so I turned on Earthship Road and looked at a few. It is unexpected finds like this that can make trips so interesting. This settlement was just out in the middle of nowhere west of Taos.

Minnesota - June 2004

Summer has arrived and it is time to head north for some cooler June weather. A Habitat build in Minnesota seems a good destination.

Along the way a few stops are in order: a visit to Branson, Mo, a stop at the Bass Pro Shop in Springfield, Mo, a tour of the wildlife museum next door, and a visit to the town of Somerset, Iowa which was the setting for the film Bridges of Madison County.

Breakfast at the Northside Cafe seemed in order where they had photos from the movie hanging on the walls.

From Somerset I detoured to the southeastern part of Minnesota. I stopped at a help yourself Amish store on a farm in Harmony, Mn.

All along the way I marveled at the numerous barns and farms that filled the countryside.

After a brief stop at Cabella's in Owatonna I was off to the farm in Faribault where 5 FreeRoaders spent one week camping in the back yard at a farm. How generous of the owner to provide us the place to stay. He did not even know the habitat recipient, let alone any of us.

We didn't know a rooster would wake us at 4 am but after the second day of that, a raccoon came to our rescue. Poor rooster!

The farmer was a most excellent host. We gathered each evening in his back yard to recap the day or share an evening meal before the mosquitoes tried to make a meal of us.

The purpose of being in Minnesota was to help with a habitat build so each morning we drove to Northfield and contributed our best efforts. The real builders did not know what to think but after a couple days hard work they began to appreciate our help.

Shade was not easy to find on this hot day but Diane, Clark, Robbie, Susan, and Marcia managed.

And then it was back to work as Robbie and Marcia assist Clark.

On the weekend we visited New Ulm, MN. Marcia, Clark, and Diane take a break at the Schell Brewery.

We also watched German singers downtown at the Glockenspiel and had a great Chinese buffet.

Another day we visited the Mall of America and Lyndale Park near Lake Harriet in Minneapolis. The roses were at their peak in the park.

While at the mall Clark, Marcia, Diane, and I definitely didn't want to miss a meal.

Diane, Robbie, Clark, Susan, Susan,and Marcia enjoyed the lego store. It was quite a day to be at the mall with a famous skate boarder there for an exhibit. What a crowd he drew!

Just another day on the farm, I guess. Not bad!

Minnesota - July 2004

The casino north of town provided a nice gathering place for our rvs. We could choose the campground, overflow parking lot, or the bus parking lot. Susan, Diane, Robbie, Marcia, and Clark are parked in the bus parking lot.


And of course on the way to Red Wing I had to stop to look at barns. Aren't they magnificent!? I was amazed the corn in June was only ankle high.



Clark is enjoying one of the calliopes set up in the park at Red Wing. The day was very festive with a dedication in the park, a stagecoach, boats, and steam engines.







The Delta Queen was docked in Red Wing and I enjoyed a brief tour. It is quite an elaborate boat. We later watched her go through the locks on the way to St. Paul while the passengers threw candy to the crowd at lock and dam 2. She was built in Glasgow, Scotland in 1926.






The steamer Delta Queen has called Cincinnati "home port" since her 1947 arrival. She first cruised California's Sacramento River. During World War II she was used as a Yard Ferry Boat to transport military personnel between ocean vessels and naval hospitals.


Tom Greene purchased the Delta Queen in 1946 to operate as a passenger boat. She was extensively remodeled and re-outfitted in Pittsburgh. Since 1948 the Delta Queen has sailed the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers as the only authentic, fully restored, overnight steamboat in the world. She is one of the last truly authentic riverboats, and is so much a part of America's heritage that she is a designated National Historic Landmark.




The highlight of the weekend was the Grand Excursion of steamboats traveling up and down the Mississippi River. This was a reenactment of the 1854 steamboat expedition and the flotilla retraced the path along 400 miles of the Mississippi River from the Quad Cities of Illinois to St. Paul, Mn.

We couldn't resist a ride around the park in the stagecoach.

The Anson Northrup was computer-built specifically for the Minneapolis harbor and put into service in 1988. The side-wheeler's overall height had to be kept less than 22 feet because of the low bridges in that area of the river. She is docked in Minneapolis, Mn.

The Harriet Bishop was built in 1987 in Utica, IN. Her home port is Saint Paul, MN. She was named for Minnesota's first school teacher.

Just north of Red Wing is the Prairie Island Reservation on which live the Mdewakanton Dakota people.The Mdewakanton own and operate Treasure Island Casino & Resort. They provided entertainment in one of the parks.


The Julia Belle Swain is my favorite. It is of the wedding cake design with plenty of gingerbread and a steam calliope. She was built in Dubuque, Iowa in 1971 and operates out of LaCrosse, Wisconsin.

The Spirit of Peoria was built in Paducah, Kentucky in 1988 and is docked in Peoria, IL.

Back at the casino we were entertained one afternoon by a family of skunks on the move. We gave them plenty of space.

One of the highlights of the weekend were the two steam engines at the Red Wing Depot. They drew quite a crowd which was elated when the Delta Queen and the engines took turns blowing their whistles.


On July 4, we decided to ride the river roads in both Wisconsin and Minnesota. Here are Bill, Diane, Robbie, Marcia and Clark after we stopped at a bakery along the way for desserts for our picnic.

We chose a spot on Lake Pepin for our picnic .. hot dogs and hamburgers with berry/rhubarb pie for dessert!



After Red Wing I meandered down the Mississippi River River Road in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. I then went to Spring Green, Wisconsin for a tour of the House on the Rock, an indescribable experience.


In Salisbury, Illinois I switched into genealogy mode and found myself at the Abraham Lincoln home in Springfield while on a trip to the library.


I crossed the mighty Mississippi in St. Louis and had my first view of the arch. From there the trip soon became just another memory.