While We Wait for Me to Catch Up...

- Drizzly, misty Santa Cruz - Friday Oct 22
I ground to a stop three times today. It was just starting to mist when I left my cousin's house near Hwy 92 and continued to the coast at Half Moon Bay. That's a beautiful ride and I would have enjoyed it if the road were dry. I fought condensation and rain on my visor to the coast and on south. Feeling freaked by the rain and hoping to outrun it southward, I passed the last gas stations before Hwy 1 and thought those stations would be challenging to get to across congested traffic and through U-turns in the rain. I thought that surely there will be gas right on 1 and I could glide in on my right side. Hmmm. No gas. But wait, there is a distance sign... Davenport just 38 miles. Sure, I can do that. The adage for TW owners of never passing a chance to refuel whispering in the back of my mind, I continued and there ahead was Davenport. Whew. Or so I thought. There was no gas and I had another 11 miles to Santa Cruz. My trip meter was at 110. opps. I turned around and rode past all 8 buildings and parked to start asking people for gas. After the highway prospects were eliminated, I started up the residential street. The first house had a guy and his wife near their pickup and after discussing the options (none) he offered to siphon gas from his truck. He cut off a length of his garden hose and worked it into his tank. I found some empty drink cups, wiped them out and had the precious liquid in hand. He, however had gotten a more gas in his mouth than he intended and some in his eye as well. I felt so bad for him, especially remembering the swigs of gas I had as a teen. He came back out of the house with his eye and around it red and swollen. Well, just a little puffy. He clearly had gotten the worst of the transaction. He wouldn't take money or an invitation to lunch, just glad to help someone in need. Just then his mom pulled up, saying that there had been a head on collision on the way to Santa Cruz and the road would not be open for a couple hours. I had lunch and rode down to see if I could get through. Of course not. The LEO at an intersection was directing traffic through a detour and it would be an extra ten miles. But there was a town with gas in the hills through which the detour went, but I had to make several turns to get there. Naturally, I could only remember the first turn and couldn't stop to write anything down in the rain. Soon lost, I pressed on until the bike died and coast to a stop in a driveway. No one home there and I went back down the road to an intersection with a bank of rural mail boxes. The 4th person I asked offered to go home and fetch back a can of gas. As I was pouring it into my tank I asked "May I empty it?" "Sure, please do." There was nearly a gallon and I was so grateful. He gave me directions to the closest gas station and I was on my way after profuse thanks and good wishes. This new road was narrow, twisty, and oh so wet. After several stretches of signed one lane pavement, I was beginning to wonder if I would need to repeat my begging further down the road when suddenly I was on Hwy 9 and in Ben Lomand, going into a gas station. Now this seemed survivable after I had wiped clear my glasses and visor. Back out into the misting rain, I was soon passing Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park campground. I debated; push on or camp in the rain. Onward I went into Santa Cruz to find creeping traffic on Hwy 1. For the better part of an hour I crept along, thinking it would break soon and I could stay with my plan to camp south of Monterey if only I could out run the rain. Actually, I wasn't thinking clearly at that point. Traffic stretched on ahead disappearing into the rain. I saw a motel from the highway and gave in, getting off at the next ramp and checking in. 66 bucks, but I'm warm and dry. I'll find the Youth Hostel here in town and wait out this rain through the weekend. Monday will be good to ride Big Sur, dry and less people.

Saturday October 23rd Atascadero

After watching the TV weather report and verifying it on line, I decided to take the forecasters at their word and believe rain would hit the coast at 2 pm. I figured I could make it from Santa Cruz to Atascadero by then and left following the Google map route I had transcribed to note paper that was placed under a clear plastic panel on top of my tank bag to refer to while I was at stop lights. A couple turns into it and I was off track, so I made my way back to Hwy 1 which was a freeway at that point. Vroom. On down the coast past Monterey I stopped at the Safeway as I have on every other trip I’ve made though here. I sort of had a sense of home there, wherever home might be. I’ve been up and down Big Sur by car and by thumb at least 10 times and this is the first by motorcycle. I can recommend it highly and would like to do it again. The road was dry except for a few places in the shade where I was extra careful and the way it is banked on some of the curves, I could come closer than ever to being horizontal as I caromed through. This motorcycle riding thing is fun.
On this trip through Big Sur I went faster than any previous time. Landmarks where I had stayed and hiked before clicked by quickly and soon I was near sea lions basking on the beach. It was easy to tell where they were by sense of smell as I rode past them. I stopped to eat at San Simeon with a watchful eye on the clouds to the west; it was 1:30 and I was expecting the rain to be on time. In fact, it did not rain at all until the evening in A-Town. I’m glad I didn’t stay in the motel believing that it would rain all weekend.

Thursday Oct 28
I'm headed for Bakersfield today.  Looking forward to seeing friends and family.

Sunday Aug 1, 6 pm Dinosaur National Monument

FLASH! – Lightning lights up everything in the tent like I’m surrounded by paparazzi and less than a second later – KRAKA BOOM! Thunder shakes me and I can feel the sound go through my body. I’m camped on BLM land with the closest people 7 miles away. Rain is pummeling the tent and I’m laying on my sleeping bag and pad. If the tent takes a hit, maybe the aluminum poles will shunt it to the ground. Just an hour before, I had decided to not ride 20 miles to Rangley for food – the overcast sky had turned darker and I could see the gray out of rain under clouds in several directions. I raced back to my campsite up 5 miles of pavement and 2 miles of dirt road with the first drops hitting my face shield during the last ½ mile. With the bike covered, rain fly tied to it and my gear thrown inside, I had made it just in time. Celery, a handful of trail mix and a cup of yogurt would be dinner tonight. Tomorrow I can get food in Vernal, UT on my way to Flaming Gorge.

This has been a fun day of riding into the Yampa Canyon to Echo Park at the confluence of the Yampa and Green Rivers down a steep dirt road of 24 miles round trip. Going down was less controlled feeling with the back tire sliding and most of my weight on the hand grips, but the return trip up was so easy that I was surprised to reach the top as quickly as I did. This was much different than riding a bicycle; I could not have made the trip in only a couple hours. It would have been a day from my present camp to the road head and down the dirt road to Echo Park, spend the night there and ride/walk back out. Turning the throttle and going up a hill still seems delightfully magical.

The road down the mesa and into the canyon went past the old Chew Ranch with several apricot trees still alive, but too late for the fruit.

(click on this picture to see the petroglyphs)

On past Pool Creek petroglyphs pecked into the cliff face and finally to the campground and white water craft take out point at Echo Park where the monolith Steamboat Rock stands 800 feet high.

Returning, I stopped at Whispering Cave where a cool breeze washes down through cracks in the wall. Thirty miles later I was in the town of Dinosaur deciding what I should do for dinner.

… Going back to the last 3 weeks, I was at Robin’s much longer than I had anticipated. I was only going to stop and say hello, but it turned out there was a project for me to do there. Her father, who was a famous wildlife painter, had left several thousand prints of his work as her inheritance and I volunteered to photograph them for her so she could sell them on line. I set her up with an eBay seller’s account, PayPal and posted them on Flicker as well. We had to go to

Montrose every other day and fiddle with it on the library computer, but finally we finished about July 25^th and I was ready to go. But, a friend of hers, Andras had arrived about a week or two before and he wanted some similar help. So, on the 26^th I was off on my journey again, taking a scenic route to Grand Junction and camping in the forest on the way. Food, bike parts and a visit to AAA for maps and then on to Dinosaur where I’ve been riding around and getting back in travel mode after a month break.

Monday Aug 2 Dinosaur to Ashley Natl Forest

Waking up with the scent of wet sage, I packed feeling hungry. I was eager to get to Dinosaur and buy anything they had to eat. I had to rest between stages of packing like Survivorman conserving his energy to keep from boinking. This was a laundry day in Vernal, meaning that I was wearing just a tee shirt, swim trunks and moccasins during the process. I could charge my phone while I waited. After a quick stop at the Forest Service office to get a suggestion for a camp spot and I tore off to get to a cooler altitude. Too soon, as it turned out. I was just in time to get wet the last 2 miles before my camp site. I guess I should have taken the time to look at the museum in Vernal – lots of dinosaurs. Just as I got the tent up, the rain stopped. I was in a beautiful spot, though. Aspens, fur trees and flowers everywhere. Sorry, little lupine. I had to put my tent somewhere and you got squashed. Pollination should be no problem for the rest of the flowers, there were plenty of flies. None made it into the tent, but I could watch them from inside where they were trapped between the mesh top of the tent and the rain fly. I’m easily entertained.

Tue Aug 3 Cache Natl Forest

The tent fly was wet inside and out this morning but I couldn’t wait for it to dry. I need to ride about 220 miles to get to the next forest. I stopped at a scenic turnout and almost dumped the bike turning through some gravel on the road. Both feet were out like training wheels and if the bike had been heavier, I might not have been able to stay up.

I was at a pretty view of Flaming Gorge. Later I stopped at Fossil Butte Natl Monument and admired their display of fossilized sea creatures and plants. Bear Lake was a treat with its turquoise water, then up into the forest and down a dirt road to find a good spot.

Wed Aug 4 Jackson WY

I saw my first moose cow and calf in a field as I left Montpelier, ID. Big. I collected my replacement Therma-rest sleeping pad from the post office in Jackson, asked directions to dispersed camping at the FS office and made it to a gas station to wait out a rain shower. I met another biker staying dry there who was on his way to a motorcycle rally in Sturgis. So, that’s why there are so many Harleys on the road. He went across the street to inquire about a motel room and offered to split it with me. He would pay $100 and I would pay $50. Sorry, that’s out of my budget of $20 per day and I already had directions to free forest camping with a view of the Tetons. Showers provided by the sky. 10 miles of dirt road and I was on the slope across from Teton with the National Elk Refuge below.

Aug 5 & 6 Thur Sheffield camp ground.

I stopped at the Jackson library on the way out of town to see where to camp using the FS info and Google maps. Sheffield was just a mile or two from Yellowstone; perfect for a dash through the park and time to get to a Natl Forest on the other side. This was grizzly territory and the other 4 sites had bear boxes, but none on mine. Dusty, across from me shared his bear box and I stayed an extra day for personal grooming. Shared a campfire with Valerie from Lexington, KY.

Aug 7 Sat Quake Lake CG

Yellowstone Urban Wilderness was predictably crowded on my way through, with the camp grounds full and lines going into parking lots to see the geysers. The cheapest food to be seen at Old Faithful Village was a prepackaged burrito for $2. I rode a side trip through Fire Hole Canyon, recoiling at the crowds and on to West Yellowstone for groceries.

There was an Old Time Photo studio there and I chatted with Holly as I waited for the storm I could see to the north to blow by. She recommended a for-pay CG that I went for. It was the first time I used my mosquito headgear as I sat at a picnic table eating an apple.

Aug 8 Sun Beaverhead Natl Forest

I nearly ran out of gas before Ennis, MT. I had neglected to refuel in West Yellowstone and stopped at an invasive weed control station to bum gas from some guys with ATVs on a trailer. I stopped in Virginia City to see Holly’s husband, Grant. He runs their other Old Time Photo studio there. Business was going strong and he barely had time to talk. I didn’t want to wait 2 hours for him to take lunch and ended up waiting 1 ½ hours in Dillon until a storm passed. I had to ride all over town to find the road out that I wanted, 387. Pizza and beer in Wisdom and a referral to this campsite past Big Hole Battleground. I missed the rain that fell here this afternoon and got a good site where I am 10 feet from a babbling brook. $3.50

Aug 9 Chief Joseph Pass to Harper’s Lake State Camp Ground

147 miles today, with rain off and on up US93 to Missoula where I stopped at REI to buy a new down sleeping bag and a raincoat. $274 (ouch) and on to camp at a Montana state fishing spot and campground. $12 Pretty expensive day I got $10 for my old bag and camp backrest at Play It Again, Sam.

Aug 10 Tue West Shore State Park CG

I had a great ride up Swan Valley on State 83 – a little tail wind sweeping curves and gentle hills past lakes and woods. I stopped in Lakeside to buy binoculars from Dan Baldwin for $10. He is one of only two people in the USA who does authorized repair and restoration of binoculars. We met in Twin Bridges as I was eating lunch at a streamside park. A room in his house is dedicated to his repair business and he happily works when he wants. During our conversation I started to think about going back to work as a dental technician. I had passed a denture lab in Lakeside and was thinking and imagining working at that now that my knees are shot. I went on to the campground and worked on the computer, listening to music while talking to friends on the phone and typing blog. Camp was $15, an all time high.

Aug 11 Lost Johnnie Point CG USFS $13 for 2 nights.

I stopped by the Post Office in Lakeside to check general delivery for my replacement phone from T-Mobile, then more cherries from Cherry Haus, yum. Leaving to go to Glacier, I rode past the denture lab and after a couple miles I turned back to see if they needed help. When I left the lab biz 20 years ago I thought it might be something I returned to when I got old and feeble. Well, I guess I’m there, kinda. My knees won’t let me do massage any longer and photography seems to be too hard on the knees as well. So, they didn’t need help at the denture lab, but it got me thinking about pursuing a lab job when I get to the West Coast. There must be a lab between Seattle and San Diego that would work out. I can rent a room while I work. I find I’m spending more money on this trip than I had planned and a layover for the winter while I make money would work fine. “Motorcycle Tramp/Itinerant Dental Technician” My lifestyle evolves. I went on to the Hungry Horse ranger station and got directions to this great CG. It’s densely wooded and each site is isolated. No worries about bears, they are busy gorging on huckleberries. Dinner was fresh fish from the supermarket cooked in aluminum foil that the ranger gave me. We were talking and found we are in the brotherhood of ex-military.

Aug 12 Thur Lost Johnnie Point

Rode Hwy 2 to East Glacier – another beautiful day. I was going to take the circle route and go through Glacier on the way back, but it was too cold, windy and wet, so I came back the same way and still caught a little rain. Back to the supermarket in Columbia Falls where I bought the usual fried ½ chicken and a couple pounds of cherries. This is cherry country and they are great; my favorite food.

Aug 13 Fri Trout Creek, MT

I stopped at Cherry Haus for the 3^rd time. The first 2 were for 2 lb of cherries each time. Well, these were about the best cherries this side of Hood Valley, OR and I bought 10 lb for $10 and ate them all today with no ill effects. The PO in Lakeside had my gen del package with my UPS drop. They wanted the phone returned within 7 days of signing for it or I pay for a new phone. With the 5 days from Caballo to Lakeside, I could make it in time. I stopped at Trout Lake for the huckleberry festival and a burger, then on to a forest road to find an unused side road with a campsite.

Aug 14 Sat Tiger, WA

Stopped in Sandpoint for library computer access, shopped for a frying pan in the thrift stores, but could only find a pie pan. It works with my pliers for a handle. I got a 7” kitchen knife and sharpened it on a rock after dinner. I stopped at Walmart for a spatula, ground beef, tortillas, taco sauce and eggs. I’ve used my backpacking stove only once on this trip and I thought I’d start. I found a good spot by a FS tree nursery and dump for chipped wood and branches. It smells like a cedar closet and there are few bugs. Dinner was quick to cook and I could hear bulls bellowing several hundred yards away. A deer walked past my site and stopped to look. I stayed still and she was there for about 30 seconds. Deer hooves make a distinctive clop. Eventually that night the cedar closet smell became a little much.

Aug 15 Sun Lake Wenatche 280 miles

Happy Birthday! I’m 65; feels like 64. I was going to stop sooner, but it was too hot and I had plenty of daylight left. Saw some deer by the road both alive and dead. One of them was a freshly killed fawn. L I treated myself to dinner out: jambalaya and Hostess cupcakes.

Aug 16 - 20 Seattle

I’m staying with a fellow ARAMCO Brat, Danni for about a week. I slept in a bed the first time in about 2 months. It’s great to get laundry done and caught up on sleep and post my blog. We went to the Seattle Aquarium and then had to have fish and chips. My replacement phone doesn’t work right either, so after 2 hours with T-Mobile, they decided to send a new one.

(By the way, you can click on any image to see it bigger)
June 17, 2010 Thursday – Caballo to Datyl, NM
I left Sue's with just the motorcycle after much winnowing through all the stuff I brought with me on my trip to California with the truck and motorcycle. I wear a full face helmet, leather jacket with padded elbows, shoulders and back, thick padded riding pans, boots and gloves. The saying goes, “Dress for the crash, not the ride.” I feel safer with all that on, but I’m still aware that I am going 60 mph on an asphalt belt sander. My mantra as I travel along is, “Tuck and roll.” I guess it is ingrained in my mind. A couple of weeks ago I inadvertently pushed the bike forward and off the kickstand as I was parking and getting off. Before I could stop it, the bike tipped over toward me and I pushed away, going into a crumple, over onto my back and completed the roll coming up on my feet. I had all my gear on and the maneuver was as comfortable as rolling over in bed. There were only some little scratches on the plastic parts of the bike.
My new phone plan with T-Mobile started last week and my new phone arrived 2 days ago. The T-Mobile Tap is seriously complex. I have a data plan so I can browse on line, do email, post to FaceBook and generally amuse myself learning how to use all the features.
Wow! I’m really on this trip. I started out last January to take the truck and motorcycle, but with just the motorcycle I can actually afford to travel everywhere forever. I rode about 160 miles today for 8 dollars. In the truck that would have been at least $40. Food may be a bit more since I will eat out a little more and can’t carry bigger lots of grocery food. Today’s burger, fries and coke was an indulgence for $9.75. So, here I am at the Datyl Well Campground for $2.50 a night. My tent is set up, ready for the night by 4 pm. My knee and butt had reached their limit with 7 hours on El Burrito. I was getting squirmy that last half hour before reaching the campground. It is amazingly satisfying and comfortable to be here. My REI Hoodoo 3 tent was so easy to set up. It’s great to have a modern tent that clips to the poles instead of the poles slipping through sleeves. As soon as I’m inside with all my bags I can get out of my protective gear and into my swim trunks. With all the mesh for the breeze to flow through and a 360 degree view, I can enjoy the buzzing of flies, the wind making its distinctive sound through the fragrant pines as I hear a distant gust coming to me. Laying on my Thermarest pad and squishy synthetic sleeping bag I can flick off ants that explore the outside of the tent. I want for nothing here in my cocoon… perhaps a nap. I smile and close my eyes as the pen slips from my hand.

June 18 Friday Datyl Well Campground
This is so restful here that I’m staying until Sunday. I keep hearing from people that the wind is fierce in the high desert all the way through Wyoming. I’m about 2 weeks late starting this trip to go through the four corners area and up through Moab. It will be too hot, so I will route through the Rockies instead. My knee, back and head have been miserable since yesterday and so I took a Valium and naproxen this afternoon. Finally some relief! I was able to get a pop in my low back that has eluded me for weeks. Ahh. I’m having second thoughts about the TW. It is slow, small and vibrates a lot. I knew that already, but it seems so much of the experience that it’s hard to enjoy riding. Plus, I am not a dirt rider after all. It looks good when other people do it, but I’m tremendously challenged by anything but pavement. I should be able to get my $3K for my bike whenever I get back to Truth or Consequences and find something more suited for highway riding. 750 cc + seems to be what everyone recommends. Perhaps a Gold Wing is in my future. I’ll continue this trip though and if I’m not broke in to the lifestyle, I’ll change something.

June 19 Saturday Datyl Well
I awoke with worse back pain after a cold night. My mummy bag is just a little small. Hmmm, it fit fine 35 years ago. I took another dose of Valium and naproxen. The one I took last night still had a half life going and when I added to it this morning, I went right back to sleep. Later, I stumbled out, walked around a little and back to lay down until 3 in the afternoon. The weeding I did earlier this week with a pick is still working out of my back. Hopefully all this rest will help. I imagine the 6 hours riding on Thursday made it worse. I’m thinking of returning to Caballo tomorrow or Monday to get some things and leave others. Later… not much on the list I can’t get on the road and I can mail stuff back. Feeling better today, no pain. I think I’ll stay another day and rest my back more. I’ve hardly gotten out of the tent for 2 days now, just laying down relaxing and stretching. This is the first time in 10 years I’ve rested like this.

June 20 Datyl Well Sunday
Still laid out with my back. If I wanted to get off to a slow start, this is it. Back on Valium and naproxen, it helps a little. I’ve been sleeping most of the day. I walked around camp for a while. I’m really groggy from the Valium, but moving around felt better. I’m sitting up in my camp chair. It works even without the sleeping pad inserted. What a relief to not have to hold myself up. I think it is a keeper. Now I just need a TV and remote. 4 pm new neighbors arrived this afternoon. They have a generator they started right away. Even my thick silicone ear plugs don’t shut out the sound. I may be leaving early tomorrow, say around 6 am. I’ll need to run my motorcycle for about an hour before leaving to charge up my phone. I hope they don’t plan on sleeping in. They ran their generator from 4 till 9.

June 21 Datyl to Lobo Canyon Forest Service Camp near Grants, NM
I just couldn’t rouse myself at 5:15. Revenge is hard to do when I’m still in the sack asleep. I shut off the alarm and went back to sleep until 7 when the generator started again. Grrr… With perfect Zen peace I started packing. My back felt so much better. All packed up and ready to roll, but where are my glasses? Oh yes, they are still in the convenient pocket in the corner of the tent. Never mind, I can see well enough during the day without them and I left anyway, cutting off the guy with the generator as he was pulling out. At least that felt good. On, westward on Hwy 60 through pine forests of Cibolla NF and I had not gone but a couple miles when a pair of elk does walked across the road 100 yards ahead. My, they are big. I was too early to eat at Pie Town – I’ll catch it another time. Yes, there was a gas station in Quemoda. Whew. I won’t have to skimp and maybe beg for gas before Grants. My tank is only 1.8 gallons. I whizzed past Mal Pais NM with all its lava flow and a huge cliff that rose up right beside the road. After being in open land it felt a little surreal to be riding next to it. I stopped for groceries in Grants and parked next to a fireworks stand so they could watch my stuff while I shopped. I was going to buy the least amount of firecrackers I could to scare away bears if needed. The nice lady gave me 2 strings of Red Devils. Hope I don’t need them. I’m in a remote campground 12 miles from Grants tonight. A couple of guys cruised through in a low rider and I got a little concerned. I was headed back to town to return later and set up at sunset, but I saw the ranger truck on the way out. He was ticketing the guys for day use without paying. It turned out that the local LEOs patrol the area and I would be safe.

June 22 Grants to Farmington, nm
A long hot dry ride and no camping in or near Farmington. I had to stay at a motel @ $40 for the night – 2 days budget, but the shower was great. TV and a bed, wow! A run to Walmart for food and an AC/DC converter so I could charge my computer with the 12V car charger using 110 current. Turned out it didn’t work with the computer charger after all – bummer. I’ll have Sue send me the AC charger I left back there.

June 23 Wednesday Farmington to near Mancos, CO
Nice ride through the rest of dry New Mexico and then into Colorado. Better roads and green farms. I stumbled onto a good NF campground, but expensive at $7.50 a day. All the Colorado NF campgrounds are operated by a concessioner and the prices are jacked up. The camp host is a Viet Nam vet and we swapped stories about dealing with the VA. He has gotten representation from a VA claims specialist lawyer, Berry Law Firm in Omaha and is optimistic about getting his disability after struggling with the VA for the last 15 years. I rode into Mancos for food, so my entertainment tonight will be cooking cube steak and corn on a fire.

June 24 Thursday Rico, CO
This is one of those perfect days. In Dolores I used the library computer and got caught up on email. One of the messages was from an ARAMCO Brat in Denver who invited me to go dirt bike riding if I am nearby. I have an old friend from a commune in Santa Monica that lives in Boulder I’d like to see, so I’ll likely get over that way. I found a great camp spot up a forest road. It’s where the stream crosses under the road and there is a flat area 50’x 30’ and a tent site bench area just up hill from that. I looks like hunters on horses have built this up as a staging area to go further up into the woods. There are shell casings and old dry horse poop in the big flat area. There is a good size rock fire ring and logs to sit on. I hung my food in a lodge pole pine and doused myself with deet. The skeeters didn’t like it at all. Not a bite. I’m cozy here in my tent hearing the stream and birds.

June 25 Fri
I rode over Lizard Head Pass through what must be the best scenery in all of Colorado. I went into Telluride and it exceeded my expectations of becoming crowded and gentrified. A body could hardly ride down the street without stopping for someone wandering across the road. I even had to pay for parking to go into the library. I called Robyn and arranged to meet up in the city park in Ridgway. I followed her home – a log cabin on 40 acres of pinion pines on a mesa. She has 2 horses, 2 dogs and a cat. She has to truck in water and has solar power. She has been living here for 27 years. Her living room floor was perfectly comfortable for the night.

June 26 Sat
What a beautiful location this is with a meadow behind the cabin and ringed with mountain peaks above the trees. Robyn and her friend Sue ride their horses most weekends when Sue is off work as a nurse practitioner. I was going to get to ride Robyn’s gelding Cassidy. Wow, the only other horse I’ve been on was a pony when I was 7. We were going up the slope of Mt. Sneffels which we could see from Robyn’s back deck. I was both excited and apprehensive. This was not just a simple walk on a road. I was finding out about horse management. Robyn’s two horses, Cassidy and Red Cloud were bonded and never alone, so we had to trailer both of them to Sue’s and leave Red Cloud in a pen next to her other horses or he would freak out. Herd animals, you know. We loaded up two of Sue’s horses and took off for a 10 mile drive up a dirt forest road to the trail head. Sue graciously rode in the back seat of Robyn’s pickup with Robyn’s dogs, Gomez and Indy. We parked and tacked the horses, taking longer than I would imagine, similar to getting ready for an outing with triplets. Finally adjusted, strapped and buckled with a beer under everyone’s belts, we were off up the road to the trail. The usual afternoon clouds acme and went with a few sprinkles, but we had rain gear in our saddlebags. I was trailing behind a bit and touched Cassidy’s ribs lightly with my heels and he immediately accelerated into a trot, jostling my feet out of the stirrups. I clutched him with my knees, held tightly to the horn and applied the hand brake er.. reins along with the voice command we all learned from Western movies, “Whoa!” It worked! Sue and Robyn readjusted the height of my stirrups and we were off up the single track trail, climbing quickly as we ducked and wove around branches and trees. Gomez had been following too closely behind the horse Robyn was on and got kicked in the hip. She was concerned for him and we decided to turn back. I wasn’t disappointed, feeling that this could become a more technical ride than I could handle. Rain and hail started just then with thunderous lightning near by. We waited it out under a tree and broke out raincoats and another beer. Just the mile or two was enough of a first ride for me and I was a little shaky after I dismounted back at the trailer. I stayed behind with the dogs while Robyn and Sue went on to continue their ride. Back at the ranch for dinner and to sleep, having had a good day.

June 27 Sunday
Robyn is picking up another horse today, a mare that is basically an indoor horse that has been mostly used in an arena. Work need to be done n the fences and gate which I did while she went to trailer the horse back. All worked out well and the new mare had a big pasture to herself while the 2 geldings were in an adjacent enclosure. The were constantly interested in each other and seemed to get along well. Elk steak tonight, lean and tasty.


June 28 Mon
A day of errands in Montrose. Pizza, banking, Ute Indian Museum and groceries. I didn’t get to see more of the museum than the lobby, but Robyn got to talk to the director about her plan to hold event on her property such as sweat lodges and vision quests. She was encouraged and I was invited to be a photography vendor at their pow-wow in September. I’m not sure where I’ll be then, but it would be fun to do portraits of Indians in their regalia.

June 29 Tue
I helped Robyn with some cabinets she brought back from her origin, Kansas. Her dad was a noted wildlife artist and his legacy to his children, Toni and Robyn was a huge collection of valuable art and prints. She has an outbuilding to house her share and begin selling it on line.

June 30 Wed
Another errand day, towing a water tank to Colona several times to fill the cistern and horse troughs. 25 cents for 300 gallons.

July 3 Sat
Robin has decided the horses are getting along so well in the same pasture that she could lead the mare around the meadow with the geldings following. Not so easy; it turns out that the were competing for her and this was an opportunity to work things out, horse style. Kicking, charging each other and running wild. So, Robyn haltered Cassidy instead and lead him around. Not good. Red Cloud and the mare took off and were soon out of sight. Eventually they returned and calmed down. Back to the fenced pasture for them.

July 4 Sun
Kick back day, Robyn went to Telluride to ride in the parade.

July 5 Mon
Mexican food in Montrose and 2 trips to Colona for more water.

July 6 Robin’s
I replaced the 2 bolts that hold the exhaust pipe to the engine. I had been wondering why I was hearing clattering noise.
Today was another water fetching day and I made fish tacos for our dinner.
San Diego-style Fish Taco Sauce
1/2 Cup reduced fat sour cream (I bet Greek yogurt would be delicious as a substitute if you’re not a fan of sour cream)
1/2 Cup reduced fat mayonnaise (you can use full fat, but, the spices are so delicious, you won’t miss that particular flavor contribution)
1 lime, cut in half
1/2 Teaspoon cumin
1/2 Teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 Teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 Teaspoon oregano
1/4 Teaspoon ground chipotle chili powder
1/2 Teaspoon capers, minced
1 hot pepper of your choice, seeded and minced
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
In a small bowl, whisk the sour cream and mayonnaise until well blended.
Squeeze the juice from one lime half into the mixture, then whisk thoroughly. You’ll want the consistency of a pourable, creamy salad dressing. If still too thick, add more lime juice from the other half. If too runny, add sour cream.
Add all the spices, whisking to mix thoroughly. Add the capers, minced pepper and cilantro, and whisk thoroughly.
Cover the bowl with wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour — the longer the better.
Serve chilled. Spoon over tacos, or add into taco salads or rice bowls.

Beer battered fish

• Olive oil
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 2/3 cup beer
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 4 tilapia or flounder fillets, about 5 ounces each
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Heat enough olive oil, to shallow fry the fish, in a large skillet over medium-high heat
In a shallow dish, whisk together 1/2 cup of the flour, beer, egg, and baking powder. Place remaining 1/4 cup flour in a separate shallow dish.
Season both sides of fish fillets with salt and black pepper. Dredge fish in flour, turn to coat both sides and then shake off excess flour. Dunk fish in beer mixture and turn to coat both sides.
Add fish to hot oil and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side, until cooked through and opaque. Remove fish from oil. Place on a paper towel lined plate.



July 7 Wed Robin’s
I slept last night in Robin’s tipi and decided that I would sleep in one whenever I have the chance. I built a fire in the middle and stayed warm most of the night.

July 9 Fri
We went to Montrose to use the camera room of a photographer Robyn knows. I shot some of her collection of her dad’s prints so she can put them up on eBay and be a seller.

July 10 Sat
All day doing post production PhotoShop on the pictures from yesterday.