Monday, August 9
A Sunday drive and more

Sooo, the router is replaced; everything internet-wise that could be replaced has been replaced - all so exciting to log on and start doing research only to be brought up short when the thing quit in midstream. I’m pretty much ready to move to another park, can’t think of a reason to put up with this frustration. Oops, can’t even do research to find another park.

Down the San Juan . . .

Ah well, gave it up and went for a Sunday drive on Monday. I wanted to explore downriver on the San Juan so that was where we pointed our noses. The forest that direction was much less like north (Wolf Creek Pass) and east of us and more resembled the ponderosa forest by home - less variety in tree types, much less understory, but with more of the wonderful grassy meadows that are common in Colorado and northern California. It reminds me of childhood summers spent in northern California around Mount Shasta where icy streams rush down canyons and the meadow grass shares space with wild strawberries and flowers.

I was surprised to see longhorn cattle in some pastures, much less livestock here than I would expect, especially with the lush grazing available.

Southern Utes, steam shovels . . .

Our drive took us into the Southern Ute Reservation, but it was next to impossible to tell what was Indian land and what not. Seems that reservation is randomly checkerboarded with privately-owned property. I have no idea how it came to be so oddly, but a quick guess would be that it was not to the Ute’s advantage. They do have some very nice river frontage, quite a lot of it in fact; postings informed us that we needed a Ute permit to fish in those places.

I had to stop to watch a steam shovel (are they still called steam shovels even though they are no longer powered by steam?) at work right in the river. We never did quite figure out what the operator was trying to accomplish but it was certainly impressive how he controlled the machine. Probably not Mike Mulligan at the controls, but he was very adept, made it look so simple as he scooped out an area, then picked up boulders to drop into the hollowed-out area. His tracks sank to what I thought was an alarming degree, but still he worked away placing rocks and tamping them down. Seemed as if he might have been strengthening the shoreline where a flood had affected it and since that is my best theory, I’ll go with it. It was fun watching him work. Maybe he’s Mike Mulligan’s grandson.

Our route took us into some lower elevations where some pastures were sprinkler irrigated. It was all very sparsely populated with mostly dispersed ranch houses. We stopped at a cemetery of a place called Trujillo that evidently had at one time been a small town, way smaller now, but the cemetery had some interesting photo ops.

B.J., Karen, bears . . .

When we saw a raft and kayaks on the river, we decided to stop downriver and watch them approach us. A good pullout was a road to a small bridge. When we stopped just short of the bridge (I wasn’t sure it was truck-worthy and I confess to some bridgeaphobia), a man who lived nearby approached. We got to talking, of course, and enjoyed a nice hour with him - Bill (B.J.), and his wife, Karen.

Everyone has a story and theirs was as interesting as any. Bill had had a brain tumor 11 years ago, causing one side of his face to be paralyzed. Because of that, he doesn’t allow his picture to be taken, but he graciously let me photograph the two of them with Montezuma spire in the background. That local landmark is directly across the river from their house.

They had just returned from four days in Albuquerque where he was having some heart issues dealt with at the V.A. He was a cryptographer during the Vietnam war. Karen was also reticent to be photographed because she had paint on her shirt from silkscreening she does to help out with her youngest son’s business he has taken up to replace his crashed construction endeavors.

They both were so nice and hospitable to two strangers who dropped into their laps. Bill showed us wildlife photos he has taken in the area - a pastime he has begun to replace occupations he can no longer do. He had some rather astounding stories of encounters with bears and other animals, seems he talks to them, telling the to stop, smile or wait while he takes their picture. And according to Bill, they frequently do exactly as he requests; the photos reflect that, too.

They told us about a bear in the area that had been tearing things up at another place and was shot by that rancher but not killed, so is now considered a dangerous rogue bear. I kinda thought I would not hike right around there right around then. Later at the Springs, a couple from Durango told us that the bear population is on the rise.

All over Colorado are old homestead cabins in various stages of collapse after being abandoned and left to the harsh winters; I can scarcely see ruins of any kind with snapping pictures like crazy. I am always intrigued by curiosity about who lived there, what their life was like and all the things that happened to those people in those places, just as occurs everywhere people settle.

Navajo Lake, birds, Piedras River . . .

Taking a circular route, we did a bit of exploring at the north end of Navajo Lake, most of which lies in New Mexico. The San Juan was really very pretty all along this drive where we mostly followed its meanderings until it disappeared into the lake. We obtained information about fishing regulations there and may try it out this trip.

Heading back was a much shorter drive and traversed a ways along the Piedras River that also empties into Navajo Lake. We were happy to find a place that allows access to the old narrow gauge railroad bed. We had been following that twisting defunct railroad route for much of our drive and had seen some of its bridges. It is the middle abandoned section of two modern scenic lines: the Cumbres-Toltec and the Durango-Silverton.

The part of the road bed we walked was interesting because it was raised from ground level to a height to allow us excellent bird watching in the brush and treetops on both sides. Because it is right by the Piedras and the lake, it was alive with birds and I’m sure would afford great wildlife watching at more appropriate times of the day.

We didn’t have the scope with us and were there in midday but even at that, we got a few new trip birds on our walk, including cedar waxwing, chipping sparrow, Wilson’s warbler, lesser goldfinch and spotted towhee. Others for the day were black phoebe, common merganser, great blue heron, western bluebird and raven. (Note to self: apply mosquito repellent before going back there.)

Brave people, potluck, moving . . .

We got new neighbors last night, people I like very much. Their situation is sad: Walt has early Parkinson’s (four years is maybe not real early but that’s what they’re calling it). Besides being saddened by his disease, Shirley is having a pretty hard time because he does not want to adjust his activities to his physical abilities and will not accept her help, so she is left feeling pretty helpless at his frustration and anger.

They are pulling a travel trailer larger than ours, have not RVed before except in a limited way with a horse trailer with living quarters. His condition and their lack of experience is being very stressful for them both. We have helped them with unhooking and setting up and tips that we learned the hard way. She managed to talk him into spending a second night here because they were very tired after their trip from Arkansas. I’m hoping they can go somewhere and light for a spell. They are getting a break from spending several nights every week at her 98-year-old father’s house in alternating caring for him with her siblings because he refuses to leave his home.

She really needed to talk, so she and I sat and visited for a long time last night. Hope they will join us at the park’s potluck tonight; we’re taking corn pudding. Nancy’s providing hamburgers and hot dogs. Should be nice visiting, especially because our Texas neighbors are leaving tomorrow. He’s singing the blues cuz he wants to stay an additional month to allow things to cool off before they head south.

The wifi is down again so I can’t send my blog nor communicate except by telephone (horrors!) and that not very well. We went today to find a new park, will move in the a.m. to the Blanco River RV Park. They had one space just come open and saved it for us. Hopefully we will have better luck with internet there.

I read today that Alaska’s former senator Ted Stevens was killed in a plane crash. His mother-in-law, Elladean, was a lifelong friend of Dad K’s from their ranching days. I sat next to him at the dinner after her memorial service a couple of years ago. The news made me feel sad for his family.

We’re just back from the potluck barbecue, had a great time - good bunch of people. They asked Chris to play so that always adds to the atmosphere. There’s bunches of “sutheners” here, I guess because it’s too hot to exist where they live. Most of them come every year for all or a large part of the summer.

A bunch of them are still down there partying. One elderly (here we go again with the older than us bit - wonder how long that will last) couple from Alabama were up dancing in the gravel, glad to have live music.

Before our springs fix this afternoon, we stopped by Pagosa Lake to get a look at the swans. Last year, they had two babies; this year they’ve doubled it and they posed nicely for me.

And then: a marquee that is to the point and surely a sign of the times: “Stop crime, no incumbents”.