Raining and painting

And here comes the rain

For the past two mornings we have been up before the sun. When the sun does come up it introduces us to a clear and very cool day. By afternoon the clouds come in and the wind picks up then the rain follows. 
Now yesterday was the heaviest rain we have seen since arriving here. The wind was strong and we had pea size hail mixed in with it all. 
So we have about 5 hours to do the outside things we want to do before Mother Nature takes over. That is when I can sit on the patio and paint. I have the best light and the wind is not blowing all my things away on the table. 
Sherri spends her time playing word games with all her friends out there and Kris...well Kris does what Kris does best...hunkered over the computer watching Mind Craft and playing games.
Yes it does not sound like much but we are doing it in Colorado in 70 degree temps...not in Texas in the 90's. You get the picture. 
Last night we had a community dinner. The group put together a big stew with corn bread and desserts on the side.
The weather had cleared by this time and we took a short walk around the park. Sherri has hurt her foot some way and she can't walk very far at a time. We hope it gets better soon or we will have to take a trip to the doctor to have it xrayed. 
Appears the rest of this week will be rain so I guess we will hang around here and find things to do...

Somewhere in Time    

A sit around day

Some days you have planned out and some days you just sit around and let things happen...Well this was one of those days. Sherri and I just got up had our coffee and then just waited for an idea to pop into our heads and make a plan.
Today nothing popped and so we just sat around and did our own thing. We played Banana Gram which Kris won and then Sherri won the second game. You see I know who should win these games...if you know what I mean.
We had our afternoon thundershower which cooled the temps off so much we had to leave the patio and retreat to the inside. I love our home on wheels but sitting inside is not my cup of tea. This is one of the main reasons to migrate with the mild temps. As long as I can be outside on the patio then I am a happy camper. 
Today we will be going to Monte Vista to see what there is to see. We also need a few groceries which we will pick up at the Safeway there. Then it will be on to the Family Dollar to pick up a few more things. I believe there is a museum there which I would like to visit. I love museums and love to read about the history of towns. 
I guess that will wrap up this entry for the day. Time to take my walk around the park so I can burn off a few more of those unwanted calories that I have put into my body here...

Somewhere in Time 

Best fishing trip so far

Not sure how much the stringer weighed but it was allot 

Brad Me and Wayne were proud of out catch for the day

Brad's turn to show off the catch

And then there was my favorite one.....18" got to love it.

Yesterday my neighbor Brad and another friend Wayne asked me to go fishing with them at Road Canyon Reservoir. I met them at 6:00 am and we headed north up 149.
The morning was not as cold as it has been in the past few days. I had put on some heavy clothing but once we arrived I soon started shedding some clothing.
It started off slow for the first hour. Unlike most of our trips we pull in our limit in about an hour and a half. Today would be different, however, we would be gone for almost 5 hours before we hit our goal.
I was there for almost 2 hours before I got my first nibble. WOW what a nibble it was. I struggled for some time to get this one to shore but finally I managed to pull him in. 
My first turned out to be the largest fish caught that day and it measured 18" long! Now that is not a record by any means but it is for me. 
It began to rain some in the last hour we were there. I caught one more decent size trout and Brad and Wayne did the same. We were one short of our limit thanks to me losing two of the next two fish I hooked. One of those was close to being as large as my biggest! 
What a great day. We returned home and took all our pictures and then began to clean our catch. We ended up with enough fillets to feed us for some time. 
I know there will be many fishing trips to come but it will be hard to beat this one I had...

Somewhere in Time 

Gone Fishing

We went exploring yesterday and while we were out we came across Road Canyon Reservoir. This is the head waters of the Rio Grande River. 
I took some chairs and sat down at the lakes edge. I did not get to stay a long time but I did get some good bites! 
We left there and explored some more roads and then when hunger overtook us we headed to Creede Colorado to get some lunch. 
We ate at Kips...not the Kips hamburger change but just the Kips restaurant. We had some good food and Kris and I played Foosball. We had a real good time and got to see some real pretty country side. 
We will certainly do this again...

Somewhere in Time    

Busy Day

Not bad views when you take a walk

The rain creeps up over the mountains and then disappears about the same way 

Sherri enjoys the shade on our patio after the rain

Sherri and I got up early this morning...as usual...We have always been early risers. At least by 5:00 or 5:30 we are up and making our morning coffee. We enjoy the early morning when it is just her and I. It is quite and she can play her word games with all her friends and I can post my journal and see what is happening on Facebook.
Today like all the others was much the same. We had made plans today to pick up some supplies...go to the Post Office...and get some things done around the RV. All these things we did do but around 1:00 we had some thunderstorms come through and that kind of slowed us down. It was nice to get some rain. It cools things off around here and cleans the air of all the mountain cedar.
I had some stakes made for our awning tie downs. The wind here is quite strong at times and you have to tie your awning down or you could loose it. I bought some new cord to tie everything down with and I am making some sinches to tighten those with. 
We took a walk later in the afternoon when the rain lifted. The temps where in the low 70's. I can't complain about the weather here. 
My diet seems to be working. I have lost 6 lbs in the last 10 days. If I keep this up I will be to my goal of -25 lbs in two month. I hope to lose 50 lbs. before I get back to Texas...

Somewhere in Time 

Trip up in the mountains

Kris has been looking for a place to ride his scooter. We decided to head up some of the mountain roads to see if we could find him a place to ride. We came up one road that had a assembly area for ATV's. It was a large parking area and there was only one truck and trailer. 
We unloaded the scooter and off he went. There was also the ATV road that he went up. He had a ball riding but complained that the roads were to bumpy. I told him that when you ride off road the roads will be bumpy. I guess he was use to the paved roads in some of the parks we have stayed at. 
Sherri had twisted her foot so she was not able to walk but I ventured up the road a ways and  took some pictures. It was so cool up there and the views were great. I took plenty of pictures and then headed back down to the staging area.
It was so nice to get out and walk some I think I will go back...

Somewhere in Time 

Trip to La Veta Pass

The snow is hanging around longer this year

The valley is beautiful this time of year

Sherri decided she wanted to take a look at the pass at La Vita to see if we could cross there to head east. It was a steady climb from the west to the east which did not look too bad to go that way. Now the climb from the east to the west was a little steep and it went on for several miles. I am not sure if I wanted to put my truck on that much of a pull but then who knows it might not be that bad. 
Then you have to think about the road down...west to the east. You would have to depend on your Tow Haul to keep the speed down. I guess you never know until you try it.
We saw some beautiful vistas on the way there and the way back. Sherri did real good on the photos. These were taken with our cell phone. 
We stopped at the Wally World in Alamosa to pick up a few items we needed. Then we crossed the parking lot and ate at the Chili's. I am on a diet so Sherri and I split a salad. It was really good and believe it or not I got full.
From there we headed back home. We enjoyed the day and will return...

Somewhere in Time 

Well it does get hot in Colorado

We woke up this morning and it was 44 degrees. Yesterday when we woke up it was 39 degrees. Right now as I am typing this it is 82. Now in Texas there are some places that are 108! It might seem hot here but its not 108.
We have part of our patio set up but I still need to put up my side curtain. We have a cool breeze blowing and that is really nice. As long as we are not sitting in the sun it is not too bad. As soon as I get the curtain up we should be able to sit on the porch without too much heat.
All the folks here are really friendly. We met many of them last year when we were here. It is nice to be staying with people that have kind likeness. We all love to RV and we all like to come to Colorado.
When you go places to live and not vacation it is a little different. We are actually living here and we are working on not being in vacation mode. 
We went up to town this morning to get some groceries and my fishing license. While we were there we checked out some of the prices at the store. Some are actually lower than the big chains in the larger towns. They have our favorite ice cream and it too is cheaper than what we have been paying. 
I picked up some fishing supplies and they were a little pricey but what you spend on diesel going to town...
I really am planning on going fishing this coming Monday. I have not decided where I am going but it will come to me...

Somewhere in Time 

I think I am out of shape

We took what at first seemed to be a short walk out of the park yesterday. When we got back and I sat down on the patio I could have sworn we walked several miles!
I think I am out of shape. We walk all the time in Texas and yes I get tired but the RV is not in site while I am walking. That is how short this walk was...I never lost site of the RV. I remember last year it took me about a week before I could walk any long distances. I know I will have to make several trips out to get my lungs operating correctly. 
My legs made it just fine so that is a good sign. I think as long as they can carry me the rest will come...

Somewhere in Time 

OK I am cool now

We have not put up our screen on the awning because of the wind

This is the view from our patio. You can't tell but there is some snow on the mountains

I finally got the Direct TV to come in but my tripod keeps blowing over. Time to stake it down.

I cannot take the heat...

That is why I go to Colorado each year to beat the heat in Texas which is just awful. So now I am here and I am freezing to death! It is 37 degrees this morning and I was laying in bed watching my breath slowly rise to the ceiling. Yes and you are wondering why I did not have the heat going. OK that is a valid question...I had the windows open last night before we went to bed to let the cool air come in. The outside temps at that time were 70 degrees and it felt good. I closed the windows when we went to bed but I did not  turn on any heat. Did not need it at that time...I know I can set it to come on at a certain temperature...but I was comfy at the time and did not think of it. I can guarantee you that tonight I will think of it.
Everything here is just great except for the wind. They say that as soon as the snow melts off the mountains the wind will subside somewhat. We have not been able to build our patio sun screen as of yet because we need some blocks to tie it all down with. We have not left here to go anywhere since we arrived. I think today we will drive into town to pick up a few items we need.
Brad my next door neighbor and Wayne last years next door neighbor came by and asked me if I wanted to go fishing with them. I had to turn them down because today is Kris's final exam in school and I want to be here. He will be in the 5th grade in August. I am real proud of his school work. He has done real well in all his subjects and I know he will continue to do well...

Somewhere in Time 

We arrived in Colorado

We had a comfortable trip from Santa Fe to South Fork yesterday. We climbed up about 2500 feet in elevation and watched the temperature gauge slowly go down. 
It was a little on the warm side here in the sun when we arrived but once you retreated to the shade and the breeze off the mountains came through it became quite cool.
The wind here is a little much. We will have to find some way to secure our awning so it does not bounce up and down so much. It only gets up in speed latter in the day when the sun starts to shine on our patio. Well that is when we need the awning so we will have to deal with that.
We had no problem backing in to the spot. Sherri guided me in with ease and before long we had everything hooked up and the slides were out. I had to add a little more dump hose but other than that everything was just right.
We did have a little trouble with the Direct TV antenna. We had never set this one up before but with a little bit of moving around Sherri and I had all the channels coming in clear. 
Speaking of the TV...We had opened all the windows so as to save electricity. We had the TV on and fell asleep and our neighbors had to come over and ask us to turn it down. I was so embarrassed...being our first night here and we are already disturbing the folks next door. I will have some pictures of the park in tomorrows post.
I hope to have an event free stay here...

Somewhere in Time  

Santa Fe New Mexico

We left out of Amarillo around 11:00 am as soon as Kris got his last swim. We wont have a pool in Colorado so he was insistent that we let him go in for one last time.
Sherri stayed at the RV and got the inside all ready to close the slides in. I sat with Kris for about 30 minutes and he said he had enough he wanted to get on the road. We have raised a real traveler here. 
When he and I got back I hooked up the truck and finished the outside chores while Sherri brought in the slides. It was about 11:30 when we pulled out. There was a 12 mph side wind all the way to Cline's Corner and it dropped my milage. As soon as we turned north onto 285 we made up some of the mpg. I will have to top off once more in Espanola and then we will be good to go all the way to South Fork.
Arriving in here we found out that the RV rate had gone up quite a bit. Now that they have shuttle service to the casino more people are staying here so they get more money. Other than the shuttle they don't offer much more than they did 4 years ago when we first started coming here. 
We got some late afternoon showers which cooled off the temps somewhat. I am looking forward to cooler temps when we get to South Fork...

Somewhere in Time 

Here in Amarillo

We left Winstar this morning around 9:30 am and headed west on Hwy 82. This took us to Hwy 287 which we stayed on to the Flying J. We topped off there with diesel and food and then headed on to Amarillo without stopping again.
The temps steadily climbed all the way there and when we arrived in Amarillo it was 92 degrees. I hope this will be the last stop in hot weather.
Tonight we plan on eating at our favorite spot here...Furr's Buffet. We like their food there and have always stopped there to eat when we are here in Amarillo.
We plan on being up early in the morning to head out to Santa Fe. We will be staying there for one night and then on to South Fork. 
Guess this evening we will swim some and then play on the computer. They have good Wifi here and a real nice swimming pool. There are a lot of young folks here so I am sure Kris will have plenty to do...

Somewhere in Time 

Houston we have landed

The sun was out this morning when we climbed out of bed. I loaded up the coffee machine and started my first cup of joe. Sherri was busy finishing up the last little bit of laundry. At last we were getting ready to head out to cooler temps.
Sherri finished up her chores I got the truck loaded and backed up to the hitch. With the Auto Level it is a dream loading the house to the truck. In no time we were hitched up and on our way to the State Park just around the corner. We use the dump over there to clean up and discard that last little bit of trash we did not have picked up. 
We left the park and headed up north to Hwy 82 which took us to I-35 and up to Thackerville and the Winstar Casino RV Park. This park is really nice and now that they have got their prices back down to a reasonable level we decided to stay an extra day here. 
The park has a swimming pool which Kris and I will be using while Sherri goes to the casino and makes us some money to pay for our trip....LOL
We visited the pool for a while so Kris could check out the water and we looked on as he swam with some other kids. They have a sauna there and had it not been so hot I might have tried it out. 
When we returned to the RV Kris got his electric scooter out and explored the park while Sherri and I sat on the patio and enjoyed a beverage. 
Evening fell over the park and we all made our way in for the night. We had some left overs for dinner. After our showers there was a little bowl of ice cream and then it was time for bed. What a wonder start for our adventure...

Somewhere in Time 

Texas and the weather

We have really caught it here in Texas. Especially where we live in East Texas. The way the weather forms and moves across this big state puts us right in the path of all the wet weather...and some of the worst storms.
We have lived most of our lives here in North Texas and have seen good weather and bad. Everything from snow storms to flooding we have witnessed the worst of the worst. When I was in school we studied the weather in science and I did not understand what Fall was. The turning of the leaves and the crisp cool nights. You know the saying "The frost is on the pumpkin". We had snow on the pumpkin! There is nothing north of us but the Red River and it never held back the cold winter winds that came out of the north.
I will have to say we don't have it as bad as some areas of this great nation but I do know there are places that are better at certain times of the year.
This is why it is so great being able to move around to avoid some of the unsavory weather that comes in the seasons. Much like the nomadic indian tribes we move when the wind blows in a change. South in the winter and north in the summer. This is the way it was meant to be. 
Putting down roots is not what our life style is all about. We are more like potted plants. When it gets cold you move them inside. When it gets hot you move them out of the direct sun. 
Next Monday we are moving out of the sun and to a cooler more livable climate. This is what is good for us and makes us happy here...

Somewhere in Time 

Schools out

OK schools is out and Kris has decided that he wants to go and stay with his cousins. They live in Waco and we have agreed to take him down there for the week. 
While he is gone we are planning on going to the Winstar Casino RV Park and stay for a week. We will then drive back down to Waco...pick up Kris and then head to Colorado for the summer.
The place we stay at called us to let us know that they had a cancelation for June and we could come on up and stay the full 4 months in a site without moving. Previously they had a site we could stay at for only a month and then we would have to move to another. Well this works out great and we can't wait to pull out. Being that we will be in Thackerville Oklahoma when we leave puts us that much closer to our destination! 
It is already getting hot here so we are really looking forward to getting up in the mountains where it is much cooler...

Somewhere in Time