San Juan Skyway to Mesa Verde National Park–Chapter 3

Greetings, pardners! Though we live on the West Coast in Langley WA,  it IS the spirit of the Old West here in Colorado. We’ve been listening to 100.1 Heartland Public Radio, and tuning in to authentic country music while camping at Mesa Verde National Park near Mancos CO. Really dials in the feel of the high country here. We’re Bajada Bill and Cactus Kate, traveling in our 13-foot vintage Canadian Trillium trailer pulled by faithful Beatrix our 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid.

After leaving Aspen Sept. 28 we headed west for a bit, stopping for lunch in Palisade, CO–where the famous delicious Palisade peaches are grown–and picnicked at Riverbend Park under the shelter of an ancient cottonwood tree whose leaves rattled in the slight breeze. The Colorado River–phenomenal sculptor of the tan mesas surrounding us–flowed nearby. Our picnic visitor made our afternoon. Her owner said she’s always mooching, and later, complimented our 1979 fiberglass trailer, wondering what it was. That’s a question travelers often ask one another when they see a rig they like.

Arrived at Ridgway State Park in the late afternoon, noting the campground’s quiet, and settled in at campsite #122HA, right across from the bathroom. High up on a mesa here, we have terrific views of the Cimarron and San Juan mountain ranges whose flanks are colored orange, yellow and red by aspen, and red, purple, gold and butterscotch by the Gambol Oak. Great laundry room, sink for dish washing and hot clean showers here.

Bill had been studying the maps and thought a fun trip would be to drive up Last Dollar Road off CO Hwy 62. However, removal of a crushed culvert required closure of the road. Folks driving are advised to have 4-wheel drive. Beatrix is all-wheel drive. Could she make it from the other side? We decided to approach Last Dollar Road from the Telluride Airport. But first we stopped for lunch at the Butcher & the Baker Cafe. We like its food because it’s all made from scratch and produce is grown nearby in Norwood CO. Fortified by tuna sandwich minus the bread for me, and a rotisserie chicken sammi for Bill, we left tourist-packed Telluride and drove along Airport Road to reach Last Dollar Road. The natural gifts there left us high. Could be the 9700-foot elevation, too!

Until we reached the actual National Forest Service Road a few miles in, folks posted signs in front of their multi-million-dollar estates saying no parking. Folks boon docked up at the entrance to Last Dollar Road, where Bill showed his dollar at the entrance.

A couple came rumbling by, stopped and rolled down their window, asking if we were OK. We assured them we were and learned they were having to drive around to get to their place above the broken culvert on Last Dollar Road. Soon after an open bed pickup with three long seats came driving up. The rascally driver was taking folks, including four Amish folks on a back country tour, starting from Ouray CO, and winding through back roads of mining town Ophir. We let the driver know Last Dollar was closed at the bottom, He drove forward a ways and later we saw his rig heading along CO Hwy 62 with his passengers. We wondered how they ate, being on a road tour all day in the open sky. The rig’s motto: “We drive. You look.” When I asked the folks if they were Amish and they affirmed the fact, the guy in front of them asked, “Hey, aren’t you going to ask me where I’m from? I’m Church of England!”

By the time we returned from our two hour walk through heavenly vistas, we arrived back at Beatrix, and pulled out the delicious watermelon bought at the Vetere Melon stand in Green River. Sweet and juicy and cold from the cooler. We talked to a young couple who pulled up on a motorcycle. I walked over with the Ziplock baggy and offered them some. The woman said her sweetie’s favorite is watermelon. We chatted a while, agreeing on the splendor of the vistas before heading back to camp, hot showers and spaghetti dinner.

The next day we took a detour from our regular plans as well. We drove to Ouray–famous for its hot springs–a bloviating woman next to us in camp INSISTED we go to Orvis hotsprings with clothing optional choices. No siree Bob! We stopped first at Ouray Mountain Sports to try on, and later purchase Bedrock Mountain Clogs. I had first noticed the sandals on the happy feet of a hiker last spring while we descended Mono Pass at Rock Creek Lake outside Bishop CA. I notice happy feet as I worked for Sno-Isle Libraries for nearly 8 years. Standing on our feet for hours, we inquired about shoes that looked comfortable–I call them happy feet. Ever since last June, I’ve been on a mission to buy Bedrock sandals. They have Vibram soles–like hiking shoes do, so they grip rocks and are good at holding forth when walking on pebbly surfaces. They’re spendy! Our clogs are $160. Given we live in a wet climate, Bill and I opted for the Mountain Clogs instead of sandals. I now wear them everyday, and my feet are happy. No, I’m not being paid to flaunt them. They’re good shoes.

Meanwhile, Bill thought it would be fun to visit one of his Grandad John’s former haunts, the Camp Bird Mine, still in operation. We began the ascent along the steep canyon dirt road and pulled over for a view of the steep walls. When four Mountain Rescue/fire/sheriff vehicles roared past with their lights flashing, we figured there was an accident and we didn’t need to go and gawk. We switched gears and drove along the Million Dollar Highway, which led us to Silverton CO. The highway was built, along with a narrow gauge railroad, to transport rich silver mine ore in the Red Mountains, once home to a population of 3,000. Not much remains now, except remnants of the old mines, and tailings long grown over with aspen and juniper forest. One of the mines was 1200 feet deep! The aspen covering the mountains overwhelmed us with their brilliance.

We drove into Silverton, where we picnicked at the Silverton Memorial Park. There we met a couple, newly moved to Silverton from Hollywood five months ago. Kendall and Scott Leet. Kendall’s a producer and Scott an actor who plays bad guys. In person, he’s a fun guy. Scott told us he had to get away from the “noise in the head” of L.A., its crowds and its pollution. They’re happy in small town Silverton, where the noise in the head might come from the quaking of aspen or the burbling river. Friend Gordy suggested we stop by Fetch’s Mining & Mercantile. His great-grandpa once lived in Silverton, a ‘roustabout’ with the Baker Group. He built structures used in mining. He was a carpenter and built some of the buildings in town and Pagosa Springs. At Fetch’s we met Cowboy Jim, smoking a cigarette and sitting on a bench with his friendly dogs. Jim has the look of a real cowboy.

On the return we stopped at the 11,000+ Red Mountain overlook, which sports signs detailing the mining boom that made folks rich in the late 1880s.

Back at camp we enjoyed hot soup and sandwiches. Each morning Bill’s been cooking up these beautiful omelettes:

Pulled into Mesa Verde National Park Thursday Oct. 3. As you all know, the federal government shut down Oct. 1 because Congress does not agree on the budget for 2026. It’s the 11th shutdown, the third under Trump’s administrations. A total of 800,000 federal employees are furloughed, and another 700,000 employees working without pay. National Parks are among the agencies affected. Fortunately private concessionaire Aramark is keeping our Moorefield campground open, along with the camp store, showers and laundry. The Far View Lodge is open as well. However the rangers in the entry booths are volunteering and not charging entry fees. We have our favorite site beneath a mesa with a flush toilet restroom up the hill from our site #381.

The campground is fairly quiet. Deer come out to graze in the meadows and the stars shine. Mesa Verde was certified as the 100th international dark sky park in 2021. Last night it was nearly a full moon.

The following morning after Bill’s regional water meeting we met up with our ‘Brother’ Gordy Blair. We adopted him in 2016 when we met where he was employed as facilities manager at Olympic National Park. He moved to Mancos in 2017 and we visit when we get out this way. He’s made some good friends through pickleball. We walked over to Moondog Bakery & Cafe. Five stars in my book. The owners opened Sept. 2024 and have another location in Key West FL. These folks know what they’re doing! Bill said he had the best burger. Gordy and I enjoyed a simple scrambled egg/country potatoes, with bacon for me and sausage for him. Afterward I was thrilled to see a Basque cheesecake–GF. Hooray! It is delicious! Bill’s had pumpkin cake and plum bread.

Afterwards, Gordy drove up and hung around at camp, leaving before the all night thunder and lightning show that kept us energized throughout the night. We saw the chain lightning across the mesa above us followed by rolling and crashing thunder.

The following day we were treated to breakfast by Holly Rankin, a friend of Gordy’s we met last year. She’s a pickleball player, lover of water craft, and we’ll see her when we’re in Patagonia State Park and Tucson areas. She has a winter place in Green Valley.

Later, we met Gordy at Zuma Natural Foods and sat outside talking story.

Sunday–today Oct. 5–I prepared yam roasted in maple syrup seasoned with cinnamon/nutmeg/paprika/cumin with local mandarin-ginger chicken sausage from Zuma Natural Foods. Served on a bed of Romaine lettuce, this was our contribution to today’s pickleball BBQ and potluck. Met a lot of great folks and talked some good story. Before leaving camp we talked with our familiar-seeming neighbor Tom, a full-time RVer, and his dog Tess, who loves scratches and pets. Tom said the recent storm had Tess quivering in fright. He found it exciting.

Finally, I’m at the story’s end. Tomorrow we drive to Abiquiu Lake in Abiquiu NM. Campground is open, we are assured, as it is run by the Army Corps of Engineers under the umbrella of the Dept. of Defense. Gordy took this photo of us while I’m writing this story.

Until next time, Adios Amigos and Amigas!