Tuesday, July 20, 2010

DAY 20

"Silverton Hillside" 
11x14" Oil on Canvas





The hills are alive with the sounds of rustling aspen leaves, icy streams rushing by in the last run off of winter snows, cries of a raven soaring overhead, and the mighty thunder of the forests. We drove some very narrow and scary mountain roads with sheer drop offs in second gear all the way, snaking up, down and around these twisting treacherous two lane highways from Durango into the old mining town of Silverton with its infamous train ride. After lunch we continued the roller coaster ride into Ouray (prounced oo-ray). The roadside sign might give you some indication of  bone chilling leg of this journey. Silverton must have gotten its name from others arriving from over the mountain range, who probably also yelled out in jubilation, "hooray we made it!" I have never felt so glad to arrive anywhere. I even had to close my eyes around all the hairpin turns, sure must have worn my guardian angel out with all my petitions for protection.

We are now in a luxury 8 Star RV Park in Montrose, CO that has all the hookups for water, electricity, and sewer ...Whew, we are living high on the hog now!!!  There is an amazing Aspen right outside my side of the bed/4" thick mattress who sang to me all night with the voice of what sounded like, an Indian rainstick as light rain softly danced on the canvas overhead. We'll stay here again tonight before continuing on toward Grand Junction and Jackson Hole, WY.


I wouldn't have been able to blog on this trip without the help of my very cool energy charger which I found at Radio Shack before we left Conroe. I can charge my camera, computer, and cell phone all at the same time in the extra cigarette lighter not being used by the GPS!!! I wonder why cars have cigarette lighters anymore? They need to be re-marketed as techy- booster bars. Another great device has been a $12 compact flash read/write drive. I can download all my photos onto my computer in an instant while riding down the highway, and have them all Photoshoped, named and filed by the time we arrive at our next destination. Its so very time efficient, leaving me time to paint once we get the pop-up cranked up and the sleeping bags rolled out. It's the not-so-simply things in life that allow us to enjoy the simple things? ... sounds like an oxymoron to me?

5 comments:

  1. Well, we are “high on the hog” presently, however, as hot and hard as Mesa Verde was, we did find some really fine Elk/jalapeƱo bratwurst to munch on...that drive over the mountain from Durango was hair-raising…reminded me of driving Highway 1 on the Pacific coast from Portland down to San Fran., with the exception that I was not pulling a 3,500 lb trailer behind me on the west coast ride…I finished reading "The Darkest Summer" by Bill Sloan last evening…about the Inchon landing and the Korean War…really an interesting read…great insights into the war and politics of the time and the research he did was amazing…all the personal accounts and conversations…there is a poem coming out of the thing…the “Hills may be alive with the sound of the music of our joy here in Colorado …not in the many hills of Korea for our Marines and Soldiers back then…the juxtaposition is ironic and stark to me….later, dp

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  2. Oh, I forgot to mention that after our exciting ride over the mountain, we had lunch at the Silverton Brewery...in my continuing quest to taste the local beer of every area we hit...very nice Red...didn't get to try their Bare Ass Brown...they were out of it...the Red was not as good as the Nut Brown Ale of Santa Fe's Brewery...later, dp
    P.S. Lunch wasn't bad either.

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  3. Nancy, did you know Leona's brother and sister-in-law Pam and Bill Dixon live in Montrose? Isn't it a wonderful little town? Foster and I overcame our shyness, and called them out of the blue when we were there in the last few weeks. They couldn't have been more hospitable and welcoming.
    We're home from CTX, and I'm not sure if L&D are home or not. . . .
    There's a neat Ute Indian Museum on the way to their house at the south(?) edge of town. You'll learn all about Chief Ouray and his wife Chipeta!

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  4. OMG, I completely forgot that Leona's bro lives here. She had even given me his phone number, so I will give them a call tonight. We are loving this town and have decided to stay on another day here. Thanks so much for reminding me about Bill and Pam.
    I have been a painting fool today!!!

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  5. Nancy, thanks for the tech expo! I was wondering how you found time to do it ALL, and now I know! Still think you're Wonder Wander Woman, though!

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