THURSDAY
We took the motor home (Boomer Bus) to Branson Motor Coach Co in Branson and had the front end balanced again and everything inspected before we got on the road. It seems to be much better, but I think I feel just a little vibration still in the right side. .We stopped at the “Hard Rock Hotel- Casino-Conference Center” in Tulsa, OK for a souvenir and then headed to Wichita, KS to find a Wal-Mart or similar to spend the night . We found a Wal-Mart in a neighborhood area but it was a Market Place type instead of a full service, so we parked in an adjacent parking lot. It wasn’t as lighted as Wal-Mart’s was.
During the night some one (a few people I believe) tried to steal the truck. They cut one of the safety cables with something similar to a monstrous set of bolt cutters. It was a clean cut on a 7 strand cable.. Nita heard talking and when she got up and raised a shade they left . Guess we’re lucky, because the truck was locked and I had locks on the hitch, BUT, with a set of bolt cutters like that, they would have succeeded it stealing it. I didn't notice the cut cable until Friday.
FRIDAY
We left Wichita early morning and headed for Canon City, CO. We saw a lot of active and idle oil derricks in the farmlands and some desolate, barren fields. I don’t think I could live in an area like this. Farmhouses are miles apart, and there is nothing to see but empty treeless from horizon to horizon. Even Interstate exits were sometimes 15 to 20 miles apart, with no service anywhere unless you got off the “I” and drove to some small town miles away from the road. The “rest stops” were exactly that. A place to pull off the Interstate and use a Port -a- Potty. I’ve just never seen anything so dry and barren. GOD knows when they last had a rainfall.
Virgil Burke and I were stationed together in VF-101 in Key West, FL back in 1965 and have kept in contact with each other since. I saw him while on a tour with the Naval Safety Center in 1981. We were evaluating and inspecting OSHA safety procedures in effect at the European Naval Aviation Installations. Virg was stationed at Naval Air Station, Sigonella, Sicily, Italy as the Assistant Weapons Officer. I had the opportunity to really enjoy visiting him and family there and it’s a distinct pleasure visiting him now. He also came to VA Beach in @2005 on his motorcycle, all the way from Canon City. He and I drove to Washington DC for a few “tourist” tours to include "
Peg is a wonderfully warm gracious host who welcomed us with open arms and a hug. “Gosh” we’re huggers too so we felt right at home. Virg grilled four tender, delicious “Omaha” steaks ’ and we feasted. After a few hours, we were “done in“. We had been on the road for fourteen hours. I knew we would sleep tonight, and we did..
He talks about the wild animals that are in the area. He is 11 miles from the highway ( and one mile or so from his mailbox), and neighbors are spread wide and far. Grey colored mule deer graze in the the fields and along the road. There are also bears, badgers, Prairie Dogs, Elk and plenty of the normal, i.e. rabbits, chipmonks, etc. in the area. We have seen only the deer and Prairie dogs.
The sky was a bit overcast , there is a breeze and the temperature drops down to mid 40 ties at night. Sure is dark out here. On a clear night, it would be only stars to light up the area..
SATURDAY, we ventured out and drove the triangle (see map and photos) and visited some beautiful mountains, bison farms and unique settlements (cities ?) It , was too late for Pike’s Peak and Garden of the GodS, but we’ll get there Monday or Tuesday.
SUNDAY, we took a train ride from Canon City to and through the Royal Gorge Canyon and marveled at the shear cliffs, rocks, and the Royal Gorge Bridge. We could see it only from the canyon floor and hope to visit it later. There were several White Water Rafters in their kayaks’ and rafts enjoying the rapids in the river along the train track. Sunday evening we just “chilled out”
MONDAY. Off to the PO to get Nita’s Express Mail, but no luck. They couldn’t find it but did say that it had left Bay Minette. We have to check later. We drove out to visit the Royal Gorge Bridge but it was still under rework since the fire that destroyed 48 of the 52 buildings located there and damaged the bridge structure some time ago. So we decided to drive down to visit Cripple Creek, a gold and silver mining town.. Sadly enough, there wasn't anything going on there. Most tourist ventures don’t start until May 28th or so. There were gambling casinos every where you looked that were open 24/7. They just ruined the town. So we had lunch and left.
We did have some excitement on the way there. We took a route that’s called “shelf road” and that’s exactly what it is--a road built on a shelf (ledge) cut on the side of the mountains between canon City and Cripple Creek. It was exactly that, a narrow winding and hazardous road along the the mountain side . Meeting another car ( 2 actually) presented a rather tricky and dangerous situation. I had to back up and edge close to the mountain side so they could squeeze by. Unfortunately, Nita had turned off the dash cam so we don’t have that part recorded. We did record meeting them, but for some reason it won't upload.
TUESDAY. Nita chipped a tooth yesterday which became sensitive and painful so Virg made her an appointment with their dentist. While she was there I bought a new set of tires for the truck. I didn’t tell her how afraid (cautious) I was traversing the mountain yesterday. A couple places I felt some slipping and sliding and I knew the tires had a lot of wear on them. There wasn’t much tread on them. The new ones have a much better grip and should be OK when we go four wheeling. Tonight was dinner with Virg and Peg as we will leave in the morning.
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