We finished up a really fun week at Spirit Lake with Larry and Jean on Saturday. Fishing wasn't too great but time together was wonderful. We managed to catch a few, giggled a lot, and began planning next years week together--Larry has the inside scoop on a place in Missouri that sounds fun!

exotic Iowa game fish!!

We headed for St Paul, MN and parked the RV at Dewain and Linda Goff's "RV resort and B&B." Dear friends now living in Brandon, South Dakota also were there with thier RV and we just enjoyed the accomodations and catching up on everybody's lives. Plenty of giggles here too! Brenda and Mike Winkler also "happened" to be in town for weekend and we shared a great time together inspite of hot and humid Minnesota summer weather. We all got up on Sunday and went back to our old church. Lots more hugs all around. Great to be there, felt very welcomed and we were blessed by Pastor Henry's message and the fellowship.

We checked into our rented cabin on Spirit Lake in Iowa on Saturday afternoon. We had rendezvoused with Will’s Mom and she followed us in her car to Sand Bar Beach. We moved clothes and food and necessary items out of the RV and settled into the cabin for the next week. Will’s brother, Jay from Tacoma just happened (what a great coincidence) to be on his way back to Washington from attending a meeting in Michigan and was able to make a small detour and spend Saturday evening through Sunday morning with us. Will’s sister, Helene arrived Sunday morning and we were able to have a mini DeBoer family reunion (unfortunately minus Verna—we missed you) until Jay had to leave at noon. Helene and Gram stayed another day and we enjoyed a relaxing time together.

Then it was the Jons family’s turn. My big brother, Larry and Jean—who had this wonderful idea of meeting “at the lake,” arrived with fishing boat in tow. Typical of changing Iowa weather the wind picked up and it was too choppy on the lake to dare put the boat in the water but late in the evening we had fun catching some monster bullheads from shore. Jean was having a ball--she caught the biggest AND the most. She is deadly with a fishing pole and a nightcrawler!!

We were up early Tuesday morning to fish the big lake for walleye and bass. Apparently we were TOO early as we didn't have any luck. Guess the fish were sleeping in. Golf was next on the agenda and the local course provided a great afternoon. Two of Larry and Jean's grandchildren joined us for the next couple of days--Ryan, 10 and Gracie, 6 years. A lake place and kids just go together.

Internet connection here is hard to come by so Will and I sneaked away to a coffee shop in town for a cappuccino and free wifi.

Followed the old "Lincoln Highway" (which is the US hiway 30 that goes through the town in Iowa where I grew up) from Grand Island to Blair, Nebraska on a hot and "sticky" Midwest summer day. Got the last campsite at Fremont Lakes, a Nebraska state recreation site on 21 sand pit lakes near the town of Fremont. Nice park and obviously popular place, but then this is a weekend and everyone wants to cool off at a lake. We definitely wanted a site with electricity tonight as we want to run the air conditioner.

Once we got set up we decided to drive to the DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge on the Missouri River. Really interesting museum in visitor center showcasing the hundreds of artifacts that were recovered from a sunken steamboat that went down on the Missouri River in 1860. It was carrying goods bound for new markets in the West and an amazing quantity of preserved items are on display. A real glimpse into necessities of life of 1860's.

Too hot to hike but we did drive through the refuge and stop a few places to bird. Found a Baltimore Oriole and her incredible hanging nest. But even better was a Great Crested Flycatcher--new bird for us--and we found its nest site also! How cool is that!

We left Colorado bright and early and headed for Iowa.
Long, leisurly drive through grasslands and green agricultural fields of eastern Colorado and western Nebraska. Stopped for the night in Gothenburg, Nebraska along the North Platt River. This little berg's tourist attraction is a restored log cabin that was once a Pony Express Station about 1860. There is also a rebuilt sod house and museum explaining what life was like for the pioneers who homesteaded here. Not an easy life to say the least.

Started out to be a dreary, cloudy, drizzly day in Colorado Springs so we had a slow start this morning. First thing Will assessed the damage to the awning from yesterday’s wind and decided if he could get the parts he could fix it. Made some calls around town and found RV dealer that had what he needed. He went off to get what he needed and dropped me at a promising looking mall. Driving back to RV park we looked west and could see that sky was breaking up and we could see the top of Pikes Peak. We immediately headed for the mountain. This was another one of our Honeymoon memories so we had to see it. Unfortunately, yesterdays rain down here was snow up at 14,000 feet so we could only go 15 of the 19 miles to the summit but it was still a great view.

Can you see this giant beetle in this picture? It is advertising the

May Tropical Insect Museum. It looked so "kitch" that we just had to stop. Well, it was great. Very well done--beetles, butterflies, spiders, and bugs huge and small from all over the world.

And the awning got fixed as well.

We're near Colorado Springs

Everywhere has its spring wildflowers but I am really savoring the variety of color in Colorado. With ample winter and spring moisture this year any mountain meadow, roadside or break in the trees reveals a new splash of color.


Birding has been fun along the way. I was hoping to catch more local specialties but have seen plenty of good birds—although I wouldn’t call any sighting a bad bird. In a half hour hike around campground this morning I had a list of 12 birds. We are especially enjoying the Broad Tailed Hummingbirds. They are unmistakable not by sight but by the loud high-pitched sound of their wings—and they are fearless.

We hiked for a couple of hours this morning then went off to a Colorado Springs popular waterfall named Seven Falls. We made it up the 234 steps to the top of the falls just for the fun of it and so we could say we did it!! Then it began to rain which quickly ended our outing. First rain of the trip. So we decided to take the opportunity to find a theater and see the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie. Unfortunately while we were in the theater the shower turned into a storm and we came back to the RV to find that the wind had broken the canopy and it was blown down across the door. We were able to struggle and at least get it rolled up so we could get in the door before the next round of rain started. We’ll have to wait until tomorrow to see if Will can repair it or. . .not.

For one night we stopped at a campground that looked quiet and off the busy road and found oursevles at the site of Indian Springs Trace National Landmark. Carly, the campground manager and daughter of the founder of the scientifically significant site took me on a personal tour of the 460 million year old fossil bed on her family ranch. On our hike up the fossil site Carly gave me a lesson in natural medicinal plants along the way. She is a wealth of herbal knowledge plus well schooled in ancient fossil information. She grew up with paleontologists, and scientists of all kinds working here and she was a good study. She delighted in pointing out countless arthropod tracks and body parts. The site has the oldest fossil vertebrate in the northern hemisphere.

We moved on down (actually up) the road to South Fork, Colorado so that we could explore the Silver Thread Scenic Byway between South Fork and Lake City. The hiway shadows the upper reaches of the Rio Grande (did you know the Rio Grande began in Colorado? I didn't!) As we moved up to higher elevations we passed North Clear Creek Falls, a natural phenomenon called Slumgullion earth slide, evidence of century old mining, and awsome mountain scenery.

One of the reasons we decided to come to Colorado this summer was because we had spent our honeymoon here 40 years ago! To celebrate this significant anniversay we thougt it might be fun to retrace our steps. I have a few photos that I had taken back then so we know a few locations and can guess on a route we might have taken.

One stop we had to revisit was Royal Gorge near Canon City. So we spent a good afternoon exploring the "park." We have fleeting memories of the suspension bridge (highest in the world) and the incline railway to the bottom (steepest in the world so the sign says) but little else. I think the bridge has remained pretty much the same, however am surprised you can still drive across it, plank bridge deck clattering as you inch across at 5 mph or less. But the area has turned into a theme park of sorts, an arial tram and thrill ride, petting zoo and multi gift shops that I don't think were here 40 years ago. The gorge is still mighty impressive--best view still from walking across the bridge. Lots of people white water rafting the class IV spring waters of the Arkansas River through the gorge. We watched a kayaker get flipped out in a swell. The kayak stayed in the whirlpool and he went crashing down the stream. His head remained above water until we could no longer see him around a bend so we assume he was ok.

We tried to duplicate some of the old wedding trip pictures at a couple of scenic spots along the Arkansas River. We found one spot that could be it by comparing mountain landscape shapes in the background. There was a big pine tree and rocks overlooking the river. . .suppose it is the same tree? After 40 years?! So much has changed in 40 years—except us. . .well maybe a little.

One thing we do recall from the honeymoon is having pizza and Coors beer in Canon City. That was back in the days when you couldn’t get Coors outside of Colorado. So we stopped at a local pizza place for a romantic (?) dinner and a tall Coors.

We have had a good time in the Durango, Colorado area. The last two nights we moved "up the mountain" to a Forest Service campground for a little wilderness experience.

Yesterday we had our first bad weather of the trip. High winds gave us all a scare when a tree came down on a camper in the park. We did not see or hear it happen but noticed it pretty quickly after it happened. Fortunately the occupants were gone so no one was injured but a scary thing to see.

But the front passed through so today was a cool, clear day--emphasis on cool. It was 27 degrees when we woke up. Warmed up nicely with the sun. We hiked all morning and then this afternoon Will biked 25 miles while I did some birding.

Happy Birthday, Tammy!!

We packed a picnic lunch this morning and took a day trip up into the San Juan Mountains. Our route took us on the "Million Dollar Hiway" between Silverton and the mountain town of Ouray. Couple of theories how the road got its name, least of which are the million dollar views. Spent a while in the impressive town of Ouray, visited the historic hotel and checked a few shops before we reversed our route and headed back to Durango.

Wish you could hear the sound of this steam engine!! This is the same train we took from Durango to Silverton a couple of days ago. The train just happens to go right through the campground where we are staying in Durango and every time we hear it coming we rush out to watch (and listen to) it roar by. This morning we watched it chug by and then jumped in the car and drove up the line just so we could watch it go by again!

Durango to Silverton Narrowgauge Railroad

All day trip from Durango to Silverton through San Juan National Forest. The steam engine chugged up the mountain following the Animas River Gorge for some great views. We had to brush some cinders out of our hair but was a great time. Time for lunch in Silverton and a short hike around the historic district then back down the mountain again.

We were so anxious to see Mesa Verde National Park near Cortez, Colorado. Was on our list of places we “wanna see” for a long time. Well, we weren’t disappointed.

During the 13th century a Puebloan culture built elaborate stone communities in the sheltered alcoves of canyon walls. They thrived here for more than 700 years and then within a couple of generations they were gone. Lots of theories why but remains a mystery. This world heritage site preserves a spectacular reminder of their ancient culture.

We took a ranger led tour of a cliff dwelling aptly named Balcony House and got to climb up ladders, through narrow passageways, and all over the ruins. Great fun. Another less strenuous tour to one named Cliff Palace just at sunset and then viewed several others on our own—some up close, some at a distance. There are literally hundreds within the park boundaries.

We’re nestled into a comfy private campground outside the park.