East-Westerly direction

If you look at the Wikipedia article on U.S. Route 6, you’ll see that they follow the course of the road from West to East. The road signs along the route are also easier to follow traveling West to East. There is a significant sign marking the beginning of modern Route 6 in Bishop, CA, but none marking the beginning in Provincetown, MA. I don’t really understand why, however. We traveled the Route from East to West, and I have no doubt that this is the proper way it should be done. First, traveling in this manner, the scenery becomes more and more dramatic as you head out West. Second, this is the way, historically, people traveled on the road in an attempt to strike it rich in the many (now abandoned) mining towns of the West. And last, this is the direction in which Mateo traveled on his way into serving Active Duty in the military.
That all being said, the next time we do this, we will travel from West to East. Yes, folks, I said next time. I do believe that we plan on doing this cross country road trip again. I imagine not for another 10 years, but eventually.
We figure that we’ll attempt the Route in a large van or small RV to make life a little more comfortable. We’ll also probably do it with an animal or kid(s) in the car. We are hoping that by doing it in the opposite direction we’ll have more energy for exploring the intriguing western part of the Route.
While the scenery on the East Coast can be lush and green, with waterfalls, wooden bridges, and so on, we really prefer the Western part of the Route. I absolutely HATE dust, but I enjoy the painted cliff sides of sandstone, the endless miles of solitude. We like exploring and taking pictures of our abandoned and forgotten past, old mining towns. There are some caves and National Forest lands that we would like to take more time exploring. A white water rafting expedition in Colorado would be fabulous, as would taking the time to fossil hunt or ride an ATV in the sand dunes of Utah.
We’d also like to spend more time taking side dirt roads with a GPS and decent directions to explore the lunar crater (which we couldn’t find this trip) and perhaps more hot springs.
Personally, I would also like to have the money and the stomach to stop in at little owner-run restaurants and to try local bison burgers, chili, steaks, pies, and curds. When we stopped at a small coffeshop on the East Coast, we had a great time talking with the owner and sampling free coffee that he roasts himself with pride.
We had experiences like these speckled throughout our trip, but we’d really like the time to enjoy more of them.
Who’d like to join us? Start saving your pennies!

Igloo in Nevada (May 11)

At around 6am the cat woke me up. She was restless. I didn't really focus my eyes. I probably didn't even open them. I just moved my hand around inside the sleeping bag for the cat to chase, so she'd be entertained enough to quit meowing. But, the usual trick didn't work. She was insistent on clawing at the ceiling of the car and scraping at the windows. This was the first time she had done such a thing, so my curiosity was peeked. I opened/focused my eyes.
SNOW! Snow covered the entire car. I couldn't see out. Perhaps this is why the cat was panicking a little, she figured we were being buried alive. I found out soon enough that a whole four inches or so of snow covered us in the night. We were literally in an igloo, which is probably why for the first time on our trip I didn't wake up freezing. The thick layer of snow covering us had trapped in some warmth overnight.
My astonishment was quickly replaced by concern. We had parked the car purposefully in a concealed area, two miles from the main road. The main road which is actually quite a lonely road, 100 miles to the next services. The main road which had been closed for a weekend due to snowfall just this month. And we had no cell phone reception. Basically, we were in the middle of nowhere, unprepared for the weather, and dealing with the possibility that we might be stuck.
Mateo grabbed his Army jacket and scraped off the snow with a shoe of mine. We didn't bring a snow brush. I thought about it. I packed one away for the trip, but somehow it got tossed into the jumble of us moving all our household goods. So he tried his best with a shoe.
I turned on the defrost and it turned a nickel-size chip in our windshield into a full two foot crack!
I packed away our sleeping bags behind us in a huge mess, because I wasn't getting out of the car in the snow. Mateo returned behind the wheel a good 15 minutes later and we set off precariously down the dirt, now snow-covered road.
Yup, we missed the lunar crater. There was no way we were traveling further down the unmaintained roads with snow coming down like it was. Our plan was to get to the major road, assess the conditions, and possibly wait a few days for Route 6 to be cleared. Thankfully the Route wasn't in too poor of condition. Mateo just took the roads slowly (25mph slow)
And, an hour down the road, coming the opposite direction we were met by someone clearing the roads. I sighed a bit of relief at the sight of the snow plow... we wouldn't be stuck on the road!
We would have been in decent condition if we had been stuck, however. We had sleeping gear, food, water, etc. We had no cell phone reception what so ever, but I think we could have managed a few nights in that spot if we had to.
Once we cleared past the snowy area and hit the sunny, desert heat we pulled over and took a short, badly needed nap to recover from the early morning adventure.
So, apparently kitty doesn't like snow. Or maybe it was the not being able to see out the window. Anyhow, I like to think she's destined to be a Hawaiian kitty.

Ward Charcoal Ovens

Ward Charcoal Ovens State Historic Park is located in the Egan Mountain Range approximately 18 miles south of Ely, Nevada. This beautiful park is mostly known for its six beehive-shaped historic charcoal ovens; however, the park offers an array of recreational opportunities. There are trails for hiking, mountain biking and ATV riding. There are abundant wildlife viewing and birding opportunities. Willow Creek, a small perennial stream, supports naturally reproducing Rainbow, Brown and Brook Trout for a unique fishing experience. In addition there are facilities for picnicking and camping. The park also has fantastic views of Wheeler Peak, located in the Great Basin National Park.

The Martin White Company commissioned the ovens to be built to supply high quality charcoal for the two silver smelters located at Ward. The six charcoal ovens were built in 1876 and were constructed by Swiss-Italian charcoal workers called "Carbonari". The ovens were made from quartz welded tuff that was quarried from the nearby hills.

The beehive shaped ovens were designed as a replacement for the open-pit system that originated in Italy. The ovens were a more efficient way to reduce all types of wood to charcoal. Vents on the bottom of the kiln allowed for fine adjustment of temperature, and the parabolic (beehive) shape reflected heat back into the center. Each oven could hold 35 cords of wood per firing, and would produce between 30 to 50 bushels of charcoal per cord of wood. All wood types were used in the ovens, including pinyon pine, juniper, aspen and even sagebrush. The entire process of loading, burning, and unloading took thirteen days.
Historians disagree about how long the Ward Charcoal Ovens were in use, however, it is most likely that they were used until the Martin White smelter shut down in 1879.
The Ward Charcoal Ovens have served diverse purposes since the end of their original use as charcoal ovens. These hills were the battlegrounds for the Charcoal Burner’s War of 1879, when Italian and Swiss immigrants fought wealthy mill owners over wages and work conditions. Ultimately the Nevada Militia was activated and five immigrants were killed in a skirmish with the deputies. They have sheltered stockmen and prospectors during foul weather, and had a reputation as the hideout for stagecoach bandits. Today, the ovens continue to represent a unique and fascinating chapter in Nevada mining history. The Nevada Division of State Parks takes pride in their continued interpretation and preservation for future generations to enjoy.

The park is located seven miles south of Ely via U.S. 50/6/93, then 11 miles southwest on Cave Valley Road. Cave Valley Road is a graded dirt road, accessible by passenger vehicles most of the year. Daily use fee of $4 per vehicle. Interpretive trails. Bikes okay. Clean bathrooms, picnic benches, and places for bbq-ing. No running water.

Nevada

Just across the border into Nevada, we stopped at a few interesting sites. For lunch, we visited an archeological site, the excavation site of a Native American settlement. Then we got some postcards, a free map of Nevada and some directions to local ghost towns from the Visitors' Center of the Great National Basin Park. The Visitors Center has some really nice books for sale about hot springs, the wildlife in the area, star maps, etc. I would have loved to buy some of the coffee table picture books, but we have very limited space & funds. I think that books are some great souvenirs to have. The center also had some pretty realistic fake animals and interactive displays on the land, plants, etc of the park. I swear the fake snake moved! and the taxidermied dog laying under the table made me jump. I can get quite obsessed with fake animals. I always wanted stuffed animals that looked like real animals. And, I loooooved making farm models for school projects. I get totally fascinated with the models in the visitors center. I think it would be such an awesome job to be in charge of creating these scenes.Unfortunately (later in the day) the ghost towns that we had been guided to turned out to be little more than a few deserted mines and fence posts. On the way to the first one we stopped because we smelled some burning. I think some kind of tumbleweed was burning on the engine. The cat ended up jumping out of the open window. But she didn't run away... she just came to see what Mateo was doing climbing under the car.
On the way to the second site we got lost. Then we decided to explore the lunar crater.
Nevada has over a dozen volcanic areas. The best is the Lunar Crater Volcanic Field, a zone of vulcanism covering over 100 square miles at the southern end of the Pancake Range, and comprising cinder cones, outcrops of lava, elongated fissures, ash hills and, most visibly, the 430 foot deep Lunar Crater - an impressive and rather unexpected site in an otherwise isolated, windswept location. The crater is designated a National Natural Landmark, one of six in Nevada, and is situated 75 miles east of Tonopah near the center of the state. It is geologically termed a 'maar', the name given to a shallow, broad crater formed by explosive eruptions close to ground level, usually caused by heating of subterranean water.
The circular crater is large and impressive, surrounded by dark grey-brown rocks topped by layers of black ash in which grow small but brightly colored wildflowers such as the deep red Indian paintbrush. The viewpoint on the east rim is higher than the surroundings, allowing for far reaching views in most directions, of grass-covered buttes, ridges and lava flows.

We turned off of Route 6 onto public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Mangement at the sign for the Lunar Crater. Mateo says this is one of his favorite places on earth. He visited it the last time he did the Route 6 tour. On the way out to the site on the 8 mile dirt road, we came across two dead cows and drove alongside a large dry lake, white with minerals and salts. we pulled off the road to visit "the wall," which was an interesting formation in the side of the small mountain. But, as the sun started to set and the sky darken with rain clouds, we decided to stop or search for the lunar crater. We could get much better pictures in the morning light anyway.
It was really windy and started to rain, so we parked the car near an old cow corral between two walls of rocks.
Along the way we have given away, eaten or shipped some of the boxes and extra bulk in the car; we were able to set up our sleeping arrangements in the car with only having the cooler outside in the elements. We ate a dinner of cheese, apples, chips and mango salsa, then fell asleep to the sound of rain on the car.

Unidentified Object

Can anyone identify this object? We found in the middle of nowhere in the deserted and ruined old mining town of Joy, Nevada. I thought it might be an area where people sifted, sorted, etc for gold or whatnot.

Crepuscular Rays

I learned today that this phenomena is called "crepuscular." Brilliant crepuscular rays streak across the sky over Colorado. Crepuscular rays are parallel columns of sunlit air separated by darker regions of clouds.

Kitty gets in touch with nature

Packing List

These are some things that we found to be crucial to the success of our trip:

trim kitty's nails prior to the start of the trip
dustfree, unscented litter
a sharp collapsible knife
microfiber handtowels (for dishes, dry bathing, hair drying, general mess clean up, and windshield cleaning.... they're quick dry too)
lighters, yes, plural, bring several lighters
in-the-car trash abg & extra plastic bags
lots of small bags rather than large bags for your things (makes rearranging the car for sleeping easier)
car chargers for your camera batteries, laptop, cell phone, etc.
dutproof, waterproof, shockproof point-and-shoot digital camera
a tiny, tiny laptop
a large stash of wet wipes & antibacterial gel (for general cleaning, toilet paper, cleaning cuts, etc.)
refillable coffee mug and water bottle that fit your drink holders (free refills at most gas stations we went to)
cell phone with camera, internet browser, google maps, facebook, compass, GPS & email applications
AAA membership
small propane stove
gallon water jugs (3-4)
50+ SPF physical sunscreen
super, duper hand & foot moisturizing lotion
Tiger balm patches & valerian & Advil
a medium decent cooler
prescription sunglasses
free state maps and camping information (especially about Bureau of Land Mangement areas) at tourist information offices
a stupid game (like our Dunk Punch, or Subway Slam)
a tent that one person can assemble easily in the dark by themselves
tarp for under the tent, over the tent, or to protect things outside
air conditioning & heat in the car
desert crystals deodorant
chapstick with sunscreen
ziploc bags with zipper top, quart size


What we didn't have, but would have loved to have:
sleeping bags that can zip together
a hatchet with hammer head on it
a bigger bank account
more time
a good can opener
a beanie hat that stays on your head while sleeping
iTrip
a fancy camera with mad zoom lense and wide angle lenses
ice scraper for the windows

Things we brought, but were practically useless:
water filters
suitcase full of clothes

Utah - May 9, 2010

Our Campsite in Utah (Scofield State Park)

Just as the sun was beginning to peak around the horizon, I woke up shivering. The sides of the tent were wet and the damp cold had seeped through the sleeping bag.
“I’m so cold,” I said, not particularly caring if Mateo was awake to hear me, or if I’d wake him up with my complaining.
“Me too,” he replied, as if he had been awake just as long as I had, shivering and thinking about the dampness like me.
“I think I have enough room in my sleeping bag for the both of us,” I suggest. And, without hesitation Mateo attempted to climb into my sleeping bag.
I have to tell you at this point that this is a laughable thing for me to have suggested. We’re both overweight, and even two trim adults would have a hard time sharing a sleeping bag meant for one. But we somehow managed to squeeze into one sleeping bag without tearing it at the seems. The body heat instantly put me back to sleep.
When I woke up an hour later, it was because my body could no longer stand to sleep rigidly straight trapped in a skin tight bag. At this point, I didn’t care if it meant I had to get up and make the coffee in the morning cold, I had to get out of the sleeping bag (or force him out of it). So I squeezed out, sat up in the tent and soaked my sleeve on the side of tent in the process. I promptly jumped into the car and blasted the heater. It took roughly half an hour and several slow laps of driving around the RV camp for the engine to warm up enough to heat the car properly. By then Mateo had made a warm nest of three sleeping bags all to himself in the tent, and he fell back asleep for another hour. I was now wide awake and couldn’t go back to sleep, so I made coffee on the propane stove and took a shower in the bathroom meant for RV campers.
Bathing in public showers is always an adventure. First you have to find a place to put everything: your toiletries for use during the shower, the toiletries for use just after the shower, your dirty clothes, your clean clothes, your towel, AND your shoes and socks.
Then you have to make sure the door is securely shut. Usually there is some trick to lining up the lock with the latch, lifting the door slightly, or just hanging a portion of your shoe or other personal item over or under a door to indicate “occupied.”
Then you have to figure out how the shower works, which way to turn the knob for hot water, and how to avoid the stream of water until it has reached the proper temperature.
In the end I had to put all of my belongings in the spiderweb infested window sill because it turned out to be the only dry spot in the shower compartment once you have the water running for any length of time. I swear this water went uphill to soak my socks. I guess that’s the nature of showering in these kinds of places.
And let me ask you something… do you use those shower benches? I mean, other than to hold your shampoo bottle or to use to balance for washing your feet, do you actually sit your naked butt on a bench in the shower? This seems just plain wrong to me. Like the sensation of peeing with your clothes on… something your body/mind won’t let you do without some serious convincing. Especially as a female I think sitting on a wet bench is unnerving. That being said….. I do not squat over toilet seats. If the toilet seat is dry, I sit on it. I learned, from the AIDs awareness campaigns in the early 90s, that toilet seats are actually inhospitable environments for things like AIDs and such, so I go ahead and sit in peace when I pee. But sit on a bench with my bare butt?! No way!



-CB

Native American Drawings

If you follow the "shortest highway in America" through Thompson Springs town and onto a dirt road, you will eventually reach a parking lot amongst sage brush and red rock cliffs. Get out, use the clean bathroom, then walk around exploring. You will come across several cliff faces with Native American drawings from different time periods and tribes. They are amazingly well preserved. I almost thought they weren't authentic! There are some unfortunate **** who drew their own initials on the wall of course, but for the most part it's a step back in time...
You can easily see the differences between time eras in the style of the drawings:
This impressive site which is on the National Register of Historic Places is undergoing a long term conservation and preservation treatment. The Antiquities Act of 1906 and the Archaeological Resources Protection Act provides for serious penalties to vandals.
Native Americans painted and chipped their religious, clan symbols, or records of events into the sandstone cliffs. There are three distinct styles present which represent three separate cultures and time periods known to have been in the area during the past several thousand years.
The Historic Ute rock art is identified and dated by the horse and rider figures. Horses were introduced to North America by the Spanish in the sixteenth century. There are still some descendants/wild horse herds in Utah and Nevada that live on protected land. The No-tah (Ute people) lived freely throughout western Colorado and eastern Utah until about 1880, when they were forced into reservations.
Some of the most spectacular examples of rock art in the Southwest are attributed to Archaic people. Archaic people were nomads, hunting large and small game animals and processing wild plants. They did not build permanent habitation structures, but lived in caves and in small brush shelters built in the open. The occupied this area from aprox. 8,000 years ago until the introduction of corn agriculture about 2,000 years ago. Their rock art, Barrier Canyon Style, usually consists of larger than life size manlike forms. The identifying characteristics of these figures is hollowed eyes or missing eyes, the frequent absence of arms and legs, and the presence of vertical body markings.

Ghost town, Utah

Here are more pictures of abandoned buildings...

Into Utah, May 8, 2010

At 6am I turned the car on to heat us up. I was not happy, exhausted. So much so I didn’t want coffee because I had planned on sleeping for another few hours in the passenger seat while Mateo drove. For the rest of the day Mateo was very accommodating to me to ease any possible crankiness due to being tired.

We crossed into Utah fairly quickly. And for awhile it was just the three of us and a long dirt road. That is, until we met some cows grazing along side of the road. We stopped to pee and didn’t even hide behind a bush… there really was no chance of anyone coming across us. The dirt route 6 finally intersected and merged with the far faster moving I-70. And we flew into the canyons of western Utah. The area is quite beautiful, but I certainly can’t see why someone would live here given a choice. That is, it contains some the things I hate the most: blistering hot summers, freezing cold winters, gusty winds, no grocery stores, no cell phone reception, and lots and lots of dust. That and it’s in a conservative state, which coming from Colorado just will not do.
However, everyone we’ve met is friendly thus far, and the cliffs of the area are gorgeous. In the Thompson visitor center parking lot, a man with a cowboy hat and a pickup truck gave us some directions to a “20 minute excursion with a whole lot of diversion.” And boy was he right! Less than 20 mins off the road, through a ghost town and back into the cliffside we saw indian drawings and beautiful rocks. The brush which was in full bloom with yellow flowers scented the air with honey smells. But, just in case, I kept the knife in my pocket. I’ve seen those horror movies… far too many to admit. Here are some pictures of the ghost town (I'll do a separate entry on the indian paintings):


The town began when E.W. Thompson, who lived near the springs, operated a sawmill to the north, near the Book Cliffs. Soon a small community grew up called Thompson Springs, made up of small-scale farmers, sheepherders and cattlemen.
However, there was one ambitious man in the area named Harry Ballard, an Englishman, who had plans of grandeur. A successful sheep and cattleman, Ballard began to buy up much of the property that surrounded Thompson Springs, and before long, owned a hotel, store, saloon, a several homes in the small settlement.
Soon, the little community was large enough to convince the Denver and Rio Grande Western Railroad, which had been completed through the region in 1883, to add a stop in the settlement, Cattle and sheep men welcomed the railroad, which soon became a small shipping point for their stock.
A post office was established in 1890 and called "Thompson’s” after the original owner, E.W. Thompson. Sometime later, ambitious Harry Ballard discovered a large vein of coal on land adjacent to his ranch about five miles north of Thompsons. Keeping his discovery quiet, he soon bought the surrounding property and started coal operations on a small scale. However, Ballard sold his operation to Salt Lake City investors in 1911, and the coal mining town of Sego was born, bringing more prosperity to the area.

To read the rest of this article on Thompson Springs, please visit this link: http://www.legendsofamerica.com/ut-thompson.html


By four o’clock I started to get hungry and we settled on Scofield State park for the night. Mateo had a hell of a time setting up the tent. The ground was too rocky to not have a hammer for the tent stakes. I had a hard time cooking dinner because of our shitty little can opener and a general lack of appropriate pots and pans. But, everything worked out. It’s 7:30 p.m. and I’m in the tent with a full belly.

The wildlife of Utah so far includes many cows, some deer, very few horse farms, a bird whose call sounds like squirting water, and little ground rodents that look like mini gophers and make bird noises.

We left Colorado Springs yesterday (May 7, 2010) close to noon. I didn’t want to leave! I felt like we had so much more exploring and hanging out to do, but we’re running out of time to get back to Hawaii before our last paycheck arrives. I apparently wanted so badly to have an excuse to go back to Cadena’s house that I inadvertently left with her sunglasses. How I thought these glasses were mine are beyond me. But I found them in my Army camo jacket pocket later that afternoon. Looks like someone is getting a package soon!
At noon we passed the Continental Divide, Loveland pass and the highest point on our route. The Continental divide is the point at which all the rivers on one side eventually flow and end up in the Atlantic & Gulf of Mexico, while the water, river, etc on the other side eventually flow into the Pacific. Hence the photograph of pouring water.
It was sunny but absolutely freezing up there! I got a bit of altitude sickness too. We both thought it was hard to breath, but I ended up getting dizzy. Lessons on altitude sickness: no matter how cold it is, and how excited you are to be at Loveland Pass, do NOT run around.
By 3 or 4pm I noticed that we hadn’t passed a familiar town name in quite some time. And a half hour later, when we got some cell phone reception, I learned that was because we made a huge detour. We somehow ended up traveling NORTH, rather than West on some crazy other road. We were hours off our beloved Route 6! I found a scenic byway, route 1 to travel back down to the 6. You’d think a state designated scenic byway would be paved, no? It wasn’t. 2 or so hours of dirt road took us through some fantastic scenery though. I have never seen so many deer in my life. We also saw Bighorn Sheep, which was a first for us both.
A little after 6pm we were back to our paved route 6 and getting desperate to stretch our legs, eat, and call it a night. We pressed onward, hoping to make up for some of our lost time on our scenic detour, but the sky was darkening, so we pulled over in Gypsum.
It was a deadend road, at a closed trailhead. Camping overnight is free and legal, and there were bathroom facilities. Despite the traffic noise, we determined this spot to be ideal under the circumstances.
After a can of soup, we bundled up into the car to sleep. When it was far too late to change our minds about our spot, we started getting visitors. A car pulled over behind the bathrooms for about 15-20 mins then left. Then we had another visitor 5 minutes later that pulled around and left after they saw our car. When I figured out that it was Friday night, I determined that the spot must be the local makeout and drugout spot. Mateo propped himself up so that his eyes would gaze over the bottom edge of the window, performing watch duty. I buried myself under the blanket to sleep, not caring. By the time Mateo convinced himself there was nothing to worry about, I had convinced myself that perhaps there was something to worry about. And so with every loud truck engine, gust of wind or movement from Mateo or the cat, I woke up convinced we were being sabatoged. Needless to say, I didn’t sleep well. Kitty woke me up at one point with a small meow. She was shivering. I opened the sleeping bag and she crawled in and fell asleep immediately with my arm hugging around her and her head poking out of the bag.

Colorado Springs (May 5-7, 2010)

Hello & Goodbye to beautiful (and colorful) Colorado Springs. Mateo and I really enjoyed being here for a few days. It was a nice departure from our hasty travels to "settle down" into one town for a few days. It's a real testament to our kind friends how much we enjoyed this city. They were exceptionally generous, kind and jovial hosts. Time flew by and now is the day for us to return to Route 6 and finish the second half of our journey.
I am not looking forward to the cold weather this evening. It is about 7 hours to Grand Junction, high up in the Rockies. This is where I had wanted to spend the night before departing Colorado. They have some interesting touristy things to do, hot springs (some of the best!), and camping areas galore. The weather channel told us to expect below freezing temperatures and possibly some snow.Hot springs in the snow are great, but camping? I just want to say in my warm memory foam bed
in Colorado Springs!


For the last few days Mateo and I have been driving around looking at the beautiful scenery of the area. Yes, driving. It's funny how when you don't HAVE to do it, it fun. Every mile of Route 6 takes a little bit out of you when you think of the miles you've already covered and the many more that you yet haven't.
On the way down to Colorado Springs (off our route about an hour), we drove through Pike Peak National Forest. Of course, the road we wanted to travel was closed to all vehicle access due to wet road conditions, but we kind of just did it anyway. The snow and rains of the previous week had subsided for a few days, and the mostly rock & mud road really wasn't in poor condition. We passed a few engineers, heavy machinery, and road repairers, who just stared and waved friendly at us. Act like you belong and most people will assume you do. Even kitty didn't give us away.
Pikes Peak national Forest still had some snow on the ground, so the pine trees and red boulder rocks were as startling in their beauty as the air was fresh and crisp. There are a few pieces of private property in the forest with grazing horse and cattle, church camps, and vacation rentals. On the windy road we also passed through a section which had been destroyed from a forest fire and a fenced area posted as an experimental forest.
We came out of the forest into the quaint town of Manitou Springs. It's an odd convergence of Native American, hippie, Wiccan, GLBT, and tourist cultures. The springs in the area actually give naturally sparkling water, which you can taste from a few public water fountains (sulphuric, metallic, not too tasty). We also visited the Cave of the Winds & the Cliff Dwellings, both of which we refused to pay admittance fees. We were satisfied to take pictures at the entrance and move onward.
We also passed through the Historical Old Colorado City and downtown Colorado Springs, taking pictures of murals, old buildings, and the Olympic Training Facility. There seems to be a big artists' community in town. But, please don't mistake this for a liberal, entirely-hippy community. There is a strong Christian presence in the town. "It's a conservative city in a liberal state," to quote my hostess.
The Garden of the Gods, a free public park, was breathtaking. It reminded me of Disneyland's frontierland area. I half expected to knock on a rock to find it hallow. This is because the rocks are so red, smooth and neatly placed amongst pine trees. The area is litter-free and seemingly unlikely to naturally occur. We walked and scrambled around in the Garden of the Gods and at Palmer Park with our friends.
Last night our friends from Hawaii made us Hawaiian food, including delicious kalua pork.
I stayed up late last night and woke up early this morning. I am not a morning person, but since being on the road, I have been waking up consistently at about 6:45am, no matter the time zone.
I can't wait until my body and schedule allow me to sleep in a little. But, for now, that's yet another week or more away...



-CB

We made it into Colorado! What we've seen east of Denver are highlands, gentle slopes, with lots of wind and not much else. The speed limit on the highway is 75 miles per hour (close 120 kilometers per hour). With all these empty miles of land and the strong wind and sun, I'm surprised that there aren't any windmills or solar panels out here.
Mateo says that Colorado is like Hawaii's Big Island, it's full of diverse terrain. We'll be crossing through suburbia hell, high flatland, the Rocky mountains, a big city, etc.
I got an instant sunburn upon crossing into Colorado (on my exposed driver's side arm) because there are no clouds and we're at an elevation now. So I'm slathering on sunscreen for the rest of the trip. With the high elevation of Colorado, followed by the merciless sun of the West's deserts, I'm no match.
We also passed through the town of Sterling, which is my brother's name. So we stopped at their visitors' center and sent out some postcards. Sterling, except more than a few from us! The ladies at the centre told us that last weekend Route 6 all through the Rocky Mountains had been closed due to snow. They have since been reopened, but the news frightened and excited me. Will we be camping in snow? Will it take a day just getting through the mountains due to hazardous road conditions? will we get stuck? Hopefully the snow won't have all melted. I think the Rockies will be spectacular with some snow on the ground.

Today (Cinco de Mayo) we will visit friends in Colorado Springs for a fun diversion from our Route 6 tour. We might end up staying in Colorado for the longest period of time of all the states along our route.

Mateo said that the last time he did this trip, he was in California the day after Colorado. So, the end of our trip is near! In a way I'm thrilled to be at the end. I am very, very anxious to get back to normal living. Technically Mateo and I have been on vacation for over two months now. Prior to leaving Italy we traveled in Eastern Europe, then we had to move out of our apartment in Italy, then we stayed in Massachusetts at his parents' house, then this trip. Even prior to our Poland & Ukraine trip, we had some last minute visitors from the states staying at the house, so life hasn't been "normal" for awhile.
I love to travel and experience things, but I think I don't love it so much when it's continuous. I don't think I'd make a very good nomad. I like having a tiny home to make my own, then travel to far off places, only to return to my oasis.