Snow! Oh no. Part One
We've been in a no cell service zone for a week so this is a multi part post that was written as the days went by.
The last part will tell where we are now.
Our last post had us enjoying a primitive Mountain Campground near Mancos Colorado. It had gotten down to freezing a couple of nights but when we woke up to eighteen degrees and a forecast for snow on Wednesday the 11th we decided to break camp and go south. I don't think that was a mistake but we went the wrong way.
Had I known about the campground where we are now I would have come here. Instead we went to Durango to a washateria that had showers and washed clothes and my body. Duchess made a friend who had treats in his pocket and accepted one then growled at him.
Then we headed south down highway 550 into horrible winds. None of the possible destinations we're acceptable with winds like that.
We ended up going back east with the wind behind us and it followed us all the way back to the Santa Fe National Forest where there was still snow on the ground.
There were several beautiful National Forest Service campgrounds but they were closed. Every Forest Service Road that I thought look promising immediately became steep and rough.
So we kept going north back into Colorado as it was getting closer to sunset and beginning to snow.
At that point I decided to blow my cheap motel budget for next month and went on hotels.com and found a $49 a night motel in Alamosa.
It was warm and comfortable and out of the snow.
I perused the map and decided that the Cibola National Forest just north of Albuquerque looked promising.
The next morning at seven o'clock I made cheap motel coffee and we headed east towards Walsenburg. It was snowing lightly and blowing hard.
As we got closer to La Veta pass it was coming down hard and almost white out conditions. I saw two roll over accidents, one involving two cars. I've driven in snow for years in two wheel drive and four wheel drive vehicles so I just took it slow and careful and had no problems. Other than the physical stress that comes from trying to see in white out conditions.
We made it to Walsenburg and got on Interstate 25 heading south stopping in Trinidad for gas.
The wind cut through me and the snow speckled my glasses is I filled the truck.
Going very slowly we made it over Raton Pass and almost and to Las Vegas before the snow let up.
I was already exhausted when we reached the highway that took us to the Cibola National Forest which had looked so promising on the map.
It was not.
I thought all National Forests we're open to dispersed camping.
But according to the signs posted at the entry points the only camping allowed was backcountry hiking by permit only.
So I decided I knew a place where it was warm. Where we had been a week earlier at Valley of Fires National Monument.
That was another three hours away but it was only 12:30 so I decided to go for it.
After stopping for gas and Albuquerque and forgetting to put the gas cap back on we made it to Valley of fires at 4:15.
Almost nine hours of driving nearly half of it in a snow storm and we were somewhere where it was warm and the wind wasn't blowing.
Again since I have a senior pass I was able to camp there for $3.50 a night so we stayed for five nights.
The hot showers are worth the camping fee.
Had I known about the campground where we are now I would have come here. Instead we went to Durango to a washateria that had showers and washed clothes and my body. Duchess made a friend who had treats in his pocket and accepted one then growled at him.
Then we headed south down highway 550 into horrible winds. None of the possible destinations we're acceptable with winds like that.
We ended up going back east with the wind behind us and it followed us all the way back to the Santa Fe National Forest where there was still snow on the ground.
There were several beautiful National Forest Service campgrounds but they were closed. Every Forest Service Road that I thought look promising immediately became steep and rough.
So we kept going north back into Colorado as it was getting closer to sunset and beginning to snow.
At that point I decided to blow my cheap motel budget for next month and went on hotels.com and found a $49 a night motel in Alamosa.
It was warm and comfortable and out of the snow.
I perused the map and decided that the Cibola National Forest just north of Albuquerque looked promising.
The next morning at seven o'clock I made cheap motel coffee and we headed east towards Walsenburg. It was snowing lightly and blowing hard.
We made it to Walsenburg and got on Interstate 25 heading south stopping in Trinidad for gas.
The wind cut through me and the snow speckled my glasses is I filled the truck.
Going very slowly we made it over Raton Pass and almost and to Las Vegas before the snow let up.
I was already exhausted when we reached the highway that took us to the Cibola National Forest which had looked so promising on the map.
It was not.
I thought all National Forests we're open to dispersed camping.
But according to the signs posted at the entry points the only camping allowed was backcountry hiking by permit only.
So I decided I knew a place where it was warm. Where we had been a week earlier at Valley of Fires National Monument.
That was another three hours away but it was only 12:30 so I decided to go for it.
After stopping for gas and Albuquerque and forgetting to put the gas cap back on we made it to Valley of fires at 4:15.
Almost nine hours of driving nearly half of it in a snow storm and we were somewhere where it was warm and the wind wasn't blowing.
Again since I have a senior pass I was able to camp there for $3.50 a night so we stayed for five nights.
The hot showers are worth the camping fee.
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