Friday, June 18, 2004
Week One
We have officially been full-timers for three whole days. Now I realize that this is a very short amount of time, however, I think I can safely say that I LOVE living in my camper. Everything I need is right here. Dan and I chuckle each time one of asks where something is, "it's in the camper, duh". Where else would it be?
Our first two nights were spent at the Florida Campground, (forest service maintained, $10/night, pit toilets, campfire/ grill pits, plenty of shade and river front spots), just up from Lemon Reservoir. The campsite was fabulous, save for the swarms of mosquitoes. It was right on the river with beach access and a nice, if unproductive, fishing hole right in front.
On Wednesday we headed off on our mountain bikes, or should I say we headed up on our bikes. We climbed for three and a half hours, swearing at each switchback that we MUST be at the top this time. As exhausting as the ride up was, the meadows we saw and the 360 degree views from there made every pedal stroke worth it. And if that wasn't enough, the 45 minute downhill was a blast. After this ride we were a bit tuckered out so we enjoyed our first retiree siesta- something that may have to become a habit.
So far I have read two books, both around 350 pages- I better slow down or I'll run out of books. What a luxury t be able to sit and read for hours on end.
I can safely say that I have not been bored for a minute. We seem to be falling into a routine of up early, breakfast and coffee, morning dishes, morning reading, afternoon activity, (today we are kayaking around the lake), then later lunch, lunch dishes, game of some sort (cribbage, scrabble, bocce ball, etc.), dinner, dishes, evening reading, bed. No time to spare really. Campering is a full-time job.
Currently we are at the Miller Campground on the reservoir (forest service maintained, $12/night, pit toilets, campfire/ grill pits, water, plenty of shade and lake front spots).
Tomorrow we head back into Durango for the wedding of our friends Dusty and Lauren. Saturday we will be in Silverton, preparing for the Red Bull adventure race. Sunday morning we will put our raft on the river, the Upper Animas, row down to No Name, a class V rapid, where we will sit in our boat with safety equipment should any of the racers need assistance. I'll post pictures from the race next week. Here are the pictures from this week.
Florida campground spot #13
Dan adjusting to retirement.
Us during our uphill ride.
View from the ride
Miller campsite #2
Fire damage from 2002 fires.
View from campsite #12
Lake sunset.
Our first two nights were spent at the Florida Campground, (forest service maintained, $10/night, pit toilets, campfire/ grill pits, plenty of shade and river front spots), just up from Lemon Reservoir. The campsite was fabulous, save for the swarms of mosquitoes. It was right on the river with beach access and a nice, if unproductive, fishing hole right in front.
On Wednesday we headed off on our mountain bikes, or should I say we headed up on our bikes. We climbed for three and a half hours, swearing at each switchback that we MUST be at the top this time. As exhausting as the ride up was, the meadows we saw and the 360 degree views from there made every pedal stroke worth it. And if that wasn't enough, the 45 minute downhill was a blast. After this ride we were a bit tuckered out so we enjoyed our first retiree siesta- something that may have to become a habit.
So far I have read two books, both around 350 pages- I better slow down or I'll run out of books. What a luxury t be able to sit and read for hours on end.
I can safely say that I have not been bored for a minute. We seem to be falling into a routine of up early, breakfast and coffee, morning dishes, morning reading, afternoon activity, (today we are kayaking around the lake), then later lunch, lunch dishes, game of some sort (cribbage, scrabble, bocce ball, etc.), dinner, dishes, evening reading, bed. No time to spare really. Campering is a full-time job.
Currently we are at the Miller Campground on the reservoir (forest service maintained, $12/night, pit toilets, campfire/ grill pits, water, plenty of shade and lake front spots).
Tomorrow we head back into Durango for the wedding of our friends Dusty and Lauren. Saturday we will be in Silverton, preparing for the Red Bull adventure race. Sunday morning we will put our raft on the river, the Upper Animas, row down to No Name, a class V rapid, where we will sit in our boat with safety equipment should any of the racers need assistance. I'll post pictures from the race next week. Here are the pictures from this week.
Florida campground spot #13
Dan adjusting to retirement.
Us during our uphill ride.
View from the ride
Miller campsite #2
Fire damage from 2002 fires.
View from campsite #12
Lake sunset.
Tuesday, June 15, 2004
Full-time and underaged!
So the day is upon us. The last six weeks have been filled with the kind of sweeping life changes that send people into Cybil-like mood swings, depressions and general freak outs. Dan quit his dream job and has no idea what he wants to be the next time he grows up. I graduated from college, without a job prospect. Our doggie died. We sold our home. (This one’s particularly big, because once upon a time owning a home in Durango was our biggest dream. Housing prices are obscene here and selling our home may very well mean that we can never afford to live in Durango again.) We held a slash and burn sale and sold most of our worldly possessions. Anything we didn’t sell has been reduced down to half a Zircon container full of Rubbermaid boxes. And finally we have moved from our 1000 sq. foot home into an 8x11 aluminum can.
This last month in Durango we have become acutely aware of what we are leaving. It is so very easy to take for granted all that you have in your own backyard, especially when day to day life doesn’t allow you to enjoy all of the hiking, biking, kayaking and fishing spots within walking distance of your home. The last two weeks have been nostalgia filled for us. Durango is a truly fabulous town, just perhaps not the most fabulous place for us, right now. However, we realize how blessed we have been to live here all of the years and how spoiled we are to be able to take an entire year to try and find somewhere even better.
First on our itinerary is a “kicking the tires’ trip. Three days at Lemon Reservoir to see if we remembered everything and what we brought that we can leave behind. It is particularly fitting that our journey begins today, June 15th, for this is our wedding anniversary and what better way could we possibly find to spend it?
Today we are officially full-time and underaged.
Old back yard.
New back yard.
If you look closely here you can see the infamous double hitch system.
We are off to camp for probably four days and I doubt we'll be able to post from there. So check back this weekend. Cheers to all.
Dan and Rach.
This last month in Durango we have become acutely aware of what we are leaving. It is so very easy to take for granted all that you have in your own backyard, especially when day to day life doesn’t allow you to enjoy all of the hiking, biking, kayaking and fishing spots within walking distance of your home. The last two weeks have been nostalgia filled for us. Durango is a truly fabulous town, just perhaps not the most fabulous place for us, right now. However, we realize how blessed we have been to live here all of the years and how spoiled we are to be able to take an entire year to try and find somewhere even better.
First on our itinerary is a “kicking the tires’ trip. Three days at Lemon Reservoir to see if we remembered everything and what we brought that we can leave behind. It is particularly fitting that our journey begins today, June 15th, for this is our wedding anniversary and what better way could we possibly find to spend it?
Today we are officially full-time and underaged.
Old back yard.
New back yard.
If you look closely here you can see the infamous double hitch system.
We are off to camp for probably four days and I doubt we'll be able to post from there. So check back this weekend. Cheers to all.
Dan and Rach.
Travel Log of Two Thirty-One Year Old RVers.