This year we didn't get to do a long road trip with the trailer. Natalie wanted to see her family in Florida so we did multiple vacations and shorter trips. So instead of going halfway across the country we just went to Colorado this summer, which was still 678 miles one way. Last time we stayed at the Father Dyer campground at Turquoise Lake. This time I got a better spot in the Baby Doe campground which required me getting up early on Jan 5th (6 months to the day before our reservation) to reserve the spot online.
A couple years ago when we went all the way up to Canada and then over to South Dakota, we stopped by Leadville on the way home. Our trip was too short so we decided to go back this year. Leadville is at 10,152 feet above sea level with an average high of 75 and low of 40 in the peak of summer so it's a perfect retreat from the hot Arizona summer. A couple weeks before our trip Natalie found out our friends the Hatches would be in Durango the same weekend as us. They are the ones that let us park our trailer at their house, as mentioned in previous post. The plan was 450+ miles to Durango, spend a day and a half there, up another 250ish miles to Leadville for a week, then stop again in Durango on the way back.
Overall it was a pretty fun trip. I didn't get to do everything I wanted to but that just leaves more for future trips. I'll explain more inline with the pictures below.
About three hours from home and I was tempted to put Dean in a kennel and strap him to the roof of the truck like Mitt Romney did with his dog. I had to pull over and get Dean out of the truck for a while. This is near Tuba City, on the reservation. The layers in the hills are different colors here and I think it looks really cool so we all took a short walk.
We were really looking forward to a week of not having to hear about Minecraft. Well on the ride we heard the kids in the back seat pretending to play Minecraft. Then to try to ruin the video so we can't share it Zach yells out toot butt or something along those lines.
Dean got upgraded to his own bed in the trailer this year. I didn't want him sleeping with Zach with the potential of him kicking out windows. His bed is actually really big. Those cushions on the edge were to keep him from falling off. This bed could easily sleep two people. He did pretty good in his own bed this year. The only problem is a couple times throughout the week he knocked his cushion off and the thump on the floor woke us up.
Morning kisses for Bear. He likes to hold up Bear in front of our faces for kisses too.
The next morning we took the kids to see Pinkerton Hot Springs. This was 8 miles up the road from our campground right on the side of the road. Afterwards we drove up to Purgatory and we were going to get tickets for the day but they weren't running the mountain coaster. They offered $15 off but I felt that was a rip since if we were to order a' la carte I'm sure that mountain coaster would be $40.
After leaving Purgatory we went to the Animas Brewing Company. I got a Pilsner and for some reason Natalie got a Pale Ale, which she thought was too bitter. We pretty much like the same beers. The pilsner was the better of the two but it wasn't a bad pale ale. The burgers were good, the kids loved them.
I don't know why this kid looks so grumpy while hugging her brother.
The train was only going half way to Silverton due to the Corona stupidity this year so we didn't waste our money riding it. We met up with the Hatches at the train museum though and Dean was in choo choo heaven. Colorado requires masks everywhere and in Durango it's not like AZ. The people seem happy to wear them with no resistance. 🙄
Look how gangsta Zach's friend Beckett is showing off his ring.
Dean running around in the grass.
And Dean face planting. Dean doesn't listen when we say slow down so he had to learn to fall a lot on this trip.
After the train museum we walked along the Animas river and went to the fish Hatchery, with the Hatches.
I told Zach to look cool for Titi. This is his pose.
We found this cool spot to hang out at along the river for a while.
Dean was very focused on the mound he was making.
Sunday was our drive up to Leadville. The trailer was the heaviest it's ever been while I towed it but the new truck is pulling like a champ. No problem going up any of these mountain passes, some with an 8% grade. We got to camp a few hours before my dad and everyone else so we went to the lake before I went to find them in town and lead them back to camp. There are a lot of different forest roads there and it can get confusing but i already knew my way around so I decided it would be best for them to follow me in.
The first day it was a bit chilly at the lake.
Amazing views at the lake.
My crazy daughter.
Dean falling, again.
Monday Dominick was puking. He had been puking since he got there Sunday. We went into town and got him a can of oxygen and ten minutes later he was better. Funny thing is I didn't notice any difference when I took a hit of oxygen.
Monday we needed to go out for fishing licenses at Saturday's Discount. Down the street from Saturday's is the fish hatchery, and this is the best one I've been too. Took the kids to feed the fish.
Pretty much all week the weather was crazy. When it's sunny it's hot. Only 75 degrees but at that altitude it's hot. Then it would get cloudy and cold.
The best time at the lake is when it's partly cloudy. Mt. Elbert and Mt. Massive.
Zach and Adri got a rock and moved this log all by themselves to make a seesaw. The problem is they only used one rock and I could see that log slipping and someone getting hurt. So I moved a second rock over there for them and helped them wedge the log between the two. They had a seesaw all week after that.
Dean got a new bear, Little Bear, that morning at Saturday's. He decided Little Bear needed to take a ride too.
Dean and Little Bear. He has not replaced Bear. Nothing can replace Bear.
Zach showing us his cool tricks.
Dean is a happy kid, when he's outside.
Merica
Once everything calmed down we went back to the lake and took out the rafts. It got windy again though, was hard to steer, and my Merica hat blew away to a watery grave.
The next morning we had some trouble. I bought a cheapo generator a couple years ago. It's not enough to run my AC but enough for the TV and to charge the batteries. I went to start my generator Wednesday morning and the pull line broke. We were in BFE so getting it repaired that day wasn't a realistic option. I decided to try using my cordless drill on the nut to start it. I have an adapter for my drill to connect to sockets so I can quickly put down my trailer's stabilizers. The problem with the first attempt is that the fly wheel then started spinning faster than the drill and the nut came loose. So I tightened it up then tried again. This time once I heard it kick on I pulled that drill off really fast and it worked. So this is how I had to start my generator the rest of the trip.
Wednesday morning hike. I wanted to get to this lake that is crystal clear but I didn't do enough research on the trails and we took the wrong turn at the split. Even if we would have taken the right trail up to Timberline Lakes we wouldn't have made it to the lake I wanted to get it. Maybe some day when the kids are bigger I'll make it to that lake.
Everyone went on the hike this morning but Natalie. She stayed in the trailer sick and we had to go into town later that day to get her a can of oxygen.
After our hike we went into town. A lot of stuff was closed, including the Tabor Opera House so we just got some gelato and then walked up a hill to find the train for Dean.
Thursday at the beach. I got a new hat until I can replace my Merica hat.
Around 3 that afternoon we decided to stop fishing and go for a hike to an old ghost town by Cooper Mountain. The hike was everything I thought it would be. I only wish I had more time for exploring. Some day when the kids are bigger we'll go back. We started around 10,800 feet and the old ghost town was around 12,200. I went up another 600-800 feet to the gold mine with Zach and Adri. It was just under 13,000 feet.
An old chute off the road.
I had to carry Dean most of the way up and down the mountain. If I put him down he didn't want to hold my hand and I didn't want him face planting into a rock.
The ghost town.
The ghost town, just over 12,000 feet.
This was worth the hike.
The kids found some ground up coal dust. There were a couple piles of this stuff up there.
Hiking between the ghost town and the mine. The underside of the snow melted leaving a nice snow shelf.
I had to ditch Dean half way to the gold mine. He was being too much trouble so I gave him to Natalie and took Zach and Adri. Everyone else stayed behind. I promised the kids snow and I got them to the snow.
The old gold mine.
I think they did this to stabilize the tower.
Really proud of my kids here. The hike to this spot was 3 miles, one way, and 2,000 feet of elevation gain. At sea level oxygen is 20.9%, and at 13,000 ft. it's only 12.7%, yet he kids made it without complaining.
The mine isn't actually at the tower. There is a cable going from the tower up the mountain and it ends a couple hundred feet under the summit. The cable appears to lead to the mine.
I believe this is the actual mine. It would have taken me a couple hours to get up there though and that is without kids.
Friday was our last full day in Leadville. Adri was sitting on the shore and one of the poles started moving. She jumped up and reeled in this fish all by herself.
Our catches of the day. We had 8 (minus Dean) of us so no we weren't breaking laws on keeping that many fish.
The one downside to all the campgrounds at Turquoise Lake is that they don't have hookups. The last day the toilet wouldn't flush anymore but the sensor said 2/3 full on black. So I told everyone know more toilet until we dump on the way out. Well after dumping the toilet still wouldn't flush. I ended up having to push a stick 2 feet down to release the plug. Turns out the toilet wasn't full. So now I know I can go a week without filling up the black tank but I may have to shove a stick down it if it doesn't flush.
Saturday, after dumping our tanks my dad and his group split ways with us. They went back through Utah to cut off 90 miles. The shortest way for us was back through Durango. Zach got sick not even an hour into the drive. I remember in 2015 on the way to Colorado a couple hours in Zach barfed in the car, day 1 of a three week trip. Well lucky for us all this time he managed to keep it all in his mouth until I could pull over on a windy mountain road and get him out of the truck. Fun times.
I picked my shirt that morning, I did not select my campsite.
I wanted to take the kids to the Animas museum but it was closed. So Beer Garden instead.
After Beer Garden we found another choo choo for Dean.
Playing at the park. My kids are crazy. Zach and Adri both start pounding on the xylophones and yell "Insomnium!"
Natalie got a picture of Zach after he hit his hand.
This thing was kinda cool. It moved up and down while they walked across it.
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