On the way: Salida to Ouray, CO.

 Today we enjoyed Salida, Colorado's ART WALK Saturday.The town has a great location any day but we really enjoyed the open street music and the art.

The meandering river walk is truly pleasant and the Cambodian Restaurant is great.  Hand made EVERYTHING!  Mona and I enjoyed the fresh veggie spring rolls.

Imagine a dozen marimbas, all made of wood, all played by well trained unpaid volunteers.  Made of wood?  I asked the maker how they were tuned.  He said, "You shave a little off till you get the right pitch." "And if you shave off too much wood?" I asked.  "You add a little back." He said with a straight face.  "How?" I dumbly, actually seriously, asked. "You use a wood stretcher." He said with complete candor.  I think I asked the question he gets asked the most. And it got answered his favorite way.

 One other reason we enjoyed our visit was that we got to see Jaime again at his shop, and Mona got to have her hair cut, for the FIRST time, by a man.

She liked the result but said her good friend and adult lifetime hairdresser, Debbie Boyer of Lancaster, Pa,

 is not replaced, only missed.  But Jaime, you did a good job!!!

Next stop was the top of Monarch Pass where we met a wonderful couple, Ann & Jerry.  They live in Denver and are taking some time off to bike into Western Colorado.

I approached them to ask for a photo of the two of them with their impressive Harley Vulcan.  And they said they were just admiring our coach across the highway.  We are now an official Mutual Admiration Society.

 Coming down from Monarch Pass heading west is amazing enough.  And then you hit the Blue Mesa Reservoir and this fantastic feat of nature by God's hand.


Formed by volcanic eruption eons ago and erosion of the softer soils around the hard lava creates a cathedral like effect.

While Jim photographed from all angles Mona and I just sat nearby and contemplated the Maker's joy in giving us such a world to discover.

Our final stop, at about 6:30 pm, was our campground just north of Ouray, Colorado.  the gateway into the Telluride Valley. We are staying at a very comfortable KOA for these two nights. 

And one thing that makes it so comfortable is Dave and the crew he works with!  You see, this KOA has a wonderful creek side restaurant and tonight was their weekly BBQ.  We enjoyed chicken fried steak (It was good but Mona says NOTHING touches her cousin Charlene's!) and the most delectable brisket I think I've ever had.

 After that great meal we needed a walk so we traipsed about the area taking pictures and sayin' 'HI!' to folks we met.

We watched the last of the sun on the snow covered mountaintops.

The moon is a sliver tonight, so Jim is out as I type hoping to grab some great shots of the milky way.

 Mona and I are hoping to catch a few shots of serious shut eye.  This retirement stuff can be TIRING! And most enjoyable.

-Ken

PS:  Jim returned just before I toddled off to bed and this was the result of his night time trek: