Its MAGIC!

We decided to leave Frog a second night away from Toad.  She needed a third day to get everything ship shape, the new refrigerator cooled down, and the levelers finally adjusted.

Also, the front AC cowling is being next day shipped all custom painted by the Denver Body Shop just this Thursday or Friday so it won't be able to be installed till Saturday or Sunday.  We are really looking forward to returning to the Stratmoor UMC to camp and attend Sunday service a third time. Then, hopefully Monday morning, we can make our way to the long awaited Kit Carson, CO visit, and on east into Kansas, etc.

A long BNSF coal train pointed west for Pueblo's mills,
diesels snoring lightly across route 50 from our hotel tonight.

So tonight we are staying at La Junta's Hampton Inn (No Marriott's here).  I know Lenny C, the pool and hot tub (all to ourselves this evening too!) are not something we get when dry camping. But we both miss our own bed, and home. Even though it is only 400 square feet big.




Today we visited several of Pueblo's heritage museums.  This town has ALOT of culture to offer, including a huge Children's Museum we chose not to spend time in. (one screaming 8 year old at the pool last night was sufficient.  Yes one. Screaming at his parents. Sad and awful at the same time. NOT emotionally challenged. Just spoiled).

The pictures will be gathered in albums on Facebook, but the day began with the...

...Union Station and B Street's 1800's business district.









Then the Southeast Colorado Heritage Museum housed in the old freight building of the Santa Fe RR.




Then the Pueblo Railroad Museum rolling stock across from the station.







Today Pueblo and Southeast Colorado is filled with thousands of people from over 30 different countries, including Japan and Hungary.  All originally imported by General Palmer of Colorado Springs fame in the 1870's for his soon to be huge 'Colorado Fuel and Iron Company'.

With its massive Bessemer Furnaces it would become the largest steel producing  area west of Pittsburgh.



But no longer. The old CFI HQ is empty, waiting to be turned into a museum.

Not unlike the Bethlehem Steel offices in Bethlehem, PA





In fact, Bob Simcox, just as your life work with Bethlehem, then Lukens, now Arcellermittal (Swiss, I believe- or is it Indian??) CFI was bought in the 90's by a Russian consortium and is now an EVRAZ company. There were over 10,000 workers in Pueblo at the CFI plant in 1980. There are 1,200 required in the EVRAZ plant. But at least its open and profitable.



Then we left the world of heavy industry and visited the Abrieto Business District of South Pueblo, what had been a predominantly Hispanic part of town and wonderfully flavored with that culture. AND Taffy's wonderful ICE CREAM, CANDY, and POPCORN shop!  A small Blue bell hard ice cream cone for me and a medium Black and White shake for Mona (hey- it was LUNCH!) and we were on our way out route 50 for the farmland of the Arkansas River Valley.

The ride to La Junta was uneventful.  Told to expect lots of farm fresh produce stands we have been spoiled by living in Lancaster County, PA, too long.  Yes, there were a few, but the fruit is a bit too early yet and hard and more expensive than it will be later in the year.  And I think we only counted 8 stands in 50 miles.  Not the 50 in 8 miles Lancaster County seems to offer. But there were libraries in every other small town, and a historic business district to at least drive slowly through in every one. And the plains, bluffs, rolling hills and farms and ranches of lovely Southeast Colorado to enjoy driving by.


La Junta (The Junction en Espanol) is where the Santa Fe trail coming from Missouri turns south toward Trinidad and Santa Fe itself. Its a major railroad junction as well, and home to several important archaeological sites and museums. And a library.  And a GREAT REAL Mexican eatery - Lucy's Tacos.

I missed 'Mr. E' today.
Mom and Son Kyle were keeping store

But the place I want to introduce to you, and the people, are Ed, Kathy, and Kyle Groves.  The Groves, along with son Kyle's family, have operated a marvelous magic business (take note Michael Reist) for over 30 years.  They travel all over the west offering the art of illusion to all ages, and in their Pueblo shop they have their own theater and stage to offer their own birthday parties to kids of all ages.  Oh, and they have a small but FREE magic and oddities museum on site!

And wonder of wonders boys and girls, Mona and I saw them perform last Saturday at the 5pm show in Cripple Creek, Colorado at the Teller County Fair and Rodeo! We even have a picture for you of Dr. E with some of his audience.

The 5 pm show at the Teller County Fair  in Cripple Creek, Co., this past Saturday
That's Kyle behind the cart with his elbow showing.
And a hapless volunteer just waiting to be embarrassed.
A thing Mr. E would NEVER DO.

 It was great to get to actually talk with them and learn a bit of their life traveling often away from home in Pueblo. They enjoyed learning of how we take our home with us wherever we go.  That's what makes the traveling life so enjoyable for us.


So after an expected full day tomorrow we'll be heading back to Colorado Springs to pick up FROG and let TOAD and she tell each other stories nose to nose in Stratmoor UMC's parking lot again.

Oh the things they've seen and the places they've gone to tell each other about!

We are just looking forward to the fresh breezes, and grassy park of Stratmoor again.  Ahhhhhhhhhh! And church one last time with good friends well met.

-Ken