We decided to go pick up some gold coins that G'ma Kurtz wants us all to take as an early inheritance. They were at Ross and Lerlyn's in Aztec, NM. Boy were we glad to go! They could have mailed them to us, but the idea of a trip was just too good to pass up! So we went! And it was SO wonderful. Wonderful to see them and visit, and wonderful to see all of the beautiful scenery we found along the way (and not so along the way). And we even listened to a Tony/Anita Hillerman book that takes place in this very area.
We left Thursday night and made it home Sunday afternoon just in time to get to our socially distanced ward council meeting. On the way there we went through Kanab, Page, Kayenta and then through Monument Valley, just along the highway. I called to see if Hovenweep National Monument was open and got the message that the staff weren't opening the Visitor's Center or campground, but that you were welcome to come and see the ruins trail - which we did. There was one couple leaving as we got there and we didn't see anyone else - just had the whole place to ourselves. (We had hoped to go to Mesa Verde, but they were closed, so this was a really nice substitute since we weren't expecting anything else instead.) It was such a cool little place. We enjoyed the whole thing and then headed out to take some back roads that got us to Durango, CO in time to get some dinner at the Wendy's drive-up. We took it over to the Fish Hatchery and ate it there on an available picnic table while deer walked around checking us out. The scenery along the way there was "to die for"! Then it was on to Ross and Lerlyn's for the night.
The next morning Ross had too much work, so they didn't join us on our day trip to Pagosa Spring/Blanco Basin. IT WAS SO BEAUTIFUL! We drove over to get a closer look at Chimney Rock National Monument, but weren't so lucky there - it was closed. Just got to see the rock from a distance and not the ruins. Then on to Blanco Basin...a place of so many wonderful youthful memories for Paul. It was perfect no coat weather with sun shining and snow melting on the majestic mountains all around us. The aspens were just coming out with their bright green leaves. We drove and walked around to our hearts content taking pictures constantly and just feeling like we were in the most beautiful place on earth. After we had to leave, we ate lunch at a park in Pagosa Springs and then headed back to Aztec for dinner with Ross and Lerlyn and an evening of visiting. They live way out of town in a beautiful, quiet place. They have a beautiful home and were wonderful hosts to us.
Saturday morning we needed to start heading home. We left and took the Durango, Silverton, Ouray, Montrose, Grand Junction, Green River, Richfield, Panguitch, Cedar Mountain way home. We stopped to pick up lunch to put in our ice chest in Durango and ate it outside of the Ouray Hot Springs Pool. The pool wasn't open yet, but it was so good to see it and all of the other wonderfulness along the way. We had stopped off at Molas Pass, drove though Silverton and checked out Bear Creek Falls along the way (and had a nap spot by Red Mountain). After lunch it was time to really start home...we went down out of the mountains to Montrose and then over to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. It was sort of open with the Rangers at tables handing out info outside the closed Visitor's Center. We drove the South Rim Trail and stopped at every awesome viewpoint along the way. We had been there with Paul's folks when we were first married, but I had no memory of it at all. It was magnificent and awesome combined! We stayed quite late and then ate dinner at a very authentic little Mexican place in Delta, CO. We decided we weren't going to make it home that night and went as far as we could til bedtime and stayed the night in Green River, CO.
The next morning we left by 8 am to make it home by a 2:00 meeting deadline. We stopped at a few viewpoints in the San Rafael Swell area. (We were hurrying, so it's bugs on the windshield pics.)
It was a wonderful chance to get out of town and enjoy some of our most favorite scenery and memory areas of our lives. It was WONDERFUL!!!
Saturday morning we needed to start heading home. We left and took the Durango, Silverton, Ouray, Montrose, Grand Junction, Green River, Richfield, Panguitch, Cedar Mountain way home. We stopped to pick up lunch to put in our ice chest in Durango and ate it outside of the Ouray Hot Springs Pool. The pool wasn't open yet, but it was so good to see it and all of the other wonderfulness along the way. We had stopped off at Molas Pass, drove though Silverton and checked out Bear Creek Falls along the way (and had a nap spot by Red Mountain). After lunch it was time to really start home...we went down out of the mountains to Montrose and then over to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. It was sort of open with the Rangers at tables handing out info outside the closed Visitor's Center. We drove the South Rim Trail and stopped at every awesome viewpoint along the way. We had been there with Paul's folks when we were first married, but I had no memory of it at all. It was magnificent and awesome combined! We stayed quite late and then ate dinner at a very authentic little Mexican place in Delta, CO. We decided we weren't going to make it home that night and went as far as we could til bedtime and stayed the night in Green River, CO.
It was a wonderful chance to get out of town and enjoy some of our most favorite scenery and memory areas of our lives. It was WONDERFUL!!!
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