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August 04, 2022

The Route to Denver … and TWINS

July 28th was a travel day as the family wished each other well and safe travels, after our time in Shasta.  All are now safely home, except us.  We have another 6 weeks, or so.

Our next stop is Denver either via I 80 or via US 50.  It was an easy decision to take US 50 … “the Loneliest Road in America” ... again!

We stopped in Alturas for diesel and a good thing as the next diesel was in Fernley 220 miles distant.

We came this route to see the Fly Geyser.

Fly Geyser

The Geyser has always been on private property, which is now in the hands of Friends of Black Rock (aka Burning Man).  One of the Tenants of Burning Man is Immediacy, which was fairly strictly enforced on Fly Ranch, where my camera was returned to the RV.

Silly as one of the artwork pieces was a 40’ Narwhal Whale easily seen from the road ... but no pictures allowed ... They have satellite Internet, but a point and click camera is forbidden ...

I asked if the photos on the web had been enhanced with Photoshop.  Our docent was quite firm that she has not seen any that have been.  The geyser changes colors with the seasons.  It's green and more robust in the spring, more rust in the summer with a lesser flow, more white with steam that cam be seen for miles in the winter.

web photos
No matter the season the water temperature is 175F.  There is no sulfur content, hence no unpleasant smell.

Gerlach was in full crunch mode with 80,000 guests coming for Burning Man, just a few weeks away.

Elon Musk is a big fan of Burning Man and  is hosting it again this year.  He has donated StarLink devices for use at the event and at Fly Ranch.  He has also provided equipment, including a tractor, to help it become self sustaining.  There is a lot of info on the web if you want to do your own Google search.  

There’s a lot of info available on Nevada US 50.  We did it last year in 4 days.  That blog is HERE

We zipped all the way to Cold Springs Station RV Park <website is not secure>.  Sorry the pictures did not turn out.  The camera settings were totally messed up … one too many drops.   There are a dozen FHU sites for rigs of any size, a restaurant with a full service bar and good WiFi.  The WiFi is not secured, but I use Norton’s Secure VPN.

We stopped at the Hickison Petroglyph Site a great spot for a leg stretch.

There is a campground with a host there. But alas no trail brochure for the interpretive trail.


The trail passes unusual rock formations with some very faint glyphs

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Then climbs to a viewpoint

The trail forms a loop as it returns to the parking lot where there is a special set of glyphs on a large rock.


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Our next stop was Green River UT for fuel and melons.  We’ve had great luck with the Vetere Melons and have not used another vendor.

They are honest and expect the customer to be so too

in addition to the Honeydew and Cantaloupe, we always get their watermelon.  We added a ‘black watermelon’ as the the staff said it was best suited to survive the trip to Ohio.

We stopped in Grand Junction for the night at a newer RV park.  Canyon View RV Resort

The gravel sites are large, each with a concrete patio and picnic table.  Some even with a private dog enclosure.

our site backed up to I-70, but with the wall freeway noise was not a problem.

Free Pickleball lessons are offered twice a week.  Fran was the first to signup!

After some basics and drills it was time to play.

One thing we learned was how to know which side serves first.  The game was first played on Bainbridge Island near Seattle, hence the side closest to Seattle serves first.

This is a 5 star place, for instance the showers are your own private bath room.

Oh yeah, it is totally Fran approved!

If we had not stopped for the Fly Geyser we could have been in Palisade for the Sunday morning farmers market.  

But it was a good one-n-done stop.  Not to worry the Palisade west slope peaches are readily available.


As was the Olathe Sweet Corn.

Our last stop was again at FS Heaton Bay Campground.  I lucked into a nice site in an Aspen Cathedral.

No hookups, but a strong cell signal.  A local humming bird checked on us.  Totally Jeff approved.

We pass the Littleton Golf/Tennis Club on the way to Chatfield State Park.

A nice stop for Fran to hit a bucket of balls.

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We’ll be at Chatfield State Park for a few days, as we need to do some laundry and meet those twins!  If Chatfield is in your overnight plans, be prepared that very few sites offer shade.

TWINS

We've met Lucca a few times before.  We brought her a couple books and a dozen socks.  She so loved the socks!



Is that 'Double the trouble', or 'Twice thee fun'?

Fran is getting an idea of a what it might be like for a busy mom.

Identical twins Robin and Rowan

Rowan konks out while I feed Robin

What a great pleasure to hold and feed them.  They did not fuss in the least.  After feeding Robin fell asleep, with a soft snore like a kitten purring.

We are now making good time to Ohio.  With an engine check light indicating EGR error.  UGH!

13 comments:

  1. It’s Gay…Lucca has sure grown since last years photos. You can never go wrong with books and socks! The twins are so cute and I love their names. You and Fran look right at home with sleeping babies and bottles. The Geyser sounds interesting…especially the changing colors part. My mouth is watering…sure do enjoy those Green River melons, Olathe corn and really, really love the Palisade peaches! Yum, yum! FYI…did you know Crystal Geyser is very near Green River? And Ray’s Tavern in Green River serves up up some awesome burgers ( or at least they did a few years ago)?

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    1. We certainly enjoyed our visit with the twins. Lucca loved her socks and the attention. One’n’done on the Fly Geyser. Thanks for tips on the Crystal Geyser and burgers

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  3. The twins are adorable, as is Lucca! Congratulations! Who doesn't love books and socks.

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    1. We did not expect Lucca to be so enchanted with those socks! She's such a cutie, and got the siblings names right most of the time :)

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  4. The gyser is cool but I don't get the whole Burning man thing, too many people. Rather see the petroglyphs, or those adorable twins.

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    1. I do not see the appeal of Burning Man, but 80,000 tickets have been sold. Good to view the Fly Geyser before the event. Yes those twins are adorable and so tiny

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  5. Jodee GravelAugust 07, 2022

    That is certainly a unique geyser, camera-shy as it might be (weird). Burning Man has become the opposite of its beginnings I'm afraid. Mainstream, funded by a billionaire, thousands of tickets - ugh. We've yet to do the lonely road and really need to get 'er done! Lucca and Rowan and Robin are adorable - what treat to spend time with them.

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    1. We've done the Lonely Road twice now and we'd do it again. i know you're the planner so plan it and enjoy! I'd say skip Aug the geyser is a bit weak, Spring would be better and for sure avoid Burning Man!
      Lucca and her twin siblings are just as awesome as it gets! What a fun visit!

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  6. I just saw this blog post, hmmmm.....Looks like the drive has been interesting and I love staying at Heaton Bay campground. We spent many weeks at Chatfield when Jesse still lived in Denver, some sites are better than others! The twins are just precious as is their big sister, so nice that you got to see them while they are still so tiny. That sweet corn looks soooo good. We've been eating "grocery store" sweet corn here, and we're really missing those little local roadside stands back in New York. Corn offered for sale minutes after it was picked, perfectly ripe. It's just not the same.

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    1. For sure many sites at Chatfield do not have much shade, but it does have a great location. Lucca will be a great big sister to her twin brothers.
      We also recall those fabulous roadside stands in NY. So fresh, we picked up what we needed and left cash in a coffee can. Today we are off to a Sweetcorn Festival in Fairborn OH. Anxious to see how that compares.
      Our best to you, Dave and Lew

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  7. It's nice that you always manage to find interesting points along your trip, no matter how desolate the road appears to be. Do you ever try to figure out why the Native Americans picked any particular place to carve their petroglyphs? It takes a while to complete the art so the location of petroglyphs also designate a more long term habitation site.

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    1. Thanks, Jeff. I agree it takes time to create the petroglyphs and I always look for moteros, but only occasionally find them.

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