Las Vegas

What a difference 20+ degrees make. We are now currently staying in Las Vegas, NV and the current temperature is 70+ degrees. It is still not warm enough for me to wear shorts, but short sleeve t-shirts are comfortable. So far we have been to Fremont Street, the Hard Rock Cafe, and visited a chocolate factory (always a favorite with a chocoholic).

We have decided to stay in Las Vegas thru Thanksgiving. Joe might be considering how to cook a little turkey in our little oven. Could be interesting. Will have to keep you posted on what we decide to do about Thanksgiving dinner.

Bryce Canyon

During our stay in Utah, in additon to going to Zion NP, we also went to Bryce Canyon, again right after it snowed. Temperatures got up to the 40's. COLD COLD COLD No matter the temperature, the views were fantastic. I thought we were going south to avoid the snow and winter conditions. Just had to stop and see one of this country's natural phenomenon. One of the spires, which are called hoodoo's is called Thor's Hammer. I absolutely do not understand how this rock stays balanced thru all kinds of weather. Mind you that it is on top of one of those hoodoos.

Kolob Canyons in Zion National Park

Today we visited the Kolob Canyons part of Zion National Park, the following pictures are just a few of the many large red rock mountains of Zion National Park. There was a light dusting of snow that fell during the night.

They had a little snow from Monday in the campground near Cedar City where we are staying for the next week. The campground is called Red Ledge and is a Passport America Campground. After the first night the rest of the week is at half price or just over $10 per night.

Pogo Agie River and Mountain Men

We finally left Denver on Nov 2nd and traveled to Riverton Wyoming. We had a very nice visit with Joe’s mother, Dorothy; Sister Mary and brother-in-law Mel. We also dusted off our GPS units and went searching for GEO Caches and of course treasures that we could not live without. We left Riverton on Monday Nov 8th and traveled west too Lander, crossed the Pogo Agie River and over South Pass. South Pass is near where the Oregon Trail crossed the Continental Divide. The Pogo Agie River, Riverton, and Lander areas have history dating back to the mountain man era.

1829 Rendezvous – Lander, Wyoming

N42° 51' 06.4" W108° 41' 45.5"

1829 rendezvous on the Popo Agie (Popoasia, Little Wind River) north of Lander, Wyoming was the first rendezvous held east of the Continental Divide. There was a small gathering of mountain men on the Popo Agie, and as soon as the trading was concluded, Sublette left for Pierre's Hole in Idaho with the remaining trade goods. Sublette traveled over Togwotee Pass into Jackson Hole and then over Teton Pass into Pierre's Hole. There he found Jedediah Smith, who had been in the Oregon Country for two years, and David Jackson. Robert Newell recorded that at this second rendezvous there was one hundred and seventy-five mountain men.

1830 & 1838 Rendezvous – Riverton, Wyoming

N43° 0' 44.7" W108° 21' 39.2"

The 1830 supply caravan, led by William Sublette, consisted of eighty-one men on mules, ten wagons drawn by five mules each, two Deerborn carriages, twelve head of cattle, and a milk cow. Sublette left St. Louis on April 10th and arrived in the Wind River Basin on July 16th. The supply caravan averaged fifteen- to twenty-five miles a day. Sublette stopped for a rest on July 4th, 1830 at a large rock outcropping on the Sweetwater River. The rock is called Independence Rock.
The Smith, Jackson and Sublette firm collected one hundred and seventy packs of furs with a value of eighty-four thousand four hundred and ninety-nine dollars. This was the firm's most profitable year, but the partners had concerns over the future viability of the fur trade. At the Riverton rendezvous of 1830, Smith, Jackson, and Sublette sold out to a partnership of Thomas Fitzpatrick, James Bridger, Milton Sublette, Henry Fraeb, and Jean Gervias, but William Sublette remained the St. Louis supplier for the rendezvous.
Fitzpatrick, Bridger, Sublette, Fraeb, and Gervias named the new company the Rocky Mountain Fur Company. Although the term Rocky Mountain Fur Company is widely used in fur trade history, the period from 1830 to 1834 is the only time that there was an actual company called the Rocky Mountain Fur Company.

Closing note:
We know a mountain man named “Three Rivers” he can mix clear water from the Pogo Agie River, and two other rivers in order to get a orange colored liquid.

Fall in Golden Colorado

We are nearing the end of our work at Dakota Ridge RV Park, our last day of work will be October 30th.

We will be leaving here early November, our current plans are to visit Joe's mother in Wyoming for a few days or week if weather permits. From Riverton we will go south through Utah and Nevada too Arizona. We will spend most of the winter in Arizona this year and go to Texas in February and March.

Then in April of next year we will come back to Colorado and will be working at Chalk Creek Campground next summer. Chalk Creek Campground is in Nathrop Colorado, which is five miles south of Buena Vista. Nathrop is at the foot of the Collegiate peaks in central Colorado and along the Arkansas River. This area of Colorado has some great fishing, river rafting, and hiking trails. Nathrop is 110 miles southwest of Denver, and 90 miles west of Colorado Springs.

Dakota Ridge RV Park

We have arrived back in the Denver area and are at Dakota Ridge RV Park in Golden, Colorado. We have started our part time job as workampers, and so far we enjoy the work. Osaka and Kyota have adjusted to living in the 5th wheel trailer. The RV Park is adjacent to trails that access the northern section of Dakota Ridge (hogback) that is north of Interstate Highway 70.

Our work schedule is currently 3 day on and 3 days off. This may change as the busy season this summer. Sandi is working inside the office and checking in guests and taking reservations. I am outside and start the day with a site check, and collect trash set out by the guests. The rest of my day is pumping propane, escorting guests, and maintance.

So far I love the job and will enjoy the work here.

Branson, Missouri

We stayed at a wonderful campground called Branson Shenanigans RV Park in the heart of Branson. It was within walking distance of several shows and the main strip. The campground was in a forest setting and you could not see any of the city that surrounded the campground. There was a tree blooming just outside our door.

We went to see Tony Roi and the Elvis Experience and yes he was an Elvis impersonator with the looks, the moves and the voice. It was one of the best performances that Joe and I have seen. There were so many different shows that it was really hard to pick.

We also went to Table Rock Lake which is very near Branson. We took the dogs on a walk along the Table Rock Lakeshore trail and had a picnic lunch there too.

Next stop will be Colorado Springs.