Monday June 22

Moved from Durango to Williams Creek Campground north of Pagosa Springs, CO. The road into the forest is about 20 north of PS and a little rough. It was good to arrive at the campground and realize it is open this year. There are several sites to choose from but chose one on the river and near one of the toilets. Our neighbors were not close and everyone was very quiet and we enjoyed three days in the mountains and on the river. Beautiful views and peaceful running waters.

Through Sunday 21st

June19 - We ate breakfast at Sonja’s (Pop's favorite.) We took a little time off with a trip for groceries and to replace a part for the camp stove. The afternoon we visited Bolack Wildlife Museum. There is not a charge but appointments must be made. The museum has an extensive collection of wildlife from around the world. Most Mr. Bolack or his son killed or were mercy kills and donated to his collection. A few were given to him. He was a self-made oil man. His son has taken over the collection and maintains it well. We ate pizza for dinner and washed the car. Returning, we spent the night again at Pop’s. June 20 – Fixed breakfast in the Snail, Sportsman Warehouse again for supplies and headed for Durango. We checked in at Durango KOA at the proper time and set up camp. Lunch was a Simply Texas Barbeque. We choose to drive to several of the campgrounds in the forest which proved interesting. Junction Creek is a drive up the mountain on a very narrow road to a lovely campground with several loops and sites close together with a lot of forest vegetarian around. The Host couple were in a Casita who were cleaning up after a dutch oven dinner. We decided that the road was a little (way too) narrow for meeting another vehicle. I was hardy comfortable in the car. Next was a stop at Appaloosa Trading Post. Very interesting place. The gentleman who owns and designs fabulous decorative items and belts. I NEEDED a new belt. June 21 is Sunday Pancake breakfast at the KOA. W/strawberries and whipped cream. I left my prescriptions to be filled at the Walmart and headed for church. Upon returning I had to address my insurance claim, etc. frustrating. Got them finally. Small lunch at the Snail. We were off to the Southern Ute Cultural Center with the misconception that since it was Summer Solstice there would be activities. None at all. It has a lovely museum. It dealt largely with the children who were removed from home and housed away from village for educational purposes (brain washed and not allowed to speak their own language. We checked out several other campgrounds in the forest which meant we mostly rode around in the forest.

June 18 / 19

June18 Returned to the Jemez Cutural Center, bought fry bread and oven bread from a Native lady. We ended up a Farmington by way of Jemez Springs as to avoid the gravel road from Lake Fenton to Cuba. We camped at Mom and Pop’s RV even though Mom is deceased. He was a character and told us all the places to go and see. Cleanest restrooms and showers. After a few days of dry camping I really want a long hot shower not having to spare the hot water. The Snail has a pretty good shower but rationing water is tough. Pop cast small figurines and paints them. He has an extensive village display in the yard. Reminds me of the Mr. Johnson's view of Cameron. We traveled to Gallup for Navajo Pearls at the Thunderbird Warehouse and returned by way of Bastie Badlands. The road getting there was horrible and parking at the trail head was a little “spookey.” We walked a little way but soon chose to NOT wander too far into the badlands. There was a car in the parking area with no sign of anyone around. It is a strange place and at late evening the hoodoos did not seem to have dimension and life to them. The photos proved me wrong. Across the road is a sand dune that just doesn't look like it belongs.

We spent the night at Pop's.

A few other pics of Valle Caldera. You can tell I loved being on this National Preserve. The flowers were beautiful and everything except the burned trees were such a beautiful green. The rain also made the roads muddy. The black rocks are obsidian. This is on the Obsidian Trail. I have buckets of these stones that Daddy and Mother picked up in creek beds. They are called Apache Tears in the Gila.

From June 17 A couple of extra photos of Valle Caldera. Many movies and TV series have been filmed here and the list is too long to list. Lately some episodes of Longmire were done at the house. Back in the '90s I watched from the road while a wagon was working it's way across the valley toward the house. That filming was exciting to me as though it was real.

Other views of the tipi used in the Lone Ranger. It is pretty authentic except the fire pit was wrong or at least different from the way the Crow Nation showed me.

June 17 – We returned to Valle Caldera to hike several trails. We were careful and did part of 3 hikes. We watched the clouds and our bodies let us know when it was time to return to the car. Beautiful trails and not really well established as in the well maintained and used parts of National Forest Trails. We spent the day and returned at the end of the day for a good supper in camp and visited with a couple from Minnesota who were traveling on bikes.

June 15 – Full of culture today. Did our laundry, bought groceries and gas, and hooked up to travel to the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center. A fabulous museum which addressed every pueblo in the area. I loved to see the pottery of Maria the Potter of San Ildefonso in partnership with her husband, son Popovi, grandson Toni and those donated by her daughter-in-law, Anita Da. There is a better representation here than in the Smithsonian. We left Albuquerque and headed up the canyon to the forest and Jemez Falls Campground. The Jemez Cultural Museum called us in. Very helpful young lady gave us lots of advice about the area. We are IN THE FOREST.

We got set up with anticipation for visiting the Valle Caldera Wilderness in the morning. June 16 – It is like real camping now. I fixed us a great breakfast for campers. Our first hike was to Jemez Falls whose trail head is within the campground. It is beautiful and a lovely hike.

From there we drove on to Valle Caldera. We got there and checked in by 11:30. Such an amazing place which goes back to a Spanish Land Grant. For years I have passed this 100,000 acre beauty and wished I could go in. Twice I have seen movies being made in the valley and in front of an old house. The USA has now purchased the property from a trust. It took time to decide if it would be run by the National Park Service or Forest Service.

We drove the roads just to feel the vastness of the valley and check out the possibility of hikes for the next day and snacked on apples and cheese. We had rain, lightening and the roads were muddy. There is supposed to be great fishing in the streams that run through the property. We pulled out around 5 but not before we photographed the tipi used in the Lone Ranger by Johnny Depp.

We had a good supper and rested up for the next day which would start early.