CDR 2011-Shadow of the Rockies
We are off road enthusiasts who enjoy the great outdoors and the adventure of exploring new places.
Many things make up a great expedition. The preparations and the planning, the camping, the travel, the camaraderie, meeting new friends, challenging trails and seeing new sights around every corner are just a few reasons we enjoy it so much.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
Last day of our expedition.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Today was a long one. We left camp and went back into Prescott to visit Overland Journal. Scott, Jeremy al all the others were there. Great bunch. We also visited Adventure Trailers and drooled over the ones in the process of being built.
Sunday, September 18, 2011
On our way home
Friday, September 16, 2011
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
Day 17
Monday, September 12, 2011
Day 16
Friday, September 9, 2011
Day 15 CDR-Sept. 9
This is the sixth camp where there has been no cell or broadband service. I haven’t been able to update the blog since Sept. 3. Thanks for your patience. We are hoping to have service when we arrive in Cuba, NM. And possibly get a motel for the night. We are thinking it may be to our advantage to spend the extra time getting prepared for the long, remote and isolated treks across New Mexico. Food, fuel and water are supplies that we will most likely not be able to replenish very often in the coming days. Once we leave Cuba, it will be at least Grants. NM before we are able to re-supply.
Today may be a short travel day as we are only about 50-60 miles away from Cuba, NM. Not certain of the travel time account the forest roads in the Santa FE Natl. Forest are not the best maintained we have seen. Most of them have to be traversed in low range 4x4 due to the rocky conditions.
When we found this campsite we needed to rebuild the fire ring and gather a lot of firewood. We try to have a nice fire every night to cook on and to sit around after supper. Of course, the dry conditions dictate how, when and where we have a fire. This hasn’t been a problem yet but we are always aware of the danger of a camp fire in the forest.
A big enjoyment during this expedition is in the evening when we all relax around the fire and talk about the day or anything else that comes up.
This may be the last day that Marcus, Rob and Ben will be with us. They must return to Lincoln for work. It has been great having them be a part of the expedition. They need a bigger tent however. :O)
The trip from this campsite toward Cuba could be called “The day in the mist”. Coming down out of the mountains of the Santa Fe National Forest was an experience few get to see.
We arrived in Cuba just a bit after lunch so we refueled, found a motel and ate at one of the best Mexican restaurants we have seen. The name is El Bruno’s Restaurante. www.elbrunos.com
If you are ever in Cuba, NM and you like Mexican food, this is the place to eat. Guacamole made right at your table, they cut the fresh avacodos and mix in the spices right in front of you, salsa that is tasty, sopapillas that are fluffy and soft and served with honey. Every meal we ordered was delicious. The staff were very attentative and excellent servers who catered to our every need. On a scale of 1 to 100 they are about a 125.
We will have time to do some sorely needed laundry and get a hot shower we all need badly.
Marcus, Rob and Ben left us today for home. It was great to have them from Rawlins, WY to Cuba, NM. We all hope they have a safe trip home.
CDR Day 14-Sept. 8
The steaks were fantastic and the bakes potatoes were yummy with all the trimmings. Beautiful night and an even more beautiful morning. This is a very isolated and quiet camp. Sleep came easy. The range cattle were a bit upset in the morning when they found us in one of their favorite meadows. Sorry, we were here first.
Last night Matt and I discussed the possibility of getting a cheap motel in Cuba, NM. We agreed that today we would make it to the mountains and old growth forest east of Cuba and then the next day get rooms and do laundry, update everything on the internet and TAKE A HOT SHOWER.
We drove from our campsite south of Del Norte CO. toward Pagosa Springs CO. all on forest roads and entered New Mexico northeast of Chama, NM. We ducked into Chama for fuel and a bit of lunch. Then it was back south on the forest roads to Los Pinos, Tres Pieadras, Petaca, El Rito and stopped for fuel in Abiquiu. From there we went back into the Santa Fe Natl Forest and continued southwest until we made camp on a high meadow north east of Cuba. We have been fortunate in that we have been able to find remote areas where we can have dispersed camp sites without neighbors. Unless you count range cows as neighbors.
I hope we have upheld the traditions of the Off Road Camping Club (ORCC) since we have certainly camped off road as much as we can.
CDR Day 13- Sept 7
Getting a good nights sleep and waking up to the sun peeking over Bennet Peak, we broke camp so we could continue south. We worked our way across country again on forest service roads toward Chama.
We found a camp site not too long after in a small quiet meadow at nearly 11,000 feet. New York Strip steaks and baked potatoes tonight courtesy of Matt Hunt.
We re-provisioned in Chama on the way through account the trip from here to at least Grants will be long, dusty and with no way to get supplies.
CDR Day 12-Sept 6