It Takes A Team

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6/7/10, Dallas Creek, CO - The team put in a good day and we’re currently at the junction of State route 62 and the Dallas Creek National Forest Access Road.

My first stop, after leaving camp, was 3 miles down the road for coffee. The previous evening I had been invited to stop and see some folks and rest the team.  Since it was already getting warm, the boys enjoyed the rest, while I went in for some coffee and socializing.

All day long, I kept meeting some real nice people, including Max, a good friend of my long time pal Chris.

Stopping for lunch by Ridgway State Park.  It was just north of here that was the setting for the gun battle in the latest ‘Top Hand’ story that I wrote - ‘That’s How the West Was’

In the afternoon, I stopped for generator gas and beer in the town of Ridgway. (If you like a good fresh tasting lager beer, try ‘211 - Steel Reserve’).  Not only is it real good, it’s also pretty cheap. While in Ridgway, the Town Marshall drove by several times and waved. He also did a good job at keeping traffic moving safely around the wagon.  I found a pretty good camping spot along the road, near the junction with the National Forest Access road. Not long after I set up, Ralph, who lives on the adjacent property, gave me an electrical plug-in and a corral for the horses.  So, right now, we’re all sitting in Fat City.

Ralph also provided me with a place to store the trailer before I head up the Access Road. Converting into a ‘Lean Mountain Mode’ will help out a lot before heading into the hills.  But this time, I’m also going to carry a sheet of plywood and a rope for crossing cattle guards. And, remembering Bill’s bony back, I’m going to throw a saddle in the wagon too.

The team munching grass alongside the road.  Across the road, there was a nice spring, that was piped under the road, with the outlet inside the playpen.  Before dark, I moved the team into Ralph’s corral, via a gate in the fence line.

My plan for crossing the cattle guard, is to wire down the sheet of plywood, walk the team across, one at a time, then use a single horse to pull the wagon across the cattle guard with a rope.  Since the cattle guard is 6 feet wide, it would take two sheets of plywood to just drive them across.

The access road is about 10 miles long, during which I should climb almost 2000 feet in elevation, to about 9500 feet above sea level. After I set up camp, I plan on riding Bill up to a meadow above my beaver pond and let the other two amigos tag along.  Since I can’t get the horses down to the pond, they’ll have to stay tied in the meadow while I fish,

Since cell phone and internet is nonexistent around here, the only way I’ll have to post this blog tomorrow, is if I find an unsecured Wifi on the way up. We’ll see!