It Takes A Team

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5/6/10, Durango, CO - The team traveled through a lot of traffic today, but did a good job, bringing us to a nice resting place for the evening.

US Route 160, from Bayfield to Durango was a busy road, with only two lanes for most of the distance, and little or no shoulders.  The first big obstacle we hit was a few miles down the road, at a construction area. It would have been tough to traverse, but the good folks that were there directing traffic stepped up to the plate and helped out a lot.  All the way across the construction zone and up the steep hill on the far side, we had an escort vehicle that slowed or stopped traffic.  A big ‘thank you’ goes out to the construction workers who helped out.

I thought it was pretty cool that we were setting off the automatic wildlife detection monitors.  B.O.B. had something to say about this, “The machines definitely need to be re-calibrated. Last week we were running free, and true wildlife; this week we’re just domesticated beast of burden.”

A reporter from the Durango Newspaper caught up with me for the story and some pictures. When I reached the outskirts of Durango, I made a couple of stops for supplies.  First we grabbed some gas and water at a gas station. The reporter also stopped there and took a few more pictures.  Most of the time when I ask a reporter if they want to take a Pulitzer Prize winning shot, they turn tail and run - not this one.  I got him to lay down between the front of the Belgians and take a picture shooting upwards.  It was nice meeting someone as crazy as me.  My second stop was for a few bags of oats at the grain store.

The kids were getting out of school when I reached Durango, so I stopped and let some of the girls pet the horses.  My destination in Durango was the Post Office, where I had some mail sent to me ‘General Delivery’ - The post office still does that!  When I got to downtown Durango, I parked the team in front of the parking meters and slipped a couple of dimes in one. Instantly, a meter-man was there, saying, “You can’t do that”. I asked him why I couldn’t; and this triggered a short discussion, after which he walked away.  But, before he left, he made sure I put coins in the other three meters I was parked in front of.  I was a good boy and made sure I didn’t walk into the post office, when an upset meter man was back with the team. I didn’t want to give him an excuse to have my horses towed!

Durango - a very pleasant city; but, one that has a grouchy meter man. But, then again; if I had to go through life writing parking tickets, I would get grouchy too.

With my package of letters in hand (thanks Dave), I hightailed it out of town. There were entirely too many people occupying too small a space.

‘Ol Doc sure turns on the charm when he gets a pat and a pet from a little girl.

I ended up camping at a turnout, about 4 miles west of Durango.  A lot of people stopped by to say ‘Hello’, including several families with kids. I ended up having a very pleasant supper with Erika and two of her children. Some good elk steaks, a little wine, a pretty girl, and a couple of fun kids is an instant recipe for a very nice evening.

Doc, in training to break his old record of 5 kids on his back.

Tomorrow, I’m heading west once more.  When I get to the town of Mancos (in a coupe of days), I think I’ll bypass Cortez by taking the road to Dolores - I’ve had about enough of the congestion around bigger towns.

Just as I was taking this picture, B.O.B. accidentally pinched the little boy’s finger.  With the whole hand and the carrot in the mouth, it hard to differentiate between carrots and fingers. His mother wrote, and he’s over it now.  Actually, he’s showing off one of my business cards and bragging up the whole thing.

Doc’s not sure if the kids are coming or going.

Sometimes, he’s not even sure if their awake!