Bob & Cindy's 2013 Travel Web Site
Back Side of the Tetons and Southwest Colorado
+ Lovely Lubbock for the Texas Tech/TCU Game
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So from Paradise Valley, Montana we made our way down into the Driggs, Idaho area to camp out at Teton Canyon Campground the week
before Labor Day. One of our favorite spots and almost empty the whole time we were there. Along the way we escaped the
fire smoke that had plagued us in Montana. The road into this place continues to get worse ... it took us about 40 minutes to
make it 5 miles down the dirt portion of the road ... one of the most heavily washboard and potholed roads we've been on but the rig
made it fine even if my patience did not.
The view of the back side of the Tetons heading down a crappy road to the campground. But the view makes it all worthwhile.
Sunset from the back of our camping spot on our first night. Little did we know this would be one of the last times we would
see the sun before leaving on the Sunday before Labor Day.
From our first hike ... a short one over the ridge into the valley behind the campground. Just nice views and pleasant weather.
We always left early before the showers started.
Our spot for lunch. This trail is the one we took in 2004 that leads up to Table Mountain ... a 4,000 foot elevation gain ...
not this time though. We were perfectly happy to take in the views!
Another day we went up to the Targhee Ski Area, we take the lift up to the top, then hike a ridge over to our "Julie Andrews" spot
... it's become sort of a tradition. But this is the view from the top overlooking the Driggs area where the wheat and potato
fields were being harvested.
And this is why we make this hike, it's just a perfect spot for lunch and contemplating how fortunate we are to do these things.
Storm clouds developing over the Tetons. We got rain every afternoon, sometimes into the night. Mornings were perfect.
Coming down the ridge from our picnic spot, Cindy does OK with her vertical issues on this one, but the altitude was getting to her,
it's about 11,000 feet.
After the Tetons we drove up to Island Park, Idaho to visit our dear friends, Larry and Gay Wood. It's become sort of another
tradition for us and we always appreciate the wonderful hospitality and friendship. As usual, we had lots of laughs and capped
it all off with watching Texas Tech win their opening football game on TV.
From Island Park we left on the Sunday before Labor Day and drove down through Provo, Utah and then to Grand Junction, Colorado.
On the Tuesday after Labor Day we pulled into Ridgway State Park, just outside Ridgway, Colorado to meet up with more good friends,
Jim and Donna Axelson, who were on their way back to Texas from a wonderful trip to Alaska in their RV. They had left Texas
in late May to start their adventure and were seasoned RV veterans by the time we saw them. We got to relive a lot of good memories
as they told stories about their many adventures, highlighted by a flyover of Mount McKinley.
I just wanted to show
our side trips also, A drive over Last Dollar Road from the Dallas Divide over to Telluride, a trip up the Million Dollar Highway
toward Silverton, and a tip over to Lake Vallecito from Durango to check out some potential camping spots.
Last Dollar Road, up and over the divide going to Telluride. Only a few rough spots due to rocky parts and some stream crossings.
It was a beautiful day, one of the few clear days we'd had.
Our lunch spot with views over the edge of the SW Colorado San Juan Mountains.
Lots of aspen trees ... next time we are back later in the season we will do this road again to see the fall color.
Lake Vallecito and surrounding mountains. It's a pretty spot, even with the lake as low as it is, but the campgrounds were in
need of some upgrading and leveling. We were expecting more. Too bad!
And from Durango we went down for one night in Santa Fe and then drove through torrential rains going over to Lubbock for the Tech/TCU
game. These were the same rains that moved on up into Colorado and caused the destructive flooding in the Estes Park region.
This is to show off the new video board at "The Jones".
The gang (minus a few latecomers) as we got ready for the game. My sister Susan and her husband Don on the right. Doug
Sanford (minus wife Kay) in the back, Somer (Susan is her godmother) and her daughter, Charlie Kay, with her husband Jeff in
the back. And then Rion and Cheryl Sanford.
Lots of excitement around the Tech program with Kingsbury as the new coach. The mascot is always a great treat for the alums.
This was a Thursday night game and it might give some additional exposure to the schools playing but it certainly takes away from
the traditional Saturday games. Just not as much time for everyone to get hyped up before the game and not as many out of town
people either. Even at that, it was a sell-out and the place was rockin'
And the best part was a Tech win (20-10) and a really exciting game also.
So this concludes another wonderful trip. The new rig did just fine and we think we will like this lifestyle going forward.
It's certainly more comfortable and easier to set up and and pick up and go. Pretty simple. Driving is comfortable except
in the wind but we heard that from a lot of motorhome users. We'll see, I'm sure there will be more adjustments. Thanks
for looking at our pictures, we enjoy sharing them. Best to all for a wonderful 2013.
Bob & Cindy Richards