CHAIR

Several years ago, while camped in Trujillo Meadows, located in South Central Colorado near the New Mexico State line, we inherited a chair. Geri and Chuck forgot it by the campfire when they left to continue their trip. Years have passed, and though we communicate on a regular basis, and have had several near misses, we still haven’t had a chance to return the chair.

As you can see, we have put it to good use, and, have nearly worn it out.

It is beginning to show wear around the edges.

Sun is fading it, and I am quite sure that as many campfires as it has seen, probably smells like smoke.

The arm rests are frayed and the back rest is swayed.

Geri and Chuck, your chair is nearly used up ! We have faithfully and diligently stored and transported your chair for you, but now it ain’t much punkin’. Please remember that inflation has ran cost up when you send money to us to buy a replacement chair !

He, he, I hope that every one realizes that this is a long standing joke that we have enjoyed with Chuck and Geri ! We write about the chair from time to time to trot out a old and valued joke that we share.

Chuck, we will take cash, check or money order !!!

BREEZE

The morning’s chores are done, the campfire poked up, awning ran out and a bonus, mid morning cup of coffee sit’s on the folding chair’s table arm. A Macadamia Nut and White chocolate cookie wrapper is beside the nearly empty coffee cup. It is Friday and early arrivals are already starting to filter in.

Greeting each new arrival with a hearty “Hello, welcome to Roaring Fork”, do you have a reservation that I can help you find ? Or, maybe, “ are you finding everything that you need ?

The task at hand is similar to what a door greeter at Wal Mart does, except that I am in a al&l hat, tee shirt with name tag and cargo shorts with sandals. And sitting in a camo folding chair.

This evening we begin the process of rounding up our plunder to get ready to move to our regular assignment for the Summer.

DODGING

Seems as though where ever we are at on our work camping tour around America’s Heartland, we be a’ dodgin’ !

Coming across Oklahoma on interstate forty during this trip West, we either sped up, drove longer days or slowed down to stay well clear of tornadic activity that we were monitoring  several ways, including the internet.

To get to our campground this Spring, we had to dodge around a couple of snow closed passes.

Today’s thing that we are monitoring is a nearby forest fire that we may have to dodge, should the wind shift direction.

Next week there may well be a whole new situation that we are monitoring, just incase we need to dodge something or other.

Wow ! That’s a pretty good excuse to have lots of cool electronic toys laying around !

STREAMS

As the melting snow swells the small rivulets into increasingly larger streams, and they make their way into Granby Lake, cool stuff happens.

One stream joins another,

then another. All the while the waterfall in the background begins to increase in it’s roar. As good of dam builders as Beavers are, they cannot build to withstand the relentless onslaught.

Before long the stream crosses under the hiking trail foot bridge.

The Beavers live nearby in comfort. Here is a look at their house.

The lake seemed to have risen more than the usual foot a day rate, when we looked yesterday. Click any photo for a closer view.

RISING

In the Rocky Mountain Spring time, the wind shifts to the South West. This warm breeze coming up from the dessert South West accelerates the snow melt off, up at high elevations. The rivers swell with the run off and soon the lakes are rising.

Our campground gets it’s name from that runoff cascading down the nearby waterfall.

The campground is on the shoreline of  Lake Granby. Here is how it looks on the map.

Our campground is located to the far right at the East end of Arapaho Bay. Here is a look at the lake level.

Does it seem like the lake is really low ? Right, but then consider what the Ranger told me the other day. The lake is rising at a rate of a foot each day ! Woo Hoo ! Now, that’s a lot of snow meltin’ off ! At that rate we will soon be fishing from our door step !

OUTHOUSE

There are seven outhouses scattered out among the three campgrounds here in Arapaho Bay. The three campgrounds are, Big Rock, Moriane and Roaring fork where we are camped. It is named Roaring Fork because of the steady, sonorous roar of the water fall nearby. Here is a look at the outhouses that are here.

 

Those large black pipes at the back wall get warm in the sunlight and vent all odor as long as the seat lid is shut. HEY ! A outhouse with dual exhaust ! Pretty cool stuff !

Now, I used to hear the big boys talk about something or other being built like a brick outhouse, but it is hard to imagine anything being fancier than these are !