Last Week in Colorado and an Earthquake in KS!

 

We arrive at Big Meadow campground early Friday morning and secure a site looking over the lake.  It’s still cool, a mist hangs over the mountains.  We are totally enchanted with this new campground.

 

The run off from the lake makes a lovely waterfall.

Part of the “Big Meadow”.

It begins to rain as soon as we start hiking.

It’s real cold that night. I wake up thinking a window must be open.  The next day a camp host informs us that it got down to 32 degrees.

Hmm.  Maybe it’s time to run the furnace? We have never left it on all night. But we have also never spent the night at 9,225 feet!

That next night we sleep warm after adjusting the thermostat to 53 degrees F.

 

Sylvester also enjoys this spot as there are numerous chipmunks darting through camp.

 

Two nights is all we want of the cold weather.  It’s gorgeous when the sun is out, but too cool for comfort every afternoon as the rain approaches.  And it is time to think about the rally in Kansas.  We head east on 160, stopping at a Passport America campground, Woods and River, where we pay $16 for a full hookup. The site is in Del Norte and it’s on the Rio Grande.

Rio Grande at Del Norte

John Martin Reservoir State Park in eastern Colorado is our destination on Monday, just a 200 mile drive.

 

 

We have time to grill turkey sausages and Brussel sprouts…a new combo for us.

After a long drive on small back roads we see civilization again at I-70. A blogger friend’s former home town has a city rv park, Ellis City Lake Park.  Thanks, Emily!

 

 

We sleep soundly after walking to town for pizza.

We are almost to Junction City, Kansas.  We are excited as many of our fiberglass friends are registered to attend the Kansas rally.  We pull into Farnum Creek two days before the Labor Day holiday weekend.  There are 7 big trailers in the camp but no cars.  We are the only ones here!

We know to enjoy the quiet while we can.  This is a favorite camping/fishing spot with the locals.

This area is known for its sunsets.

 

 

Now, the earthquake. 

It is just after 7 am on 9/3/2016. I am barely awake when the Escape’s roof starts receiving hits.  After 4 or 5 loud impacts I wonder if a squirrel is irate and throwing sticks at us. Before I can get out of bed to chase away the furry demon, the trailer starts to shake.  It was over in 10 to 15 seconds and, since our experience of earthquakes is limited, it takes a bit to realize that we have just been through an earthquake!  A 5.6 down in Oklahoma.

But no harm is done.

The holiday weekend ends tomorrow.  All the boats, fifth wheels, tents, dogs, locals and kids will disappear and several dozen little white trailers will replace them.