When I first moved to Creede, Colorado I saw an event advertised called the Donkey Dash. Being an Ohio boy, I had no idea what that meant but I went to check it out. Well, it became one of my favorite summer events here in Creede!
Participants line up on the historic main street of Creede, CO with a burro in tow, and run an approximately 9 mile course or a 3 mile short course, up through the historic Creede Mining District and back. A short mini donkey race is also held in town for all ages. This year the route was a bit different because of a boulder blocking the road, but the same rules applied.
The starting gun fires and the whole pack, this year over 70 entrants, takes off. Occasionally the ornery burros need some encouragement, but it is definitely a sight!
A little on the the history of burro racing – Burro racing is a great sport begun by some of Colorado’s 19th-century miners. Those hardy characters used burros to carry mining tools and supplies through the Rocky Mountains as they prospected for gold, silver, and other valuable ores. Since the burros were carrying a full load, the miners had to walk, leading the animal with a rope. Legend has it that two miners found gold in the same location, and raced each other back to town to be the first to stake a claim to the find. Neither could ride their animal because of its load, so one of the basic rules of burro racing was established.
Make sure to check this out next June if you are in Creede!
Our little Tucson trip allowed me to finally check something off of my childhood dream list. Biosphere 2 is a place I’d wanted to visit since I was in sixth grade. I got a book on Biosphere 2 about the project, creation of the building, and all of the wildlife and plants harvested from around the world to create this experiment which stuck in my mind for years. The idea was a group of “bionauts” would be sealed in for two years trying to create a self-sustaining biosphere modeled on the planet earth…biosphere one. It also brought to mind all types of sci-fi dreams featuring dome enclosed worlds, such as Logan‘s Run, Silent Running, and William Gibson books (Yes, I was a bit of a nerd).
The story of the original experiment gets pretty interesting with tons of publicity and media coverage, failures, coverups, and drama. There’s a pretty interesting documentary out there called Spaceship Earth which takes it even further into the cult-like origins of the team who put this project together, and honestly it’s like something out of reality TV. Two missions were run by the original team, eventually the Biosphere 2 went into private hands, and in 2011 the University of Arizona assumed ownership.
Located in the desert of Oracle, Arizona outside of Tucson you follow a winding road, capturing just glimpses of the space frame facility in the distance. You are greeted by a welcome sign in front of a visitor center where you can download an app on your phone for a self guided walking tour (Additional guided tours and experiences are also offered). It’s actually a great set up which allows you to move at your own pace, the app guides you through to well marked stops, and video clips on the app give you more information and archival footage. The tour itself is around an hour, a walking path leading you outside around the building, and through the biosphere.
It’s fascinating to sit down in the kitchen where the people who lived there ate every meal while sitting in the same chairs as shown in the footage you are watching. Wandering through the purple carpeted hallways and looking at the 6500 panes of glass and untold amount of erector set like beams used to create this unique structure. you really get an idea of the undertaking thie original project was. Many of the building’s functions have changed and additional experiments were done over the years utilizing this facility and its unique structure for environmental science projects such as soil erosion, a study on the effects of carbon dioxide on plants, advanced growing techniques and more.
Walking through the different biomes you see mangrove wetlands, savanna grassland, fog desert, and an ocean with a coral reef, and the most impressive pyramid-like section of the building… the tropical rainforest. This was originally built to replicate conditions of actual rainforests, and plants from around the world we brought in. After decades of growth the rainforest is actually quite amazing with upper, lower, and middle canopies reaching to the top of the 80 foot structure.
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The experiment may not have been a total success, but seeing the scale of this dream in person is impressive. I’m happy to have finally been able to see this in person, it may have also brought back some memories of a certain Pauly Shore movie…. although I can’t say that has aged as well!
We’ve been to Great Sand Dunes National Park a few times, but never during the spring and the seasonal river. Featuring a diverse landscape of grasslands, wetlands, forests, alpine lakes, and tundra there is a lot to see, but a couple months a year Medano Creek runs at the base of North America’s highest sand dunes due to the snow melt from the surrounding mountains. We heard water had arrived and decided to jump on the motorcycles and go take a look!
Heading out from Creede, CO down the Silver Thread Byway
It was a windy cool day, but we were thrilled to be able to jump on the motorcycles this early in May. It’s about a 2 Hour ride from Creede, Colorado through the San Luis valley to Mosca, Colorado, and we made a couple stops on the way.
Pulling into the dunes is always a sight, from the park entrance sign you can get an idea of the enormity of these 700 plus foot tall sand dunes, which seem completely out of place in the high altitude San Luis Valley. The Sangre de Cristo mountains were still capped in snow, and you could just make out the water sparkling at the base of the dunes. We made our way to the parking lot and shed our gear, and as we were walking to the entrance to the dunes, you could see the water flowing!
Medano Creek!
It’s not very deep yet, but wide. Small waves in the water from the surge flow and wind changed the path of the water constantly.
Even though it was not deep enough to tube or play in yet there were still plenty of people there to see the creek, as well as people hiking up the dunes carrying sand boards and sleds. We haven’t tried sand boarding yet, but it looks like a fun way to make your way down after scaling the dunes!
Heading out to sand board!
This is truly an amazing and special place any time of the year, and like most national parks there are campgrounds and picnic areas available as well as a visitor center with history on the formation of this natural feature. It’s worth visiting here anytime of the year, but if you’re local or in the area during the months of April, May, or June, definitely try and visit, it is an otherworldly experience!
After visiting with family and friends in southern California I wanted to spend a few nights camping in the Anza Borrego Desert before meeting Kyle in Tucson. I have been on camping trips I with my family in that area for over 20 years and there’s always something new to see.
First things first. Whenever I am passing by the Cabazon dinosaurs I have to stop, it’s tradition. I can’t tell you how many times I have stopped there. We used to stop at the Wheel Inn for lunch on our way back from desert camping trips, but sadly the restaurant was closed in 2013 and shortly after torn down. This was the restaurant the Large Marge dropped Peewee Herman off at in Peewee’s Big Adventure. The sign remains but behind it is a pile of rubble. Even though the restaurant is gone I still stop because the last few years they have been painting the dinosaurs for the holidays, I’ve seen them painted like Fred Flintstone and Dino, Santa Claus and Rudolph, this trip they were still painted for Valentines day.
I spent the first night at Tamarisk Grove Campground. I snagged the last spot there after I was turned away from the Borrego Palm Canyon campground whose 120 spaces were sold out. I set up camp and ate dinner out of the back of my car. The campground was quiet and I got a good nights sleep. The next morning I went to a part of Galleta Meadows that I’d never been to and then hiked around Slot Canyon. I was a few weeks late for the first desert blooms but there was still a lot of color to be seen.
The second night I drove out to some BLM land I was familiar with near the Salton Sea and set up my camp and a fire and spent the night completely alone watching the sliver of a moon set in the desert.
On day three in the desert I made the trek around the Salton Sea to Bombay Beach. This is another area that has something new every time I go through. In the 50’s this was a popular beach destination just outside of Palm Springs. That heyday is long gone but in 2016 the remaining community started inviting artists, writers, and filmmakers to create works and “stage happenings” and the town and beach area are now full of larger than life art installations.
I treated myself to a wild west themed RV resort for my last night in CA and rented a vintage trailer at the Palm Canyon RV Resort in Borrego Springs. The hotel rooms have have an old western town facade, there’s a saloon and restaurant on site as well as all the amenities a weary traveler could ask for.
My solo trip was now complete and I hit the road to meet Kyle in Tucson and here’s where the fifth element came in to play. Somewhere off the I-10 coming in to Arizona I saw a sign for the Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch. Okay, I could use a little break, I’ll go stretch my legs and see what this is all about. The facility was super clean and well maintained and the animals seemed happy to interact with visitors. With the price of admission you get food for all the different critters, mini donkeys, deer, goats, ostriches, more goats, chickens, bunnies, birds and turtles. My favorite was in the lorikeet habitat where you hold a cup of nectar and the birds fly to you and stand on your arm to get a drink out of the cup. The last stop on the self guided tour is at the stingray pool, I was a bit of a fraidy cat feeding these guys but I did it! Ten out of ten would reccomend!! I wouldn’t necessarily go out of my way to visit but if I’m passing through in the future it is well worth the 15 bucks for a little entertainment.
We designed and printed up some cool Creede T-shirts and stickers, something a bit different than anything we had seen around, and we think they are pretty fun! Please check out our store, and please share with anyone who may dig them!
Bighorn Butts Drive Me Nuts T-Shirt – FrontLiving The High Life T-Shirt – BackLiving The High Life T-Shirt – FrontCreede Colorado Mountain T-Shirt – BackCreede Colorado Mountain T-Shirt – FrontCreede Colorado Map T-Shirt – Front
We will also post updates when we will be attending local Creede events this summer!
Kyle and I already had a trip to Tucson planned and at the last minute I decided to start the road trip a week early to visit my Mom in California for her 76th birthday. For the most part I was just passing through, not taking time to sightsee just stopping to stretch my legs until I got to Vegas.
A headless horse….Just kidding.American Southwest architectureAZ wildflowersMore American Southwest architectureHere for a good time, not a long time
I spent two nights at the Golden Nugget on Fremont. I prefer Fremont to the Strip since it’s less overwhelming and easier to navigate. They’ve also done a lot of refurbishing in the area and it has a really neat arts district area with unique restaurants and shops and lots of huge murals.
Vegas!!!FremontHigh Roller
I treated my self to a dinner at the iconic Peppermill restaurant across the street from the Circus Circus casino. It’s one of my favorite kitschy spots in town, open since the 70’s and featured in many films, music videos and tv shows. The decor is so over the top there’s really no way to capture it all in a photo so here is a photo of my club sandwich.
I was fueling up to go to the Horseshoe casino to see “Dita Las Vegas: a Jubilant Revue,” starring neo-burlesque queen Dita Von Teese. A show filled with the glitter and glamour of a classic Vegas showgirl (and boy) production using original Jubilee costumes designed by Bob Mackie.
Neo-burlesque queen Dita Von Teese
On my way out of town I grabbed some donuts and a t-shirt at The Donut Hole and stopped at the Burlesque Hall of Fame Museum before I hit the highway. I was in Vegas in 2010 when the museum had it’s grand opening. It started in the corner of a coffee shop on Fremont and now it has it’s own space in the arts district a few blocks away from the Fremont experience. The museum has come a long way from it’s roots on Jennie Lee and Dixie Evan’s goat farm in Victorville (which I have also visited) and it is great to see that the costumes and stories are being taken care of by a passionate group of burlesque historians.
But first, donuts The Burlesque Hall Of FameDisplays at the Burlesque Hall Of FamePasties art the Burlesque Hall Of Fame
I’ve been to Vegas many times before but I think this might be the first time I’ve ever gone alone! I definitely have some favorite spots there but it is always neat to do something new and different each time I visit.
In one of our earlier posts Bee wrote about her fifth element of travel: the unexpected. We were driving down to Tucson, AZ from Creede, Colorado towing a couple motorcycles, so I was taking the scenic back roads. We were in Western New Mexico and entered the El Malpais National Monument, something I had not planned on. I was looking for a spot to stop and take a rest and walk our pup Maya and figured this was perfect.
The trail starts paved and becomes easy to travel level gravel.
We were out of cell service so I was just keeping an eye open, and saw a sign for La Ventana Natural Arch in 15 miles and figured, why not, that’s the stop! I pulled off at the trailhead and much to my surprise you could actually see the arch from the trailhead. It’s a short 15 minute walk up the trail (which does allow pets), and you’re standing at the base of a gigantic, natural sandstone arch – one of New Mexico’s largest.
Rules, regulations, and a little info at the La Ventana Natural Arch trailhead.
It’s fun when something is simple as a little break from the road turns into seeing a beautiful natural wonder. That entire national monument is absolutely gorgeous and at some point we will make a point to head back to and explore the lava tube caves and sandstone bluffs in the future!
The view of La Ventana Natural Arch from the end of the trail.
Somehow the entire winter managed to get past me without hitting Wolf Creek Ski Area again! Even though the winter season is long here in the high country of Southern Colorado, sometimes looking back it just flew by. Luckily having my brother and his family in for a visit gave me the excuse I needed to get some time on the slopes!
Tyler, Julia, Darly, and Virginia takin a break on the slopes
It’s been a couple years, so I had to pull out my gear, and literally dust the cobwebs off. It ended up being the perfect week to go, the last week of the season, and a locals week (everyone is a local!). Even without the special rates Wolf Creek is a bargain compared to so many resorts out there with reasonable lift tickets and gear rental. To me the best thing about it is that it is one of the most uncrowded ski areas I’ve been to! It still feels like a local hill, but with some of the most snow in Colorado normally averaging over 400 inches a year, 1600 skiable acres with 133 named trails of varied types of terrain, and hike-to backcountry areas, it is still a world-class experience. It makes for an excellent vibe compared to packed resorts with exorbitant prices and huge lift lines.
The extensive trail map for Wolf Creek Ski Area
The first time I went to Wolf Creek was about 15 years ago, and it still feels the same. It was opened in 1938 and family owned and operated for the past 50 years. I feel like that is why it kept its charm rather than feeling like just another corporate park. The facts the nearest airports are 65-80 miles away, and there is no lodging on site (although nearby Pagosa Springs offers a ton of options, as well as hot springs) may have part to do with it not exploding as well!
Heading down 160 from Creede, CO to Wolf Creek Ski Area
We hit the road early and had a beautiful drive from Creede to Wolf Creek and showed up right around opening time to an almost empty lot, and 6 inches of fresh powder! After getting everyone geared up, we headed right to the closest lift and headed up to the top of the mountain. It was a blast getting to ski and snowboard as a family; the sun may not have been shining, but it was excellent conditions for the end of the season. We got run after run in, took a nice lunch break in the lodge, and hit the slopes again for a couple more hours.
Heading up the mountain for my first run of the season!
Julia looking pumped to be snowboarding!
Still a few days left before Wolf Creek closes for the season, if you live in the area or are visiting and enjoy snow sports, you should absolutely check out Wolf Creek. See you next year!
Wolf Creek Ski Area has tons of skiable acres, and approximately 20% of the trails are rated easy, great for kids and beginners.
Look Ma, no hands!
And that is almost a wrap for the season!
Fun runs with the family! Thanks Wolf Creek Ski Area!
Living in a remote town has its perks, the nearest stoplight is an hour away and as much as I enjoy the slow quiet pace here in Creede during the winter, the entertainment options are limited (unless you like going out in the snow). Heading out of town we followed the mostly frozen Rio Grande into South Fork, hooked a left and made our way across the San Luis Valley. The trip to Joyful Journey Hot Springs is about a 2 hour drive so Kyle and I stopped in Monte Vista for quick bite at Taqueria Antojitos Los Lopez since we hadn’t been there before. It looks deceptively small from the outside, but there is a large seating area inside. A couple of tacos and a refreshing agua fresca hit the spot and we were on our way.
The Joyful Journeys spa entrance.
Joyful Journey Hot Springs is located in Moffat, Colorado beneath the sharp outline of the Sangre De Cristo mountains. There isn’t another business or building around for miles, so it is just you and the mountains to keeping you company while you enjoy the hot springs resort. Kyle and I have been for a day soak before, but this was our first overnight stay. There are several options for accommodations and this time we chose one of the lodge rooms (I’ll save a stay in the yurt for a summer trip thank you very much). We were in between snowstorms; the sky was mostly clear and we knew it was going to dip in to the 20’s overnight so we thought a room would be best for us this time.
We checked in just after 4 pm and the staff was super friendly and informative, giving us the lay of the land and handing over the keys to our room. I was a little hesitant when we first walked into our room and saw there were tiled floors and I was worried about the cold, until I realized the floors had radiant heating! Each room also has a sitting area right outside the back door to take in the views, and the rooms don’t have televisions, so you are really encouraged to disconnect and enjoy what the resort has to offer.
The rooms are comfortable with radiant floor heat and a patio put the back of each room.
We got changed, grabbed our robes, and dipped in to a few of the pools just as the sun was going down. Then we went back to our rooms to catch the view of the sun setting in front of us and enjoy the alpenglow on the mountains behind us from the patio at the back of our room.
Alpenglow on the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
A beautiful sunset in the San Luis Valley from our patio!
Overnight guests have dinner provided from a seasonal fixed menu, all of this info is on their website so I’ll spare the details, but I will say we were satisfied and refreshed from the fixin’s provided.
The lodgings and event center where meals are served and yoga was held the next morning.
Dinner and desert were delicious, as well as the full breakfast after our morning soak.
I took a quick nap before heading out to the pools again. When we went outside for our second soak, we could see the glow of the full moon that was getting ready to rise above the mountains. Things seemed pretty quiet for a Friday evening, I’m sure in the summer when there are more campers and visitors it is much livelier but this quiet retreat is exactly what I needed. The temperatures were dipping down in to the 20’s and it was a refreshing feeling walking between the pools with steam trailing off our bodies. The grounds are softly lit making this steamy winter night under a full moon look just magical.
Heading to the spa.
The best pool in our opinion, with views of the mountains all around you.
Pools of varying temperatures and depths.
I got a great nights sleep and opted out of the morning soak to take a yoga class instead. I practice regularly on my own, but I always look forward to learning something new from a new instructor. It was a fun class and I think even a beginner could feel comfortable following along. After yoga I met Kyle for breakfast. There are some quick self-serve options but we decided to wait for a fresh made breakfast from the kitchen and took our plates back to our rooms.
We will definitely be back, I’m excited to try a stay in a yurt or tipi in the summer and explore more of the grounds. Since it was cold I was focused on keeping cozy and getting a good nights sleep so I didn’t take tour of the greenhouse or visit the labyrinth and meditation hill. Luckily, it’s not too far from us and it will give us an opportunity to experience the resort again in a new way.
One last thing worth mentioning is what I call the “fifth element” of a trip, the element of surprise. The things you can’t pay for or plan, you just have to be lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time. At Joyful Journey we were greeted by the sounds of red-winged blackbirds singing away on what seemed like every branch of every tree at the resort. The second surprise was on the way back into our little hometown and catching a large herd of elk crossing the road followed by one little antelope. If we had been a minute earlier or a minute later, we would have missed the whole thing. The fifth element is what fuels my adventurous heart. You can only plan so much; you should always leave room for surprises.
It feels like if you’re going to live in the mountains, you need to take advantage of all the opportunities you can… especially in the winter, which is pretty long here. Out of the blue Bee asked, “Do you want to go snowshoeing?” Being that she’s not usually that down for cold-weather activities I immediately said yes. We decided to go on a Sunday, sunny and a high of 30° with some fresh powder on the ground seemed like perfect conditions. We headed to San Juan Sports in town to pick up some free loaner equipment. This is such a great little outfitter and I highly recommend checking it out whether you need gear, clothing, or a beer at the Sunnyside Bar next-door.
San Juan Sports, celebrating 50 years!
We took our newly acquired gear and headed up to Ivy and Lime Creek Trail at about 9400 feet elevation in the Rio Grande National Forest. We decided to head down the road first which had a trail broken already from some snowmobiles, we figured we’d get our feet wet so to speak and see how these guys worked. It’s actually super simple and intuitive to use snowshoes, you just have to adjust your stance a little wider and be careful when turning around so you don’t trip yourself (or whoever is behind you) up. I decided to take a stroll off the road to see how it would do on very deep powder. It ends up snowshoes only do so much, if it’s 4 feet deep powder…you will sink four feet!
Maybe some poles would help in the deep powder!
After some laughs, we made our way down to a good spot to look down the valley, absolutely stunning in winter. We made our way back to the trailhead and up a snowshoe path. It’s definitely a bit more challenging going uphill and through the woods, especially when you reach areas where the trail has not been broken yet.
Such a different experience compared to summer.
It’s still amazing to get back into the woods and some of these areas which we haven’t seen since snow started in October. We decided to call it a day and head back down to the truck. It was a great time and something we’d like to try to do further. If you’re looking to break that cabin fever go borrow a pair of snowshoes, and give it a shot!
Bee working her way uphill
It is a workout, but worth it.
On the way home we spotted some deer with Creede in the background!
Ramble Around 