#52: Work & Play in Denver

As much as I didn’t want to face it, it was time to start thinking about life-after-Airstream. All along, the plan of purchasing an Airstream Basecamp for this year on the road was to sell it after traveling. This was one of the main reasons I bought an Airstream trailer - they hold their value much better than SOBs (an "Airstream" acronym for "Some Other Brand').

For a while, I toyed with the idea of keeping the Basecamp. It's my home. I am connected to it. We have been through a lot together. However, I snapped out of that for a plethora of reasons:

1. I didn’t know where I was going to live, let alone store an Airstream.

2. I wasn’t sure if I’d use it enough to warrant keeping it (mostly because I wasn’t sure what the future was holding for me).

3. The old supply and demand curve. It’s a seller’s market. Due to COVID, the demand for RV travel is up, and RV availability is down. They can’t make Airstreams fast enough. Buyers are paying more for trailers in this economic landscape: people don’t want to travel internationally, don’t want to fly, and have the option to travel with their families given remote work and school. The market value of my Basecamp is higher than what I paid for it in Fall 2019.

When I knew I was going to sell it, the next thing to think about was logistics. After the conclusion of my travel (late November), I plan to head back to Virginia for the holidays. If I could avoid towing the trailer back to Virginia, that would be best. The market out west is more prominent, as well.

I decided that while in Denver, where I had space, time, and resources, I’d empty it, deep clean it, take some photos, and throw it up online to see what would happen.

Fortunately for me, I had some help cleaning it. Thank God for my little assistants.

There are multiple online outlets to sell a trailer. The common “RV” ones (of which I know) are RV Trader and Airstream Marketplace. On these sites, however, one must pay to list a trailer. Since I was only testing the market’s water and still had about six weeks left to travel, I opted to post only on Craigslist - in Denver and Phoenix. Craigslist only charges $5 for an RV listing.

I got more bites than anticipated - mostly from the Denver listing. I even had interested parties from other parts of the country. At this point, I knew I could sell it pretty quickly. One couple showed the most interest and was able to take a look at it before I left town. They loved it. We verbally agreed that they would purchase it when I finished traveling and I would drop it off in Denver the first week of December. I was trusting them, and they were trusting me, but given the interest I had, I wasn’t worried that if they backed out, I could still sell it without too much hassle.

Whoa. This was happening.

The rest of my time in Denver, I spent having quality time with my friends and the kids, doing some COVID-friendly small things in town (bike rides, patio dinners, short hikes), and just hanging out. Amy and I have been friends for many, many years, so hanging out is our jam. We didn’t need to do anything special for the time to be special.

I left Denver excited for the last six weeks of traveling. I had some enjoyable things to see and do, and verbally selling the Airstream was a significant stress relief. Plus, knowing that I would be back in Denver to drop it off made leaving my friends that much easier.

My next stop was Colorado Springs. I visited an old friend from high school who I hadn’t seen in 20+ years. He and his wife have two beautiful children and another on the way. It was delightful to catch up over lost time and re-get to know an old friend and his family.

Before I knew it, I was heading south to Great Sand Dunes and Mesa Verde National Parks.

#51: Colorado Mountain Towns

At this point in my travel year, I got to a place where life on the road felt entirely normal. I knew when the freshwater tank was getting low without having to look at the monitor. I felt “home” in the driver’s seat of my car. I had washing dishes to conserve water down to a T. I knew what to look for when searching for a good camping spot. I could set up and pack up a campsite with my eyes closed - I was doing it. Confidently. This was my new normal.

Reflecting on where I was twelve or eight, or six months ago, I felt different. I felt empowered. Like a road warrior. Like I overcame things and could tackle anything that came my way. It’s an incredible feeling. And to be in colorful Colorado made that feeling all the better. Okay, here goes - Colorado Mountain Towns.

I visited Crested Butte, Telluride, Aspen, and Carbondale. The only one that was new to me was Carbondale. When I lived in Colorado, I had visited the others, but that wasn’t going to stop me from going again. I will say it over and over - I love mountain towns.

Crested Butte

My plan for Crested Butte was, well, no plan. I wanted to explore the town yet not dilly dally, as I wanted to make sure I got to Telluride to catch as much of the yellow leaves as possible.

Since we arrived mid-day, I parked the car and Airstream on a side street and began scouting out the town. It’s a small town, so simple to navigate. Addie and I walked up and down the main drag, stopping for an iced coffee and scoping out some shops. CB is a very dog-friendly town, which is extra points in my book.

I found some forest land outside town to spend the night. It took me a few tries to get the Airstream leveled on this terrain, but eventually, I nailed it.

The following day, Addie and I drove downtown to have breakfast at Butte Bagels. I walked by it the previous day, but it was closed. Since then, I was craving a bagel. I got the Nicole bagel sandwich and ate every bite before heading to Telluride.

I like Crested Butte because it doesn’t feel as “commercial” as many other mountain towns. Many of them have gotten so popular as second residences and have lost part of their edge as they grow in popularity. Part of what makes these towns unique is their grit, which gets diluted when they become expensive vacation destinations.

Telluride

Getting from one town to another in the mountains always takes longer than you think. The route is usually windy because the roads take you around the mountains. Makes sense. Anyway, the drive to Telluride is a little over three hours. I knew where I wanted to camp, but I wasn’t sure what the availability would look like.

My destination is somewhat of an infamous Telluride boondocking spot for nomads called Last Dollar Road. The prime area overlooks the valley with beautiful mountain views and stunning sunsets.

The Last Dollar Road camping area is about 10 miles outside of downtown Telluride and the drive up to it is just so scenic. It’s because of views like this I wanted to get to Colorado for the foliage!

We made it up to the campground to find it exceedingly crowded - even for a Sunday evening. Because the Basecamp is only 16 feet long, I can maneuver it into areas that may not be obvious “sites.” The best spots were taken, so I decided to park where I could, keep the car attached, and hope that someone would leave the next morning to claim a new spot. 

I found a hiking trail, Bear Creek Trail, that begins right outside town. I parked the car and Airstream on the street, and Addie and I walked to the trailhead. It was busy, but that didn’t take away from the beauty. 

We took a walk around town after the hike. There is just something about the mountain air, the people's energy, and the overall vibe in Telluride. It's gotten a little built up over the years, but I think it still has its original cowboy-mountain-town vibe.

Addie had a first in Telluride: she took her first gondola ride! We met a friend up at Altezza at the Peaks for a late afternoon patio cocktail.

We spent the next day in Mountain Village. I enjoyed an outdoor lunch at Tomboy Tavern, wrote a little, and charted out plans for Carbondale, my next destination.

Carbondale

Carbondale is a mountain town that I had not yet visited. I found a small RV park right in Carbondale, which made things easy when it came time to explore the area. 

On our first day, we explored downtown a little bit. What I like about Carbondale is, as a girl who leans towards city life, it’s big enough to feel like you’re not entirely out there. It’s still a small town, but it’s liveable. It has what you need, and if you need a Target, Glenwood Springs is less than 30 minutes away. On the flip side, you have gorgeous mountains all around you and the largest outdoor playground you can imagine. Aspen is less than an hour away, Vail is a bit more than an hour away, and Grand Junction is less than two hours away. 

Bottom line: I love Carbondale and could see myself living there one day.

Addie and I took an evening hike about a mile from where we were staying. The trail was called Mushroom Rock. You could tell it is a “local” hike. There were trail runners, friends getting exercise after work, and a lot of dogs. We were afforded views of the town and the surrounding mountains. Addie got a pretty decent red rock dye-job, too.

We moved campsites to Lower Prince Creek after a few nights at the RV park. This campground was a little closer to Aspen and the Maroon Bells - our next stop. Sunset at our new digs looked like this (I love the Basecamp’s panoramic front windows; this photo was taken from inside the trailer):

The Maroon Bells are said to be the most photographed place in Colorado. They are a small mountain range outside Aspen, and I learned the hard way that they are not simple to get to. Like other places I’ve experienced, one must book a shuttle, or reserve a car pass, to get to the trailheads. With COVID, reservations were few and far between. Within a few days, I could snag a shuttle bus reservation on a given Sunday, so I planned around that.

Unfortunately, the weather forecast was sub-par that day (which made me wonder if that was why reservations were only available that day). It was cold and cloudy when I woke up, with a forecast of freezing rain and snow later in the day. When I saw this, I almost backed out. But alas, carpe diem. I know myself, and I would have regretted it if I chickened out. I committed, and I was going to keep my commitment.

The shuttle bus picks up in Aspen, which is about a 40-minute drive from where we camped. We got there, parked, and checked in. Fortunately, Addie was allowed on the bus and the trails. Although it was cold, it was only cloudy at this point. 

It was completely worth it. We opted for the Maroon-Snowmass Trail to Crater Lake hike. The lakes were dry, but we didn’t care. The views were remarkable.

When we got back to Maroon Lake, we decided to keep the momentum going and hop on another trail. The bus would pick us up at a different bus stop, just closer to Aspen. As gorgeous as it was, at the end of our journey, the freezing rain rolled in.

While we were moving, it wasn’t too bad, but when we got to the bus stop and were stationary, it got cold and miserable. Because the busses already stopped at the “main” bus stop to pick up people returning, we had to wait for a bus that had room for us. A few passed before one bus driver let us on. The COVID-friendly seats were all occupied, but he let me stand. I think he felt terrible for Addie and me because we were soaking wet and freezing. Can’t you see the misery on Addie’s face?

I cannot emphasize enough how incredible it was to come back to the Airstream, turn on the heat, and take a hot shower. I didn’t have that luxury weeks ago with my busted Truma. I was so grateful.

Our next landing pad was Denver - to the house of my dear friends, Amy and Gavin. I was so looking forward to seeing them and their kiddos. And - not going to lie - hot showers in abundance!

#50: Petroglyphs & Canyons

There was more to see in Utah, but I deemed it time to head to Colorado. My "planned" route had gotten off track a while ago, so going off-track a little more wouldn't hurt. I sound like my mom when I say this, but I wanted to catch the Colorado Rocky Mountains' foliage. To do so, I needed to get going promptly.

The next national park I wanted to visit was Black Canyon of the Gunnison outside Montrose, CO. The drive from Salt Lake City was almost six hours, and because I didn't hit the road from SLC until later in the day, I'd stop somewhere on the way.

The first RV park I found appeared booked online. But I swung by there anyway because sometimes, when you show up, you get lucky. I didn't get lucky - it was filled. There was another park nearby in Helper, UT. It didn't look great, but it was just a stopover. It offered water and electric hookups, which was helpful.

I was only planning to stay for one night, but things changed (as they often do). I started chatting with the owner, and she recommended a few local things worth checking out. My ears perked up when she mentioned petroglyphs. I was also intrigued because the petroglyph location she mentioned was not very well-known. I love finding hidden gems. This one was called Nine-Mile Canyon.

I decided to book a second night and take the full day to explore my newly-learned-about attraction. I stopped by the historic town of Helper, before making my way to Nine-Mile Canyon.

I couldn’t put an address into Google Maps to find Nine-Mile Canyon because, well, there isn’t one. There also wasn’t a visitor center or anything like that. I had to navigate myself and figure it out. The RV park lady gave me a paper listing out mile-markers along the canyon road and what to find at each. That was all I had, but I found this map after following the verbal directions to the canyon entrance.

Addie and I were off on an adventure. I reset my odometer at the start to ensure I was on-par with the mile-markers on the "ditto." At first, the petroglyphs were tough to spot, but I got good at it as I got farther into the canyon. It was like a fun game spotting all the rock drawings. Some were right off the road, and some were viewable after a quick hike.

I had never seen such incredible petroglyphs. And to find them in a place I didn't even know about made them that much more special.

Before I knew it, I was crossing the border into colorful Colorado. Having lived there for a few years in the past, it's still "home" to me in many ways. This state makes me happy in so many ways.

I found a free place to camp outside Montrose. This area was not the Colorado landscape I love, but it was close to the entrance to Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park.

The only thing I knew about this national park before visiting is that it's a canyon - that's it. Addie and I arrived at the South Rim entrance the next morning, heading first to the visitor center. The initial question I typically ask the rangers is, "What are the top things I should see?" The next question is always, "Where can I bring my dog?" Based on the ranger's answers to these questions, we headed out on the Rim Rock Trail. Adde was allowed!

The out and back three-mile trail provided fantastic views of the massive canyon.

I felt good about taking a little hike with Addie. After, we drove the South Rim Road and stopped at some of the overlooks. There were many pull-offs, so we picked and chose based on what the ranger suggested.

The rim was one perspective of this park, but the bottom of the canyon was the other. We headed back towards the south entrance station and took a left onto East Portal Road. Vehicles longer than 22 feet were not permitted. The road was long, curvy, and steep, but it led us down the canyon to the Gunnison River. It was so peaceful and quiet down there.

I was looking forward to what awaited me in the Colorado mountains…mountain towns!

#49: Pando, Tires, and Truma

By this time, I started making my way back up towards Salt Lake to get my Truma water heater/furnace replaced.

With all of this driving lately (these states out West are huge), I began to notice the tires on my car were getting pretty worn. Since I do much driving on unpaved, rocky roads, I didn't want to push it with vulnerable tires. I also didn't need a highway blowout to add to my list of things to fix.

I found a tire center in Richfield, UT, a large(r) town in the vicinity of where I was. Calling ahead, I ensured they would have the tires I needed by the time I arrived.

But first, a quick jaunt to Pando. A friend of mine mentioned Pando while I was in Salt Lake the first time around. I hadn't heard of it; that's what Google is for.

• Pando is referred to as the Trembling Giant due to the leaves' sound with just the slightest wind.

• It's a grove of quaking aspens in the Fishlake National Forest in Utah.

• The grove is a single organism, as all the trees share a root system.

• Unlike other trees, these aspens sprout from the parent tree's lateral root, making each tree a stem of a massive single clone.

• The word "Pando" is Latin for "I spread."

The above makes Pando the most massive living organism, spanning over 100 acres. However, there is an absence of young, regenerative stems to replace the older trunks due partly to deer and elk's overgrazing in recent years. That, combined with the regular deterioration of the older trees, makes Pando extremely vulnerable to shrinking. In time, Pando could completely die off. Teams of scientists are on it, though, studying the reasons for the decline to adapt accordingly. 

We slept among Pando at Doctor Creek Campground near Fish Lake. We hiked the trembling aspens, and it was unforgettable. We hit it at the perfect time when the aspen leaves were bright yellow.

After our hike, we hit the road for Richfield. The only decent place to stay was a KOA (Kampgrounds of America). I usually don’t opt for this chain campground, but I was okay with it because:

1. It was inexpensive.

2. I could refill the fresh water tank.

3. I could dump the wastewater tank.

4. I could do laundry.

5. I could take a shower.

Our first stop the next morning was the tire center. After waiting a few hours and dropping a pretty penny, we were off towards Salt Lake to get our replacement Truma.

We crashed at a Walmart parking lot about an hour south of SLC. I didn’t need anything fancy as I had just showered that morning, and my only requirement was being somewhat close to the dealership to get there first thing the next morning. Plus, I was used to parking lots by now.

I cannot believe I am writing this, but this visit to an Airstream dealership service center was, wait for it…quick and easy. It took the Airstream of Utah team a few hours to replace the Truma, test it to ensure it’s working correctly and consistently, and send me on my way. The feeling of driving away with a new working furnace/water heater was indescribable. I had been dealing with this wonky thing for my entire trip, and now I was sailing (driving) off into the sunset with a brand-new (working) unit. Life was good.

#48: Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef National Parks

Bryce Canyon National Park is not far from Zion, which worked out well given that I didn't leave Springdale until around 4 pm. I almost waited and went the next day, but I wasn't tired and felt like driving.

I booked a campsite near Bryce to have a place to land. I arrived after dusk, so I'm glad I planned a bit and didn't have to drive around in the dark looking for a place to stay. The campground was a little "out there," and the roads getting to it were long and washboard-y. On my way, though, I passed some forest land where other people were camping, so I decided to stay at my reserved site only one night and relocate to the forest land the next day.

A constant challenge with forest land is finding a location with mobile service. One spot may have two bars, and if you move 10 feet to a different spot, it may have no bars. I wanted service because I needed to be in touch with Airstream of Utah and research upcoming destinations.

This particular area was heavily occupied, full of ATV's. I don't love camping near these guys because there are constant sounds of motors running and engines revving, but I sacrificed. It wasn't too bad, especially with this sunset.

Bryce Canyon National Park

I took one day to chill, read, and write. The next day, leaving my Airstream at the campground, Addie and I headed to Bryce Canyon. This was going to be a “drive-and-see”-type visit. The park stretches north to south and is easily drivable. After a trip to the visitor center, we knew what we wanted to see, and we hit the road to see it.

The drive was an out and back, with stops along the way to get out and check out different viewpoints of the canyon. The main points are Sunrise, Sunset, Inspiration, and Bryce. The landscape is stunning and, depending on what time of day, can look very different.

I won’t lie…I wanted to hike down into the canyon—however, Addie. Although I did less activity at Bryce, Addie was with me for it, which was enough for me. Plus, you’d be surprised at how exhausting driving a park and getting in and out of the car can be. It makes for a long day!

Capitol Reef National Park

About two hours away from Bryce is Capitol Reef National Park, which was my next destination.

Capitol Reef is a geologic and historic national park. It’s known for it’s “Waterpocket Fold,” a 100-mile long warp in the earth’s crust, formed by a mountain-building event 50-70 million years ago. The name of the park originated from: 

Capitol: The Navajo Sandstone white domes that look like the tops of capitol buildings. 

Reef: The rocky cliffs, like an ocean reef.

Much of the history of the parkland is preserved. The Fruita Historic District hosts what is now known as the Gifford House. The homestead features other buildings and land development appropriate to Utah farm homes of the early 1900s. 

The park’s scenic drive runs east/west and takes you through the Waterpocket Fold. The rock formations are incredible. Addie and I stopped off the road in a few areas for a little fun with my tripod and iPhone camera.

It was Saturday, and time to start making my way back to Salt Lake City. I had one more stop along the way, which was Pando, aka, “The Trembling Giant.” Stay tuned for more on this.