TWO HAPPY CAMPERS

Buena Vista, Colorado //

Yesterday, we moved about an hour down the road to Buena Vista.  This morning, while out on a walkabout, I was amazed by the sheer number of campsites in this one area.  We’re only a couple of miles away from downtown Buena Vista.  It’s unusual to find so many camping opportunities in such close proximity to a popular mountain town.  It’s a refreshing change from the public lands surrounding resort towns where there are seemingly new “no camping” signs posted every year.

Our campsite has panoramic views of the Collegiate Peaks.  Many of these peaks rise above 14,000’ and make for one of my favorite skylines in all of Colorado.  The recreation opportunities in this area are endless, and the town itself is charming and laid-back.  Buena Vista has always been at the top of my list if we were to choose to settle down somewhere.

While I chip away at photo editing in the camper, Mark gets to work on replacing one of the cracked truck bed mounts.  He was able to source parts from Ace Hardware yesterday, giving him the opportunity to temporarily fix the issue.  When we return to our property at the end of the month, he’ll get to work on a more permanent fix.  

By mid-day, the inside of the camper reaches ninety-one degrees.  It’s hard to believe we’re at 8,000’ above sea level with temps like these.  Years ago, you could set your watch to afternoon storms in the mountains.  Storm clouds would begin building at noon, by two or three o’clock, they would release all the moisture they’d accumulated, temps would drop to a cool sixty degrees, and by five or six, the sky would once again clear, usually offering a vibrant rainbow as a parting gift.  

This summer, the only semblance of a storm is coming in the form of dry lightning.  Wildfires are raging, and the rain is nowhere to be found.  I’m grateful for our ability to be mobile and stay out of harm’s way.  Though the smoke is proving difficult to get away from.

Tomorrow, we’ll pack up and head deeper into the wilderness.  The weekend is just around the corner.  It’s time to find a place to hide from the crowds.