This area of Colorado has a lot of free range cattle roaming around. We saw many cattle drives rounding up the cows, and we even had cows wander through our campground a few times. We also had to be careful when driving as the cattle seem to think they have the right of way!
The reservoir level was quite low. Many of the reservoirs in the west are intentionally drawn down so that they will have capacity to hold all the spring snow run off. Still, it was pretty, and we enjoyed the views.
The campground was at 7,900 feet and the snow level hadn't yet dropped that low, thankfully. A lot of the aspens still had their golden mantles of leaves when we arrived. During the 10 days we were there, a lot of leaves were stripped by the wind and turned into a golden carpet. We were definitely at the end of the season and would recommend visiting in late September if you really want to see the golden mountain-sides.
Our home was on the side of Middle Mountain, so we had to investigate the mountain further. There was a forest road that led to the top--a little rough, but passable. It's always fun to go adventuring, and we were rewarded with great views.
Many people have told us not to miss the drive from Durango up to Silverton and Ouray, so one day we headed out to do the San Juan Skyway scenic drive. It was, indeed, as beautiful as we had been told. The San Juan Mountains cut across southwest Colorado as a splintered mass of jagged, glacially mauled peaks and deep canyons. This jaunt took us through the heart of these mountains, climbing to 10,000 feet three times. (The famous Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad also takes tourists through this breathtaking scenery.)
We headed north to the town of Ridgeway and then back southwest, taking a side trip to the picturesque Victorian mining town of Telluride.
Another fascinating place in this area of Colorado is the Mesa Verde National Park which preserves a spectacular reminder of the Ancestral Puebloans and their way of life. The ruins tell of a people adept at building, artistic in their crafts, and skillful at making a living from a difficult land. The dwellings were built beneath the overhanging cliffs and are remarkable. Tom enjoyed taking the Balcony House tour while I explored other trails and ruins.
As we drove around the Mesa Top, we stopped many times to view the well preserved ruins such as Square Tower House and the Cliff Palace. It was an educational experience which left us with a great respect for the hardy people who made a living on this land.
After leaving Durango, we headed up to Salt Lake City, UT, to visit our good friend, Jane Johnson, and her family. We arrived just in time to help move Jane's mom, Grandma Gladys, out of her apartment. Ten years ago Tom's sister, Lorene, and I had helped Grandma Gladys move into that apartment. What a coincidence! (We had also helped Jane's daughter, Jenny, and her family move into their first new house in Henderson, NV in March 2000. Seems to be a pattern here, huh?) Big Red got quite a work out, and so did we. Our intention is to be of service, and Spirit keeps giving us opportunities!
From Salt Lake City we headed north to Meridian, ID (near Boise) to visit David and Pam Calvert. David is the friend of my brother's that we had met in Colorado. We wanted to meet his wife, Pam, and to see more of the work David is doing creating alternative health devices. We had a great time eating good food, laughing a lot, sharing stories and learning from each other. I also had fun introducing Pam to some of the features of her electronic grand piano which is similar to my electronic keyboard and teaching her some fundamentals of piano playing. We even had her playing some songs before we left. Way to go, Pam!
David had been inspired by Spirit with ideas and designs for a variety of energy-related products. Many of his items utilize orgone energy which is also known as prana, chi, etheric or life-force energy. He harnesses this energy in items such as his enerpathic light wands (using light, color, magnetics and orgone energy to promote healing) and cell phone neutralizers which offset the negative effects of using cell phones. (If you're interested in finding out more about his products, email us.)
We took some scenic drives north of Boise to McCall and over to Lowman as well as to the historic gold mining area around Idaho City. There is more to see in the area, but we decided to save it for next time. Before we left, Big Red was once more put to good use as we helped David move some of his equipment and supplies to his new lab space in Boise.
Next we headed to Lakeview, OR, to visit Tom's cousins, Dennis and Carolee Robertson. Tom hadn't seen them since 1968, so it was fun to get reacquainted as adults. Carolee fixed us some terrific meals--thanks, Carolee! We enjoyed seeing their beautiful home and watching the deer from their living room windows. Tom even got a tour of the high school where both Dennis and Carolee teach.
From Lakeview we headed west to Ashland, OR, a beautiful community set in a valley between beautiful pine covered mountains. We came to Ashland to meet Annie Roberts and Essie Shuey, two friends of David Calvert's who have an 80-acre mountain retreat called Shambhalla. Spirit guided Essie to purchase the land 30 years ago, and ever since then Annie and Essie have been developing this mystical haven which is dedicated to promoting wholistic and harmonious lifestyles and the development of the higher human potential. Once more divine timing has us arrive just in time to help haul several loads of building supplies up the mountain. Annie and Essie dubbed us the "angelic movers" which sure seemed appropriate!
At Shambhalla there was a giant ponderosa pine, called Grandma Tree, that must have been at least 200 feet high. The energy of this tree and surrounding area vibrates so high you can actually feel it. We stayed in Star House, one of the guest houses on the land, and enjoyed hiking the various trails.
A wonderful stream flows through the land and provides a peaceful place to sit and reflect. The water for the houses all comes from springs and is gravity fed to each house. There are solar panels on each house which provide the power for the lights. Delicious vegetarian fare is served to all guests up at the main house.
All of the buildings on the land have been constructed with love by Annie, Essie and friends who have helped out occasionally. We even helped with the new addition they were building.
The main meeting area at Shambhalla is in The Temple of the Winds. This great room provides a place for classes, meetings or parties.
In the Temple there are window seat meditation areas, a conversation pit, a waterfall and even a grand piano! It is a beautiful and welcoming space.
While we were in Ashland, we made a lot of new friends including some great folks from Canada who had recently moved to Ashland. Our minds were stimulated by going to the CWG Center three times to hear Neale Donald Walsch speak. Jimmy Twyman, the Peace Troubador, moved to Ashland while we were there, and we had a chance to meet him and even went out for tea with him! Jimmy and four other musical groups also put on a "Compassion Concert" while we were there which was uplifting and heart warming.
Tom's aunt and uncle, Betty Ann and Art Zorman, live in Grants Pass, about an hour away from Ashland. We headed over there one day for a visit to their beautiful home. We were impressed by all the wonderful woodworking and painting that this talented couple does. I even came home with a special new angel made by them. On our way back that evening we went to the airport to pick up our friend, Genny Crooks, and her daughter, Annah, who had flown out from the Minneapolis area. Genny was planning on moving to Oregon in January, and she wanted to come and look around. We had fun introducing her to the area, and we even managed to find a house for her to rent. The angels did a great job of orchestrating the whole visit.
Mount Shasta in northern California is only about 70 miles south of Ashland, so we took a road trip to check it out. The day was grey and cloudy, but the mountain still looked magnificent. We drove up on the mountain to Panther Meadows and stopped at Bunny Flat on the way down. We hope to go back there in the spring when the snow melts.
Of all of the communities we have encountered, Ashland is our favorite. It was almost hard to tear ourselves away, but the weather was encouraging us to move south. After one more round of being "angelic movers" and helping Annie and Essie move their town office/residence to a new location, we headed into California between storms on December 6. We plan to stop back in Ashland in the spring on our way north and visit the wonderful friends that we made.
