We had to move to a different site since we decided to stay longer, and we really have a better view of the mountains and the valley. And after riding around Tuesday and looking at the calendar, we made a decision to stay for a whole MONTH here! Yeah! Can ride back up to the meadow in a week or so and see what the leaves look like then. We went into Ridgway and had lunch at the True Grit Cafe – it had lots of memorabilia and mounted animals and signs and the food was really good.
While I was taking pictures from our table, there was a group of men sitting at the bar and the older man said, “Hey, you can take a picture of us!” He was kidding, but I did take pictures and we struck up a conversation. The old man was really flirting with me and I was flattered – he said he loved to hear me talk and that I was “a Georgia Peach”! They were from Illinois and were out here hunting. I think the older man was the Granddad, the middle aged was the son, and the younger was the grandson. Said they came every year and had gotten an elk and a bear and they were going back out after lunch. Invited Tony to come along, but he declined, saying he didn’t think he could do all the walking and climbing. Grandpa said he didn’t hunt anymore, he just came along as the camp cook. Then he and Tony started talking about Dutch Oven cooking and cast iron. Well, that conversation went on for awhile. Never know who you will meet when you just speak to someone.
Above was the older gentleman who flattered me with his flirting!
Our drive to Kate’s Meadow, a place that has always been on my bucket list. In Ridgway, we are at 7,000 feet. To the meadow and pass, we climbed to 10,000 feet. Rough, rough, rough gravel/dirt road. Open range and cows along the road up there almost at the meadow. Now see if you recognize any of the following pictures.
And THE rock that Rooster was running towards in the shootout with Ned Pepper. I touched it!
Rode to the top of the pass, just a mile further, and more pictures coming back down. They said, “It will take about 30 minutes to get to the meadow. It’s good roads.” We started up about 4:50 and got to the meadow at 6:10. My drink sloshed out of the sippy part of the lid on some of the bumps. And it got narrower. And we climbed higher. And it got cooler. 55 degrees. It’s hunting season – there were several hunting camp sites along the way in the National Forest. Coming back down, it was beginning to get dark and some of the men were back at one of the camps, cooking. Boy, did it smell good. We were tempted to turn in and invite ourselves to supper – hopefully elk chops!
Oh, and ask my husband what happens when you drive 3,000 feet up bumpy roads and open a drink in the car. Well, it wasn’t pretty – it was a flavored sugar free water, but it still had fizz and it went everywhere – all over him, all over the camera that was sitting on the hump of the truck, all over my left arm that was holding the camera. Thank goodness we had napkins and wet wipes. (I never leave home without wet wipes.) All of this happened at the turn around above Kate’s Meadow, so at least we were not in the road. I was actually amazed at the number of people we met that were coming down as we were going up. Some were hunters, but many were tourist in regular cars. At least we were in a truck with higher clearance and 4-wheel drive. A fun day. Another check off my bucket list. Thank you, Lord for all of your blessings.
Oh, a picture from yesterday.
Cherry limeades. Thomas would be happy. Peach half and half teas. Makes me happy!
Oh – almost forgot – this is for you, Megan Puckett!
Love You!
Sorry that the men appeared four times – I couldn’t get their pictures to load because the internet shut down and then finally, after finishing and previewing they had load and now I can’t delete them.
GA Gypsies - Fulltiming 