Livin’ the Dream … The Diaries of a Madman (1 Viewer)

[KOWBOY]

Head back north outta town and turn right on Fawn Gulch Road to get into the National Forest. Came to a fork and went right. Which was a dead end at a miserable lil’ turnaround. Backtrack and go left. Which was a dead end at a private property gate. Backtrack lookin’ for some sorta side road and find Road 666E. Which weren’t much and musta been real muddy at some point judgin’ by the depth of the ruts. Just another hunter access road.

But led to a real nice clearin’ in the tall pines.

Took half the rocks from the fire ring and half my engineerin’ skills to level ‘er out.

Drug out my chair, cranked up the outside speakers and drank beer while watchin’ the birds and squirrels frolic in the woods. Then the late afternoon rains came so had to get inside for awhile but then cleared up nicely for a wonderful evenin’.

Now it’s ‘bout time for me and the sun to go down.

 

[KOWBOY]

Wednesday, 12 August

Come a pretty good rain once I crawled in bed last night. And coupla more times thru the night. Don’t much matter to me tho. And I think that's pretty cool.

Woke up this mornin’ and broke down the camper real quick for travel. Got me a date for breakfast and gotta get the hell outta these woods. Gotta meet none other than the Fire and Rescue Chief of The White Trash … Mr. David “Fireman” Williams and family. They got them a cabin rented just North of Pagosa Springs.

And we had us a fantastic breakfast By Gawd. And then it was time for the O’ficial Ceremony to fine’ly fly the colors. Been way too long. Had Fireman make some up and bring ‘em with ‘im. First the passenger side …

… and then the driver’s side.

 

[KOWBOY]

And then a super-duper surprise that he done had made up as well …

That’s most friggin’ excellent! No doubt.

 

[KOWBOY]

But before the sticker party, young Bailey done decided we should go tubin’ down the river. And since there was tubes in the garage of the cabin it sure was hard to argue the point. So we didn’t. We changed clothes and drug ‘em on out.

And off we go traipsin’ down the irrigation ditch behind the cabin towards the river. Ardenne had far more sense than we did and graciously documented this monumental event. Thanks Ardenne!

And we reach our launch point …

Perhaps never to be seen again. For Gawds sake don’t spill the beer!

 

[KOWBOY]

Ardenne done drove downstream to a bridge just in case we actu’ly made it that far. Here comes the merry band ‘round the bend.

Livin’ large! Dang painful tho when your ass hit a rock in the river that ya couldn’t see. And sometimes ya got hung up on them rocks. Here’s Bailey stranded against a coupla big ones and I’m comin’ in at full rammin’ speed to try to save the day. But for Gawds sake don’t spill the beer!

And indeed it was a successful rescue mission. But it left me now stuck hard!

Kick, push, shove … and for Gawds sake don’t spill the beer!

 

[KOWBOY]

Free at last … free at last … Oh Lord … I’m free at last! And I never spilt my beer.

And the happy survivors bailin’ out at the bridge.

That was so much friggin’ fun we done it again! Sometimes it’s really healthy to forget how danged old ya are and enjoy just bein’ a kid again. Thanks Bailey for takin’ me back in time!!

Here’s a picture of camp. What a sweet cabin.

But since Fireman’s a tourist in these parts, he didn’t have no chainsaw. So I helped ‘im out a bit and cut up a coupla days supply. Bailey done lit us up a fire and Fireman commenced to cookin’ on the grill.

Beef … it’s what’s for dinner.

And a mighty fine dinner at that. And even had me a perfectly cooked baked tater. But Ardenne cheated and used the oven.

Then we all set ‘round the fire into the night.

It was really, really good to be with friends again. Makes me mindful that I need to do more visitin’ with some other good friends when I get a chance.

 

[KOWBOY]

Thursday, 14 August.

Woke up to find some critters in the cabin yard.

And then it was goodbye hugs and up the road I go. Bit warm for my taste last night so I needed me some elevation. The climb back up Wolf Creek Pass was much more serious goin’ in this direction but me and my junk got this stuff cyphered out by now. Kick off the overdrive and just hold the pyro right at 12 hun’erd. Speed and rpm’s are what they are. But they was enuf to pass quite a few tourists on the way up. Real pretty drive right up into the rain clouds … which were in fact lettin’ rain out of em’.

Back into South Fork and over to Del Norte and up 285 through the hay country. Lots and lots of hay. Into Buena Vista for diesel and stop at a NAPA for oil changin’ stuff. (Editor’s Note: This is also foreshadowing.)

Scenery picked up real nice at this point. And on up I go. When I say I need some elevation, I mean it. How about the highest incorporated city in the United States at 10,152 feet. Welcome to Leadville. Where the main drag is called Harrison Avenue.

Town was gettin’ geared up to close down the main drag for the weekend Trail 100 race. Real famous high-altitude, 100 mile foot race.

But I didn’t come here to run no hun’erd mile foot race. I came here to find a bar. A very famous bar called the Silver Dollar Saloon.

But I reckon I ain’t the only fella that’s heard of this here world famous bar. I opened the front door and is was jammed up with friggin’ tourists eatin’ cheeseburgers. Walked right back out. Asked a coupla boys smokin’ dope on the sidewalk where the locals drink? They pointed me to the Manhattan Bar. And I was home.

Sat there and drank and watched it rain. And drank. And drank. A really good bar with a great crowd of locals. But I did leave at some point and drove on outta town. Real hard to find a campin’ spot late at night when you’re drunk. So I didn’t. Next thang I know I hit I-70. Which weren’t really what I wanted. So I took the first exit for the town of Frisco. And there was a big parkin’ lot there. Nighty-night.

 

[KOWBOY]

Friday, 15 August

And here’s what it looked like in the mornin’.

Turned out to be a parkin’ lot for a trailhead. Nice and level but right next to I-70 so noisy as hell. Didn’t sleep too good. Drove on into Frisco to see what’s up. The main drag is called Main Street. And I like that. Too early for the shops and bars to be open but did find the Butterhorn Bakery and Café where I had some most awesome biscuits and gravy. If’n ya ever find yourself on Main Street in Frisco ‘round breakfast time, do yourself a favor and eat the biscuits and gravy at the Butterhorn Bakery and Café.

And then it was up and over Independence Pass towards Denver. But before I got into that mess they call Denver, I turned off onto Highway 6 and went down the beautiful canyon towards Golden. So that I could go to Slee Off Road and sneak right in behind all the Ty-ota wagons in the parkin’ lot.

Christo was gracious enuf to agree to have his crew overlook the Ford badgin’ and work on my junk some. Some basic maintenance like oil/filter change and tire rotation. Also some new light tabs on the front bumper and hopefully fix the dang parkin’ brake. As I was showin’ him the light tabs, I realized the other one was broke and the remainin’ light was fixin’ to fall off as well. So give ‘im the keys and leave my junk till my next time-off.

Then it was off in a taxi to a hotel by the Denver airport so I can fly back to Philly tomorrow. Sure gonna miss the sweet lil’ Grand Junction airport. Reckon I’ll use it again some day tho. But sure easier to get flights in and outta Denver.

 

[KOWBOY]

END OF CHAPTER 9

 

[KOWBOY]

CHAPTER 10

Reckon some weeks go better than others.



Thursday, 28 August 2014



At 0630 I was on a plane from Albany, NY to Chicago and then onto Denver from there on a dif’rent plane. Landed right on time at 1030 local. Waited ‘bout an hour for my shuttle van to pick me up and tote me out to Golden. Where my junk was sittin’ on the front row at Slee Off Road in a cold rain.

Sure looks better with two lights again.

They ground off the old broken tabs and added real tabs that are spread further out. Nice job. Also changed the oil, greased, and torqued ev’rythang down. They had hell rotatin’ my big-ass tires. Bein’ a Ty-ota specialty shop, they didn’t have a lift that would handle my 11,000 pounds. But they made do …

Thanks again to Christo and his crew for workin’ on my junk!!

 

[KOWBOY]

So squared away the bill and eased down the road to a store that sells ev’ry brand of bike rack known to mankind. Only to make the determination that there just ain’t no off-the-shelf product that’s gonna work on my junk. Bummer.

Then look at the atlas to try to figure out somewheres to go. With the upcomin’ holiday weekend, I know I’d better get up and over the divide today before I-70 becomes a parkin’ lot tomorrow. Frisco ain’t too far and I seen some potentially good bars when I had breakfast there last chapter. So off I go.

And I-70 was already a mess. I bailed off on Highway 6 to go over Loveland Pass. This is the route they make the tanker trucks take cuz they can’t go thru the tunnel in case they blow up. Steep and twisty and cool cuz I ain’t never been this way before. As I got towards the top, the rain turned to snow. Small flakes but comin’ down pretty good. Worked my way up and over the summit at 11,990 feet and pulled into a small parkin’ lot by a lil’ lake. Lot was packed out with Mercedes that were all funky lookin’. Obviously testin’ new models in the mountains. Reckon this one musta been testin’ the tow ratin’.

Snow turned back to rain as I went downhill and thru the ski resorts of Arapahoe Basin and Keystone and then down on into Frisco. Ollie’s Pub & Grub was one of the bars that caught my eye before.

Nice sports bar with a right-tasty chicken and broccoli mac & cheese dish. Had a few beers and eased on up the main drag on foot … which is Main Street … to the Moosejaw.

This is the locals bar and it was packed out with ‘em. Fun time. Lotsa beer.

Last time I was in Frisco, I stayed in a big parkin’ lot at the west end of town that was right on the interstate. This time I found a parkin’ lot on the east end of Main Street.

 

[KOWBOY]

Friday, 29 August

And here’s what it looked like in the mornin’. Right next to a boat trailer storage lot for the Frisco Bay Marina on Dillon Reservoir. Sure a lot quieter on this end of town.

One of the aforementioned locals had the day off work so it was back to the Butterhorn Bakery & Café for a breakfast for two of their most awesome biscuits and gravy.

Then we piled in my junk and headed up the road to Breckenridge. A beautiful day to browse all the stores and buy some clearance items.

And of course hit a bar. The Gold Pan Bar & Restaurant has the distinction of holdin’ the longest continuous runnin’ liquor license west of the Mississippi.

Place had a really cool interior but one of the most unique features is definitely this deer’s ass that occasionally puffs smoke out of it.

 

[KOWBOY]

Then it was up and over the twisty switchbacks of Hoosier Pass and to the town of Alma … at 10,578 feet … it’s the highest town in the States. Which means Alma’s Only Bar is the highest bar in the States. I think that’s pretty cool.

But there’s also a saloon in Alma. Which of course makes it the highest saloon in the States And I think that’s pretty cool as well.

 

[KOWBOY]

And in between the highest bar and the highest saloon is a fella that does wood carvin’s. I think he’s been smokin’ a serious amount of the legal, local dope. Reckon this is Jesus comin’ out of a coupla sunflowers … with mushrooms on the side. Creepy.

And across the street is a lil’ shoppin’ opportunity at Hoosier Daddy Liquors … named after Hoosier Pass. And a hair cuttin’ place.

Ain’t much to Alma but I sure like it’s style.

Then back down to Frisco for some phenomenal Mes’kin food and to the Moosejaw for a nightcap. Once I dropped off the local at ‘er car, I eased on around Dillon Reservoir to some campgrounds on the opposite side from town. Which I found to be jammed slap up with tourists for the holiday weekend. Not an open spot to be found. I hate holidays and I hate tourists. So back to my spot in the parkin’ lot on the east end of Main Street by the empty boat trailers. Home sweet home.

 

[KOWBOY]

Tuesday, 02 September


So Saturday ‘bout mid-mornin’, I go to fire up my junk to ease on into town to vacate my questionably legal campin’ spot and meet the local for lunch. Turn the key and the gauges do some funny stuff. Engine weakly cranks but won’t turn over. Kinda like when I didn’t have no glow plugs workin’. No problem … just walk on into town.

Then early afternoon I try to start ‘er again and she won’t even crank. Bummer. Broke the fawk down in a parkin’ lot in Frisco, CO on a holiday weekend.

I’m here to tell ya tho Folks … sure coulda been a helluva lot worser. Idled away the days, drank away the evenin’s with the local, and slept the nights away in my camper sittin’ on my dead-ass truck in the parkin’ lot on the east end of Main Street next to the empty boat trailers.



After another round of biscuits and gravy with the local this mornin’, we tracked down a wrecker that could handle my junk’s weight. And it was a big ‘un.

Straps would barely wrap around the meats.

… and off she goes ...

 

[KOWBOY]

5 miles down the road to turn into the parkin’ lot of Summit Ford in Silverthorne.

Where she was dumped in the back of the lot to await service some day when they can get ‘round to it.

 

[KOWBOY]

Oh well … ain’t nuthin’ to do now but drink. The local took the day off work so we piled into her Subaru (evidently the O’ficial car of the Rocky Mountains) and went on a Rocky Mountain bar hoppin’ loop By Gawd. Hit bars in Breckenridge, Alma, Fairplay, and then down to Buena Vista to the Coyote Cantina.

Although mainly famous for the great food and bar, one of their novelties is John Denver’s motorsickle. Back when I was here in 2009, it was hangin’ from the ceilin’.

Nowadays, it’s parked next to a wall.

Barmaid said they had to take it down cuz’ it was leakin’ oil on the customers tryin’ to eat. That’s funny stuff.





Then on into the bid’ness district of Buena Vista to the Lariat Bar & Grill and the Green Parrot Bar. Both of which are very respectable.

And back to the Manhattan Bar in Leadville for a few and return to Frisco way too late. What a great day.

Got dropped off at the Holiday Inn where I had made a reservation usin’ some of my hotel points to get myself a free room.

 

[KOWBOY]

Wednesday, 03 September


After a really nasty, overpriced breakfast at the Holiday Inn Restaurant, I took a 2 hun’erd buck shuttle to the Denver airport and flew back to Albany.





So even tho my junk flat-out left me stranded … I ain’t mad at ‘er.

Cuz she sure picked a sweet place to do it. In fact, I even told the Ford shop to wash ‘er and detail the interior as her reward once they get ‘er runnin’.



Wonder what it’d be like to spend the winter in Frisco, Colorado??

 

[KOWBOY]

END OF CHAPTER 10

 

[KOWBOY]

CHAPTER 11

Saturday, 01 November

Let’s see here … where were we?

So the next time-off in September I flew back into Denver and took a shuttle up to Silverthorne to the Ford dealer. Problem was a bad alternator. With a brand new one and a phenomenal detailin’ job that had the interior spotless ... my junk’s good as new.

Spent the week hangin’ out in Frisco and decided just weren’t no place for me to be all winter. And the local weren’t all too interested in bein’ a local there no more neither.

Left the truck in long-term parkin’ at the Denver airport and back to work I went.

So my first week off in October, I flew back to Colorado, rented a U-Haul truck, and moved the local outta her apartment. Wyoming seems like a cool place so we went there and rented a house. Dropped off my junk at Hallmark for some minor tweakin’ and flew back to work.

So this week off, I went and fetched my junk and put ‘er away in the RV garage at the house. Holed up for the winter.