From Black Canyons to evil public lands
A lot happened since leaving Black Canyon, so sit right back and let me tell you the tale…
After our overnight in the National Park, we puled into Montrose, Colorado and dropped the trailer at the local park. Now free of the large appendage, we were able to scout a particular forest road that looked promising about 15 miles out of town. Along the way we came across what we thought would be our home for the week; a nice flat area just off the roadway with a huge view of Montrose and the surrounding areas. As luck would have it, it was only 5 miles or so out of town. We still scouted further down the road, but the lack of a cell signal solidified that we would stay at our newly found spot.
On the way back to pickup the trailer, we checked out a neighboring spot and found signs of weekend parties, poor public land hygiene, and a more than a few dead animals. Not the small rodent type, but deer sized, and more than one. While Kerri voiced concern, I just figured, “well at least we aren’t staying here” and continued on to get the trailer.
We returned with the trailer and wound our way through the trees and rocks to get right out on the cliff edge to have the best 360 degree view for the week. It took some serious effort, and even a few curt words to each other before we made it to the spot we wanted. Then the process of unhitching, unpacking, and settling in… all with a faint smell of something wrong in the air which only grew stronger with each passing minute. The dogs were off-leach and wandering around. Both were too quiet for things to be right. It was only after we were finished with the setting camp process did Kerri come outside and express her dislike of the “poop-like smell” the wind was carrying in. I’m a guy, and poop doesn’t bother me so much, so took note of her comment and set it aside.
Why were the dogs behaving so well? Were are they? Ah, there they both are sniffing a… oh wait, that is a rotting carcass of one of their own. Not 30 feet from the trailer, and up wind of us, was a full sized dog in the worst of decomposition. I knew I recognized that smell, and it wasn’t poop. Gag reflexes started to surface, Kerri ran for the trailer with a very stern, “we have to move” and I began the process of re-hitching up, which took less time than usual, but still a good 1o to 15 minutes.
Kerri took her seat in the truck and we started to pull out, but the dance with the trees and rocks proved much more difficult this direction. It took nearly a half hour with us on the edge of our nerves. Yelling… cursing… crying… you name it, it was as bad as we have ever been. The smell and the dusty wind did not helping calm the emotions either. Eventually we made it out. Eventually we made it 30 minutes down the road to a state Park. Eventually we were able to relax, crack open a beer, and let all the evil fall off us.
We stayed the rest of the week at the Ridgway State Park with no dead animals or trees conspiring against us.
You know I had to check things out with a title like “Evil PUBIC lands”! Long live beer.
Oh boy… fixed
Hey! I’m in beautiful downtown Ridgway with another full-timer, guests of a part-timer. I’m set up in the alley behind his shop. Are you guys still in the area?
Ah too bad. We did leave this past weekend and are already up deep in Wyoming waiting out the Labor Day crowds.