Mountain Time

Summer has come and the Leos are are enjoying to comforts of the 7,800 foot elevation in the Conejos River Valley in southern Colorado. We hit the road during the first week in May to avoid the Texas summer heat. As it happened, we also avoided the Texas flood.

I'm glad to back in Colorado and expect to spend the summer in this location, rather than rambling around like we did last year. After hitting 13 states and traveling over 12,000 miles last year we're going to be lazy this summer. I've got all the supplies I need to complete several paintings and all the flies I need to keep the fish entertained, so I plan to limit my travels to day-trips this season.

I really enjoyed the acrylic painting class I took in San Antonio over the past winter. I'm now looking for subjects to work on while we are here. I've completed one painting so far. The subject is a longhorn catching some Zs in a field of bluebonnets. I've titled it Nap Time in Texas.

Nap Time in Texas 11"X14" Acrylic on Canvas

  I shipped it to Doug and he received it just as he and his family were moving into a new house in Midlothian, Texas. He said it is going into his new home office. Since I have no room in my RV to hang anything, I'm glad it has a place.

Before leaving Texas, I completed paintings that are now in Kim and Maggie's homes.

Maggie was the first to stake a claim on my efforts. She now has three of my paintings and has started what she has named her "Pappy Wall" in her home to display them.

Conejos River Valley, 16"X20" Acrylic on Canvas

 Conejos River Valley is my first painting and is based on a view of the valley from a scenic overlook on the road to Chama, New Mexico.

December Dunes, 20"X16" Acrylic on Canvas

December Dunes is a scene from the beach at Port Aransas, Texas. The Leos have spent time there until we learned how rapidly the salt air can take a toll on our RV.

Ozier Road Aspens, 20"X16" Acrylic on Canvas

  Ozier Road Aspens is a site about two miles from the location the Leos are spending the summer this year. It is a National Forest Service road that runs to the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad station at Ozier, Colorado.

After Maggie snagged my first three works, Kim "commissioned" a work that is required of any Texas artist (not that I claim to be an artist at this stage). To paint in Texas you must do bluebonnets.

Hill Country Spring no. 1, 11"X14" Acrylic on Canvas

Hill Country Spring No. 1 is a scene depicting a site along the Willow City Loop, which is considered one of the must-see wildflower viewing areas just north of Johnson City, Texas. Since Kim's house is filled with original art by real artists, I was pleased that she found a place for this as well.

Giving credit where due, Juanita Graza, my instructor in the class in San Antonio patiently guided me in these first efforts. Her coaching is responsible for me achieving results that my kids like enough to hang indoors (so far).




While I have been spending a good bit of my time on this new hobby, it hasn't been my exclusive activity. Leo and I have been diligent in getting in a couple of miles walking each day, rain or shine. Also, since arriving here in early May, I've read six books. I'm working my way through the Luis Davenport detective novels by John Sandford (the Prey Series), with occasional sidetracks to Zane Grey westerns. For variety, I have also started a series by Lawrence Block (Matthew Scudder Mysteries).

The Conejos river is still swollen with spring runoff so we haven't been fishing yet, but I expect the river to drop and clear up in the next week or two. Then it will be time to wet a fly.

Till then I've been getting some day trips in. Leo and I joined Richard, my neighbor in the RV park and his dog for a trip to the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Zapata Falls just outside Alamosa, Colorado.

Great Sand Dunes as seen from the parking lot at Zapata Falls

This early in the year, Medano Creek, which flows at the base of the dunes is running full from spring snow melt. This makes a great beach spot for families, kids and dogs to play on.

Medano Creek at the Great Sand Dunes

Medano Creek exhibits a unique phenomenon, in that it flows in periodic surges like ocean waves coming onto the beach. Leo and Richard's dog, Niki, had a blast.

It's hard to capture the size of the dunes in a photo. But this picture may help. The tiny specks on the dunes in the background are people climbing the dunes to sand surf down!

While the creek and dunes were relaxing, we had to get our exercise in. The hike up to Zapata Falls provided all I needed. At an elevation of 9,400 feet above sea level, the thin air put me to huffing like a steam engine.

Richard and Niki lead the way to the Falls

It's only about a half mile from the parking lot to the falls, but it's a steady uphill climb with a trail full of ankle-busters. But at the top it is cool and worth the climb.

Just below the Falls

            Unfortunately, Leo found the approach to the falls too slippery for his likes, so to enter the cave in which the Falls itself drops I would have had to carry him. So neither of us made it into the cave. No matter. It was still worth the hike.




As a change of pace, I made my first trip on the San Luis and Rio Grand Scenic Railroad on this past Saturday. The event was the annual Rails and Ales Brew-fest held at the concert venue at Fir, Colorado. This venue is accessible only by a two hour train trip from Alamosa, Colorado up into the mountains toward La Veta Pass. When we arrived, we were greated by 41 micro-brewers who offered free samples of their products. The train was a sell-out with about 1,300 passengers aboard. The train car I rode in was primarily occupied by folks in their twenties. Fun group. Each two decked car held about 150 passengers.

Now think about it. On the way home my car had about 75 passengers on the top deck with me. Most were under the age of 30. All had been drinking free beer from 11:30AM till 3:30PM.........Right!

When we got back on the train, someone pulled out a Bluetooth speaker, cranked up the music and the party lasted till we got back to Alamosa. There were a few "old folks" who bailed after about 10 minutes. They missed all the fun. But they probably still had hearing left when they got off the train.

It's Catch-Up Time

It’s a cool, rainy Sunday afternoon here on the Guadalupe River in the Hill Country of Central Texas. Leo is taking a nap and I’ve got The Pizza Tapes with David Grisman, Jerry Garcia and Tony Rice playing.  Such a mellow afternoon seems like a good time to do an update to our Wanderings. I see my last post was way back in September of last year, so I’ve got some catching up to do.

The end of our Long Run, which I reported on last. was my hometown, Du Quoin, Illinois. Here I met up with friends from my high school days for our 50 year class reunion. It was amazing how quickly the years pass and how quickly they seem to drop away when you are with old friends.

From Du Quoin we headed south to Rosine, Kentucky, the birthplace and final resting place of the Father of Bluegrass Music,  Bill Monroe. 

We caught the Jerusalem Ridge Bluegrass Celebration, a festival on the grounds of Bill Monroe’s grandfather’s farm. On Sunday we also attended a graveside service at the Rosine  Cemetery, with bluegrass gospel music by Bill grave.

Service at Bill Monroe's graveside

 As an avid bluegrass fan, this is a pilgrimage I have looked forward to for several years.

Pappy at the end of the Pilgrimage.

Our next stop was a National Recreation Area campground at the north end of Land Between the Lakes. As the Cumberland River and Tennessee River flow north toward the Ohio River they form Lake Barkley and Kentucky Lake respectively.

The Leos' hangout at LBL

Over 170,000 acres of forest, wetlands and open land between these two bodies of water forms the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation area, now managed by the National Forest service.  I really enjoyed the scenic drives and hikes around our camp site.



But, even in October the days in Kentucky and Tennessee were warm and humid. After about 10 days here we decided if we were going to be hot we would rather be so in Texas. So we pushed southwest to arrive at the Texas White House in Midlothian, Texas by mid-October, about a month ahead of schedule. But it was good to be back in the Lone Star and to have time to spend with Doug and his family. My...how those boys have grown!!!

The White Boys...Andy and Austin at Threadgill's in Austin for Gospel Brunch

We made a weekend trip to Austin for Maggie's 25th birthday on October 24. It was a cool surprise party complete with belly dancer.

At the beginning of November, we made the last leg of our 2014 travels to land at our winter base in New Braunfels, Texas on the banks of the Guadalupe River. We've (by "we" I mean the Trusty Companion and I) spent the holidays and several weekends in Austin. While I love our time in the mountains and forest land, it's nice to get back to civilization for awhile and to catch time with family and friends.

Christmas Girls

• I got to see my grandsons Austin and Cole play tennis and wrestle.

  

  Austin on the court

Cole Waters starts his career as a wrestler.

Signing Day! Austin White signs with Hardin Simmons University Tennis Team.

• Maggie and I took a Friday afternoon for lunch at the Texas Chili Parlor, complete with Mad Dog Margaritas and a Bowl of Red, then a tour of the Bob Bullock Museum of Texas History

Bob Bullock Museum of Texas History

• Doug's family and I caught a Gospel Brunch at Threadgill's, with Maggie and Jonas.

Winter Texans' Potluck at Rio Raft and Resort RV Park

• Wednesday night is potluck at the campground on the Guadalupe.

• I've been hanging out in San Antonio more this season. I'm taking a class on painting with acrylics (which I'll talk about in another post) and catching concerts there and in New Braunfels.

Sarah McLaughlin in concert at the Majestic Theater in San Antonio.

 Whew.... I've crammed five month into one post. I know I've left some highlights out. But I'll try to do better next time. I confess that the months here in Texas seem to be flying by and soon we'll be on the road again, like a couple of Wandering Leos!