The Good....The Bad......The Ugly...and the Good

The Day started around 0430...couldn't sleep for some reason....had a couple cups of coffee....prepped the camper for "road ready", and then time for some early morning photo ops of the Sand Dunes...these are a few samples...remember all are untouched....as I do not have the capability for "Dark Room" work while on the road...A little info about  the Dunes....Most of the sand originated in the San Juan Mts, over 65 miles away.....the larger gain came from the nearby Sangre de Cristo Mts.
Wind and water are the primary forces of getting the sand to their location....They estimate that the age of the Dunes are from 12000 to a million years old....class dismissed!

Great Sand Dune NP -photograph by Horst Kelly

Photograph by Horst Kelly

Photography by Horst Kelly

 

Sooooo, I got back to my site about 0830..hitched up the camper...and sat outside taking in the views with one last cup of coffee...then hit the road really feeling good about this adventure.....I moving along...south to Alamosa on Rt 17...get gas...and start heading west on 160.....about 150 mile trip......the towns roll by, Monte Vista,  South Fork and hamlets in between...then I start my climb...I think its called Wolf Creek...my name for it was "You Son of B...."I am a mile from the summit in 3rd gear, going about 40 or so and I hear a "POP"...I thought ok its one of the camper tires, though it didn't seem loud enough for a "blow out"...I was in luck as there was a DOT snow cabin area, and plenty of space to get off the road...the Camp Gods are still with me...I do the walk around...no tire problems...and then I see the stream of green stuff exiting from the right front side of my Xterra..... open the hood...why I don't know....but I do see steam coming from the overflow bucket....though it doesn't make sense as my heat indicator NEVER showed a problem....and I have been watching it this trip....I let things cool off...mainly me...and add almost a gallon of water..while the engine is running...it is still leaking...so I will NOT try to go to the summit and coast down for nine miles.....I call my friendly insurance company...with the weak reception..went to yes no answers....long story short, the tow guys came within the hour, put the Horse on the flatbed and towed the Armadillo....called for a campground in Durango and got into a Nissan place.....this tow company was the best!!!!!! ...ok they could have provided me with a six pack of Coors.....for lowering my blood pressure.....Yes I 've had better days but ...S... happens, and if you're going to be stranded.....Hay Durango...its not so bad...it could be worse...Butte Montana, no offense ......So hopefully I'll find something out tomorrow....I'm thinking the overflow bucket cracked...but what do I know.....later