Driving to North Dakota

Because my birthday this year caused me to ring the 70 year bell, I decided it deserved a little jaunt to celebrate!  The first phase of the celebration took place in Poncha Springs/Salida where I met my adopted twin, Pete Varne and his wife Tish, joined by my good friend from Pocha Springs, Karen Timbrell, and Varney's friend from Salida, Ed Berg.

We started our evening at Vino Salida, a small local winery which is developing more new wines

The Vino Salida Building---Makes Its Own Statement!

each year.  It shares a delightful and funky looking Butler building with an auto parts store! After tasting a number of wines, we purchased some and headed for dinner at the Twisted Cork, where Pete shared one of Vino Salida wines.

70th birthday desserts at the Twisted Cork
 

The gap to St. Elmo

 

   
                                          Karen and her dog, Gizmo, in front of the St. Elmo Store,
                                             which is actually open in the summer.

                                             Penny & Gizmo in front of a B&B

                                               Useful signs on the Main Street!


 On Saturday Karen took me to St. Elmo, which is up a secret canyon in the range of mountains west of Highway 50 en route from Poncha Springs to Fairplay.  I had always wondered what was through "the gap" between the mountains! We drove on a narrow trail through the trees and back through the gap and there we found the remains of the 1880s mining town of St. Elmo!


There are some wonderful log homes remaining:

                                                          This one looks quite liveable.

                                                                  
                                                Note its great dove-tail-style log joints!

                                               Another well-maintained 1880s home

                                                   I liked this view...

Today I left Pocha Springs to drive up through northern Colorado's mountains and across Wyoming to North Dakota.  What an interesting drive!

                                                     Unusual clouds...

                                          Dozens of coal trains, nearly 2 miles long

Central Wyoming seems to be a beehive of energy development.  I saw dozens of coal trains,
nearly two miles long, headed to ???? from great open pit mines.  Countless oil rigs developing new wells, tankers hauling oil in all directions.  Meanwhile the antelope, sheep, horses and cattle continue to munch around all the well equipment!

The two good things I saw before I got to Gillette?

                                           Bill, Wyoming is alive and well!  This is the
                                           entire town, by the way!

                                            There is a great deal of development and they
                                             seem to name their restaurants wisely!!!

Over and out....