2022 October Staying cool in Rocky Mountains

   Wow, the heat wave covering most of the country and we are staying at elevation and keeping cool! 9- or 10,000-feet elevation is the magic numbers during a heat wave. There are so many places to do this and see new things. 

Leadville, CO is one of my favorites, boondocking directly on a creek that goes to the Arkansas river we have cool temperatures, sound of rippling water especially at night is soooo relaxing! I am getting lazy just chilling out at the campsite!

Another location near Florissant, CO - boondocking of course and on weekends the OHV riders descend on us, ok people to watch and talk to, glad when weekday arrives, and they all go home so peace and quiet once again.

Trip to Denver to pick up something ordered and replenish supplies was quite a ride. I had never driven I70 from Denver before. This route has a significantly long steep elevation grade! Fortunately, this trip I was headed east, and it was mostly downhill for me. I watched others on the long steep climb going west and know that my old RV a Rialta would not have made it. I love this new RV so much the transmission has capability to downshift 10 gears! I placed it in Tow-Haul mode and the transmission kept me withing the safe speed going down this long steep grade. Awesome machine!

While in Denver I realized that the trailer used for the motorcycles would be greatly enhanced by adding wheel chocks. Finding wheel chocks and long ramps used, I was able to modify the trailer so that it is much easier and safer to load and unload the motorcycles. Whew, I am glad I took a few days for this upgrade! especially since the newer motorcycle is 2 times the weight of the old one and I can walk it up under power so much easier and safer!

LARAMIE, WY

Having a few days before a doctor appointment in Denver we head out for Laramie, WY to see the murals in town and the Wyoming Territorial Prison from the turn of the century.

Having toured an old prison last year with brother Bob and family I had rather high expectations of this one. Not necessarily disappointed, but it was not the same as the previous one in Montana.

This prison had only operated for 30 years before being turned over to the University of Wyoming for agriculture research, later a private party purchased to make a theme park and that never fully came to fruition. The private party then gave it to the state of Wyoming who recreated from pictures and notes to recreate the atmosphere of the prison.

The building is still the same stone that originally built, there were layers of improvements over the years and one area they opened the subfloor to show how heat was moved through the building. Improvements during the prison period featured mechanical operators for opening multiple doors at the same time. Dining hall and guard living quarters also were improved to have guards sleeping quarters inside the prison. Previously they were in half of the wardens' house nearby.

The tour guide had allot of good stories to tell such as how many escapes, what happened to them, the wardens deal with the state that left over money from operating the prison came to him. Actually, not too bad because the warden would make sure the prisoners were fed and healthy so they could work and create items to sell, work a farm so they were self-sufficient. A broom factory, wood working shops created quite allot of income for the warden.

The most famous prisoner was Butch Cassidy, this was before his fame as a bank and train robber and the result of horse stealing. He was a good prisoner actually a Trustee. Not that this rehabilitated him of course. This is an interesting picture of his exploits, look hard at the legend to get the most out of it.

Pics of the prison buildings

Also onsite was static displays of a harness for draft horses, Shepard covered wagon - I like to say a very early RV.

Laramie was listed as having allot of murals in town and I rode the scooter around to see them and even with a map only found a few. Later when Tanya and I walked the town we discovered that they were mostly in alleyways and not on the main street. Not very comfortable walking along next to trash dumpsters to see the murals. I wonder how the artists painting them handled the odor?

These last ones were from the Moose Lodge and not in an alley. The majority of murals were more artsy in nature and not historic reflecting the city's past.

Invinson Mansion and Plains Museum. Was a good tour, showing the architecture and history of the mansion, change over to a girl's school - girls from rural areas that completed elementary school and wanted more education would come here to live and receive a higher education. Also the owner wife highly involved in the Weomans Sufferage Movement. Of not is the first weomen to vote was here in Laramie.

The first night we were here we had camped at a recreation area out of town alongside a lake. The afternoon Monsoon storm had very high winds, torrential downpours for a long time. Whew it was not really comfortable even though both Tanya and I love weather events.

The next night we stayed in town for the Lodge had once been a bank with drive through service and covered too. Another torrential downpour and we weathered it much better.

We like to try local foods wherever we are, here in Laramie we found - 

Delicious, and the Green Chili sauce can be added to any meal!

The weather for the next week is going to be much of the same for Monsoon Season is definitely here. We are contemplating returning to Denver and wait to finish doctor appointment before moving on.