I wake up before Nancy and take Moe for his morning walk. Nancy is awake when we get back. I walk to the restroom and take a shower. Nancy heads over for her shower. I cook eggs and toast. Our neighbors Amos and Beth are just about loaded to leave. I make coffee. Nancy is back, and we head over to say “goodbyes”. They are headed north, and we are headed south.
Smoke is in the air, and the horizon is hazy. We drive over the La Sal Mountains. The climb to the summit is not long, and we don’t gain much elevation. Then! We drop down S-curves that wind down the side of the mountain. After ten miles of dropping, we enter Colorado and continue the drop for another fourteen miles.
The valley that we finally reached is a slope to another winding drop. We continue losing elevation that will end at Ridgway, CO.
Smoke is billowing up over a range ahead of us. Nancy pulls off the road and calls our campground. They are still open but on alert in case the fire spreads to their side of the mountain.
We arrive at a great campground overlooking a lake and views of mountains that almost look like small Alps. This is how the campground was described to us.
Once set up, we walk a short trail to the scenic viewpoint. The sun is now fading, and the air is heavy with smoke.
I will sleep in my hammock tonight.
I saved the best for last. Last night after our dinner, walking back to the car, I discovered a flask in a storefront window. This morning on our way out of Moab, I had Nancy stop so I could go to the store to purchase this flask. It is perfect in so many ways. I just need to have it. It is now in my possession. All the struggles on this tour are vindicated.
