One more day in Colorado Springs, then back to work!!

Wednesday, Buddy still wasn't feeling great, so instead of going to the Royal Gorge we headed to the 'Cave of the Winds'.  It was a decent tour, the guide was pretty good and they had this things called


Brad's off the path!!

the Terror-dactyl which dropped you straight down into the canyon and then you swung on it like a swing towards the opposite canyon wall......I got nauseated just watching the other people go.  The best part was they had a camera set up on the seat and watching the faces of the people on the ride was great.  After that we headed over to the Garden of the Gods Trading Post for lunch and some shopping.  Lunch was good, but the shopping got put on hold, they were painting the building  and the fumes were getting to us all.  Back to the CG, a few cocktails then off to the CG eatery .  for dinner...roasted chicken, potatoes, corn and a roll, not a bad meal at all.  We ended up talking 'til about 11:00, then off to bed with us all. 


 

 

This is the Canyon you swing
down into!!  Not for me!!



This is the platform they drop you from!

Thursday was pack-up, say our sad good-byes and we hit the road about 10:30.  Just before we hit Denver we stopped at a Bass Pro Shop for lunch and a little

Buddy and Theresa at
the Campground!!

shopping, we were checking out the kayaks, but nothing purchased.  As we head into Denver, it is stop and go traffic and took us forever to get through, but what a relief it was when we got through and started seeing all the familiar stuff near Fort Collins.  We stopped at JJ's corner market before heading up the mountain, disconnected the car and sent me on my way to HQ to do our checkout for the Sunday before while Brad got gas and a case of beer....a hot day and a cold one sounded great.  It was almost 4:00 until we got back, so we set up home again, grabbed a cold one and headed over for a visit with Larry and Sue.  Surprise, surprise....we didn't miss much.  It was a nice chat, a quick dinner and off to bed about 11:00. 

This was parked in the Bass Pro
Lot when we walked out of the
store, never heard it land!!

 

 

Friday morning we were back on duty for our 2 day make up, and had 40 check-ins to do.  We had one person, site 25, that we had to get the ranger to talk to about check out.  On the weekends, as fast as somebody pulls out, another camper pulls in...what a day.  All in all we survived, but about 1:30 I had to leave for training on the 'Gate Keepers' job.  I got a whole hour at the window, nothing on close out due to the computer being down, and Saturday they are putting me at the gate by myself....hope it all goes well.  Back home, burgers for dinner and off to bed about 10:00, I need to be at gate by 7:30 to get ready for the day. 

 

Saturday I was at the Inlet Bay Gate House and it was a busy day, all three of the boat launch areas, South Bay, Inlet Bay and Satanka,  were parked full by noon and anybody else that came in had a 1-2 hour wait for a launch.  By 1:30 all the car parking was full, so for the next hour all I could do was turn people away.  Needless to say, they weren't very happy with me, but they were all nice enough about it, understanding that it was a beautiful weekend and it seems everybody was having the same idea.  About 3:00, Lucy came to relief me at the gate, so off to HQ to do my check out....which took me until 4:30, they say I'll get faster at it, so I hope I do. Back at the CG Brad had to manage as host all by himself, but with no computer work he did just fine, the CG was full so no walk-ins were available, I headed back home, had a cold one with him and we settled on breakfast for dinner without a campfire, I'm not eating hot dogs.  :-)  We sat outside and chatted for a while then  headed in for the night. 

 

Sunday I was at the South Bay gate and when I pulled up to open there were 2 people already waiting to talk to me, so they did while I opened the window and unlocked everything.  I was actually able to help them out and then the fun began, the line of cars/trucks and boats was never ending.  About 10:30 Kathleen came up to help (Sunday's they have 2 people at that gate), walking up the line and selling day passes to the people that had cash.  About 2:00, Lindsay came up and I got my first break of the day, so a bathroom break, quick bite to eat and back at it until about 3:00, then off to HQ to check out.  Can you believe it, it took me longer the second day then it did the first.....not right.  But I get finished, head home but stop and grab a 6 pack on my way past the liquor store, I was ready for one.  Brad was off today, so he had the house hold chores to do...like running to the Laundromat.  As I was pulling into the campground I notice a couple of tents and EZ-up's in the site next to us.  Brad said it's a lot better now, they had their tents set up on our site, right beside the picnic table, now at least they are about 10 feet away, but the two nights they were here, they were quiet and the 8 kids were very well behaved. My cupboards are getting bare, so we ate the last of brauts and called it dinner, we were both hot and not very hungry, so that was a good choice. 

 I almost forgot, on Brads way home from town he sat in my line at South Bay and when he came to the window he had some snack food for me, so I could snack while still at my window, how thoughtful..    

Monday is our only day off together so we planned a day of replenishing supplies....nope it didn't get done.  I didn't want to go anywhere, so we stayed home and just did some little things around the camp site.  Up went the canopy around the table, got rid of what was left of the old refrigerator, scrubbed the shower and got some other cleaning done inside and even moved the new refrigerator into the hole where the old one used to be.  It's beginning to look like we live here and actually like it.  We ended up having ham steak and a veggie for dinner, now a store run is necessary, my freezer is empty.  Brad is going into town tomorrow to pick up some things while I hold down the CG, on duty in the AM. 

Thanks,

Diane, Brad and Rudy