Back On The Road Again–Albuquerque Balloon Fiesta Or Bust

(Santa Rosa, New Mexico) 82 degrees, blues skies, slight wind

We are finally back on the road again!  We picked up the motorhome and transferred everything from our little trailer at the Air Force Base and took off.  What a great feeling to finally be back on the road. 

We drove about 300 miles to a beautiful state park on the border of Colorado and New Mexico.  Trinidad Lake State Park surrounds a Corps of Engineer Lake.  There are two camping areas most with electric only. We were lucky and found a full hook up site for $24.  There is also an additional state park fee,  however, we bought an annual pass and did not have to pay this fee.  The campground told us our site is normally the camp hosts but they are now gone for the season. 

The campground is very well maintained and some sites over look the lake but not very many.  There are only 4 full hook up sites (1,3,6, and 63).  The bathrooms are the best we have ever seen.  They appear to be new with beautiful tile and large showers.  They are coin operated. 

There are lots of trails with kiosks telling you all about the wildlife.  Rattlesnakes can be present!

It is a large lake which only had a few boaters while we were there.  There is also a primitive campground down by the lakeside.  We drove down there in our jeep.  It would be a rough trip for a motorhome. 

We will definitely return for a longer stay.  The next morning we drove into New Mexico.  The scenery is changing rapidly.  The terrain is now very dry with lots of juniper trees and cactus. 

We are staying for two nights in Santa Rosa Campground – $33 per night with Escapee discount.   This town is on old Route #66.  There is a car museum and remnants of the original road.  The campground is not all that great but it serves our purposes.  Almost everyone staying here is going to the fiesta.  Cool! 

Today we did a few minor repairs of the RV and lots of cleaning and laundry.  We will be without hook ups for about 10 days.  After the fiesta we are going to the Rocky Mountain FMCA rally being held at the fairgrounds in Farmington.

Have you ever scuba dived in the desert?  Well, there is a famous place  here called the Blue Hole.  It is an 81 foot deep artisan well and is a constant 61 degrees year round.  It was an interesting place.  No one was swimming or diving today. 

Afterwards we went out to the Santa Rosa Lake campground.  It is also a Corps of Engineer lake.  We did not know about this campground before arriving and it is much more our style.  The sites are electric only for $14 per night with water and a dump site available.  Each site has covering for the picnic table. 

The lake was very low due to the drought.  It is a nicely maintained park with two trails and a observation tower. 

Tomorrow we are leaving early and heading to the fiesta.  We are so excited.  Check back for all the details. 

Still Broke Down In Cheyenne For Two Weeks And Counting

(Cheyenne, Wyoming) 79 degrees, clear blue skies

We are still in Cheyenne. Can you believe it?  We have spend the past two weeks fighting with our extended warranty company (Allegiance) to cover our claim.  It turns out our radiator is leaking and Floyd's Freightliner diagnosed a failed core.  Luckily the engine is not damaged.  The cost to replace the radiator since it is side mounted is approximately $5,500.  Allegiance Warranty has tried every trick in the book not to pay this claim.  For example, taking days to return our calls, insisting that the radiator be completely removed before sending their inspector, delaying sending out their inspector for four days, and then denying the claim due to corrosion.  There is no evidence of corrosion at all.  However, our insurance agent says he is just sure there must be some. 

John was present when their inspector came out and he did not seem to know the difference between the radiator and transmission.  He mostly goes out on automobile claims.  A diesel pusher is quite a different beast.  Floyd's did not agree with their findings (corrosion) and have fought hard for us.  I read our policy and all the fine print and saw that we could take them to arbitration in the state of Wyoming.  So, in a  last effort we said that unless they paid this legitimate claim we would follow through with arbitration.  Suddenly, they decided to pay most of the cost. 

We felt strongly that our claim was valid and isn't this why you take out the policy in the first place.  It was supposed to give us peace of mind.  It has mostly given us heartburn and a big dose of extreme aggravation. This policy was very expensive and at the time we were not sure whether to purchase it.  In the future, we will not buy one.  It would be better to save each month for repairs.   

There have been some bright moments.  F.E. Warren Air Force Base has been wonderful to us.  They brought down to the campground a 30 foot trailer for us to stay in.  The cabin was cute but having a kitchen and bathroom now has made it more comfortable. 

We also spent a wonderful day at the Rocky Mountain National Park.  Our original intent was to spend a week there in the RV.  We were so happy to see the aspens in their glorious fall colors.  It was a perfect day and we enjoyed the time away.

A guide book we referenced recommended going up Old Fall River Road (one way dirt road) and down Trail Ridge Road (paved road).  We picked up a small guide just as we started that was so great.  It told us about changes in the the ecosystem and an avalanche we would have probably missed.  For a dollar it was a great guide.  The summit is at 12, 454 feet. 

Beginning of Old Fall River Road

Chasin Falls

Aspens in all their glory

1985 Avalanche

Near the summit -alpine tundra

Trail Ridge Road

Hidden   Valley

During our ample free time we also have been to the movie theatre.  We saw:   Moneyball (true story, interesting, highly recommend seeing it)  Driver (way too violent)  Contagion (scary and it encouraged us to consider investing in solar panels to avoid crowds)  The Help (great movie, be sure to see it)

John's cousin and her family live a few  hours away in Colorado.  We had a nice reunion over the weekend and met more of her extended family.  One of her son's has a ranch in the high dessert.  They have lots of horses and even llamas and alpacas.  We got a kick out of watching one the twins lead her alpaca around. 

Our motorhome is having the radiator put in today.  Hopefully tomorrow we will be on the road and heading to New Mexico.  Wish us luck!