Colorado Springs - Home for a Month

Site #78 Mountaindale RV Resort

Roger here....  We survived our four days of boondocking at the forest service campground without incident.  We now know that if we are conservative with our fresh water, our holding tanks, and our house batteries that we are good for four nights.  It was nice to have a three-day vacation from all the political crap and the senseless tragedy in nearby Aurora.  We did not know about the Aurora shooting until our cell phone service kicked back in when we reached civilization.  We are likely to boondock again; it was a nice break. 


The two-hour + drive from Nathrop, Colorado to Colorado Springs along the Arkansas River was scenic and uneventful --- always a good combination.  When we arrived at our current camping spot, Mountaindale Cabins and RV Resort, we were greeted in the office by Ginger, a fellow RV Dreamer who we met a couple of years ago at the rally in South Carolina.  It is always nice to have friends in the campground.  Speaking of friends, Mike and Marian, neighbors from Retama Village and also RV Dreamers, have been here for several weeks.  We also met up with Mike and Marian in Kerrville, Texas last May at the rally.  After we got everything set up for our month-long stay, we were invited to their site for hamburgers.  Ginger, and her husband, Jesse, were there as well as a half-dozen new friends.  It was so nice of Mike and Marian to invite us for burgers and introduce us to their friends.  

This campground is amazing, among the very best places we have been in the last three years.   (Dianne here:  The true test of a special place is that people come back year after year; it reminds me of Bentsen Palm Village in Mission, TX).   The terraced sites are huge, private, and immaculately landscaped.  We are parked on pink gravel (absolutely no weeds) which also covers our outdoor living area.  


We have our own really cool fire-pit a couple of steps down from the main outdoor area, in its own terraced level.  Now that the campfire ban has been lifted in the State of Colorado, we intend to make use of it.  

We can always find some shade in our outdoor area, either from the motor home, or from the trees that line the site.  A picture of the living area below gives you an idea as to how large it really is.  You can see our blue hammock in the distance.  Our grill and food-prep table is nestled behind one of the recliners.  Wow, is this ever a great place to relax outside.

Every morning we have been taking the dogs on a mile-long hiking loop that starts just a few feet from our site.  The walk is gravel for about half the circle, then turns back toward the campground on a couple of non-busy paved roads.   (A nice country walk -- D.)  This is a beautiful area.  Here are a few pictures of the sights that we see every morning:

Here is a good view of our park nestled among the trees on a hillside near the end of the hike.  


Yesterday, the dogs enjoyed a romp in the fenced-in dog park on the way back to the motor home.   (If only it were grass it would be perfect for the "kids."  Unfortunately, it requires a wipe-down after every play time to get the dirt brushed off of them.  I have yet to find a RV dog park as good as our neighborhood park in Mission. -- D.)


We have already been here for three days.  We are going to be here for a month.  Well, Dianne, Bandido, Tequila, and Charlie are going to be here for a month.  Tomorrow afternoon I am flying to Indy to do presentations for my former employer.  I will be there for three weeks working, having an annual physical, getting new eyeglasses, and seeing friends.  I'm so glad that Dianne will be in such a beautiful, safe place.   (This will be the first summer we haven't driven the motor home to Indiana.  We knew we wanted to be further west this year, so we opted for him to do a "fly-in" this time.  --  D.)


Our frequent posts may be a little infrequent for the next few weeks, but ya never know.  Dianne may have a lot of things to write about while I am away :-).  (It should be interesting.  In 40 years of marriage, we've never been apart for longer than a week.  Roger quipped yesterday that "The first two days we'll probably be glad."  Ha!!  I know that in a couple of days the reality of being solely in charge of three animals and dumping the tanks, etc. will set in.  Our 40th anniversary will be July 30 while he is gone.   At least he will be with our friends Jay & Nancy, who were in our wedding (we were also in theirs a month earlier) and who actually set us up on our initial blind date way back when.   They'll just have to go down memory lane without me!  -- D.)


The Pet Picture of the Day shows Bandido along the creekside at our previous campsite.  I think it is a pretty good picture of my buddy.

Dad will miss me most of all!!