Terry Bison Ranch - Cheyenne, WY

Woke up to a slightly rainy and chilly morning. Since we had to wait on the rain to stop, I took the opportunity to run to the laundromat to do a load of laundry. With that out of the way we took off a few miles down the road to the Terry Bison Ranch. http://www.terrybisonranch.com/ We had lunch at the Senator's Steakhouse on the ranch but we didn't eat anything exciting....onion rings and barbecue sandwich. Billy knows his barbecue and said that it was indeed excellent. They had horses, ponies, alpaca, camels, ostrich, goats, and llama at the ranch but we were eager to ride the train through the herd of buffalo. They had 5,000 head of buffalo on the 27,000 acre ranch and explained that that was a small ranch by WY standards. Most ranches are 100,000 acres or more. Go figure. We sat around the ranch most of the afternoon and the 150 year old Cottonwood trees growing around the barns were a beautiful sight to see. After seeing the buffalo we went into the Trading Post and purchased two buffalo rib eye steaks to cook on the grill. Will let you know how much we enjoy them.

I think that we may have outdriven our accents, sweet tea, and possibly our intelligence. Let me explain. Seems that everywhere we go and ask for advice or order from a menu folks seem to have a difficult time understanding us. I've taken to making more hand gestures than usual. We ordered sweet tea at the Senator's Steakhouse today and waiter looked at us like we had two heads. I'll let you try to figure out how we have outdriven our intelligence.

For our lurkers who are watching for RV park reviews, we have truly enjoyed F. E. Warren Fam Camp. The pronghorns who walk freely around the base and through the RV park are a treat for me to watch. The folks here are all friendly and fun to be around. The trees behind and through the RV park are beautiful....I think they are young cottonwoods. We will have to try out the park in Pensacola, Fl when we return home. We can highly recommend the Tyndall AFB Fam Camp in Panama City and the Navy Base in Panama City. We have stayed extensively at each of these. Tyndall Fam Camp has regular tribe of "Snowbirds" who come down every winter so sometimes it is difficult to find a space there Nov - Feb.

We will be leaving here tomorrow for a ranch in Dubois (sp?), WY. It will be a long drive for us - 6 hours. We have learned that 4 hours driving a day is enough. That's okay. We will be on the ranch for four days so we will have time to recover. Been humming "Oh Give Me A Home Where The Buffalo Roam....." all day. Awesome animals. "Life is Good Today"

F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Cheyenne, WY

We left the Air Force Academy Fam Camp about 10:00 am and drove a short 2 1/2 hours through Denver, CO to Cheyenne, WY. We saw lots of snow on the tops of the mountains as we drove through Denver and then we came to what they call the "High Plains." The Fam Camp at Warren Air Force Base is wonderful thus far. It is a very old base and the Fam Camp sits off to the back of the base. We saw lots of what we think are antelope right in the campground when we drove up to park. Couldn't get pictures because we had to drive into Cheyenne to find, what else, a Wal-Mart to buy a new camera. While Billy was setting up the camper Maggie and I walked to the end of the campground and found a field of antelope (?). We took photos; however, I hope we can do better after we read the instructions. Billy is still trying to set up the satellite TV, and I think I will call it a night. "Life is Good Today!"

Red Rock Canyon Hike...Colorado Springs

Soon as I woke my people up this morning they took me out for a walk to check my "p-mail." There are many little dog friends for me here at the Air Force Academy Fam Camp, and I like to check to see what they have been doing while I have been sleeping. The temperature this morning was 56 degrees so I think my people are going to have to put my "Snuggie" on for future walks. I shivered all the way around the park. After checking in on my neighborhood friends we got in the truck to ride. I never know how long I am going to be in that truck but always curl up on my people's lap and go to sleep. Let me tell you that we didn't go for a long ride. We went to a place called Red Rock Canyon and my people said that we were going on a hike. Well I knew we were going outside somewhere because they brought along my water bottle. There were lots of black Labs hiking through the canyon but they didn't scare me. Billy kept complaining that his knees hurt as we climbed up the rocks. When Jane slipped and slid down a big hill on her butt squealing that she wrenched her back I pulled a sit down and said that I was a high bred lap dog - not a black Lab - and I am stopping right here. See above photo. I got my way so they only hiked for about 45 minutes and I heard them make a pact that there would be no more hiking.

After the hike, they brought me back to the camper to take a nap in my condominium while they went to Cracker Barrel for lunch. That is the life I have come accustomed to living. I heard them say that there was a bus load of Amish folks from Ohio in Cracker Barrel. I heard Jane threaten that she was going to start cutting Billy's hair in a "bowl" cut like the hair cuts on those Amish men. That's great. He would look like a Shih Tzu. I think their camera broke so Billy has gone to the PX to buy a replacement. They said something about taking pictures of wild game somewhere called Montana and Yellowstone. Oh My.....Where to next? I know we are leaving here soon because Jane cleaned the camper today and they packed up the lawn chairs. I am waiting for my dinner and "Life is Good Today!"

Thunderstorm in the CO Mountains

Woke up this morning and put on a pair of shorts. After walking Maggie around the RV park, I promptly changed to long britches then Billy and I set out to find a place to have the oil changed in the truck. Seems like we have passed Jiffy Lubes for a week now, but it took us 30 minutes or more to find one when we needed it. After the oil change we were prepared to go hiking in Red Rock Canyon for real this time. We took a long look at the angry clouds hovering over the mountains and thankfully decided it was a bad idea. One heck of a thunderstorm blew in about the time we returned to the camper. I had a visual of Billy, Maggie and I hunkering down under a red rock for a LONG time. We will try again tomorrow. The thunder was magnificent as it echoed off the sides of the mountains.

We have noticed that folks traveling in their RV's like to travel on Mondays. Most of the park packed up and moved this AM, and we have a new crop moving in. Maggie and I like to walk around the park and look at the "yard art" that folks display. Pink flamingos, decorative hanging lights, whirly giggies, all sorts of flags, signs, and doggy statues. We really don't display yard art except to Billy's dismay I tote around a live Basil plant. It smells so good. We have an outside rug and our chairs, but I don't put the rug down unless it is necessary. Too much trouble when it gets wet.

Thanks for stopping in......"Life is Good Today!"

Golf!

Woke up this morning in a crap mood. If "one" doesn't put stuff where it belongs in a 200 square foot camper, it is a MESS!" Billy spent most of the day watching golf. I tried to sit out on the porch and read a book but it was too cold. Oh my! After it warmed up a bit we finally mustered up some energy to wash the outside of the camper. It was a MESS, TOO! Maggie had a little "high bred dog spite work" accident which caused me to have to go to the laundromat and do another load of laundry. UGH! This little dog is going to have to endure a bit more discipline! Pictures? No photos today. Billy cooked steak out on our new grill! Yum! It is thundering and raining now, so I am planning on curling up with a book and listening to the rain on the roof. Feeling real badly for the 10 folks down the way from Michigan who are sleeping in a pop up camper. Not feeling sorry for the rest of the folks here living high off of the hog! In spite of it all......."Life is Good Today!"

Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings

This morning we had a breakfast of sausage/livermush/eggs and toast AFTER we turned on the heater. Then we drove about 20 minutes to the Manitou Springs Cliff Dwellings. Maggie was welcomed there so she came along with us. We were able to just walk around the dwellings, room by room and get a glimpse of the world of the Anasazi, also known as the Ancient Ones or the Ancestral Puebloans. This is one of the most accessible examples of cliff dwelling architecture. The alcoves provided shelter from wind, rain and snow. The people of this advanced culture existed in the Four Corners area from 1100 AD to 1300 AD. This preserve was first open to the public in 1907. Until 1984, local Native Americans lived in and utilized this space. Today, you will find similar structures still being inhabited by Pueblo Indians in the Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico.

After visiting the Cliff Dwellings we drove across the highway to the Red Rock Canyon hiking trails. We hiked with Maggie for about 30 minutes and then gave it up for an earlier and cooler start one day next week. The trails were beautiful and even include a dog park. We will come better prepared next week. After a stop at Home Depot to buy everything possible to fix a leak we came back to the camper for a relaxing afternoon. Billy is again under the bed working on the leak and I am fixing country fried steak, fresh butter peas, and mashed potatoes for dinner. "Life is Good Today!"

Definitely Friday the 13th

Woke up and had a breakfast of bacon/eggs/toast and thought we would go see the Indian Cliff Dweller ruins; however, had the same old leak under our bed, and we commenced to tearing the bed apart again. If I could have gotten around the "mess" to get to my camera a picture of the three of us (Maggie, too) crammed in there would have been priceless. I left it with Billy and went to the laundromat to do four loads of laundry. Shame we still have to work on vacation. Somehow I lost my little bag of laundromat quarters between the camper and the laundromat. How does one lose something in 200 square feet? After the laundry we went to the BX and Commissary. We were hoping to find some plumber's putty at the BX, but no such luck; therefore, the leak is still not fixed. Had to rearrange the cabinets before I could put the groceries away because the goods slid up and down and sideways as we swirled through the mountains. The "bedroom" was still torn up so I decided to change the linens, and back to the laundromat I went. After a dinner of lasagne/salad/garlic bread I think I will call an end to this Friday the 13th.