COLORADO'S 149TH BIRTHDAY ROAD TRIP: CHAFFEE COUNTY, COLORADO

On August 1, 1876, 28 days after the Centennial of the United States on July 4, 1876, U.S. President Ulysses S. Grant signed a proclamation admitting the state of Colorado to the Union as the 38th state and earning it the moniker THE CENTENNIAL STATE.

Then one summer day in 1893 Katherine Lee Bates, an English teacher for Colorado College, decided to take a ride in a prairie wagon with some other teachers to the summit of 14,107-foot fourteener Pikes Peak. Near the top they had to leave the wagon and hike the rest of the way with mules. Ms. Bates would later recall, “I was very tired but when I saw the view, I felt great joy. All the wonders of America seemed to be displayed there, with the sea-like expanse.” She hastily jotted down in her notebook what she was experiencing. Inspired by the majestic mountain’s view of the “Purple Rockies” and nearby “fruited plains,” she captured the moment in her notebook and eventually converted it into verse. In less than a few moments she had written the poem which would describe America and the beauty she absorbed within her spirit.

Two years later on July 4th, 1895 edition of ‘The Congregationalist’ featured her poem ‘America;’ in 1910 it was set to the music of Samuel A. Ward and formally published as ‘America the Beautiful.’ Its popularity incited massive petition drives to make it the national anthem of the United States. One of the most beloved patriotic songs ever written, ‘American the Beautiful’ is likely to be found in the back of every church hymnal in the United States.

As a born and raised native of Colorado I have for the past 16 years as a Meetup Organizer in some form have always put together a Colorado Birthday Road Trip. This year I’m planning to head in a different direction instead of Lake County and Park County. I'm going to shift gears into overdrive and head for Chaffee County. Buena Vista, Salida, Poncha Springs as well as Monarch Mountain.

This is not a complete event list of what I have planned but I believe those who are interested in going but who aren’t interested in dispersed camping need to make reservations for nearby campgrounds that require reservations, motels, hotels and hostels also.

I have contacted the Land of Bureau Management who have sent me information about dispersed campgrounds that do not allow RVs the size of aircraft carriers but instead to accommodate those who want to tent camp, small trailers such as pop-tops/teardrop campers and large vans. Several people have told me they need trees and not wide open spaces to accommodate large RVs…I hate to camp with no shade! This was quite apparent last year when we camped on Shrine Ridge Mountain Rd and on Guanella Pass.

This year I’ve made arrangements that we'll be camping near Poncha Springs which will be our center point between Salida and Buena Vista.
~I’m only sending this posting out because I know some of you need to make arrangements with your employer, school and other reasons to take some time off.

~This is a website for those of you who feel the need for speed of a fantastic river rafting trip down Brown’s Canyon from Buena Vista to Salida: https://www.americanadventure.com/tour/browns-canyon-classic-tour/?gad_source=1&gbraid=0AAAAADoKZWlVsFGMJUkReXlldKcBSrUtb&gclid=CjwKCAjwwqfABhBcEiwAZJjC3tra0Qd6tBs8feA5iVFk9G31TGBS2QKuuy6-GL-MTC83RLrESHJqlRoCEcwQAvD_BwE. The cost includes bringing you back to Buena Vista but I’ll be awaiting your arrival in Salida!!!

~Speaking of Salida, where you’re going to find me most of the time, this is a website informing what there is to do in one of my favorite places in Colorado. The breweries, concerts and other outdoor entertainment, more river rafting, kayak, paddle boating and other water sports. The town square is full of art displays and even has a water slide and hot springs. https://www.worldatlas.com/cities/this-quiet-city-in-the-rockies-is-an-underrated-gem-for-nature-lovers.html

~ Here in Chaffee County those who are into hiking the fourteeners are going to have a tough choice of which one(s) to choose from: Mt. Shavano, Antero, La Plata and of course the Collegiate Peaks nearby: Princeton and Shavano will be our back door when we camp.

I’ll be working on this road trip throughout the month of May and some of June. We have other places to go before then once I begin my seasonal camping and getaway group…I don’t even know what to call it yet!!!

Don’t forget to take some time off and make reservations for whatever you want to do.

MEMBERS FROM BOTH: https://www.meetup.com/colorado-trail/ AND https://www.meetup.com/hittinthetrails/?eventOrigin=your_groups WILL BE ATTENDING THIS HIKE!
This Release states that members attend events at their own risk, and release The Organizers, the assistant organizers and Meetup from any claims that may result in injury or death

More to come soon
Don