Day 5

We spent the morning packing up everything and cleaning to trailer in preparation to push off.   It would be a long day of slow going, as most of the driving was mountain passes.  We turned course South and headed over the high desert to the mountains.  We drove over the Rio Grande gorge and some sort of artist community in which the desert adobe homes seemed to be painted an eclectic mix of colors and adorned with mirrors and trinkets.  We then slowly wound our way over the mountains.  The steep grades often limited our progress to 35mph or slower, while I again coaxed the ship as she struggled.
We decided to stop for lunch at a pullout high in the mountains for lunch.  Cabin fever had set in and the children had begun fighting and hitting.  The usual sort of thing that happens on such road trips.  As Amy and I ate, I sent the children to explore the surrounding area. Deep in some underbrush, they found an old welded bench with a mans name on it and a sort of shrine to him.  I suspect the deceased had his ashes spread at this spot.  The children had fun creating theories on what may have happened to him and why.
We continued on at a snails pace and turned North into Colorado.   We headed into the town of Pagosa Springs for a stop at a bakery for some treats and a resupply stop at the local Wal Mart for various dry goods.  Then West to Durango and our usual camping spot on the lake North of town.  The campground host was not very friendly.  We set up and cooked chicken tacos in the pressure cooker.  The children begged to fish after supper so we took them down to the lake where we tried our luck.  Nothing.  Tangled lines to show for our troubles.  We lit a quick campfire so the kids could roast marshmallows and then to bed.  Tomorrow is another day of hiking.