Windfarms and Tire Trouble

Pioneer Girl again...  So at Kit Carson, Colorado, we took 287 South towards Lamar, Colorado. 

Barn Owl Camper Guy started to note that we were not getting much power and it felt like the tranny was pushing too hard.  Granted we were at a high elevation on the Buttes even though it did not feel like we were high up we were at an elevation of about 3800 ft.  Having a hard time getting above 45 mph for a while, what the heck!   Then it happened...yes it happened about 30 miles south of Lamar, Colorado, we blew our first tire, and it was a tire on the trailer.  Called AAA, got a guy out here and changed the tire, right...no problem onward we go. 

Such a beautiful area, dramatic skies and miles of windfarms and as we were marveling at beautiful skies, plunk....wobble...What the heck!  Stop again and here 2 more tires blown.  Called state police as it was nightfall by then on a narrow 2 lane road, with trucks barreling by, a little scary.  And damn cold. 

Well as I marvelled at the windmills and became transfixed on them, the state police and tire guy and barn owl guy were out there and $500 later, we are all fixed up, but had to turn around and go back to Lamar to the campsite we saw there...and here we are.....and now we go.

Pioneer Girl outta here.

Tumbleweeds and Tornado Alley

Good Morning, O Pioneers!  Tuesday October 26, 2010, GPS coordinates track us in Lamar, Colorado.

Yesterday was quite an eventful day.  We had to make a decision to go due west from our location in Kansas and to Denver and over the Rockies, or take the southern route.  We were told snow storms in Rockies so South we went at Oakley, Kansas.

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Wow, it was Tornado Alley,  Wind gusts up to 50 mph.   I spoke to state troopers before we went south on 40 and they said be sure to gas up as there are no stations for 100 miles, and it's 2 lane and desolate.  Not kidding!  Wind storm was dramatic, Barn Owl Camper guy had white knuckles, keep the entire truck and trailer ensemble on the road.  Only us and trucks barreling at us and passing us at a WHOOSH!  Nothing but grasslands and tumbleweeds, quietly stricking us from the right (my side, so winds were from the west).  It was quite scary for miles but also beautiful.  I could imagine being a tornado chaser flying down the highway chasing a twister.  or a twister chasing us..    I'll tell you what, if you stop, which we did, I could not get out my side of the truck, the wind said no way...  The wind also ripped off the canvas porch and one of the arms off and blew it clean away, we didn't even see it.

One little town, we stopped at the Green Chile Cafe for coffee and to lick our wounds.  I spoke with one local woman who was a rancher there, said she was born and raised there, had a ranch and grew milo (sorgham).  Used for feed and also in bird seed.  She raised her eyebrows when I said we came down 40 hauling a trailer... wow, girlee, be careful out there!  BTW they served no green chile at the Green Chile Cafe..  disappointed. 

More to come,  xoxo... Pioneer Girl