Monday, August 23, 2010

COLORADO OUTBACK

12 INCH FLAPJACK ON A PIZZA PAN, BACON, POTATOES AND COFFEE: $5.11...


NOT MANY ANIMALS OR BIRDS OUT HERE











"RAND" MAKING IT ON $500 A MONTH



WIRES IN THE SUNRISE








EDGE OF COLORADO 36





COLORADO 36 NEAR BYERS






BYERS SUNRISE







Next couple days may be out of communication range until reaching LIMON & US 287.

This am, watched ole' SOL rise in the EASTERN Great Plains for the first time. Walked the 6 miles (and back ) from BYERS to SALSBURG. Took a motel last night in Byers. Later this morning, will start trek to LAST CHANCE (35 miles from Byers) and then on Colorado 71 South to LIMON (also 35 miles from Last Chance).

Last Chance is a wide spot in the road - no facilities of any kind - with a rest stop with NO running water.

Could have gone to Limon via KIOWA instead, except that road is nearly all gravel...also has no facilities. Shorter distance, but difficult to walk on.

Spent a few minutes with RAND, driver of an 18-wheeler. Rand commented on Colorado roadways:

California $$ moved into Colorado, building up the I-25 (Interstate 25) Corridor to service the playgrounds in the Mountains. Meanwhile, Colorado secondary Roads have NO $$ available for construction / maintenance. Most rural Colorado roads are not even paved.

Rand - and other truckers - are limited to 80,000 Pounds on the Interstates, whereas Colorado secondary roads allow 85,000 Pounds...so, they take the secondary routes, which are taking a beating. Asked if the truck was his...NO, could never afford the payments...get along on $500.00 a month...don't live too well, but am making it...

See very few "young" folks out here so far. Most folks are older and appear to stick close together. Stopped in for breakfast at the "Country Burger" upon returning from Strasburg.
Ordered coffee and a single Pancake. Pancake was served on a Pizza Tray and even then, flopped over the edges...see pic. With potatoes & crisp Bacon. cost was $5.11. Ate 1/4 of the Flapjack & took the rest in zip lock bags for b'fast all next week.

Will drive back to BENNETT - 12 miles - to get ice for the 2 - 3 day trek to LIMON. Then will start out on Colorado 36, which RAND tells me is just like Colorado 71...no berm, edges chopped up, and no place to pull off the road. Rand is NOT a happy camper & is concerned that All roadway funds are going to the "Rich" playgrounds instead of the rural areas which serve the Great Plains Food Basket. "Prefer Nebraska or Kansas 2 to 1 over Colorado secondary roads, Rand comments."

What a contrast from the Denver metropolitan area only 40 miles away...truly two worlds a Universe apart.

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