We are starting the last day of our 2008 road trip here in Colorado. It has been mostly good with whitewater rafting, fishing, a train trip from Durango to
Silverton (remember Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid?), visits to Mesa Verde & the Great Sand Dunes National Park, the mountains, and the wildlife.
Tomorrow we begin the 25-hour plus drive back home with hope that our sump pumps have been working as storm after storm dumped rain in the area (as much as 6
inches one night according to neighbors).
Traffic has been light throughout the trip and it is odd to see an RV or a big camper rig even in the resort area where we are now. I saw a big pickup truck towing a huge camper past the cabin Saturday morning. A big pontoon boat was hooked up to the camper. I don't know how far they were traveling in these mountains. The nearest gas station is getting $4.99 a gallon for regular. That has to hurt.
Most of the vehicles in the National Parks sported local license plates and there was plenty of parking. The lake resort area where we are now seems almost deserted. A few local cars are moving around. The fishing is great for northern pike and trout, but few people are out on the water. Most of the vacationers seem to be staying at their cabins, grilling out, and hiking the areas they can walk to.
In Kansas and eastern Colorado we got off the freeways some. All of the activity seemed to be centered on WalMart stores and the gas stations. Most of the other stores were closed and the old Main Streets were deserted.
One sign of happiness occurred on our train ride back to Durango. Hundreds of people were standing along the rails with their kids waving and smiling. Motorists beeped their horns at us and waved out their windows. On our way up the mountain to Silverton the train was slowing to a stop at a "soaring" business to let some people off. Just before we got there we heard people getting excited. A soaring guide was flying toward the train on a cable and landed in a tree next to us (good advertising). A young boy asked his parents if that was Spiderman and we all had a good laugh.
All in all, we have had a great time, but I wonder how long these vacation destination areas will survive. Is the era of the Great American Road Trips coming to an end?
Traffic has been light throughout the trip and it is odd to see an RV or a big camper rig even in the resort area where we are now. I saw a big pickup truck towing a huge camper past the cabin Saturday morning. A big pontoon boat was hooked up to the camper. I don't know how far they were traveling in these mountains. The nearest gas station is getting $4.99 a gallon for regular. That has to hurt.
Most of the vehicles in the National Parks sported local license plates and there was plenty of parking. The lake resort area where we are now seems almost deserted. A few local cars are moving around. The fishing is great for northern pike and trout, but few people are out on the water. Most of the vacationers seem to be staying at their cabins, grilling out, and hiking the areas they can walk to.
In Kansas and eastern Colorado we got off the freeways some. All of the activity seemed to be centered on WalMart stores and the gas stations. Most of the other stores were closed and the old Main Streets were deserted.
One sign of happiness occurred on our train ride back to Durango. Hundreds of people were standing along the rails with their kids waving and smiling. Motorists beeped their horns at us and waved out their windows. On our way up the mountain to Silverton the train was slowing to a stop at a "soaring" business to let some people off. Just before we got there we heard people getting excited. A soaring guide was flying toward the train on a cable and landed in a tree next to us (good advertising). A young boy asked his parents if that was Spiderman and we all had a good laugh.
All in all, we have had a great time, but I wonder how long these vacation destination areas will survive. Is the era of the Great American Road Trips coming to an end?
