6-4-2024
H: 80ºF L: 58ºF
Golden Gate Canyon State Park, Golden, Colorado
We explored Manitou Springs, CO today. It is a quaint town with beautiful views of the mountains. It is a popular spot for tourists. It is known for its natural springs spread throughout the town. Daniel tasted the water from one of the springs and found it to be naturally carbonated. They also have a popular Penny Arcade with both vintage and newer games.
We went to Colorado Springs to pick up our car. The high voltage battery was replaced under warranty. We are happy to have the car and our belongings back.
We stopped in Central City and Black Hawk on the way back to our campsite. They are very cute old mining towns nestled in the mountains which are now thriving due to casinos.
6-5-2024
H: 73°F L: 57°F
Golden Gate Canyon State Park, Golden, Colorado
We are going to Red Cliff, CO to honor Daniel’s brother, Dave. Red Cliff was one of Dave’s favorite places. During a road trip, he stumbled upon this small town and fell in love with its people and scenery. According to our camp host, Red Cliff was a popular town in the 1800s due to mining, almost became a ghost town, and now is a very nice place to visit.
Before going to Red Cliff, we stopped in Black Hawk at some of the cute shops. The shop keeper said the city is buying up land and creating an up-and-coming downtown experience.
On the drive to Red Cliff, we drove through the mountains and saw some mountain goats. We also drove past the abandoned mining town of Gilman, CO which had to be abandoned in 1984 on order of the EPA due to toxic pollutants in the water and soil.
Red Cliff has a population of 275 and contains a restaurant/pub, post office, liquor store, and hotel. The homes are close together and the streets are narrow. We met a nice woman, Rebecca, who happens to be from Kalamazoo, MI, in the pub named Mango’s Mountain Grill. She was very friendly and we shared our story about Dave. She then told the chef about Dave so he bought us shots (thanks!). After drinks, we walked on Co. Rd 709, also called Shrine Pass, which is a dirt road and currently closed due to mud and snow. It was beautiful.
Driving back to our campsite we saw a bear.
6-6-2024
H: 74°F L: 51°F
Golden Gate Canyon State Park, Golden, Colorado
We started our day with a hike on one of the state park trails. It’s so beautiful in the mountains. Next, we drove to Nederland, CO but we decided not to stop. On our way home, we went to the Panorama Overlook and it was stunning.
6-7-2024
H: 77°F L: 51°F
Terry Bison Ranch Resort, Cheyenne, Wyoming
Well, we had a bad experience with a group of campers with kids. They were noisy and their kids were riding Barbie Jeeps on the road non-stop. Those vehicles are loud and, combined with the screaming and yelling from the kids, it was unbearable. I had to raise my voice to speak to Daniel when I was standing next to him on our own site. I made a complaint to the park ranger this morning. Turns out you are not allowed to have Barbie Jeeps at the campground.
It’s always good to be reminded of basic camping etiquette:
- Do not walk through someone else’s campsite. It’s no different than walking through someone’s backyard.
- Keep your kids and pets quiet. Everyone is excited to be camping but no one wants to hear your family over everything else. Some people, like me, will call and complain.
Today is a travel day. The drive down the mountain toward Boulder was awesome. The road followed a raging river and we saw some brave (or crazy?) rock climbers.
Stats
Expenses:
- Tow vehicle fuel: $0
- Campsite: $146.06
- Camping memberships: $14.92
- Food: $40
Miles driven: 617.2 (213.7 kWh)
Number of people asking about the Tesla pulling the camper: 1
Contact Happy Vegan Campers!
Happy Vegan Campers are traveling the country and building a passive house! Any suggestions on places we should visit or questions about our house? Love our recipes? We’d love to hear from you. Leave a comment at the bottom of the page or send us an email: happyvegancampers@gmail.com
