A first for us...

[gearhead]

We decided back in the spring to escape the Houston heat this summer. Reserved a spot in a RV park in Vallecito Colorado for August. $700 a month plus electricity. I made a fool of myself the first 5 minutes there. An employee was guiding me to my spot and I stopped to check tree limb clearance, it looked bad. I asked him in a not so nice way.."Do y'all own a chain saw?" Got settled in and decided I couldn't stand the road noise for a month. Moved me to a much quieter spot and all was well. Spent the days lolligagging around and the nights sitting around with neighbors lying and drinking. Yep living the dream.
Tried fishing the Animas River in Durango but the only access was a zoo. Tried Los Pinos River...same thing. Went to our old hunting camp spot above Pagosa Springs. Yeah Betty I was sitting right here in camp drinking a beer and eating lunch when I killed that elk.
We met a retired co-worker who has a condo in Durango and summers there. A cousin from Dallas came down for 4 days and stayed in a lodge near Durango. Had lunch with her and her husband.
All in all, it was a relaxing 4 weeks.
Until the drive home....read all about it in the "TIRES" section.

[sourdough]

Glad it was a good time Brent. We love it in that area. Primarily Pagosa and points N and E but it's all great there. We used to love Durango but with the way things are going and things they allow anymore I just won't go there...especially since they put a Walmart in Pagosa.

I guess the the hunting camp above Pagosa was Sportsmans Lodge. Hopefully they are doing well. Didn't go this year but miss that area a lot. Sold the condo so gotta come up with plan B. I've got to read the tires section now....

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Glad it was a good time Brent. We love it in that area. Primarily Pagosa and points N and E but it's all great there. We used to love Durango but with the way things are going and things they allow anymore I just won't go there...especially since they put a Walmart in Pagosa.

I guess the the hunting camp above Pagosa was Sportsmans Lodge. Hopefully they are doing well. Didn't go this year but miss that area a lot. Sold the condo so gotta come up with plan B. I've got to read the tires section now....

The hunting camp was the dead end of forest service road 987 just west of Williams Creek Reservoir. On the ridge between the reservoir and the Weminuche Creek valley.
We haven't been to Durango or Pagosa for 20+ years. It was heartbreaking. Durango has grown so much it was almost not recognizable. Pagosa was almost as bad.
We have reservations at the same RV park for next July, but not sure if we will go. We did drive the loop to Cortez, Delores, and Telluride. Delores looks interesting. Doesnt seem to be ruined yet. I need to research it.

[sourdough]

Things there are surely changing. Durango is a no go for us; druggies passed out in the front doors of stores, accosting you in the park (to us), passed out in the park.....we just can't stomach it.

Pagosa has been (didn't go this year) much better and far more laid back with nicer folks - no drugs and druggies just running amok. It really has changed over the last couple of decades. To us Durango doesn't offer much other than the route to Silverton and the points past. The Delores to Telluride ride is pretty fun. Telluride is OK I guess but I only used it as a departure/arrival point for the 4x4 trails over to Ouray.

I'm thinking the hunting camp at the end of 987 was the campground with all the horse accommodations? Glad you made it back and hope things go better next time. We plan to be back up there if/when we can get some kind of schedule.

[gearhead]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Things there are surely changing. Durango is a no go for us; druggies passed out in the front doors of stores, accosting you in the park (to us), passed out in the park.....we just can't stomach it.

Pagosa has been (didn't go this year) much better and far more laid back with nicer folks - no drugs and druggies just running amok. It really has changed over the last couple of decades. To us Durango doesn't offer much other than the route to Silverton and the points past. The Delores to Telluride ride is pretty fun. Telluride is OK I guess but I only used it as a departure/arrival point for the 4x4 trails over to Ouray.

I'm thinking the hunting camp at the end of 987 was the campground with all the horse accommodations? Glad you made it back and hope things go better next time. We plan to be back up there if/when we can get some kind of schedule.

Durango has nothing for me. Pagosa does seem a bit better but looks to be following Durango into a tourist trap.
Actually the old hunting camp was at the dead end near the pond. It's up on the ridge above the reservoir. That big parking lot for horse trailers at the end of 644 wasn't there when we were in the area.