More VPR Adventure

Today is my only day off this week. I'm feeling a bit discouraged about this fact. Wanting to make the most of it, last night after work (10:00 pm) I set off again for the high country. I drove about an hour to a place that I knew, and crawled into the back of my truck and went to sleep. I awoke at 6:30 am, and after making coffee and oatmeal, I set off for the high country. Andy, one of the fishing guides, told me a good place to go and hike. He didn't tell me though that there is a fork in the road that's not on the map. I took the right fork, which turned out to be the wrong fork, for where he was sending me. It was a beautiful drive though. It took me over the Colorado state line and way up onto a bald area. There was fence up there that I guess marked the property boundary. Beautiful views all the way around. I could have hiked from here to State Line Peak (another 12,000 foot mountain), but decided to back track and find the cabin that Andy had told me about. I saw a pond on the way down that I didn't notice on the way up. I continued on back to the fork in the road and took the "other fork". I found the cabin- "High Country Cabin" it's called. I really wanted to hike so after driving a bit more I got turned around and pulled off the road and parked. I hiked this way and that way trying different roads and trails, but not having any real direction. I ended up on a road that eventually took me to the pond I had passed on my way down the "other fork." I had a beautiful morning hiking for about three hours, then had another driving adventure. Rather than taking the "long" way around, I decided to try a spur off to the left that would take me down to the "main" road. Andy had warned about it not being a good road, but I found it to be just fine. Especially after the rough roads I traversed last week. I made my way down to Merrick Lake where I basked in the sun until it went behind a cloud. Then decided to continue my journey back to the lodge. It was so early I decided to venture off and find the Charcoal Ovens I had been told about. It was quite a drive over four wheel drive roads, but the directions I had been given were good, and I found my way there. I at first passed them by, then suddenly saw them, so I backed up. A truck was coming down the road, so I pulled over and waved at them. I was hoping to leave the area via  different/ shorter route. They said to just follow them and they'd get me through the gate, but I wanted to take some pictures first. I'm not sure what they were doing, but I believe it had to do with the gas wells. There are hundreds of them here! A whole other operation here on Vermejo Park Ranch. I drove down the the ovens and explored and took some pictures and then was on my way again. Rather than back tracking an hour and a half through four wheel drive roads I took the "emergency exit" road that was wide and well graded to a gate. There I picked up the radio handset and requested the gate be opened. I was asked for a three digit pass code. I said I didn't have one, but that I was an employee and just needed to get through the gate. He said he wasn't supposed to, but would let me through this one time. Thankfully! This brought me out on the "major highway"- State Route 555 where I had less than half an hour drive back to the lodge. I had to go back through the main electronic gate again. I love these driving adventures!

So, one of the girls I work with is off all week while she travels to Illinois to visit family. That means more work hours for the rest of us. I'm not happy about this; it cuts into my adventure time! Alas, such is life. More next week.... Oh, and there's pictures posted on this adventure too. m~