Day 7 Saturday

July 7, 2012

We spent day 7 doing some fun stuff - took a trip to town to take a close up, walking view of the town.  We stopped at the Junction Restaurant for lunch, where Hwy 84 meets Hwy 160, aptly named.  Not great food, but edible.  Standard coffee shop fare.  Took Hwy 160 to Pagosa Springs and found a parking spot right on the street.  Very surprising, considering how packed this town has been all week.

One false move and I'm history!

Floating the day away.

We wandered up main street, poking our heads into various establishments, mostly boutiques and antiques and restaurants, tourist-y types of businesses.  When we got to the end of the main row of stores, we crossed the street to the river side and came through the craft show that was going on.  Again, cute, tourist-y items for sale.  I was tempted by a candy booth of course, and bought some english toffee-type candy and some fudge. We were walking past the "Springs Hotel" and I noticed a huge chess set on the lawn, with some folks playing a game. Fun!

Jim and I stopped to watch the people tubing down the river. Looks like lots of fun, but also a little work for the thrills.  Once they hit the bottom of town, they turn around and walk their tubes uphill, back to the beginning of the town where the best rapids are. They travel down the river for about 1/4 mile before they trudge back up.

I don't know if this is fun or scary!

There is also a carnival in town, the small, traveling kind, with some "thrill" rides, a fun house, pony rides and midway games.  Jim and I walked through, watching the kids on the rides. I snapped a few pictures, practicing some action shots. We were trying to stay ahead of the storm. This entire time we were walking, we were dodging raindrops and lightning.  Finally giving up, we headed toward the truck.  It started to rain harder just as we got there.

We have been wondering about a road we've seen a lot in our travels through town, Piedra Road.  It heads north of town, out into the National Forest. Finally satisfied our curiousity and drove out about 25 miles, through some of the most gorgeous scenery we've seen in Colorado to date.  So many breathtaking views, I couldn't photograph all of them.  Decided to head for Piedra Falls, but never made it. By this time, the rain had begun in earnest, so before we reached the falls, we turned around.  I made Jim promise we would come back one day next week on a sunny day, without the mud!

Gorgeous views abound.