It's day 325.....It's also March 26th 2020...and we are in Lindon Colorado

It's day 325.....It's also March 26th 2020...and we are in Lindon Colorado

Wakin up to 47 degrees! Bit of a jolt considering we enjoyed our 82 degree afternoon yesterday!

Driving through the farmlands of Kansas just below the Nebraska border....Does not take much of the scenery here.....and reading to quickly determine that these are areas one needs to come back through and spend some time.

The bird migrations through the area alone....and learning about the “Central Flyway”....it provides a perfect stopping point for everything from sandhill and whooping cranes to a wide variety of ducks and geese. The Platte offers spectacular bald eagle activity as well....who knew....well apparently....tens of thousands know....which is why these bird watchers, hunters.... and nature enthusiasts come here....from across the continent and beyond.... every year.... to observe nature...at work. I'd read that there are actually 4 of these Flyways in the US.....The Pacific....The Mississippi....the Atlantic.....and the one we're drivin through here....The Central Flyway. From what I've read....Flyways are primarily determined by the Waterfoul themselves......a natural flight paths used each year ......as the different species migrate from their breeding grounds in the north....to their wintering grounds in the south.....the Flyways provide a safe passage....avoiding large obstacles like Mountain ranges...and the weather associated with them.....while providing food, water, and resting spots along the way. Around 70 years ago....man got involved.....we looked at the natural flight patterns of the birds....and named the flyways. This enabled us to better observe natural flight patterns so we could better understand, and help preserve each regions flyways. Of the flyways.....the pacific is the largest....it stretches from the northernmost waterways of Alaska.....to the warm wintering grounds of Mexico's central coast......this flyway covers over some 2 million square miles! Each of the four have distinct characteristics....and one interesting thing I learned was how important waterfowl hunters are in this process. There's a pretty awesome relationship between avid hunters in the field.....reporting tagged birds and sightings to organizations like the Fish and Wildlife Department and Ducks Unlimited. These groups working together help manage populations....and more importantly protect and learn about the varying species here....the ones passing over our heads everyday. Just a quick FYI.....I learned a ton from a guy named Ryan Kirby.....He's an expert on the subject and talks in great deal about it on his youtube channel. I'll put a link in the show notes....if this topic is of interest to you. He's got some pretty cool artwork too!

Todays drive.....felt like a pretty typical early spring day in the midwest. Things Clouded over moving west...and in no time.....rains had joined us. The mid 40’s mixed with rain provide plenty of chill in the air. Moving closer to the Colorado border things started to clear up but temps began to drop. 10 miles after crossing into Colorado…there were still patches of snow on the sides of the road. The skys cleared and the sun heated things up to the point we were being teased with 60 degree’s by mid afternoon. Looking out over the hayfields of eastern Colorado…awaiting what I am sure will be a spectacular sunset to this clear spring day…but not looking forward to the 30 degree’s that will greet us in the morning. For the first time in nearly 3 months I will have to ditch the flip flops, dawn sweats, and a hoodie...... and put some shoes on.

Moving deeper into this part of the country....we were learning that most RV parks shut down for the winter months....reopening around late March....Early April....depending on the weather. Throw in a global pandemic....just for fun....and even if we did find ourselves in an RV park sorta mood.....that was lookin less like an option.

But it's all good....we've gotten pretty dang good at picking just the right spot......for an evening of reading about where we are....and some shut eye. Today would be no different. As the sun began to set....and temps were dropping fast.....we had travelled through the farmlands of Kansas.....and into the high plains of Colorado when we'd come across what seemed to be a fairly well travelled dirt road off to the left......and dissappearing into the horizon... We pulled off......swung around so we were facing the two lane again......hit the levelers and called it good for the night. And as was becoming pretty normal at this point.....had to check the phone to see exactly where we were.

A place called Lindon.....Colorado.

An unincorporated community of just 100 folks in the northeastern corner of Colorado.....when I read that we were sitting at just below 5000 feet in elevation......the 30 degree night in store was making a lot more sense.....and when I read that we were surrounded by towns with names like Anton...Woodlin...and Last Chance.....I got a pretty good sence for just how far off the beaten path we had gotten.....my kinda place.

Looking out over what looks like endless plains.....I tried to imagine the Cheyenne....and Arapaho people....thousands of years ago.....hunting buffalo across these plains.....and fishing the Arikaree river......until one day when Spanish explorers cruised through....for the most part it seemed initial interaction was peacefull....with only the occassional skirmish. In general.....the Native Americans would offer up Buffalo hides and meats....and in return....the Spanish would introduce the Native Americans to Horses....metals...and guns...revolutionizing travel and hunting capabilities for those folks.

And that seems how things would remain.....for over two centuries......until the American expansion period began. And I would have guessed that out here......in the vast high plains region of eastern Colorado.....American messiness....like the Indian Wars....and the Civil War......might have somehow skipped over this area.....but my guess would have been wrong. The indian wars would reach even here....when I would learn of a series of conflicts that would become known as "Colorado's War"

The catalist would be.....The Sand Creek Massacre....(Insert Video Clip telling story)

And one of the most significant battles in Colorado's War.....would be The Battle of Beecher Island...(insert Video Clip telling story)

In the midst of all this....the civil war. And just as the area had not escaped the indian wars.....the newly named Colorado Territory would also find itself in the middle of the nations internal struggle with slavery.

A recent gold and silver rush in the Colorado territory had led to an insurgance of southerners to the area in search of their fortunes....and as if finding themselves battling the Cheyenne and Arapaho during their quest for riches werent enough.....the American Civil war would break out ...... forcing the territory to choose yet another side..... Given how many settlers and gold seekers had arrived from the south.....the number of confederate sympathizers in the area was surprisingly high.....not to mention the fact that the New Mexico territory to the south...and it's confederate territorial governer had placed itself firmly in the confederate column. The Colorado territory would, in the end....come out only marginally on the union side of things.....but would indeed play a critical role in shutting down confederate attempts at closing off union access to resources...not only in Colorado.....but all thoughout the west.....and all that gold....in California. A winning army's gotta have cash right?

Holy crap....we pulled off a quiet stretch of US highway 40 in the high plains of Colorado....seemingly as far away as a guy could get from most anything.....and yet in the middle of a nations history..... and most every element of it.

With everything these plains have seen......Lindon.....today....appears to be exactly what it looks like. A rural corner of Colorado where ranchers and farmers work quietly to earn a living from the area's fertile soils. The very same soils that have known war...and the battles that come with it......but now give way to just another season of tractor tires and tillers....and the hope of a profitable harvest....here in the high plains of Colorado.

Drifting off to sleep tonight....I'm Reflecting back over the days drive through Kansas.....Eastern Colorado.....and how I had learned yet again...how a place was not at all what I had imagined it to be.....I hear a name....and I think one thing....only to learn that it is not that thing at all.....it's usually..... a lot... more. The wide open farmland and endless cattle ranches that are the signature of hard working Americans and with each passing mile I gain a greater appreciation for the hard work and life they’ve chosen....the quietness of it all.....quietness is what it looks like to a guy like me passing through ..... but I'm not sure quiet applies when asking the folks that live here.....hard work.... passed down through generations in order to provide the rest of the country the luxury of going to the grocery store. The openness and genuineness is palatable…

a friendly waive actually means something on a small town street…and they care when they pull their truck over to ask if I’m ok while trying to figure out the dump station in the Phillipsburg city park.....somewhere in Kansas.

Dougie and I have been out for a couple walks....nightfall is here.....on a dirt road outside Lindon Colorado.....I've read....and I've written for a while now....I've fired up the generator....and shut it back down a couple times.....and I don't think a single set of headlights has passed by......it's pretty awesome out here.

Knowing we're heading for a 30 degree night....I set the thermostat at 50....you know....just in case.....and we hit the sack.

I'm not sure what direction we are headed in the morning.....the real challenge will be figuring out which part of those Rocky Mountains we want to take on ...... in March. In a Motorhome.

And Denvers out there.....700 hundred thousand people live there.....the Denver Metro area.....over two million....

How we gonna get around that?

Ahh....we'll figure all that out in the mornin.....best way around it all....

And I wonder what I'll learn there...