It's Day 326.....it's also March 27th 2020.....and we are in Rocky Ford Colorado

It's Day 326.....it's also March 27th 2020.....and we are in Rocky Ford Colorado

Waking to snow mixed with rain…the weather forecast last night hadn't mentioned the snow part....And another lesson learned......The sudden realization that everything we've been told about springtime here in the high plains of Colorado.....and it's unpredictable nature....is true....I did another quick check of the weather....unlike last night.....when the very same weather dude had told us of a 30 degree night.....and a slight chance of rain.....was now using the term winter weather event...for the entire Denver Metro area.... beginning as early as 2pm today. The alert fully kicks in at 9pm tonight and will last through 9am tomorrow…the passes are expected to be particularly messy with some lower elevation areas receiving 3 to 6 inches of new snow. Temperatures will drop into the mid 20’s,

Now......they may expect it to pass quickly…

But his gang had no interest in sticking around to find out. This Colorado spring tantrum....is gonna have to happen without us. As I studied the map....I was noodling around that other lesson being delivered......if your objective is to avoid freezing temperatures...and the potential for snow in late March..... the only sure fire strategy for success.....don't be here.

But we are here.....

And not wanting to back track, I studied the map looking for another way out. Fortunately…just 3 miles from where we slept was an entrance to highway 71 south. Checking weather in every town along 71 south things looked the same all the way through a place called Limon...... Fortunately safe haven appeared to await us in a place called Rocky Ford Colorado...some 80 miles beyond Limon.

We had a plan.....and according to weather dude.....who isn't high on my credibility list at the moment.....said we had 6 hours......

Quick walk....quicker breakfast......levelers up.....and we were outta there.

The personality of Eastern Colorado remained very consistent all the way down highway 71.

Rolling ranchlands .....greening up for the spring....as far as the eye can see with the occasional farm house dotting the horizon. The first half of the drive was dark and wintery. It hadn't started snowing yet.....but man.....it looked like it was gonna any second.

But we made it.......130 miles and 3 hours later we were enjoying a 60 degree sunny afternoon at the Arkansas Valley Fairgrounds. ....in Rocky Ford.....

And I'm not so sure....exactly why.....we would be spared here. We had dropped around 1000 feet in elevation.....maybe that was enough....or maybe just the few miles further took us out of the storms path....whatever the reason.....we'll take it.

Bein on the road....I guess I spend a lot of time trying to not think....about this pandemic thing.....but each time we pull into a town....reminders everywhere. Rocky Ford....March 27th....2020....not much different....the gas station and convenience store we needed.....as we entered town....thankfully....was open. We'd even seen a small grocery store that appeared to be open. Everything else....including RV parks....different story. Interestingly....A couple of the RV parks were indeed open....but had experienced an unseasonably high volume....folks looking to escape the pandemic in the big cities I spose....that combined with the parks attempting to remain safe....and accomodate the "social distancing"......that new term we had started hearing......meant pretty slim pickins....

The cashier at the convenience store told us about the Arkansas Valley Fairgrounds.....she wasn't sure but she thought they might have electrical hook ups and water....at the very least there would be space to park for the night....figure things out. She was right....they had both.....and even better....we had the place all to ourselves!

Around 4000 folks call Rocky Ford Home.....here in a south east corner of the state.

The area is also referred to as the Arkansas Valley named for the river that runs through it. The Arkansas River...is a major tributary of the Mississippi River and has always been the areas draw. It flows some 1500 miles, beginning in Colorado.....through Kansas and Oklahoma before joining up with the Mississippi in Arkansas.

The Cheroke, Ute, and Commanche people lived along it's banks for centures....until....a very familiar history kicks in..... Spanish explorers discovered the area. The Spanish struggled to develop any permanent settlements in the region due to the fierce resistance of Native Americans around here. In later years the French would claim the area as part of the Louisianna Territory....initially...Spain would contest Frances claim to the region but ended up conceded it to France....just in time for it to become part of the US as part of the Louisiana Purchase.

Settlement came a bit later to this part of the country...given continued resistance by native americans.....but as the Indian wars came to a close Rocky Ford began it's steady growth based on it's agricultural potential....and the growth of Railways through the region connecting the east coast with the growing west.

Expecting to find a entertaining story behind the name of the town…instead I found this from the towns official website: "The literal-minded explorer Kit Carson crossed the Arkansas River at a shallow spot filled with shale and boulders and dubbed it Rocky Ford Crossing Place.“ close quote. Apparently I'd just learned that Rocky Ford...is a term used to describe a shallow river crossing.

In 1878 the Brits would show up in the area. This time....in the form of a company named the Northern Colorado Irrigation Company.....the company was owned by Scottish entrepreneur James Duff.....his firm would install the Colorado Canal .... or High Line Canal.

The Canal was built to draw water from the Arkansas River....into the more arid regions through out the valley.....and with it completion....Rocky Ford....and surrounding towns would assume it's role as the agricultural leader in the region....quickly becoming known ....as the melon capital of Colorado. In particular....Rocky Ford cantelopes and watermelon became known for their taste...just the right amount of juicy and sweet. Turns out that the dramatic temperature shifts from day to night during the growing season around here.... somehow produce a sweeter melon.

And it appears their cantaloup would gain global fame when.....as local folklore tells it...Lucille Ball would become such a fan of Rocky Ford Melons..... that she had them delivered fresh to her dressing room in Hollywood during the filming of I Love Lucy.

And.....The American Sugar Crystal Company would open a sugar processing plant here in Rocky Ford in 1900.....beginning the areas 78 year run as a player in the sugar industry.....at one point being the largest producer of sugar...in the country. Unfortunately.....globalization of prices...and a market shift from beet sugars to cane sugars..... meant cheaper imports.....this combined with a price fixing scandel in the 70's and an overall drop in prices.....all led to the closure of the plant in 1978.....leaving some 400 residents unemployed.....and a big chunk of the towns economy became history.

The accomplishments around here didn't all come from agriculture.....The Grand Theatre movie house in Rocky Ford is the longest continuously running movie theatre in the state. Today it is a community theatre run by volunteers.

And......The Arkansas Valley Fair is held in August of each year , right here where we are parked...and is the longest running fair in the state.

Also fun to learn that the town is bisected by US highway 50… one of only 5 highways in the country that run continuously from coast to coast. Highway 50 begins in Ocean City Maryland and spans some 3000 miles...passing through Rocky Ford......before ending in Sacramento California.

All this to see....left us a bit bummed that the pandemic had shut the place down....but I guess it means yet one more place we'll no doubt see again! So much more to learn.....

Even still.....we enjoyed our walks....exploring the the fairgrounds......the nearby national guard facility.....and most of the town.....

But waking up the next day...to a drop in temps.....and listening to that weather dude.......I was coming to the conclusion that being a weather forecaster in Colorado should be classified a sport…rather than a profession. Mother Nature throws faster curve balls around here than Nolan Ryan.

That winter weather event referred to as we headed out of Lindon......was now a 50mph blizzard moving into the area bringing up to 6″ of snow to areas within just 100 miles of us…leaving us with our fingers crossed....and hoping 100 miles away...was enough.

Our safe haven may have gotten a little cooler......We awoke to 30 degrees this morning....but the rain that came with it....made it feel much colder.....but at least we hadn't seen any snow. At one point I even asked my magic phone....."Where's the warmest place in Colorado right now"......The answer.....Las Animas Colorado.....Good news…We are only 30 minutes away from Las Animas…Not so good news…I guess magic phone was being literal when it said Las Animas was the warmest place in the state right now......it left out the part where it was 3 degree warmer there.....and snowing. Temps in both Las Animas.....and Rocky Ford.....were set to drop into the 20's again tonight.

Looks like we're stayin put.

We were grateful.....of course.....that we were tucked in safely in Rocky Ford....with electricity.....but it was hard not to think back a few days....waking up to a 67 degree morning.....air conditioner on by 10....and trying to decide how to spend an 87 degree afternoon in St. Mary's. A walk along the beach on Cumberland Island sounded pretty dang good at the moment!.....But wait…there is always a silver lining right? I could totally open my windows right now with absolutely zero risk of a sand gnat invasion..... So there’s that.

We headed out for a longer walk around the neighborhood at around 10am under the false assumption that it had warmed up enough.... It did not take long for some harsh realities to cause an abort mission executive order that resulted in a u turn while still in sight of Vacilando. Dougie may have been appropriately dressed....but dad certainly wasn't......and the fact that I realized I could see my breath has we hustled back to warmth....proved it.

And besides....pretty tough to take a decent picture when you can't feel your fingertips....the phone feels like an ice cube....and you can't stop shivering.…

Bundled up a bit more for a walk later in the day....and as we passed by the National Guard Station up the street.....I remembered hearing on the news this morning that more National Guard and Reserve Troops were being activated to help deal with the logistics of Covid 19.....we hadn't seen any activity around here.....maybe their already gone....I thought.

Evening news says things are supposed to warm up a few degrees by tomorrow....and even better....sky's were clearning and the passes were reporting clear. Knowing when we make a break for the Western Slope.....we're gonna have to get over Monarch Pass.....and the nearly 12,000 feet in elevation that comes with it.....not gonna rush things....we'll decide in the morning.

With the temps nearing 20 degree's out there....we'll hang out safe and snug here in Vacilando, tucked into our little corner of the Arkansas Valley Fairgrounds in Rocky Ford Colorado…cupboards open, heater humming, and movie playing. Dang it…I shoulda bought pop corn...