From: Steve Taylor [mailto:spt@thetaylorcompany.net]
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2004 10:10 PM
To: Bill Taylor (E-mail); David Taylor (E-mail); Tom Taylor (E-mail)
Subject: trip32
Sunday.
New ground. I've written trip reports for a month before, but never for
more. He we go on our second month. I wish it were a whole second month,
but alas, no. Just a few more short jobs to do, and it's back to Denver.
This is too cool. We're not ready to go back to Denver.
Finally, the time has come. We get to pop over to Ouray and pick up the
slam-dunk, can't-miss brand new bird: the black swift. Twenty-four miles
to Ouray. An hour's drive. Now we have a problem. If we have a job in
Silverton or Durango, then get a job in Ouray; I don't know how we'll get
there. The only way to get to one from the other is to drive over Red
Mountain Pass. Judy says she doesn't ever want to drive over Red Mountain
Pass in the motorhome. It's that good. It didn't help, following a large
gas motorhome down the other side, his brakes smoking and stinking. Not the
kind of place you'd want to wander off the road.
Box Canyon Falls. Right outside Ouray. Black Swifts. The Box Canyon Falls
Black Swifts only have one job. That's to migrate back to Box Canyon Falls
by May 20th. This is May 23d. They didn't do their job. No black swifts.
How bad does this suck? Now we'll have to come all the way back here some
other time.
Drove out to Ridgway. Had lunch at the state park. Birded the forest.
Annie swam in the Uncompaghre. Explored the town. Passed the Orvis Hot
Springs Bill wants to check out. We know where it is now. Drove back
through Ouray. Made the drive back over Red Mountain Pass. Judy
reiterated. Not in the motorhome. Took a detour just before we got back to
Silverton. Ophir Pass. Four wheel drive road. Still ten foot drifts at
the top. For a person who doesn't want to drive over Red Mountain in the
motorhome, Judy is good at driving these four-wheel-drive roads.
Back safe and sound. Ready for work tomorrow. Mountain Studies Institute.
Good place for it. Silverton. We'll go see what they're studying.
