Dave Suiter, On The Road Again

Hi Folks,

This will be a little long as I explain the pics (attached).

Sailor was just outside Garden City,KS as I was heading west.

West KS is typical scenery but notice the BIG elevator.

Feed Yard is just outside Lamar,Co at junction of 50 & 287. Look at it on Google earth. 1000s of cattle there. SMELL from miles away. I was told that the cattle are raised on the range and at a certain size/weight, they are sold by rancher to one of the co-ops that run feed lots. Cattle eat,poop and get fat. Then they are sold for slaughter. Looking at the conditions these animals live causes me to question eating beef again. They have no range to roam. They lay in their poop., can't help not to!! SAD!!

BTW!! saw a Tyson plant near Lamar that is probably bigger than all of the Tyson, Perdue and Allen facilities all added together.

Irrigation! Noticed west KS and east Co that there were few of the spray units that make the big circles. Look at Google again!! They use drainage irrigation. Water is run through canals, concrete ditches, and miles of white plastic pipe. Any field that has a slope, is watered this way. I wonder how each farmer that uses the water pays his share!!??

Rockies 1,2 and 3 are west of Pueblo,Co.

Locals west of Salida.

Monarch Pass Summit. Google it!! My ears popped three times going up. Over 11K'. Temp dropped to 25. Was extra careful looking for melt water running across the road at that low temp.

Had planned to stop at Pueblo and run up to CO Springs/Garden of the Gods. Forecast was for rain/snow showers. As I cam into Pueblo, noticed clouds building and getting darker. Decided to run as far west as I could before the bottom fell out. As I went west, the sun stayed on my left shoulder. Clouds closing in from East and SE. Saw precip falling to my left/north but made it to Gunnison with out a drop or flake. Long run but fun and beautiful scenery. Tired so checked in where I stayed two years ago. Asked about the weather and hear that "maybe upwo feet in the mountains". may be here a day or two! 2 wheels and snow equal trouble!!!

I must say this and I will probably say it again in the next weeks. Pictures are great!! They feed an interest. BUT!! There is nothing like stopping, smelling the air, taking in the view and marveling at the majesty of Gods creations. Whatever your religious persuasion, you can not help but to be feel something overpowering.
I do hope that you may one day have the chance to go around our great country. We don't have to go to Europe or Hawaii. It's all here!! From the Blue Ridge to the Rockies, come and enjoy the wonder of it all.

Enough preaching!

May not be "stuck in Lodi again" but may stuck in Gunnison,CO. Oh well!! The VFW has a great dinner and only ten blocks trudge through the snow.

Best to all! Get your motor runnin'. See you around the bend in the road.

Dave