San Luis Valley wildlife area

I'm finally where I'm going to be, so I took some pics for you to see, to click the pics just pull the trigger, don't leave them small there better bigger.

 I stumbled out of the Lance way too early this morning, and was met with this sunrise as I walked out the door.
 
The Salida Walmart didn't kick me out last night, even though It was my second night of boondocking here. I recognized several other RVs that I had shared the parking lot with the night before.

I left Salida just after sun up hoping to beat the wind that's supposed to start blowing again before lunch, and in an hour and a half, found myself happily ensconced at the San Luis Lakes wildlife area. Home to free camping, with free electricity, if you happen to possess a current Colorado hunting or fishing license. And since my geezer fishing license is only $10, it's worth buying it whether I fish or not.

The San Luis Lakes wildlife area makes a great home base as I run around Alamosa and Monte Vista searching for the cunning and elusive Sandhill Cranes.

I don't know why I enjoy driving all this way just to search for a relative handful of Sandhill Cranes when I can see them by the hundreds at the Bosque Del Apache and the thousands at Whitewater Draw. And in those places I can park right next to where the Cranes are, I don't have to drive anywhere. I suppose you could also ask why I go to the Bosque Del Apache when there are many more Cranes at Whitewater Draw,  and I wouldn't have an answer for that either.

I'm not sure of the answer to any of that myself, but it may have something to do with me loving to travel and needing a place that I enjoy going to, and I enjoy going to all three of those places.

Or maybe I like to see the Cranes. They are such a huge, ungainly bird that walks like there on stilts, and with backward knees makes them look like they're going to fall over all the time. But there so incredibly graceful in the air; they look like they belong In the sky, and walking on land is something they're forced to put up with.

Or it could be I need a break from everyday life. I get into a rut all too easily, and the longer I stay there, the harder it is for me to climb out. Sometimes, I need to stand up, stretch my legs, and see my life with a new view. A view of trees stretching to the horizon or the mountains home to the Elk and the Bear where I really do feel at home.

But I think it's basically something very simple and advocated by the Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu, who is most famous for saying, "The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. " But one of his old sayings that applies to me more directly is, "A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving. " I think that describes the principle of my full-timing life pretty well... But that still doesn't explain why I follow these danged migrating Cranes around!

Theboondork

I took this picture of the mountains out of my door at sunset while in the Walmart parking lot. So this is a real boondocking picture.

Early morning drive heading towards the San Luis Valley, and Alamosa Colorado. The front that brought all the wind for the last two days, is now bringing rain.

The Sangre de Cristo mountains. The clouds creep over the peaks like a creepy crawley thing.

The San Luis Valley has been farming and ranching country ever since the Spanish first arrived. That's the way it was,  that's the way it is,  and Lord willing, that's the way it will be.

San Luis campground will be my home for the next few days, or maybe I should say ''Base of operations,'' since I'll be going to different places and coming back here for the night.