Pagosa Springs: Rain, Rest, and Relaxation

So, yesterday, the annual Colorado rainy season began. Around here, the weather-guessers call it the "monsoon season." For those of you who don't live in Colorado it means that our normally dry state gets a lot of rain. Basically what happens is that the seasonal wind patterns shift and moisture from the Gulf of California and the Gulf of Mexico clash and is carried into the desert Southwest. Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Colorado experience a few weeks of daily thunderstorms and occasional heavy rains. National Geographic has a good article about the monsoons that occur around the world, and toward the bottom is an explanation of the North American monsoon.

With the beginning of the summer rainy season in mind, we stayed close to the condo. We went to breakfast at the Cafe Colorado, but by the time we got seated, they were no longer serving breakfast, so we had to change gears and decide what to have for lunch. Needless to say, we were a bit disappointed. While we were having lunch, we watched round one of the daily atmosphere rinse.

By the time we finished eating, the rain had stopped, the sun was out, and the pavement was already starting to dry. (Have I ever mentioned that the weather in Colorado can be a bit schizophrenic?) We hopped on the bikes and went downtown to do a little shopping. By then, the temperature had shot up a good 15° and we worked a little more on our sunburns.

When we'd had enough retail therapy, we went back to the condo for a little relaxation – after all, we are on vacation. Donna checked out the Jacuzzi tub in the bathroom. Unfortunately, she didn't have enough hot water to have a nice, warm, relaxing soak, so had to settle for a luke-cold soak. I did a little yoga and Lin watched the golfers (and round two of the rain) from the deck.

Later in the evening, Donna and I went out to the Sky Ute Casino in Ignacio with Donna's friend, Denise. It's a little tricky getting in and out of the resort, so I ventured out to guide Denise to the condo since she offered to drive us out there. While I was waiting for her (turns out we were at opposite ends of the parking lot), round three of the storms rolled through. Needless to say, I got wet. (OK, not really. I prepared for it and had donned my rain suit before leaving the condo.)

Now, I'm not much of a gambler unless the machines keep me playing for a while. My limit is usually $20. If I lose half of it before we eat, I know what kind of night it's going to be. And last night was one of those nights. It started out well. Fred Flintstone almost doubled my money on my second or third spin, then Barney Rubble took it all back. <sigh> There's a reason I don't have a gambling addiction.

Overall it was a nice time. After we ate, I wandered around the small casino while Donna and Denise migrated from machine to machine for a while. When we had all given enough to the casino we headed back to Pagosa Springs. It's about an hour-long drive from Ignacio back to Pagosa Springs, and it's along one of the most dangerous stretches of highway in the US.

Wildlife is prevalent in the area. Elk, deer, bears, skunks and all kinds of critters live in the San Juan Mountains and Southern Ute Reservation. I am a firm believer in "intention manifestation" (call it prayer if you will). Ever since we had a near miss with a Bambi in Vernal Canyon a few years ago, I have made it a point to project my attention and intention for a wildlife-free road ahead of us. So far, despite the number of miles we have ridden, we have not had another near-miss. Last night, I was projecting like crazy. And it must work, because Denise commented that it was unusual that she wasn't seeing any deer along the road.

Today is July 1, and it's raining. We are thinking about going down to the Pagosa Springs Park to Park Arts & Crafts Festival that starts today and runs through the 4th. More shopping!