This is about our trip from Sacramento to dinosaur and train attractions in Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico, August 8-16 1996. Participants were Ed, KE6AFB, and Sunny, KE6AFA, - Les (me), W6TEE, and son Matthew, KF6FIQ. - and Ross, WØXJ, and Helen, WA6KHD, who traveled from their home in Ellsworth, Kansas to meet us in Utah. Nights were spent in motels except for one at KOA Kabins.

Ed, Sunny, Matthew, and I left the Sacramento area Thursday night and stayed overnight in Reno. We caravaned on 147.555 mHz. simplex. Skeds (radio schedules) between Ross and me had been arranged for 7192 kHz. 40 M. SSB on even hours (PDT) from 0800-1400 starting on Friday. We made contact on Friday at 1000 from Lovelock, Nevada to Ross at Kremmling, Colorado, and at 1400 from Wells, Nevada to Maybell, Colorado. We spent the night near Salt Lake City, while Ross and Helen arrived at Vernal, Utah.

Even though we would be too close for 40 M. on Saturday, we decided to keep the skeds in case any Sacramento people were on. None were heard. Traveling on U.S. 40, we stopped to see the Heber Valley RR, which was about to roll out. We met Ross and Helen about lunch time in Vernal and checked into KOA Kabins next to their hotel. After lunch, we visited the Dinosaur Quarry at Dinosaur National Monument, then took the scenic drive. Returning to town, we visited the Utah Field House of Natural History (Dinosaur Museum). Photo - Matthew overlooking Dinosaur Quarry.

On Sunday, at Ross' suggestion, we followed the right of way of the Uintah Railway, which he had traveled once before. This narrow gauge line was built in 1905 from Dragon, Southeast of Vernal, to Mack, Colorado, on the D&RGW, West of Grand Junction. Photo - Les & Matthew's vehicle at BLM Dragon sign (right). Note 40 M. antenna. In 1911 the line was extended to Watson and Rainbow, not on the route we followed. The purpose was to haul gilsonite, an asphalt compound. In 1939 (date varies) the railroad was replaced by trucks and the dirt road which we traveled over. Gilsonite is now sent over this route through a slurry pipeline. I found photos in the Vernal Field House which showed dinosaur bones being loaded at Dragon, and a train with fossils going over Baxter Pass. This was before the National Monument was established in 1915, and these fossils were headed for Eastern museums.
Later, in Creede, Helen discovered a book, Tracking Ghost Railroads in Colorado by Robert Ormes, which expanded our knowledge of Uintah Railway history. (This book is a must for anyone interested in Colorado or trains.) The 1970 book, The Uintah Railroad is out of print, demanding up to $250 for a copy, but it is being reprinted. Also see Uintah links at the end of this page. We had lunch at Baxter Pass at 8730 ft., which is low for a Colorado pass. Photo - Locomotive shop at Atchee, Colorado, at the foot of Baxter Pass. We arrived in the Grand Junction area and visited the new Devils Canyon Science and Learning Center featuring dinosaur animations.

On Monday, we traveled South on U.S. 50, which turns East at Montrose. Ross checks into the Elks net on 14,328 kHz. at 0900 PDT daily. On this occasion NCS Jim, W6IQH, in Sacramento, wanted to make sure that I knew about the record temperatures there, and we exchanged a couple of words. We stopped at the narrow gauge D&RGW train exhibit at Cimarron in the Curecanti National Recreation Area. Photo - Train Exhibit. The ranger there suggested a dirt road cutoff to the Lake City highway, which saved us some time and RV traffic. We had lunch in the Lake City park. We paused near Creede, Colorado, while Ed collected rocks for fossils, and Ross gave out the county on the County Hunters Net. (If you don't know, don't ask.) Reaching Creede, we all visited town, except Ed and Sunny, who went into the mining district North of town. They discovered an area that should be made a major destination of a future trip. After ice cream, we drove on to Chama, New Mexico, just over the Colorado line. For those that are waiting for this statement, we had dinner at Foster's Hotel. This restaurant inspired our annual Chili Contest that started in the 70's. You have to taste chili in Chama to be a judge.

Tuesday was our day to ride the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic RR. We took the through train from Chama to Antonito, Colorado. Photo - (front to back, left to right) Helen, Ross, Matthew, Ed, and Sunny, hiding behind Matthew. This is a remnant of the narrow gauge D&RGW San Juan Extension which once went to Durango, Colorado, and Farmington, New Mexico. This was the high point of our trip.

Photo - The train and the new (1989) lunch building at Osier, Colorado. Ross and I visited Chama in 1971, Matthew and I visited in 1984, and I rode the train in 1972, 1979, and 1987. This was the first visit for the others. This was an all day trip and we spent a second night in Chama, dining at the High Country.

There are three highways leading out of Chama. Wednesday morning, each vehicle in our party took one. Ross and Helen went East to return home to Kansas. Ed and Sunny went South through Santa Fe to reach I-40 to visit Ed's parents in Arkansas. Matthew and I went North, then West, to return home via the Four Corners.

Our return trip - Wednesday we traveled through Farmington and Shiprock, past Four Corners, and had lunch in Blanding, Utah. I made contact with Ross on 40 M. while passing Natural Bridges National Monument at 1500 MDT. He was near Lamar, Colorado. We spent the night in Hanksville, Utah.

Thursday we went through Capitol Reef National Park, where I contacted Ross, and my dad, Harold, W6KDJ, on 40 M. at 0900 MDT. Ross and Helen were at Larned, Kansas, about 70 miles from home, and my dad was at home in Placerville, California. I contacted my dad again a little after 1100 and 1300 MDT from West of Salina, Utah and West of Delta, Utah. Delta has a new McDonalds. The Delta 147.38+ repeater seems to cover to the Nevada state line on Hwy 50, but is best East of milepost 27. This could be useful if we have another trip with Bill, N6MSI, leaving Ely at 5 AM. We spent the night in Fallon, Nevada, and came home Friday morning.

Regarding our 40 Meter contacts, everyone commented on how bad the band was due to the sunspot cycle. Signals were down in the noise and sometimes required repeating information. However, my comparison with our Ouray trip in August 1994 is that we were better off with weak signals this time rather than with all of the other signals that were on when the band was good. It occured to me later that these contacts were while we were on the highway, and I did not get to share this HF SSB experience with Ed and Sunny, in another vehicle. Sacramento participation was disappointing, but not necessary. Many of our missed times were due to not watching the clock.

Les Cobb, W6TEE

Reference and Return Links

• The Uintah Railway Restoration Project - NRHS Rio Grande Chapter
• Ham Radio Camping & Caravaning* - Explains, and lists our destinations since 1971.
• MVRC Activities Page* - Current schedule - Mt Vaca Radio Club.
• Mt. Vaca Radio Club - Home page.
• Les' Amateur Radio page* - W6TEE.
• Links to all other trip reports are found on pages marked*.
• See homepage for e-mail address.