Surviving Wolf Creek Pass

Above, at a pull-out after traversing Wolf Creek Pass. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Back in 2016, I drove a cross-country trip to Metropolis, Illinois to attend the celebration of life for actress Noel Neill (the original Lois Lane) in the RV. 

While on the trip, I made some detours to such places as Graceland in Memphis, the Lincoln Library & Museum and gravesite in Springfield, Illinois and the Eisenhower Presidential Library in Abilene, Kansas, just to name a few.

The route going west had me on U.S. 160 through Wolf Creek Pass. The road itself was no problem, but it was very windy, enough so that I considered pulling over and waiting it out. But I pressed on to Pagosa Springs, Colorado. There, I treated myself to some coffee and some dessert. 

RV Travel has posted an article on Wolf Creek Pass by Nanci Dixon. It includes C. W. McCall's song video, "Wolf Creek Pass".

It begins with:

My husband and I drove our 40-foot motorhome towing a pickup truck down one of the most dangerous highways in Colorado, Wolf Creek Pass, and lived to tell the tale. This pass has a switchback curve at the top and a 200-foot drop-off. Forget the guardrails here, you’d go off the cliff!

Before we drove the pass, Googling Colorado US 160 brought me to the Colorado Department of Transportation article about runaway and rollover semis on Wolf Creek Pass. 47 semis in four years went over! Not the most convincing or calming…

 To read more, go here.

Carriers Killing Off Some Cell Service

Above, The Beast between Wolf Creek Pass and Pagosa Springs in Colorado. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

If you happen to own an older model cell phone, it is probably a 3G model. 

It has been reliable for you at home or while on the road. But all that is going to change in the months ahead when cell carriers kill off many features as they switch to 5G.

RV Travel reported:

As the quest for faster and faster cellular-based services continues, some changes may affect you. The three major wireless carriers, Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile, are shutting down certain cell service features some have counted on for years. Are you—or someone you know—going to be affected?

Blame it on 5G

The switch to 5G networks is on the top of the list for carriers. To free up bandspace, older generation 3G is being turned off. For some, the 3G cellular shutdown may come as early as this month.

• AT&T is pulling the plug on its 3G network this month. 

• T-Mobile users will see an end to 3G cell service in phases. Equipment issued originally by Sprint will stop working March 31. T-Mobile originated 3G UMTS stuff will “stop talking” July 1. And T-Mobile supported Sprint LTE network equipment will croak on June 30. 

• Verizon says it’s 3G CDMA network will “decommission” no later than December 31, 2022. While the “Can you hear me now” folks have said they were going to pull the plug on their 3G network cell service on two earlier dates—then recanted—they say they’re sticking to this deadline.

To read more, go here. 

"Operation Flying Carpet"

Above, Sierra atop the dinette seating section that still needs a cover. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

While on my three-week trip to Metropolis, Illinois and back, I had with me my cat Sierra. With the exception of clawing the dinette seats, she does pretty good as a traveling cat. To me, it is cruel to declaw a cat, so the next best thing is to get something to protect the dinette seats.

After traversing Wolf Creek Pass, I stopped at the Wolf Creek Gift Shop-Junction Restaurant in Pagosa Springs, Colorado for a snack and some coffee.

After eating, I wandered over to the Wolf Creek Gift Shop and browsed around. While there, I found two small woven wool Navajo style blankets (they're probably better described as mats) that would come in handy as covers for the top backrest portions of two dinette seats. The prices were right, both were under $30 each, so I bought them (photos below). They also add some color to the inside of The Beast.

All I need to get is one for the longest seating section of the dinette. What I need is something about 2' wide x 3' long. I think I found one online for under $30. Unfortunately, I didn't find exactly what I wanted while on the trip. I am going to look around online some more before making a purchase. So, this "quest" is "Operation Flying Carpet".

I am thinking of getting some seat covers for the dinette seats themselves as Sierra has been clawing those as well. 

Trip Souvenirs

Above, the Super Museum had a lot of goods for sale, but I passed on them. I've too much stuff already. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

During my recent 3-week trip to and from Metropolis, Illinois I stopped off at a number of attractions, but bought very little souvenirs.

I bought some books, but as far as knick-knacks, not much. I have enough stuff as it is. The two new tires I had to get in St. Louis, Missouri and the electric ceramic heater I bought in Kansas don't count.

At Meteor Crater in Arizona, the only thing that "suited my fancy" was an Arizona cookbook.

The only thing I picked up at the Super Museum in Metropolis was this magnet for The Beast:

At Graceland, I did pick up a magnet for The Beast but the only other things were a hat and t-shirts for friends. I did buy a CD of Elvis: Aloha From Hawaii.

I am picky about things like knick-knacks. A lot of items I saw that looked good had "Made In China" stamped on them. I avoided those. A lot of other travelers felt the same way, as I overheard.

At Sun Studio, I bought myself a hat and a CD of The Million Dollar Quartet:

Then, when I went to Springfield, Illinois, I picked up two Lincoln busts (one was carved from a piece of coal, which I found was unique) and a book on the Lincoln Museum.

Here's the busts:

At the Eisenhower Library, I didn't see anything that I particularly wanted. But, when I went on to Colorado, and after crossing Wolf Creek Pass, I stopped in Pagosa Springs for coffee and a snack. But, the restaurant had a gift shop and I found two Indian wool mats that I am using for the dinette's back rests to protect them from Sierra's claws.

I didn't find anything I wanted in Monument Valley. But I took plenty of photographs while there and at other places. Those are sufficient for me.

Some of these places I had been to already and I still have some things I bought back then. I transferred a couple of magnets from the house to The Beast.

Wolf Creek Pass

Above, looking up towards Wolf Creek Pass from a turnout on the Pagosa Springs side. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

My route to Durango, Colorado on Highway 160 took me through Wolf Creek Pass, the pass made famous in the 1975 song by singer C. W. McCall.

That song, and stories about the pass, had me wondering how The Beast would be able to handle it. I had visions akin to "Deadman's Curve" by Jan and Dean.

Above, The Beast at the turnout below Wolf Creek Pass. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The pass wasn't too bad. It is a multi-lane highway these days. There were spots of snow on the ground in the surrounding hills. I was glad it made it through as a storm front was on the way (I caught a little bit of it in Cortez, Colorado the next day). I don't have any snow chains. It was easier than I thought. The views were beautiful.

Here's what Wikipedia says about Wolf Creek Pass:

Wolf Creek Pass (el. 10,857 ft.) is a high mountain pass on the Continental Divide, in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. It is the route through which U.S. Highway 160 passes from the San Luis Valley into southwest Colorado on its way to New Mexico and Arizona. The pass is notable as inspiration of a C. W. McCall song. The pass is significantly steep on either side (6.8% maximum grade) and can be dangerous in winter. There is a runaway truck ramp on the westbound side for truckers that lose control of their brakes.

Wolf Creek Pass, once a two-lane road winding through the San Juan Mountains between South Fork, Colorado and Pagosa Springs, has recently been expanded into a multi-lane highway, greatly increasing the traffic capacity of the pass and making it more navigable in bad weather.

Above, from the turnout, a view of the valley towards Pagosa Springs. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

After traversing the pass and coming downhill towards Pagosa Springs, I took some photos at a turnout. After this, I headed into Pagosa Springs and took a coffee break (along with some fudge cake topped with vanilla ice cream) there.

Here's a video of Wolf Creek Pass along with the song by C. W. McCall: