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Greg Wilder

Composer | Pianist | Music Informatics

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Goodbye Motorhome, Hello Cricket

Goodbye Motorhome, Hello Cricket

September 6, 2018 Leave a Comment

When you ask avid RVers how they came to choose their current rig, they’ll often recount all of the not-so-right setups they’ve had. For most, finding the right unit takes a bit of experimentation and while our motorhome offered many wonderful advantages, it simply wasn’t the right fit for us.

Enter the Cricket.

Yeah, it’s a bit strange looking, but it really fits the bill. With a laser cut aluminum super structure, it’s light enough for Ruby Jean to pull.

Cricket on the road

The interior is built like a tank, but it’s is also extremely flexible with lots of truly useful storage.

Cricket interior

Of course it’s more minimal than the motorhome, but it’s not lacking in amenities. The Cricket boasts a kitchen (with hot water and fridge/freezer!), an outdoor shower, and even a cassette toilet!

12-volt fridge

Best of all, everything (except the optional A/C unit) will run for days on the 12-volt dual-battery and 40 lbs. propane system, making off-grid camping a natural choice.

First coffee brew

And keeping those batteries charged is easy with our solar suitcase!

Solar suitcase for off grid camping

Oh, and we don’t have to go camping without our bikes thanks to this handy roof rack.

Cricket roof rack

So let’s quit blabbing about it and hit the road! Hey, those Rocky Mountains look pretty cool…

Leaving New Mexico for the Colorado Rockies


Connected Journal Entries

Back in The Lou!

Back in The Lou!

September 20, 2018

Anytime we’re headed out West, a stop in St. Louis is required. Because we were here fairly recently, it felt (in some ways) like we had never left. I met up with old friends, stopped in at our favorite restaurants and museums, and caught up on work at Nebula. Is there anything St. Louis can’t do?

Filed Under: Adventuring, Flotsam Tagged With: MO, camping, st. louis

Helpful signs along the way

Hurricane Pass to California Gulch

September 13, 2018

Today, Ruby Jean took me up. Higher than we had ever climbed before. The California Pass reaches 12,960 feet. And there just isn’t much up there.
Just silence. And beauty. In all directions.


Oh, and an old, abandoned mining town called Animas Forks. Now, that’s my kinda town!

Filed Under: Adventuring Tagged With: CO, animas forks, camping, jeep, mining, rocky mountains

Fall color comes to Silverton CO

Silverton, Colorado

September 13, 2018

This morning I awoke to find that the fall color was moving in. And quickly.

Many of the local mountain trails connect Ouray, Teluride, and Silverton, so if you’re in the area and you’re Jeepin’ around, you’ll most certainly end up visiting Silverton. Silverton is a former silver mining camp, most or all of which is now included in a federally designated National Historic Landmark District called the Silverton Historic District.

Here’s a nifty little video describing Silverton and the surrounding area:

Filed Under: Adventuring Tagged With: CO, camping, jeep, rocky mountains, silverton

Leave a penny take a penny

Corkscrew Gulch: Ouray, CO

September 12, 2018

Corkscrew Gulch was built in 1882-1883 — during the race to get wagon roads from Silverton and Ouray up to the silver mines that had been discovered on the Red Mountain Divide. For me and Ruby Jean, it’s a glorious journey to the top of the world — just in time for the fall color to arrive.

Filed Under: Adventuring Tagged With: CO, camping, corkscrew, jeep, ouray, rocky mountains

Looks like a painting

Red Mountain Pass: Ouray, CO

September 10, 2018

Taking a few days to acclimate to the altitude…

One of the effects of high altitude is light-headed dizziness. Driving on narrow, rugged roads that are barely clinging on to the side of a mountain at 11,000 feet isn’t advised. So today, Ruby Jean and I decided to take an easy (non-technical) drive up Brown Mountain.

Even so, the views were spectacular.


Along the way, I found dispersed campsites — even near the top. I stopped and asked someone about them and guess what? He lives in Centerville, Ohio!

So, sitting high up in the San Juan Mountains, we had a strange (but fun!) chat about Bill’s Donuts and Marion’s Pizza.

Small world.

Filed Under: Adventuring Tagged With: CO, camping, jeep, ouray, rocky mountains

Ouray from the Million Dollar Highway

Ouray, Colorado

September 9, 2018

Nestled high in the San Juan Mountains, Ouray was established in the mid-late 19th century by miners in search of sliver and gold. The town sits at about 7,800 feet, but the surrounding mountains frequently exceed 12,000 feet in elevation.

Downtown Ouray

Due to its unique history, the entire length of Main Street is registered as a National Historic District. Here’s a great video summarizing why Ouray is a desirable destination in 2018.

Wait! Did you say that Ouray is the Jeeping Capital of the World?!? Well, Ruby Jean heard you and is ready to go…

Ruby Jean is ready to go

Filed Under: Adventuring Tagged With: CO, camping, jeep, ouray, rocky mountains

Aliens

First Aliens, Next Mountains

September 8, 2018

Time to leave Houston (and that horrible heat + humidity combination) and head home via Colorado. But along the way, it’s comforting to stop and see some old friends.

Filed Under: Adventuring Tagged With: NM, aliens, camping, roswell


Filed Under: Travel Tagged With: camping

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