Play Dirty ATV Tours

Labor Day, Monday, Sept. 3, 2012

From the ads for Play Dirty ATV Tours, we had decided it would be fun to do another off-road adventure. Since it was Labor Day we were certain that they would be booked but thought it would be a scenic drive west on Hwy 50 along the Arkansas River and we could check out their tours when we got there. It is a lovely drive.

Wouldn't you know...they had a group coming back in less than an hour and were open the rest of the day so we could fill out waivers and watch the safety video RIGHT THEN! Oh c'mon. We weren't even sure we wanted to go and I could not decide if I wanted to ride a single ATV or ride together in a Rhino. It didn't matter to Rich. We walked to the nearby restaurant to get lunch and think it over. That was a tough decision for me until they said that we would have to wear full face helmets on the single ATVs which meant there was no way I could drive and take photos...done.

Note the attire...haha! It is not recommended that you wear white on dusty trails...geesh, we didn't know we'd be doing this today.

We crossed a bridge over the Arkansas River,

drove to the parking lot of the Texas Creek off-road area,

and, OFF WE WENT!

Our guide stopped and pointed this out shortly after we started. Do you see the pink bucking horse in the gray granite? Its head is down with its tail in the air to the right. Way cool!

Note the narrow trail and the very steep rock wall dropping straight down off the right edge. Even before we got this far, I was so glad to have my life in Rich's hands rather than riding my own ATV...yessiree, another good decision!

At our guide's request, we both sniffed this Ponderosa Pine tree. I'm sure that Ross knows; does anyone else know why? A mature Ponderosa Pine smells like butterscotch! Honestly!

This amazing heart-shaped rock was at the same stop as the tree above...isn't nature something special?

 We continue on...

This was so much fun! After we went rafting, Rich had tried to figure out how we can transport a raft; after today, Rich has tried to figure out how we can transport a raft and a Rhino! The Saturn's certainly not going to hold it all...giggle!

I took some really cool videos during our drive. I tried for the last two nights to upload one, but with the slow internet connection we have in this RV Park, it just couldn't make it to YouTube. By the way, this is not the first dust bath I've experienced...there was that one day in the Sierras...haha...but I don't think that white top will be making any more appearances...teehee

The drive back to our RV...

 

As we turned into our RV Park, I shot this to show you that "as the crow flies" we are this close to the Royal Gorge Bridge. See it on the upper left side?

Here is a zoomed shot...WOW, what a bridge!

(The white frame above the center has nothing to do with the bridge; it's a swing attraction at the Gorge.)

Lovin' Life ~~ And Unplanned Activities