PHANTOM CANYON RV RANCH AND CAMPGROUND

PHANTOM CANYON RV RANCH AND CAMPGROUND — “Wind of Change”

June 28, 2026

Great Day
97° / 64°

Today I got to rest and relax after moving us yesterday. I had some soreness in my arms and back, but it has completely gone away.

I got to talk with both my mom and Caleb today.

What made today even better was Herb. He woke up early and left before I even got out of bed. He did the laundry, took some photos, and came home with breakfast. Then he left again to explore the area and take more photographs. Later, he headed out once more to pick up dinner and take out the trash.

I haven’t seen him have this much energy in a long time. We don’t know what’s causing it. Is he simply happy to be here? Is the higher elevation helping his MS? We honestly don’t know, but it’s wonderful to see.

Meanwhile, the wind was still incredibly strong today, so we kept all of our belongings inside the trailer. It isn’t terrible, but it’s definitely cramped. This would be much easier if we didn’t have a cat. Poe’s food, water, and litter box all have to stay accessible, which means they permanently occupy valuable floor space.

Because of the high winds, I still haven’t been able to put covers over our tip-outs. Normally I either use our reflective Gekko covers or a tarp to help keep the trailer cooler. Since neither cover was installed today, the inside temperature climbed into the upper 80s.

By Wednesday, the winds should calm down enough that I can finally cover both tip-outs.

I’ve realized that I actually prefer using the tarp over my bed. Herb prefers the Gekko cover because it looks nicer and does an excellent job reflecting heat. I prefer the tarp because I can install it by myself without needing his help, and it gives me much easier access to my windows during both the day and at night.

During the winter, though, the Gekko covers are perfect for both of us. We simply reverse them so the reflective side faces inward and the black side faces out. They insulate the trailer extremely well and even reduce outside noise. At one campground, I would Velcro up the sides every morning so I could enjoy the windows throughout the day.

June 29, 2026

Good Day, but Still Very Windy
94° / 56°

I’m really glad I got the Starlink set up because work went very smoothly today.

I finished early enough to take out the trash and pick up our Amazon deliveries.

Herb brought breakfast this morning, and we had dinner delivered this evening.

I’d really like to get more accomplished inside the trailer, and I’m hoping Wednesday’s calmer weather will finally allow us to organize more of our belongings. Otherwise, we’ll probably end up eating out for most of our stay, and honestly, I’m getting a little tired of restaurant food.

June 30, 2026

Less Wind and Cooler Temperatures
90° / 58°

Today was beautiful. It was actually chilly when we woke up, and the wind wasn’t nearly as strong.

I’m hoping that tomorrow I’ll finally be able to move more of our belongings outside so the trailer doesn’t feel so cramped.

I also want to put the tarp over my tip-out and install the Gekko cover over Herb’s. That should help keep the trailer much cooler during the hottest part of the day.

The air quality hasn’t been great because of nearby wildfires. Throughout the night we’ve been hearing helicopters fly overhead, and we suspect they’re collecting water to fight the fires.

They’ve been fascinating to watch, and Herb has gone out several times hoping to photograph them.

Since we’ve arrived here, he’s been constantly on the move taking photographs. I think he truly loves this location.

July 1, 2026

Time to Get Things Done
96° / 57°

Today was a productive day.

I saw my clients early, and afterward Herb came home with breakfast.

Once we finished eating, we went outside to install the covers over both tip-outs. The campground manager and a gentleman Herb had met the night before both came over and asked if we needed help.

Together they helped install the Gekko cover over Herb’s tip-out.

Brian also helped me remove several totes from the trailer. We secured the lids with bungee cords so they wouldn’t blow away in the wind.

He even retrieved the bucket that had blown away on our first day here. I had been too nervous to go after it because of all the “Beware of Rattlesnakes” signs around the campground.

Everyone here has been incredibly friendly and helpful.

Today we also got to watch one of the firefighting helicopters scoop up water on its way to battle the nearby wildfire.

The showers and bathrooms continue to be very clean and well maintained, although the water pressure is often quite low.

July 2, 2026

Hot, Hot, Hot
98° / 60°

Today was another scorcher.

By the time I finished work, the trailer was heating up quickly. I still had computer work to finish, but I kept checking the thermometer as the temperature continued climbing.

Herb spent most of the afternoon outside in the van, and I was honestly tempted to bring Poe out there because it was cooler than inside the trailer.

Between about 3:00 and 6:00 PM, the trailer temperature stayed between 93° and 96°. I was drenched in sweat and just trying to concentrate on my work.

Eventually, Herb went out and bought a portable room air conditioner.

Earlier I had turned off our rooftop AC because I thought it might have frozen up or been low on refrigerant. After leaving it off for a little over an hour, I turned it back on and it was blowing cold again.

Now we have a backup air conditioner if we decide to keep it.

Tomorrow we’ll see how well the rooftop unit performs by itself before deciding whether the portable unit is worth keeping.

Tomorrow is also my dad’s birthday, and I have an early morning client, so I’m heading to bed early tonight.

July 3, 2026

Day Out
97° / 63°

This morning I wished my dad a happy birthday before starting work.

After my early client, I finished for the day and had time to relax and take a shower.

Then Herb and I spent the afternoon exploring Cripple Creek and Victor before running errands in Pueblo.

It is absolutely beautiful here.

Unfortunately, it’s also very dry. The drought and nearby wildfires have become a constant concern. One wildfire near us remains uncontrolled, so we’ve been keeping a close eye on conditions in case an evacuation becomes necessary.

The smoke has definitely affected the air quality, but despite that, Colorado continues to amaze us with its beauty.

July 4, 2026

Independence Day

Herb and I went out for breakfast this morning, which was really nice. When we got home, we took a nap. After we woke up, the wind picked up again with incredibly strong gusts, and I ended up having to remove Herb’s Gekko cover to keep it from being damaged.

Throughout the afternoon and evening, thunderstorms rolled through with thunder, lightning, and rain. I joked that God was making up for the fireworks ban by putting on His own light show.

Unfortunately, we didn’t receive much rain, which was disappointing because this area really needs it.

July 6, 2026

Another Beautiful Day
95° / 61°

After work today, Herb and I went shopping together. We came home for a little while before heading out to dinner, although the evening didn’t quite go as planned.

Even so, it was nice driving around and taking in the mountain views. It is incredibly beautiful here, despite the poor air quality caused by the nearby wildfires.

We don’t have far to travel this Saturday, and we can’t check into our next campsite before 2:00 PM. I’ve been thinking about the easiest way for us to handle move day, especially since it also happens to be Caleb’s birthday. I’m also making a mental list of everything I’d like to accomplish before we leave.

July 7, 2026

Another Day in the Mountains
96° / 63°

Today was a great day.

After my first client, Herb and I went out for breakfast together.

The nearest wildfire seems to be improving, which is encouraging.

I’ve also started looking more closely at our next campground, and I’m getting excited about moving. Before we leave, I’d really like to accomplish a few things, including setting up our gray water tank, putting some items away, and organizing a few others to make packing easier on move day.

July 8, 2026

Extra Windy

I was awakened at 4:00 AM by incredibly strong wind gusts. The wind didn’t really let up until around 8:00 PM.

The winds here are unbelievable. They come out of nowhere and can become extremely strong in just moments.

A few small thunderstorms moved through during the day, but tonight it’s finally cool and calm outside.

July 9, 2026

Strong Winds and Intermittent Storms
94° / 60°

Today began with beautiful, cool, windy weather.

Before long, however, the wind gusts became incredibly strong again. We also had several brief thunderstorms that brought occasional rain throughout the day.

Tomorrow we’ll begin preparing for Saturday’s move.

July 11, 2026

Move Day

Today we left Phantom Canyon RV Park in Penrose, Colorado, and arrived at Riverview RV Park in Loveland, Colorado.

Location

Riverview RV Park
2444 River Rim Rd.
Loveland, CO 80537

Dates

July 11–25

Coordinates

40.4166° N, -105.1894° W

Elevation

5,134.5 ft

Weather

Hot, Hot, Hot

The drive to Loveland was absolutely gorgeous. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to take any photos because Poe had settled into a position that kept me occupied for most of the trip. Even so, it was one of the most breathtaking drives we’ve had so far.

When we arrived, we were immediately excited about this campground. The staff were incredibly friendly and welcoming, and they had already helped us through one of Herb’s emergencies before we had even finished settling in.

Setting up was a little difficult because of the heat, but we worked quickly. Thankfully, our campsite is shaded, so the trailer cooled down much faster than expected.

My first impression is that we’re really going to enjoy our time here. There seems to be so much to explore in the surrounding area, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the next two weeks have in store.