I AM the EarthRoamer!

From Leadville to EarthRoamer!

 

Still on our quest to make it to Yellowstone we left Leadville and headed back to Denver, Co.  On the way we stopped at Red Rocks Park with the famous amphitheater in the rocks.  After driving a perilous, windy, tiny, two-way road barely large enough for my RV we made it up to the parking area.  I wish someone would have told us there was a back way with large roads easy to maneuver our RV on!

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Of course, we got there just in time to be told the amphitheater was being closed down to prepare for the nights concert.  Some Jazz dude (Joe Bonamassa???) was playing that evening.  I wondered how they got their humungaloid trucks up that tiny road.  That’s when I asked an employee if there was a better way down than the way I came up and guess what… there was.

 

We were kinda bummed when we couldn’t get in to see the amphitheater…  I remember seeing Yanni perform here on a PBS special years ago and wanted to see it in real life (I think about doing my hair like Yanni’s every once in a while, but the flowbee can’t handle it)!

 

But all was not lost!  On the way back to the parking lot we had a little excitement.  A grounds worker was wrangling a rattlesnake!  SCORE!  Actually the poor devil was trapped in the ground netting and they were trying to get him loose and haul him off.  Apparently this is a very active rattlesnake area so if you’re ever up there be careful!

 

 

Watch this video at your own peril!

 

After visiting Red Rocks we headed down to Denver where we stayed for the night at Cabela’s for free  (Love Cabela’s and Walmart)!   Since we were still thinking about a backcountry hike we popped in to the awesome, REI in Denver.  We got tips and info on water filtration, camp stoves, sleeping bags and pads, and were tossed a two man tent and told to go see how fast we could set it up.  Tina and I figured out the “Hubba-Hubba” tent without instructions and had it setup in less than 4 minutes.  When we get around to buying our own tent the Hubba-Hubba will be a strong contender!

 

That was fun, but we didn’t buy anything yet.

 

Next morning we left Cabela’s and headed north on I-25 toward Cheyenne where we planned to stay a couple of nights.  While cruising up the freeway at top speed in the RV (about 57) I glanced off to the side of the freeway and what did I see??!?!?!?   The EarthRoamer factory!  That’s right!  The actual EarthRoamer factory!  Surely you’ve seen the EarthRoamers on Discovery Channel’s, “Mega RV” shows, right?  I’ve seen them on TV and drooled over them so I HAD to stop and see if I could get a free tour!   It’s just a small shop.  We walked into their small front office and I asked the young lady if we could look around.  She took us on a short tour (small shop) and also showed us a used EarthRoamer that would be cleaned up and put on the market soon.

They only make the EarthRoamer when requested by a customer and each one is made to order.  No factory assembly line here.  No used car salesmen pushing a product.  If you want one you’ve got to get in line.  They only make about 12 a year ( I believe she said) and they ain’t cheap.  You can get into a slightly used model for about 400 grand!

Here’s a picture of me in the shop standing next to a newly completed Roamer.  Guys were working in the background there on another truck.   One of the big selling points of these RV’s XV’s  (eXpedition Vehicles!) is that they can run totally off-grid for days.  Doomsday Prepper Approved!

 

Here’s a picture of me imagining how all I’d have to do is sell my house, cash out my 401k and take out a modest loan and I too, could be the proud owner of a used EarthRoamer!!!   Sounds like a plan – now, what’s the best approach to inform Tina of my brilliant idea? hmmm….

 

We toured the inside of one of the used trucks too, but I forgot to get pictures…

I believe this is  the used Roamer we got to crawl around in.  It has already been sold!

 

Never stop dreaming!  I guess…

 

Well, on to Cheyenne…