Holy Cross Winery & Abbey, Canon City, Colorado

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Introduction: This is a start of my four week road trip in September 2017. It is my affordable adventure across the Four Corners States: Colorado, Utah. Arizona, and New Mexico. I wanted to see so many of the most scenic natural places on Mother Earth. I would be driving and camping in my small truck (Old Blue) off road in the back-country of the Rocky Mountains and the high desert. This was also a survival test for this old disabled man; requiring good teamwork between man and machine, and careful planning on water, supplies, and maps.

At Ratan, New Mexico I drive up the mountains to Ratan Pass to an overlook at the Colorado State line on the Santa Fe Trail on Interstate Hwy 25. I continue to Main Street in Trinidad, Colorado still on the Santa Fe Trail. Overlooking Trinidad the large Fishers Peak was a major landmark for travelers on the Santa Fe Trail to pick up supplies and water and turn South up the Mountains to Ratan Pass and on to New Mexico.

Trinidad is a very nice historic town, with friendly people; with many historic people staying there featuring Kit Carson, and also Bat Masterson, Wyaat Erp, Doc Holliday, and Billy the kid.

I made a stop on Main Street in Trinidad, and a longer stop at the Kit Carson (City) Park, still in view of Fisher Peak. Kit Carson Park has very nice tall trees with shade and a cool breeze in the summer.

From Trinidad I drive North on Interstate Hwy 25 to Pueblo, Colorado, and turn West on US Hwy 50 on to Canon City and made a stop at the Holy Cross Winery & Abbey. The Winery had free wine tasting of their good wines. I purchased three bottles (750 mls) of grape wine in fine blue bottles; with one bottle for my ice chest to drink at my first back-country camp.

The Holy Cross Abbey, just across from the grape vines, was open to the public, and a must stop for me. Inside the Abbey there were some nice old paintings. The Holy Cross Abbey was not up to the old European grander; but was very nice for Colorado, USA.

I continued West on US Hwy 50 and made a brief stop in Salida for a photo opp of a very nice railroad mural. From there it was a short drive up to Monarch Pass on the Continental Divide for a good Bar-B-Que lunch.

completed

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Photos

Santa Fe Trail
At Trinidad History Museum