Of mustangs and Spanish priests

What a fun day! Started with loading up on fresh veggies at the Cortez Farmers' Market (some of which are already inside us in the form of a stir fry) and then we stopped by the Run to the Ruins Car Show (the "Run to the Ruins" is actually a foot race), sponsored by the Over The Hill Gang Car Club of Cortez.

The beautiful old 1929 fire truck is owned and shown by former U.S. Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, who lives near Ignacio, Colorado. Ben's a world-famous silversmith and jeweler (and captain of the U.S. judo team in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics), but today he was having a good time relaxing and talking about his "Fire Bug."

It was nice to see a few old trucks spiffied up and on display. Usually, it's the sexy, sporty models that get the attention.

Like the row of Mustangs in the next picture!

Then we went to Escalante Days, the big annual Dolores, CO, celebration. It's like Mancos Days for Mancos, with a parade and class reunions, etc. The event is named for Father SilvestreVélez de Escalante, who, with Father Francisco Atanasio Dominguez (his boss), led the Dominguez-Escalante Expedition that went up the Dolores River Valley in 1776, searching (unsuccessfully) for a way to connect Santa Fe, NM, with Monterey, CA. 

As shown in the fourth picture, the town of Dolores is set in a canyon with steep cliffs on the north side and lots of old buildings. That big old hotel has been under restoration, I think, almost as long as I've been here (almost 20 years).

The Escalante Days parade is unlike the Mancos Days parade in that, in Mancos, all the horses are at the back end of the parade. That didn't phase these little campaigners in their kiddy car, though; they knew enough to drive around the horse apples! tv