Brush Colorado
We had a good traveling day yesterday. Barb came out to the campground in Aurora to watch us "fold up the house" as she puts it, and we were on the road by 9:00 am. We are in the city campground in Brush Colorado, population 5,000. We picked it as our stopping place on the way to Denver. We try not to travel more than 250 to 300 miles a day - why rush?
I didn't take any pictures in Brush, because frankly there is not much to see. This is the northeastern high plains area -- very flat and not scenic. The city run campground is right next to a nice park. It has lots of trees, big old ones and some newly planted, picnic shelters, playground with newer equipment, and a large swimming pool. Everything is well maintained. There is a small museum on the park grounds, in an old brick school house. We can never pass up a museum, so went in, gave a donation and spent some time looking at old photos and artifacts. Brush was founded in 1882 at the location where the Burlington railroad crossed the path of the Texas-Montana cattle trail. Evidently the heyday of Brush was in the 1920's. The main businesses then were cattle and sugar beets. The sugar beet plant closed in 1955 and now corn is the main crop. The farmers are having a hard time (everywhere it seems). The volunteer guy has lived here for 85 years, was born on the farm and "never had enough money to leave". He said that water from the South Platte river is "used up by all those Denver folks", and this area is very dry now. There is not much shopping in town; Fort Morgan which is 11 miles away has a Wal-Mart which has knocked off most of the local stores.
Across from the park is a fishing pond, newly established, with a wide paved path around it and a xeriscape garden at one end. Piper and I walked around the pond and there was some kind of community "teach your child to fish" day. Lots of children with fishing poles, adults supervising. There is something endearing about watching little kids learning to fish -- almost like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting.
We rode our recumbent trikes around town this afternoon. It is a sunny day with temps in the mid 80's. Brush city streets are wide and flat, ideal for biking. The homes are modest and neatly kept. Some of the houses were really tiny and old, but we didn't see trashy yards like in some communities. The locals say that the biggest employers are the school system, the nursing home and the power plant. Brush is a sleepy blue-collar town that has seen better times, but the residents seem to take a lot of pride in keeping their town clean and neat. Probably a good place to raise a family, provided the parents can find work.
We did some chores after our ride around town, and just piddled which we are very good at. We have broadband access here so have caught up with computer stuff. Denver is only 90 miles away so tomorrow will be an easy travel day. We are looking forward to seeing family, especially the fast-growing grandchildren.
Quote of the day: "The trick to education is to teach people in such a way that they don't realize they're learning until it's too late." -- Harold Edgerton
I didn't take any pictures in Brush, because frankly there is not much to see. This is the northeastern high plains area -- very flat and not scenic. The city run campground is right next to a nice park. It has lots of trees, big old ones and some newly planted, picnic shelters, playground with newer equipment, and a large swimming pool. Everything is well maintained. There is a small museum on the park grounds, in an old brick school house. We can never pass up a museum, so went in, gave a donation and spent some time looking at old photos and artifacts. Brush was founded in 1882 at the location where the Burlington railroad crossed the path of the Texas-Montana cattle trail. Evidently the heyday of Brush was in the 1920's. The main businesses then were cattle and sugar beets. The sugar beet plant closed in 1955 and now corn is the main crop. The farmers are having a hard time (everywhere it seems). The volunteer guy has lived here for 85 years, was born on the farm and "never had enough money to leave". He said that water from the South Platte river is "used up by all those Denver folks", and this area is very dry now. There is not much shopping in town; Fort Morgan which is 11 miles away has a Wal-Mart which has knocked off most of the local stores.
Across from the park is a fishing pond, newly established, with a wide paved path around it and a xeriscape garden at one end. Piper and I walked around the pond and there was some kind of community "teach your child to fish" day. Lots of children with fishing poles, adults supervising. There is something endearing about watching little kids learning to fish -- almost like something out of a Norman Rockwell painting.
We rode our recumbent trikes around town this afternoon. It is a sunny day with temps in the mid 80's. Brush city streets are wide and flat, ideal for biking. The homes are modest and neatly kept. Some of the houses were really tiny and old, but we didn't see trashy yards like in some communities. The locals say that the biggest employers are the school system, the nursing home and the power plant. Brush is a sleepy blue-collar town that has seen better times, but the residents seem to take a lot of pride in keeping their town clean and neat. Probably a good place to raise a family, provided the parents can find work.
We did some chores after our ride around town, and just piddled which we are very good at. We have broadband access here so have caught up with computer stuff. Denver is only 90 miles away so tomorrow will be an easy travel day. We are looking forward to seeing family, especially the fast-growing grandchildren.
Quote of the day: "The trick to education is to teach people in such a way that they don't realize they're learning until it's too late." -- Harold Edgerton
posted by RVmom at 4:13 PM
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