Junking in Colorado

After JunkFest '08, I was able to take a little trip to Colorado with my Mom and my sister to see some family in Denver. As with every roadtrip I've ever been on with those two, this trip was not without it's "Oh crap, now what?" moments! Driving through South Dakota we found a junker's heaven hot-spot that managed to put us behind schedule by almost 3 hours. We loaded my suburban to the brim with rust, cast iron, chippy old barnwood doors, windows and everything in between. I'm not exaggerating when I say I almost had to leave my two passengers there because I needed room for more junk!

Now for the "Oh crap" moment.....back on interstate and recounting every wonderful piece that I purchased, my junker's high is quickly deflated when my vehicle starts making a noise that I can only describe as something I don't ever want to hear again. Fortunately, we were near our exit where we would be driving through some of the most desolate, god-please-get-me-outta-here, get-outta-town-before-dark "communities" in the state. After stopping at the exit off ramp, my suburban no longer had the will to continue this journey (too much cast iron in the back? too many passengers?) As with any Murphy's Law situation it was closing time at all the local garages in town, but I managed to get to a gas station where the service station attendant was cousins or brothers or something to somebody over at the only car dealership in town. They were nice enough to wait for me as I tried to "drive" my vehicle to their shop. As LUCK would have it, they determined that my transmission went out and since they were a Buick dealership, and I drive a suburban...they couldn't help me. So....after calling roadside assistance, waiting 4 more hours for the tow truck, driving back to the nearest town with a Chevy dealership (100 miles!) and getting a room for the night, recalling my fabulous purchases of the day just didn't hold the same steam it had earlier!

Lucky for me, my travel companions kept their sense of humor, which really comes in handy for those "Oh crap!" moments. Day 2 had us renting a car since (of course, Murphy's law) parts needed to be ordered for the suburban and it was a FRIDAY.....you get where I'm going with this? Skip ahead a day or two and we've made it to Denver, where my brother offers to take us for a scenic drive through the mountains. We get to a little town called Morrison and I instantly spot this incredible looking junk place! Do we stop? You bet we do!!

Is it open? Of course it's not! Lights are on inside the rickety little house...every door locked (I checked every door and window!) but no sign of human activity anywhere. Disappointed, but undaunted...I did a little peering here and there to see just what I was missing out on...plenty!

I did have to remind myself of the finds I had waiting for me in my defunct vehicle....and of the finds yet to be had at my next destination....Littleton's A Paris Streetmarket! I happened upon this website while googling flea markets in Colorado and was thrilled to find the date of the next sale coincided with our trip! It was located in the parking lot of a shopping center...one day only...tons of vendors....and me in a rental car with just a little trunk space!

I decided against these "half-naked" manequins, since I was already so short on passenger room....so I let them go to some other lucky shopper.

I did manage to find a few goodies to stuff in the rental car and bring home. But, they're out in my junk building, which is blocked with snow....that's another post! The lesson in all of this is three-fold: You don't have to be Irish to be hit with a "Murphy's Law" kind of day, find your sense of humor in those "Oh crap!" moments, and if you need a rental, make it a van or a truck!