Conspiracy Theory Number 1

Small Town, Del Norte. The "Gateway to the San Jauns," and moments from feeling like you are the only person in the world. 
Nathaniel, my husband, and I enjoy our four-wheeler. We have been on many of the local trails, and only a couple have scared me. The first, was at Cathedral Campground, a trail that is now closed because of the danger. Cliffs on one side, a solid mountain wall on the other. We didn't make it to the top. After spending a few minutes shaking in our beloved boots at a wide spot in the trail, we snailed down the mountain. Nathaniel kept telling me, "it's okay now, it's okay." (I'm sure he was actually comforting himself with these words!) Me, sitting on the back trying to close my eyes but too afraid to really do it, praying like crazy!.
The second was a trail near Poso campground, Boot hill. The scenery was amazing on top, but I was shaking too much to really enjoy it. All I could think about was the descent down the other side of the mountain. It was a climb of 85 degrees straight up. The same held true for the other side. A forest fire had destroyed any living tree more than fifty years ago. Thus the reason for the jagged rocks and dead fire scorched wood sticking up all over the place. I was even too frightened to try and figure out why there is a locked railroad car, with a variety of antenna sticking out at all angles, sitting near the top. 
Of course, afterthought led our conversation into a variety of reasons.
Why would a railroad car be sitting on top of a mountain, with locks that would cause envy for Fort Knox? Which simply led us to other more obvious questions. First, how did that railroad car get up there on that mountain? No railroad tracks can be found for miles. Why the antenna? 


Melissa's theory: In the fifty's, the government put it there to monitor space aliens who were looking for a landing field. Using the Men in Black to carry it, part by part, causing them to ditch the black suits and start wearing those little brown uniforms known universally as UPS.They have since found a very good one, near Crestone. You can even watch them from the tower that was built there for that purpose. They have all those locks, because aliens can't open locks and never carry a heavy duty bolt cutter with them in their space ships. The antenna send messages to a variety of space craft, telling them where to land, whose cattle to destroy, and how to have a really cool light show that will amaze and confuse the locals. (The San Luis Valley is known for space visitors and cattle mutilations all over the space alien world.)


Nathaniel's theory: The Forest Service put it here to monitor fires and weather. Logical. They used a helicopter to put it there. The locks keep out the hunters and the curious so valuable equipment isn't destroyed. Probably correct.


I like my theory better. It is simply more fun. Nathaniel might be right about one thing. They probably did use a helicopter to put it there. But I still wonder about those people in the little brown trucks wearing those little brown uniforms.