30-Jun-2001 -- We got an early 6:20 AM start from Ben's house for a long day of confluence hunting. All the confluences in the immediate area had already been visited, however there were three in the southeastern corner of Colorado that hadn't been visited. We started by heading east on Baseline Road, which led directly past 40°N 105°W. This didn't count as an official visit since we didn't take any pictures, or even stop. It could have counted as a visit since the road was within 100 meters of the confluence, but Ben would have had a zillion visits if that was all that was required. Once to the main highway we headed south to the mousetrap (local parlance for a meeting of two limited access highways). We headed east out of the mousetrap and into the high plains of Colorado. After an hour and a half we reached the town of Limon where we exited the main highway and took to the secondary highway, route 40. In the town of Kit Carson we turned south onto route 287. Technically we could have taken 287 all the way from Mike's house to the vicinity of the second confluence we were planning on visiting. We didn't do this since we had little desire to waste enormous amounts of time in the sleazier parts of downtown Denver. On 287 we passed through the town of Eads. Ben wondered if it was named after the man who built the first bridge across the Mississippi River. In the town of Wiley we encountered a lovely, fragrant stockyard and headed west on route 50. Route 50 led us to within a few miles of the John Martin Reservoir and Dam as well as the confluence. We were unable to figure out who John Martin was, but we have since learned that a portion of the Santa Fe Trail is preserved there. We didn't know this at the time so we didn't stop and check it out. The confluence was directly to the south of the reservoir and we had to skirt around it to the east. This eastern route lead directly past the dam. Once past the dam we followed the dirt roads to within 1.25 miles of the confluence. There was a small dirt path meant for farmers' trucks that lead very near the confluence. We followed the path by car at a snail's pace (passing bundles of rusted barbed wire) to the corner of a large fenced area. At the corner of the fenced area there was a foundation of a 5X10 single room dwelling. We were within 0.25 miles of the confluence. We got out of the car and walked away from the road, for the last few feet, to the very bland confluence. We quickly took the necessary pictures and headed back to the car, since it was already a very hot day. It was about 10 AM. This was Ben's third confluence, and Mike's second, in a boring eastern Colorado field. Ben felt that he was destined to visit boring confluences. He was to be proven wrong in a few hours. Next stop: 37°N 103°W.