Autumn 2011 in RMNP

It was a beautiful day to go for a hike.  So I did.

Summer Almost Gone

It is almost time to go back to school and my summer has been a mix of work and way too few hikes or bike rides and no getaways.  I have kept my OTA position and feel a bit sad that I am not working as a Teacher Librarian, but I also enjoy some of the people I currently work with and would miss them if I changed to a TL.

The extra money, from working, went to build a much needed privacy fence between me and the neighbors to the north.  I was actually intending it to go to a new roof or at least a short getaway.  As usual I have procrastinated on getting the roof and repairing the paint scrapes on the left side of my bumper after hitting a right turner into the alley as I was coming out. 

Dream Lake Hike, July 2, 2011

Today  Sharon and I hiked up to Dream Lake.  The signs at Bear Lake indicated the trail was snow-packed and icy.  Most of the way was dry until the last hundred yards, where we began to encounter snow patches followed by snow pack.

Remembering on Memorial Day

Today I did not drive down to the cemetery where my parents and grandparents are buried to place flowers on their graves.  I have not been able to do this for many years as I live in Colorado and the cemetery is in Southern Illinois. I remember doing this with my parents as a child and I miss it.  It was usually warm and sunny and my mother and father cleaned around the grave stones while I would look at the names of people from my family.  It gave me a sense of identity and continuity.  So when I saw this video on the "On Being" Facebook post, I felt it was the answer to what I have been  feeling about honoring my loved ones as I would have wished on this Memorial Day.

Where the Ocean Meets the Sky from On Being on Vimeo.

Red Mountain Open Space

Last Saturday I had signed up for the Nature Walk at Red Mountain Open Space and was happy that the cloud cover meant it wouldn't be too hot.  What I hadn't expected was that I was one of only two people who signed up and that I would be the only one who showed up.  Fortunately Janet was willing to take the hike with me anyway.  We enjoyed the beautiful colors that showed up in the misty rain as we hiked the almost 3 miles around the loop.  I took lots of pictures, some of which were okay other's not as good.  You be the judge.

Tour de Fat and Wild Basin Wind

Saturday, September 4th, 2010 was the Tour de Fat parade from New Belgium Brewery and back.  My Brother, Weldon and his wife, Bev, were visiting and wanted to see the parade this year as they had accidentally sen it a previous year.  We agreed to meet at Loomis and Mountain after much discussion on the phone.  Wires were crossed as I thought they were going to call me as they were entering town to let me know they were on their way.  As a result we didn't get together until 10:20 while the parade was in full swing.  They had found a shady spot on the median to watch and we spent most of the hour and a half there.  Costumes of all sorts abounded, lots of fairies, pirates, plants and flowers were just a few of the choices.  Bike trailers were decorated as boats, a personal grocery cart, and large umbrellas were all part of the mix.

Monday we arranged to go to Wild Basin to hike to Calypso Cascades.  At the early, for Bev, hour of 8:45 we left my house to drive to Longmont and up Route 7 to Wild Basin Ranger Station in RMNP.  It was a beautiful scenic drive with a bit more wind then I would have liked.  I was sure that the trail was sheltered enough in the trees that it would be an enjoyable hike anyway.    I hadn't anticipated that the gusty winds would whip the dirt from the trail around and throw it into our faces.  As I listened to the trees creak in the wind I decided to warn Weldon that we should be careful and watch the trees when they were creaking.  Bev was behind us and did not hear me so Weldon told her as well.   No more than five minutes later we heard a loud CRACK! It was a dead, gray Lodge-pole Pine falling toward us and the trail.  I leaped to the left and Weldon leaped back and to the side as it fell between us onto the trail.  My only thought, "It better not hit me on the head!"    As it hit other trees and the trail it broke apart and showered us with debris.

As we were staring and I was taking a picture (see above) a family from a branch of the trail came around the bend and asked us if we had heard the noise.  Weldon responded that we had and the tree had fallen between us.  We continued to Calypso Cascades, ate lunch, and returned home through Estes Park all without any more incidents.

July Visit to Duluth MN

In July I flew to Chicago to visit my sister and her husband.  My brother-in-law's High School reunion was scheduled during my visit and was in Duluth, MN.  We drove up and spent two days wandering the town as Ed got together with his old high school friends.  Below are some of the pictures I took.