new car same color

After much deliberation we decided to change our camping truck into Subaru Outback. The truck was an awesome camping machine but there were a few things it could not do primarily because it has a small engine for such a large body. In hind sight I should have purchased the larger engine even with its accompanied poor gas mileage. We traded for a larger engine (yes the outback has a larger engine and still gets better gas mileage than either car) with the same clearance just no 4WD.

It could just be that we could use this car to pull a small trailer in the near future. Stay tuned...

The new subbie with the usual back drop of Wingate sandstone.

The truck with bikes fording the Fremont River

no snow = change of plans

With little snow in the forecast we traded in our ski boots for desert sandals for the first week of 2012. We welcomed in the new year amidst the Saguaro cactus instead of the ice covered slopes of the San Juan Mountains.

The view from our campsite. Great sunset and an iconic picture

The sandals are so much more comfortable
The icicles along 550 in the Uncompahgre gorge.

all in a week

The past seven days have been fun. We started the week by taking advantage of some early November good weather in the canyons and ended by skiing on Grand Mesa.

Riding the newish Intrepid Trail/Big Chief loop at Dead Horse SP. What a great loop! We enjoyed it so much we rode it twice in two days.
One fun ride was down the Shafer trail down to Mussel man arch and then back up, about 14.5 kilometers and about a 400 meter climb out
What can I say. Then it was back home to write a little. I finally got a small writing contract for October and November. So, between adventures I write!
The storm that ended our Canyon trip dumped over 50 cm on the Grand Mesa. We took Tuesday and visited Skyway which was just being re-groomed after receiving another 2 cm from the night before. Ah...Western Colorado!

Across the Grand Canyon

We had decided long ago, when the opportunity to walk across the Grand Canyon presents itself we would grab it. Well the time came and we did it!

This was no ordinary lets stroll across the canyon trip. We did this while taking a class from the Grand Canyon field institute. Yes, it was a geology class. Fun times at every turn.

We spent one night at the north rim, hiked down to Cottonwood Camp. The next day found us at the Colorado River at Bright Angel camp where we spent two nights. From there we started upward, spending one night at Indian Garden and then to the top. Wow! It really was fun times at every turn.

Fran standing atop the Cocconino sandstone. That is the Bright Angel fault, canyon and trail in the background. Our home for the next few days.

Hiking a narrow section through the Redwall limestone, a fantastic cliff former throughout the canyon.
The silver bridge crossing the mighty Colorado. It was hard to believe we had been canoeing the same river not so long ago albeit a few hundred miles north.
On the way back up at Panorama point. It was a great view looking back on where we had been.
At the top, we corralled some nice people to take a picture to end our trip.

In the same week

Early this past week we had the chance to spend some time on the Colorado River. Then later in the week we were up high in the San Juan Mountains. The difference is astounding. The locations are less than 150 miles apart however, there is over 8,000 feet in elevation between them.

Atop Corkscrew Pass (12,200'). The 2"-4" of snow was new that morning

Red Mountain #1
Canoeing down the Colorado River
Camping in the Cottonwoods

Katie's home visit

August means recess and Katie comes home to Colorado

Playing on the banks of the Uncompahgre River

Working in the garden
Planting the crops
Relaxing on Ridgway Reservoir

The changing of the guard

It was just time...the old coffee pot had issues and when the handle almost fell off we knew it was time.

Here is the changing of the pot ceremony as the old pot handed over water boiling duties to the new Coleman $14.95 model. By the way, the campsite is above Gothic where we spent the night between bike rides through some incredible scenery and flowers.