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.

To a Lavender Festival we go

A couple of weeks ago Fran wanted to go to the first annual Lavender festival in Grand Junction. There was to be a tour of lavender farms in Western Colorado. Low and behold, they sold out the tour before we had a chance to reserve a space. So........ by chance Fran came across a Lavender Festival in Sequim, Washington (on the Olympic Peninsula) at the very same time! We packed the truck and off we went on a whimsical, spontaneous trip to the NW.

Our trip turned into lavender bookended by geology with a lot of bike riding in between.

So much beautiful lavender-there are 350 different kinds!
So, we got a little wet riding to the farms....Olympic Discovery Trail is awesome!
We also road through Craters of the Moon National Monument-Staying on the road is critical there!
John Day Fossil Beds National Monument in Oregon was next on our Geology Tour.

Ahhhhhh........The the Lavender Fest! Three fun-filled days picking lavender, eating lavender, looking at every conceivable thing that can be made out of lavender, and enjoying the company of lots of ladies who are entranced with lavender! The farms are beautiful!
More riding on the Spruce Railroad (Rails to Trails) trail in Olympic National Park. It is obvious that the rain truly makes a difference in the vegetation in the NW!
Ed cruising down the fabulous bike trail around Lake Crescent.
On to the coast for a walk among the tidal pools. So many sea stars!
Then a trip into the Hoh Rainforest. Look closely and you will see Fran hiking among the trees.
Two days later on our way East in Lewiston Idaho riding in the tree-less plains!

After that was 30 miles of mountain biking near Missoula, MT in the Rattlesnake National Recreation Area.
Our last day of our adventure before driving across Wyoming into Utah then Colorado was spent riding the few trails that Yellowstone allows bikes on. We slept in the Tetons and then up early for the long drive home. All in all a great adventure in the vast, beautiful West!

Where is everyone

A few years ago we had a set of clocks in the living room with times set according to where our far flung family was living. Well, the clocks were not of the greatest quality and one by one they stopped working. We then converted the clocks to National Park posters and lost that connection...until now.

Our first thought was to make a MASH like directional sign but we didn't want to have a post in the middle of the back yard. Then as happens so often, a brilliant idea sprang forth and the signs have now found a home.

We are once again connected via skype, face time, email, facebook, cell phones and signs in the backyard to remind us where all the kids and other family members are spending their day.

A visitor from the past

Way back in the mid-70's a couple of newly minted 18 year olds started school at CU in Boulder, Colorado. Four years later, one was a Michigan Wolverine alum (Susie), the other a CU Buffalo (Fran). Even though one wears the blue and gold and the other the black and gold they have remained friends through the years and even get to see each other "in person" once in a while. Thanks to Susie and Laura for the hours at the airport in GR, on the plane and in the car making their way to our abode in Montrose! We had a great time :)

Stroll down memory lane with us in this little photo montage.....

Susie and Fran now.....

Fran, Susie and Laura (Susie's lovely daughter) picnicking up Camp Bird Road in Ouray, CO.

Susie and Fran-Halloween 1975

Yum! We did like to cook and eat goodies back then!

Climbing in Ouray with the girls.

The 2011 petroglyph tour

As usual we left the day after school got out for our Southwest camping expedition. Last summer the emphasis was on mountain biking; this summer our focus was on the ancient ones of the four corners.

I am not sure if the bullet holes add anything of value to these ancient petroglyphs. We saw these on our first day in teh canyons.

Yes, the temperature shows 113 degrees F. But at least it is a dry heat. We chose a canyon that still had water running in the creek and we took advantage.
Cliff dwellings
a reverse hand print
Cooling off
Big horn sheep on a stick
A thinking lizard man
The middle part of the trip was a float down the San Juan River. What a fun way to do archeology...and of course study the geology.
An ancient baseball fan
After floating, we continued our explorations by backpack. We hiked 8.5 miles down the wash to Keet Seel in the Navajo NM.
A turkey pictograph
Keet Seel
More big horn petroglyphs.
The last part of the adventure was spent in the slot canyons of the Paria drainage. Wow!