Blogs from Colorado, United States, North America - page 8

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North America » United States » Colorado » Denver August 17th 2019

Sat: Y’s first flight, first baseball game! After passing Y’s 2 months mark, things got a little easier and we wanted to restart our travels. We picked Denver because neither of us has been there and it would be a short 2-hour flight. Baby steps :). Friday was all about getting ready. This was going to be a different trip and mindset for V and me as new parents. I think I have everything…except! I realized that the 4:30-am bus from Millbrae to SFO doesn’t run on weekends. Oh no! The only other option was 3:55-am bus to make our 6:30 am flight. Aaand, that’s the last one before BART starts running at 6 am. With a 4.5-month-old, Uber/Lyft are out. This led to 2:30 am alarm, ouch. Going through security with the baby in the ... read more
Inside Union Station
The blue bear @ the Convention Center
Biker Jim's dog

North America » United States » Colorado » Estes Park August 15th 2019

Today was a wonderful hiking day in the Bear Lake area of Rocky. We started at the Bear Lake trail head and hiked to Emerald lake. Intermediate stops were nymph lake and Dream Lake. We also did a loop hike around Bear Lake. The hike to Emerald lake was 4 miles round trip with about 1,000 ft of elevation gain. The elevation at Emerald was a little over see10,000 ft. The scenery was absolutely gorgeous. Pictures are good ,but don’t show full impact of the area. Tonight we are going into town for pizza and beer and then a tour of the Stanley Hotel. Tomorrow we are hiking to Cub Lake. See you tomorrow.... read more
Hiking around Bear Lake.
The Babe at Bear Lake
Chris at Bear Lake.

North America » United States » Colorado » Estes Park August 14th 2019

Hi All, Yesterday we left Stub Creek and drove to Estes Park. We are staying in a Large 3 bedroom house just across from Estes Lake. We are here with Chris and Bill Walker. Today we drove up Old Falls River Road Through Rocky Mountain National Park. It is mainly gravel, narrow, and one way. The road starts at around 8,000 ft and finishes at just under 12,000 ft. The views are nothing short of spectacular. An added bonus was the herd of elk we spotted coming down Ridge Road. We estimated about 75. We did walk to the small summit which was at 12,005 ft and the wind blowing about 60 mph And the temperature around 50. Back down in Estes Park it was in the 80’s. A great day in Rocky. Tomorrow we are ... read more
Stop on Falls River Road
The Falls.
Chris and Bill at the falls

North America » United States » Colorado » Fort Collins August 12th 2019

Today was our last day at Stub Creek and it is going to be sad leaving. When I first arrived here at 18 it was the beginning of my life the whole world was in front of me. Now at 71 I have finally returned and most of my life is now behind me. Not that it is over, there is still a lot ahead for me. I just never realized that Stub Creek was such a milestone for me in my life. It marked the point in my life were I was really making my own way with no turning back. From that point on I was ready to carve my own way. Returning here and remembering those first days was an awakening for me and best of all I was able to share it ... read more
The Bull Moose.
Again the Bull Moose
Female Moose on Long Draw Road.

North America » United States » Colorado » Fort Collins August 11th 2019

This morning we awoke to a cloudy almost stormy morning. My usual morning coffee on the porch was anything but usual. The squirrel and the chipmunks were very subdued, but the birds took over for the entertainment. The starlings were all over and joined by three robins scurrying around the ground looking for worms I think. Our usual hummingbird was joined by a second and a woodpecker showed up checking out all the trees in our front yard. Great entertainment with morning coffee. Today our goal was to seek out the moose that are said to be abundant in this area of Colorado. When I worked here in the late 60’s a moose sighting was very rare since the numbers had dramatically dropped. In the 70’s and 80’s a private donor funded the reintroduction of moose ... read more
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North America » United States » Colorado » Fort Collins August 10th 2019

Again we slept in this morning. We awoke to a cloudy and cooler morning today in Stub Creek. Our goal today was to find Deadman’s fire watch tower. The summer I worked at a Stub Creek I made the decision to work through the fall after my trail crew members went back to school. The first of September the Ranger, his family, and most of the maintenance crews return to Fort Collins for the winter. My goal was to enlist in the Navy by the end of the year so my decision to stay at Stub Creek was an easy one. I was on my own most of the time with my own little Jeep and access to the Dodge fire truck used for fighting small brush fire until the main fire fighters showed up. I ... read more
New neighbor. .
Not sure what is was on the road.
Deadman Tower.

North America » United States » Colorado August 9th 2019

Today was a wonderful day in Stub Creek. The skies were blue and the temperature was a little cool around 55. What a change from St George. We slept in since we had nothing on our agenda today nor any way for any one to contact us with any request or required activities. I enjoyed my coffee on the front porch and watch a squirrel at the top of one of the pine dress attempt to toss pine cones on the ground. The chipmunks were as active as always, not sure they ever sleep. We took a stroll to the back portion of the station. The only think remaining from our old bunk house was the two poles for the cloths line. The old corral was almost useable, but in need of repair. It was the ... read more
The Forest Service Office.
The neighborhood squirrel throwing acorns
The old Bunk house is gone

North America » United States » Colorado » Fort Collins August 8th 2019

So we are now at the Stub Creek Ranger Cabin. A shorter day of driving in miles. We drove on I 70 for about 60 miles and then turned north towards Walden. The scenery was beautiful, but it was all 2 lane roads winding through the mountains. Much slower driving. We made a stop in Walden for some more groceries, gas, and lunch at the Moose Creek Cafe. Walden is about 50 miles and a hour drive to Stub Creek. The last 20 miles are dirt road just the way I remember it. The first time I drove to Stub Creek was when I was hired by the forest service for a summer job. I drove from Boulder in my 53 ford and at the time much of the road from Fort Collins was gravel. I ... read more
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North America » United States » Colorado » Silt August 7th 2019

Well the Nelson‘s are on another adventure. We are going to do some reminiscing from my youth. Or I should say I am reminiscing and Joanne is going along to listen to my reliving those memories. While I was attending the University of Colorado in Boulder I worked a summer building trails in the Roosevelt National Forest. My base was at the Stub Creek Ranger Station which housed the local rangers family. The forest service discontinued that practice many years ago. Now the cabin can be rented out so that is were we are staying. Nearest town is Walden a good hour drive away. No TV, no Wi-Fi, no cell phone. I think this is what they call off the grid. We will see how that goes. Right now are spending the night in Silt, Colorado ... read more
Great greeting cookies
View out our hotel window. Colorado River
Riverside walking path

North America » United States » Colorado » Winter Park July 21st 2019

After spending some time doing more planning on our itinerary, we left the lodge at 10:15 and 68 degrees. It was chilly here last night…probably the only place in the US that is below 90 degrees, from what we hear. Today, we decided to make another trip through Rocky Mountain National Park. By this time, we pretty much know the roads, have been there at least 5 times and crossing it twice in a day on some visits. With this park so high up in elevation, you never know what you’re gonna get, as Forrest Gump would say, when you visit. Last time we were there, the clouds were down to the ground and we could barely see the road in front of us, let alone any of the spectacular views that it is so famous ... read more
Lake Grandy
Lake Grandy
Lake Grandy




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