Day 15 8.2
We had breakfast at Paradise this morning, Talie joining us which was great. We then drove out Kebler once again to Horsepark Ranch where the Dark Canyon trail begins. We were putting three trails together, making a loop. I’ve hiked this trail 4 times before & remembered a big slog of an uphill, but I sort of forgot how much up & down it goes…which is pretty much the whole trail.
Lovely floor of ferns beneath all the Aspen trees.
Always color in the forest.
Local beavers have been hard at work.
These twisty crazy Aspen trees are all around this area. Not sure why they do that, but it’s become a landmark on this hike for me.
Great views of Marceline mountain in the West Elks.
The Dykes from below.
I’ve never seen this many of these kind of flowers in one place….you probably can’t tell but they have a ton of tiny blossoms on that cone. The individual blooms look like tiny orchids.
The miles & amount of elevation we’ve been hiking is beginning to catch up with us. We headed for a slice of pizza after our hike. Then I went to the laundromat & Danny took my 4Runner to the car wash. When we’d driven out to the trailhead this morning, they were just putting down MagChloride….which is awful to get on your car & the lower 1/2 of mine was covered. So, we both did our mundane chores this afternoon. We celebrated getting the ordinary done, by going to Bonez for a margarita & a bit of queso.
The CB Arts Festival was starting tonight, so when they opened, we started checking out all the art & artists. I found Sidhe Designs booth & lusciously looked. I have a pair of Michelle, the artist, earrings, but she does such cool work, I love to look at what she designs. We had a nice visit & I wished her a speedy healing…she’d broken her wrist & is currently in a cast.
Then it was another lovely night at camp with a fire, our view & good conversation.
Day 16 8.3
Danny enjoying a slow morning…with a feathered friend. (I love love love this pic!)
Today is Saturday…so we decided to do something different & stay off the main popular trails & filled parking lots. I’d yet to drive down one of my fave valley roads, Slate River Road. I’d camped here for years & loved that site. The cows were all out ….everywhere. We’re hoping we’ll get through our time here with no cows on the valley road we’re camping on…they love to poop in your campsite. We parked near the river, crossed it & walked up to a wonderful view of the big waterfall. On our way back to the car, we washed off in the river…oh how I love this place!
We headed south to Gunnison to run some errands & do something different. I led us to my fave shop in Gunni called, Threads & Treads. We both looked around a bit; Danny finding a Kavu belt he liked. Then we went next door for a beer at the High Alpine brewery & just sat & visited.
We stopped at Walmart, the grocery store & for gas, the drove about 1/2 the way to Crested Butte & stopped at the Almont Resort where we’d heard they had good burgers & a really nice outdoor space….both were true (although I had a chicken sandwich, which was good too.) Sadly, its also owned by the Billionaire guy.
Then it was back out to camp, where it was raining a bit. But then it cleared so we could have a nice fire.
Rainbow!
It’s been a couple of days since I posted our evening photos….I thought you might be missing them.
Day 17 8.4
We’ve had a fox come by our camp a few mornings & evenings. This morning I finally got a photo of her…looks like she’s got breakfast. Always so great to see a fox…(my spirit animal).
Danny had never hiked Baxter Gulch. I’ve hiked it 3 or 4 times, but I only go about 4 miles in then turn around. It’s a trail that’s close to town & popular with mountain bikers. So off we went. Again, I forgot how much up & down & up & down, etc this trail was.
We’ve struggled a bit this year hiking….me more than Danny. We both know I’m not quite the same after last year, & I’m really doing great…but not the same; way less energy. So, we felt a bit beat up by the time we got on this trail…by the end of it, we’d really feel it.
These are huge puffballs!
Looking up at Whetstone.
We were toast by the end of this trail & it had been raining a bit. We stopped at the store & picked up a bag of salad & headed back to camp.
Then the monsoons started….a hard big rain kept us tucked inside our respective places reading & doing Spanish. Tracy & John were supposed to come out tonight, but because of the rain, didn’t. So, Talie & Danny & I threw a party in the castle laying out a spread of food & I put up twinkly lights.
Then we all went for bed…Danny & I tired, sore, achy & I was just exhausted. We listened to the rain all night.
Day 18 8.5
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DANNY! How great is it to spend your birthday here!
We started the morning by going to Butte Bagels…a really good breakfast sandwich place in CB. We ate in the car then headed back down Gothic road to hike Rustlers Gulch.
The first of four stream crossings.
Danny crossing at the sketchy crossing. Me…I went on up the river to my narrow safe crossing.
As we hiked up this beautiful valley, the skies got darker & then we heard BOOMS! of thunder. Danny stopped, turned around & asked what I thought? He already knew….when thunder & lightening start, I turn around. I am a huge chicken when it comes to bad weather. So, we turned around.
And back over all the water crossings trying to outrun the storm (& yes there is blue sky in that one spot…but not all the other sky surrounding us).
Very angry skies above us as we hiked.
So beautiful even with the dark sky.
As the rain came, we stopped on our way past RMBL to say goodbye to Rick & Greta. So so good to see them!
Back to Bonez for dinner, drinks & a special birthday treat! (And it wasn’t raining down here.)
After his birthday dinner, we walked down to the Lower Loop towards the river. The skies & wet weather kept most everyone away…we’d never been on this popular trail before with almost no one on it but us two.
A burst of sun trying to peek through the heavy clouds.
Clouds & rainbows.
The rain finally quit & we took a chance it would stay away so we could enjoy our last night here. Our last campfire with all of us. The temps had dropped a lot, but it turned out to be a nice last night.
Danny had lots of good birthday wishes today from his kids, Emma & Claire & friends. Bummed our hike was stopped by weather, but it’s been so great to have this time with him. I wish he could stay longer.
Day 19 8.6
Danny flies out tomorrow afternoon, so we’d decided to pack up everything this morning (because that takes forever especially when you have to dry out wet gear under barely any sunshine) & do most of the drive to Denver & get a hotel room for the night.
We’d already given Talie several hugs before she packed up her stuff & left camp too. On our way out of town we saw our friend that used to own the Brick which was great. Tracy had us stop by her house on the way out of town to say good bye since they’d missed coming out to camp again.
I'd picked Golden to spend the day in. When Danny turned 50, we spent the day before his birthday in Golden. We ate dinner at a really nice restaurant in an old house & slept in the car that night at the trailhead. The next morning we put on backpacks & hiked into the backcountry & camped for two nights. I remember how heavy my pack was, because I was carrying about 8# of birthday cards family & friends had sent me weeks before, so I could surprise him on his birthday. I gave them to him the next day, in the middle of nowhere, with no one else around & it’s one of the best gifts I’ve ever given him. Sitting on a rock in the wilderness, he looked through each card, laughing, tearing up with some, smiling a lot & loving this kind of birthday surprise.
But 17 years later, it was much more laid back the day after his birthday.
I’d found Bob’s Atomic Burgers when I was researching what to do in Golden. It’s like a dive bar only for burgers. Kind of dumpy but the staff was super nice &
it’s an interesting ordering concept. You grab a pencil & a bag & mark your own order. But it was good.
We definitely found better beer.
It rained while we took about 45 minutes to check out the downtown…then we were over that.
I had a really good Barrel Aged Stout at the Ohm brewery.
The monsoons seems to be everywhere in the mountains right now, but rainbows are always wonderful.
Danny’s beer & my first wine slushy from Barrels & Bottles…wow, it was great!
We checked into our hotel & showered…long showers. Our first real indoor showers in a couple of weeks for Danny & a first for me since I left Orlando…19 days ago. It was great.
Day 20 8.7
We had a few hours to kill before heading to the airport. We walked to the Blue Sky cafe for breakfast having blue corn & pinion nut pancakes ….yum! Then we decided to drive to the Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge. It was pretty underwhelming….but it was quiet, gave us a chance to just visit as we drove through a very prairie type former arsenal place.
There were a few prairie dogs...
a few buffalo…
then we took a walk by a lake on the property….
Then it was time to head to the airport & say goodbye for awhile. Danny’s flying back home…to Orlando & the girls & the cats!
After I dropped him off, I headed back to the cell phone lot to spread out & restore order to my 4Runner. Then I headed into Denver. I had some errands to run..the Patagonia store, Trader Joes, & River North brewing..home of some great barrel aged beer.
Then I drove to Sherry’s where she is once again putting me up for the night (& this wouldn’t be the last of the trip either—she’s a Saint!) She cooked yummy mole tacos then we walked to a local bar for a cocktail.
Then walked back to her place & played with kittens until bedtime.
Day 21 8.8
I played with kittens this morning then packed up & headed north.
I stopped at the cherry pie store & picked up a couple of hand pies to take with me.
A friend of mine from Kansas City has recently been hired as a full time Ranger in Rocky Mountain National Park & we’d planned to get together. The weather is still crappy…chilly temps, raining & storming a lot. I met Tina for lunch, then we went back to her new place. She was moving today from temporary employee housing to her very own cabin in the park…pretty cool. Her daughter also arrived & moved some stuff in. The three of us spent the afternoon hauling boxes from one place to the other about 1/2 mile apart. Then we pulled out our camp chairs (Tina’s furniture is still in KC) set up a table, had dinner & visited.
We took a walk around her “neighborhood”….I’m guessing it’s going to be great living here for her! She’s done a bold & fantastic move changing up her life like this…it’s very cool & so is she.
An owl swooped above us & landed in a tree we were walking by.
Wow…what cool neighbors she has!