Colorado Rocky Mountain High (sorry)

Sorry for the opener but it is very high around here.  Yesterday we hit about 12,500 feet in elevation.   Everywhere we look there are peaks at 14,000 feet and the towns are at 8,000 and above. We wanted to bag Mt. Yale of the Collegiate Range west of Buena Vista but the weather wasn't cooperating so we settled for Brown Pass and some unnamed peak just above that pass.  Gorgeous hike with the weather passing through in various shades of fall, snow, sleet, wind and the like, throughout the day.  Some snow high on the peaks but just a skiff right now.  I know it is the same in JH and it looks from our point of reference that winter will arrive with a bang.  

Today we are back in BV waiting on repairs to our Jeep which suddenly lost the blinker function completely.  Had a run of mechanical issues lately, must be nearing the end of that vortex or just entering it, not sure which.  

Buena Vista or Buna Vista as the locals say

Okay, I know of only one person out there who knows what these painted rocks with the multiple bore holes are all about.  She can't enter the contest until the third day after the posting.  The winner of course gets nothing except helping us understand how things work in Leadville, Colorado.  

The high altitude picture is from Cottonwood Pass just west of Buena Vista.  We climbed to about 12,ooo on a beautiful road that crossed the Continental Divide where a sign said Atlantic< >Pacific.  Snow was flying and the colors were awesome.  Can I use that word?  I am kinda old for it.  I'll work with new adjectives like "bitchin."  Hope you are all well.

Love and miss you.

Us

Sights along the way

Just taking time

Yesterday we hiked to Chasm Lake in Estes Park.  The trailhead was at 9,400 feet and so reaching tree line took very little effort.  The lake sits in a cirque just below Longs Peak, a 14,255 footer.  It was soul refreshing to get back into the alpine atmosphere again.  

We have just about done our time here but will be here until Wednesday as we are waiting on a new windshield for our motor home.  Once that has been taken care of we will head to central and southern Colorado.  The colors are starting to happen here and change almost by the hour.  

No technical wizard, I

Well thanks for everyone's patience (I haven't caught the deserved grief for the "old dog new trick" boast)  and the help of my very confident friend Josh who got us right on track.

We are still in Lyons and enjoying ourselves among the foothills of Estes Park where the biking is endless both mountain and road.  Talked to a young mountain biker yesterday about trails but after seeing the condition of his arms and elbows, mangled, from the trails he rides we decided to look elsewhere for reliable trails (our rider level).  

The first 900 miles.

Thanks to Amy, Lyle, Brianna and Lexi for making our departure from Jackson so memorable.  We parked in your yard and were spoiled by your outstanding hospitality.  We are blessed for your friendship and to have spent the last few days in the beautiful setting you call home. (We still have a couple of gold passes - we will be back!)

We now find ourselves in Lyons, Co., after making our way across 800 miles of Wyoming.  Our first stop was not the far flung exotic locale that may have been perceived as more appropriate but in fact Gillette, Wy.  Why Gillette?  Well B. K. was raised on a ranch south of there and his brother and family still make their living ranching not far from the original homestead.  We also met the newest members of their family as they have welcomed two grandchildren.  They still live a very isolated and unencumbered lifestyle.

Then it was on to the little known Glendo Resevoir just out of Wheatland, Wy.   All the hotspots yes, I know but we felt we needed to ease into this adventure.  This is a very scenic area with Laramie Peak rising over 10,000 feet in the west and red sandstone,  pine and juniper rimming the lake.  

But now we are in beautiful Lyons and feeling quite content to spend some time here just seeing the area.  We are only twenty minutes from Boulder, mecca of techies and yuppies.  

More pictures soon.... 

With nightmares of packing waning, and chilly weather subsiding we are coming to terms with waking to yet another day of lack of responsibility, except of course finding the exact right time of day for bike riding, eating, napping ......O.K. sorry for the rubbing it in.  Life is good!!!! :-)  XXOO T