Donna and I never thought the warm weather was going to get here. We suffered through the Winter and the Spring snow storms with some major depression, Cabin Fever and voices in our heads calling us back to Texas.
Then it happened!!!
Where I eat my lunch
Less than a mile from our back door!
Spring happened here almost over night. We had a pretty good final storm that really dumped some snow on us, but in 2 days, it was gone completely. We left for my Dads 70th Birthday the first weekend in June for 2 days and when we returned, the grass had turned green, the leaves on the trees had bloomed, the aspens all had leaves on what looked like dead branches when we left.
I had forgotten how wonderful Spring is here! The weather is perfect with 50-70 degree days and really crisp nights. The days are longer and it makes for some WONDERFUL nights to come home to!
I had stated when I moved back to Colorado that I wanted to get into hiking and backpacking. I started my research on it because I am fully aware that hiking here is no game and no joke. Even in the Summer, at these altitudes, one can really get into a bad place with the typical afternoon rainshower and the cold nights. There have been many people killed here because they were careless!
So we decided to start off small and do a few day hikes, get a "feel" of the trail and a "feel" for my/our limits are...And also, to get in a little better shape!
The area we live in hosts some of the most beautiful scenery in the world. People travel from all over the planet to experience the backwoods in and around Aspen. There are more hikes than I will probably be able to manage but the variety is so appealing!
Here, you can EASILY go on a half a dozen or more day hikes, unlimited overnight trips and quite a few long trips that could take a week. Right now I am limiting myself to day hikes and am shooting to do my first overnight trip by the end of June.
The trails are very rough and in some areas VERY steep. There was still ice and snow in some areas and the hike up probably took us an hour. Donnas knee is in pretty bad shape and she put it to the test on this trip. We went slow, brought lunch and water and just made a great day out of it.
Hanging Lake is accessible from the Glenwood Canyon. The Canyon itself is something you must experience. The magnificence and utter size of the cliffs is humbling (and VERY deceptive!). There is a river that rushes through the canyon and the good State of Colorado put in a bike trail that spreads the entire length of the canyon. When you pull into Glenwood Canyon, there is no doubts that you are smack dab in the middle of the Mountains!
This is a very bust trail and being this was the first really good weekend we have had, EVERYONE was hiking up to the lake that day. There were people everywhere!
As grueling as the hike can be, the payoff at the top is amazing!
There is this pristine lake that is blue like turquoise with a ton of small trout in it. There is a waterfall that feeds the lake and when you climb up the side of the waterfall, you find a second waterfall that is coming through the mountain...LITERALLY....There are two holes in the cliff that are flowing with water...Not like coming over an edge like a regular waterfall. And the views??? Man, I will just let your mind wander through the pics below; and remember, pics NEVER do places like this justice! These pics are of various places along this trail.
The friends you make on the trail!
Seeing the people gives you a whole different perspective of how HUGE it is here!
The trip I want to do overnight is behind a place called Maroon Bells and as it is explained to me, the Alpine meadows and high altitude lakes are amazing! This area is also VERY well known for avalanches and any hiker I have read from speaks to the surreal-ness of seeing where these massive flows of snow have gone and what they have created.
Donna and I tried to get to Maroon Bells in the Fall and we got there too late to go see them. I have been to the park a few times and it is TRULY stunning... Will take your breath away beautiful! I decided to take a day hike and go up and see Maroon Bells again and take Donna with me.
Well, we got there too early in the season and the road to the park was closed...So we decided to take a day hike and see how far we could get!
Donna's knee, we found on this trip, is in pretty bad shape and she just couldn't hike up to the park itself. We did have a good hike (as you can see in the pics) but I don't think Donna will be going on any long hikes with me anytime soon.
The good thing is that with each trip, I am learning something....My boots, how they feel, trekking poles and the benefit they are, a good hat, the need for a good pack, the beauty of a water purifier... Like I said, I want to be safe so these little trips are very helpful!
On this hike, Donna and I were virtually alone...It was awesome to stand and look at the mountains around us and all we could hear was the river and the wind blowing through the trees... Man, we sure do live in a beautiful place!
The aftermath of an avalanche.... See the trees snapped off and in the snow? This pile was probably 15-20ft tall!
There is a short day hike at Maroon Bells that Donna and I have a plan for.... Donna will hang out at Maroon Bells Park with Dosie and Hedi and I will take off on the trail. Donna will be able to take cool pictures and just check out the area by vehicle (which is still pretty spectacular) and I will get up into the hills a little...WIN/WIN!!
One of the things I brought with me to Colorado from Texas is my love for auctions and we have been to a couple already since moving here. Donna found a nice one in Grand Junction and we decided to take a Saturday and go check it out.
It was one hell of an auction...TONS of stuff!
We have been discussing the decor for our house and have decided to go with a "Mountainy" touch and feel. We are looking for old ski's, sleds, guns, leg traps, snowshoes, etc.... I was at the auction for 30 minutes and found an old, old, old double barrel shotgun...Just a skeleton of a gun, but a REALLY cool wall hanging piece...I paid 2.50 for that!
We bought a few other things that were awesome deals...A new portable heater (600.00 retail, paid 70.00) a good chain, some panels for the barn and then the Universe showed up again for me!
Since moving here, I have wanted to get rid of my Nissan and the note and find me a nice OLD 4x4. I wanted an old Bronco or Blazer...Maybe even an old scout... Then I went to this auction!
I almost walked right past it, but there was a 1987 Ford, F250, single cab, 4spd, 4x4, diesel, 7.2 ltr, dual tanks, tool box in the bed, no dents, CLEEEAAN old truck with 184k miles! Started up and purred like a kitten. It has a split rear window, the interior is really clean and I decided to go for it!
Once the bidding began, i waited....It slowed down to a crawl and at 1400.00 I was IN.... We went back and forth and I was at 1700.00 when I thought i might have to give it up...The I heard...."Going once, going twice....SOLD! Sir, whats your number!?"
I just bought my new old truck!
I drove it home that day on 3 unmatched tires and a full tank of gas and other than a little play in the steering wheel, it rode like a Cadillac! When I got it home and went through the paperwork, it was clear that whoever owned it took pretty damn good care of it. It had all the specks from a dynatuning after they installed a turbo on it, the clutch was tight, it shifted like a dream....I think it was probably the best vehicle purchase I ever made! LOL!!
About a week later, I met with a friend and we cleaned up the engine and the undercarriage and went to look for leaks. After tightening down a few places, we found that the only leak that appeared to be showing up was from the oilplug.
We decided to go see if the 4x4 worked in it and found an old BLM road about a mile from the house and took her for a trial run...Man, she did AWESOME!! Went up one really steep hill and she just whimped out and almost stalled. I had to stop on this massive hill and shift it to 4 low and when I did, this old truck just CRAWLED up that hill!
We spent about an hour out driving around and when we got back, we checked for leaks again! If anything was going to make it leak, this trip would! To our amazement, we didn't see any new leaks! I am still going to take it to the shop and get the oil changed, new tires on it and get the "one over" on it to have it checked, but I think its going to be a good ole truck and if I care for her, she will probably give me another 200k miles!
So here we are, May 22nd and we are absolutely LOVING this Mountain life. We live out in the Country, we have our horses, our chickens and our killer wildlife all around us. We have great views, the Hummingbirds have shown up, the snow melt has the rivers starting to rage
and everything is green and plush... Life, AT THIS POINT, is pretty damn nice here!
I have come to realize that the job I do is just that WHAT I DO!! Its not the greatest, its very stressful, but it affords me the opportunity to live in a truly magnificent place and as long as it provides that, I think I will hold on to it!
It is really amazing how emotions and life twists and turns...We have been on an emotional rollercoaster since moving here and have really questioned our decision a few times... But its times like this that remind me that the Universe REALLY IS working with us and for us to make what we declare a reality. Other than a few hard times getting through the winter and adjusting to the very peculiar lifestyle of "Mountain Living" this goal and dream has unfolded before us much bigger and brighter than we ever imagined....And THAT friends is why setting goals and chasing dreams is SOOOOO important!
Life IS what we make it!
OWTFDWIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
