Enjoying Naples and the Florida weather

 

Quick post to say I'm alive and well and enjoying Florida. We left the beginnings of snowy winter at Star Mt. and liking this alternate lifestyle.

I've just celebrated a BIG birthday, my 70th. Tiffany flew down, Heather and fam provided champagne, and our longtime friends Andy and Andrea celebrated with me at the Ritz. Quite special!

We made the most of the short Tiffany visit with restaurant visits (of course) and explored one of my favorites, the Naples Botanical Gardens.

Beach visit is next. Been way too busy to get myself over there. With what you ask? Golf, social activities, yoga, tai chi, mahjong, and it goes on. Stressful life for sure...🌴🌴🏖🐬😎 

Goodbye Star Mountain, hello Florida.

A quick post with the fabulous fall color. It is blowing away in the snow as I write. Yup, snow. Three inches and crossing fingers our flight is not delayed tomorrow. Not from snow but de-icing. Ah well...

The Castles

Whetstone Mt.

our house

my woods walk

All of these are from different angles in Star Mt. Gotta love it.

Emerald Lake

Gothic Mt.

Assorted photos around Crested Butte area. Gorgeous as always, but with extra bits of red and orange this year.

A last assortment of things: cattle drives everywhere -they're pulled down from the mountains for the winter. Last minute guests: Nancy and Rodney stopped by in their brand new 26ft camper home. What a big adventure starting for them. Loved seeing you two! Olympian Emma Coburn took up the town with her annual 5k run - events never really stop here. And lastly, photo of a visible part of the forest fire. It's still smoldering - nature started it and nature (snow/winter) will finally put it out...

Next post will be from Naples. Still hot there, a transition for sure.

Girls trip to Durango, Chaco Canyon, and Mesa Verde

Strater Hotel

Making the most of the last few weeks here. Fall color is upon us and the cattle are leaving tomorrow. It comes up so fast every year. My friends, Kim and Marcia, and I went on a long planned trip to places I've never been and what a great time we had.

The Strater Hotel in Durango was fabulous. It's a famous historic hotel built in 1887 two blocks away from the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad. We heard trains regularly coming and going with tourists. I have not ridden on that train - another trip. Everything is period furniture, wallcoverings, and we had the best room just by luck. Rumored ghosts which we did not see, drinks at the attached Diamond Belle Saloon, which is exactly like you would imagine from the name, and lots of shopping and restaurants to experience. Perfect headquarters for us as we day tripped out.

Chaco Canyon was a two hour drive from Durango in northwestern New Mexico and what a fascinating area of ancient history. Ancestral Pueblo ruins that started in 900BCE and lasted for 2,000 years. Somewhere between 2,000 and 10,000 people at its peak, lived in both rock great houses of multi stories (for the powerful) and smaller pueblos for the underlings. It included many kivas (round rooms for both domestic and ceremonial purposes) and an elaborate system of well engineered roads many of which remain. Much of it is in a good state of preservation and of course there are many mysteries in what happened there including why they left. Great petroglyphs too. I'm a big fan and can never get enough. Well worth the trek over.

Cliff Palace

Cliff Palace

Mesa Verde was up next. Ancestral Puebloan ruins 450-1300CE  that are built into cliffs. Equally as fascinating and an interesting climb down and up to see the famous Cliff Palace. Tiny winding stairs and lots and lots of ladders. They were very short people and the average life span was 25 years. Yup, you read that right. Mesa Verde society existed in the middle of the Chaco Canyon long dynasty. There is evidence that many societies traveled to Chaco Canyon for trade and ceremonies including Mesa Verde people. Archeologists don't know why Mesa Verde was abandoned. Loved our exploring trip - thanks ladies!

Countdown time to Florida - 11 days.

Our last company visit and Engineer Pass

Engineer Pass

Our summer is winding down and the annual aspen trees have started morphing into their glorious golds and yellows. Hunting season is upon us, the ranchers have brought in all the hay, and all things point to fall. We have six weeks from now until we go back to Florida. The supersonic speed that time goes by continues to astonish me.

We had a lovely weekend visit with our friends Michelle and Bill and took them on the Engineer Pass 4 wheel drive trek. Their first time and they loved it!

We had absolutely perfect weather and the new jeep handled everything like a pro. We loved the "Rock" and used it a lot over the thirteen years we had it, but this one is a whole new standard with electronics galore and smooth riding. Quite spoiled...  No name yet.

Ahh yes, the bridge house. Currently off market so don't know what crazy price you'd have to pay to buy this but Michelle and Bill were definitely intrigued.

Nearing the top and there was still lots of snow left. It actually never all disappears before the new snow starts again. Wonder how old it is? We were lucky and saw a giant sheep herd along the way. Thousands and no sheep herder in sight. If you look closely you'll see they're almost up to the top of the mountains. Amazing.

Gorgeous summit -12,800ft. We had lots of company too - people coming up from Silverton to cross over as we were going down to hit Silverton for lunch. It is not for the faint of heart - there seems to be a serious accident every year around the area.

A double rainbow, large herd of elk, and the fawns born earlier this summer rounded out our weekend. Come back anytime Michelle and Bill. So much fun!