Hiking, balloons, and jeeping

Double rainbow

We are cramming in everything we can as the summer zooms on by. Stopppp... Warning - loads of photos in this post. Just couldn't stop snapping away.

We had a great time hiking up Mill Creek - 5.5 miles on our continuing training for the big ones. This turns into a difficult hike up Storm Pass but we stopped short of that. The rock formations were spectacular.

And there was a whisper, the barest whisper of a shadow sighting of a bear. Mark thought he saw something at the same time I heard heavy crunching in the dense woods coming quite close. Ah, not to ever really know...

Tromped through small creeks than a stream really, minus our water shoes. Squish,squish, in hiking boots the rest of the trail. Next hike water shoes will be present.

Landed in front of the post office - only in a small town!

Off on a jeeping adventure, driving through town, we lucked into a holiday weekend hot air balloon celebration. Gorgeous.

I do believe we saw these same last summer

put here by the tourist commission?

American Basin

Handie's Peak

Off to Cinnamon Pass with a small side trip to American Basin. American Basin happens to be the home of our first big planned hike - Handie's Peak - 14,053 ft.
The Rock performed well as usual. Loads of fun with amazing peaks and flowers. And lunch in Silverton and a brief stop in Ouray. Drove on regular highways home. A long all day trip but well worth it.

The crowds were not on the mountain pass, but were certainly in town. And it was hot down there, well my version of hot - 85.

waiting for our table

our favorite restaurant in Silverton

Ouray

Flowers, camping ,elk, sheep, and rubber boots

Summer is going by waayy too fast.Gotta enjoy every moment.

We think the elk are really gone this time, at least for the summer. They stayed around in groups longer than we remember and feel so privileged  to watch all the interaction between the mamas and babies. Special...

my new rubber boots-haven't had any since childhood

closing the head gate

a little grunt work

so sweet, new goslings in the trout pond

Maintenance work in the common ground involving rubber boots. Tall ones, to avoid the swampy bog that is waiting for the unsuspecting. Diverting ditch water spreading plastic, moving rocks, who knew this was involved in living at Star Mt. Truth be told, there are a number of people here who pitch in and do whatever it takes to keep things going.

Now there are sheep here, or on the adjoining property. I think our neighbors on the other side must be going a little crazy with the constant baa,baa,baa. I snapped a photo but they were still a good distance away from where I was walking. They come complete with a herding dog and a sheepherder in a little camper. Wow.

The car camping night has happened early, so maybe we'll be out again, changing location? Wonderful steak with grilled mushrooms and onions, and hearty bacon and egg breakfast courtesy chef Mark. Gorgeous weather, birds singing, in fact,a nest of  baby birds were constantly peeping inside an aspen tree above us, and the stars were breathtaking. Fun all around.

Very overdue list of books read:
Alexander McCall Smith - The Charming Quirks of Others
Julia Reed - But Mama always put vodka in her sangria
E.L. Smith - Ten Tales Told- a century of Peculiarly British Short Stories
Lisa See -On Gold Mountain
Rhys Bowen - Twelve Clues of Christmas
Joanna Trollope - The Soldier's Wife

Happy 4th of July!

Ahh, summertime visit with good friends

Lots happening and our good friends from Maryland, Wade and Pam, have just left after a fun bunch of days. Summertime here is a blast!

Things recently learned: when the elk leave Star Mt. for the summer, the bull comes back to gather his  harem with the new babies. We watched a bull lead a group of about 30 out. Why they think they need to leave our area for higher ground don't know, but think they're up and out. And this begs the question why is nature apparently so different with species other than humans. This is fierce inbreeding as far as I can tell.

Mark has been having a good time bonding with those cows as he feeds the trout. Quite the silly creatures. Wade and Pam trekked down with him to do a little fishing as well. The fishing report is they are big, fat, and sassy and easy to catch... And the cattle have been moved into Star Mt. proper as of yesterday. Close your gates, close your gates!

Stacked rocks have spiritual meaning I have just learned from Pam

This is what the hearty group does while we turn around in the jeep

We went up Brush Creek to see the flowers, which were gorgeous, just a little early for peak. Secret Stash for lunch (of course).

Release of robin successful

Mark and Wade went off to Cochetopa for very successful fishing, Pam and I went to a very busy CB for successful shopping, and then all made the run to Montanya for the famous Maharajah drink before a great dinner at Maxwell's. I did perform a small rescue of a robin inside Montanya. Gotta save something at all times...

Lake Cristobal

the coffee shop reading material

Pam and I drove over to Lake City to explore. Wow, it's quite a different place when everyone is there. Ate at Southern Vittles for a great lunch, did a little shopping, including in a store that was manned by an 11 year old, and then stopped into the local coffee place with free wifi so Pam could check into their flight. Oooh, strange place. Not sure what to make of it, but Pam was able to get checked in at least.

Some quieter times happening for now. The birds singing, the cattle mooing, and the aspen quaking. Aahhh...