Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Pups Across America! - Rock-Climbing Pup
Headlights - Our schedule as to where we will be heading

(Note: click on any photo for a larger image/slideshow)

Rearview Mirror

Sunday: Day of Rest (and Work)
Nice peaceful day after a full week of action. Worked on pictures and did some business work as well. Had a nice walk with the Pups and a couple of rides both inside and outside the park. Our Vega State Park visit was wonderful, and I’d recommend it to anyone who likes nature, pretty places, and nice people.

Monday: On to Rifle
It was chilly when I got up, so I donned wool socks, blue jeans, hiking boots, a long-sleeve shirt, vest, and green windbreaker. I sat at the computer working and drinking coffee for an hour or so before my hand reached up and to the left to turn on the furnace. After so many hot days, chilly felt quite good.

I took the Pups out early, and then got to work on the computer, finishing up an article for the Professional Services Journal that was due. While I was working, Jan got the bus ready to roll. By noon I was done, and we headed out of the park for the next leg of our journey.



We picked up 330 west then 65 west before turning east on I-70. We passed by DeBeque, Parachute, and Battlement Mesa before taking the Rifle exit. We proceeded north on 13 then turned off on 325 north. Just past the dam we turned into Rifle Gap State Park, our home for the next four days. Our large, modern, campsite provided a panoramic view of a deep blue lake surrounded by hills with mountains in the background. Within 15 minutes we were completely set up including a hummingbird feeder half full of syrup waiting for customers.

Alas, there is no AT&T signal, and Verizon (which we count on for Internet) is weak, but one must make some sacrifices when roughing it.

Jan made an awesome meatloaf dinner on the campfire, then after hanging outside to enjoy the lowering sun, we headed back inside to watch a Netflix movie.



Tuesday: Harvey Gap Park
When I awoke we had four customers at the hummingbird feeder this chilly morning. I took a hike all around the park, and was a little tired out upon my return from all the ups and downs. I then shifted into computer work while Jan got groceries at the City Market in Rifle. She also scouted out the nearest place with both a strong AT&T and Verizon signal, the Rifle Golf Course, just four miles from our camp.



Mid-afternoon it was time for the family drive, and we headed north on 325 turning east on Grass Valley Road. This road took us through ranch country and into Harvey Gap State Park. We drove through the park, watching people picnicking by the turquiose lake. After a few miles our road turned into Harvey Gap Road, and we wound our way south and east to the town of Silt (blog readers may remember our attempt to find Silt the back way). We picked up Highway 6 and headed east to the berg of New Castle. After driving around old town and a few neighborhoods, we headed back west on 6, north on 13, then north on 325 back to camp.

Jan grilled an awesome dinner of steak pinwheels with gruyere cheese and spinach, we read for awhile and went to bed.

Wednesday: Rifle Mountain Park
Our campground and our campsite are very nice--large and private with beautiful views. From our site we see no one else. Here is a photo of sunrise and afternoon sky taken from our campsite.





I drove the Pups down toward the western part of the park where I could let them loose. We took an old road into the high desert, sharing our experience with no one else. Saw a couple of bluebirds, but no other critters.

Next the four of us drove three miles back toward the village of Rifle, pulling into the Rifle golf course parking lot. Here I checked for voice messages and had a short Skype call with Kevin in Sweden regarding our mutual account. Then it was back to the coach where I worked away again on my Sarasota project.



Mid-afternoon it was time again for a family ride. We took 325 north past Rifle Falls State Park, on past the fish hatchery and into Rifle Mountain Park. “Mountain” is entirely descriptive. Run by either the city or the county, this high-altitude area is quite picturesque, with flowing streams, summer wildflowers, and dense tree stands throughout. One of the big attractions is rock climbing, and we saw a number of climbers in various stages of ascent/descent.



Within a few miles, state road 325 ended, turning into forest road 825 as we entered into the White River National Forest. Continuing on, the road started to deteriorate, becoming four-wheel drive country. However, Jan slowed down, kept a watchful eye, and weaved back and forth missing the largest potholes. We passed Sawmill Gulch, Rifle Creek, finally stopping, then turning around at the end of the road, Three Forks Trailhead. Well, actually there was another road of sorts, but Jan didn’t want to attempt it so I guess you know how challenging that path was :”>>>. We retraced our steps, and returned to camp.



We sat outside watching the hummers and discussing future trips. While I looked at maps, Jan grilled chicken for dinner. Astute observers will note that the picture below is not chicken, but a fish dish Jan had made earlier but I had forgotten to put it in the blog!



Thursday: Rifle Falls
I took the pups down by the lake and let them run. There was only one cloud in the sky, but it was a big one and it started to rain. Normally the Pups try to avoid rain, but this morning it seemed to invigorate both of them, and they started sprinting through the grass among the trees at high speed. After a quick trip to the golf course for calls, Jan and I headed up to Rifle Falls Park for a hike. We parked just by the entrance and took the Squirrel Trail. Through the woods, along a stream, up and up the curved mountain path. After 40 minutes or so we ended up by the Falls.









At the Falls we picked up Coyote Trail that walked through the caves and up out into a meadow with a pond. Here we admired a Pacific Forktail Damselfly and several Fiery Skipper Moths that were enamored with the purplish red flowers of the bull thistles. As we returned back into the woods we spotted a couple turkeys that shared our path.







Friday: On to Yampa
Friday morning was busy. I had a 6:30 a.m. call with a prospective client from Boca, so I took the Pups out early for a run, and then the three of us headed down to the golf course.

Back at the bus, Jan was ready, and the two of us got back in the car and drove back to Rifle Falls State Park. On the way we saw a couple taking an early morning horseback ride and some horses enjoying hay for breakfast.





We had enjoyed Squirrel Trail so much that we decided to hike it again, and it was just as enjoyable as the day before.







At 9:47 in the morning we pulled out of the park, headed south on 325, and then north on 13. The road was level and the weather perfect as we drove through Meeker and stopped at Craig to fuel up. Here we picked up 40 east, and two miles west of Hayden we pulled into the Yampa River State Park.





Nice and peaceful here with nothing behind us but green, and the Yampa River is about 30 yards from our door. For dinner Jan grilled an amazing vegetable kielbasa dish.

Saturday: Meteor Shower
At 4:00 a.m. I started coffee then quickly went outside to check out the meteor shower--the countryside was dark. Jan came out and we both stood there in the 51-degree cold. We went back inside and saw that we could check things out just as well--and whole lot warmer--by looking through our bedroom window at the eastern sky.

A little later I walked the Pups around the park, then Jan joined us and we did the trek again. While I worked on my Sarasota project, Jan did laundry. Quiet evening around the campfire.

Pups Across America

Here are two shots of a rock-climbing pup from Rifle Mountain Park. I like Jan’s shot the best (the one with the banana peel).





Walking back through the campground at Rifle Falls we spotted this handsome pup who appeared to be holding up the picnic table.

Headlights

August 14: Yampa State Park
August 15-17: Steamboat Lake State Park
August 18-20: State Forest State Park
August 21-28: Boyd Lake State Park
August 29-31: Parker, CO
September 1-15: Heading north and east
September 23-October 7: Markin Glen County Park, Kalamazoo, MI
October 8-15: ???
October 16-31: Visit Kentucky friends
November 1: Head back to Pine Island

Have questions or comments--send them in.

See you next week.

Tags: Colorado State Parks