Contents

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

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

Rearview Mirror

Sunday
It was nice and quiet at the chilly State Forest State Park campground. The Pups were anxious to go out but maybe even more anxious to get back to the warm coach.

Soon the four of us were back in the car, driving along the same path that led us to observe the big male and the really big bull elk. Alas, not today. Back at camp we had breakfast, then the four of us took a different route on the Ranger Lakes trail. The chipmunks took great pleasure in teasing the Pups, knowing exactly how far the leashes would stretch until they become taut around their neck with a little gasp. Around the lake we saw many anglers, including several families attempting to lure and capture the abundant trout.

Back at BERT, I worked on an upcoming presentation while Janny readied us for the next leg of our trip.

By 10:45 we were off. Heading south on 14 over Cameron Pass, we slowly dropped over a 100 miles, from 9,100 feet down to 5,000. The three-dot scenic byway was, well, scenic, and we traveled parallel to mountains and fast-moving streams, glancing at anglers and rafters along this often curvy, narrow, and bumpy road. A seasoned veteran of Highway One in California, Jan took the driving challenges in stride, applying the engine brake, hugging the center line, slowing down for yahoos walking on the side of this very, very busy stretch of road. Like a flash, however, mountains turned to plains as we made it to the east side of the mountain ranges, complete with stores galore and malls for all.

By early PM we were set up at Boyd Lake State Park with a view of the lake on one side and the mountains on the other.

Monday: Quick Trip to Seattle
I took the Kids out pre-dawn so that I could let them run before the walkers and bicyclists dominated the paths. We watched the sunrise, took some really detailed sniffs, and got a very good run in before things got busy. After breakfast, packing, and preparing, Jan took me to the airport with the Kids as willing passengers. With no issues, I made it to Seattle.

Tuesday and Wednesday
I taught the services account management workshop sponsored by Service Strategies. Great group of folks who seemed to learn a lot. Just a pleasure to facilitate.

At the airport I boarded a flight to Chicago. All went well, but by the time I got to my room on the Magnificent Mile, it was 1:00 a.m.

Thursday
I had a two-hour session with the senior team of my Chicago client, and I was very pleased with the outcome; a fun group who is getting serious about services and I shared a few things I’ve learned over the years. From there it was back to O’Hare where I lucked out and was able to get back to Denver three hours earlier than planned. At DIA, Jan and the Kids picked me up and we went to Parker to visit our grandson, Austin, his dog HoneyPug, and his parents.

Friday
I took our Kids plus the Pug out for a morning run, then I spent the morning working on the computer. At 2:00 we picked up Austie from pre-school and we took him back to camp up at Boyd State Park. We spent a usual camping evening of playing at the playground, a few strolls and dog walks, and roasting weenies then ‘smores.

As you’ll see in the pics, Grandma showed Austie how to shoot a bow and arrow. Below you’ll see the coaching, then the results! Good thing it was a caricature of Mitzy and not the real girl.







Saturday
Busy morning! Dog walks, Austie walks, getting ready to go. Austie took his Bat Bike on the paths and down to the playground.





At 10:00 we headed for Rocky Mountain National Park, taking 34 east into the park. Gorgeous drive in a splendid park. We drove around, had a picnic, and then drove back to the coach.

We had two trips to playgrounds, a “swim” at dusk, and a campfire with Austie’s special ‘smores with bananas and peanut butter added.





Another great week roughing it smoothly.

Pups Across America

Headlights

August 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 to 31: Visit Kentucky friends
November 1 to ???:
??? to ???:
???: Back on Pine Island

Have questions or comments--send them in.

See you next week.

Tags: Colorado

Contents

Rearview Mirror - Summary of the past week
Pups Across America! - Great Pyrenees and more
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)
Quiet day around the campsite. Did some walks (able to capture this handsome marmot) and I worked on my Sarasota project.







Late afternoon we did our normal drive looking for Kodak Moments. We took 40 west turning north on Elkhead Road down to Elkhead Reservoir State Park. We toured the facility by the lake then exited the park northbound on a gravel path under a cloudy sky and occasional drizzle of rain. No sooner had we turned the first corner when Jan pointed out a really big bird sitting on a fence post. I was driving and turned around on the narrow gravel road, fully expecting the bird to take off…nope, he was still there! Reluctantly he let me capture a few images before heading up the mountain for another perch. Within 100 feet we found another of this species sitting on the same fence and once again I took a few photos. I assumed she (larger bird) was his mate (sharing the same habitat). Later, back at camp we confirmed via our reference books that the two birds were Ferruginous hawks. I took advantage of the soft light for a couple other landscape shots.









Continuing up to Corral Gulch Road, we wound around and spotted several deer, grazing cattle, and horses. About a mile from Hayden, we were treated to the sight of a mature red fox in excellent condition shoot across the road in front of us.

Sitting at our campfire in the evening, I heard Janny say, “Alex, look!” I turned to see a stunningly vibrant rainbow, and quickly headed into the coach for my camera. Thirty seconds later I returned, however, the brilliance of the colors had diminished greatly. As I was standing there, disappointed in not getting the shot I wanted, Jan again said, “Look!” as she pointed overhead--a Golden Eagle flew directly over our camp. No time for a photo attempt, but an impressive sight nonetheless. Quite the day.

Monday: On to Steamboat Lake
Another quiet morning at Yampa River State Park. I took the Pups on a walk, and then got to work while Jan readied BERT for travel.



At 10:53 a.m. we left the gate, heading east on 40 through Hayden and Milner. At Steamboat Springs we turned north on 129 and the further we drove up this winding road, the prettier it got. At the Clark store, we turned north on 62 as Google Maps directed. I thought it funny that there was no brown sign indicating a state park was this direction, but I asked Jan to turn anyway. Within minutes our paved road turned to gravel. We pulled over and called the Visitor Center (luckily AT&T was strong). I explained my plight, and the guy on the other end of the line got a chuckle out of Google sending us the wrong way. He said, “Yes you can still get here, but you are on the scenic route.” Jan drove the bus about 20 miles and hour around the west side of the lake on the road less traveled. For the next 50 minutes we drove through hills and valleys covered with wildflowers with mountains acting as the backgrounds of our vistas. We pulled into our campsite and quickly set up. A great view of Hahns Peak was out our door.



The evening ended with a big storm with lots of thunder and lightning.



Tuesday: Strolling through a Bouquet of Flowers
I took the Pups out early into a dark morning with big black clouds overhead.



After making our best guess that no big rains were close by, Jan and I walked about 50 feet to the trailhead of the Willow Creek Trail and started on our way. The trail cut through the meadow along the lake, and we went up and down, over and around amidst summer flowers of every variety, shape, and color. Jan said it was just like walking through a bouquet o flowers--appropriately stated.











On the trail was a ripped open bag of sandwich meat (nothing remaining but the plastic) and the unmistakable print of a bear. I guess some camper was a little sloppy with food security. Field birds chirped and sang along our three-mile trek and this Song Sparrow was kind enough to pose.

I spent the majority of the day working on my Sarasota project along with preparing for my Chicago trip next week. Late afternoon the four of us piled into the car with Jan driving and me on the passenger seat holding my camera, a Schnauzer, and occasionally a Rat Terrier.

We first drove south on 129 for just a few miles and then turned left at 209, a dirt road that took us through some ranches before ending at Pearl Lake State Park. Here we drove through the park and through the campgrounds with their great views of the lake from the primitive sites. Then we drove back, turning north on 129 past our park. At National Forest Road 486 we turned west and took the trip back to Hahn’s Lake. The weather was getting interesting with occasional sheets of rain, and some impressive lightning and thunder that reverberated throughout the valleys. We saw some deer and wildflowers. It was a drive I’d recommend.





As we drove home a quite impressive rainbow formed, reaching across the entire valley, starting at a ranch house and ending on a mountain (or vice versa, depending on your point of view).

Wednesday: More Beauty



When I arose it was a chilly 45 degrees; cold enough for me to go to the closet and hunt my medium-weather jacket. I walked the Pups down to the marina where I let them go off-leash, as no one else was out.

By 6:30 a.m., Jan and I were in the car, retracing our tracks back to Pearl Lake. We parked at the trailhead and hiked Pearl Lake Trail through the forest along Pearl Lake. As the day before, we were surrounded and sometimes immersed in summer wild flowers. The trail was narrow and overgrown and we were soon soaked after the first few minutes. We walked over the dam and continued along till the trail ended. We took pictures along the way, including one of this jogger (she had a Pup but he didn’t make the blog!).











Back at BERT, I spent the day working on the Sarasota project.

Thursday: On to State Forest
It was a chilly 42 degrees when I walked the Pups down to the marina. When we got back, Jan and I drove to the Visitor’s Center for a hike. The trail we had chosen was closed, so we improvised and took the other end of the Willow Creek trail. I had an 8:30 a.m. Sweden call, and then I worked on my Sarasota project. After a 1:00 p.m. call with a Services Strategies client, Jan turned the bus and the adventure continued. We took 12 south, picking up 40 east at Steamboat Springs. At Muddy Pass we picked up 14 and headed NE, going through Spider and Hebron and on up to Walden, where 14 merges with 125. As we headed north through town, I noticed that the sign only said 125, and no 14. About five miles north of town I confirmed my fears--I had missed the turnoff. Consulting with Janny we pulled over and attempted to make a wide swing to turn back around. Note that there is always risk in this type of maneuver because when towing a car behind a motorhome you cannot back up. Well, you guessed it, Jan cranked BERT as tightly as possible, but the end result was that we completely blocked the highway, unable to move ahead. I jumped out and started to unhook our car, nervously glancing in both directions on the lookout for traffic. Luckily in this country traffic is light, however we did hold up a semi and a few cars for a short time. I would have completed my chore faster, but people kept coming up offering to help! After this small adventure, Jan and I drove separately the last 30 miles of Thursday’s journey. Back at Walden we found the sign to go back to 14 east (later I went into town to retrace our earlier steps and felt exonerated from my navigation error--there was no sign indicating the 14 turn). Looking on the map I saw the familiar Colorado dots, indicators of another scenic byway. So we made our way to State Forest State Park through more gorgeous Colorado scenery.

Moving Up in the World
Since our stay at Highline Lake (4,500 feet) we have been gradually moving up: 6,000 feet at Rifle Gap, 6,300 feet at Yampa, 8,100 feet at Steamboat Lake, and 9,100 feet at State Forest. At these altitudes you have to remember to let air out of your SleepRest mattress the higher up you go, be careful of shooting ketchup bottles from the frig, and you have to wait a little longer for the gas to reach the stovetop.

State Forest State Park is my kind of place, 71,000 acres of rustic beauty complete with mountains and meadows, rivers and lakes. Lots of critters (proclaimed the Moose Capitol of Colorado), scenic drives, and great hiking trails everywhere. I’m really glad we stopped.





Friday: Early Calls and Flying Hawks
I had a 7:00 a.m. phone call with my Chicago client, and since there was no AT&T or Verizon signal at our campground, I left at 6:30 driving the 20 miles on 14 north to the entrance to the Owl Creek ranch that had four bars on each device (iPhone and MacBook). Since I was only a few miles from Walden, I drove into town to fuel up our Element then returned to camp.

I worked on my Sarasota project in the motorcoach, and then later in the day we packed up for a family drive. We took 14 north to Walden where we took 12 west, past the Walden State Wildlife Area, eventually hooking up with 7 north then 7A north to the Lake John State Wildlife area and Lake John. From here we took 5 south to the Delaney Butte Lake State Wildlife Area, and then on past an unnamed/unnumbered road out through the valley. We could see for miles with mountains on all sides corralling us in.







Since it was prairie country we encountered several hawks on barns and bales and posts. The first was a Swainson’s Hawk standing on this hay bale. The second was a Rough-Legged Hawk, sitting on this fence post waiting for a meal opportunity. The flying hawk with the attitude is another Swainson’s Hawk.







Jan drove us until the public road ended, and then we retraced our steps back to Walden. Here we drove 125 south about five miles where we took the Wildlife Auto Tour through the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge.



We just saw birds, but lots of them, especially ducks on the numerous lakes and a hundred or more white pelicans. We drove back to Walden once again to take 14 south. Here we went past our campground and up to Cameron Pass, 10,278 feet. Bull moose had been spotted there the last couple of weeks. We saw no big guys, but did see a cow and her calf. From there we headed back into the state park and drove the minutes of narrow, rough, steep, dirt road through the forest up to the Agnes Lake trailhead (we really have to get a Jeep). Past 6:00 p.m. and getting chilly, we decided against hiking, as we had not dressed for this activity. We drove back down and returned to camp after a big day.

Saturday: Moose Hunters
All of us were in the car and out of the campground by 6:05 a.m., and by 6:10 we saw a moose, a big bull about 50 yards parallel to the road we were on. That was the good news; the bad news was that it was way too dark (even with a tripod) to take any pictures. Reluctantly, we traveled on, going to Cameron Pass. When we saw only a cow and no bulls, we decided to head back and see if the bull we had spotted earlier was still within viewing range. After some careful scouring, we found him, but he had meandered much further away. I set up my tripod by the side of the road anyway and got a few long-distance shots. (Man it was cold. I have to remember to take gloves.) I only got one shot that shows the profile of the big guy. The lighting wasn’t the best and I had to crop it a lot, but it shows his profile and the large rack of his maleness well.



Next, we went back to Cameron Pass one more time with luck finally shining on us. There was a mature bull grazing away in a flower-covered field. Even with a tripod and using a high ISO, the shutter speed was low, but I stood out for a good 30 minutes firing away while Jan and the Kids watched from the warm car. Here is a shot of Mr. Moose.



Back at camp, we had breakfast, and then the four of us walked to the Ranger Lakes trailhead and hiked around the four lakes. Another gorgeous setting with the only other humans being a couple of fly fisherwomen.



Back at BERT, I spent a few hours developing a proposal for my Minneapolis client. We then went for our afternoon drive, first stopping off to shoot out my proposal and catch up on mail past the KOA, then east onto 41 to check out that countryside. From there we went back north on 14, turning west on the road to Rand, on through the Owl Mountain State Wildlife Refuge. Not finding a way to circle back, we retraced our steps and stopped off at Gould for dinner at The Drifter’s Cookhouse, (www.drifterscookhouse.com). This is a must-stop place if you are in the area. A great couple owns it, and the help provides good service in a comfortable atmosphere. Absolutely great food, and they have cabins complete with moose as well as a few RV sites. Next time we are in this area we hope to stay there.

Pups Across America

When returning from our Lake Pearl hike, this ranch dog, a Great Pyrenees, greeted us by the end of his lane. By his looks, I don’t think he sleeps on his master’s bed--maybe not even inside!

Headlights

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 to 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

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

Contents

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

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

Rearview Mirror

Sunday: Chasing the Sunrise





Upon rising, and while the water is heating for coffee, it is my normal habit to check the weather and forecast online. Although the temperature has risen each day to the low 90s the last week, each morning started in the very pleasant, light-jacket mid to high 50s. This morning, however, it was already 72 degrees at 4:30 a.m. with the promise of quickly heating up. Thus, I decided to walk the Pups quite early, when it was still an enjoyable task and not a bothersome toil. Thus, we were on the Highline Lake Bluffs trail about a half hour before sunrise, my favorite time to be outdoors. With clouds in the East, the colors started to roll in; pastels at first, transitioning to different orange hues, to bold reds and various combinations. Within 30 seconds the pre-sunrise scene you just viewed may have morphed into an entirely different composition.

The Kids seemed to have as much fun as I did on our walk, including a rabbit chase that I was able to at least catch a glimpse of with my camera. You’ll notice that “fast-as-the-wind” Mitzy is the lead chase Pup, hot on the trail--and the tail--of the bunny, with Jerry bolting from the back.



After breakfast I helped Jan pinch-hit for our camp host colleagues, and then I finalized my preparation for my Boston client and tackled some other lingering chores.

Monday: Quick Trip to Boston



Being it was to be a short trip, I left Jan carless and drove to the Grand Junction airport. I took the 6:35 a.m. flight to Dallas, and after a short layover hopped another flight to Boston. I detest driving in Boston, but the cab fare to my hotel and to my client would have been ridiculous, so I rented a car. Had a quiet evening including a nice soaker tub.

Tuesday: Boston
My “what it takes to build a services business” session went very well, and by noon I was back in my rental car arriving at Logan airport in time for lunch. Here I treated myself to a lobster roll and a glass of Sam Adams--there are some benefits of being in Boston! After a couple a flights and a short drive, I arrived back at camp by 9:30 that night.

Wednesday: Rainbows and Computer Screens
Today my hike around Highline was gorgeous. I couldn’t decide which of these two rainbow shots I liked best, so I included both. Which one do you like best?





I spent the rest of the day behind the computer screen, qualifying a new piece of business, giving feedback on a new online course I’m developing, and making and returning calls.

Thursday: Good-bye to Highline
Busy morning! I took the Pups on one last hike around the lake, and after 40-some days of looking, we finally saw the deer herd.



(Note that none of the shots I took this week at Highline had any saturation added--that’s just how awesome the light was those mornings.)

Upon returning I helped Jan get our motor home, BERT, ready to roll, and then headed down to the visitor center to put on a selling webinar (over the phone and Internet) for a couple hundred people in cooperation with my friend Hank from the Professional Services Journal. As soon as the session was over, I walked back and Jan and I finished up preparation for leaving. We said good-bye to friends David and Marjorie and wished them good luck with camp hosting (the new camp hosts replacing us appear to be quite the Butt Heads!).



By noon, Jan was driving, BERT was purring, and the Pups were alternating sitting on my lap, standing on the dash, or sleeping on the sofa. We had a gorgeous 70-mile drive, taking our time through Loma, onto I-75 east past Grand Junction and Palisade, turning east on 85 then east again onto 330. We meandered through Molina, puttered through Plateau City, climbed through Colilbran continuing our upward voyage into Vega Lake State Park.



Golden Eagle
About three miles from the Vega Park entrance, as we turned a corner, Jan and I both saw a large animal of some sort on the side of the road. Within seconds we made the ID—Golden Eagle! As we approached, this very big guy gave us a dismissing look, and then slowly beat his huge wings a couple of times and was gone. I had my camera on my lap, but there was no time for an attempted picture, but the experience was exhilarating. After checking in we got set up and sat outside overlooking the lake and watched the day come to an end.

Friday: Deer Galore
The first thing after coffee, we all piled into our Element and drove back from the park the way we came in hopes of finding the Golden Eagle. No luck this time, but we saw dozens of deer on our way down and back. Instead of returning to BERT we slowly drove around the lake looking for critters. Just before turning into our campground, Jan spotted a young buck on the edge of the forest chomping on leaves. He was not afraid of cars and he let me take several pictures of him less than 30 feet away.



Back at our campsite we had another cup of coffee, then leaving the Kids to finish their breakfast, Jan and I took off in the car once again. Our plan was to take an access road, Forest Road #262 (also called Park Creek Road) for the mile and a half into the Grand Mesa National Forest for some hiking. We slowly crept along the rough dirt road, but the heavy rains from the night before created a fast-running current across our path. After studying the possibility of proceeding, prudence stepped in and we retraced our tracks. Here is a chipmunk munching the top of a tree.



However, our backup plan was a good one, for we hiked the two-mile Vega Trail through an Aspen forest. We saw lots of pretty foliage, flowers, and mushrooms. The pretty but poisonous baneberry was everywhere along with a number of other plants that I couldn’t identify. This is bear country, so Jan carried our bear spray as we headed up and down the narrow overgrown trail that was covered by a thick, dark canopy. We saw no critters, but heard the noise of one very large animal along our way.

As an aside, Vega State Park is at 8,000 feet--it takes a little while getting use to the altitude.







After lunch, I spent time doing business. While I was working I asked Janny to go and find a spot where there was both a good AT&T and a Verizon signal. She came back a couple hours later having explored a large portion of real estate. Taking the Kids, we retraced her steps, driving the 11 miles back toward Collbran, stopping at Gandhi Park. Here I rejoined civilization (I guess), checking for voice messages, downloading e-mails, and responding to those messages requiring immediate action.

In the evening, Jan built a fire, and we sat around watching the activities of the lake and the campsite, smelling the pleasant odors of campfire cooking, and hearing the sound of thunder in the distance.

Saturday: Hungry Hummers, Marmot, and Another Eagle Sighting
I stood outside at dawn, watching the sky colors and the reflections on the lake. I took the Pups out early, down to the boat launch where they could run loose and stretch their little legs.

Hungry Hummers
As soon as we had set up camp the day before, Jan filled our hummingbird feeder and set it on our picnic table. Within five minutes (no kidding) we had a flock of hummers lining up to eat--reminded me of the opening of a new restaurant on the Island at 5:00 p.m. Blue Hair Special time!

By Saturday morning these petite, glutinous avians had devoured the entire contents of the feeder, a concoction of one cup sugar and four cups of water. Jan quickly went into action and filled up the feeder again. These live missiles were so ravenous that one was trying to feed out of the bowl that Jan was using to fill the feeder. Once refilled, we counted 15 hummers either eating or awaiting their turn. Here is not a great shot, but it sure shows the excitement at our picnic table.



A little later the four of us hopped into our car and made the circle of the lake, seeing the occasional deer and admiring the fields of summer flowers. I also took a shot of our campground from the other side of the lake.





At 8:00 a.m. we pulled into the Vega Lodge where we had breakfast overlooking the lake. From there we finished our circumnavigation, stopping to shoot yellow-bellied marmot at their digs. Cute little fellows.







Once back in the coach it was time to work. I’m fortunate in having lots to do, but it was really hard to get motivated to sit at the computer with a setting such as we have! Anyway, after stalling for a while downloading pics, I got to work on my Sarasota project.

Later in the afternoon we decided to go back and look for the Golden Eagle. Jan was driving, I had my camera set up for action on my lap and WHAM! There was the big guy surveying his territory, sailing on the wind over the valley. Jan let me out of the car and went to turn around while I followed this lord of the sky with my viewfinder. I probably got 50 shots off before he vanished from view. The first shot (18 megapixels) was what I saw in my camera, the 35mm equivalent of 640mm (or about 13X if you were looking through binoculars or a spotting scope). I severely cropped the second shot (2.5 MP) just to show a little more of what he looked like. Yes, the light was not the best and he/she was a long way away, but I got my first Golden Eagle photos! I was (and am) one happy camper.





Cowboy Poetry
By sheer luck, we chose to camp at Vega State Park during their annual Cowboy Poetry event. Attendees brought finger food to pass around (Jan made hot wings), and we all sat around on picnic tables and camping chairs listening to local artists playing cowboy songs, followed by readings by cowboy poets. It was really an enjoyable time. Here are a few pics from this event.











If you want to see more cowboy poetry pics, click here.

Pups Across America

Headlights

August 7: Vega State Park
August 8-11: Rifle Gap State Park
August 11-31: Exploring Colorado
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: Highline Lake Park, Vega State Park, Colorado, Bird photography