Thursday, August 10, 2017

Another Gulch and More


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Yes, we’re still at Dillon Reservoir. It’s not often that we get to live on waterfront property, and the camp host told us we could stay as long as we like if we willed him our Lazy Daze, so why not!

We’re enjoying our feathered friends here. This geese family likes hanging out behind our site, and we’ve watched the little one grow up over the past few weeks. The “baby” is the one closest to the water. Dad, on the left, is very protective.

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The hummingbird feeder is so busy I have to refill it daily.

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The one downside here is that day users think the campsite picnic tables are for anyone, and they walk between sites to get to them. I was out for a bike ride and Jim took this to show me. They are at our table but since we never use it anyway he didn’t say anything to them. He should have just come along with me on the ride.

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Jim has been busy shopping for a new bike. He finally made a deal on a used recumbent that should be arriving next week at our friends’ house in Littleton. After his crash in Moab last October he hasn’t been too keen on mountain biking and isn’t comfortable riding it on pavement, so we cleaned it up and listed it on Craigslist and Pinkbike. So far just two inquiries and no takers, but if we don’t sell it before we leave he’s going to try to fit one of the bikes in the back of the Subaru for now.

We actually were supposed to be in Carbondale for 10 days starting on the 7th, as we made reservations at the city park there months ago, along with friends Alex and Ellen. Unfortunately they are having issues with aging parents and were unable to leave California, so we decided to cancel also. Mainly because we found out the bridge at the Glenwood Springs I-70 exit is closing next week for reconstruction, and the detour will be a major traffic mess. Traffic was bad enough when we were there in June and it was still open, and that is the only way to get to Carbondale/Aspen in an RV short of taking Independence Pass, which we didn’t want to do.

We also found out that Stage 2 of the Colorado Classic bike race is taking place in Breckenridge tomorrow, which we want to go watch, and our friend Terry from Arkansas is racing in the nearby Leadville 100 on Saturday. He was diagnosed with pneumonia last week so may not be in the race but we hope to meet up since he will still be there whether he can ride or not.

Here are a few photos from our site. We’re still dodging daily monsoon thunderstorms, which makes for interesting skies.

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You can see the silhouette of our neighbor and his tripod, Dick Cunningham, a photographer who was here because he and his daughter, who lives in Breckenridge, are the organizers of the Main Street Art Festival that took place last weekend. If you like nature photography, check out his website here. 

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The local communities of Frisco, Dillon and Silverthorne all have free concerts different nights of the week. We listened to jazz one evening in Frisco at the very nice park right on Main St. It’s a popular activity.

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I’ve been doing a lot of biking on the paved trails around the lake, while Jim likes hiking up on the ridge behind the campground. Photo from Jody’s loop.

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We managed to get in another higher elevation hike to Mayflower Gulch near the Copper Mountain ski area on the way to Leadville. It was a late start as usual but we evaded the thunderstorms and there were not many other people there.

The trail is actually the old road to the Boston Mining Company’s failed gold mining operations. Starting at 10,900’, the first mile and a half or so goes steadily uphill through the woods.

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Then opens up for some typical Colorado scenery, although it was a bit hazy. We’ve been fortunate not to have the smoke we’ve been hearing about in other parts of the west.

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The ragged crest of Fletcher Mountain, 13,951’.

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We continued past the buildings for another half mile and turned around here after 2.5 miles of uphill, gaining almost 1,000’, a pretty gradual climb for these parts.

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A day or so before this hike our Panasonic Lumix camera would not turn on again, and this time no amount of turning the mode dial or beating on it would make it work. Our sweet friends Robin and Lydia in Ridgecrest, CA are sending us a Canon SX40 that they don’t use, which should arrive in the next day or two, so we’ll test it out before the next post. For now my little Sony and Jim’s phone are doing an okay job.

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18 comments:

  1. I thought you put me in the will for your Lazy Daze!!!!

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    1. You know I was just kidding about what I said about the camp host. Just wanted to see if you were paying attention ;-)

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  2. Thanks again for all the great higher altitude pictures. I am a bit envious.

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  3. Even though the monsoon's put a damper on afternoon activities, they sure are fascinating!

    I recently got a Canon SX720 HS and like it very much. It replaced a Nikon Coolpix that was a piece of junk!

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  4. That is definitely some nice lakefront property for your "summer home". Awesome cloud photos.

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  5. I first saw Bill Cunningham nature photography at the Crested Butte Art Fair. Then, while vacationing in Bonita Springs, Fl saw him again at an art fair. On his web site, check out his galleries on western U.S. photography. I can understand hanging out in such a beautiful site and closeness to hiking and biking trails. It will be interesting if Jim enjoys his recumbent bike. Thanks for sharing your adventures and photography.

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    1. We put thousands of miles a year on recumbent bikes before hitting the road and it is the most fun biking I've ever had. For a variety of reasons we went to MTB but I have never been able to get comfortable in the bent over position and those miserable seats. The real mystery is why more don't ride recumbents.

      Jim

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    2. I had a recumbent for several years. The down side was that it did not go slow worth a flip. There are many times I wanted to meander slowly looking at scenes or flowers etc and that 'bent just would not be steady while doing the speeds I wanted at times. As long as I was wanting to cover some ground at about 5mph or more it was a delight. That is why I changed from 'bent to upright years ago.

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    3. In my case I'm no more wobbly on a bent than an upwrong at slow speed.

      Jim

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  6. I can so understand why you don't leave. What a gorgeous place! Such beautiful photos of the mountains, rainbows, lakes, and storm clouds:) We really do have to get to CO to visit this area.

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  7. Totally understand why you're still hanging around. Love those views!

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  8. Beautiful pictures of Dillon. We really like that campground. I can totally see why you want to hang there longer.

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  9. I LOVE that first photo. Fantastic!
    Guess I wrote that first sentence too soon. Now that I have read the entire blog, I LOVE all the photos. What a gorgeous area. We wouldn't leave either.

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  10. Oh my goodness those opening two pictures are magnificent. Coffee table book. I’d stay there a long long time too. That campground is now on my ‘West Wish List’. The background for your feeder is amazing. What a site you have. Hope the new bike comes and the old ones goes easily for Jim. Pneumonia, now that’s scary. Hope this is a young friend. That was the first clue that David had myeloma, he was fit and healthy and then had pneumonia out of the blue. Boy if you took these pictures with a phone I’m just amazed. What great shots of the skies and rainbows and your hike. You are in gorgeous gorgeous territory for sure. Like I said, I’d be tempted to stay forever. Well…I guess there are those winters to consider aren’t there?

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  11. We can totally understand your "holding pattern" in CO... And of course, it makes me think of some John Denver songs..... Cheers. M&E

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  12. Your pictures were great! I am sorry to hear that your camera gave up on you. It makes me want to get back out west! We are currently in Pennsylvania.

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    1. Thanks, Jacky. Where are you in PA? I grew up in Erie.
      Gayle

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