Pikes Peak

Posted on November 14, 2014 by Paul

Pikes Peak from the back deck. Sunshine, but still below freezing. Off to New Mexico tomorrow.

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Snowy and Cold in Colorado Springs

Posted on November 11, 2014 by Paul

We are catching the edge of the arctic express. Single digit temps and blowing snow, but at least we’re not in northern Wisconsin! Time to stay indoors, read, paint, and play some music.
Paul

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Red Rocks Park

Posted on November 7, 2014 by Paul

Yesterday Jean’s pastel class with Stan Sperlak went to Red Rocks Park to paint. I wanted to go there after looking down on the amphitheater from Dinosaur Ridge, so I stayed for the day as well. Since I wasn’t in the class I could roam a bit. I hiked a trail through some of the rocks, scaled a long walkway up into the amphitheater, found a geocache in the park, and did a few drawings and paintings to round out my day. The class went to dinner at a local Italian restaurant, and a couple of us spouses joined them.

Here are a few photos of Red Rocks Park.

Paul

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Denver and Dinosaur Ridge

Posted on November 5, 2014 by Paul

Yesterday we arrived in Denver after two snowy days crossing Wyoming and into Colorado. Here it is in the 60’s during the day and freezing at night. That means great sleeping and hiking weather! Jean’s pastel workshop began this morning, so I got up and drove her to it at 7:30.

I decided the weather was too good to pass up and looked for hikes in the area of SW Denver. There are many. The suburbs here have designated lots of green spaces, open space, and parks. It’s a walking and biking paradise. I chose Dinosaur Ridge as my hike of the day. This ridge is part of a chain of ridges that front the rocky mountains. The rock is very old (hundreds of millions of years) and eroding, so ancient fossils are constantly being exposed. The trail goes up one side gradually until it gets to the top near one end, rounds the corner, and goes down the other side. Then one gets to reverse course over the same route to get back to the visitor center and the car. It was a good workout at this elevation. The fossils were interesting even though they aren’t as dramatic as seeing “clean” ones in a museum. These are in situ, so sometimes you have to use your imagination. Here are some photos to illustrate.

Paul

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Jackson Hole

Posted on November 2, 2014 by Paul

On Friday we drove to Jackson Hole. It was a long drive because the road between Old Faithful and West Thumb was closed for repairs. Therefore, we had to detour about 50 miles through Norris and Canyon to get to West Thumb and the South Entrance to Yellowstone. That meant passing the site of our off road experience earlier in the week.

It also enable me (Paul) to visit West Thumb, where I worked in the summers of 1968-69. This is always a nostalgic stop. West Thumb village was razed after my summer of 69 and the facilities moved a few miles south to Grant Village. However, the historic ranger station and the geyser basin remain. The boardwalks around the hotpots and geysers have changed several times since my summers here. The geyser basin’s changes are as substantial as those of the manmade environment. West Thumb basin has cooled considerably in 45 years, but in recent years there seems to be some new hot spots to the north of the basin. It is very interesting for me to see my old friend change.

We dropped down from Yellowstone through the south entrance into Jackson Hole with bright sunshine showing the way. Friday afternoon was spent casually driving down Jackson Hole, stopping to take photos and do some walking, and enjoying the day. We knew it was to be our last good weather for a while. Since then we have been in clouds with alternating rain, snow, thunder and lightning, and very briefs sun breaks. Today it is snowing, but the temps are high enough that it isn’t sticking down here in the valley.

The weather has given us the motivation to visit art galleries in Jackson, of which there are many. Art here is western focused, wildlife focused, and quite expensive. The quality varies a great deal. The star of the show is the National Museum of Wildlife Art. Their collection of wildlife art spanning over 200 years is wonderful. We highly recommend this as a stop if you are in the area.

Tomorrow we head toward Denver, but will stop in Rawlins Wyoming overnight. We’re hoping for dry and snow-free roads.

Paul

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Yellowstone Magic

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Paul

Yesterday we spent a lounging day and visited the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, a wildlife rehab facility that is also sort of a zoo. It is a great way to see some grizzlies and wolves up close, if not personal.

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Today we went into the park to see the geyser basins. Along the way we discovered that the animals have come out of hiding. It was a warm day and we took a long hike in the geyser basin. Not many erupting geysers on this visit, but the scenery is beautiful. And, of course, there are the animals. Just before we got back to the car we encountered a coyote on the trail. She sat in the middle of the trail yipping and howling, apparently seeking her mate. There was no answer and she didn’t move. As we were interested in lunch we edged forward, not wanting to frighten her into becoming aggressive. At about 25 yards she moved off the trail to let us by, but kept yelping for some time.

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A great day in one of our country’s greatest treasures.

Paul

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A Day In Yellowstone

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Paul

Today we ventured forth on frozen roads to Yellowstone Canyon and Hayden Valley. This time the wildlife did not disappoint us. We encountered a herd of bison shortly after entering the park and the fun continued.  Hayden Valley was as beautiful and expansive as ever with  bison, birds, and a lone coyote mousing in the meadow. The Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone was magnificent in snow.

On the way home we tried a little unintentional off-roading. Note to self: 30 mph is too fast on an icy 6% downgrade. After an interesting slide we plunged rear first off the road and into a tree. I shifted into 1st with 4×4 and drove back out of the ditch onto the road…going back the way we had come. The only damage is a crack in the plastic bumper and a slight dent on one side where we played bumper cars with a small tree on the way down. We found a turn around and navigated the same hill safely the second time…at 20 mph.

Our day in the park ended with a nice drive along the Madison River with fishermen, elk, and bison to photograph.

Paul

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A Snowy Walk

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Paul

This morning we decided to explore the trails around West Yellowstone. There are trails that go directly into the park and some in the surrounding national forest. However, we found the trailheads warning of bear attack and recommending travel in groups of 3 or more. Also, we forgot the bear spray. Therefore, we stuck to the trails close to town and kept a lookout.

It has been a bright, beautiful day with the temps just rising into the 30’s so the snow is gleaming and water dripping from every point. At this rate the snow will be gone by tomorrow.

Paul

 

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New Painting

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Paul

Today for my birthday I decided to paint a scene from our stay on Vancouver Island last June. This has been a long time in planning and design. The actual painting takes the least time of all that goes into it.
Paul

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20 Degrees and Sunshine

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Paul

This morning I’m celebrating my birthday with 20F, snow, and sunshine. It is beautiful.

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Paul

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