Great Sand Dunes National Park

What is this giant pile I see out my windshield? Looks like a very big pile of sand. Oh, that's great! Now where is my little plastic pail and tiny shovel? The one I used in my sandbox at age 3.


Located 35 miles northeast of Alamosa, Colorado, nestled against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, sits the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. The park features huge sand dunes, the tallest in North America.


The dunes comprise about 11% of a massive sand deposit that covers more than 330 square mile.


Most of the sand is created by the freeze and thaw in the mountains 65 miles to the west of the dunes, and the action of the snow melt each spring. The steams of snow melt carry the sand out into the valley, and the prevailing winds move it across the valley.


The dunes are estimated to be from 12,000 to a million years old. I realize this is a big span, but I'm not doing the research, so we'll go with it.


The dunes remain stable because the prevailing winds keep pushing them up against the Sangre de Cristo's, but cannot lift the sand over the mountains. Any sand that does reach the mountains is washed back down by the snow melt. As a result the dunes are continually reshaped, but never move very far in any direction.

If you'd like more info, use this link >>> Great Sand Dunes National Park

Hatfield McCoy Trails - 2010

This was my second trip to the Hatfield McCoy Trail System in West Virginia. This was a bit better than last year with no accidents, no mechanical problems, and no personality clashes. This made for two days of solid riding in which we cranked out over 240 miles on the trails. The overall trip was 4 days from Indianapolis, with two days transit time, one going and one returning.

Here we are, unloading the quads at the trailhead of Buffalo Mountain, one of the six large areas that make up the system. Notice how clean all the quads are!!!!! We rode here the first day and the Rock House trails the second.


Ooooppppppsssss........here is "fearless leader", the only one to get stuck this year. I will have to say, he was the first one into the muck, so the rest of us knew where NOT to go.


Look, a classic picture, and you've all seen it repeatedly in my blogs. Yep, no matter whether you use dead reckoning, a map, or a GPS, the group never agrees about exactly where we are or how we should go about getting to the next stop. Maybe that is why we only have one leader, after all, someone has to have the final say.


This is a great part of the HM Trails, you can come down out of the mountains and go into a town for gas, food, parts, or a liquor store (we didn't do that, really we didn't...). Quads can use the local streets during daylight hours.


This is the Rock House Lodge, where we spent our sleepy time hours.


This is the street in front of our lodge, in Mann, West Virginia. It is very similar to the streets in every other of the small towns in the area. A depressed part of the country, where the primary employment is with the coal companies.


Take a look at the quads now, a good bit muddier than in the first picture.


This was a very enjoyable trip. The age range was wide, the riding experience varied, and the personalities were all unique. But we got along great, had wonderful weather (maybe a touch foggy in the mornings), and some good food (much of which was fried and came with gravy). I am sure all in this group are looking ahead to the fall of 2011.

If you are interested in more info, try this link>>>>> HatField McCoy Trail System

A Quick Note From The Road

We are again on the road, leaving Colorado and heading for Indiana. So, here are a few pictures of our last days in Montrose.

Well, this first picture is actually from shortly after we arrived in Montrose. It is from our first trail ride of the summer. It is Sharon soaking here ankle after a minor ATV accident. As it turned out, the ankle was broken, but it is now about 8 weeks later and she is back on her feet.


She did get to ride one more time, the day before we left. This shot shows both of us during a break on that last ride. We were riding on Owl Creek Pass just above Silver Jack Resivior. Yes, I know that you can barely recognize me with that pot belly, but I intend to work on that upon return to Indiana.


And these next two pictures are holes 12 and 13 at The Bridges Golf Club, one of my favorite courses in the area. Actually they are all my favorites, but this one may be the most beautiful.




The first two pictures are courtesy of Jim Foster, the second two are courtesy of The Bridges Golf Club. Boy, this blog was easy, I didn't have to take any of the pictures.

Crested Butte, Colorado

Here we are, Crested Butte, Colorado, elevation 8885 feet. Yes, the air is thin. As with many Colorado towns, it was established in the late 1870's by gold and silver miners. Coal was discovered in the early 1880's and sustained the town for 60 years. In 1952 the last mine was closed. A ski area developed in 1962 marked the rebirth of Crested Butte as a tourist town.

The Chamber of Commerce and Vistor's Center.


The entire town was designated a National Historic Area in 1974. There are many restored buildings, tourists, and bicycles (there are bicycle racks all over town).


Tourists need places to sit, and there are plenty of those all over town too.


The town also boasts dozens (nay even hundreds) of flower baskets.


Here is a restored building that I believe was built in the 1880's as a Masonic Hall and is now a brewery. I'd say it has had a useful life, and only getting better with age.


Of course there are numerous places to eat, many with delicacies specific to this area. Like this little number, can you guess what it is? Yes, you're right it is elk giblets on a platter, but looks amazingly like pizza (don't ya think?).


The original Town Hall built in 1883.


The town is full of art studios (hey, its a tourist town), and street art.


Another restored dwelling, now a real estate office.


And what tour would be complete without a stop at the ole two story outhouse. It is believed that it was built like this because the snow got so deep that you could only get in to the door on the second floor. Ignore the Waste Management dumpsters, they weren't there 110 years ago when it was built.


Best to you all. We'll be leaving in about in less than two weeks, this may be the last post from Colorado.

2010 Ridgway Rendezvous

The Ridgway Rendezvous Arts and Crafts Festival is in its 26th year, and this was our 8th year in attendance. It has always been fun and we've watched it grow considerably in those years.

So here we go, pretty nice setting for a festival!!!!!!

Held at Ridgway, Colorado,in the town park. Ridgway is a small mountain town, turned hot for tourists. They boast old restored buildings (like the old firehouse) and the True Grit Restaurant named after the John Wayne movie of the same name. The restaurant was frequented by the cast and crew (including JW) during the filming of the movie (yes, it was filmed in the area around Ridgway).


There was live music, with groups changing about every hour. If you were patient their was eventually a group that played "your kind of music".


There were beautiful flowers everywhere (and not all of them were arts and/or crafts).


There was entertainment for the children.


Enough food vendors to satisfy almost every taste (even Thai and crepes) and.......


....comfortable places with good views where you could sit down and enjoy it.


A good time was had by all. Okay, so I didn't take a poll........but a good time was had by Sharon and I........everyone else can fend for themselves.

Jeeps on Old Mining Roads

Four jeeps, with me riding shotgun jeep number 2, took off on the old mining roads in the many acres of USFS and BLM land between Ouray and Silverton, Colorado. This area is generally played out, but there are a few working mines in the area. It is lightly maintained in order to encourage the thousands of tourists who come to this area for trail riding (after the snow melts or is plowed away).

Shortly after starting our climb up into the old mining areas on Engineer Pass...
Did you spot me in the rear view mirror???

Still climbing...


Mineral Valley, once a home to many miners and a dozen or more mines...


Looking down into one of the valleys and some of the old mining roads...


Lunch break...


One of the many narrow one lane tracks across the mountains. Most go to small mines closed many years ago...


At the top of the world (or around 13,000 feet)...


Into every trail ride a little rain may fall (but it never slows 'em down)...

Mountain Trails in a GEO Tracker

Wow, am I slow at getting around to posting these days. Although these pictures are from just a couple of days ago, I have at least two sets going back to March. I'll try and get them out soon.

These pictures are from a mountain trail ride I recently took in a GEO Tracker. Friends from Lake Havasu City, Arizona came here to Montrose, Colorado towing their GEO's. They are both four wheel drive automatics. I was amazed at how well they ran the old mining trails between Ouray and Silverton, Colorado. They huffed and puffed a lttle on the steep stuff, but they never called it quits. They have no modifications except they have been lifted 2 inches for clearance, but that was more necessary for fender clearance with bigger tires than for road clearance.

The ride started with airing-down, that is letting air out of the tires down to around 20 psi. This softens the ride (it can get jarring at some points) and it adds a little traction.

Here we go, zippin' down (er' up) the trail. It is usually dry and dusty, even if it rained a day or two before.


The scenery is beautiful...........


and there is still plenty of snow on the ground.


We buzzed by old mines...........


and above Lake Como (some summers the ice never completely melts).


There were others on the old mining roads, but today was great and traffic was light. It can get busy, this area is extremely popular with jeepers, ATV's, and motorcycles.


Our group consisted of two GEO's and this Jeep. The Jeep claimed to be the rescue vehicle, decked out with lots of heavy duty stuff and a winch. But, he wasn't needed today, as a matter of fact the GEO's performed perfectly.


The trip over the trails ended at Silverton in Handlebars restaurant, where good food abounds and atmosphere is thick (well in the restaurant only because the air is thin where Silverton sits at over 9,000 feet elevation). Today our trip started at about 6,000 feet, we climbed to over 12,000, and then wound our way back along Red Mountain Pass (Colorado highway 550) which drops 5,500 feet, has over 160 turns, and in places you can look out your window and straight down for 800 feet.

Working For Fun

It has been a busy winter, yet we have not been out roaming the countryside, or hiking, or riding the ATV's. We have spent most of our time "WORKING" at our hobbies. I have been doing silversmith work and learning how to cut and polish rocks. Sharon has been working at her relatively new interest in fused glass.

I get to play with a torch, making silver do what I want (most of the time).


THE SILVERSMITH SHOP

Yep, that's me. I had to have Sharon take the pic for me. My arm just wasn't long enough to hold the camera out there and get the pic myself. I've been on a diet for 4 months now and didn't realize until I looked at this pic that I have not quite gotten rid of that belly. I will have to redouble my efforts (and reduce the number of times I let temptation win out).


The soldering station without me in the picture.


My work station, and yes it is a staged picture. Anyone who has seen my work area before knows that this is way to tidy.


Grinding and polishing machines for silver.



THE LAPIDARY SHOP

The big diamond saw for cutting bigggggg rocks.


A smaller saw used to cut the slabs cut by the big saw into pieces of acceptable size for grinding and then poishing.


Grinder row, where you start with a coarse grit wheel (80 grit) and work your way to the finest grit (14,000). Not every piece makes this trip successfully.
.....and just to stack the odds against you even more, you finish on a 50,000 grit leather buffing wheel. That wheel has a reputation for grabbing any improperly held stone and flinging it again the wall. That usually means the piece gets turned into gravel. There is no picture because that wheel and I are not on friendly terms and I was worried it might grab the camera.


THE GLASS SHOP

Sharon patiently working away at her station.


Working with her glass breaking pliers. She has been know to swear during this process.


Breaking glass leaves a sharp edge, here Sharon is grinding the edges smooth. Even though the piece will later be partially melted, sharp edges don't always completely round off unless ground first.


Last stop in the process is the kiln. Here the glass pieces, after careful assembly into the shape she wants, are heated just to the point of melting so they will fuse together. Just a little too hot and the glass will flow into a puddle.....and the work is all lost.

After firing (fusing in the kiln), Sharon turns the pieces from chunks of pretty glass into pendants, earrings, and her next challenge will be bracelets.

The END........until the next time.