Replenishment

I had not realized how much mental stress I was under until Thursday, 31 August.  I knew that I was unhappy with the current elected administration, and that I have had to increase my anti-depression medication accordingly.  I knew that I was missing Rosie, the Irish Setter, whom I cared for for 10 years, until her death.  I knew that I missed returning to Chincoteague and Assateague Islands this summer.  I knew that I was sleeping more than normal, just to "escape" the usual day-to-day living events.  Thursday was my eye-opener.
    Beatrice, my room mate, gave me a Christmas gift - a certificate for two riders to take a hour trail ride together.  Beatrice doesn't ride.  My sister has been in poor health for the last year, and, so, I had no one to ride with.  I called the company, explained I was an experienced rider, and was told I could have a three-hour trail ride as a single rider, instead of two one-hour rides.  I went riding Thursday morning, having walked a dog, fed fish, fed two sets of cats, and having released hens and cleaned their coop and roost.
   It was a 45 minute drive, and I was asked to arrive 30 minutes before we were scheduled to leave.  Upon arrival, I was told that another group of four people were expected to join the wrangler, or guide, and me.  I signed my release form, opted to not wear a riding helmet, and grabbed a saddle horn bag to put my drinking water and camera into.  Then I settled down to wait.
   When I pulled up, there was a large sorrel tied up to the railing.  He looked like a guy who could easily carry my weight, and he had a saddle with short stirrups on.  I thought he might be my ride.  Then the wrangler came out, and saddled up a bay Appaloosa - roaning and black spots on his butt, with roaning also along his sides and neck.  Then several folks started bringing out other mounts - multiple pintos, a bay, and a palomino.  The people who were supposed to ride with me changed their minds at the last minute, so Richard, the wrangler, and I set out alone.
   Richard was riding Outlaw, the bay Appaloosa.  I was mounted on a 16 hand bay pinto gelding named King.  King's legs had twice the bone of Outlaw's - and Outlaw was about 15 hands with a light, but strong, build.  Outlaw also has a convex face; much more so than King's.
   The stable complex is right beside highway 34, to the east of Estes Park.  The three-hour trail ride took us to the very top of Crosier Mountain and back down (of course).  Richard was pretty quiet, once he ascertained that I did, really, know how to ride...  In several places, he launched into his guide spiel, what the elevation was, and what we were looking at; and he kept warning me about the closeness of tree trunks and rocky outcrops - that's his job.  He also tried to point out the different types of trees, brush, flowers and wildlife we encountered - but, after telling him I could recognize them, and nicely asking him to only speak when needed, we both just enjoyed the ride.
   We did see the tracks of two different mountain lions; one much larger than the other.  We saw bear droppings (scat).  There were hoof prints of elk and mule deer, too.  The horses both shied at one point, and snorted, with their concentration on one distinct point, but neither Richard nor I could see what was bothering them, so we moved on quietly.  About three-quarters of the way through the ride, we did hear the squall of a mountain lion, but it seemed to be more than a mile away.  What else did we hear?  The wind in the pines, birds singing, grasshoppers buzzing, insects ticking, the chatter of squirrels, the calls of hawks.  We saw a bald eagle on the wing, and three red tail hawks; there were numerous chipmunks and squirrels, and an Abert's squirrel; there were meadow larks, nuthatches, sparrows, jays, a Stellar's jay, a few swallows, and a whole host of smaller birds on branches.  Once, there was the sound of a distant airplane.  But there were no sounds of any other vehicles - no cars, no trucks, no buses, no motorcycles, no ATVs.  No telephones rang.  Once, their was a quiet voice from Richard's radio - but that was the only non-organic sounds during those three delightful hours.
    We traveled mostly up- and down-hill, so we were leaning forward in the saddle, or leaning back, and letting the horses have their heads over rocky, sometimes sliding ground.  I was in heaven!   I was able to stretch forward and stroke King's ears, and to reach back and pat the base of his tail.  We trotted occasionally across an open meadow, and cantered across a beautiful stretch of glade openings among the pines.   We looked down, from 8500 feet, to see highway 34 and the Big Thompson River.  We had partly cloudy skies that morning, and we were all a little sweaty when we returned to the stable area - it was all of 73 degrees, but very dry...
    I felt so relaxed and refreshed and just generally - replenished - after that ride. I had no idea how taut my nerves were...   I highly recommend getting away for several hours - and doing whatever it is that makes you feel good.   There is nothing better in life.

Random Thoughts

Yesterday, Bea and I visited Estes Park, just to get out of Boulder…  It was grand, as usual.  There were a few idiots driving along 36 - I was driving (yes, I admit it) 7 miles over the speed limit on a two-lane black top that has a 50 to 90 foot drop down to a very rocky creek bed.  The other side of the road os blasted rock that is almost perpendicular.  Beatrice and I were amazed when four separate vehicles passed us as if we were standing still.  I have no idea where they were headed in such a hurry, but I was afraid we'd see an accident ahead of us, once they had passed.  We didn't, so I guess angels were looking out for those drivers (and us).
    We poked around and looked at houses, and drove down some roads we hadn't gone down before.  Besides mule deer outside of Rocky Mountain National Park, we saw elk in Estes Park and in Big Thompson Canyon.  On the way home we took another back road and drove past a herd of bison…  I enjoy getting out and seeing wildlife.
    This morning, at a traffic light, I had a green, and was driving at 45 mph.  Some ditzy blond in a Cadillac Escalade turned from the red light side directly in front of me. I slammed on the brakes and watched in disbelief as she made a huge U-turn, and headed in the opposite direction of my stopped progress.  My jaw was, literally, hanging open.  Maybe she didn't see me at all, but a 3/4 turn to go in a totally different direction?  I also felt a bit unsafe as I was driving the Prius this morning, as opposed to the Lexus SUV….
    We drove by Larimer County's Devil's Backbone Open Space yesterday, and I noted that the area is currently closed due to raptor nesting season.
    There are crocus blooming in the back yard this morning.  They are beautiful, but I also know full well that Boulder usually has it's last freeze on or about May 6 - and today is only March 9.  Our little ivy plant inside the apartment is growing very nicely - it's put on about 20 new leaves, and the stems have grown about three inches each.  Usually the only thing I can grow and keep alive is catnip.
    I sat down to do some intensive genealogy work Monday, and was surprised to learn that one of my favorite websites that I use for "quick and dirty" research was totally down and won't be back up until March 15 or so.  The site says that have "hardware" problems…..   Did one of their servers crash and burn?  It's just weird that when I finally get the urge to research, the site is down.  It's pretty frustrating, too.
    As much as I loved driving in the mountains yesterday, I kept talking to Beatrice about Chincoteague and Assateague.  Thank goodness I'm heading back for 11 days in July!  I have foals and fawns on my mind, as well as hatchlings and new growth….   Yes, I miss the islands.

Nearby Colorado Views

Estes Park near the Rocky Mountain National Park

Estes Park near the RMNP

Estes Park near the RMNP

Loveland's Benson Sculpture Park - this is "Prairie Flowers"

Carter Lake nine years ago

Carter Lake this week...  Can you say drought?

Estes Park in the Roosevelt National Forest

Playing Tourist

The wildfires in California have been horrific, and they have given us smoke and particulates for several days.  We were pretty clear, air-wise, today, thanks to the huge rains on the west coast - and we expect rain tomorrow evening, as well as a significant temperature drop.  We've had highs in the mid-80s to lower 90s (F), but are expecting a high of 68 degrees on Friday.  With rain the night before, I just might have to break out a long-sleeved T-shirt....  Otherwise, I'm still running around in shorts and a T-shirt.
   It was quite laughable yesterday in Estes Park - the sun was shining brightly, but there was also an intermittent breeze.  I was wearing, sneakers, shorts and a T-shirt; Beatrice had on jeans, a T-shirt and sneakers - and we were very comfortable.  It was 78 degrees in the little valley surrounded by the Rocky Mountains.  Bea and I kept giggling at people walking by in fur-lined, calf-high hiking boots, with three or four layers of upper garments - jackets over vests over hoodies over T-shirts.  What are these folks going to do when it gets a little bit cooler?  Say, 10 degrees?
  And - please forgive me, all my cousins in Kansas - we drove back along state road 34, which was pretty much washed away by the September 2013 flood in the Big Thompson Canyon.  In front of us was a red Buick with Kansas tags.  The road through the Canyon is 28 miles of twists and turns, with hills.  The main speed limit through the Canyon is 55; with, of course, lots of triangular warning signs giving the recommended safe speed limit.  The car with the Kansas tags drove 15 miles per hour under the posted limits through the entire Canyon.  We were going through a series of switchbacks marked 30 mph, at 10 mph.  We decided the driver was trying to avoid stirring up a cyclone by driving too fast.....   There were/are multiple places that are designated for "slow drivers" to pull aside and let other vehicles pass them; they are all small  half-circle cut-outs, paved and un-paved.  The driver never pulled aside.  Beatrice and I were second in a "parade" of 67 vehicles behind the Buick - we weren't in a hurry, and decided to pull over and count how many vehicles passed us, as soon as the road widened...  And, actually, we had a very nice afternoon and evening.

Spring Scenes in Rocky Mountain National Park

Long's Peak

Mill's Lake

Elk

Black Canyon Inn at Estes Park

Waterfall

Big horn ram on Mount Ida trail

Moraine Park

Colorado Christmas Scenes

Pearl Street Mall in Boulder

Pearl Street Mall carolers

Bringing in the tree, Estes Park

16th Street Mall, Denver

Golden, home of Coors beer

Winter Park night skiing on Christmas Eve

Vail gazebo

Colorado Snow Views

Cabin in the Foothills

Elk near Estes Park

Pines and Mountaintop

On Magnolia Mountain

The third Flatiron, Boulder

Beaver Mountain, Here I Come!

I arrived as a separate entity in this world at about 3 in the morning, 57 years ago.  My parents were the only witnesses to my birth, as I decided to make my arrival before we reached the hospital.  I came into the world in the backseat of a 1949 Plymouth Deluxe Sedan, known in the family as "The Grey Ghost."  I sold her- - the car - in 1982 to a farmer who completely refurbished her.  She had been grey for 33 years; she's now a gleaming midnight navy blue - and she's still on the road.
  Today, my sister and I are going to drive up to Estes Park, and spend the morning looking in shops and art galleries. After a light lunch, we'll head into Rocky Mountain National Park, and check in at the Moraine Stables.   From there, we'll be on horses, riding to the summit of Beaver Mountain, and returning.  I'm taking my camera and hope to get lots of photos.  If Kathy and I can still walk, and are feeling half-way decent, we'll have dinner with Jim and the kids in Boulder.  If we're not feeling OK, we'll both be at home and in bed after a hot shower.  I think I can handle it - but we'll have to see.
  Have a wonderful Sunday!

Memorial Day Weekend Is Here!

The annual Boulder Creek Festival starts today at 10 a.m. and runs through Monday.  The hours are, Saturday and Sunday: 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Monday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.  The Festival is free to the public and features something for everyone: 9 separate event areas with 500 vendors showcase everything from community arts and crafts to health alternatives and technology while 4 performance stages feature a spectrum of music and dance. The Festival also features carnival rides, food and beverage vendors, and the signature event: a rubber duck race down the creek! Join us over Memorial Day weekend 2013 for the 26th Annual Boulder Creek Festival®, the best event in Boulder!  The Festival sprawls along the Boulder Creek Pathway, from 6th to 13th Street (the Boulder Public Library is closed until Tuesday).  And one of the big draws will be the Bolder Boulder Road Race, which begins about 7 a.m. on Monday.  
   Estes Park will be hosting an Art Market at Bond Park this weekend, as well as a Western Heritage Antique Show at the Fairgrounds, Barn W.  And the national Park Service was able to get Trail Ridge Road cleared for it's annual opening - but temperatures up above 8,000 feet are expected to be in the 40s and low 50s this weekend, and there is a lot of snow piled up alongside the roadways.  (Trail Ridge Road climbs a bit above 12,000 feet at its' apex.)
   Parking spaces at the beach on Assateague are available and open this weekend, via the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge.  The National Seashore has gone back to using ground clam shells for the parking area surface, so there shouldn't be chunks of asphalt floating around after the next big storm.  And, after reading the 1 p.m. Friday headline that traffic was backed up for 20 miles, waiting to cross the east-bound section of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge, I was happy to be in Boulder.  (I'd rather be on Chincoteague itself, but at least I wasn't trying to drive there from the west side of the Bay!)

Fern Lake Wildfire Update

  Helicopter and tanker assitance for the Fern Lake fire has been grounded because of high winds and poor visibility, according to a Rocky Mountain National Park spokesperson.  Support to fight the fire has increased from 61 firefighters Friday to 200 on Saturday. Two hot shot crews are on their way to the wildfire and numerous local fire engines are headed to the area, officials said.
   The arrival of two Type 1 heavy air tankers in Southern California will be delayed at least one day because of poor visibility in the area, said Kyle Patterson, a spokeswoman for the park.  The fire, caused by an illegal runaway campfire in Rocky Mountain National Park on Oct. 9, has forced evacuation of 583 homes after strong winds pushed the wildfire to jump established fire lines early Saturday morning.
  "The wind last night was very strong and fanned the flames," said John Schulz, spokesman for the Larimer County Sheriff's Department. "It jumped the lines."  One unoccupied, privately owned cabin was destroyed and many others are threatened, Schulz said.  "The fire was spotting a mile ahead of itself, which is an incredibly long distance," said Traci Weaver, spokeswoman for Rocky Mountain National Park. "What happened last night was a rather unexpected wind event."
   Officials working to fight the Fern Lake fire ordered the evacuation of Moraine Park Campground at 1:50 a.m. Saturday, Weaver said. A total of 1,100 home phones and cellular phones were called with warnings. Seven campers were notified in person early Saturday morning, Weaver added.
   The blaze fueled by winds gusting to 75 mph consumed all of Moraine Park overnight, a mostly grassy area of roughly 600 acres, she said. It spread through timber pockets and got into the upper canopy of some trees, but firefighters were able to "knock it down" out of the trees, Weaver said. She said the fire is not spreading as rapidly later Saturday morning after winds died down.  "We are cautiously optimistic," Weaver said. "What we really need now is snow."

Fern Lake Wildfire Causing Evacuations in Estes Park

The kits allowed me to sleep in this morning; I was awakened by the ravens, instead. The children and I had a huge love-fest yesterday afternoon and evening. We had light winds here in Boulder yesterday, but the winds really picked up in the Rocky Mountain National Park during the night hours. The Fern Lake wildfire is spreading like mad - 500 homes have been evacuated on the south-western outskirts of Estes Park due to the fire already this morning. More than 300 people are at the Estes park High School, and the fair grounds area is open for livestock that need to be evacuated. One structure has been "affected" by the fire, but there are no details. Winds are blowing in the 30 mph area, and are expected to gust into the 40s and 50s during the day. This area is extremely steep and the officials are hoping to be able to get slurry and water tankers up for drops; however, the winds may preclude this, as they just said winds might gust into the 60s and 70s. Not good for the wildlife; not good for people with breathing problems. I'll keep up-dating...

The Fern Lake Wildfire in RMNP as seen from Estes Park at 6 a.m. today.

Western Critters

A Big Horn Ram in the Never Summer mountains

 

Mountain lion near dusk

 

An elk near Estes Park

 

Colorado Scenes

The St. Malo Chapel in Allenspark, with the smouldering conference center behind it

Estes Park got 13 inches of snow plus the high winds this past weekend

Another cottonwood came down in Boulder this weekend, but without the happy ending my apartment building had...



Estes Park Celtic Festival

Wow! What a wonderful, but tiring, day! It was cool and drizzling here in Boulder, so before Kathy and Jim picked me up, I put on a long-sleeved T and wool socks; and took a heavy sweatshirt and my water-proof jacket with hood, and my umbrella. I needed all of it. A heavy cloud was hugging the top of Longs Peak, and before 11:30, the cloud cover had descended to cover all the surrounding mountains. A military fly over was scheduled for noon, but made several passes between 11:40 and 11:45, as the weather was deteriorating more quickly than expected. Kathy and Jim and I stayed together for the morning, then split for two hours and recombined at the Heavy Armor combat for the rest of the afternoon and evening. All of us saw things that we had missed at our previous visit to the Festival. The first thing was the International Jousting competition - this is not the scripted fights one sees at the Renaissance Fairs; these folks were in earnest, trying to win the $30,000 grand prize. Most of the mounts were Percherons or Clydesdales, and there was a Belgium stallion (Samson), a couple of Foundation quarterhorses, and several draft crosses. Zeus, the Percheron stallion, was the most impressive horse; but Samson, the Belgium, had a quiet, steady presence. (Can you guess he was my favorite?) We met his knight/rider/owner and were invited to visit them on their farm in northern Texas... Dustin, the owner, said that his Belgium mare had more presence than Samson, and that she had just dropped his foal. (I want, I want!!!) We then wandered through the booths, having also stopped and admired some Gypsy Vanners from Fort Collins (and receiving another invitation for a visit); at 11:20 we grabbed a hot brunch, as it was drizzling. I had a chicken pie, while K and J had Scotch eggs and haggis. Then we quickly found seats in the stands for the fly over, the US Marine Corps Band, the presentation of the colors, the combined bands, and the parading of the Clans. There was more music (piping) scheduled - but I was getting cold and left for the vendors' tents. (It had started raining in earnest about 11:30 and continued until 2:30.) I was a very bad person. I spent almost every penny I had with me. I purchased a new canvas courier's bag; 3 t-shirts; a sterling silver Celtic ring; and a hand-made stuffed dragon. And I am still extremely happy with all of my purchases, so I guess I really wasn't "bad."

By watching the fly over and the bands, I had missed the Light Armor Combat with the horses; so I was determined to have a seat for the Heavy Armor. I arrived about 2:30, and secured three seats, as Kathy and Jim were to regroup with me there. I had a blast, and K & J showed up between the second and third bouts between the first two riders. I stood up and yelled "Snow!" and waved like a maniac until they saw me... They joined me in the stands and then they enjoyed watching the jousting, too. - Barkon, the eldest knight, was unhorsed on his first pass, but he re-mounted Duchess, his Clydesdale, and returned for three more bouts. Considering that Barkon is in his 60s, that he was knocked off a Clydesdale at a gallop, and that he was wearing 145 pounds worth of metal armor when he fell, I have to totally admire him. The breaking of the 9-foot long lances was impressive, and the splinters flew for some distance. Shane, the Captain of the Canadian team, won the Heavy Armor contest; and it was announced that 3 of the horses used in the competition were abandoned and abused equines that had been rehabilitated. At the end, the knights autographed splinters of the lances for the audience. We took another turn through the booths, bought a few items, shared a funnel cake, made another turn through the vendors' tent and then departed for home. On our last turn through the vendors', I suddenly realized that a man in a blue plaid kilt had an orange and blue Auburn jacket on above it. I stopped, initiated conversation, and found that he and his wife cook, can and sell haggis and whiskey cakes around the world. (Jim, the Auburn man, had retired 16 years ago and immediately went into the haggis business.) We finally arrived back at the truck around 6, and then drove back to Boulder. When I arrived home, I fed and loved the kits, took a hot shower and curled up in bed. I turned on a football game and immediately fell asleep - and the kits let e sleep like a rock until after 8 this morning. ... I hadn't realized I was that tired!!