Pogwatigue Perambulations

Breckenridge Ice Festival

2012-01-31T02:16:00.000-05:00

For the first time since I arrived in Denver last October, I headed back up in to the mountains. An Ice Sculpture Festival hosted in Breckenridge provided the excuse. I hopped on US-285, which leads southwest out of Denver and pulled over at Kenosha Pass (elev. 10,001 feet) about an hour in to the drive where I scouted out two short trails. One traced the course of an old railroad grade and another led to a scenic overlook of South Park. Back in the car, I turned on to State Highway 9 to cross Hoosier Pass (elev. 11,539) for the final stretch in to Breckenridge. I recognized the mountains on the left, having hiked up several of the peaks in 2009, including Mount Lincoln, still the highest mountain I've ever conquered.

I got to Breckenridge about 2:00 PM and immediately went to check out the sculptures. Fifteen teams spent last week carving mammoth cubes of packed snow into various forms. Judges awarded prizes over the weekend. The festival leaves the finished products in situ for another week, unless nature intervenes. Today was a good day to visit because the crowd was thinner and the artworks still in good shape. In a twist of bitter irony, Team Canada's Ode to NASA, intended to be a representation of the final shuttle launch, was the one sculpture that collapsed prior to judging.

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To kill the final few hours of daylight, I ate a late lunch and then read for about an hour in a small cafe downtown. I wanted to stick around in order to see sculptures at night. The festival illuminates them with multi-colored LEDs, which change randomly. I forgot to bring my tripod, but the lighting was bright enough for me to get quite a few good pictures without it. I'm glad I stayed. The nighttime viewing greatly surpassed the daytime experience. I stayed until my cold nose decided it was time to go.

Kenosha Pass

South Park

Mosquito-Ten Mile Range
(Mount Lincoln on the Left)

Great Expectations - 1st Place Winner

Dancing Screens - 2nd Place
(but, probably my favorite of the bunch)

Ice Sculptures at Night

South Table Mountain

2012-01-26T21:20:00.000-05:00

After a late lunch yesterday, I took advantage of the nice weather to hit another trail, one a lot closer to town. South Table Mountain is just west of Golden about three miles from where I've been staying. I found the trailhead at the end of a residential street. It was late enough in the day that most of the hike was in the shadow of the mesa. It was a fairly easy climb. The trail was a little muddy and icy, but nothing so much as I encountered over the weekend. At the top of the Mesa, I encountered a small herd of mule deer. I also met a strong wind which only intensified as night fell. By the time I reached the eastern point of the mesa, the sun had set. I had to back track along a trail after it became clear it wouldn't take me back to my original trailhead, and ended up back at the car right about at twilight.

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Trip Statistics
Length: 2.8 miles
Hike Time: 1 hours 13 minutes
Avg. Speed: 2 MPH
Total Ascent: 350 ft.
Max Elev.: 6,070 ft.

Elevation Profile

Ancient Palms Trail up South Table Mountain

Basalt Top Trail

Lonely Tree on South Table Mountain

Denver from South Table Mountain

North Table Mountain and Rocky Mountain Foothills

Roxborough State Park

2012-01-22T20:36:00.002-05:00

Yesterday, I broke from my sedentary pattern of late to visit a state park just beyond the southwestern fringe of the Denver metropolitan area. The Park, Roxborough, lies along the transition between the high plains and the foothills of the Rockies. The preeminent features are colorful rock formations created by a succession of ridges; the Dakota, Lyons and Fountain formations. I arrived early to join a nature walk led by a volunteer guide--I was the only one on the walk. The trail was really icy, but passable.

Having paid the park admission fee, I wasn't quite ready to depart once two-hour guided tour ended. I considered a couple other trails and decided to tackle the longest one in the park, which led up about 1,000 feet to Carpenter Peak. Mud and snow covered the trail for most of its three-mile length. I got by with just some old hiking shoes, but envied the other hikers better equipped for the conditions. The views at the top of the Carpenter Peak made the extra effort worthwhile. Pine covered slopes of the Rocky Mountains stretched out to the west; Downtown Denver, about twenty miles north-northeast, was clearly visible surrounded by its suburbs; and the contorted, vibrantly-colored rock formations of Roxborough Park were at the base of the mountain.

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Trip Statistics
Length: 9.5 miles
Duration: 5 hours 41 minutes
Min. Elev.: 6,060 feet
Max. Elev.: 7,160 feet
Net Elev. Gain: 1,100 feet

Elevation Profile

Persse Cabin

Fountain Formation

Carpenter Peak Trail

Willow Creek Canyon

View Along Carpenter Peak Trail

Christmas Vacation

2012-01-14T20:23:00.001-05:00

To get back to Michigan, I decided to drive. It wasn't as fast as flying or as cheap as the train, but I wasn't in a hurry and wanted to afford myself the flexibility of traveling on my own schedule. It took me two full days to drive each way. The fastest way is to take I-80 pretty much the whole way so of course, I avoided that route. I stayed mostly off the interstates entirely. I didn't make many major stops along the way, but where something intrigued me I didn't hesitate to investigate. These stops are marked on the map below.

On the drive east, I entered Nebraska, the final state I needed to visit all fifty in 2011. I spent altoghether too long in McCook Nebraska. They have a rich history for a rural, Nebraska town, which I enjoyed, but it put me behind the chains for the rest of the day. The next day, I didn't spend too long at any one place, except maybe Eureka, Illinois, home to Reagan's Alma Matre. I ate dinner at a Pizza Hut in town, rather than grab something at a drive through.

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I have lot of good memories from the two weeks I was home. I already blogged about the trip my dad and I made to the Pizza Bowl, which was fun despite the unfortunate outcome. Happily, I when I drove to Ann Arbor to watch the Sugar Bowl with Barry Deatrick, the game's outcome was much better.

On the drive back to Colorado, I didn't do much more than stop for some pictures as opportunities presented themselves. The most notable stop was Lebanon, Kansas, the geographic center of the Lower 48 States. I did spend about an hour at Prairie Dog State Park in Kansas, but by then I was pretty sure I'd make in to Denver at a decent hour.

Trip Statistics
Length: 2,413.2 miles
Total Counties: 122
New Counties: 86
Fuel: 70.7 Gallons
Fuel Economy: 34.1 MPG
Cost: $427.72

Entering my Fiftieth State for the Year.

In the Center of the Lower 48 States

Phillips County, Kansas

Final

2011-12-27T20:15:00.001-05:00

Final score.
WMU 32
Purdue 37

The silver lining is that the Big Ten is 1-0 in bowl games this year.

Pizza Bowl

2011-12-27T18:33:00.001-05:00

Before today, I'd been to five bowl games in my life, all with the Michigan Marching Band. Today, I made it to my sixth bowl. Though UM isn't involved, another team from the state is, Western. I picked the Broncos in my pool so I'm cheering for them. It doesn't look good. My team is down by 12 at the half.

One other thing: also this is the time I've seen a football game in a dome.

I've been everywhere, man!

2011-12-21T01:48:00.001-05:00

At 11:03 MST this morning, I entered Nebraska, the 50th state that I have been to this year. If you've been following my travels, especially my last trip you may have questioned if there was a rationale to where I was going.

I did not start the year thinking of visiting every state. I suspect the idea first popped in to my head driving the Uhaul from Philadelphia. By that time, I had the Northeast pretty well covered and was planning to go to Florida for the final shuttle launch, which gave me the chance to nail down that quarter of the country. When I was able to add a visit to Hawaii on to the end of my Alaska trip, thus collecting the two toughest states, I thought I might actually be able to do it.

Some states got more attention than others. I spent the most time in Pennsylvania, Michigan and Colorado. Oregon, West Virginia and Missouri were very brief affairs. I don't even think I got out of the car in Missouri. I had an airport layover in Washington in August. I couldn't quite convince myself that that counted as a "visit" so I went back to shore up my Evergreen State bona rides.

While Nebraska is the last state I visited this year, I have been here once before. Depending on how you come down in the layover debate, the last of the nifty fifty that I saw for the first time is either Texas or Washington.

I'm glad I made the extra effort to see the last handful of states. I was pretty apprehensive about spending the money, but I'm pretty sure it was worth it. Now, I have a common theme to connect all my adventures. 2011 will always be the year I saw all 50 states, regardless of whether I'm able to make the Denver relocation stick.

The Green Mountain State

2011-12-14T09:42:00.001-05:00

Yesterday, I finished up my time in New England with some scenic driving in Vermont. In the early morning, I crossed through the snow-covered fields and frost-covered woods of the Connecticut River Valley enroute to Chester Arthur State Historic Site. The actual site of the 21st president's birth is a bit of a mystery, but this site is as good as guess as any. It is a reconstructed parsonage in the mountains northeast of Fairfield, the town where his family lived while his father was a minister. The museum was closed but I could read some of the panels by peeking through the window. I also found a short trail to walk that wound through the snowy woods.

I spent most of the afternoon around Lake Champlain. Coming out of the mountains, I lost the snow and the scene became somewhat dreary. I stopped at St. Anne shrine on one of the islands in the lake.

I didn't intend to go to the Ben & Jerry's Factory, but was in the right place at the right time to join the last tour of the day. It was a pretty good way to spend $3.

I went a little bit out of my way to visit the town of Middlebury, another recommendation from my hosts. It is a quintessential New England hamlet, with cute white churches, historic inns, and a small college. It was dark when I arrived and many of the buildings especially the inn on the town square glowed with Christmas lights. I had dinner at a wonderful tavern and then began the long drive back to Manchester, made 25% longer by an inconvenient road closure.

New England Coast

2011-12-13T00:41:00.001-05:00

I left Boston this morning and headed up the coast to Maine. Along the way I stopped at a couple historic forts and lighthouses, most notably Portland Head in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. About halfway in to my drive up the coast, I stopped in the picturesque town of Ogunquit, a recommendation from my hosts the last two nights. I took a short walk along the Marginal Way trail, which weaves along the rocky coast south of the main village. It was was pretty pleasant for December and of course not very crowded in the offseason.

Back on the road, I made it as far up the coast as Bath, home to the state's main maritime museum. I arrived too late for a complete visit, but the attendant let me in for free and I was able to peruse a couple galleries for about a half-hour. I did leave a small donation on my way out. Then, I found a nice restaurant in town. I practically felt obligated to enjoy a lobster while in the state.

It was well past dark when I left the restaurant. I turned inland and drove through the state capital, Augusta, back to New Hampshire. Along the way, especially the first half, the Christmas decorations were splendid, glimpses of a modern real-world equivalent to the Normal Rockwell ideal, with small towns, salt box homes and quaint white churches all decorated up.

Boston

2011-12-11T21:44:00.001-05:00

I flew from one corner of the country to another, Seattle to Boston. Today, I stopped to visit my friend Andrew Lanoix from my UM days. He now lives in Cambridge with his new wife Maureen. It was my first visit since their wedding in May.

We went to Church in the morning at the same place they were married. Then they took me to lunch at a favorite local restaurant. In the afternoon, Andrew & I took the subway into downtown Boston. We walked around for an hour or two. I've been here a couple times so I've seen a lot of the city, but it was neat to see it decorated for Christmas.

Biking Seattle

2011-12-10T01:34:00.001-05:00

After the museum, I had the option of going to a couple more museums included with my CityPass, but the weather was so inviting I decided stay outside instead. I rented a bike for the rest of the afternoon. I first rode to Kerry Park, which I read provided the best skyline view in town. It was a terribly steep climb up to the park, but well worth it. As an added bonus, Mount Rainer was visible behind the city. It was faint through a haze so you won't see it in the picture, but was quite a sight with the naked eye.

Having ridden up the steep hills I wanted to get a little more for my effort and rode north through the Queen Anne neighborhood. Some sections of the coast down the backside of the hill were so steep I was more comfortable walking the bike.

I made it as far as Gasworks Park on Lake Union before it was time to turn around. I took a much flatter route back along a series of bike trails. One section led passed a working railroad switchyard. The last trail followed the shore of Elliot Bay back in to down town. It was just after sunset and Rainier was still visible. Across the Bay and Puget Sound were the outlines of the Olympic Mountains silhouetted against an amazing sunset.

Museum of Flight

2011-12-09T16:37:00.001-05:00

I left downtown today to visit the Museum of Flight. I figure the city that is home to Boeing should have an aircraft collection worth the 20-minute busride . The best part of my 3-hour visit was the guided-tour of the World War I & II galleries. I was on my way out when I joined the barely-started tour. I'm quite glad I stayed. The early part focusing on the technological development was especially informative. Probably the two most famous planes in the whole museum are the original Air Force One user from Eisenhower to Nixon and a Concorde jet..

Afloat, Underground & Aloft

2011-12-09T12:26:00.001-05:00

I continued my exploration of Seattle yesterday with a couple of unique activities: a harbor cruise, a walking tour of Seattle's underground, and a nightime visit to the city's most recognizable symbol, the Space Needle.

The cruise was part of the CityPass package I bought at the Aquarium. It lasted about an hour. The first half provided splendid views of the downtown skyline. Then we entered the working harbor which had a shipyard, coast guard vessels and huge container ships being unloaded by towering towering tantrums cranes.

The underground tour took me into a couple sections of Seattle as it existed before 1907. That was the year the city raised the streets a story or two to address a host of problems. Today, sections of the old sidewalk still exist under the new above-ground ones. Our group had a great guide who really enjoyed her job. She employed great expressiveness in telling humorous stories to explain the underground and not to the detriment of communicating the fascinating history of early Seattle.

The space needle was also part of the CityPass package. I headed over there after attending mass at the local cathedral. I took the monorail part way to get there. Up top the views of the city were so good I hardly noticed the cold. Signs of Christmas were evident all around, such as a boat decorated up in Elliot Bay and a radio tower with lights on it.

Emerald City

2011-12-08T13:47:00.001-05:00

I'm on the move again. Yesterday, I flew from Denver to Seattle. Flying to Seattle in the dark there wasn't much to see until we reached the Cascades. The moon reflected the snow on the tops of the mountains a cool blue, but left the valleys deep black. A couple of strands of fog hovered over and snaked through the range like ghostly ftentacles. It was a scene enhanced by the fact that I knew it couldn't possibly be captured in a picture.

This morning, I poked around the oldest section of downtown, walking through the two historic train stations. My first major site was a museum run by the National Park Service that is devoted to Seattle's role in the Klondike Gold Rush. Then, I scouted out the tallest building in town which has an observation room on the 73rd floor.

I walked over to Pike Place Market to find lunch. The market is an expansive warren of stalls and stores that spreads out in three dimensions. I ended up eating at a pizza shop a couple blocks away. I had about an hour to kill so I hopped in the aquarium. The highlight was probably the sea offers. I don't know that I've ever seen any in person before. They're a lot bigger than I expected.

Black Mesa

2011-12-04T17:34:00.000-05:00

The only significant hike during my recent weekend trip, Black Mesa, in the extreme western end of the Oklahoma panhandle, is, at 4,973 feet, the highest point in the state. I planned to hike to the highpoint Saturday afternoon, but a flat tire 20 miles from the trailhead obliterated that plan. Once I did find my way to the remote trailhead, the hike to the highpoint was fairly easy. Except for a short section the trail is fairly level, the top of the mesa exceptionally so, with only a slight rise perceptible leading up to the obilesk that marks the official highpoint. A couple hundred yards to the south of the monument, the views from the southern rim of the mesa were worth the hike by themselves. Immediately below the mesa is the Cimarron River Valley. While on the hazy horizon, I could discern the outline of Sierra Grande and Capulin Volcano.

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Black Mesa

Black Mesa Trail

Hiking atop Black Mesa

Oklahoma Highpoint Marker

Cimarron Valley

Trip Statistics
Length: 8.5 miles
Time: 3 hours 5 minute
Elev. Change: 638 ft.
Max Elev.: 4,973 ft.

Elevation Profile

Capulin Volcano Rim Hike

2011-12-03T19:04:00.001-05:00

One of the highlights from my recent trip was a stop at Capulin Volcano National Monument. The small park centers on a cinder cone volcano, the easternmost such feature in the US. Once in the park, I drove the two-mile road to the top of the volcano and hiked trail that the loops around the rim of the volcano.

The winds that day were some of the strongest that I have ever experienced. My hat blew off shortly after starting the hike and knew it would be pointless, counterproductive if I wanted to keep it, to put it back on. Later in the hike when I lost my sunglasses to the same force, I drew the same conclusion.

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Rather than detract from the experience, the winds augmented the stark beauty of the landscape. They certainly didn't impede the spectacular views across the landscape. To the west, more volcanic features stretched out toward the snowcapped mountains resting on the horizon. To the east, one imposing mountain, Sierra Grande, marked the far edge of the volcanic field. Beyond it, dry grasslands dominated. The trail was only a mile. After finishing the counterclockwise hike, I reversed course and doubled back to enjoy the views in the opposite direction. In between, I hiked the short trail in to the interior of the crater, which offered a short respite from the winds.

Capulin Volcano

Volcanic Landscape from Capulin Rim

Capulin Rim Trail

Lonely Pinyon on Capulin Rim

Capulin Volcano Interior

Trip Statistics
Length: 2.3 miles
Time: 2 hours 33 minute
Elev. Change: 410 ft.
Max Elev.: 8,200 ft.

Elevation Profile

Amarillo Recap

2011-12-03T13:34:00.001-05:00

During my visit to Capulin Volcano National Monument, I bought a book about the dust bowl during the depression era. I thought it a peculiar offering for a park in New Mexico as I associated the dust bowl with regions further north and east. However, the book's narrative centers on the southern plains, particularly a number of towns I drove through on my trip like Clayton, NM; Boise City, OK; and Dalhart, TX. It's a very interesting, if very somber, book. Moreso because it gives a detailed backstory to places I gave only brief consideration on my trip.

The trip itself was pleasant with a number of intriguing, though it was longer than planned on account of the flat tire I encountered Saturday afternoon in New Mexico. I was able to get it replaced, but not for two days. I still managed to visit most of the places on my itinerary: Trinidad, Colorado; Sugarite Canyon State Park and Capulin Volcano NM in New Mexico; and Black Mesa, the highest point in Oklahoma. I also visited Texas for the first time. Checking that state off my list now means that I've now been to each of the fifty states at least once in my life. My last stop on the trip was Bent's Old Fort in southeast Colorado. Unfortunately it closed an hour earlier than indicated on the brochure I picked up over the weekend, but I was still able to walk the scenic grounds which border the Arkansas River.

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Statistics
Miles: 1,444
Days: 4
States: 5
Total Counties: 33
New Counties: 28
Pictures Taken: 183
Pictures Archived: 86
Fuel: 42.0 gallons
MPG: 34.6
Cost: $611.93

Sangre de Christo Mountains
along the Highway of Legends

Capulin Volcano

New Mexico Highway 370

Cadillac Ranch

Oil Field in Hutchinson County, Texas

Cimarron Valley Railroad

Bent's Old Fort

Highland Square

2011-12-03T00:01:00.001-05:00

I slipped in a short bike ride earlier this week before Denver got hit with its second significant snow of the season. Rather than drive to lunch, as is my typical routine, I decided to save the gas and use peddle-power. I targeted an appealing Chipotle that I spotted a couple days earlier. It is located in a small business district west of downtown Denver that I have since learned is called Highland Square. I almost was able to ride on account of a flat time, my second in the month, but the leak was slow enough that I was able to ride so long as I stopped a few times to pump up the tire. On my way back I circled around Sloan Lake, which is in a large park with partial views of downtown and full views of the mountains.

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Denver Skyscrapers over Sloan Lake

Sloan Lake Bike Trail

Green Mountain

2011-11-24T19:16:00.001-05:00

For Thanksgiving, I took a three hour bike ride to a large open space park in Lakewood, Green Mountain. It wasn't a long ride but it was a very steep ride. In about 8.5 miles I climbed approximately 1,400 feet. The last section was on a dirt trail. My hybrid bike is design to allow off-road riding, but this terrain was at the outer limit of what it can do. I walked several of the steeper section or those covered with rocks and loose gravel. The reward was grand views of the Rockies and Denver.

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Trip Statistics
Length: 19 miles
Ride Time: 2 hours 6 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 54 minutes
Avg. Speed: 8.8 MPH
Max. Speed: 29.2 MPH
Total Ascent: 6,873 ft.
Max Elev.: 817 ft.

Elevation Profile

Approaching Green Mountain along Mississippi Avenue

Radio Tower on Green Mountain

View Northwest from Summit

West Base of Green Mountain

Cadillac Ranch

2011-11-20T18:36:00.001-05:00

Pretty simple day today. The only real site of note that I saw was Cadillac Ranch of Route 66 fame. The famous art installation is located just west of Amarillo. The ten half-buried automoblies are covered in paint. While I visited several amateur artists were at work. It was interesting to watch the eclectic patterns on the car bodies change in real time.

Dinosaur Tracks

2011-11-19T23:46:00.001-05:00

Not too far from Capulin, Clayton State Park houses a patch of dinosaur tracks exposed after the construction of a dam spillway. It is a pretty impressive and relatively accessible collection, requiring only a .25 mile hike from the parking lot in the remote park. Some of the dinosaur prints are so well defined that it is easy to imagine the beasts walking about. In another section, a signed explained where a dinosaur had slipped and used its tail for to keep its balance. These were harder for me to see, but it paints a vivid picture. In all there are 500 identified prints made by eight different species.

Capulin Volcano National Monument

2011-11-19T23:15:00.001-05:00

I started today with a visit to Capulin Volcano National Monument in northeastern New Mexico. The park's central feature is a 1,000 foot tall cinder cone volcano. I drove the road that spirals up to the top of the crater in order to to hike the one-mile trail that loops around the rim.

The views were spectacular, but I had to battle a gusty wind in order to enjoy them. One blahst was strong enough to knock my sunglasses off, fortunately not too far. The wind was chilly, but I was bundled up enough to handle it that aspect of it. After finishing the loop, I hiked down the short trail to the bottom of the crater. Then before leaving the park, I walked a short, much calmer path called the Lava Flow trail at the base of the mountain.

Sugarite Canyon Coal Camp Trail

2011-11-18T23:10:00.001-05:00

Traveling in winter, when the days are so short, definitely limits how much I can do in a day. I left Trinidad shortly before 4:00 and it seemed like the day was pretty much over, but I managed to enjoy one more site, Sugarite Canyon State Park in New Mexico, before calling it a day.

I hiked the coal camp trail, which winds among the ruins of a coal mine company town. All that remains are the foundations from the homes, community buildings, and an old bread oven from the city that existed from 1912 to 1941. I also hiked up to two of the of the mine entrances--long since collapsed--that supplied the town's raisin d'etre. By the time I reached the second mine entrance, it was getting pretty dark & chilly so I made a rapid descent back to the car.

Trinidad

2011-11-18T23:04:00.001-05:00

When I was 14 I took the train across the country to visit family in California. I remember thinking when the train stopped in Trinidad, Colorado that looked like a neat, historic town and wished I could have gotten off the train to explore it. Nineteen years later I got my chance. I parked downtown and walked around for about a half-hour, took pictures of some of the historic buildings and reading a few of the historic markers.

Pikes Peak

2011-11-18T12:41:00.001-05:00

I decided to take a break from the work of finding work to head south for the weekend and check out a few of the states I've not yet visited this year. I left Denver this morning on I-25. At at scenic overlook north of Colorado Springs, I pulled over to take a picture of Pikes Peak.

Cherry Creek State Park

2011-11-12T12:56:00.001-05:00

Thursday's weather was even nicer than Sunday's. The forecast high was over sixty degrees. I set out on my bike for Cherry Creek State Park, which is southeast of Denver. I started the ride on the rather-short Weir Gulch trail. It ends at Barnum Park which has nice views of downtown. Getting downtown from there was a little difficult. I found my way and picked up the Cherry Creek Trail, which I suspect is the most popular route in town. It travels about 12 miles to Cherry Creek State Park along Cherry Creek almost completely off road.

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Cherry Creek State Park has a lot of additional trails. I rode around the southern extent of the lake at the center of the park. Once outside of the park, I rode of surface streets for the majority of the return ride, but most of them had a bike lane I could use. I especially enjoyed riding down Quincy Street, pretty much down hill the whole way. I did connect back with the South Platte Trail for about two-and-a-half miles. The home stretch, Florida Avenue, was a bit a of challenge. I was pretty tired and had to ride in to the wind

Trip Statistics
Length: 43.4 miles
Ride Time: 3 hours 51 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Avg. Speed: 11.2 MPH
Max. Speed: 26.8 MPH
Total Ascent: 1,600 ft.
Max Elev.: 5,709 ft.

Elevation Profile

Downtown Denver from Barnum Park

Cherry Creek Trail

Cherry Creek Lake

Cherry Creek State Park

Bear Creek Lake Park

2011-11-09T16:01:00.004-05:00

I braved chilly temperatures on Sunday in order to take another bike ride. I turned my focus to the southwest. I found the start of the Sanderson Gulch trail, one of they trails that I've driven passed during my short time in Denver and thought "I can't wait to ride that one." It only runs about three miles until intersecting with the South Platte River Trail, one of the trails I 'discovered' on my last ride. I followed it south another three miles to the Bear Creek Trail. Did I mention, they have an extensive trail network in Denver.

This trail gently climbs along the banks of Bear Creek into a large regional park around a lake of the same name. In the park, the trail leaves the creek to climb steeply up a few hundred feet to Mount Carbon Summit, which delivered some of the best views of the Denver area that I have yet seen. From this summit, I descended a short distance back to the creek and began climbing again. At the expressway that rings the city, I turned north and began an even steeper section; though not as steep as if I'd continued west into the mountains proper.

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I didn't really have much choice at this point because it was about an hour before sunset and the temperature was falling. At Alameda Parkway, I turned east and continued to the highest point on the ride at Iron Spring park. From here it was, with very few exceptions, all down hill. Coasting was a bit of a mixed blessing. The downgrade kept my speed up, but the breeze was very chilly and without much to gain from peddling I wasn't generating much extra body heat. Needless to say I was quite happy to get back indoors.

Trip Statistics
Length: 32 miles
Ride Time: 2 hours 54 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 26 minutes
Avg. Speed: 11.0 MPH
Max. Speed: 23.9 MPH
Total Ascent: 1,300 ft.
Max Elev.: 6,120 ft.

Elevation Profile

Sanderson Gulch Trail

Bear Creek Trail

Bear Creek Lake

Mini Maintenance

2011-11-07T21:52:00.000-05:00

Considering how many miles I drove, it is no surprise that the the Mini Cooper required some maintenance by the time I arrived in Denver. After settling in to my quarters, I found a reputable mechanic, but it was on the edge of town. I decided to use my bike as a means to get from and to the shop. As long as I had the bike out, I figured to investigate some the 400 miles of trails in the Denver Metro area.

Downtown Golden was my first destination after dropping off the car. Golden is home to both the Colorado School of Mines and Coors Brewery. Near Golden, I picked up the Clear Creek Trail, which follows eponymous stream from the edge of the mountains all the way to its confluence with the South Platte River. There, I started south (upstream) along a trail that follows that waterway in to downtown Denver. I continued along the Platte River passed Mile High Stadium and several parks until I got about as far south as my place where I turned east and used surface streets to complete the ride.

The next day, when the car was ready for retrieval, I rode directly back to the shop. It was much colder, with rain in the forecast. Plus, I barely had enough time from when I got the call until they closed to make it there at biking speed.

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Colorado dedicates proceeds from the lottery to outdoor recreation like trails, parks, and open space. This commitment is evident in the quality of the trail infrastructure: surface, width, signage, bridges, tunnels, etc. I'm going to enjoy exploring more of the network. The fall colors were still strong especially in Golden and along the Clear Creek trail. Part of the South Platte trail runs through an industrial part of town that is interesting, but not particularly scenic. Near the end of the ride, Huston Lake Park, a small park around a modest lake with good mountain views, was one of my favorite discoveries from the ride.

Trip Statistics
(both segments, Monday and Tuesday, combined)
Length: 56.5 miles
Ride Time: 6 hours 8 minutes
Total Time: 4 hours 50 minutes
Avg. Speed: 11.7 MPH
Max. Speed: 27.7 MPH
Max Elev.: 5,943 ft.

Elevation Profile

Downtown Golden

Clear Creek flowing toward Coors Brewery

Clear Creek Trail

Clear Creek

Cherry Creek Trail in Downtown Denver

Huston Lake Park

Foothills Drive

2011-11-02T23:32:00.000-04:00

My first week in Colorado, I focused on finding a place to stay and getting familiar with the area. While driving from place to place, the majestic Rocky Mountains were often in view. As much as I wanted to, I couldn't very well drive off and explore them. I'd been doing that type of thing for three months and it was time get focused on finding a room and then a job. However, my second Sunday in town I succumb to temptation and did enjoy a very, very brief drive up in to the foothills.

I didn't go far--about 100 miles--and stayed pretty much in the car. I was still wearing my church clothes. After lunch, I started to back to my place, but on a whim turned on Morrison Road (CO-8). I intended to find a park in which to sit, read and enjoy the wonderful weather. Instead, I kept driving, passed the highway that rings metro Denver, through the historic town and Morrison and up in to the foothills. Rather than join I-70 after Evergreen, I found a scenic backroad that continued up towards Mount Evans, one of Colorado's 50-plus mountains over 14,000 tall. 11,000 feet is about as high as I could drive this late in the year—the highway to the peak closes on Labor—so I found my way to Idaho Springs, one of Colorado's historic gold rush towns. After walking around the charming downtown, I started on back to Lakewood, taking the more scenic route, US-6, instead of the scenic freeway.

Full Screen Version<p>&amp;lt;a href="home.comcast.net/~tommollison/tripmaps/00misc-foothillsdrive20111023.html"&amp;gt;Click here for the map </p>

Elk Meadow Mountain Park

Santa Fe Mountain

Mountain Peaks from Squaw Pass Road

Downtown Idaho Springs

Tunnel No. 5 on US-6

Yuma Territorial Prison

2011-11-02T22:01:00.000-04:00

I wrote this post on my phone while traveling but for whatever reason it didn't publish

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During its 33 years in operation, from 1876 to 1909, Yuma Territorial Prison housed over 3,000 inmates. Today, it is a state park museum. It was a convenient & enjoyable place for me to split up a six-hour drive. The temperature exceeded 100 degrees during my visit, giving a small sense of the misery created in the crude cells, which housed up to six people at a time.

The prison was built on a hill overlooking the Colorado River, which today snakes meekly through a fraction of its historical channel. Having crossed it hundreds of miles upstream, two days ago, it was very interesting to cross it again in a much humbler setting.

Battle of New Orleans

2011-11-02T22:00:00.000-04:00

I wrote this post on my phone while traveling but for whatever reason it didn't publish

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This is the site where Andrew Jackson defeated the British toward the close of the War of 1812. This picture is taken from the view the English had of the American line. The US only lost 18 in the battle to over 2,000 for the invaders.

Inaugural Colorado Bike Ride

2011-10-27T23:49:00.001-04:00

Last weekend, my friend Dan invited me up to Boulder for a bike ride. I had been pretty focused on finding a place to live, settling in, and starting my job search so it was a very welcome invitation. He picked a pretty modest route to introduced me to biking in Colorado. There were some short climbs, but nothing more strenuous than I could find in Pennsylvania. We rode from his apartment north along US-36 to the small town of Lyons. To the left were the foothills of the Rocky Mountains; the right, the high plains. The fall colors with splendid. Lots of bright yellows from the cottonwoods. In Lyons we took a break and order snacks at a coffeehouse. We rode east for several miles before turning south on to much quieter backgrounds. Along the way we some some parachutists and later a newlywed couple in a horse-drawn carriage. We got back to his apartment shortly after sunset and then headed to a sports bar to watch some great college football games.

Full Screen Version Click here for the map

Trip Statistics
Length: 34.3 miles
Ride Time: 2 hours 31 minutes
Total Time: 3 hours 40 minutes
Avg. Speed: 13.6 MPH
Max. Speed: 30.2 MPH
Total Ascent: 1,000 ft.
Max Elev.: 5,730 ft.

Elevation Profile

Elevation Profile

US-36 Approaching Lefthand Creek

High Plains from US-36 near Lyons

Foothills from US-36

Prairie Dogs and Grain Silos

North 63rd Street

Four Mile House

2011-10-20T15:44:00.001-04:00

Since I arrived in Denver, I've been focusing on finding housing and getting my bearings. Today, I took a break from that process and visited a historic site. The Four Mile house is Denver's oldest building. Built during Colorado's first gold rush in 1859, it served as an inn and tavern at the last stagecoach stop before downtown Denver. Now it sits at the center of a small park surrounded by development.

I took a tour of the house and grounds. Subsequent owners made additions and alterations so I saw a variety of architecture and decor in one small building; from rustic rough hewn logs to refine Victorian parlor.

The Final Leg

2011-10-15T02:32:00.001-04:00

I completed the drive to Denver today. It was a beautiful day to be out on the road. After putzing along at 50-100 miles a day, it actually felt freeing to set the cruise control and breeze down the freeway. I had the sun at my back through the dramatic mesas & buttes of Eastern Utah & Western Colorado. The last 200 miles of the drive--through the heart of the Rockies--was sadly in the dark, but if all goes according to plan, I'll be well positioned to return "up the mountain" during daylight hours.

So one month & 7,800 miles after leaving Niles and about four months & who knows how many miles after departing Philadelphia, I finally made it to Denver. A handful of highlights will show just what a great run it has been: 42 states; the final space shuttle launch; visits with all my brothers & sisters, every niece & nephew, all six of my aunts, all but one uncle, and five cousins; my first camping experience; three bike rides around Niles; ten days traveling through the West with my mom; reaching both the Atlantic & Pacific ocean; pulling honeysuckle at the creek property; a Silverhawks baseball game with my dad; and my first look in to the Grand Canyon.

But now, it's time to get on with more serious work, namely finding work. Tomorrow, I'll start to look for some flexible short term housing. Once my computer is set-up, I can begin the job hunt in earnest.

Cerscent Junction Rest Area

2011-10-14T18:19:00.001-04:00

I think I've already driven as many miles today as I have the previous four days this week and I've still got 300 miles until I get to Denver. Here are some pictures from the last few miles.

Energy Loop

2011-10-14T16:30:00.001-04:00

I drove part of the "Energy Loop" Scenic Byway on my way east today. The part I drove goes past a coal mine. For about two miles, a conveyor runs parallel to the highway. It takes coal from the mine to the railroad. Besides this feature, there was lots of scenery & fall colors to enjoy along the way.

Manti Temple

2011-10-14T13:53:00.001-04:00

I'm back in Utah. I saw this temple while driving through Mango.

Bristlecone Pines

2011-10-14T01:55:00.001-04:00

By truncating my Wheeler Peak hike, I saved time to see a grove of Bristlecone Pines. After retracing my steps down the mountain, I turned on to a new trail that led pass a couple of alpine lakes toward an short interpretive trail.

Bristlecone Pines are the oldest living things on the planet. Some that I saw today were over 3,000 years old and they do show there age. They grow in twisted & contorted patterns that are marvelous to look at. I enjoyed it so much I hiked the loop trail in both directions to get more than one perspective. For the most part it was quiet, but occasionally a wind would howl through the trees to remind me that I had a two-mile hike back to the car.

Wheeler Peak

2011-10-14T01:45:00.001-04:00

Wheeler Peak is the tallest mountain in Great Basin National Park, and the second tallest in Nevada. I hoped to finish on a bang by hiking to the top. I did fairly well under the circumstances, but stopped a mile short and 1,000 feet under the summit. There was a a lot of snow and a blustery wind to make the going unpleasant. I'm glad I attempted it, got as far as I did and decided to turnaround where I did.

Lehman Cave

2011-10-14T01:34:00.001-04:00

Today, I visited Nevada's only national park, Great Basin. A relatively new park--it will celebrate its 25th birthday in 10 days--one of the main attractions is a cave filled with elaborate formations. They actually have 40+ caves in the park, but only one, Lehman, has so many formations.

Before the park service took over during the 1930s, it was a privately run show cave. Now, it is only accessible on a ranger-led tour. The tour lasted about 90 minutes. The ranger in charge did a very good job. He encouraged interaction and got it. I've only been to a couple caves in my life. This one was by far the most ornate.

Ward Charcoal Ovens

2011-10-13T02:51:00.001-04:00

Fifteen miles from Ely are six graceful charcoal ovens built & used during the short heyday of an the Ward, Nevada silver boom. Most charcoal was prepared in open pits, but the smelters in Ward invested substantial capital to construct these more efficient ovens. Today, they sit quietly far removed from the nearest hint of civilization in a small grove of pinyon & juniper, an ironic harmony considering the enormous quantity of wood consumed by the ovens when they were active.

Amateur

2011-10-13T02:35:00.001-04:00

I've been to way more states this year alone than this blokes taken this TV that I saw in downtown Ely. Yet, if he man

Economy Drug

2011-10-12T18:41:00.001-04:00

Based on the recommendation of the railway museum clerk, I had lunch at Economy Drug in downtown Elgar. It has an old fashioned soda fountain counter inside. I had a great turkey & swiss sandwich with a chocolate & caramel malt.

Nevada Northern Railway

2011-10-12T18:38:00.001-04:00

For a measely $4, I got a fanastic two-hour tour at the Nevada Northern Railway Museum. Descended from a line built in 1909 to connect Ely and its copper mine to the Central Pacific, the tourist railroad inherited a great collection of engines, rolling stock, tracks, & railyards just three years after the mine ceased operations.

The tour allowed access to the repair shop & engine house. Inside were close to a dozen locomotives: some steam, some diesel; some operable, others not. At first it was just the guide, Bob, & me surrounded by the silent giants in the dark, gritty building. I've seen plenty of train engines before, but this was different. The environment removed some typical barriers, physical & psychological, and provided a more authentic experience.

Eureka!

2011-10-12T18:15:00.001-04:00

The exclamation point isn't officially part of the town's name, but it sure seems appropriate. Eureka is one of Nevada's early mining towns. It burned down twice. After, the second conflagration, the citizens turned to brick to rebuild. Of the towns that I've driven through on the Lonliest Highway, it is by far the most charming. I had a nice breakfast at the Owl Cafe and went in a few of the historic buildings: the courthouse, the city hall, and the town museum, which was in the old newspaper office.

Hickison Petroglyphs Campground

2011-10-12T12:26:00.001-04:00

Last night, I found my favorite kind of campground, a free one, in which to spend the night. I had planned to drive to Eureka to find a motel until I saw the sign for a campground. I even arrived with some daylight left in which to set up the tent. It was a really lovely spot, surrounded by sage & pinyon pines. High on a hill looking down in to the valley I could see in the distance the headlights from cars appraoching on the highway. They were so far away, they didn't seem to be moving at all.

With camp set up, I hiked the short trail around some more petroglyphs. It was too dark to see the prehistoric artwork, but the full moon cast enough light to hike through the shrub forest without a flashlight.

It got really cold last night. It was 32 degree when I woke up at 6:30. I wasn't uncomfortable, but was for the first time aware of the cold. This morning, I retraced my steps around the petroglyph loop. The ones from two days ago were more impressive.

Lonliest Road Pictures

2011-10-12T12:08:00.001-04:00

A big part of the appeal of this route is driving along such a gorgeous, desolate highway. There were plenty of highlights today. Here are pictures of a few.

Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park

2011-10-12T11:59:00.001-04:00

Though it was a good distance of US-50, I opted to visit Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park. As the 3+ hours that I spent there will attest it was worth the stop. The park features two distinct parts; a pavillion built over fossil remains of an ancient marine mammal and the remains of a couple mining ghost towns.

The fossil house was locked up, but was designed in away to allow visitors like me to peer through windows to see the fossils of the of the giant marine mammal in situ.

In any event, I was really came to see the mine history. There were actually two. All that remains of Union is one adobe house, but the park had about a score signs to mark the locations of other houses, stores & community buildings. The town of Berlin is much more intact. The mine shaft, the mill & a handful of other structures still stand. They are also marked with signs to identify them & relay a little history.

Even though it was getting on in the day, I walked a tad further to the Diana Mine entrance. I was a splendid spot to end my visit. The mine was neat, but it also offered a wonderful view over the broad valley to the west. A couple fighter jets from the nearby base roared overhead as I stood by, soaking up the scene.

Sand Mountain

2011-10-12T11:58:00.001-04:00

Sand Mountain isn't really a mountain at all. As the name might suggest to you it is a really tall sand dune. Visible for miles along US-50, I turned off the highway to get a closer look. I arrived on the right day. The Bureau of Land Management operates the site as a recreation area. Most days, the only way to gain access is to buy a $40 weekly pass. From the many tire tracks it is obvious the place is popular with off road vehicles. For whatever reason Tuesday & Wednesday are free days.

Like a moth to a flame, when I see a sand dune, I'm compelled to climb it. And climb, I did...all 400 feet. The view up top was grand, but of course coming down was the real prize. I peeked at my GPS & saw I broke 8 MPH. In retrospect, I like to think that I could have broken 10 if I really wanted, but at the time all that was on my mind maintaining some degree of control as I hurtled down the slope.

Not far from the dune is a short trail to the remains of a Pony Express Station. It was just one of several sites/markers I would see on that topic throughout the day.

Grimes Point

2011-10-11T00:39:00.001-04:00

I had planned to make it further east today, but was caught at a deceptively-bland sounding wayside for the last hour or two of daylight. Grimes Point Archeological Area contains a field of boulders covered with petroglyphs ranging from 7,000 to 1,000 years old. A couple of trails leave from the parking area; one loops through the boulders, the other climbs a nearby hill for a commanding view of the area. Naturally, I had to hike both. Both before and after the Sun dropped behind the clouds, it was a great time to be out on the trail. The rich color, mostly yellows & golden, gave way to the calming purples & violets of the impending dusk.

The Lonliest Road

2011-10-11T00:32:00.001-04:00

In the 1980s Life magazine published a story proclaiming US-50 across Nevada as the Lonliest Road in America. Intended as a disparaging moniker, today, the state uses the name in a marketing campaign. If got me here. Today, I got two of the five stamps needed to earn a certificate stating that I survived the Lonliest Road.

One side note: Today, I finally ran out of windshield wiped fluid. I've known this day was coming, but, you know how these things are, you're never really prepared when it finally happens.

Fort Churchill

2011-10-11T00:19:00.001-04:00

About 1:00 PM, I left Carson City along US-50. The first site to attract my attention was Fort Churchill a few miles off the main highway. Nevada never had the heavy military presence common to other Western states, but during the decade of the 1860s, this outpost was the army's main base in, at first, the territory, then the state. Not much is left. Just a few exposed, Adobe walls. I walked the main trail, then drove down to a picnic area to get a glimpse of the Carson River picnic before leaving the isolated park.

Kitt Carson Trail

2011-10-10T23:10:00.001-04:00

After Brunch, I explored Carson City on foot using the Kitt Carson Trail as my guide. Similar to the Freedom Trail in Boston, the trail collects the city's historical sites along a circuitous path. The sequence was hard to understand, but using the map I was able to find most of sites & listen to about a dozen short podcasts about them on my phone. The highlights were the State Capitol, the Governor's Mansion, Mark Twain's brother's house, & a historic hotel.

Nevada State Railroad Museum

2011-10-10T13:30:00.001-04:00

I'm having breakfast at Mom & Pops Diner after spending the first part of the morning at the Nevada State Railroad Museum. The Silver State's railroad history centers mostly on two lines, the Central Pacific and the Virginia & Truckee. The museum does a very good job telling the story of the former. Most of their stock comes from the latter. The prize piece is a McKee combination engine. Of 150 everbuilt, it is the only one still in existence.

Lake Tahoe

2011-10-10T00:51:00.001-04:00

I spent the afternoon on the western shore of Lake Tahoe. Entering the basin from the northwest, the first thing I did was fill up the gas tank with the cheapest fuel yet on the trip ($3.57/gallon) not far from the lake's outlet in to the Truckee River. I spent the most time along Emerald Bay in the southwest corner of the lake. I hiked down to Vikingsholm, an early lakeshore vacation home that is now a state park museum. Tours are done for the season, but it was impressive enough from the outside to justify the mile hike. As the name suggests, it is a Scandinavian design.

I continued on to nearby Eagle Falls & then down the Rubicon Trail, which hugs the shore of Emerald Bay, for about two more.miles. I walked back along the shoulder of the highway for some even better views of the bay.

Indian Grinding Rock

2011-10-10T00:42:00.001-04:00

Last night, I camped at Indian Grinding Rock State Park in the Western Sierras. This morning, I woke up at sunrise to explore the park. Miwok Indians used an outcropping of rock to pound acorns into to flour. Their actions left behind over 1,000 mortar holes in the rock. In addition to looking if these Chaw'se, as the Miwoks called them, I walked a short interpretive trail through the forest.

Sutters Fort

2011-10-10T00:36:00.001-04:00

Prior to the gold rush, Swiss immigrant John Sutter was the most important person in California. His base of operations was a fort that, surpringly, remains intact not far from Central Sacramento. From this outpost, he sent relief supplies to members of the Donner Party. His need for lumber prompted the construction of a saw mill up in the Sierra foothills and the subsequent discovery of gold there. He wasn't able to capitalize on the gold rush. Ironically, it deprived him of the precious labor he needed to run his fort.

California Railroad Museum

2011-10-10T00:26:00.001-04:00

My first destination after leaving Forest Ranch was the California Railroad Museum in Sacramento. They have a big collection of locomotives & cars under one roof. Not surprisingly, the main hall starts with the story of the Central Pacific then branches out to cover other aspects of railroading in the state. They rigged one coach car to rock back and forth as you walk through. The windows are blacked-out & the lights dimmed so it feels like you're truly riding the rails. The film was forgettable. They seemed most interested in mentioning as many minority groups as possible.

The museum anchors the northend of Old Town Sacramento, a district designed to recreate the early days of the city. I walked through the reconstruction of the hardware store where the Big Four incorporated the Central Pacific, and also walked a little ways down the river before returning to the car.

Cuz

2011-10-10T00:04:00.001-04:00

I ended up staying at my aunt's for three nights. The extra night gave me the whole day Friday to spend with my cousin & her 5 kids. They live in Missouri. Like me, they were deep in to a cross-country adventure & Aunt Gretchen's was sort of the inflection point. Sticking close by the cabin for the day, we took a couple hikes, tossed footballs & frisbees, met the neighbors turkeys, conversed, rough-housed and cleaned our cars.

Northern California

2011-10-07T10:56:00.001-04:00

I've been putzing around Northern California for the last two days. The weather has been unseasonably cool; not very conducive to sight-seeing. I'm taking it as a sign that it is time to turnaround & head for Denver to start my job search. But, I didn't want to leave the state without visiting my aunt who lives near Chico.

I planned to stay one night until I heard that my cousin from Missouri was rolling in a day behind me. I decided to stick around to see her & meet her kids. Today, I killed time seeking out some covered bridges & a couple mining sites.

Monterey

2011-10-05T02:06:00.001-04:00

Monterey was the first capital of California. During the Gold Rush, San Francisco surpassed it to become the most important city in the territory. I stopped by to experience some of its extensive history. I thought about going to the highly regarded aquarium, but the admission was greater the my interest level. I did poke around to of the tourist shopping enclaves, Fisherman's Wharf & Cannery Row.

Big Sur

2011-10-05T01:59:00.001-04:00

North of Hearst Castle, Big Sur territory starts in earnest. I didn't have a lot of time left in the day. The only notable site I had time to enjoy was a collection of Elephant Seals on a beach visible from a pull off the highway.

After a couple of tries, I found a camp site part way up the coast, the first time I had to search multiple campgrounds for a place to stay. It rained most of the night. Today, I spent the first half of the day completing the drive. I stopped at a couple of state parks and a handful of scenic views along the 5 hour drive.

Hearst Castle

2011-10-03T20:00:00.001-04:00

Approximately halfway between LA & San Francisco, Hearst Castle is the popular name for William Randolph Hearst's Estate. The publishing magnate started building the 165,000 square foot mansion in 1919 on inherited land. He never finished it.

I took the general tour through the living room, dining room, & theater. The grounds contain three guest houses set among immaculate gardens. Each is as large as a good size house house. The Neptune Pool is probably the most picturesque feature. Hearst purchased columns dating from late Roman Empire to use to complete it.

Purisma Mission

2011-10-03T14:27:00.001-04:00

La Purisma was one of the 21 missions Spain established in the late 1700s to colonize California. Like most of the missions, it was abanoned & started to decay. Unlike, the other missions this one got a new lease on life during the Depression. CCC work crews restored the mission. Today, it is the most complete, albeit not original, of the missions.

Hollywood

2011-10-02T18:47:00.001-04:00

We ate lunch at Mel's Diner--featured in American Grafitti--in Hollywood & then walked over to Graumann's Chinese Theater to see the concrete imprints made by Hollywood stars like Henry Fonda, Will Smith, & R2D2. We also walked up & down several blocks of Hollywood Boulevard reading the names off the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Bob Hope, Gene Autry, Jay Leno, & Lou Costello are a few of the honorees we recognized.

La Brea Tar Pits

2011-10-02T17:18:00.001-04:00

Today, Jeff & Debbie are going to give me a tour of some West LA sites. We started at the La Brea Tar Pits. It was a much more interesting place than I expected. They we have small museum with great exhibits showing some of the thousands of animals excavated from the pits. We also took an hour our of the grounds that provided a lot--I might say too much--information.

Santa Monica

2011-10-02T04:29:00.001-04:00

For dinner & evening entertainment, we drove about an hour to Santa Monica. After walking through the main shopping district, we settled on a restaurant called Bhudda's Belly for dinner. Then, we walked to the famous pier. We wanted to ride the Ferris Wheel, but so did half of Los Angeles. Rather than wait an hour, we opted for a spin on the rollercoaster, the West Coaster.

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library

2011-10-01T20:54:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, I went to visit another cousin, Steve Vandewalle. He lives northeast of San Diego. It was a long drive from Phoenix, but I'm glad I stopped by even if only for a short visit. They kindly allowed me to stay with them last night. This morning, I drove north of LA to see a friend from U of M.

After an In n' Out Burger lunch, we went to the Reagan Museum & Library. The museum recently redid the displays. There were a lot of neat & interesting items on exhibit: the suit he wore during the assassination attempt, his hand-written "farewell" letter, part of the Berlin Wall, and Air Force One.

He's is buried in a beautiful setting on the grounds. The whole museum sits atop a hill overlooking Semi valley. The opposite hills were positively aglow in the late afternoon sun

Solo Again

2011-09-30T19:57:00.001-04:00

Today, I dropped my mom off at the Mesa Airport. She is flying back to South Bend; I'm continuing my road trip west. We spent the last day with my cousin Dan and his family in Phoenix. They showed us a great time. Mom really enjoyed visiting. He's older than me and grew up 5 hours away so this was the first chance I had to really get to know him.

It was a great way for mom & I to finish our time together. I was sad to see her go, but am looking forward to a little more time on the road.

Sedona

2011-09-29T17:09:00.001-04:00

On our way from the Grand Canyon to Phoenix, we went through the town of Sedona. Mom wanted to check out the shops. I was content to let her peruse on her own while I found a ice cream shop in which to read a newspaper for the first time in weeks. Ensemble, we made two stops in town: a viewpoint recommend by my cousin & the chapel of the Holy Cross.

The Grand Canyon

2011-09-29T00:30:00.001-04:00

Our first stop in Grand Canyon National Park was Desert View Watchtower at the eastern end of the park. It was a great place to get our first glimpse of the natural wonder. Located where the Colorado bends west, it allows you to see far in both the upstream & downstream directions.

We continues following the south rim downstream (west) stopping at some but not all the many viewpoints. We wanted to get to one lesser known spot in particular that required a mile hike. Once we reached the rim, it felt like we had the whole canyon to ourselves. We were both struck by the extreme silence of the place.

For sunset, we rejoined the crowds; this time at Mather Point near the main visitor center. After the last splash of sun left the farthest reach of the canyon, we walked a mile or two along the rim in the fading light to an excellent evening program whose topic was the introduction of condors to the canyon area.

Glen Canyon Dam

2011-09-28T16:02:00.001-04:00

Our route to the Grand Canyon crossed the Colorado River at Glen Canyon Dam, one of the last major dams built in the country. Comparable in size to Hoover Dam, it forms Lake
Powell, a resevoir that supplies water to 4 states in the upper Colorado basin. I remember reading a book on its construction in college. We stopped at a couple overlooks & the main visitor center. The last overlook on the way out of town was the best. From it, both bridge & dam were visible between the canyon walls.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes

2011-09-28T12:47:00.001-04:00

We just left Coral Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, our last stop in Utah. The park's name pretty well describes the place. While I hiked out to the top of the two tallest dunes, mom walked the nature trail. On our way out, we stopped at the visitor center. Inside, they had had on display jars filled sand from all over the world including several from the great lakes.

Scenic Byway Utah 12

2011-09-27T22:56:00.001-04:00

From Kodachrome, we returned to the scenic byway proper and spent the rest of the day driving the last 90 miles of it. Along the way, we stopped at numerous pullouts & one more state park (Anasazi).

The scenery continued to get more spectacular as we went. One pullout in particular offered a panorama unlike any that I'd ever seen before. Barren white rock stretched out below, punctuated by canyons, gorges, mounds, & streaks of grays, reds, & pinks.

After the state park, the scenery changed entirely. As we ascended Aquarius Plateau, a forest of pines & aspens spread out on both sides of the highway. In an open range national forest, we also saw plenty of cows, one or two on the road itself.

Kodachrome Basin State Park

2011-09-27T19:50:00.001-04:00

At Kodachrome Basin State Park, we hiked out over a mile to a place called Secret Passage. It was a much tougher hike than either of us expected at the onset. Even though, we weren't that far removed from Bryce, it was a very different environment. It was very much a desert hike. Add to that a trail was constantly going up or down.

Despite the challenge, we did OK. The hike was well worthwhile. It took us passed sandstone formations that are unlike anything else on the planet. One named Ballerina Spire was especially impressive. Secret Passage was a gap in the rock formation just beyond a natural amphitheater that was very cool in more than one sense of the word.

Mossy Cave

2011-09-27T13:57:00.001-04:00

Our next stop was a short trail to a waterfall & small cave. Mom got ambitious and hiked a social trail up the ridge further than I cared to go. The trail is actually in the national park, but is accessed from highway 12. It follows a man made stream built in the part 1800s to carry water to the nearby town of Tropic. It was a nice feature to follow a day after all that hiking in the arid main part of Bryce.

Red Canyon

2011-09-27T12:45:00.001-04:00

Today, we are going to drive along Scenic Highway Utah-12, stopping where ever suits our fancy. The first stop was Red Canyon, a kind of Bryce in Minurature. We had a nice wake up stroll along an interpretive trail that was about a half mile long.

Bryce Canyon National Park

2011-09-27T11:40:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, we woke up early to see the sunrise from Bryce Point in Bryce Canyon National Park. Low clouds prevented us from receiving the full effect of the early morning light on Bruce's unique, colorful hoodoos, but we struck around and enjoyed the scene when the sun did emerge.

After breakfast, we split up for the really for first time on the trip. I hiked a series of trails that added up to about 14 miles. Mom did a few shorter loops & listened in on a couple ranger programs.

We rendezvoused about 5:00 PM & drove to Rainbow Point at the southern end of the park's scenic drive. There, we walked the Bristlecone Pine Loop through a pine forest to a great viewpoint looking. We stopped at a few more viewpoints driving back to the visitor center where we watched a short film about the park & bought souvenirs.

We left the park after sunset, having literally spent the whole day there. On the way back to the hotel, we detoured to try a restaurant recommended by the owner of th hotel, Hatch's Station.

Salt Lake City

2011-09-25T22:42:00.001-04:00

Today was a transition drive for us roadtrippers. We finished the second half of the drive to Southern Utah, where we'll spend the next 2 or 3 days. But before leaving Salt Lake, we paid a visit to Temple Square, attended a wonderful mass at the Catholic cathedral, drove quickly around Utah's campus, and inspected This is the Place Heritage Park. The latter is on the site where the first Morman pioneers entered Salt Lake Valley.

Snake River Float Trip

2011-09-25T00:15:00.001-04:00

Mom suggested, we use part of our time in the Tetons to join a float trip down the Snake River. We called a couple places in the morning and were able to secure a reservation for the same day. In total the trip allowed about two hours on the water. The company shuttled us 10 miles upriver & we floated back down in a rubber raft with 13 other people (including the guide).

The trip was great fun. It was a great activity for this time of year. The riverbanks were lined with golden-leaved cottonwoods. We saw 4 bald eagles including 1 pair. Mom made a new friend, a fellow educator, who once taught in Alaska. Oh and off & on there were these magnificent mountains visible to the west.

String Lake

2011-09-25T00:00:00.001-04:00

To be clear, we didn't take any long hikes in Yellowstone, not because mom was not capable, but because there were many other things to do & see. A decent hike however is a quintessential part of a trip to Grand Teton. We found a good challenge in a loop that used a couple different trails to circle String Lake, one of the glacial lakes at the base of Mount St. John, in about 4 miles. A more critical stat is that we climbed a total of 550 feet along the way.

Grand Teton National Park

2011-09-24T23:20:00.001-04:00

From Yellowstone, we drove south in to nearly adjacent Grand Teton National Park, home to one of the most impressive mountain ranges on earth. The mountains rise in dramatic fashion 5,000 to 7,000 feet above the valley floor.

We stayed the night in a cabin in the northern part of the park; and used the early morning to drive to several scenic lookouts, late morning to hike a trail at the base of the mountains, and afternoon to enjoy a float trip 10 miles down the snake river. We ate diner at a tavern in downtown Jackson just off the main square before starting the long drive to Salt Lake City.

Final Yellowstone Stops

2011-09-24T00:56:00.001-04:00

With the couple hours of daylight we had left, we stopped at three more geyser basins--Black Sand, Biscuit, & West Thumb--and drove a short distance along the shore of Yellowstone Lake. At the last stop, West Thumb, we got caught on the trail at dusk & had to slip out uncomfortably close to a grazing elk. When mom said she hoped to see more wildlife, I doubt this is what she had in mind.

Old Faithful

2011-09-24T00:50:00.001-04:00

The main reason for our return to Upper Geyser Basin was to see an eruption of Old Faithful. While we had seen a couple on Wednesday, they were either from a distance or in the dark. Today, we got to see Old Faithful up close & in full daylight. It was the last eruption we saw before leaving the area, but before pulling out for good, we took time to watch one of the park films & get a rare midday meal.

Grand Geyser

2011-09-24T00:43:00.001-04:00

Grand & Castle's prediction times overlapped, but from the crowd gathered around, we could tell that Grand had not yet erupted. We weren't as lucky as at Castle. We found a spot on one of the benches & sat down for an eventual wait of two hours. The spectacular eruption was well worth it.

In a way, I think it is part of the experience to have to wait it out a while. It builds the anticipation & gives you a chance to interact with the people around you. That said I'm glad we didn't have to wait 5 full hours like some people did.

Castle Geyser

2011-09-24T00:38:00.001-04:00

We returned to the Upper Geyser Basin today to catch some of the action we missed on Wednesday. Castle Geyser was the next scheduled major geyser to erupt. It was also the closest. It began to erupt right as we walked up to it.

Midway Geyser Basin

2011-09-24T00:35:00.001-04:00

From Great Fountain Geyser, we drove to Midway Geyser Basin. Its best known feature is Grand Prismatic Spring, the largest hot spring in the park. It is deep blue in the center & a rainbow of colors along the edge. It is hard to really get a good sense of it from the boardwalk so we found our way up a nearby hillside for a better vantage.

Great Fountain Geyser

2011-09-23T16:56:00.001-04:00

This morning we got to see Great Fountain Geyser erupt. It was our first stop in the park for the day. We got there around an hour before the predicted time (9:30 AM). It was clear that it would be awhile before the show. I set-up camp and she headed off to explore a little part of the park on her own, but don't worry, she made it back in plenty of time to see the eruption. It was still pretty cold and the eruption was shrouded in a tower of steam.

Norris Geyser Basin

2011-09-23T16:51:00.001-04:00

We covered a lot of ground yesterday. I had hoped to leave more time for Norris Geyser Basin, one of my favorite places in the park. We got there just before sunset and only had time for a brisk walk around the outer loop of Back Basin. It is the best time of the day to be in that area of the park.

I pulled out the flashlight to finish the hike. Afterward, we drove a short distance to the nearby campground where the park held an night sky program that was very worthwhile even if it meant another late night.

Mammoth Hot Springs

2011-09-23T16:29:00.001-04:00

Continuing our trip around northside of the park, we visited Mammoth Hot Spring. I dropped mom off at the top & shuttled the car down to the bottom. We met on the terraces. The colorful hot springs weren't the only delight. It also proved to be a great spot for bird watching. We were especially interested in a species of blue birds that were very vibrant in flight. We also laughed at a Magpie that hopped up to the Mini & smacked on some bugs in the grill.

Wraith Falls

2011-09-23T16:26:00.001-04:00

We aren't going engage in any real long hiking, outside of wandering around the geyser areas, in Yellowstone, but I wanted to get mom out on at least one trail. Half-mile (one-way) Wraith Fall seemed like a good candidate. It leads to a lovely waterfall far enough from the park road to hide the sounds of traffic.

Mud Volcano

2011-09-23T16:05:00.001-04:00

Sandwiched between our visits to the canyon, we stopped in at Mud Volcano area, small hydrothermal area with some distinct features. We walked the trail up Cooking Hillside, surveyed Sour Lake, took in the namesake attraction, and marveled at the sounds coming out of Dragons Mouth Spring.

Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone

2011-09-23T16:03:00.001-04:00

One of yesterday's main destinations was the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. We visited Artist Point on the South Rim and a couple viewpoints on the North Rim, including Lookout and Inspiration Point. My mom was even up for a hike down part way in to the canyon & more importantly back out. The trail ended at one of my favorite views of the Lower Falls. I was really glad she got to see that view.

Upper Geyser Basin

2011-09-23T09:31:00.001-04:00

From 2:00 PM until about an hour after sunset, we explored the Upper Geyser Basin, the greastest concentration of geysers, hot springs & other hydrothermal features in the world.

We saw most of the major geysers erupt, including all the ones that the park posts prediction times, albeit some from a distance. We had to wait awhile to see Daisy erupt, even giving up at one point. When we passed by 20 minutes later, it showed more signs of life so we waited just a little while longer and received a spectacular, private show. Then, we walked over to Riverside Geyser, which was already erupting in great late afternoon fashion complete with a rainbow. On our way back theogh the basin, we saw Castle erupt from a distance.

We continued to explore the area; seeing a few more small eruptions; hiking up to Solitary Geyser, & finally at the end of the day, seeing an Old Faithful eruption. The last came well after sunset, with just the faintest amount of light left to illuminate the geyser.

Fountain Paint Pots.

2011-09-23T09:22:00.001-04:00

Our first stop in the park was Fountain Paint Pots, a smLl geothermal area in the Lower Geyser Basin. It's signature feature is one of the best examples of bubbling, gurgling, slurping mud pots in the park. It is the first time my mom ever saw something like it. She also saw her first geyser eruption inq Clepshydra, which plays continuously.

Mesa Falls

2011-09-23T09:12:00.001-04:00

On our way to Yellowstone Wednesday morning we made one small detour to see Mesa Falls.

Travel Party Doubled

2011-09-21T09:21:00.001-04:00

Yesterday, I picked my mom up at the Salt Lake Airport. Were going to travel together for the next 10 days, first to Yellowstone and then Bryce & and Grand Canyon National Parks. We didn't have a lot of time after her flight arrived but we were able to drive most of Logan Canyon Scenic Byway including a hike around Tony Grove Lake before it got dark.

Utah Roadside Sites

2011-09-21T09:12:00.001-04:00

I spent most of yesterday morning & afternoom, driving to Salt Lake City & taking care of some travel errands (i.e. shopping, car wash). Along the way, I pulled over at a few scenic spots. Here are pictures of two; Starvation Lake and Devils Slide

Blue Mountain

2011-09-21T09:09:00.001-04:00

I made it into Utah before nightfall on Monday. For the first dozen miles in the state, Blue Mountain dominates the scene on the northside of the highway. I camped a few more miles down the road in Steinaker State Park. For the first time, the campsite was warm, set, & private enough to let me leave the tent fly off, which allowed me to view the vast array of stars in the dark sky throughout the night.

Mile 41

2011-09-19T19:31:00.001-04:00

US-40 in western Colorado near...well not really near anyplace.