weather

We had a very nice weekend and the weather was beautiful.   According to the weather forecasters, that was that.    Thunderstorms and rain were predicted for this afternoon through - well, through the end of our stay here.

Today Dave did a bit of work around Beluga (the new windshield has a tiny leak) and then we set off for a new to us State Park.   Because of Castlewood Canyon State Park's location hidden in the plains instead of the mountains, it is often overlooked.    Fine with us. 

For once, the forecasters were partially right and the sky grew dark as we walked around some of the overlooks.

As a result, we did most of our exploration of this rocky park by Jeep.    I had hoped to drive through the park, from north to south, but didn't know it had two sections, not connected by roads.     We did the first section, then turned around, exited the park, drove up rt. 83 to 86 and reentered again there.   A bit confusing, but, it is what it is.

Meadowlark serenade

this rock climbing area was closed to protect nesting raptors

The park provides many relatively short (up to 4 miles a section) hikes in a rocky canyon carved by Cherry Creek.    There are some interesting cliffs for climbers and several caves.    For history buffs, there are the remains of the Castlewood Canyon Dam, built in l870.

The dam burst in l933, ripping downstream into Denver, killing two people and destroying 6 bridges.

The park very pretty in the spring, home to many unusual wildflowers and lots of wildlife.

is she looking?

We managed to dodge most of the heavy rain and the sound of thunder reverberating in the canyon was quite interesting.    We had Lewis with us so he wouldn't be home alone if a storm came up.   He didn't seem to react to the storm in the backseat, a good thing.

The sun was out when we arrived home and we were able to sit outside and enjoy happy hour.....all and all a good day, despite the crappy weather.

Denver

Wednesday dawned clear and beautiful so we were on the road, headed east.

leaving Grand Junction

Our destination was Rifle Gap State Park, about half way between Moab and Denver.

Rifle Gap

This route is very familiar to us, we've driven it many times in the past.   Rifle Gap is always our first night.   It's quiet and beautiful and gives us a good night's sleep before tackling the rest of our drive on I-70.

The Rockies have had more than their fair share of snow this year and we were hoping the highway would be clear.    The closer we got to Vail Pass (10,660 ft.), the snowier the landscape became.

The lane we are restricted to (us and all the tractor trailers) is rutted and full of pot holes and broken pavement.    It's not a fun drive for Dave, keeping Beluga moving along with traffic and between the lines while dodging holes and ruts, avoiding guard rails and large trucks.     At least there was no snow on the road.

Dave was happy with Beluga's performance on the long grades this year.   Her new turbo charger made traveling up and down the mountain passes much easier.   

avalanche waiting to happen!

It was a relatively short drive that took a relatively long time.    As I check on the road conditions while we're driving, I noted three - three - truck fires along our route.    All with road closures.   One was in the west bound lane and did not affect our travel.    One had just cleared as we approached the Loveland Pass and Eisenhower tunnels (near 12,000 ft.) but one stopped us cold near Georgetown.   I received notice of this fire about an hour before we actually reached it, and it was still burning brightly as we were finally routed around.

Needless to say, we were tired when we arrived at Chatfield State Park.   We'll be here for 11 or 12 days so we found our site, set up and then headed out for a favorite restaurant in nearby Littleton.   We were looking forward to a great meal and a good night's sleep.

my very tired and very full driver

Friday night we met Jesse and Erin at Mizuna in Denver for a lovely Beef Wellington dinner.   Saturday we took dinner to their house and today, Sunday, they came down to Chatfield for a little happy hour in the sun and then a left over dinner and a strawberry/rhubarb pie.   I took no pictures, I will next time.   It's so nice to see them again, I totally forget the camera.

This State Park is under construction at the moment and there is a lot of disruption.    Our site, however, is lovely and green and quiet.   Bunnies, Robins, Magpies, Meadowlarks and militant hummingbirds entertain us with their springtime antics.

Lewis is loving the green green grass and the company of Jess and Erin.

Monday

clouds through The Portal

The weather has been unsettled, especially in the evenings.    Beautifully colored clouds give way to thunderstorms and furious showers, then rainbows.

Lewis has become thunder phobic, a fancy way of saying he panics, blind, shaking panic, when he hears thunder.    Last night, after a particularly loud boom, he jammed himself under Beluga's steering wheel and got stuck.    After some cajoling and yanking,  he "decided" that it would be safe enough under my computer table.

Since today's forecast included the possibility of rain and THUNDER we decided to scrap our original plans to leave Lewis home alone and go off roading with Gay and Joe.   The new plan was to take Lewis along on a nice, tame ride around the LaSal mountains loop.   The entire road is paved and we hoped it would provide some dry opportunities for Lew to get out and blow off a little tension.

We stopped at Sweet Cravings for a couple slices of their addictive orange bread on our way.....one needs to be fortified for a long drive.   

concentration

The parking lot was full, as it often is.   We pulled in next to the grey haired gentleman above.   His eyes never left the windshield, he was laser focused and we were an annoyance.   Dave spoke to him through the open windows, trying to get a reaction.   He flicked one ear, ever so slightly to indicate that he heard but he had a job and he was doing it......    Don't you just love dogs?

So, the LaSal Mountain Loop.....We started by driving through the beautiful Castle Valley and up into the LaSal Mountains.

Castle Valley

It was wet and grey and windy, with a fair amount of snow, but the views were outstanding.   We pulled off the road and back into a small, empty campground to eat our lunch.    We chose a spot surrounded by silvery Aspens.     They were still in their bare, winter stage but were beautiful in their simplicity and silence.

I didn't take many pictures, just enjoyed the journey.

We saw no flowers at the heights, things were just beginning to awaken.

As we descended, we began to see more flowers and signs of spring.   We stopped along the Pack Creek to enjoy a nice walk together.

Pack Creek

wait for Mom!

nasty looking sky waiting for us at the end of Spanish Valley

We all had a nice day and made it home before the rain set in.    It hasn't started to thunder yet, but Lewis has taken up residence under the table in preparation.   He asked that I don't photograph him there again, it's embarrassing.

We were originally scheduled to leave here in the morning but we've extended our stay by one day to try and avoid driving into the Colorado mountains on a rainy, windy day.    Keep your finger's crossed that Wednesday will be kind to us.

Taps for my camera

These are the last few pictures you'll see from my little point and shoot camera.  Always in my hand or my pocket,  my constant companion is now in a box ready to be sent for repair.    Don't feel bad for me, this one is my 4th.    I'm tough on cameras.   Because it's always with me, it is always in the elements.   Dust and sand and rocks are deadly to camera lenses and mine has been grinding in and out painfully for a while now.   I knew it wouldn't be long before the lens just refused to move.       Yesterday, along Onion Creek, it gave up the ghost.     Perhaps it was the sulfurous odor coming from the creek that made it stay inside.

I'm sorry, I know I've showed this to you before....but it makes me laugh

Onion Creek Road is one of our favorite drives in this area.   It is not technically difficult (although there are a few spots where the road is one lane only and they occur relatively high above the creek of course) but the scenery it passes through is a WOW.   The road crosses the creek about 34 times  (MonaLiza and I counted one time) and there is so much to see.    I won't write more about it, you've heard it all before.     The pictures that follow are taken with my phone :(

We misjudged the weather, or rather we believed the weather "forecasters".   It was supposed to be a sunny day.     We watched black clouds gathering over the beginning of our route, the way we had to get back.   Lightning split the sky ahead.     Luckily, the cell kept moving as we did so only a bit of the edge of the storm turned our dusty car muddy.

On the way back to Beluga we passed the entrance to Arches National Park.   The lines to get in, even in the late afternoon, were very long and two lanes wide.

hundreds of people waiting to get in to Arches National Park

This week is National Park Week, and seems to have drawn quite a crowd!   

This morning we had second cup with Lewis at our shady site and then Dave and I went into Moab to check out the Annual Car Show.

Dave is a good man.   He even held Lew's bone so he could chew it more easily.....

if Dave let go of the bone Lew would drag it to the grass to chew.....

The show was huge and very well done.   Lots of great cars from finely restored classics (and a few not so finely restored), funky rat rods, brand new showroom cars and highly modified Japanese models.     We had a good time but I really missed my camera.   It's no fun trying to capture the essence of these beauties with a telephone......

The "customized" wrecker used to get over ambitious or unlucky Jeepers out of bad situations was there.    Just for show mind you.     This particular guy (Rory) had just helped a man whose Jeep had overturned on one of the difficult trails.   The man lost several fingers in the wreck because he was holding on to the roll bar when the incident occurred.   Lesson learned.

This one's for you FRED!

so beautiful and clean.....

Afterward we had a yummy lunch at Sweet Cravings, did some grocery shopping and went back to Beluga.    Lewis was waiting for us.....he was hot.

can you get any closer to the fan Lew?
(pay no attention to the dust on the fan......)