June 26,27 2010 Aspen, Colorado Maroon Bell hike

We left Buena Vista and went over the pass to Aspen to visit Jimjim and Martha.

Here we are at the pass into Aspen. I had to force John in this photo, he did not want to take touristy photos in Colorado. The alpine tundra was at its peak at the pass.

When we got to Aspen we went on a hike to a lake above Maroon Lake-above. Aspens
Columbines and a small waterfall

Now where was that trail? Martha and Sylvia hiking ahead of me

the lake, Of course once we got there it started to rain. We took shelter under a tree. From the back left, Karen, Jimjim, Sylvia, Brian, Joel, Suep and John.

Sylvia forgot a rain coat so John gave her his space blanket from his pack. It even works on Mars. After the rain we had a lovely rainbow. Martha and Jimjim with  the rainbow.

rainbow, closer up of the rainbow

Suep with the rainbow,Sylvia and Martha,

Jimjim and Martha, yellow flowers

June 25, 2010 comedy boating on the Poudre

Oh boy, I get to kayak on the Poudre. John bought me some lessons and I was feeling good.

Doing real well here on Ouzel. Then I got cocky on the next rapid, John was taking my photo, so I stopped paddling –a no no- and smiled for the camera.  My lovely boyfriend proceeded to film it. I was so freaked out  since this was the first time this year that I flipped, I forgot to stay with the boat, so I got beat to death by the rocks, and the boat went down the river by itself. John had to go find the boat.  Fortunately it snagged on a root, or I may never have seen it again. I swam out of the river on the side  where there was no road. I had to walk about a mile and a half before I got to a bridge.  Through  poison ivy. Good thing I still had my paddle, I had to use it as a crutch since I smacked my knee. I sure learned my lesson. These photos are about the funniest set I have ever seen.

Doing ok, then wait, put that paddle into the water!!! Paddle!!!

too late now!! Over she goes- an endo

Here is my head coming back up. I could have just grabbed the boat and swam it to shore or got back in , but no. . .

June 22, 2010 Buena Vista, Colorado

We drove to Buena Vista to visit Cathy Frasier and her new beau.  She moved down to Belize and met Rob and moved onto his boat with him and they run a charter service. We went to Cottonwood hot springs. We did not take the bus, decided gas would cost too much. So we drove, slept on the floor at Cathy’s

Cotton wood hot springs

John at Cottonwood hot springs checking out the statue, Rob riding     We went to visit a friend of Cathy’s who had horses. Rob and Cathy rode this beauty. She threw both of them. Cathy ended up hurting her back.

 
                                                                                              Cathy, John and I hiked up to tree line to Ptarmigan Lake. It was pretty windy, but still pretty. Cathy and John hid in the bushes.

Sue and Cathy wind blown by the lake, we thought Rosie should have come with us, so I photo shopped her in.

Sky pilots and a view of Mt Yale

Ptarmigan Lake, Sue and Cathy by the lower lake, and sue smelling forget me not's. mmmmmm

rodent with a tuxedo on,  , Rob and Cathy- We went to dinner at another friends of Cathy’s.                                                     We dressed in beach wear.

Cathy and Suep, Sue and John

Sue and John, John refused to pose with the broom, Rob and Cathy-American gothic. Rosie did   come down another night for dinner, so here are Cathy, Rosie and Suep

June 12- 13 2010 Kelly Flats, Poudre Canyon, Colorado

Our camp spot was reserved for the weekends, so we moved up stream to a first come, first serve campsite. To make sure we got a site John drove his van up there, set up a tent and put a couple chairs there.  Karen and Bill came up to see the bus, so they drove up with us and we sat around, drank wine and visited. They gave us a ride back to the bus. We took the bus up early the next day. The host asked about it and John said he slept in the tent. He also asked if we had seen the guy next to us and we said yes-but it ended up he did the same thing we did! We set up tent in case we had visitors, but it rained really hard and no one came up.
We drove up the Red Feather lakes one day to try to find a friend of Johns who was visiting. We didn’t find him, but I had never been there before so it was fun.  We had lunch there and then  bought some chocolate chips and went back to the bus and had cookies and watched movies. The next day we hiked a trail up the valley called roaring creek.

Bus at Kelly Flats, totem pole at Red Feather lakes

blue mist penstamen, Wild flowers on the hike

John hiking, calypso orchids

Storm up the canyon, John over roaring creek

view up the canyon from above the valley,   Hummingbirds at our feeder at Kelly flats, right outside our window.