Heading to Utah

After a day and night without rain, we were able to break camp early and pack a dry tent. I wanted to fish the Yampa River, so we headed to the Sarvis Creek WMA access on the Yampa, where I was able to fish for a little over an hour - only to be humiliated. In spite of the spectacular surroundings and some very classic fly-fishing water, I was skunked - but had a great time anyway. This WMA is a huge staging area for elk hunts on horseback and what a setting! We then took the one-lane road back out to civilization and headed to Craig, CO. Craig looked like a convenient place to grab a motel and shower, wash clothes, and get organized before we travel to our next destination; Flaming Gorge and the Green River, just over the border in Utah. We hope to camp there for three nights before moving on to the Ogden area on Friday to visit my cousin Eva. We were able to locate another quaint motel that worked perfectly. The Elk Run Inn is owned by a very nice couple (he is a fellow Rotarian), the rooms are very clean and fresh, and as you can see from the interior pic, is very heavy into the Southwest decor - very fitting, considering the geographic area we are in. Still having a hoot and we are off again!

Around Steamboat Springs

Decided to spend the day around Steamboat. Did some shopping and took a ride 4-miles out of town to Fishcreek Falls, a very popular natural feature - got a little hiking in to reach it. We also visited the mountain where Olympic ski-jumpers train - hoping to catch some in their summer practice jumps on the synthetic run, but there was no activity - snapped a picture anyway.

Are these our friends?

As we were leaving Warm Springs ranch, we noticed these two familiar individuals that resembled a couple of our friends back home. We knew they wanted to be here, and wondered if they had adopted a disguise to sneak out here. But we couldn't figure out which one was Vic and which one was Tom. Oh well, it doesn't matter,they were entertaining and we enjoyed them nonetheless.

Ben's Pics

As mentioned before, observing Ben and Heather manning the cameras, we picked up some helpful hints on taking photos. They each were consumed by the photo ops out here and produced hundreds of images. I offered them an opportunity to send me some of their favorites for inclusion on the blog - although we can't post all, I will include a sampling. Ben's are included here, Heather's will be added when she emails them to me after she gets home. Notice the animals in the first three photos: Something in the conversation Ben and Myka were having with them must have elicited some disbelief - probably something to do with them leaving.

Camping near Steamboat Springs, Colorado

Leaving Fairplay, we had intended to traverse Gore Pass, a scenic byway over to the Yampa area. Our plans were derailed by a truck that had turned over, resulting in a closed highway. Luckily, we had not gone far on Highway 134, before we got the news, so we had to backtrack very little. The happy result was that we ended up in Meadows Campground, a Forest Service property atop Rabbit Ear Pass, at an elevation of a little over 9,000 feet. We grabbed a nice campsite at the edge of the forest, within a short distance of an extensive meadow. The campground host advised of an opportunity to see some moose a short walk up a trail that begins near our campsite. We intend to give this a try in the 3-4 days we will be here. We are about 13 miles out of Steamboat Springs, a very pleasant burg surrounded by the Routt National Forest. We are benefitting from another fantastic library. Luckily, Charlcie is somewhat of a library addict, so she can entertain herself for the several hours necessary for me to update the blog. I hate getting this far behind, but it is kinda cool getting to spend time in all of these wonderful libraries - maybe some knowledge will rub off thru osmosis while spending time here. Notes: Sorry for so many pictures of the campsite, but it is so cool, I couldn't resist. Also, note the yellow flower - it is only 1/2" wide, but a lot of beauty is packed in that small frame. But not a match for the beauty that follows it!

Kite Lake: Other alpine wildflowers

As we often say, even though the pictures are enjoyable, they simply do not fully capture the magnitude and beauty of the subjects, whether it is the scenery, wildlife, wildflowers, etc. REMINDER: By clicking on each photo, you will get the full size with all the detail!!!Some professionals do a much better job. In fact, one such pro is Tom Kennon, a man of many talents, from being the CEO of Boyd Metals, the author of the definitive book on kayaking and canoeing Ozarks streams, to his photographic work. To see some dazzling photographic art, visit his website: tomkennonphotography.com - a collection of images of Colorado, Arkansas, and points beyond. In the meantime, enjoy these pictures from the Kite Lake area.

Kite Lake Columbine flowers

The columbine,I think, has become our favorite flower; a blend of simple and complex, and subtle colorings that are difficult to pull away from,especially since the opportunities to enjoy them are so infrequent. We've included a bunch of pics, but they deserve it.