Archive for August, 2015

It’s a Rock, It’s A Chimney; It’s surrounded by Utes

Saturday, August 29th, 2015

Here it is:

Chimney Rock National Monument

Proclaimed a national monument by President Barak Obama in 2012 and then decommissioned and ground up for driveway gravel by President Donald Trump in 2017 (anything over 500 million years old isn’t worth keeping).

Our archaeologist guide showing us the original rock construction of the kivas

This guy knew is stuff and kind of looked like actor Robert Preston from 1957. Sorry we couldn’t stick around for the full moon ceremony. Damn, that would have been cool!

Durango & Silverton

Tuesday, August 25th, 2015

All Aboard?

Backpacks loaded into baggage car

of the D&SNG which stands for the Durango and Silverton Narrow Gauge. How narrow? About 3 feet. Normal tracks are 4 feet, 8.5 inches.

Steam engine #486 getting ready to haul ass

Our asses, and a number of other passengers. We’re going up to Silverton, Colorado to see the mines.

Steam release on the bridge

If you think you are smart enough, you can wait for a good turn in the tracks and hang out to take a picture of the engine during the ride up to Silverton. Make sure you stow your valuables when you attempt this as they could get sucked out of the window. FYI, my hotel key card is now lying on the track bed about 25 miles south of Silverton!

The Return Trip ?

No, it was suggested that we take the train up to Silverton then take the bus back. It’s a good idea, especially if you’re not THAT crazy about trains. The trip up took 3.5 hours. Trip down, a little over an hour. Not the same as the FoCo trolly ride’s 10 minute trip but worth it once in a lifetime.

Was the Animas River Orange today?

No, all that bad orange sludge went  someplace into New Mexico and perhaps further South. NOTHING TO SEE HERE. GO ABOUT YOUR BUSINESS.

Great Dunes!

Saturday, August 15th, 2015

We had time for a short visit, but what the hey? It’s only a bunch of sand!

About 150,000 acres of dunes

And Daihinibaenetes giganteus

Commonly known as the Giant Sand Teader Camel Cricket.  Here’s one on his own mound of sand in the middle of Medano Creek. We must come back sometime and spend the night, the evening skies must be magnificent!

Swetsville Zoo Backlot part 2

Monday, August 10th, 2015

… A continuation from PART ONE, here, we have some cars and trucks:

None of these were from the showroom in the “back” of the zoo; those are still intact. But the huge boat near the fairy castle is gone! It could have floated away during the last flood of the Poudre River. Who knows?

Bellydance in Berthoud

Thursday, August 6th, 2015

Way on the other side of town…

Are we in Morocco?

No, Berthoud is a town of over 5000 people South of Loveland and a bit of a re-route via US 287 (the re-route happened in 2007. Perhaps Berthoud didn’t want a big highway going throuth their town?). The town was named after Edward L. Berthoud who pronounced his name “Bare-Too”. I hear people pronounce the town “Birth-Ud”, but next time I’m gonna call in “Bare-Too” and see what happens.