Snowy End

Snow a week ago, and 72*degrees yesterday! Today is the last of the season for Shadowcliff- they're kickin us out. The building is shut down for the winter-doors boarded and all! Its made for a hectic last week of work- the last of our guests left on Sunday.

Its been an excellent season for me- Ive climbed Long's Peak, Cascade, Cumulus and Mt. Ida, and have seen the areas most vivid fall colour-change in years. The people here are awesome.

The season has been very frustrating for me, too. Job-applications have led nowhere, the truck doesn't want to run and the laptop and external hard drive on which ALL of my photos were exclusively saved have crashed and left me heartbroken. (the lack of photos is the reason for the lack of up-to-date blog posts) I even celebrated my first exhibit at the Grand Lake Fall Festival this year. Shadowcliff gave Kelly and I a booth to show my pics and Kelly's excellent artwork. it was a successful one!

I have photos from this season, though, and intend to write and post about all of my fall mountain-adventures as soon as I find a reliable computer! For now, though, Kelly and I are on the road. We will spend many days driving through CO, UT, AZ, NV and beautiful California!

So finally, THANKS and GOODBYE, Shadowcliff! The pic below was the last morning's view from the point- looking on to Shadow Mountain and over Tunnel road. Kelly and I climbed Shadow just last week to look down at the lakes and town from the ol' fire tower. Beautiful!

Our creeping sun

August 18 __It was a day of only four pictures. The morning's sky was a less-exciting grey, and a light fog smothered the valley and lake same as heavier clouds continued to conceal Flattop Mountain through the afternoon hours. As the sun fell closer to the obscured horizon of the Never Summers, however, western clouds began to break and we were gifted with a few minutes of beautiful light-play on the mountains.
Guests and staff alike fled into the porch's sunlight for the infrequent bursts of warmth- It put a smile on everyones face! For a moment , a wave of light rolled over just the top of Shadow Mountain, and another in the dramatic foreground of Flattop's cold scene. Over the Grandby area- far to the south appeared a brighter sky where the clouds had blown away. i wondered how much warmer it was just 10 or twenty miles south. I bet they didn't get the magic that we were experiencing! The Gore's were lit and colourful for Sunset- we didnt get much more than what they contributed to our dusk.

East Shore

AUG 17. What fortune to have something like the East Shore trail to hike before work in the morning. The wind from yesterdays storm system- and the rain and clouds- disappeared over night, leaving Shadow lake glassy and calm. The opportunity did not go to waste!
Kelly and I hopped onto the trail and reaped the early morning spectacles- Osprey and geese, beautiful Cinquefoil and the last of the season's rose blooms. There is a designated Osprey Nesting site not too far in, lake-side. The Shadow Mountain trail was to be the point at which we would turn around to make it back in time for Kelly's housecleaning duties- I had work later in the day.

Shrubby Cinquefoil, Dasiphora fruticosa

We made the dip where the big National Forest information board is and rounded the bends- Then there was a Moose. It wasn't until we'd just began playing with the idea of heading for home that we came across the big guy- Kelly spotted him before I did.

It was his Moose-Butt that we saw- right in the center of the trail!. it stopped us both in our tracks. I took some pics, and I'm sure that she got some very nice butt-pictures herself! The moose was aware of our presence- he turned his head just enough to catch a glance before turning again to repossess his space-out on the smooth water. The act appeared to be one of insolence. We dared not pass- thick brush to the left and a drop to the lake on the right left us no safe opportunity to pass, and the moose was definitely not going to move. We were silent. Kelly and I whispered back and forth, but words were useless in communicating the awe that we shared. He was massive- the size of the moose alone was more than impressive- intimidating.

Once our shock was overcome we walked quietly back towards where we'd come from and let the arrogant beast alone. He sensed our movement and gave another glance as I tried to turn my own eyes away. The moose began a slow walk- surly not as careful as ours.

We talked about the encounter for some time on the way back- Kelly checked the time and we'd made the reverse with none to spare. Conversation changed toward artwork- We talked about hers and mine. Kelly has been an accomplished artist since her high school years and she seems to find talent in my photographs. She again proposed the idea of sharing a booth at Grand Lake's Fall Festival at the end of September- she's got the thing planned out, and Bob intends to help us get a booth. I'm not sure that my silly photos have a place in the world of professional art, but it could be fun..?... We talked about the things on the trail and took a small side-trip up a mysterious clearing that looked to lead up the Mountain. We didnt get far- we didn't see much, either: Some rocks and a good puddle.

The 'trail' seemed to disappear and we were finally deterred by a good fallen tree. Some passer-bys expressed their curiosity as we met the main trail again. Kelly's reply to their inquiries was vague- she told them something to the effect of 'dont know whats up there- we didnt find anything exciting. She told them about the moose and made it back to work on time to conclude another successful trip. .

Daytrip; WY

August 16 I was invited to join Kelly and Libby on their afternoon joy-ride today and when work was finished and things were packed, a spontaneous roadtrip was had. No destination of course- similar previous outings had landed us on the shores of Shadow Lake, Willow Creek Reservoir and as far as Estes Park. ..South was the first decision to be made, though not until the junction of hwy34. I think that it was then Libby's suggestion to visit hwy 125- 16 miles and a little to the west. With everyone in a fun, adventurous mood the unfamiliar turn North was exciting...

Blue skies, good rockin' music and a sunroof- Libby had already been a' ways up this road.

Some of the forming clouds were phenomenal: they appeared right on top of us, and it became as though we were seeing strait down the foretelling line of a cold front. The open road drove us up into the mountains again- the 'backside' of the Never Summer Range, I think. 125 rolled over a low pass and we spotted signs labeling the 4x4 route to Stillwater pass and Grand lake. Kelly took advantage of the unexpected straightaway while theorizing why flat landscapes had never before been as spectacular and beautiful. She proposed the idea that, having spent two and a half months in the mountains, the strange, vast park was beautiful for it's unexpectedness and because it had become so unfamiliar to her. I, too, found it remarkable- though I had spent time driving through such flatness just a day ago.

Rumors of a town named Walden began to arise as the telephone poles continued to string in a strait line. Libby believed that C-14 intersected our highway in Walden, and suggested that we could drive it back to Grand Lake via Estes Park, but the idea went no further. It came quickly-the town of only a few blocks went fast, though Kelly sure had enough time to locate the area's ice cream shop. Maybe on the way back? Shortly after passing through the town we caught up to the befitting pick-up camper. Wyoming plates.

Wyoming? Kelly had been there once and Libby claimed limited familiarity. I think I figured once that the border is 50-someodd miles from Shadowcliff as the crow flies- the map read that 125 would branch from 127 just twentysomething miles from the state.

The Atlas circulated the car and a casual consensus was made. It became important to them to take me to Wyoming, and although nobody was sure what we would find there, it was surely going to be our next stop! The road led us through the Cowdrey community (not quite a town) which had no ice cream shops or much at all and a small ridge appeared in the far distance. high winds gave way to gusts that tore at the dry vegetation and drove awesome waves of cloud-shadows over the plains to where they were more spectacular on the hills. We took the first noticeable bend with the road shortly after the village, and turn infinite again. Kelly made another excellent Music choice and Libby basked when she could through the open top of the car- didn't even have to yield for the awaited turn towards Wyoming!

Walden, CO

The miles counted down until Libby got all excited about the Leaving Colorado sign to our right. we determined that the Welcome to Wyoming sign did not exist before we passed it. our goal was then accomplished and we turned for Walden after a chilly Bathroom break at the restrooms of a gravel turnoff. I stepped out of the car to examine wildflowers and walk and breathe in new territory.

Kelly appeared a few minutes later and yanked me from some short lavender lupines on the side of the lot. The sunroof was closed for a few minutes as we each recovered from the chill- Libby wore the rides' only long-sleeve.

It opened up again shortly after when the sun glared warmth. The long-hair had her dew eaten by the greasy vacuum of the roof in a hilarious event that had us two rollin' and crackin' jokes for quite a few miles. Conversation turned to our most embarrassing nicknames- each with a worthy story. I found my own to be less embarrassing and dastardly than some of the names mentioned... guess Ive been lucky...

Cowdrey appeared even smaller when we rode back through- the excitement had definitely gotten to us as the car shared a few moments of tired silence. Walden was next and I don't think that it was until we were in town that the advertised sweetshop was to be visited. The sky had grown threatening on the drive in, and Waldens' first juicy raindrops fell on our short jaunt around the corner. The town was quiet- only a few trucks were parked and buildings appeared disturbingly dark in the beginnings of the storm. I stepped aside for a second to take a pic.

Inside was a warehouse that made little sense at first. To the left, and around the beautiful old brick building were small displays of for-sale antiques. Old books, old china and the usual everything-else. Kelly was drawn to the highest-stacked bookshelves before anything else- Libby meandered and I gave the two at the ice-cream stand in the middle of the empty floor a quick friendly-nod before entering the carpeted bordering antique displays. The girls were all excited about a huge collection of Louis L'Amour stories. I had to ask about what made them so significant. Turns' out that he was a big Western Story writer and Kelly is a fan.

We got our treats- The large woman taking our orders some comments to the effect of 'been a long day..' and didn't come off as the most friendly of people. Her helper whipped up the sweets in only a few moments and gave a short smile. I wasn't sure about what to think of the encounter- I guess that most of her important patrons- the repeat-business-doers- are the recognisable locals and us one-timers required no more niceties while the sale was completed.

I glanced at the odometer on the far-side of Walden.. when Kelly mentioned the low-gas situation and I found that we were really going to have done 200 miles by the time we got home!

South of town- as we neared again the pass between us and Grandby- The storm which had poured on Walden became spectacular! Rain-bands, lightening and the ever-beautiful park all made for a scene worthy of stopping. Libby was tired, but Kelly braved the cold wind with me to admire what we had driven through. It was soo low to the ground! Amazing!

The surprise-trip had made for an exciting afternoon- we returned to Shadowcliff tired and happy!

In Colorado now

August 15
The drive seemed shorter than it did in July, and the intended route through Pawnee Buttes remains untraveled. Again the truck's spark-plug wires failed- east of Limon- and I dared not make the risk of becoming stranded before I was able to make it to Shadowcliff where I was to work in only two days.

The skies had been dark for a while at the time I exited 70 to climb over Berthoud Pass and the loud music deafened me to the weary scream of the engine, or just distracted me from it's nerve-racking 4000RPMs on my way to 11307 feet. Arapaho bay was my stopping place, though it was sure that I wouldn't arrive there until after 1am.

...Through Winter Park and into more familiar territory as I found myself to be the only moving vehicle in Grandby, just a few miles south of the damn' (Dam) turnoff. I slipped into spot number four as quietly as I could and made a fire and a bite to eat. My eyes quickly straitened and I regained my hearing- a second wind, it seemed- at least until I tried standing an hour or two after the start of my rest near the fire. I made a sloppy 3am camp next to the truck and was out.

A lonely campground host met me on his way around the drive- I had packed up camp by 5:30 and took a little stroll myself. The air was not too cold, but a heavy mist and a few seconds of rain had the place lookin' a little miserable. "Mornin, Kansas!" The old man had identified my licence plate and told me about how the number of moose sightings had dropped dramatically since the rains stopped in June. He had hoped to find one on such a wet morning as this, but had seen none in two weeks now. I learned that he and his wife were visiting from Texas for the season and intended to travel closer to home when the campgrounds closed. The man was very nice- he asked me if I was hungry and suggested the small bakery in the campground for his favorite warm Blueberry Muffins. Upon the close of our conversation, however, I chose a hike around Monarch Lake instead.

I first noticed that things appeared incredibly dry, despite the moist air. One island in the lake was a peninsula, creeks were shallow and I found no mushrooms. The old steam-donkey was a pleasant side-trip from the path- Some parts of it were especially interesting with the gloss of dew and rain. Flowers on the trail- the dominant Ox-eyed daisies- were blue-tipped. I suspected herbicide, but the blue was also on the vegetation around the flowers. A ranger approached me on the trail and asked where I'd been and what I was doing in something of a demanding tone. I answered and gave my own interrogation: "Whats with the blue?" He told me that the NPS had sprayed the daisies on Tuesday and then left without a smile- I completed my 3- or 4-mile orbit around the lake and spotted some blue in the sky. It was then I realized that i had come upon no precipitation since the steamer, only 1/3 the way around the lake. Things were looking beautiful! Grand Lake brought a smile to my face, but the truck wasn't doing so well. It was good to see my friends again, and I was excited to get started.

In the Nieghborhood

BLUE RIVER RD- all green and summery

tarryall creek WONDERS

With Antero under my belt, Ruby Mountain trespassed and St Elmo's gold mines collected of all of their beautiful gems, I turned north to the wonderful foothills of Tarryall. Though many adventures have been had since I last stayed in the Spruce Grove Campground, it was only a few more than 24-hours ago that I left it. The drive would take me only 65-miles up highways 285 and 24- through familiar places like the city of Buena Vista and vast South Park.
Through Buena Vista the drive was simple and easy- it was just about on the north end of town that the long day caught up to me; I began to space out with the dimming day. My thoughts wandered through Shadowcliff and many of my recent western adventures- mountains and flowers and rocks... As the sun set- I realized the drama as I paralleled Antero Resevior- I found myself in a huge basin and between a pair of towering storm clouds. The northerly one, which laid also slightly west of me- was the most colourful. It was nearly comparable to the brilliant thunderstorms I encountered on Day One regarding the deep reds, oranges and blues and not lightning or the dark bands of precip. The clouds that were south of me were a lighter orange- the storm was further from me and almost cream-colored. This southerly one appeared larger and more violent- I spotted several flashes underneath it- more than I would expect to see considering the high amount of light in those beginning stages of sunset.
I let on the brakes and steered into the flat grassy area between the pavement and a rusty old fence. The car bounced a few times and I rolled to a slow stop- It took me only seconds to gather the camera and hop onto the hood for a few nice photos.
The battery-symbol on the camera pulsed red and low -something to do with the 400+ photos I had taken since the nice campground hostess had charged it in her RV two nights ago in Spruce Grove.
The last bit of light settled as I drove through Hartsel. ... TO BE CONTINUED...

Mt. Antero- 14269

Shaved my head and climbed mighty Antero.
good crystals
great storms
Awesome views!!!

I will share the story (sans-pics; they were eaten by a dying harddrive) when Kelly and I return from our western Roadtrip. Relying on public libraries now, so posting is difficult.

Im Gone

THANKS SHADOWCLIFF!


Im finally headed south- got a few places in mind, but nothing specific... sounds like a great start to another adventure, right?!

The Secrets of 34

Libby and I took a very pleasant afternoon tour of some of our favorite spots along Hwy 34. The highway stretches from Grandby, sixteen miles south of Grand Lake and Shadowcliff, north through the park where it is known as trail ridge road. It shoots east through Loveland and way into Nebraska, too, but thats a different day trip.

We jumped in my car and Libby showed me her favorite Pelican-spot on the other end of Shadow Mountain lake- nearly a dozen American Pelicans perched on a long floating log only a few hundred feet from shore. "They're always here' she explained. We couldnt get too close to the water- the ground was soft and wet- but the white birds are enormous and easily observed from our distance.
Osprey, too- A big nest set atop a large dead pine near the Green Ridge Rec. area further down the road. Mama-bird watched us pull up to her fenced tree and flew away only as we neared by foot. A few little heads popped up to peak over the rim of the nest. They were baby Ospreys, but still very large birds. As we watched, mom came a went a few times- flying from her nest and babies to the tops of nearby trees in nervousness. The fence has been placed around the nest like a yard and has been posted with NO TRESPASSING OSPREY NESTING AREA signs.

Even further south we visited the Willow creek and Monarch lake areas. The gravel road to Willow Creek Reservoir was one I recognized from last fall. We visited last year to find the intense fall colours of the large Aspen groves that line the walls of the valley. No yellows and oranges this time, but the gravel road sure offered some pretty amazing views! Monarch was also nice. The windy, dirt-road drive from the highway is always a good thing and Monarch was smooth and glassy. I dont remember things being so green last year (with the exception of the dying trees, of course!)

Ft Collins adventure

Kelly joined me on an excellent adventure to Ft Collins today. The truck was finally going to run properly again!

We had a noon-time appointment over and out of the Mountains- Ft collins may have taken us a good three hours to reach from Shadowcliff. On trail ridge were the usual traffic-stopping elk and the scared-to-death, low-altitude driver.

We were forced to call in and postpone the appointment another hour. After Estes Park things got a bit flatter and a by Loveland- they were much warmer.

the cloud cover moved in as we walked through town and back towards the mechanics. In town we visited a few shops and a nice little cafe- Got ourselves lost shortcutting through campus in an attempt at a recommended music shop.

It was all fun- the University manages a great flower-garden on city property- the marigolds boasted heads as large as my camera. The mechanics replaced melted spark plug wires for free- four of the six were melted through or badly warped and had not been firing. Mike gave me the depressing report from a look-over they did of the poor truck;

the exhaust system is failing- no converter and the whole thing is in dire need of attention, before I further risk letting it fall off. The Air filter was dead many thousands of miles ago and two of the tires have gone bad. There is some nasty rust somewhere in the engine- its causing some misfiring. The steering column's tumbler has fallen out and they might be able to fix it for a few hundred bucks... I could go on.



Dorothy- the trucks appropriate Kansas name, by Jan, - started up with great power. After so many hundreds of miles on it's heavy two cylinders, it drove like a new car with six!

We hopped over to the recycling center and took car of Shadowcliff's glass and paperboard (There are no capable recycling centers any closer to Grand Lake for these materials)



The drive back was a pleasant one. We rolled through Thompson Canyon and up into Estes-land; Kelly showed me the hotel which inspired "The Shining." It was beautiful and sure doesn't look like it could be very creepy without many feet of snow and a dark sky. I wish I could share more photos of the trip- they are all on the dead hard drive as well.

Storms began to brew as we climbed past Longs Peak and up into the Alpine. The very noticeable lack of evening traffic was came as a wonderful surprise. We took curves at our own pace and never once slowed for a line of elk-crazed park visitors..

the sky grew darker and more colourful for the storms and setting sun- we made a quick, cold jaunt out towards "Marmot Point," a short walk and viewing area high on Trail Ridge- It over looks dramatic Forest Canyon and has a formal name, Im sure!

Above us it was dark and grey, but the southeastern horizon appeared to boil with tangerine-storms. Who knew if they would hit us?? Shadowcliff was still an exciting drive of more than an hour..

As the road straitened out- East of the Visitors center- and we began the slow decent- it was our part of the sky which boiled. The show began and we passed the visitors center for the Rainbow Curve hairpin. lightning began to shoot a bit closer- disturbingly so. Several bolts struck the ridges to our south and west as the nastiest clouds tumbled over us. One old SUV took advantage of our curve until a small car joined us as the pinks and reds grew stronger. A roll cloud formed and dissipated and I we jumped out for photos. I think that she may have been as overly-excited about the phenomenon as I was. A massive, seemingly unstructured cloud shot from the valley on the other side of whatever small range was in front of us.- It traveled strait upwards at some amazing speed and morphed into a thin arch of cloud before our eyes- as if it outlined some invisible bubble that sped towards some lower pressure. Oh, it was incredible!

Seconds passed after the bubble had risen into the boiling ceiling and the same cloud formed at the base of our own valley! Lightening continued, but it was far too awesome to hide in the car. the racing cloud grew dense and more grand and impressive as it sped from the valley floor to the ridge above us. "Here it is" Kelly screamed in the wind as the cold thing overcame us. She spread her arms out like she intended to catch it.

It hit as an intense wall soft coolness. It rushed past us- maybe at twenty or thirty miles and hour or maybe more. For the seconds that we were in the forced cloud- immersed in that very personal part of the storm- we were closer to the Mountains than I have every experienced.

The remaining decent was not too wet at all- only a little rain and none of the hail or sleet which I expected. The cold storm may have come from a much warmer place.

Rocky Mountain High; Trail Ridge rd.

A few of the shadowcliff staff invited me over Trail Ridge rd this afternoon- Up and over the park's alpine. Hillsides looked green and grey- like nothing special- until we got out of the car. The wildflowers were pretty intense! Check out this tiny alpine loco thing ... Lots of Elk, too!

Chillin'

Shadowcliff is hosting an HIV Retreat for a few days. Folks living with the virus come from around the country come to learn about it and how to better the quality of their lives. Its been a wonderful opportunity to visit with and learn from a diverse group of people. Mike (Denver) and I were at the base of the driveway this afternoon when this MULE DEER strolled from the woods near Shadowcliff. The doe walked right up to the edge of gravel road and took only a grinding mouthful of grass before she realized that she was watched. The deer trotted across the road- maybe ten or twelve feet uphill from the rock that we leaned on- and into the western woods, ears perked and knees sharp.
Despite the dozens of deer that Ive spotted on the trip thus far, and the few which frequent Shadowcliff's property, this encounter seemed very special to me. I think that maybe it is because we spotted her before she became wary, or maybe it was just 'cause I had someone cool to share the experience with!? THANKS MIKE !

Timber Lake

An incredible high-altitute hike and a visit to one of my favorite trails in the park. Snow, Moose, beautiful meadows and enchanting crystals...the lakes were full of powerful reflections. .. No photos (hardrive died), but I will put them up when the thing is recovered! Visit last year's Timber lake entry for a less exciting preview!

WEST... and 50-degrees cooler

I took advantage of my westerly locale with a quick adventure from I-70 near Manhattan, KS- home of the Konza Prairie and a rather attractive stretch of the Kaw. A 100+ heat index is nothing to fool around with; I strolled along a gravel bar after being cooked off the flint hills. From the 177 bridge there is a moderately-sized Kansas beach that stretches upstream for maybe a quarter-mile. My feet were scorched after some shoe-less moments on the sand and rock, but it was nice not having the long hair greased to my face with my own excessive sweat- the morning's heat would have been intolerable.
Maybe two hours passed- no arrowheads or cool Native crafts. My finds included a sanded blue glass bottle and some interesting hunks of time-hardened bone and agate. The small bottle looks like one of those that should contain some smelly oils from a smelly-oil-shop and capped with a cork. I filled it up with my smaller treasures and spent way too long trying to remember which bush I had stashed my shoes under.
Not too far east of Limon- after many hours of monotonous and unexciting high-plains travel- I spotted some very cool clouds. The Vona exit offered a much-needed piss-break and an interesting chance to admire the sky. Minutes passed on the road from the interstate; I traveled only one block into anything that I would consider a town- parked next to Vona's old grain silo on the railroad tracks. across the street were the smaller, more rustic-looking grain towers. I took three or four with the 35mm that Vicki lent me for the trip- my cameras are all busted- and two with the digital gadget. The Olympus point-n-shoot cannot truly be called a camera. : (
I know that I have been spoiled with excellent SRT and the slightly-newer Canon EOS digitals, but the photos made with this new gadget could compare to looking through a dirty window. On the highway, the clouds disappeared again and slowly returned.

More than another 20 miles passed and I was in different terrain- tiny butte-things stuck from the fields like pimples- I wish there was a more beautiful word for it. Maybe like inverted craters- convexities- they were not tall, but could be the only considerable topography and were beautiful as such. One of the first caught my eye on the left side of the highway; the tiny-butte looked like it would make a great landscape photograph and I broke sharply for the next 'AUTHORIZED VEHICLES ONLY' gravel turn-abouts. The freedom of having sun-lit I-70 to myself may have been too much fun!
I followed through on the turn and hit the acceleration. I was rolling; everything was good. The engine made it's engine-noise, and I SHOULD have been accelerating. The RPM's were way above the 3K-mark and I realized that I was getting nowhere fast. Haunting flashbacks of the trucks' dead transmission hit me and I realized how far I was from anything before any other thoughts hit me. My road trip rolled over the white stripe to my right at about 25 and I shifted through the gears. 'Hit the acceleration again and just as I was becoming frustrated with the old truck I realized that I WAS getting power. With the pedal touching the floor I crept up towards forty miles an hour...
The problem was not new to me; the same thing cursed my last drive back from Mt. Ida. The engine of a dodge runs hot; the engine of my silly thing runs too hot. The thermometer read warm, but definitely not dangerously so. I hoped that my top speed of 73ish was only because I had again melted the spark plug wires.

The truck made awful noises, so I -tutted- back to the butte. I broke out the Nikon again and shot until it read that I'd spent 9 of the 24 pics that the roll would allow.


A storm- far south of the interstate and much closer to limon- sprayed lightening through the evening cloudscapes almost continuously. I imagine that if I were still and the engine hushed the sound would have been something of a non-stop rumble spiked with the occasional sharp clap or violent crash. I headed for a direct collision with a nasty rolling arm of the thing- it appeared to be hanging over the interstate. Heavy tapered drapes of dark rain reached close to the ground from the hellacious underside of the deep storm, but from so many miles away any closer encounter remained unpredictable.

The steady dimming sun fell for several more moments as I neared the beast- whether the storm was fleeing quickly in the opposite direction, or my sense of distance was so badly skewed with no landmarks or topography to help my judgement, 65-mph didnt seem to get me closer to the burning rain bands as quickly as I thought it should have. Storms like this one may travel at speeds that exceed my own. The bands morphed into a wall of rain- just a single imposing curtain.
When it's brilliant colours were at their best it became clear that I was not going to get a better opportunity to shoot the stunning clouds. I stuck the gadget out the window and desperately worked for the exposure that could help me share the storm the best. With three or four pictures taken, I became weary of driving into the rain. Not only for the safety of my pathetic camera, but in fear of one of those blinding downpours that I have never experienced at such speeds. The temptation to review the photos was almost unbearable, but a moment of massive raindrops which smashed into the car with intimidating force, and one good one that exploded upon contact with the unprotected window seal- wetting a surprising amount of the cab's inside- distracted me from playing them back. I swerved back into my intended lane and had the window up in a instant- a bit of adrenaline blinded me to my own actions, but the single moment of severe weather was all that I would have. It was almost disappointing that I didn't get to experience what intensity that I'd seen in the sky and which I only assumed that the silly photos i took were unable to justify. My assumptions were confirmed, but the camera still did better than i thought it might have. Wish you were there; such vivid, wonderful things are sure to have done anyone well!

Night came- the interstate grew dark and lonely with no taillights to follow. I thought about How I might better accommodate the trucks injuries. If followed my rough plan, I would take 71 north from limon to visit the Pawnee Buttes area before hitting shadowcliff at the end of the weekend. It would add some serious mileage to the poor thing and I didnt know if it would be able to get me anywhere safer than where I was- as I caught sight of Limon's bright business district.
I was not sure how welcomed i would be if I showed up at Shadowcliff unannounced. No doubt that they would put me up- or at least give me some friendly direction to get the vehicle goin'.

Burthoud Pass wasn't over soon enough; the engine chugged and clunked up the mountain. If it were not that the few other cars on the pass were uncomfortable with the dark hairpins, I would have needed to pull over many times to let them pass- the car just couldnt make the speed limit. It sounded awful and I was very worried at times. I wondered if I shouldn't have parked it there and taken it back into Denver instead of risking it's last working cylinders to make it over the pass.

At three and four thousand RPMs I was amazed that the engine kept moving- some part of me was frustrated enough to kill it- I didn't completely care it the busted thing died. All of the sudden the nose of the truck turned downhill. The road began its descent and at about 10'O'clock
All sorts of feelings of surprise and delight overcame the exhausting frustration that the clunker had given me.

The truck and I clunked through the night and after the pass it seemed like no time at all before I was enjoying my fire at the Arapaho Bay Campground, only miles south of grand lake. Damn, the air was chilly. When I stepped from the fire my bald head froze.

This morning I woke and paid my ridiculous dues to the NFS at the campground hosts'. The host, an old Texan, found me walking back to my truck around 6 and told me about the extraordinary number of moose sightings that'd accompanied the wet months of May and June. "We ain' seen too many these past few weeks" he told me- He shared some of his secret wildlife-viewing spots and told me where to go for a hardy breakfast. 'Told me to order the blueberry pancakes- they were his fav..

Monarch lake was cold and overcast.. Several moments of light rain, but nothing serious. After that initial view of the lake, the first thing I found was a huge 'bush' of lupine. The thing stood several feet tall with lush, tropical-looking leaves and purple-flowered spikes that tapered into creme-coloured buds. I'd never seen such a specimen. It must have cost me upwards of a dozen photographs! I couldnt wait to find the trip's first plump Bolete mushroom; Monarch can be a hotspot for them

IT WAS APPARENT that this would not be the day for mushrooms by the time I hit the ol' steam engine thing. The iron giant was used to pull harvested timber from the forest and downstream to the Colorado River in the late part of the 1800's. I think they called it the 'Steam Donkey.'