The other side of DP

 Zou and I decide to investigate a mysterious alternate route at the DPs, an off-shoot from the regular trail that I've always wondered about.  Turns out it's not really a trail.  Well it is, for a little while.  Then it's nothing.  Then it's a trail again.  Then it's nothing, and stays that way.  But when we hit the "dead end" we messed around and found a really great lookout.

 We ended up sort of on top of the "rock" formations the DPs are known for and so had a neat and unusual view of part of the BMR.  Here, Zou is on top of a little hill we explored before going to the rim-cliff where the views were to be had (which you can see behind her).

 At the cliff, looking northeast.

 Love the craggy rocks.

Will have to come back here on a stormy day.  I've seen the clouds draping this area from afar, and it's very dramatic-looking.  Definitely qualifies for further exploration!

 And to the southeast and an arm of the BMR.

 Zou appreciating the scene.

 Q:  Can you name all the flowers in this picture?  

(A:  Indian paintbrush, lupine, yarrow, groundsel?, and dog tail!)

Looked like a big ol' cattle trough. 

 One hot, tired doggie...

 AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 Feeling much better after a dip in the BMR (her momma shoulda jumped in too!)

And a friend too!  Man, this place has it ALL!!!!

Happy 4th...of July!

Many months have passed, but looks like we're still celebrating!

Many of us in the RV park got duded-up for the occasion - either ourselves, our pets (!), and/or our RV.

 Tractor and his dad getting ready for the big feast.  This place knows how to do the 4th of July right!  They even had a flag-folding demo.  Pretty cool.

 They also had a chili cook-off, with all the necessary accompaniments.

 Some entries were kind of questionable...

What an awesome place to commemorate a most momentous happening:  US.  The town of G starts the day off with a fun, colorful hot air balloon launch and ends the holiday with an up close and personal fireworks display.  And in between those things, we stuff our ourselves with some of the best food around (yes, including Outhouse Chili...).  We're already looking forward to next July!!

First hike in G - D.P.

 If this looks familiar, it should!  Zouey and I hiked it last summer (and the summer before that...) too.  It's a good, easy "hike" for trying to get back in shape and acclimating to the altitude.  G. is at almost 8000 ft!  

 The DP trail is named after those cool breccia formations in the background.

Pretty lily.

 (a mariposa - Calochortus)

 The BMR is fuller this year after a good snow winter - yay!

 One of the best parts of CO hiking - terrific places to cool-down afterwards!

Happy Zouey!

Tying up loose ends...

 Before we say good-bye (temporarily, as we will be returning to this area before we head home in the fall) to this special place, I have a few odds and ends photos I have to share!

 The first is from an ice cream shoppe in the nearby town.  Look closely at the offering board.  Or, more specifically, check out the various serving sizes...   I have to say I like a place that includes prices for ice cream dog treats!!

 My kinda place.  And boy, they are SO right with that one message!  Although Tractor has a bone to pick with them... (and no, he doesn't get ice cream from us either - he seems to be allergic to dairy.  It always comes right back up and out!!)

 I felt I should blur out their names, but I love their sign!!!

 While visiting with our good friends, Bill and Mar (Marilyn), Zou made friends with their ragdoll, Theo.

 A reservoir was established several years ago, in the town just north of "our town" (and actually east of where my grandparents used to live).  I wasn't keen on the idea, esp. since they moved one of my uncles out of his home because it would ultimately be underwater!  I'm sure he was well-compensated, and I've adapted to the 'new' reality.  The water is pretty...

 A lovely old house (and pretty backdrop) on the road in between the two towns.

 And looking south off the side of said road.

The view of my favoritest mountain range from our friends' house (who live just a mile or so from where my 'Gamma and Gampa' lived).

Another cool peak, part of a different range to the east.  At sunset.  I've been on top of this "12er" a couple times over the years.

Y.B.

So, as a reminder, this was all still in late June...

And on this day, Zou and I drove to a now well-known spot.  Only we didn't make it all the way - snow stopped us.  But that's OK, it was plenty fun and pretty right up till there anyways.

 There's a section of the road that's more exciting - at least it used to be.  It's still neato, but it used to be a bit more challenging.  With the increased popularity and travel of late, some of the more attention-getting lumps and bumps have apparently been smoothed out.  Bummer.

 If you're really stupid, you can still get yourself killed here (there's still a good enough drop-off into the creek below), but what used to be the more nervy part of this road is gone now.

 And do you know why all these cool roads exist in the first place?  Almost all of them were created to access mining claims/operations.  But that was pretty long ago - as this tattered old building can attest...

 The road to adventure...

 It still throws me, how these used to be secret, hidden gems.  Then, with the internet, they became known.  Now, as I've mentioned, with Facebook and youtube, not only is virtually everyone familiar with them, they've most of them been there, done that!!!  :(

Yes, a double waterfall. 

 It's a pretty powerful current on a steep slope with slippery rocks under all that gushing water, but fortunately Zouey is listening to me - this is not the place to go wading!!

 Our pretty primrose again...

 Beautiful field of corn lilies.

 And that's where we parked.

 And this is why.  You can see the evidence of other folks who either skied or snowmobiled up, but most walked like we did!  And I'm sure there were more good-sized patches of snow up and around the bend!

 Zouey flying through the corn lilies!

 It's pretty downstream...

 and upstream too!

Can you see the snow squiggles?  Yep, extreme sports folks are hiking up and skiing down almost all these peaks nowadays...

 Just one part demonstrating why good clearance is recommended...  This is a bit reminiscent of our driveway though...

 Oh look!  Who's that?!  It's one of my marmot friends, running off to greener pastures - it IS greener on the other side, you know.

 Hey Marmie!  Don't run away, it's only me!  (they're so cute when they run though, they flap their tails up and down - maybe that helps them build up speed   ;)

 OK, I know you can see one guy here easily, but can you spot the other?  And you think that fellow blends - try to find the 40 pikas in the picture!  (just kidding, but they have even better camo and are tiny!  It's almost impossible to locate them unless you see movement - and of course, hearing all these critters' high-pitched voices helps!  The marmots are also called 'whistle pigs'...)

 

And once again, the road back down.  In the used-to-be fun section...