habanero
09-12-2007, 05:41 PM
The kid's sick, I'm stuck inside and I'm bored so....
here's our vacation...
After arriving in Sedalia around 4am we slept in the car in an unfinished subdivision for a couple hours. Thus it begins.
After a scenic drive over to Buffalo Creek we biked Baldy to Gashouse Gulch...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/167-6795_IMG.jpg
That grey behemoth is mine and my 4 year old boyo's. He's one tough mtb'r.
Linner at Casa Bonita in Denver
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/168-6831_IMG.jpg
and then over to Winter Park to camp in the Arapaho NF. Thought we were going to get a white w/white storage box 4runner but they turned back about 300' down the hill where it got a little rougher. Ah well.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/168-6876_IMG.jpg
We did the Tipperary loop. Whew, what a climb. I managed all but 2 of the switchbacks. The downhill made it totally worth it, with the boyo behind me yelling YAY! on every whoop-dee. Sweet!
We took the gravel road between 9 and 131. Scenic, no challenge. Got a rock chip from someone in a car on a fast pass. Oh well.
Fruita public lands for camping, Dinosaur Hill in the a.m., Dinosaur Journey museum after. Pretty interesting stuff.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/169-6989_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/169-6991_IMG.jpg
Onward to Moab via the 128
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/172-7214_IMG.jpg
to shower and camp at Sand Flats...
Just as we get the shower bag ready a group of motorbikers showed up at the site next to us. I asked if they were staying long and they said yes until I threatened them with the possibility of naked old lady. That seemed to hurry them along just fine. :P
(nope, no pic)
We found a fine camping spot
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/172-7249_IMG.jpg
The kid threw a temper tantrum here over brushing his teeth. Shortly after we noticed an exodus of campers. Sure enough, exploration in the morning reveals an empty camp area. Hmmmm...
The following day we biked the Klondike Bluffs trail
with dinosaur footy prints..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/172-7286_IMG.jpg
A great view at the top..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/173-7349_IMG.jpg
and a great downhill kept to moderate speed due to my stoker...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/172-7273_IMG.jpg
We had time after so did Gemini Bridges from the top. I was disappointed in the smooth road up top
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/174-7423_IMG.jpg
But the scenery was worth it.
We spotted this plaque near the twin arches:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/175-7503_IMG.jpg
Apparently his Jeep went off this arch
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/174-7480_IMG.jpg
and he fell 150' to his death. A sad thing indeed.
The road down from the bridges was more fun than the top. Not particularly difficult but attention needed to be paid...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/176-7608_IMG.jpg
We saw all sorts of yotas in Moab. A red 1st gen with grey camo on the hood, several newer fj's on one of the Sand Flats trails, what appeared to be a second gen 4runner on the Baby Lion's Back. I wish I'd been able to watch his departure from that one. I've been wanting to try it but worry about the angle on the back side. Has anyone done this in a stock 3rd gen?
Another campout in Sand Flats, then taking the boyo hiking in Negro Bill while the hubby did Porcupine Rim. Wow! Tons of great rock formations, interesting flora,an arch and a little swimming cubby....
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/176-7681_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/176-7692_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/177-7707_IMG.jpg
I'm really glad I hiked it, really beautiful. There was another yota owner with a white pickup who was hiking it too. Had a mtb, what looked to be a sleeping platform up top. Nice truck. :)
From Moab we took the scenic way to Silverton to camp just off the 550. Spotted a light green 4runner on the way.
Next day we did the Dry Gulch trail in Durango, which was a cool little up hill and a nice downhill. After it was back to Silverton to Lake City via Engineer pass.
One of my favorite spots on the way up..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/177-7788_IMG.jpg
near the top
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/178-7805_IMG.jpg
The hubby rode down the other side on his bike and I followed in the truck. He beat me by about half an hour. :D
Then off to Hartman's Rocks in Gunnison to camp. Morning in Gunnison we watched a chainsaw sculpting competition, very interesting, then over to Tin Cup, Cumberland pass, Pitkin, and beyond. Tame but fun drive...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/178-7857_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/178-7837_IMG.jpg
After that up Tomichi creek to Tomichi pass. This was my favorite wheeling this trip. :D :D :D
Narrow, rocky, a sort of hairy mud crossing that looked like it had part of an old bridge across it. That part was a little worrisome but we did it just fine, highway tires and all.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/178-7886_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/178-7891_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/178-7898_IMG.jpg
eventually we ended up back at Pitkin, over to 50 and then old Monarch Pass to camp. In the morning we biked the Monarch Crest trail, one of my favorites and first time I've done it on the tandem. Hard work!
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/179-7912_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/179-7920_IMG.jpg
If you look carefully you can just see the possibly youngest biker of the Monarch Crest ever...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/179-7927_IMG.jpg
We camped at Coaldale that night, then over to Royal Gorge. On the way we spotted this little gem...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/179-7936_IMG.jpg
Royal Gorge was tourist trap gross and we laughed in the face of the guy who wanted around $72 for the 3 of us. HA. We did check out the gorge from a little trail off the parking lot...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/179-7950_IMG.jpg
On the way to Lamar we stopped at the Pueblo Weisbrod Air Museum. This was :bowdown:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/180-8009_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/179-7966_IMG.jpg
I know, it's an early 40's Willys. I'm infatuated. :love:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/180-8071_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/179-7991_IMG.jpg
I'm a sucker for the vintage WW stuff.
I also kept seeing aliens...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/180-8015_IMG.jpg
but I'm just weird like that.
then over to Lamar because I wanted to see the 5th largest windfarm.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/181-8115_IMG.jpg
and a blade displayed at Lamar...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/180-8088_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/180-8087_IMG.jpg
We got quite the shock in Greensberg KS where we camped last year....
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/181-8127_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/181-8137_IMG.jpg
the town's about gone. Seems an F5 and a couple of it's friends came through in May, taking about 90-95% of the town with it. The world's largest hand dug well is still there, but the meteor is apparently missing. Along with most everything else.
A night at Cheney resevoir, Springfield, MO for burritos and home at last.
And they all lived happily ever after.
The end.
here's our vacation...
After arriving in Sedalia around 4am we slept in the car in an unfinished subdivision for a couple hours. Thus it begins.
After a scenic drive over to Buffalo Creek we biked Baldy to Gashouse Gulch...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/167-6795_IMG.jpg
That grey behemoth is mine and my 4 year old boyo's. He's one tough mtb'r.
Linner at Casa Bonita in Denver
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/168-6831_IMG.jpg
and then over to Winter Park to camp in the Arapaho NF. Thought we were going to get a white w/white storage box 4runner but they turned back about 300' down the hill where it got a little rougher. Ah well.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/168-6876_IMG.jpg
We did the Tipperary loop. Whew, what a climb. I managed all but 2 of the switchbacks. The downhill made it totally worth it, with the boyo behind me yelling YAY! on every whoop-dee. Sweet!
We took the gravel road between 9 and 131. Scenic, no challenge. Got a rock chip from someone in a car on a fast pass. Oh well.
Fruita public lands for camping, Dinosaur Hill in the a.m., Dinosaur Journey museum after. Pretty interesting stuff.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/169-6989_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/169-6991_IMG.jpg
Onward to Moab via the 128
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/172-7214_IMG.jpg
to shower and camp at Sand Flats...
Just as we get the shower bag ready a group of motorbikers showed up at the site next to us. I asked if they were staying long and they said yes until I threatened them with the possibility of naked old lady. That seemed to hurry them along just fine. :P
(nope, no pic)
We found a fine camping spot
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/172-7249_IMG.jpg
The kid threw a temper tantrum here over brushing his teeth. Shortly after we noticed an exodus of campers. Sure enough, exploration in the morning reveals an empty camp area. Hmmmm...
The following day we biked the Klondike Bluffs trail
with dinosaur footy prints..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/172-7286_IMG.jpg
A great view at the top..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/173-7349_IMG.jpg
and a great downhill kept to moderate speed due to my stoker...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/172-7273_IMG.jpg
We had time after so did Gemini Bridges from the top. I was disappointed in the smooth road up top
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/174-7423_IMG.jpg
But the scenery was worth it.
We spotted this plaque near the twin arches:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/175-7503_IMG.jpg
Apparently his Jeep went off this arch
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/174-7480_IMG.jpg
and he fell 150' to his death. A sad thing indeed.
The road down from the bridges was more fun than the top. Not particularly difficult but attention needed to be paid...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/176-7608_IMG.jpg
We saw all sorts of yotas in Moab. A red 1st gen with grey camo on the hood, several newer fj's on one of the Sand Flats trails, what appeared to be a second gen 4runner on the Baby Lion's Back. I wish I'd been able to watch his departure from that one. I've been wanting to try it but worry about the angle on the back side. Has anyone done this in a stock 3rd gen?
Another campout in Sand Flats, then taking the boyo hiking in Negro Bill while the hubby did Porcupine Rim. Wow! Tons of great rock formations, interesting flora,an arch and a little swimming cubby....
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/176-7681_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/176-7692_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/177-7707_IMG.jpg
I'm really glad I hiked it, really beautiful. There was another yota owner with a white pickup who was hiking it too. Had a mtb, what looked to be a sleeping platform up top. Nice truck. :)
From Moab we took the scenic way to Silverton to camp just off the 550. Spotted a light green 4runner on the way.
Next day we did the Dry Gulch trail in Durango, which was a cool little up hill and a nice downhill. After it was back to Silverton to Lake City via Engineer pass.
One of my favorite spots on the way up..
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/177-7788_IMG.jpg
near the top
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/178-7805_IMG.jpg
The hubby rode down the other side on his bike and I followed in the truck. He beat me by about half an hour. :D
Then off to Hartman's Rocks in Gunnison to camp. Morning in Gunnison we watched a chainsaw sculpting competition, very interesting, then over to Tin Cup, Cumberland pass, Pitkin, and beyond. Tame but fun drive...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/178-7857_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/178-7837_IMG.jpg
After that up Tomichi creek to Tomichi pass. This was my favorite wheeling this trip. :D :D :D
Narrow, rocky, a sort of hairy mud crossing that looked like it had part of an old bridge across it. That part was a little worrisome but we did it just fine, highway tires and all.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/178-7886_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/178-7891_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/178-7898_IMG.jpg
eventually we ended up back at Pitkin, over to 50 and then old Monarch Pass to camp. In the morning we biked the Monarch Crest trail, one of my favorites and first time I've done it on the tandem. Hard work!
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/179-7912_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/179-7920_IMG.jpg
If you look carefully you can just see the possibly youngest biker of the Monarch Crest ever...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/179-7927_IMG.jpg
We camped at Coaldale that night, then over to Royal Gorge. On the way we spotted this little gem...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/179-7936_IMG.jpg
Royal Gorge was tourist trap gross and we laughed in the face of the guy who wanted around $72 for the 3 of us. HA. We did check out the gorge from a little trail off the parking lot...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/179-7950_IMG.jpg
On the way to Lamar we stopped at the Pueblo Weisbrod Air Museum. This was :bowdown:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/180-8009_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/179-7966_IMG.jpg
I know, it's an early 40's Willys. I'm infatuated. :love:
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/180-8071_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/179-7991_IMG.jpg
I'm a sucker for the vintage WW stuff.
I also kept seeing aliens...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/180-8015_IMG.jpg
but I'm just weird like that.
then over to Lamar because I wanted to see the 5th largest windfarm.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/181-8115_IMG.jpg
and a blade displayed at Lamar...
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/180-8088_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/180-8087_IMG.jpg
We got quite the shock in Greensberg KS where we camped last year....
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/181-8127_IMG.jpg
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y141/smcr/181-8137_IMG.jpg
the town's about gone. Seems an F5 and a couple of it's friends came through in May, taking about 90-95% of the town with it. The world's largest hand dug well is still there, but the meteor is apparently missing. Along with most everything else.
A night at Cheney resevoir, Springfield, MO for burritos and home at last.
And they all lived happily ever after.
The end.