A Controversy

One of the things the miner's of the 19th century left us

are miles and miles of shelf roads through the mountains

These roads stretch from Lake City (upper right) over to the southwest to Silverton and to the northwest to Ouray. Mind you Animas Forks and Capitol City are both ghost towns.

Folks enjoy going around this loop, which is called the Alpine Loop, in Jeeps, 4wheel drive vehicles, dirt bikes and OHV's (off highway vehicles). The problem is there is a small area (5 miles or so) that you have to be on a state highway. The OHV's are not allowed on state highways. So folks had to be trailered from just west of Lake City and dropped off south of town. The locals wanted those OHV's, mostly ATV's (all terrain vehicles), to be able to drive through town and stop at our businesses. It was a huge controversy. The business owners won and this is the first summer...that you could completely navigate the loop and not be trailered.

At first I was against it. Then I got to thinking if these business's had to close due to lack of business, this town would go the way of Capitol City and Animas forks......become  ghost towns.

Hopefully it is all going to work.

The Canyon

We took my brother in law to the Black Canyon National Park this week. It is about and hour and a half drive from our summer home.

This canyon became a National Park in 1999. It is called the Black Canyon because it is so deep and narrow at one point that the sun only shines there 30 mins. a day.

There are like eleven observation points through the park.

A view of The Painted Wall

There are also trails near and down into the canyon and picturesque picnic areas throughout.

Look closely. Back in 1882 they actually built a narrow gauge passenger train thru the bottom of the canyon. It stretched fifteen miles from Sapinero to Cimaron,Colorado costing then $168,000 a mile to build. The train ran into the 1940's

In the 1960's the Gunnison River was damned and Sapinero and most all of the tracks are now under water.

These days Forrest Service operates a hour and a half boat trip above the old tracks into the canyon.

The Golden Ticket

As I mentioned in a precious blog, my sister and husband have been here this week. While my sister worked (remotely), Tom and I took Mike to The Black Canyon National Park.

If you are a U.S. citizen (and 62 or older), you can purchase a life time pass permitting entrance all Natl. Parks for everyone in your vehicle. We sure have gotten a lot of miles out of ours. We always keep it in the car, so it is there when we need it. Tom calls it the GOLDEN TICKET.

First stop was the visitor's center, where we saw a ranger swearing in junior rangers for their badges.He asked all of the required questions. Like will you respect animal, plants, and so forth. Then he asked it they promised to keep their rooms clean...to which neither replied :)

Ranger Tom

My Tom found this life sized painting of a National Park Ranger where you could poke your face through for a picture. Ha! I will post some pictures of the Canyon next post.

Shortcut

One of my sisters and her husband are visiting from Texas this week. Polly is working from here, so we have been entertaining her husband Mike. On Tuesday we took a trip to a National Park near here, The Black Canyon.

It is a little faster to get there if you take the Blue Mesa cut-off.

Most of the area is open range, which means there are no fences between you and the livestock.

You are actually traveling through the Ute Indian Reservation....where they have a "few" rules.

to be continued.

A Diamond in the Rough

A friend of mine enjoys buying old homes in town and remodeling them. I guess the new term is "flipper".

She redid this cutie recently, after securing it in a foreclosure auction. I pass it every day on my way into town. 

It was in terrible shape. She spent several months redoing it from inside out. She was going to use it as rental property, but since her children are grown, she and her husband have decided to sell their large home (which just sold), and stay in this cute cabin while here in the summer. Every time I see it I think of Thomas Kinkade. All it needs is a lake out in front. Interesting the fence she installed. Part wood, and part corrugated roof panels.

Linking to Good Fences: HERE

A Mountain Drive

Anytime I want to get out of the cabin, it is nice to drive up the mountain to Deer Lakes.

It is always cooler up there, since it is above 10,000 ft.

 and I usually can find some flowers to photograph.

It is a great place to fish too. I like that you can get a one day fishing license ...which is great for your guests who have no need for a one year pass.

 This aerial view will give you an idea why Lakes is plural. There are four small lakes. Each one is a slightly lower elevation from the one at the top. The top one being the one on the left. We always fish in either two or three, but enjoy hiking up to one.

 There are a lot of other things to see in the area, like this abandoned cabin.

It is also the number one place to spot a moose. The two we spotted this day were in the distance, and half hidden by brush.

Do you have a favorite drive of destination when you want to get out of the house?

X Marks the Spot

It is very quiet here in the mountains. One thing you don't hear is aircraft noise,

mainly because we don't have an airport.

You do see planes flying over...mind you I said see , not hear. They are usually so high you can't actually spot them, but the jet stream behind them. We always try to guess where they are headed..

There is one noisy aircraft I hear going over(once a day), and it is a smaller plane headed from Denver to Durango.

Found Him

A few days ago I posted  some animal pictures (go:here). that were taken recently by a friend. Well, I went searching yesterday morning,early, for that eagle at the lake. There is a road that circles our lake. It is a paved state highway on one side, and a dirt road on the other. I had seen him (the eagle), in years past on the dirt road side, searching the shallows of the lake for breakfast. A friend told me that there is actually a family of three eagles that live on the highway side of the lake. Sure enough, I spotted one in a dead tree as we drove past.

Problem is, there is no shoulder and the tree was on a curve on the road.

So in order to get this shot, Tom had to drive very slow, while I hung our the window with my point and shoot and zoomed.

 Isn't it crazy what we will do to get a picture?

The Bluff

Last night we were invited to dine with friends who are down on the river.

click on photo to enlarge

This is the view from the deck where we had a glass of wine before dinner.

The house sits on a bluff. The river comes directly at them, and then curves around the bluff. I think it is one of the prettiest spots in town 

Fun at the Movies

I have blogged before about our little movie theater here in Lake City

I know it doesn't look like much, but they do show first run movies.

Phil and his wife have been operating this place for over 40 yrs. now.

This is such a small town that I am not sure they make much of a profit, but

they are the type of folks that would just do this for the community that they love.

The interior is a warm and cozy place with paintings of old time movie stars on the walls. It is also a place where you know most the audience. It takes me back to when I was a teenager and went to the movie, in my small town, on Saturday afternoons and saw most of my classmates.

First run movies are shown Friday and Saturday nights and a matinee on Sunday. Tuesday's are vintage western night and Wednesday a classic movie is shown. We went Weds. night this weekend and saw the 1985 hit Back To The Future.

The owner Phil always comes out to award a door prize. This night he was dressed as the wild eyed Dr. Brown from the movie. I had not seen this movie since 1985 and I think it was even better this time, or maybe it was the environment in which I saw it.

If you are ever in Lake City...don't miss going to the movies!

You Can't See Me

I run across a lot of rabbits around here on my morning walk.

Their first defense, when they see me, is to freeze in their tracks. I guess they are hoping they will blend in with their surroundings and not be see. Then of course, they quickly hop away.

Linking to Good Fences: HERE

Still Here

Every once in awhile I just get too busy around here to find computer time. Sorry. I really haven't taken many pictures lately, so I will share some that a visiting friend took.

A bull moose taking it easy along Cebolla Creek.

A Bald Eagle looking for breakfast at the south end of our lake,

and a marmot, posing oh so nicely.

Among all of the other things I have been up to, I (on the left),have been playing golf with the ladies golf league...so much fun...That is my dear friend Linda.

Tonight is Weds. and our little movie theater plays classic movies on Weds. Back To The Future is playing. Doesn't that sound like fun!? I think we may go. Back to making a grocery list...we have guests arriving...and cleaning this place. I will return! Janey

North and South

I have pictured this waterfall several times on this blog.

It is North Clear Creek Falls about a thirty minute drive from our house. We visit this place regularly when we have guests. Notice the road in the distance. From that road you have no idea that there is a magnificent waterfall so close by.

Well, I kept reading over the years about another falls nearby.....and had never been to investigate.

So, we got directions off of the Internet, and off we went.

This seems to be the entrance..

There was a well defined trail down the side of the hill. The tiny rocks do tend slide under your feet, so we were happy we had brought along our hiking sticks.

My problem is I am so busy looking out at the views, I really don't watch where I am going,

 oh,and don't forget to look up.

This is the payoff at the end of the trail

South Clear Creek Falls. (more than worth the trip)

We stopped at a favorite picnic table on the way home to eat the lunch we had packed. Notice we are in the sun. Well, we are at such a high altitude at this point that we still had to wear jackets.

What a fun Saturday morning we had. I hope that you too are enjoying your weekend.

The Modern Home Tour

I help with the home tours up here, and last week we had the modern home tour.

We toured three lovely places of a cold rainy day.

There were some great kitchens.

This one with a fancy sink,

and even one with vintage appliances.

There were cozy bedrooms

and some that were just super cute.

Some had places to play

and others to work.

Oh and most had decks with views

and this one a great place to sit and visit.

I think a lot of people had fun visualizing themselves living here

in one of these beautiful cabins high in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.
I hope that you can come see for yourself.

Our home tours are usually in early August.