Colorado Trip Post #6

As it turns out, I am incapable of posting out of order, or even posting at all it seems. It has been three months since I last posted, but I am determined to continue. I have all of the photos and videos and memories, so I just need to get them down. So even though Adam is riding a bike now, we've made a few smaller trips since then, we've become an Aunt and Uncle again, Alan has discovered the joys of surf fishing, Christmas has come and gone, and we are all about to turn another year older... I still have to trek on with these Colorado postings. There is a light at the end of the tunnel though and should only be a couple more.

Early on the morning of day eight, Alan decided we were going to look into renting a Jeep, something we didn't exactly intend on doing this trip. We found a place that gave us a good deal and we would have it for nearly two days, plenty of play time. As soon as we picked it up and made some sandwiches, we were off. It didn't really matter that we had been this same route the day before in the Passat, because in a Jeep we could go a lot faster and Alan could enjoy the ride as opposed to concentrating on every little thing in the road.

Near Thoreau's Cabin.

It is still for sale, yours for $600,000.

The view from atop Engineer Pass

A family photo on the backside of Engineer Pass.

We are going right.

We stopped for a picnic lunch somewhere north of Animas Forks. There was this pretty alpine lake where Alan could fish and a flat spot next to it where we could eat our lunch.

There were fish everywhere, but they were not too interested in what Alan was offering.

Picnic.

After he finished Aaron decided he needed to run up the little mountain face that was next to us. He made it about three-quarters of the way up before turning back. Then he went to check out a mine shaft entrance. Had I not stopped him he would have gone all the way in. For some reason dark scary places are not dark and scary to kids.

Then we continued on toward Animas Forks....

The old mill at the far end of Animas Forks.

Adam got a little food in his system and he was out. It didn't seem to matter that the Jeep was bouncing all over the place, in fact I think it made him more sleepy because every time we turned around he was sleeping yet again.

My favorite mountain creature, the Marmot.

On the road beyond Animas Forks on the way into Silverton.

Separate occasion, sleeping again.

We woke up Adam once we got into Silverton so that we could try to walk around a bit before the sky opened up. Our main objectives were to stretch our legs and possibly find a t-shirt shop.

And let the boys wander the streets all alone. :)

They were particularly thrilled with these mine carts.

It was about three days after the close of the "Summer" season so a good portion of places were already closed.

We were only in Silverton for about thirty minutes when it started to rain and we decided to try to get ahead of the storm. So we went back up the way we came, to drive through Animas Forks and then up to Cinnamon Pass.

Oh, they are so cute! They have so much charisma too. Like a giant mouse/squirrel with attitude.

Obligatory documentation photo.

It was so cold and the wind so strong it could easily knock you off your feet up there, but we needed some photos.

I got the boys back in the Jeep and Alan says, just one more right there. So we have this cool Jeep advertisement photo.

The storm.

There is little that compares to a trip around the Alpine Loop. Those are "real" mountains to me. Everything else doesn't seem to compare. You can see for miles and miles on a clear day up there, the air is so clean it shocks your system, and the views are unbeatable. Mix that with a fun ride in a Jeep with my three favorite guys and sharing some of my favorite memories - it makes for a great day. One of the best.