Skiba Family Chronicles

We have moved our blog

2011-09-17T20:50:00.001-06:00

to word press.
Check out our adventures at skibachronicles.wordpress.com

Treasure caching

2011-09-04T08:51:00.002-06:00

Peter and I drove about 50 miles east of Fort Collins past the town of Ault to Highway 390 for the start of our geocaching adventure. Our plan for the day was to meander along the Pawnee National Grasslands power trail and head north toward the town of Grover, CO picking up many caches. Caches are hidden about a half mile apart.

Our normal process is to consult the GPS, count down the feet to ground zero, stop the car with both of us getting out to look for the hidden treasure. But the constant repetition due to the relative closeness made this too time consuming. So I took over the driving chores and Peter hopped out each time I stopped. He located the cache, signed the log and hopped back into the car. This worked out better. We stayed on the dusty dirt roads traveled only by us and the occasional oil rig truck , cattle trailer or pick up truck. The road followed the edge of the Pawnee National Grassland. We saw windmills with water troughs, oil wells surrounded by cattle, prancing pronghorn antelope, grazing sheep, and cottonwood trees along an occasional stream crossing. We are thinking that this would be a good place to come back to for pictures in the spring time.

We discovered and signed over 120 caches for the day. Our little blue Prius was coated with dust. Our floor mats were plush with gravel and stones. Exhausted and tired of the confines of our little car we head north to Wyoming (almost to the border by this time) and stop for a bite to eat at the local truck stop in Cheyenne. All told, we set a personal record for number of caches in a day.

Upon reflection, the farmers, ranchers and settlers of this austere grassland must have been hardy, dedicated, self reliant folks. They must have felt comfortable with themselves and have been highly motivated to endure the demands of this national historic treasure.

Geocaching in West Bend

2011-08-13T17:00:00.002-06:00

What do you do while you're waiting two days for your 50th Grade school reunion to happen? When you're Peter and Renee Skiba you geocache!

We traveled to Milwaukee the second week in August to attend Peter's Grade School Reunion. Having graduated in 1961 from St. John Kanty meant that you lived in very close proximity to about 60 other children during many of your formative years. We learned together, we played together, we went to church together year after year. We formed relationships that have lasted decades. But the event was not going to happen until Saturday evening.

Since we had time on our hands we decided to participate in the 4th Annual West Bend Geocache Bash starting in Regner Park. Geocaching is a world wide phenomenon wherein cachers seeks out hidden treasures using a Global Positioning System (GPS) device to guide them to the location of the cache. We registered at noon on Friday with our caching handle, Pixelmagic, and learned that we were to be among a total of about 1600 teams participating in the event. 66 new caches were published specifically for this event in and around the greater West Bend area.

Friday afternoon we headed to the northernmost caches and followed roads, trails and paths to get to the caches. A sports themed series through the woods led us along buggy, shaded, hot trails to find a baseball cache at the end of a long branch propped against a tree and a basketball cache high in a tree trunk complete with hoop and net. The themes and placement were well thought out and funny. We met Dan and Vicki at registration and caught up with them in the woods. It took some serious walking and hiking to complete 30 caches in the afternoon.

Saturday we were back in the rainy West Bend area attempting to get our share of the caches along with several hundreds more walking along the paved and not so paved trails. We had a blast in West Bend. Thanks for the cache.

Sheer face of the Third Flat Iron

2011-08-07T20:50:00.002-06:00

Why would I set my alarm clock to ring at 3:15am on Sunday? To get up of course for my next outdoor climbing adventure. I need to leave Fort Collins by 4:15 to get to the parking lot of Chautaqua Park in Boulder by 5:30 to meet my son Doug for our next climb. The planned conquest du jour is to scale the face of the third flatiron in the morning before the sun heats up the rock and makes it uncomfortable to the touch and avoid any possible afternoon storms.

I have seen the flat irons from a distance. They look big. I'm not sure if I have a short term memory issue relating to the size and scale of mountains, but as I get closer to the exposed rock I am awed by the size of the height and width of the bare rock. It takes us a while to get to the base of the rock formations. We hike along the road and trails past the first, past the second, and finally to the trail that leads to the start of the climb of the third. We hike over rocks and boulders doing a couple of switch backs till we get to the start of the climb. At the base of the climb, I look up and see rock and more rock. This is a tall climb. Years ago I climbed Devil's Tower in Wyoming with both of my sons and with Heidi, Doug's wife. That climb to the top of the Tower was big and it looked big because of its isolation and rise from the surrounding land. This climb exceeds the climb of Devil's Tower but is disguised because of the proximity of the other Flat Irons. We wait our turn behind two pair of climbers who made it to the trail head just before us. Doug is leading our climb and will place temporary protection in cracks and crevices of the rock so that our rope can flow through these anchor points and arrest any fall. My job is to belay him as he climbs and sets a route safe to follow. Once Doug reaches a permanent bolt he will set up a belay station and allow me to climb and clean the route by removing the temporary anchors as I climb to reach his new position on the rocks. This process is repeated as we complete each pitch up the massive vertical slab of rock. Sometimes the anchor is a fancy piece of hardware known as a cam. Other places a simple sling is placed over a knobby rock and a quick draw is attached to allow the rope to freely move through a carabiner. The route up is steep but the rock features many holds that allow a climber to step onto or grab a hold of. We are wearing climbing shoes, skinny soled wraps that use sticky rubber on the bottoms and sides that allow for good traction as we move across the rock. Using the holds and the shoes we move ever higher up the rock with each pitch of the climb. About midway up the rock on the third pitch , Doug noticed a rookie climber close by with a lot of rope hanging slack in front of him. Doug advised him to yell "up rope" to his belayer before moving on. If the climber would have fallen, he would have extended his fall by the yards of extra slack that had accumulated in his rope. The belayer has the responsibility of staying current with his climber. But sometimes there is no visual contact between the climber and the belayer. The climber must communicate with his partner to stay safe. Standard commands are used as climber jargon which sometimes must be shouted up or down the length of the rope. Doug and I follow an easy routine with each pitch. At the start of each new pitch we flake out the rope to eliminate tangle and knots, double check our harnesses and continue upward. This repetition is comforting as we move along the route climbing ever closer to the summit. On the fourth pitch we see peregrine falcons circling and squawking about humans invading their space. The spring months are off limits to climbers on the flatirons because of the nesting habits of the raptors in the areas. This climb has just been opened because the young birds are able to now move from their nests. The final pitch moves over a huge gap in the rock called the gash, that seems to drop down forever. Doug led this spot by climbing upward and found a small traverse to get over the gash. We summit and share the top with four other climbers who join us there. We stand about 1300 feet above the trail we see below populated with walkers strolling along. We look around and decide that this is a good place to be.

After a little conversation and admiration of the surrounding country side, we are offered a ride on the rope of our summit partners. The ride is down, straight down. We share the rope and each take turns rappelling down the rope to the next rappel station. After three rides down we are at the start of the hiking trail leading back to the start of the route.

We congratulate each other as we move down the trail smiling both inwardly and outwardly as we have conquered another obstacle and have done it safely enjoying each others company along the way. Thanks Doug.

Third Flatiron in Boulder

2011-08-07T09:35:00.004-06:00

Today is the day for Peter and Doug to ascend the Third Flatiron in Boulder, Co. Peter home at 4:30Am to meet up with Doug. They have plans to be off the rock before the sun gets too high and hot.

The Flatirons are rock formations near Boulder. They are numbered First through Fifth along the east slope of Green Mountain. They are shaped like the flat, metal irons that were used by pioneer women to press their cloths. They consist of conglomerate sandstone and geologists estimate the age of these rocks to be about 290 million years old.

As Peter and Doug complete their multi pitch ascent, they will see the graffiti that has been painted on the side of the Third Flatiron. Students in the 40's, 50's and 60's from the University of Colorado wrote "CU" in giant white letters on the rock. In the 70's, the City of Boulder painted over the illegal graffiti with color very similar to the rock. The match is not perfect and be can be made out if one knows what to look for. On Thursday, Doug took me for a walk near the base and pointed out the marks. Easy to find, once you know what you are looking for.

This climb looks quite strenuous and not for the faint of heart. The whole face of the 3rd, is about 1300 feet. I prefer not to be watching their every step, so will wait for their return to hear the details.

Climbing Long's Peak

2011-07-31T14:40:00.000-06:00

Today is the day Peter, Doug & Heidi have been waiting for and training for. They are now climbing Long's Peak in RMNP. Peter left here last night at 10PM with the plan to meet with Doug & Heidi at the trailhead at about midnight. They had plans to start the long hike in the nite so that they could summit before the ever common afternoon storms broke through. It is now about 2:30PM on Sunday and I have not heard from them. Hoping that that is just because there is no phone service where they are headed.

Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park

2011-07-31T09:40:00.000-06:00

Douglas, Heidi and I met at the Longs Peak Ranger Station parking lot at midnight Saturday to start our journey to the summit of Longs Peak. The vertical climb is 5100 feet to the summit of this 14er. We have been training this year by hiking and climbing. I have been hiking in the Poudre Canyon summiting some of the many ranked peaks there, but the hikes have been 8 or 9 miles long and the elevation gain was less than 3,000 feet. We also climbed Mount Elbert which is the tallest of the 14ers in Colorado. One of the big distinctions of Longs is that much of the climb is considered Class 3, requiring use of hands and feet to scramble along rocks. This demands concentration, care and keen sense of balance.

We hiked in the dark using headlamps to light the way through the pine trees. We crossed rushing streams that we could hear better than see. We switched back and forth winding our way up to treeline where the clear sky revealed stars without end. When we glanced back down the slope we started to see a parade of lights dancing through the trees below. Other hikers had started the climb as well. The city lights of metro Denver blazed from below providing a compass of sorts showing east instead of north.

With no sleep since sunrise on Saturday, the effects of the elevation gain are wearing me down. We stop for snacks along the way to stay nourished during this calorie burning trek. At about mile four, I'm feeling a little light headed. My 15 pound pack is starting to feel heavier than it should. At one of the breaks, I curl up on a foam pad and close my eyes, but sleep eludes me. After a few minutes of quiet, I rise and feel a little better. Faster hikers, those of muscle and youth, pass us up as we wish each other well.

The eastern sky lightens as we gain elevation. Instead of dark shadows, I can now make out sharper outlines of the peaks in front of us. The change in terrain is evident as the size of the rocks grow bigger and bigger. Instead of walking, we are now hopping from rock to rock balancing on the soles of our boots hoping that the rock we jumped on is stable and doesn't move. A trail sign announces that the "boulder field" is just ahead. Our dance across the rocks purposefully protects the fragile alpine plants.

With first light we can see tents of campers ahead in the midst of acres and acres of boulders. A structure ahead is the target for our dance line. The building is the site of the solar powered privy. The toilets are really just elevated toilets surrounded by a short fence for privacy. This rest stop is a welcome relief.

The "Keyhole" is the next landmark. Moving through this hole in the rock moves us from warm morning sunlight into the shade of the mountain. We travel along the back side of the mountain close to the base of the rock. The exposure and drop to our right is sharp and steep. Thousands of feet of drop. People have died along this stretch of rock. This is the start of the Class 3 scrambling. Painted markings dot the way winding steadily upward. We take turns leading the way finding the best rock for good footing and looking for hand holds as well. Some sections are crumbly and slippery. We try to avoid those areas as dangerous for our own safety as well as for those below us. Rocks spilling downward can be serious trouble. My progress is slower than Doug and Heidi and they relieve some of my burden by pulling some weight from my pack and adding it to their own. Thanks guys. Progress is slow but steady along the "Narrows". After what seemed like miles through the Narrows we turn into the Trough for an even steeper climb to the "Home Stretch". Every foot step and every hand grab requires attention up this steep section of the rock face. I'm not thinking about breathing at this point because we can see the summit point and the adrenaline kicks in. We made the summit by 10:00. This area is huge and flat and awesome. We remove our packs and celebrate with some snacks.

Heidi unfurls her Ostomy Awareness banner and celebrates her success. Doug upends himself with his traditional summit headstand. I sign in at the summit log and down we go to complete the climb in reverse order. Gravity helps, sometimes a little too much, on the climb down. We move on all fours down the rock facing outward for much of the sheer vertical drop. Where there is no rock protecting against a precipitous fall we turn and face the rock and climb down. There is much traffic on the climb today. We must wait our turn and allow others the chance to climb at their own pace. Doug reminds me that accidents most often happen during the euphoria of success and the rush to get back down. We move slowly and methodically down the sheer rock face.

Doug stopped along the boulder field to filter a new supply of ice cold water for the rest of the trip. The cool water is refreshing. The hike down is long. We're working on energy supplies that have dwindled.

We celebrate that the weather has been great all night and so far during the day, but we see clouds starting to fill the sky. As we near the tree line the clouds now dark with rain start to break loose and share the moisture with and on us. The rain is great, but the lightning storm that came along with it is near and loud and fierce. We hurry along the trail now sloshing through the muddy pathways and sliding on slick rocks. The lightning is scary. It is real and close. We continue quickly along the trail that eventually leads to the trail-head. Despite our rain jackets and pack covers we are drenched to the skin. The rain came in hard, cold, steady streams. Everything was shiny and wet. After changing into whatever dry clothes we had at the cars, we unceremoniously depart anxious to return home and rest our sleep deprived and weary bodies. It will take days before I can take in the literal enormity of this trip to the top of Longs Peak.

Another adventure on Greyrock

2011-07-15T16:09:00.000-06:00

90+ degrees here today and Peter has gone up to the Mountain for some relief.
But he did not find it!
Just returned from about a 9 mile hike. He claimed 2 more caches on his way up there, finished all of his water that he brought along, ripped his pants from the bushwhacking he did, but came back with a smile on his face. Such accomplishment! I am lucky to do my 2+ mile walk in the morning. Has been very hot here of late. But oh so cool in the late evening. Wonderful sleeping weather.

Mount Elbert

2011-06-27T15:03:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, Peter, Doug and Heidi stood on the highest peak in Colorado.
What a joy! They are preparing for their ascent of Long's Peak in August.
Such ambition. This is the 3rd 14,000+ peak that Peter has done since moving to Colorado.
We moved here almost exactly one year ago. On this day a year ago we were driving our truck full to our new home and waiting to close on our new home.

Tree Planting at our new home

2011-06-14T12:38:00.000-06:00

Today is the day to plant some trees in our yard. We have been in our new home for almost one year now. We had sod laid before we moved in but there are no trees for shade in the yard. We wanted to break up the yard with plantings, but had not decided what to do yet. This week we shopped for trees at the local nursery. We chose a Sensation Box Elder Maple that will be red for almost 10 months of the year and a viburnum. Holes were dug yesterday and trees were picked up today. Peter did the honors of planting. We will be getting more to go along the neighbor's fence line in a couple of weeks.

Sunday in June

2011-06-12T11:51:00.000-06:00

Peter awoke early this morning.....3AM to be exact with plans to leave the house by 4AM. Today is the day that he and Doug (along with 2 other friends) will be taking an all day hike/climb to Mt. Bierstadt. Mt. Bierstadt's elevation is 14,060' It is in the Mount Evans Willderness area and 2 miles west of Mt. Evans (a popular tourist area where one can travel by vehicle to almost the top.)
Mt. Bierstadt can be seen when taking Guanella Pass from Georgetown along Interstate 70.

This hike/climb is preparation for their August trip to the top of Long's Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park. Peter has wanted to do this for some time and it is good that he is getting the opportunity to do it along with Doug and Heidi.

So this morning he left for his day long hike. The weather in Fort Collins is delightful. In the mid 70's with the sun shining. He packed his winter clothing and has plans to use snow shoes if necessary. What a difference a few thousand feet make weatherwise.

Needless to say, I stayed home and opted to go for a long walk in the nice weather. I headed west along a gravel road and quickly realized that I had forgotten my water. Not a good idea with the temps and the warm breezes blowing. Every time a car passed, I had to turn my head to avoid a mouthful of grit. No singing on this walk. Content enough to listen to my I-Pod and "Car Talk". Tom and Ray are good walking companions and make the journey go easier.

Today is a day to catch up on household things to do, plan for our June and July trip and generally relax. Peter will be home late this evening with sore muscles, many pictures and stories to share.

Prospect Ponds Hike

2011-06-04T21:43:00.000-06:00

Today we headed to Prospect Ponds for a hike/geocaching adventure. The area is about 10 minutes South of our home. It is a natural area that is popular to hikers/walkers/bikers/dogs.
We took advantage of the cooler weather in the morning to head out. By the time we were done, it was getting very warm and we were glad to head home to cool off.

The first part of our day took us on an easy hike around the ponds. We found the cache easily, signed the log and headed back to get our next cache. The next one was about 1.5 miles from the first so we chose to drive part of the way. We parked at the CSU Environmental Learning Center.

Leaving the parking lot, we walked across a swinging bridge. Of course Peter had to be the funny man and shake the bridge as I was going over. Hmmmmm! Children! Do they ever grow up?! Let's hope not.

We followed the trail to get to the next multi cache at the south end of the Center. Along the way we came across fields of phlox being munched on by deer. Deer that were so used to humans, that they stood still (for a bit) to have their pictures taken. We continued on. Arrived at the coordinates and began our search. We had to get through some high grasses and swat a couple of dozen mosquitoes, but Peter's eagle eyes spotted the clue! It gave us coordinates to the 2nd part of the cache. We again went off trail for a bit and headed toward the La Poudre River. The water was high and flowing rapidly. Spring thaws have brought a lot of water down from the mountains. We found the cache, signed the log and returned to the parking area. There was one more in the area, but we chose to leave that one for another time. We went home to clean up and get some bug lotion for our bites. Another great day enjoying the great outdoors. What a joy it is to live in an area where all of this beauty is nearby and just waiting to be found!

Youngs Gulch Trail

2011-06-03T20:39:00.000-06:00

We left home this morning intent on finding at least 3 geocaches in the Poudre Canyon on the Youngs Gulch Trail. The first one was to be a multi cache with 3 parts and the 2nd and 3rd were traditional ones.

We drove to the trail head, parked, got out our walking sticks, packed up our backpacks and headed out on the trail by 9:30AM. We knew from descriptions written that we had to walk about 2 miles in and would have to cross a stream several times over. Seems to be a popular area as there were several cars in the parking lot already. Peter had hiked the complete route (8 miles round trip) a couple of days earlier to be the First to Find a new cache that was hidden on the trail.

As we came to the stream crossings, it was comforting to know that "someone" had thought ahead and placed large boulders in the water to use as stepping stones. Some were covered in water but for the most part they made the crossings easier. As I stood on one side of the stream I had to talk myself into crossing to the other side. Fear of falling is a big part of my hesitancy, but I made it.

Along the way we were blessed to find many new wildflowers blooming. Some we had not seen, but many that were known to us by name....Pasque Flower, Golden Banner, Larkspur, Shooting Stars, Colorado Columbine (first one to see this season) and the Star Flower. We're sure there were others, but too many to name. We came across many other hikers along the way with dogs of many varieties.

We only went off trail to find the clues for the caches and to grab a bite to eat. Then we pressed on to the next stop.

We were doing fine. I was counting the stream crossings and had made it to 12 without any problems. Then # 13 came along. Must have been getting tired, or it was just an unlucky number....anyhow I slipped. Landed on my left fingers and knees. Then somehow landed on my chest. Peter came to the rescue. Finger started to swell and was painful, but we had places to go....so we continued on our way! Before reaching the cache at the end of the trail, we counted a total of 18 crossings. Some more difficult than others. Later in the hike we came across another hiker who had a large "bite" taken out of his straw hat. Asked him what happened, and he said a pterodactyl swooped down and bit it off. Said he had to fight it off! We then wondered if that same pterodactyl was responsible for knocking me off the boulder in the 13th stream crossing. Amazing! So nice to have a worthy explanation of what happened and not think that it was just me being clumsy!

We did accomplish our task that we set out to do. Found all of the caches, had a wonderful hike in the wild, did not break anything and enjoyed each others company. What more could you want on a spring day in Colorado?

Visitors from Wisconsin

2011-05-28T21:54:00.000-06:00

This week our dear friends Paul and Maris Fried stayed with us in Fort Collins, Colorado. They drove one thousand miles to visit and spend time together. We had the opportunity to show them around the Front Range and do some hiking in the Poudre Canyon. They joined us seeking out geocaches in town and in the surrounding regions.

Paul and Peter took the hike to the top of Horsetooth Rock and Renée and Maris hiked the trail to Horsetooth Falls.

Paul was able to complete a Earthcache with information he gained from signage at the top of the Rock.

The Rock overlooks the City of Fort Collins to the north.

Paul and Maris' visit to Colorado

2011-05-25T12:11:00.000-06:00

In May 2011, Paul and Maris drove from Milwaukee to visit us.
During their visit with us, we introduced them to our surroundings as well as our newest hobby...geocaching.

On one of the first days they were here, we took them for a drive north and Wwest of Fort Collins on a road that runs along the Poudre River and through the canyon. No matter what time of the year we head out in this direction there always seem to be new sites to see. On this trip, we noticed that the river was beginning to swell. Rafters were enjoying the exciting ride.

Our goal for the day was to head about 20 miles west to pick up 3 new caches that had been placed in the canyon along the road. The first one had us (not Renee) climbing down the steep slope in search of the elusive cache. We never did find this one and actually have been back since with no luck as well. Giving up on that one for the moment, we headed back east to pick up the remaining 2 and have our lunch. Success! Both were found in record breaking time. We had our lunch along the river and headed back to town. Along the way, we were all treated to a small grouping of Big Horn Sheep that had progressed down from the mountains to feed on the new grasses. Great photos.

Exploring Craig, Colorado

2011-05-20T07:45:00.000-06:00

As it has been raining/snowing in the Steamboat Springs area we decided to head West and explore the small town of Craig, Colorado. It is about 45 miles west of here.

We did some caching for the day and actually exceeded our old record.
We are working on a 100 day straight challenge. Finding at least 1 per day for 100 straight days.
We are now up to 98 days. Really never thought we would get to this point.

There are so many places to see in the Craig area.
We started the day in the hills above Craig. Peter chose to do the climb above the town. It was muddy from all the rain and snow melt. I took pictures of him from down below. As I was waiting for Peter to come back down, 2 local police cars pulled up. Thought they were there to see if I needed any help (which I did not). Oh no, they were there to say that they had reports of "someone taking pictures of kids in the area". We were parked near the high school. I cleared up the issue. They seemed satisfied after taking my license information, but I did not like the process at all. Soon after that I drove the car to another location to pick up Peter from the other end. Sometimes local Police can be too vigilant. We have been stopped before, but not for taking pictures!

Heading back west again today as it continues to rain/snow here.

Wood Carvings in Colorado

2011-05-19T09:55:00.000-06:00

While traveling through Craig, Colorado we came upon this park that had incredibly detailed wood carvings. There were probably over 30 in this one park alone and another 25 or so scattered around town.

Heading to Rabbit Ears Pass

2011-05-17T09:37:00.000-06:00

Cloudy morning.
Rain expected here in Steamboat.
We are headed up to Rabbit Ears Pass to do some exploring.
Possibly snowshoeing or x country skiing.
Will depend on the conditions of the snow.

Sunday in Steamboat Springs

2011-05-16T00:57:00.000-06:00

Sunday morning was bright and beautiful. Birds were singing outside of our room and it looked like it would be a wonderful day again.

We headed into town to attend Mass and then to Winona's for a breakfast. It is said that Winona's has the "best cinnamon rolls in Colorado". We were definitely tempted. The rolls were the size of dinner plates. We were going to share one, but after the breakfast that we ate, we chose to skip that portion of the meal. Perhaps having one without anything else later in the week would be a better option. We may come back during the week.

After breakfast, we chose to walk along the Yampa River to get a few caches in the downtown area. The river was swollen and moving rapidly. We walked for about a mile until it became too warm and uncomfortable for us. We did not have our hats with us and the sun was too hot for our heads. We are sooooo delicate!

Heading to Steamboat Springs

2011-05-15T00:50:00.000-06:00

On Saturday, Peter & I headed West to spend a week in Steamboat Springs.
The plan was to relax, explore, do some caching,photography and perhaps a little snowshoeing or some cross country skiing.
The weather in Fort Collins was good and there was definitely no snow to be found there.
We borrowed the snowshoes from Doug and Heidi and took off to see if we could find any last vestiges of snow in the mountains.

We drove West on Highway 14. This highway follows the Poudre River and cuts through the canyon. We stopped along the way to catch a couple of caches. When we stopped, we were rewarded with some beautiful spring wildflowers. Stopping for pictures was a definite must.

We spotted only one moose along the way, but it was too far off in the marsh to make a worthwhile shot. The colors in the marsh were spectacular.

We made it to the condo by dinner time without any problems. We unpacked, had dinner and relaxed for the rest of the evening with plans to explore the area in the daylight. We were here last fall, so it would just be a matter of getting reacquainted with everything.

Climbing, Skiing etc

2011-04-03T14:56:00.001-06:00

Peter is off this weekend to do some climbing and skiing with Doug and Heidi.
On Saturday, they enjoyed the exceptionally warm weather and climbed in Golden. Heidi was working, so Doug and Peter went with another friend Tom to the Cliffs of Golden. Long and exhausting day for them. Early to bed so they could get up early on Sunday morning to head to Loveland Pass for a day of skiing.
This is the first day that Heidi has been able to ski since her surgery in the Fall. I am told (by phone) that she is enjoying herself. Good to be back out enjoying what she loves to do. Peter called this afternoon to give me an update on what he has been up to. He was just finishing off his lesson and headed back to the top for another run. He said during his lesson, they got "stuck" at the top because of the white out conditions. Some of the best weather/conditions they have experienced in years.

Just a bit ago, Peter called again to say that he was quitting for the day. Thinks he has had enough. Doug and Heidi are still out enjoying the snow. It continues to snow there.

Here in Fort Collins, I went out to do a hike on my own and to do some geocaching. Well, I had just begun and the wind picked up tremendously. I could see in the distance the fire that was burning in the Horsetooth Reservoir. As I was heading out, it began to rain. What's a little rain, right?
Well it got harder and harder. With the strong winds, I gave up and headed home. Then the snow began! What a day. Guess I'll just stay in and do some painting.

Here is one of my new spring time flower paintings.

Hike to Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park

2011-03-26T19:27:00.000-06:00

Visiting from Milwaukee, Sue and Tony, joined us on a trek out to Rocky Mountain National Park. On Thursday morning, following a simple breakfast we drove out Highway 34 through Big Thompson River Canyon. This is a windy stretch of road that wends its way through rocky outcroppings that tower above the roadway. The many facets of rough rock surfaces displayed hues of brown, green and red rocks reflecting the sunlight and dazzling our eyes. Of course we saw horses and cattle along the way but we also saw llamas among the domesticated animals.
Up close and personal we saw mountain sheep and deer along the roadside. Inside the Park the animals were hidden away since we arrived at noontime.

Our objective was to get to Bear Lake and check out the trail and the Lake. The elevation at the Ranger Station is 9,475 feet. The temperature is still freezing and the ground is covered with feet of snow packed down by the many visitors to this site.

After a short but slippery walk to the lake shore, we discovered that the shore was not there. We were out on the frozen lake. Renée suggested that we walk to the other side to see the frozen ice flow across the lake below Hallett's Peak off in the distant skyline. With other intrepid hikers we ventured forth across the lake. At spots along the way we noticed holes in the snow pack where previous hikers dug down to the ice of the lake.

The sunny skies that warmed us as we left Fort Collins were gone by the time we departed Bear Lake. As we drove home snow blew fiercely across the road changing the color hues of the landscape to a predominate grey.

Reconnecting with Family

2011-03-24T09:29:00.000-06:00

Wednesday morning we rose slowly. Sue and Tony still had to rearrange their personal clock for mountain time.

Following breakfast and of course the puzzles, we started to look through old pictures that had been stored in a trunk for many years. These were a mixture of pictures from Grandma and Grandpa Skiba, Sister Gabriella etc. They had at one time been in Grandma & Grandpas house. When their house was sold, we became the keepers of these memories. It was time to share with other family members who would appreciate these mememtos. Peter & Sue took charge of sorting out the pictures, and putting them into different envelopes for siblings and cousins. Sue and Tony will bring them with them when they return home. Some will be dropped off in Albuquerque on their visit later in the week to see John & Pat. John & Pat moved from Milwaukee in Spring of 2010. Seems like the entire Skiba clan is moving away from Milwaukee. Can Sue and Tony be far behind?

Weather had warmed by noon and looked to be a delightful day. We headed West a couple of miles to explore one of Fort Collins' Natural sites. Our hike was to be in conjunction with discovering a couple of caches along the way. We figured we must have put in about 4 miles traipsing up and down the trails, fighting the weeds, the brambles, crossing the river a couple of times........

When the outdoor escapade was completed we headed into Old Town Fort Collins for a treat. What better place to go then Ben & Jerry's? Peter & I were able to find a wonderful smoothie that was dairy free while Sue and Tony indulged themselves with some ice cream. It was even warm enough by then to sit in the square and enjoy our treat. But we couldn't go home yet....oh no! One more cache to find a couple of blocks from where were sitting! Euraka! That completed, we headed home for dinner and news and a game of Dominoes.

A delightful day. Tomorrow we head to Rocky Mountain National Park.

Family Visit from Milwaukee

2011-03-23T09:16:00.000-06:00

On Tuesday Peter & I picked up Peter's sister, Sue and hubby, Tony from Milwaukee at the Denver Airport. Flight was good. No luggage missing even though they changed flights midway in Kansas City. This is the first time for either of them to be in Colorado, so the places to see were endless.

First stop out of the airport was to head into Denver and visit the 16th Street Mall. Sue and Tony had not eaten on the flight except for that VERY LARGE bag of pretzels and peanuts. So we headed to The Corner Bakery on the mall for some needed fuel. We then took the shuttle farther West for a visit to the Tattered Cover Bookstore. Now only 2 floors filled with books etc, but well worth the visit. Sue and Tony bought a few items for the grand kids back home and then we headed outside to fight the wind again. Winds were very strong that day. Really needed a couple of rocks in the pocket for stabilization!

On our way out of Denver we were able to note the large smoke plumes from the fire in Golden. With the high winds for the last couple of days, it has been extremely difficult to get it under control.

The plan then was to head to Arvada to meet with Doug & Heidi for some dinner at Udi's. Given that we were a bit early for the scheduled meet up, we popped out our GPS and located a cache that was close to the eatery. Tony found his first Geocache! Held it up for all of us to see and said "could this be it?" and of course it was! Just trying to keep our daily streak alive! Hooray!

Dinner with the "kids" was great. We sat and chatted over dinner and drinks. It was so nice not to have the wait staff rush us out. An enjoyable visit and reunion for all.

Adventure at Denver's Zoo

2011-03-20T10:14:00.000-06:00

Andy, Hailey & Emily came from Wyoming to visit for the weekend. Tara was unable to join the family due to work schedule that interfered. Hoping that next time everyone will be able to make it for a visit.

On Friday night, Doug joined all of us at the climbing gym in Boulder. The girls were more interested in going down the slide, but everyone did seem to enjoy themselves. Even Renee who spent the time reading and people watching.

Saturday's plan was to go to the Denver Zoo. A beautiful day was in store for us. The zoo was crowded as many others had the same idea for a Saturday outing. We walked through most of the exhibits, stopped for lunch, the girls bought a souvenir to take home and a promised ride on the train were just some of things we did. We left tired and some slept on the hour ride back home.

Rocky Mountain Raptor Program

2011-03-13T22:25:00.000-06:00

Peter and Renée visited the Environmental Learning Center while geocaching in Fort Collins on Wednesday. They noticed that the were fenced in enclosures on the premises that had wild birds of prey within. Pretty cool wild birds!

Two geocaches remained to be found when we quit for the day. We returned on Thursday and found the caches on the trails nearby. When we returned to the parking area we noticed some volunteers near the enclosures with something flapping huge wings. As we approached we saw that the flapping wings belonged to a golden eagle that we learned was ill and unable to fend for itself in the wild. It is being kept and trained as an educational ambassador for the Program. We were treated to a special opportunity to learn about this eagle and about the Program which has a rich and successful history. Originally linked to the University (CSU) it was spun off and now has a home of its own right here in Fort Collins. Volunteers travel the State with the birds and provide educational opportunities for lots of folks. They treat and release raptors like eagles, owls, hawks and falcons. Since 1979 the have cared for over 5,000 injured raptors.

Spring in Colorado

2011-03-10T16:01:00.000-07:00

A breath of fresh air!
69 degrees and it is only March 10th.
First time this season to open the windows.
How wonderful!

Carroll Canyon Trek

2011-03-03T21:23:00.000-07:00

Peter joined fellow Wyndham Vacation Resort timeshare guests staying at the Sedona Resort on a hike to Carroll Canyon. The hike was hosted by Wyndham Activities Supervisor, Elyse James. Fellow Hikers included Charleen and Bob from Albuquerque and their neighbors and friends, Vikki and Herman. Elyse confirmed that we were about to go on a moderate hike with steep and muddy areas and gave each of us the opportunity to opt out if we wanted to. With no defectors, we started out on city streets to get to the trailhead for the start of several Carroll Canyon hikes. With plenty of water on hand we ventured out onto the trail. Elyse explained the fragile environment we were hiking through and that uncompacted soil could be damaged by mere foot pressure. That damage could take decades of time to overcome. We were careful to stay on the trails and not wonder off trail. Leader Elyse, while setting an aggressive pace, stopped from time to time to make sure everyone was okay.

We reached the culmination of our trek dubbed "Elyse's Overlook" and peered over the edge of massive rocks onto the wet wash of Carroll Canyon. With Thunder Mountain in the background the city of Sedona came into clear view.

With pleasant company and good conversation the trip was over it seemed in no time. With one hike under my belt what could be next on the agenda? Maybe a little geocaching?

The 2 of us in Arizona

2011-03-03T12:00:00.000-07:00

Exploring Arizona. Cathedral Rock in the background.

To the top of Scheurman Mountain

2011-03-03T09:30:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday morning we headed south of town to take the Red Rock Loop Road.
One of the first stops was to hike to the top of Scheurman Mountain.
This was a suggestion of our new geocaching friends, Mike and Julie.
The hike would take us to a couple of their caches.
Renee opted to stay at "base camp" and direct Peter if he needed help
in locating the cache (s). Peter took off with hiking sticks, water, backpack and a
lot of energy to hike up the trail.

He located the first cache with no difficulty and then called back to Renee
for directions to the next 2. Along the way he met up with a couple of other hikers
who were from Pennsylvania. He introduced them to geocaching.
Pictures were taken and then Peter was on his way to the next cache.
He located 3 of the 4. Great vistas and great pictures. Certainly a site to return to
for wonderful sunsets or sunrises.

After his 2.5 hour trek, Peter & Renee continued on the Red Rock Loop Road stopping at intervals to grab a couple of more caches and enjoy the vistas. We stopped at places that we
may not have normally been attracted to for a stop.

Great day. Headed home for some rest, a hot shower, dinner and some news on TV.

Peter logging into a cache at the top of Scheurman Mountain.

Overview of Sedona from one of the overlooks along Red Rock Loop Road.

Renee at one of the stops

Hike to Devil's Bridge is Heavenly

2011-02-28T20:54:00.000-07:00

On a Forest Service Road still wet and muddy from Sunday's snowfall and closed to vehicles, we ventured out toward the trailhead looking for Trail 120, the pathway to Devil's Bridge. We got a late start, following some time share business, but began with the sun shining and almost no wind. It felt good to be heated by the warm sun on our bodies covered with protective clothing. We slid a lot on muddy red sand as we proceeded down the roadway. We saw the first butterflies of the year. Too quick and flighty to capture with a camera, but beautiful anyway. On first glance they appear white, with closer scrutiny bands of orange blaze along the outer edges of the wings. On the trail three hikers passed us up as we looked at plants and critters.

After about a mile, Renee, figured it was prudent to head back toward the car. Peter trudged on to find the entry way to the trail. Once at the trailhead (4600 feet), Peter continued the mile to the top. At the Bridge I found Athanasia and her two cousins at the top posing for pics after climbing and sliding on icy stones. We traded pics. Steps were treacherous on the way down. Apart from the icy spots the hike was great.

Sunday Morning Snow

2011-02-27T14:24:00.001-07:00

After going to Church this morning, we decided to ride further into the mountains while the snow was so prevalent on the rocks and trees.

We drove on Soldiers Pass Road to Rim Canyon Road and stopped at the Soldiers Pass Trailhead in the Coconino National Forest. The path was snow covered. Where the snow had already melted the path turned into red mud. Peter walked a bit further on the trail and was treated to the sounds of a hiker who was playing his flute. I heard it also and it was delightful.

These are just some of the images that we took along the trail today.

The muddy trail.

The beauty of winter in the mountains.

Proof that Peter (top boots) went farther than Renee.

Snow in Sedona

2011-02-27T08:08:00.000-07:00

Woke up this morning in Sedona to a beautiful site outside of our window.
Heavy snow! Hanging from the trees, covering the red rocks in the mountains.
We are heading out to enjoy some of this beauty before it is only a memory.

Red Rock Canyon State Park

2011-02-06T10:35:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday, Feb 1st we chose to have an outdoor adventure.
We traveled about 30 miles of Vegas to Red Rock Canyon State Park. Doug & Heidi had told us before leaving on our trip that this was one of the places we should not miss.

It was a cool day (30's) and the winds were quite strong! Peter even was blown over at one of his picture taking walks. Strong winds mixed with sand and grit made for a bit of facial pain when you forgot to cover up. I even lost my hat, but Peter being the gallant man he is went over the edge to retrieve it! Hooray!

On Tuesday, we just drove through the park loop, stopped for a couple of caches, some pictures and a brief hike. We returned on Wednesday so that Peter would be able to walk through the Ice Box Canyon Trailway. He took almost the entire trail hoping to see some frozen waterfalls. I stayed behind and went for a much shorter walk in the opposite direction.

Visitor's Center where Peter made a new friend who insisted on following him around!

Part of our geocaching search.

Hiking up the rocks. Bundled up to protect from the wind.

Red Rock Canyon--- Calico Basin

The Beatles LOVE AT THE MIRAGE

2011-02-01T09:57:00.000-07:00

Before we left Colorado, we decided to have one large splurge on this vacation/trip. We had heard and read good reviews on the Cirque Du Soleil highlighting songs from the Beatles. It was showing at the Mirage....only a shuttle ride away from where we were staying. Tightwads that we are, we went for it! And we loved it.

The energy expended during the performance was simply amazing! The music and acrobatics never stopped. One would have to see it several times to appreciate all of it.
The night of the performance we took a limo ride (courtesy of the Wyndham where we were staying) to the Mirage. After the show we had time to watch the Volcano eruptions in front of the Mirage. We came back later in the week for some nighttime photos and videos.

All of these pics were taken from my phone. Quality was not the best. We were not able to take any pictures during the performance.

Some of the many lights in the Theater area.

Peter in the lobby.

Renee in the lobby.

The 2 of us enjoying the evening.

The lobby, prior to the show.

Hoover Dam

2011-02-01T09:50:00.000-07:00

Given the warm temperatures predicted for the area and despite the possibility of large crowds at the Hoover Dam on a Sunday, we chose to check out the historical landmark.

We drove from Las Vegas and headed South through the town of Boulder City and on to the Dam along with many, many other visitors. We stood in line, had our picture taken, went through the scanner and then on into the heart of the dam. There were 2 tours to choose from. We opted for the briefer one that began with a short video show depicting the history of the Hoover Dam. We then boarded an elevator for a 500 foot descent to get an up close look at the power plant generators housed at the base of the dam. Some of the cranes inside the Dam were made in Milwaukee at the PH Harnischfeger Corp. We were also able to see and walk through the original diversion tunnels and stand atop a giant 30 foot pipe where we could feel the rumble of the Colorado River racing below us.

After being inside we walked around the outside to a site that overlooked Lake Mead, the country's largest man-made reservoir. Lake Mead can store up to 9.2 trillion gallons of water. We stopped for a bite to eat at the local deli and then went outside again to get our car. We drove a short distance to another parking area where we could view and walk over the newly completed Hoover Dam Bypass. The Bypass was begun in late Jan. 2005 and completed on Oct 19, 2010. It spans the Black Canyon and connects the Arizona and Nevada highways nearly 900 feet above the Colorado River.

It was a very windy day when we chose to walk across the Bypass. As Renee does not like heights or bridges that tend to sway, she had some hesitation and walked on the inner most side of the walkway. After a few moments however she knew the bridge was stable and she walked to the other end taking pictures as she went along. Peter also took many pictures (all of the ones posted here are credited to him. Both enjoyed the site very much. These are just a few of the many pictures that we took on that day.

Inside the Dam.

On the outside, overlooking Lake Mead and the original visitor's center.

Before our walk over the Hoover Dam Bypass - Mike O'Callaghan and Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge. Overlooks Lake Mead and the Dam and spans an area between Arizona and Nevada.

Peter standing in approximately the middle of the bridge looking down at Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam.

A look at Lake Mead and the Dam from atop the Hoover Dam Bypass.

After completing the walk across the bridge and arriving back on the Nevada side.

Leaving town.......

2011-01-29T18:37:00.000-07:00

On Jan. 27 Peter & I left for Las Vegas. We had never been there before and really did not have any plans to go, but listening to others talk about the sites that were close to Vegas, we decided to take a chance and go for it!

We traveled on Thursday and stayed overnight in Richfield, Utah. We made several stops along the way for pictures and some geocaching in States that we had not been to before.
Weather was great the entire stretch.

64th birthday celebration

2011-01-18T19:38:00.000-07:00

This January 14th marked the 64th birthday of Peter. This is momentous because it is Peter's first birthday celebrated in Colorado and the first time it was celebrated with all members of his immediate family. Andy and Tara and the girls traveled from Lander and stayed the weekend and Doug and Heidi joined us on Saturday. A wonderful Packers victory was another gift.

The dining room table was twice surrounded with smiling faces admiring birthday cake complete with lit candles, once on Friday and again on Saturday.

Time was spent with granddaughters, Hailey and Emily, playing at the playground and on the living room floor.

Time was also spent with sons, Doug and Andy, being introduced to frisbee golf.

Renée planned the event and was instrumental in pulling off it off.

The girls helped Peter open gifts of a rust colored shirt, slippers to replace my holey ones and a new chalk bag for climbing. Andy and Tara hid their gift before returning to Lander.

First Winter Hike

2011-01-05T18:00:00.000-07:00

Fort Collins has wonderful Natural Areas that are both supported and patronized by the citizens of the city. The Gateway Natural Area was the spot I chose to explore, hike and photograph. Historically this site functioned as a water treatment facility that outlived its original usefulness. This spot is where the North Fork and the Cache La Poudre River meet.

I took a short and steep hike up the Black Powder Trail to the summit of 5800 feet. The trail runs up a rock and dirt trail through ponderosa pine, rocks and grasses. The dam creating the Seaman Reservoir is visible along the upper reaches of the hike. There is evidence of past fire with the charred tree bark and trees fallen and burned.

The water of the North Fork River flows out of the Seaman Reservoir to the north and joins the Cache La Poudre at the Park Area. There is a parking area with restrooms available.

It appears that trout fishermen try their hands year round stalking their version of rainbows.

New Puzzle

2011-01-01T19:12:00.000-07:00

When we arrived home from our trip to Arkansas, we found a puzzle waiting for me on our dining room table....courtesy of Doug & Heidi. They had finished it and were giving me an opportunity to put it together as well.
As can be seen, it was a bit confusing, but I put it together in about 24 hours. When I start something like that, I like to finish it. It is now back in the hands of another puzzle aficianado. ...a friend of Heidi's. I am now trying my hand at a puzzle that is a replica of one of Jackson Pollock's works of art. Intense splashes of color on canvas. I estimate that this will take me about a year to complete. Lucky if I can get one piece/day.

The Old Mill in North Little Rock, Arkansas

2010-12-24T11:00:00.000-07:00

This winter we went south to explore Arkansas. We stayed in the Northern parts but traveled to Little Rock for a day of sight seeing. The weather was cool but pleasant.
On the day we visited Little Rock, it was in the low 70's. Very comfortable for walking and touring.

Before we arrived in Little Rock, we made a stop at one of the more famous sights in North Little Rock: The Old Mill.

The Old Mill is a picturesque site located in one of North Little Rock's parks. It was used in the opening scene of Gone with the Wind. The park surrounding the mill has benches, trees, and blooming flowers.

Peter taking a picture of the Old Mill.

The Gardens have Faux Bois (Fake Wood) Sculptures throughout. These were installed by Mexican Sculpture, Dionicio Rodruquez in 1933.
Spectacular!

Trip to Valles Caldera

2010-11-24T13:04:00.000-07:00

Sunday, Nov. 21st we traveled north to Los Alamos, New Mexico. We took the circle tour (a drive of about 90 miles) and explored places such as the Valles Caldera and took a step back in time.
The Valles Caldera National Preserve was a private ranch until 2000 when Congress created the Preserve in the volcanic Jemez Mountain Range. This 89,000 acre property is situated inside a collapsed crater. The area is very interesting and worth a return trip to do some hiking.
On the property itself is the original homestead.

This Peter looking through one of the windows on the property.

The original homestead.

First Day in Santa Fe

2010-11-21T12:24:00.000-07:00

Monday, Nov 15th, 2010 was our first day visiting the town of Santa Fe. We began the day with a bit of geocaching knowing that this would be a way of exploring and getting to know the city.
One of the old adobe buildings in town.

Peter walking in the Plaza next to the Veteran Memorial.
Even on a cool day, there were still many people milling around in the Plaza.
A true gathering place for locals as well as tourists.

One end of the Plaza houses artisans who are selling their wares --- mostly pottery and jewelry. When talking with one of the gentlemen, I was told that they are out in the Plaza 364 days of the year (closed Christmas) selling their goods. They do not pay anything for the place that they chosen but sitting on the ground can not be very comfortable for the entire day.

While in Santa Fe we noted that shopkeepers and building owners were installing luminaries on the tops of their establishments. This all in preparation for Christmas.

Galleries were found in every corner of Santa Fe. Too numerous to count.

One of the market stalls in the Plaza selling wreaths and strings of chilis.

Trip to Taos

2010-11-20T12:04:00.000-07:00

On Wed. Nov 17, 2010 we traveled north from Santa Fe to spend the day in Taos, New Mexico. The last time we had been there was in the mid 90's. Nothing seems to have changed.
Wonderful architecture, not much traffic and a great time trying to find the old places we had been to and to find new ones.

One of the places that we were looking to photograph was the St. Francis of Assisi Church in Ranchos de Taos. This was the subject of four paintings by Georgia O'Keefe and many photographs by Ansel Adams. Georgia O'Keefe described it as "one of the most beautiful buildings left in the United States built by the early Spaniards. It was built between 1772 and 1816 and is about 4 miles southwest of the town of Taos, New Mexico. It was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1970.

Dash to Milwaukee

2010-11-11T10:38:00.000-07:00

On Sat. November 6, 2010 we left Fort Collins and headed to Milwaukee for a quick trip for a couple of dental appointments. Ride to Milwaukee was uneventful and the first night of the trip was spent in Des Moines, Iowa. En route we stopped for a couple of geocaches (only those that were close to the highway) to break up the trip. On Sunday we continued our trip and arrived in West Allis to pick up some of our prints that had been in a show at Walkers Point Center for the Arts. From there we headed to Wauwatosa to stop for a cup of coffee with friends, Paul & Maris. During our brief time with them we learned of a dietary plan that they were following that is meant to reverse diabetes. Food for thought.
We arrived at Sue & Tony's house in St. Francis where they had graciously told us we could spend the nite. Had dinner at St. Francis Brewery and then headed home to watch the Packers.

The following morning we were up early and left for our dental appointments on the North West side of Milwaukee.

Drove back to Fort Collins and arrived home on Nov. 9th, 2010.

On Nov. 8th Heidi had her surgery in Denver so we went to visit with her on the 10th before we would have to leave home again. This time to Santa Fe, New Mexico.

Red Mountain Open Space

2010-10-31T15:39:00.000-06:00

On Friday we decided that our adventure for the week would take us North of Fort Collins.
We had been told earlier in the week that the Red Mountain Open Space would be a good place to explore.
So with the weather predicted to be in the upper 60's we got out our map and headed north about 25 miles. On the way we stopped to catch a few geocaches en route.

Arriving at the Open Space we noted that one of the parking lots was closed due to rattlesnake hibernation. So we parked lower but had to walk through that parking lot to get to the trails. On the trail, I kept my eyes wide open in hopes that a rattler would not show itself on my path. With the warm weather I thought that they would be coming out of their hidey-holes! But none that we saw.

On our walk we had to cross a couple of creeks. I am always leery, but managed fine with Peter's encouragement. Of course Peter had to ham it up for the camera while he was crossing. No worry he has not fallen yet no matter how much he packs along with him!

And me going the opposite direction.

Peter getting down into the rattlesnake/cacti area.

Some of the wonderful birds nests that we found along the way. Built right into the side of the mountain.

Our new truck

2010-10-27T16:04:00.000-06:00

When we moved to Colorado this summer we debated about having a truck to better navigate some of the back roads. We have been here about 3 months now and we have chosen to stick with our "regular" vehicles.
On the Poudre Canyon Road that we took this past Friday we came across what could be our new/old truck! A beaut don't you think?

Doug's Birthday

2010-10-25T16:08:00.000-06:00

On Sunday Oct 24th, Doug turned 39!
Wow! How did that happen when we weren't looking?

Peter & I met Doug, Heidi and their friend Tom at a climbing gym in Thornton, Co.
Peter had not been climbing for some time so it was a time for a refresher course.
Doug also showed Tom the "ropes" of climbing.
And of course Doug showed us all what a fast monkey he is climbing up those walls.
Peter was not far behind.

Enjoyable morning.

Peter, Tom & Doug scaling the walls.

The family after the climbing.

In Search of Moose

2010-10-23T10:39:00.000-06:00

On Friday, Oct 22nd we decided to take Hwy 14 from Fort Collins and head west along the Poudre Canyon. We had taken this twice before when we went to Steamboat Springs, but this day was intended to be a leisurely trip to catch the last golden hues of fall and a few moose grazing.

We were not disappointed along the way. The colors were obviously less than a couple of weeks ago, but what remained was brilliant.

Our destination for the day was to be Walden, Co (the moose capitol of the US). We had seen moose in the area before so we hoped we would again be lucky enough to catch sight of a few (or even one!). Alas, it was not to be so. No moose in the area today. We stopped several times for some geocaching along the way and our last stop for the day was to Cameron Pass TH. By the time we arrived there the snow was just beginning to fall gently. Along the trail, it began to come down heavier. The quiet in the woods was wonderful. All you could hear was the snow pellets off our hats and coats. We gave up for the day and headed back home. Perhaps the moose had been warned of our imminent approach? We will try again.

Rocky Mountain National Park

2010-10-19T15:15:00.000-06:00

Peter & I got off to a very early start this morning. Alarm went off at 4AM. Our plan was to get to RMNP for a sunrise. We arrived at about 6:30AM. Drive into the park was uneventful....no large animals in the roadways! Arrived in the park before the staff was there to check us in. Our plan was to look for elk today, photograph a sunrise and do some geocaching.

Initially went to Bear Lake for the sunrise. On the way up to that point we first came across some wonderful glistening frost on the low lying plants. As we progressed farther up, the frost turned to snow. Lovely to look at with the aspen trees still glowing their beautiful golden hues. There were about 4 other cars in the parking lot when we arrived. One was covered with snow so we presumed that the occupant (s) had spent the nite up higher on an overnite hike.

Peter proceeded to walk to Bear Lake along with another photographer who arrived at the same time. Said the water was not calm, so not terrific for reflections, but still beautiful with the recent snowfall.

Sunrise at Bear Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park

Sunrise showing alpenglow at Bear Lake a few minutes after the initial shots.

Large bull elk taking a rest. Alone. Before or after his harem duties???!!!

As our car was almost empty of fuel, we then headed back to Estes Park to refuel the car and ourselves. We stopped for breakfast at a small restaurant called "The Other Side". Hearty breakfast of shared Denver Omelet, Blueberry Pancakes and coffee.

Following breakfast we decided to do some geocaching in the area. I had looked up about 10 places the night before. We were ready. We found all but one. Perhaps it had floated down the river or been taken by someone? Will never know. But the places we did get to were interesting.

Left this morning when the temperature was a mere 28 degrees and returned to Fort Collins where it was 70 degrees! What a pleasant way to spend a fall day!

Mount Audubon

2010-10-17T08:53:00.000-06:00

Peter set off this morning at 4:30AM to hike/climb Mount Audubon. His plans are to meet up with Doug and Tom. They figure it should be about an 8 hour hike.
Very cold when he left......35 degrees.
Sun is now out and it has warmed to a balmy 45 degrees.

I am staying inside to work on our pictures from our latest trip to Vail and to do some reading. Contemplating baking something to warm the house a bit. Refuse to turn on the heat! Way too early. Expected to be in the low 70's later today. Will then head out for my daily walk.

Peter brought home images from his adventure on Mount Audubon.

Doug and Tom before the trek begins.

Douglas as he reached the top of Mount Audubon.

Doug's headstand when he reaches the top!

Who's happy now?

Peter joins in the fun!

Picking up a rock to return to Renee for her collection!

Grouse Lake Trail

2010-10-14T12:02:00.000-06:00

Peter left this morning about 8am and was headed to the Grouse Lake Trail just north of Minturn. I was not feeling well and chose to stay home. His plans are to hike the entire trail (about 4.5 miles) and return to his starting point. He is figuring it should take him at the most 8 hours. Elevation gain on the hike is about 3,000'.

While he was gone, I chose to relax, go for a walk in the village and read my book and do some painting.

It is an absolutely heavenly fall day. The snow that had been at the tops of the mountains has melted. People are driving around in convertibles with the tops down! Is it really October? We are so used to much cooler weather in Wisconsin. This will take some getting used to? No!

Lost Lake Trail

2010-10-14T10:07:00.000-06:00

On Wed, Peter and I headed north on Red Sandstone Road. We drove up the FS Road 700 to the start of the trailhead. The road had recently been graded and was much less bumpy than when we took it last week. Big improvement.

The full trail was 3.73 miles between trailheads. The plan was for Peter to go the whole distance to the lake and then turn around and head back to the car. My plan was to walk about a mile and then head back to the car.

The trail followed a ridge dividing the Piney and Red Sandstone drainages while traveling through lodgepole pine and aspen groves. I'm sure the color was more vibrant a couple of weeks ago, but it was still a great place for a hike. To begin with we were the only 2 on the trail. It was so peacefully quiet. Gave us a chance to really experience nature. Along the way I noted a couple of Pileated Woodpeckers pecking away on the trees. Just me and the woodpeckers. No camera along.

The trail gradually climbed about 600 feet to the high point and then dropped down to Lost Lake. Peter said that he was able to see Vail ski slope from the top of the ridge. He stopped for about an hour to munch on his lunch and take some pictures. And then headed back to the car. As he was coming down the trail, he called me and I started out up the trail to meet him.

It was a beautiful day. Weather was perfect. Definitely a place we could return to when we get back to the Vail area.

Mount Massive Snowstorm

2010-10-08T07:56:00.000-06:00

Thursday's drive took us South from Vail on the way to Leadville.
We stopped several times for some geocaching at Turquoise Lake and San Isabel National Forest.

During the day we stopped near Mount Massive to take pictures of the snow storm approaching.

Geocaching near Vail, Colorado

2010-10-07T09:32:00.001-06:00

On Wednesday, we decided to do some geocaching in the area.
For those who have not done this, it entails using a GPS to find hidden objects in sometimes unusual and out of the way places. It gets us to go in areas that we may not have explored previously.

We started our day at Vail. The plan was to go West and then South, perhaps as far as Leadville. We never made it to Leadville, but will go there today (hopefully).

Our first find of the day was at Dowd's Rapid right off Hwy 24 and Hwy 6. Well hidden.

Our second one took us to Grouse Creek/Grouse Creek Trailhead a short distance further. This one was a bit more difficult to locate. Peter's persistence paid off when he discovered it in the middle of a beaver's dam! Eureka!

From there we headed south to Minturn and stopped for a BBQ lunch at Kirby Cosmo's BBQ. Enjoyable lunch to complement the pleasant weather.

We continued south to the old mining town of Gilman. Closed to the public but viewable from Hwy 24 overlook. Here too we found a cache hidden in the railing.

From there we headed to our most difficult find yet at Homestake Creek Camping area. I eventually gave up but Peter again persisted by hiking farther back and scrambling over rocks. The area was a great environment for moose (as the sign at the start indicated), but alas they kept themselves hidden from our view.

Our last 2 finds of the day were near Camp Hale where the soldiers of the 10th Mountain Division trained during WWII. We found the first easily enough, but the last one escaped our eyes and we will return today. Interesting place.

View of moose habitat in Homestake Creek Camping Area.

Eagle's Nest Wilderness

2010-10-05T07:35:00.001-06:00

On Monday, Peter and I decided to explore the area near Vail.
We first went to the Holy Cross Ranger District in Minturn, Colorado to pick up information on various hikes in the area. We chose hikes that were listed as "easy to very difficult" picking the Lost Lake Trail #1893 as our first choice. We drove back to Vail and headed North on Red Sandstone Road #700.

As we expected, most of the color on the Aspens was already past, but what remained was bright and beautiful and worth stopping along the way for pictures. The road that we took was a FS road and not in the best condition. Very bumpy ride for about 5 miles. We arrived at the trail head and decided that it might be best to go on to the next stop which was the Upper Piney River Trail #1885. This would give me a shorter walk than what Peter was able to take.

We passed several camping areas and commented that it would be a quiet and peaceful place to camp some day when we return. We crossed over the Piney River along the way until we reached the Piney River Ranch where we began our hike.

We separated after about an hour and Peter went on further to the cascading waterfall. The trail after the falls leads to Mount Powell which is another destination for Peter on another day. The trail winds its way through aspen groves and spruce and fir stands. The whole area is in the Eagles Nest Wilderness.

Peter and Renee on the trail

Peter on the right returning from his hike with storm clouds building overhead.

Fall Color in Vail

2010-10-03T08:56:00.000-06:00

View of our condo from the mountain top.

Woke up this AM in Vail after arriving late last nite. Too dark to really see what our surroundings were like.

Walked out onto the porch outside our unit this morning to be treated to a beautiful site.
The ski hill is right outside our window.
Color is beautiful. Makes for a golden mountain side ---- hence the name "Golden Peak".
Below our deck is a mountain stream.
Can't wait to explore the area around here.
Should be interesting. As we understand it, no cars in Vail per se.
Bus, foot or bike transportation.

Let the exploring begin!

Pictures to follow......

First Fridays

2010-10-02T09:51:00.001-06:00

Last nite Peter & I had a chance to go to First Friday Art Walk in Fort Collins.
Was an enjoyable evening. Good to talk with other artists and see what is happening in the local art world.
Pleasantly warm and many folks were outside eating their meals. CSU marching band was strolling downtown entertaining those looking at art.

Trip to the Tetons

2010-09-21T20:36:00.000-06:00

While we were visiting with Andy, Tara, Hailey & Emily in Lander, Wyoming we decided to take a day trip to the Tetons on Monday while they were all either at work or school. We had not been to the Tetons or Yellowstone for some time and wanted to search out some of the large animals that populate these parks. Specifically we were looking for bison, elk and moose.
We drove the 21/2 hrs from Lander and arrived at Oxbow Bend just inside the park at about 7:15AM. Unfortunately we were about 15 minutes late for the sunrise but the scene was still breathtaking. Peter got out to take some pictures. As it was a very nippy 32 degrees, I decided to stay in the warm car and just take in the beauty.

From there we traveled south to the new visitors center and then headed back north to Yellowstone. We rode in search of lunch at one of the restaurants, but when we arrived at the Grant Village General Store and Restaurant we discovered a sign on the door saying it was closing on Sept. 20th (the day of our trip) and there was no food available.

We headed south again, still looking for moose & elk. We did not find any on our travels and decided to have lunch at Dornan's in Moose, Wy. We had our burgers outside on the picnic tables (by this time it had warmed up considerably) facing the Grand. We recalled fondly the time that we (Doug, Heidi, Peter & myself) made our journey up to the Grand. We figure it was the late 90's. Peter has a hankering to do that again.

We left the park and headed East over Togwotee Pass to Lander. If there had not been construction on the road it would have been an easier ride. As it was, it was dusty and slow. We arrived home to Andy's in time for pizza and story time with the girls.

Here are a couple of pictures from our Teton Day Trip.

The Grand.

Lupine Meadows near Taggert Lake.

Emily's Climbing Adventure

2010-09-21T20:13:00.000-06:00

On Sunday, Sept. 20th, the Skiba family took a walk to City Park in Lander, Wy.
The girls wanted to play on the playground for awhile.
With the normal playground equipment of slides and swings there is a climbing wall that the girls gravitated to.
Both Emily & Hailey tried climbing the wall. A good adventure for both.
.
Emily on the wall.

Hailey trying to climb the wall.

Both girls did well with a bit of encouragement of dad and grandpa.

Colorado River

2010-09-16T20:24:00.000-06:00

After Peter's long hike to Mount Ida, he was gracious enough to
go on a shorter walk with me. We went to the Hozworth Historic area in Rocky
Mountain National Park.
Trail goes along the Colorado River that Peter is standing by.

Beautiful day!

Hike to Mount Ida

2010-09-16T08:28:00.000-06:00

Yesterday brought us back to RMNP for an early start on a hike that Peter wanted to do to Mount Ida. Road construction in the park slowed us down a bit on the way up, but he eventually started at 7:30AM on the trail to Mt. Ida (12,880) and returned to the car by 2PM.
I stayed and waited for him during his hike. Construction workers and trucks all around me.
Quite nosy and smelly at times. But gave me a chance to finish my book and do a bit of knitting.

Peter says that it was cold and very windy on top and I believe him because I was experiencing the same at my elevation.
The trail that he took was along the Continental Divide.

Peter was also able to see the smoke from the recent fires in Boulder and Loveland early on during the hike. These became less noticeable as the day progressed.

After Peter finished his hike, we waited in line with all of the other cars for the road paving equipment to let us proceed down Trail Ridge Road. As I had been waiting all day, I felt I need to have some kind of easy walk/hike. We first stopped at the Colorado River Trail but decided to go on to the Holzwarth Historic Site. This is in the Never Summer Mountain Range. Buildings on the site date back to the early 1900's. It was known as the Never Summer Ranch where tourists from the Denver area spent time relaxing.

Poudre Lake

2010-09-14T19:48:00.000-06:00

On Tuesday, Peter & I were in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Peter's plans were to hike up to Mt. Ida on the following day.
The Poudre Lake shown in this picture is at the bottom/beginning of the trail.

Four Bikers that we met on the road to Mount Epworth

2010-09-12T21:00:00.000-06:00

These are the 4 bikers hamming it up for the camera.
Picture taken with Mount Epworth in the background.

Bartek Wolczyk, Ruben Karel, Brett Marraccini, Summer Ruckman.

Great meeting all you! Enjoy your biking

Hike to Mount Epworth

2010-09-12T20:39:00.000-06:00

On Sat. Sept. 11th, Peter hiked to the top of Mount Epworth. (11,843ft)
This was after an hour's drive up to Rollins Pass (near Winter Park, Co).
The road was extremely rutted. We bounced around driving to avoid the
holes in the road. Slow going. Some scratches on the side of the car.
We had to go on a CR as Hwy 40 was closed at the pass due to a pipe line being laid.
Made for an interesting, dusty and bumpy ride.

On the way we passed the old Moffat Railroad that was used in the mountains to
transport goods and materials.

When we arrived at Mount Epworth, we decided to hike on the trail.
Me on the safe side......and short side....
Peter opted to climb up to the top of the Mount.
He made it to the top despite the strong winds and signed in on the log.
Last climber was in Aug. 2010.
We kept in touch via 2 walkie-talkies. I feel better keeping in touch.
Let's me climb along while tucked away in a pocket!
Mount Epworth on the right.

Peter before the hike.

Winter Park

2010-09-10T19:14:00.000-06:00

Left Fort Collins again on Friday, Sept. 10th after doing mundane chores around the house.
We headed for Winter Park late in the afternoon and chose to drive through Rocky Mountain National Park to our destination. Not wise as it was late and dark by the time we arrived.

Checked into Indian Peaks resort for another week's vacation.

Return to Fort Collins

2010-09-09T19:11:00.000-06:00

We left Steamboat Springs this morning and returned home to Fort Collins.
Passed Rabbit Ears Pass on the way. Stopped at the State Forest State Park.
Area is known for their moose, but unfortunately they did not show themselves for us!

Arrived home, washed the filthy van and drove to Golden to have dinner with Doug and Heidi and deliver a chair. Home late.

Return to Flat Tops Wilderness

2010-09-08T19:07:00.000-06:00

Saw many more sheep grazing today in the area. Rainy and sunny today.

Peter did a quick hike to the Little Causeway Lake. Started to rain and hail on the way.
Renee stayed by the car until the rain came and took pictures of the the horses and landscape.

Peter reported that it was very wet. Covered his backpack, but boots and pants were soaked. Met 6 hikers from Madison, WI and gave them refuge while their keys were found

Flat Tops Wilderness Area

2010-09-07T19:04:00.000-06:00

Drove south from Steamboat Springs this AM.
Destination - Flat Tops Wilderness.
We rediscovered Cold Springs Campground. Took photos here last year that were sold for the Columbia/St. Mary's Hospital project in Milwaukee.

Along the way we came across sheep grazing near Stillwater Reservoir.

Did a short hike to Smith Lake and took pictur4es of the Devil's Causeway.
Sheep were all around us.
Great!

Shopping in Steamboat Springs

2010-09-06T19:00:00.000-06:00

Stayed in town today and did some shopping for Hailey's birthday on Sept. 17th.
Her wish.....anything related to horses!
After walking all over town and not finding what we wanted, we ended up at an landmark store in town --- FM Light. This was the right store! Had just what we were looking for.

After shopping we drove north of town to watch dog trials for border collies and other dogs who herd sheep. Interesting.

Fish Creek Falls

2010-09-05T18:53:00.000-06:00

On Sunday, Sept. 5th we drove a short distance out of town to Fish Creek Falls. We had been to this same trail in 2009.
Renée walked up the paved route to the Falls and then back to the car to read and watch other hikers in the parking lot. It was a busy day there as the weather was beautiful and it was Labor Day weekend. Parking spots were at a premium!

Peter to the longer trail with the intention of getting to Long Lake. He tried this a year ago but only got as far as the upper falls. A local along the way suggested using the "Hike the Boat" for good places to hike and explore.
Peter followed the trail about 6+ miles to Long Lake Reservoir, a water source for the town of Steamboat Springs. He traveled through a marshy area and got his boots full of mud. Met mountain bikers along the way riding down the path either from Dumont Lake or from Buffalo Pass. Long hike, but happy he made it.

Hahn's Peak

2010-09-04T18:48:00.000-06:00

Drove from Steamboat Springs this morning North to the State Park near Hahn's Peak. Drove up the forest road to get to the trail head.

Renée started out on the trail, but determined that the elevation gain was a bit much and chose to stay at the trail head and let Peter go on up the trail.

Peter met a retired forest service fire fighter on the summit who knew the area well.
He was able to see Steamboat Lakes in the south from the top as well as Mount Zirkel to the north. Nipple Peak was also visible to the west.

Enjoyable weather and enjoyable day.

Morning Walk

2010-09-02T14:36:00.000-06:00

Up for our early morning walk as usual. Awoke to thermometer registering 49 degrees. Seems a bit cool for the 2nd of Sept., but as this is our first Sept. as residents of Colorado, I guess we will learn soon enough what is normal and what is not.

Put on our jackets, Peter tied on his weights, and I grabbed the cold water bottle. Heading north on our usual route, the wind was fierce. We estimated it was about 30+ mph with gusts up to 40+. May be exaggerating a tad, but I think not. It was hard heading up hill and into the wind. But we completed our lap and returned home with thoughts of hot chocolate and maybe hot cereal for breakfast. But alas I was too tired to make the hot cereal, so I opted for a comfortable chair and my cup of hot chocolate.

Is this the start of fall already?

By mid afternoon, the temps have reached 70 and it is quite pleasant. That's how Colorado is....big swings in the temperatures. Usually quite cool for sleeping.

Beautiful Weather!

2010-08-20T08:19:00.001-06:00

Absolutely beautiful weather here in Fort Collins this morning. Actually quite cool this morning when we got up at 3:30AM. Peter headed out to Rocky Mountain National Park for a weekend camping/hiking trip with son, Douglas. Peter left early this morning in order to obtain a camping spot.....First Come, First Served. No reservations available.

During the day his plans are to hike in the park and then meet with Doug after Doug's day at work in Golden.

I chose not to go and remain at home to catch up on some personal stuff before we leave for Milwaukee next week. Do a bit of painting, reading unpacking (still!) and generally relaxing.

Heading out for a walk of my own later in the day.

Kids are back in school. Neighborhood is very quiet!

Home Repair

2010-08-18T09:01:00.000-06:00

Have workers here this morning doing touch up on paint and countertops.
Little repair jobs that just take time.
Home warranties.....a good thing...

Trip to Rocky Mountain National Park

2010-08-17T09:04:00.000-06:00

Rose very early on Monday morning.....3:30AM to be exact.....and headed out to RMNP hoping to be there in time for a sunrise. We arrived so early that no one was even at the gates when we passed through. We drove to the part where we had seen elk before and were treated to a large herd grazing and drinking from the river. Of course it took time to set up the tripods etc, so by the time that was done, they had moved farther on up the field. Did get a couple of pictures of the sunrise. The best part of this sunrise was the fog bank that hung over the field.

As the elk moved on, we moved on as well. Getting so good at following them. Just observing their behaviors is a thrill. We even heard a little bugling before we left that spot.

Our main destination for the day was to do a hike near Bear Lake. The plan was for Renee to hike around Bear Lake while Peter headed farther up the mountain range. His goal for the day was to reach Lake Haiyaha. We both began at 7am at the parking lot. Peter going one way and I going the other. We had our walkie talkies on hand to stay in touch. We began at an elevation of 9475'. My walk was only an elevation gain of 20' and easy enough for me. Stopped many times to take pictures around the lake. Wonderful reflections and a perfect time of the day as the path was not littered with other hikers. About 1/2 around, it began to rain and the look completely changed. No reflections. Water very unsettled.

After my walk, I went back to the car and had a granola bar and sat and read for a bit knowing that Peter would still be several hours longer in his hike. While waiting, the hikers came in waves being dropped off by the shuttle bus. No more peaceful walk around the lake. I was glad I started early.

As the day progressed, so did Peter and he kept me informed by walkie talkie. He hiked first to to Nymph Lake (about 1/2 mile) and then on to Dream Lake (another 1/2 mile). Elevation at this point was about 10000'. From there he went on to Emerald Lake stopping many times for pictures. When he reached Emerald Lake he had to backtrack on the trail to get to his final destination, Lake Haiyaha. He said his legs felt fine and this was good practice for his next trip with Doug in a week.

When Peter reached Lake Haiyaha, he called and said he was coming down. I told him I would meet him along the way. Little did I know that the climb was so steep. Even with a walking stick it was hard for me and I made many stops on the upward path. But the destination of the first Lake (Nymph Lake) was well worth the effort. A lake with many lily pads and yellow flowers. I did not carry a camera, so had to rely on Peter's pictures. I started to head to the next lake, but my legs said "are you crazy?". I chose to wait for Peter at Nymph Lake and do a bit of people watching. By this time of the morning there was no lack of people to watch.

Eventually, Peter arrived back to where I was waiting. We then walked down to the parking lot together. Total trip for Peter was about 6 miles. At the peak of the hike he reached 10, 220'. A good morning for both of us.

From there we headed out to lunch on the fringe of the park at Trailside Restaurant. A delightful lunch on the deck overlooking the mountains. During our entire meal, we watched the hummingbirds feeding on the deck. Very active.

Having finished lunch we headed back home to Fort Collins. Along the way we encountered Big Horn Sheep on Hwy 34. Some feeding close to the roadway and others, a ram included a tad farther up the mountain. Stopped for quite some time to take pictures. Always a thrill to have the opportunity to see them up close. From there we continued on our drive home only to stop once more when we came across a herd of elk grazing in a pasture. By the time we arrived home the rain had started once again. All in all a great way to spend the day. Plans are to return again this week, weather permitting.

Lake Haiyaha

Bear Lake (left) and Nymph Lake (right) from the trail

Joshua Been, plein air painter at Dream Lake

Quandry Peak

2010-08-10T20:25:00.000-06:00

Heidi --- Peter --- Doug

On Saturday, August 7th, Doug, Heidi & Peter climbed to the top of Quandry Peak.
With them were Tom, Jessica & Jennifer.
Trip to the summit took about 4 hours. Elevation was 14265 ft.
Tiring, but all made it to the top. And back to the base.

Pictures, thanks to Doug Skiba.

Anniversary Dinner

2010-08-10T09:48:00.000-06:00

Last evening, Peter, Doug & I traveled to Boulder to meet with Heidi for dinner. Doug had been at our house during the day to help with some wiring and moving of furniture.
The plan was to have dinner at some place other than normal for our anniversaries.
Peter & I celebrated our 40th anniversary in June while Doug and Heidi celebrated their 16th anniversary in June. Where does the time go? Not only hard to believe that we have been married that long, but our kids....16 years! Mind boggling.

Heidi chose the restaurant in Boulder and we all met at about the same time.
The choice for the evening was Brasserie 10 10 on Walnut St. just off their famous Pearl St. A French restaurant where the menu was actually in French. Of course with English subtitles. Peter, Doug & I enjoyed ROASTED RAINBOW TROUT with seared greens, lentil taboulé & citron buerre blanc. Wonderfully cooked and nicely presented. Heidi chose BOCUSE - a hunter style pulled chicken, sliced mushrooms, 5 lilies & a brandy crème over seared spinach. She also labeled it delicious, only asking "WHERE were the lillies"? Perhaps cooked inside the dish? We never did ask.
With our meal we also ordered a bottle of 2009 Chardonnay, from the Rodney Strong Winery in Sonoma County. Very tasty and a nice complement to our meal.

As we were at a French restaurant and celebrating our anniversaries, who could resist the dessert menu? Not us, except for Doug who chose a Courvoisier VSOP instead.
Heidi opted for PISTACHIO DACQUOISE (almond meringue, pistachio buttercream, yogurt mousse, fresh strawberries & pistachio), Peter chose CRÈME BRÛLÉE (no explanation necessary)and I chose WARM STICKY DATE CAKE (memories of my grandma's date cake...)(caramel kahlua ice cream over a warm date cake surrounded by toasted pecans and caramel sauce). Not exactly like what grandma made, but who's complaining?

A wonderful evening. Only people missing were Andy & Tara who celebrated their anniversary in Jan. Perhaps we will have to do this all over again. Such misery!

Quandry Peak

2010-08-08T12:49:00.000-06:00

Peter just called me from the top of Quandry Peak in Colorado. 14,265'.
About 6 miles south of Breckenridge.
Said they took off early this morning and he was at the peak by 11AM. Eating his PB&J sandwich when he called. Said his feet were sore, but other than that he was fine. They will be heading down soon in order to avoid the almost daily thunderstorms in the area. Can't wait to see his pictures. Will post when we have a chance.

Cold

2010-08-07T11:53:00.000-06:00

I am spending the day trying to fight off this miserable summer cold. Not sleeping well at night.
Peter is off doing errands before he heads to Doug & Heidi's for the night. They will be starting off very early tomorrow morning to do their hike on Quandry Peak. Over 14,000 ft. I can't even begin to think about that! Way beyond me. But he is anxious to do it.

Kingfisher Ponds

2010-08-06T18:28:00.000-06:00

On Friday morning we set out about 9AM and headed South on Timberline Road to get to our new hiking destination for the day. We are trying to do at least one different hike each week. We stopped across the road from the Riverbend Ponds that we went to earlier in the week. This one seemed to be mostly paved and suitable for when we wanted to return with our bikes.

As we followed the pathway we noted the tremendous amount of grasshoppers in the walkway and in the fields. Constant movement underfoot. Perhaps this is why they are crop dusting in the area? We continued on the pathway until we came to the information building. We picked up a few more maps and informational booklets (can never have too many of these!) and began our return trip. This part of the trip was a bit more interesting than the first half as we went past the Kingfisher Ponds. We saw a kestrel hawk sitting in a tree chirping away. No camera. Will have to come back with camera in hand one of these days.

Very hot morning, so we were both happy to return to our car that unfortunately was parked in the sun.

We headed North again and stopped at a furniture store to look at some new furniture for our new home. Ended up choosing a new dining room table and chairs, an entertainment center and a server/hutch. We plan on returning to choose the sofa and chairs at a later date. Soon our home will have comfortable chairs to sit on. We will then be ready for company.

Tonite we will have dinner and watch a movie. Peter is headed out to Quandry Peak tomorrow to do his first 14er with Doug, Heidi and some of their friends. Sure he will take some pictures along the way that we can post.

Riverbend Ponds

2010-08-05T14:29:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday morning Peter & I ventured out to a new area to take a morning hike before it became too hot and before the afternoon rains came.

We headed a bit south from home and parked at the trail head of Riverbend Ponds.
Reading the brochure before leaving home, we found that Riverbend Ponds offers a lot of diversity with a stretch along the Poudre River, several ponds and wetlands.
The Colorado Division of Wildlife stocks the ponds with warm-water species (usually largemouth bass, crappie and channel catfish). Birders enjoy Riverbend Ponds- over 200 species of birds feed, rest, nest, and migrate through this area including green herons, a wide variety of ducks, American white pelicans, double-crested cormorants and others. On our walk we were privileged to see several ducks, geese and a great blue heron who was looking for a morning bite to eat. Riverbend Ponds have flat trails with loop options and we passed several other walkers along the way.
We do intend to go back to the area again and again at different times of the day and in different seasons.

Crop Dusters

2010-08-04T07:59:00.001-06:00

Woke up to crop dusters flying low over our home this morning. 6AM.
New alarm clock?

Sunday at Difficult Campground

2010-08-03T16:28:00.000-06:00

On Saturday night we decided to get up very early on Sunday morning and try to catch a sunrise at Maroon Bells. Up a bit after 4AM, brushed our teeth, made some coffee and headed to the park area. Arrival was about 5:30AM and the sun was just beginning to creep up. The glow on the mountains was just beginning. Doug was the only one of our group who was able to run fast enough from the parking lot to set up for some pictures. He had about 2 minutes worth of pictures before the glow was gone! When it happens in the mountains, it happens fast. Needed to be there a good 15 minutes earlier to set everything up and not be out of breath from the run!
So much for our planning.
The day was cloudy. Not nearly as good as the day before but all made the best of it.
As my joints were not cooperating, I chose to stay near the car and read, Peter & Doug walked off to take pictures and Molly was pushed in her cart (has only 3 legs and doing so well) by Heidi to a field of flowers where she planted herself to do some sketching. Her work is so detailed, it is amazing and many hikers stopped to look and comment.

Following our morning at the Maroon Bells, we chose to drive into Aspen to find breakfast. We found a place named "Boogies". We had a table outside on the 2nd floor deck. Very pleasant way to take in the sites and have a meal. Headed back to camp after breakfast. Checked out water damage --- none! and decided what to do for the rest of the day.

Pleasant morning and in a very pleasant locale! Will be heading back there this fall hopefully when the aspen have changed colors!

First Morning at the Maroon Bells

2010-08-03T16:09:00.000-06:00

On Friday July 30th, Peter & I left Fort Collins and headed West to go camping with Doug, Heidi and Molly. We traveled to a campground named "Difficult Campground" which was about 5 miles from Aspen. The entire trip took about 6 hours as we had to drive through some rain storms and then up and over Independence Pass (about 12,000 ft). Views were breathtaking for most of the way. Hard to say something bad about the landscape in Colorado. We passed through small mining towns like Leadville that would be great to return to at a slower pace.

We arrived at our campground about 6PM and it was raining. Not hard, just enough to make it a bit miserable setting up camp. After setting up, we chose to drive into Aspen to see what nightlife was like and to grab a bite to eat. Much easier than cooking on a camp stove in the drizzle! By the time we arrived in Aspen it had stopped raining and we ate outside at a restaurant called Mustang. We were treated to some live music at the eatery and to some great people watching. Many art galleries in Aspen and all seemed to be doing a good business....at least there were a lot of lookers. We had a leisurely meal and drove back to the campsite about 9PM. Headed right into the tent after cleaning up as the sun had already gone down by that time and we were tired. It had been about 5 years since I had been camping and sleeping on the ground. Sleeping was not easy and I chose to get up during the night and sleep in the van. Peter stayed in the tent for the night!

On Saturday morning, we were waiting for Doug, Heidi and Molly to arrive so we decided to take a drive and explore the area around the Maroon Bells. The weather was great! No rain! And the skies were blue! The best part was the abundance of wildflowers in the area. Other hikers that we met along the path told us that this year was the best for wildflowers. We picked a great time to visit. After our walk, and picture taking, we headed back to camp to relax and have lunch. Doug, Heidi & Molly arrived at about 3 in a downpour! Peter & I were in the process of putting up an extra structure that would be used as an eating shelter. Done in the nick of time! By the time the rains stopped (for that day) our tent was in the middle of a river.....
such fun when camping......

Camping Trip

2010-07-29T09:41:00.000-06:00

Getting ready to head out on a camping trip for the weekend.
Doug & Heidi invited us to share the weekend with them camping.
We are headed South and West toward Aspen. We are going to a place called the US Forest Service Difficult Campground. Difficult Campground is located within the boundaries of the White River National Forest at an elevation of 8,180 feet.

This will be our first time camping in about 5 years. The last time we camped was just overnite in the Tetons. This will be for 3 days. Will my back handle it? Time will tell. Keep posted.

While there we will hopefully be able to go the Maroon Bells. A place that we have heard about for years from other photographers as a great place to go. Anytime of the day should be good for pictures. Will let you know what we find.

Preparing for cool weather at nite....expected to be in 30's or 40's.

Red Wing Marsh

2010-07-27T21:29:00.000-06:00

We took a drive west to Red Wing Marsh tonite. Took a 30 minute walk around the area. Found a fisherman trying his hand at catching bass --- no luck.
Looks like a great place to explore in the early spring.
Will be back.
Many red wing black birds singing in the weeds.

Bobcat Ridge Natural Area

2010-07-27T17:22:00.000-06:00

On Monday evening, we decided to explore one of the Open Space areas in the Fort Collins Area. We drove about 25 miles southwest to the Bobcat Ridge Natural Area for a short walk and hopefully a great sunset. Area closes at sunset so we knew we had limited time for this walk.

The drive to the Natural Area took us on a road that led around the perimeter of Horsetooth Reservoir. Very beautiful. A busy area of boaters and campers. We put on our long sleeves, sprayed on the bug repellent and set off down the trail. Either the repellent worked or there were no mosquitoes here at all. We lucked out! Good paths to walk on and someplace we will definitely come back to in the future when we have more time to explore.

A bright full moon led us home! Beautiful orange in color. No camera available so you will have to use your imaginations.
However, we do have these pictures to share of the Natural Area.

Another drive home to Colorado

2010-07-27T16:51:00.000-06:00

On Saturday, July 24th, we started out early from the "Fried's B & B" in Waukesha and headed to Oak Creek to drop off some moving straps that we had borrowed from Jason W. Also wanted to see if he needed any help because of the heavy rainfall the night before. He said the family was doing ok even though they had lost power temporarily.
Basement flooding - a real problem sometimes.

We took off for Colorado about 8:30AM and our destination for the evening was somewhere around Omaha, NE. Not knowing what was planned in Omaha, we did not know if there would be rooms available. Instead of taking our "normal" route heading South and West along 43, 39 and then HWY 80 we decided to take a more scenic route for a change. This came about because of a discussion we had with the Fried's the night before as to how they came back to MKE the last time they were in Colorado. The route along 151 and 20 proved to be much more scenic and great for a diversion.

We listened to an audio book on the way (Peter did and I napped off and on. Always waking up when something important happened! Peter did fill me in). Only made stops for the bathrooms, water, ice, coffee and gas along the way. Made good time and arrived in the Omaha area around 6PM. As we began checking motels for a place to stay that night, we soon found that there were several major activities planned for the weekend and we would find it very difficult to find accommodations. We plugged in motels on our GPS in nearby locations and came up with Goodman, NE. Very small town with not much going on. We were tired, hungry and did not care at that point, so we took the room. Stopped at the local cafe for a bite to eat before hitting the bed.

Took off early on Sunday morning hoping to arrive back home in Colorado by mid afternoon. Weather was much cooler than our last trip making the drive more pleasant. We continued to listen to our book....this time I stayed awake! Arrived home by 4PM and unloaded our van. Looking for something cold to drink, we opened the freezer to get some ice only to find that the freezer/refrigerator was not working! We called management and were told that we would have to wait until Monday to check on a repair. Luckily we still had our other freezer stored in the garage, so we plugged that in and put our foodstuffs in there. Better freezing it than having it spoil I guess!

Monday came with a repairman. But we were told that he did not service our brand, we would have to get service from Sears. Another call to management told us that we would have to wait until Thursday afternoon to get it repaired. We were not happy to say the least, and after another call we were told that they could come out on Tuesday morning. That they did! And now we have a working refrigerator/freezer. Headed out to the store to replenish our larder. So much fun in 2 days!

Cleaning out our storage unit.

2010-07-24T21:41:00.000-06:00

On Friday morning, we went to the storage unit to pick up the art work and display units that we intended to use at the Milwaukee Artist Marketplace on Saturday. It was again raining and had been raining through most of the night. We discussed the pros and cons of setting up our tent and art work at the lakefront if this weather was going to continue. We decided that it really would not be wise to set up everything and then be caught in a downpour. This happened to us in June when we were at a show in West Allis and some of our inventory was spoiled. We did not want that to happen again, so we opted out of the show. It was a disappointment, but probably the wiser thing to do.

We did several errands during the day and then headed back to the Fried home. Paul & Maris had plans for the evening that were canceled because of the poor weather so they chose to come along with us for a fish fry with some of the Skiba's on the south side in St. Francis.

Flight to MKE

2010-07-23T20:44:00.000-06:00

On Thursday morning, we finished loading our pictures onto our website for our representative to review, we finished packing and then waited a bit for the shuttle to arrive.
By 10:30 the shuttle was here for us. Door to Door service - not bad! Certainly a lot easier than having us drive to DIA, pay to park and then pick up the car when we return home. Thanks Doug for the tip!

Ride to the airport went relatively well except for the lack of AC on the bus. Very hot and stuffy!
Arrived at the airport at about 1:45PM. Plenty of time to catch our flight to MKE. After checking in and grabbing a bite to eat we walked to the area where our plane would take off only to find that it was going to be delayed another hour. Apparently the plane that we were going to board was coming in from an area where the weather was a bit dicey. We boarded at about 4 only to be told that the weather in MKE was not good and we may have to divert to Minneapolis. In order to be safe, the pilot had the plane filled to the max in case we did have to go to Minneapolis.

Several planes were in line waiting for takeoff. Others had been delayed as well. During our wait time we were treated to a delightful lightning show. Beginning of the flight was a bit bumpy, but as we made it above the clouds all settled down. That is until we neared MKE. We were told by the pilot that he was going to try once to land and if that was not possible we would head north to the Twin Cities.

The clouds that we went through were phenomenal! They were huge! This part of the flight was beautiful, wondrous and a tad frightening all at the same time. I love looking at the various cloud formations and to be right in the middle of them was stunning. By the way, I only lost one fingernail during this time!

As we landed, we noticed that both sides of the runway were covered in water. It was like landing in a lake. We were told later that the airport had actually been closed down a bit before we landed because of tornado warnings. Landing was relatively smooth and we all gave the pilots a big round of applause!

We had to wait for our luggage for a couple of hours because of the torrential downpour and the basement of the airport having too much water in it. Our friend, Paul Fried was again waiting for us at the airport to take us to their home for the weekend. But we could not get out of the airport because it had again been shut down. We were told that we were the last plane to land before closing. Many people apparently spent the nite in the airport waiting for connections. We were very lucky! As soon as luggage was gathered we made our way out of the airport.
Before leaving, we had a chance to watch some of the news reports on TV to find that we had flown through and landed in one of the worst rain storms since 1986. 7" in less than an hour in some parts of the city. A sink hole on the east side that swallowed a car and driver. More rain than the area obviously needed.

Paul found a safe way home and we all headed to bed knowing that we would have to rise early in the morning for a trip to the Clinic for blood work!
Another exciting trip. What else would be coming our way? Wait and see.

Call for Images

2010-07-22T12:59:00.000-06:00

On Wednesday morning, we received a phone call from our representative saying that the hospital that was purchasing several of our images wanted to see more images that said "Springtime". As we were leaving for Milwaukee the next morning, we had to look through our stock quickly in order to gather together images that would meet her requirements. By late in the evening we had put together what we thought were images suitable for the space and uploaded them for review.
Began our packing at about midnight and then crashed for the evening.
At least this time we did not have to have the shuttle service pick us up at 3AM. A more reasonable hour of 10:30 was picked in order to get us to the Denver Airport on time for our flight at 3:15.

Emily's Birthday Party

2010-07-21T13:22:00.000-06:00

On Saturday we celebrated Emily's 3rd birthday while everyone was still in Fort Collins. Emily had a great time with the cupcakes and opening her gifts.

Her yellow tutu, wand and tiara were a big hit!

Emily Climbing to new heights!

2010-07-20T10:33:00.000-06:00

Seems you can't leave Emily and a tall object alone for long.
While Peter, Doug & Andy were in the basement setting up shelves and unpacking boxes, Emily decided to venture on down and investigate what was happening.
Quickly she found something to climb on and was very proud of her accomplishments, Even though the adults standing around were a bit taken aback!
What a climber!

The entire Skiba Family

2010-07-19T16:04:00.000-06:00

All together in one place for a change!

Doug, Heidi, Molly, Hailey, Andy, Tara, Emily, Renee & Peter (the photographer who ran into the picture at the last second!)

Sunday with the Family

2010-07-19T11:33:00.000-06:00

Yesterday we celebrated Emily's 3rd birthday.
Doug, Heidi and Molly left after breakfast to go climbing at Veedauwoo in Wyoming. About an hour north of here.
Andy, Tara, Hailey and Emily left early as well to return to their home in Lander, Wy.

Before leaving we were able to take some pictures of the family. It is not often that we have the chance for all of us to get together. Last time was actually 3 years ago.

Emily, Hailey and Molly

Trying to figure out the wiring for the sprinkler system

2010-07-19T10:27:00.000-06:00

In Colorado it is very dry, unlike what it was like in Milwaukee. So we have an irrigation system here for watering the lawns. Seems ours was set by the builder to go off several times a day and the yard was drowning. Felt like a swamp.
Here are Peter & Doug trying to figure out the system and cut back on the watering.
Hooray! Now we have cut back on the water consumption!
Thanks guys.

Baking and decorating cupcakes for Emily's 3rd Birthday

2010-07-18T10:07:00.000-06:00

Emily showing us how old she is!

A look from the balcony.....

The weather has been very warm here in Fort Collins. 90's all week. So in order to make the cupcakes for Emily's birthday I had to get up early to bake them. When the girls awoke, they came downstairs for breakfast and a little decorating time with grandma. What a hoot trying to juggle 2 girls, frosting, sprinkles etc. All turned out well and the family enjoyed the cupcakes later that evening.

Arrival in Fort Collins

2010-07-15T21:15:00.000-06:00

We arrived back home in Fort Collins around 6PM after leaving Omaha this morning about 7:30AM. Thankfully it was not as hot today as it was yesterday. We did have the rest of our audio book to listen to so that made travel easier.
Only stops we made were to the gas station and the rest areas.
Somewhat of an uneventful day.
Happy to make it home safely. Still find it hard to believe that we are now calling Colorado "home".

We have the movers coming early in the morning to help us unload the truck. It will be good to have all of our belongings in one State at least. Andy, Tara, Hailey and Emily will arrive in the early afternoon from Wyoming to help us set up beds, shelves etc. They will be staying until Sunday morning. On Saturday we will be celebrating Emily's 3rd birthday. Cupcakes for everyone which she will help decorate.
In the evening Doug & Heidi will arrive from Golden, Colorado to spend the night. It will be good to have the entire family in one place again. Has been about 3 years since that last happened.

All in all it was a good day. We are both happy to be home and anxious to unload the truck and see our family tomorrow.

Moving from Milwaukee for the 2nd time

2010-07-15T10:00:00.000-06:00

Paul & Maris helping us once again with our move.
On this day, we moved the remainder of our items out of the storage unit in Milwaukee into our truck.