What a pumpkin

This post isn't going to be much but some adorable pictures.  Last month our adorable Gordon Setter Koal passed.  He was 14 so it was hard on all of us.  But I am comforted by the fact that he was 14 and had once hell of a life.  He traveled a lot.  He used to go camping with us when we were children, and then later with my parents in the RV.  He was the guardian of the feather comforter.  An outside dog for 12 years that adapted really quickly to being an inside dog.  Hoarder of toys, who loved to pull pop bottles of the table.  Unpacker of suitcases.  Wearer of silly shirts.  He was a pumpkin.  He was pretty loved.

Random Estes Park

Wow, it has been a while.  Sorry guys, I am getting back in the saddle again.  Now, normally I would play on the getting back in the saddle angle, but I think I've used most of my horse pics...  So I am just going to an Estes Park entry.  It has been 3 weeks since I left Estes.  I didn't leave Estes on my terms, I flew out.  I'd lost the transmission in my car literally the day before I was leave.  So I did get to spend more time in Estes, that was nice.

Old Hotels! Stanley and Baldpate

I like old buildings, I really do.  I think they are nifty and I am always on the look out for some ghosties.  And they are just cool.  I am a nerd for them.  I can't help it I love all the tiny little details.  I think that is what made them so much fun.  In case you forgot I spent a lot of time in old Yellowstone buildings (Lake Hotel, The Inn), and I grew up in one.  Maybe there a connection, or I just like old things.

Petals: Mt. Evans- Goliath Nature Area

 The wild flowers were in full bloom while at Mt. Evans.  This was amazing.  It made the drive absolutely gorgeous.  Part way up the mountain is a little stop called the Mount Goliath Nature Area.  It is just fabulous stop!  It is a whole bunch of wildflower gardens.  And a bristlecone forest.  To the best of my knowledge I'd never been in one before.  They are awesome, they are like the oldest living trees or something strange like that... expect a post.

Wild Thing: Mountain Goats

So you might have noticed that I saw mountain goats when I was at Mt. Evans...  And you probably figured that I took more than enough pictures of them.  I did.  And you are lucky enough that you get to see them.  I don't know a lot about mountain goats, except that I think they are awesome little buggars and they blend into the mountain pretty darn well.  Oh and they don't like dogs.  A forest ranger told us that.  We had the dog with us and totally didn't see the goat, but he told that they don't like each other much and who knows what would happen if they got too close.

Mt. Evans

My parents came to visit me in Estes and like anyone who works in the tourist buisness, I just wanted to get away for my weekend.  We did.  We traveled about an hour and a half south to one of Colorado's many 14ers.  Mount Evans, which is just out side of the town of Idaho Springs (which is about 10 minutes from Blackhawk, a place with many casinos that I lost money in.)  We left Estes early on Thursday and we had hoped to see Mount Evans that day.  But it was later in the afternoon when we got there and since it is the monsoon season here, it was raining.  And there is no point of being above treeline if you can't see very far.

Petals: Estes Park

So I just had to bring back the petals series for a post on Estes Park Colorado.  As I mentioned I am spending the summer here, and it is just glorious!  And there has been great weather and lots of fun days.  There will probably be a part two of this when I get some more Rocky Mountain flowers.  But I've spend some time in Estes and there were flowers galore.  And a garden of wild flowers,

Wild Thing: Sea Horsies

Sea horsies!  I was lucky enough to see several sea horse exhibits over last few years.  The Monterrey Bay Aquarium, the Aquarium at the Mall of America, the Minnesota Zoo, the Oregon Cost Museum.  Lots of them, and they are an amazing creatures.  They are so tiny and so perfect. 

Boats

Still in San Francisco!  We went to the Maritime National Historic Site (or what ever it is called).  It was totes cool, I like boats.  And they had all kinds.  There were old timey boats, a submarine and other fun and exciting things!

Across the Bay

Wow! I just realized that I haven't written about my time in San Francisco at all!  Fear not this will be remedied.  The only time that I went to San Francisco it was in March or April of 2008.  I had just finished my first winter at Snow Lodge and I went traveling with my parents to the southwest.  I haven't really blogged about this trip at all which is a shame cause it was great!  My younger bro was living in the San Francisco area at the time.  So we stopped by.

Wild Thing: Frogs

So I was going through my pictures, I've been doing that lately.  I was looking at my trip to the Mississippi River Aquarium in Dubuque Iowa, and while I love the albino alligator, the frogs where what called out to me.  So cute!  I am pretty sure I've got frogs from several different trips.  But hey I guess we'll find out together.  The only ones I could find were from Iowa and one lone frog from a butterfly garden in Malaysia... odd.

View from My Door

So I could go and find great places to take pictures or I could be lazy and look out the window, and then when the moment is right I could just snap a picture from my door.  Don't get me wrong I plan on doing more of the former, but hell, the view I have is pretty awesome.  I have some cell phone pics, but I just can't seem to get enough service to get them on my computer, and I forgot the little SD card adapter :(

Wild Thing: Wild Horses

So yeah I know I've already written about the wild horse sanctuary, but honestly how could I not do another one.  They were just so amazing and Beautiful!  Come on people you had to know this was coming, I mean how often do I default to YNP or Monterrey?  But this series of posts is all about the animals and you cannot deny how gorgeous they are.

Powder River Pass

Well as long as I am doing my favorite places (which is just about everywhere I've ever been) I figure this has to be on that list.  The first time I drove to Yellowstone alone, was in 2007, and I was heading out a few days early.  I went cross South Dakota, stopped at Lee's Motor Inn in Chamberlain--- totes awesome hotel!  Then I made it Cody Wyoming the next day, and that drive was something fantastic!

Water Along the Gorge

I was going through some pictures last night, and chatting with a new friend online about some, and he mentioned Multnomah Falls.  I've posted a bit on waterfalls before, but haven't really given the Columbia Gorge its due.  Fall 2009, I road tripped through Oregon and our last leg in Oregon was The Gorge.  We were really just passing through, but we made sure that we took the Columbia River Highway.  It is amazing, the views, the waterfalls, Vista House, it was so much fun to drive.

Wild Hearts! Wild Horses!

I've always wanted a horse.  I love them- everything about them, I just love them.  As a kid I took riding lessons for a while, I was a trail guide for a bit.  I might not have every been great, but I was pretty good, and I enjoyed it so much.  I don't get to be near horses a lot any more.  After we stopped with the lessons, I've probably been riding a dozen or so times.  More recently as my cousin has horses and when ever I go visit we go riding.

On Top Mt. Hood

So I was going through some of my posts and I realized I haven't given Mount Hood much love.  Granted I haven't spent a lot of time there, but I did spend one lovely afternoon in search of it.  I say it that way because it was a bit of an adventure, my travels usually are.  We left Portland probably around 11 and at times it was clear and sunshiny, but other times it was raining and foggy.  While you could see it at times; the mountain was hidden.

  

Once we got to the top, there it was the peak of Mt. Hood!  The fog had cleared and we could enjoy a gorgeous view!  Timberline Lodge is atop Mt. Hood.  As well as a ski area.  Were were there in October, and there was quite a bit of snow up there, but the hill was not open.  We walked through the guest areas for the ski hill.  There were some great pictures and drawings of the skiing process (about the only way I can describe them) and a great statue of Smokey the Bear with skis!

Then we had to enter the Timberline Lodge.  You might recognize it from the Shinning, they used it as the outside of the hotel.  It was an amazing building inside too.  Very classy, but rustic and very fun inside.  It kinda reminded me of much large much fancier Snow White and the 7 Dwarf house!  Odd I know, but it worked! 

On the way back down we stopped at several little streams and tiny cascading waterfalls.  I am sure they get much larger during the spring snow melt.  They were adorable!!!!

Fare the Well Winer!

Procrastination time!  I am having a hell of a time with my comprehensive accounting problem and I need to distract myself from it. So I figured I'd get a blog post done.  It is no longer winter, yet it has been lingering on here in Minnesota.  I love the snow, but let me tell you, I am not a fan of it this far into the spring.  I am a rain girl.  Weird I know!

But I figured I'd give it a bit of a homage or a goodbye if you will.  Snow!!!  I love the stuff, honestly I do.  I've been skiing literally my whole life.  My cross country skiing not as good as my downhill.  But I try.  I am sure I mentioned it previously.  The skiing is a lifelong love.  It will never go away, I hope.  I learned the sport in Michigan and have been lucky enough to get to ski in the western mountains, including a great spring skiing trip to New Mexico.  Exciting I know. 

The skiing is different in the Midwest.  For one thing the hills are a heck of a lot smaller! And it is a bit icier, not a lot of powder.  That's ok by me though, I grew up with it.  Honestly it was much harder for me to adjust to powder than I expected.  Kinda like moguls.  I know how to ski moguls, I just don't like it.  I feel like I don't have enough control.






So New Mexico, I went in the spring, I won the New Mexico fight! I didn't get sick!!!! Yay, I am not a New Mexico fan (for reasons I've previously mentioned).  But I put it aside for the joys of the snow!  We (my parents and I) had been up in the Colorado Mountains.  It was great fun!  Gorgeous weather! Gorgeous Mountains! Amazing skiing!  New Mexico was a different horse all together.  The weather was great, although much warmer.  This led to slicker skiing.  A bit more work and a lot more speed.  I have a need for speed, always have- always will.




Don't get me wrong as spoiled as I've gotten I still love Minnesota and Michigan skiing!  The problem is that the hills are so short in comparison and while you get a ton more runs in.  But they are short and quick!  Not always the most fun.  Oh and if you fall, the ice is a bit more painful!
 



I am not actually sure what this blog is about today.  It is kinda a rambling of my winter/skiing thoughts! Golly!

On to Tombstone

 So of all the places I wanted to visit while I toured the southwest Tombstone was on at the top of the list.  I'm a history kinda girl and it is chalk full of it.  Sadly I got sick around that time.  Yeah it was stupid on my part, some super dehydration.  I was nauseous for most of the day.  Little queasy at tombstone (at first I attributed it to the negitive energy of Tombstone) but it only got worse as the day went on, actually that was the reason the trip was cut short. But that is neither here nor there at this point.





So Tina and I left Tuscon early in the day and headed south, on a path that would take us really close to the Mexican border. To another town that I wanted to see, but slept through (I did go back later with the parents though).  Arizona is kinda pretty.  They have mountains, cacti, and animals.  I enjoyed the drive.  We got to Tombstone early and natually found the museum.  It was the old courthouse. 






They had an overview of the OK Corral, and the Earp brothers.  I am not a huge fan of Wyatt Earp as he was kinda a jerk.  But Doc Holliday intrigues me.  Upstairs the courthouse was set up just as it was in the 1800's.  So it was kinda neat to see.  Outside you could go see Tombstone as it was... well kinda.  Part of the town is the tourist feature.  One street mainly done in dirt and all fixed up pretty. 





They have the OK Corral where they talk about the empty lot that the gunfight took place in.  They lay out the time line and the events leading up to it.  Pretty nifty actually.  Then you have old timey stores and business on both sides of the dusty old street.  Then you show up at Big Nose Kate's Saloon (assuming it was later named after her as a nod to Tombstone history).  Where you learn a little about Kate.  She was Doc's girlfriend (may or may not have been a prostitute- no one really knows), and he felt she was his intellectual equal.  She ran a boarding house, might have run a brothel, and often gets confused with Tombstones' Rowdy Kate.









At the far end of the street is the Birdcage Theater.  Legend has it that 26 people were killed there as it was the meanest, rowdiest places in Tombstone and there is still 120ish bullet holes in the joint.

Cowboy Town: Cody Wyoming!

So yeah, back to Wyoming for this post.  Let's just say it is about the time of the year I start missing Yellowstone.  Snow Lodge is closed for the winter, and Yellowstone had her 139th birthday and trust me, she don't look a day over 100!  But I am saving Yellowstone for some later blog something or other.  So we will just have to go with one of the next best things!  Cody Wyoming!!

If you haven't been there I would totally recommend it.  It isn't big, but it has some cool stuff.  Oh and that part of Wyoming is a pretty awesome desert.  Of and they have the Buffalo Bill Cody museum, which is gigantic.  Honestly though, Cody is a nifty little tourist town with a real history.  And there is a definite cowboy feel to the joint (which in my book is always a plus.)  Oh and a big ole dam too (if you're into that sort of thing).  But honestltly the majority of my trips to Cody were with the main purpose of shopping.  Trust me when you live in Yellowstone 80 miles isn't that far...  Oh and they have a mock gunfight comedy thing (which is kinda neat)  Oh and a Rodeo that in 7 years I never went to, not for lack of trying on my part

 And trust me on this the drive to Cody from Yellowstone is totally worth it!

Bear!

Tetons across Lake Yellowstone