Bike Ride in a Windstorm

Not satisfied with just doing a hike, we decided to put our bikes into the recreational mix.  The ranger at the Visitor's Center said that the ride from the campground to High Point (the end of the South Rim Road) was 7 miles one-way.  I believe that I mistakenly said, "piece of cake" ... and he responded, "remember to keep telling yourself that on the way back".  It was actually closer to 7.5 miles one-way, and the elevation range rolled up and down as we went from lookout point to lookout point (Pulpit Rock Overlook, Chasm View, Sunset View and High Point).  The wind, our constant companion on this trip was tipping the Beaufort Scale at 6 with gusts to 8, nearly blowing us off of the road ... and, this "flatlander" was sucking wind at this altitude ... but, we did it ... had a great ride ... and a cold beer with a huge dinner that night.

Got to love the data ...

Spring Flowers

No wildflower rises very high in these high altitudes ... most are tucked down, closed to the ground.  I cannot identify the flowers yet, but I do have a book of Colorado wildflowers (thanks to my friend, Deborah in Bloomfield) that I'll use for identification later.  Meanwhile, enjoy a few glimpses of the flowers brave enough to bloom ...

Even a high altitude cactus ... they survive everywhere

Black Canyon Trails

One of the reasons for heading to the Black Canyon was recommendation of the National Geographic Best Day Hike Trails in the National Parks ... the recommendation was for the Rim Rock Trail and Oak Flat Trail.  We started early in the morning with the Rim Rock Trail to the Visitor Center ... pausing to gaze out at the canyon at Tomichi Point ... continuing on to Gunnison Point ... watching the video at the Visitor's Center (my routine ... I'm a true National Park "groupie") ... and proceeding on to the Oak Flat Trail.  We were stopped by ice/snow on the Oak Flat Trail (the trail looked far too steep to recover "gracefully" from a slide down ice and we were not carrying crampons).  We returned via the Uplands Trail, back to the campground.  Truly lovely hike with breathtaking views of the canyon and river below (literally breathtaking ... have I mentioned that I have a reasonably controlled acrophobia that was less well controlled at the vista points with only a modest fence between me and oblivion).  

Nothing quite captures the depth or drama of the canyon ... 

Black Canyon of the Gunnison

We left Trudy's hospitality in Colorado Springs on Saturday after a tasty dinner at Hacienda Colorado-Mexican Restaurant as guests of Paul and Jewel on Friday night.  

We headed for the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park - South Rim ... South Rim Campground (8320 ft elevation).  We were initially concerned that we might not find a campsite over the weekend.  Trudy's friend, Tom, graciously provided us with Plan B - a private RV campground on Blue Mesa that could serve us in the event of over-crowding. 

Fortunately, we found a near empty campground ... our campsite with nestled in a bed of wildflowers ... sprinkled with some stories of bear sightings (we saw none) ... littered with mule deer (no more pictures as they have lost their novelty) ... a new bird sighting by Paul (green-tailed towhee).

Wal-Mart Parking Lot

We've found the joy of Wal-Mart parking lots ... easy to park our "boys", easy to shop, easy to depart, and, easy to sit in Bambi for a quick posting.  We've been in areas with limited or non-existent Internet, phone service and no mail service (Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park doesn't even have U.S. postal service).  We'll post more of our adventures once we have a better Internet connection (and don't have to sit in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Montrose ... much rather be in the wilderness).  We're headed next for the Colorado National Monument ... another cold front in a few days will divert us into Utah for the weekend.  More to follow ... stay tuned!

Garden of the Gods

All trips to Colorado Springs must include a walk through the Garden of the Gods, our trip included ... (even with the wind) ... 

And a view of Pike's Pike rising iconically over the skyline ...

More Trails ...

The interconnecting trails of Cheyenne Mountain State Park begin to sound like street names in some western suburban subdivision.  Today we hiked from Acorn Alley to Bobcat Way to Soaring Kestral and along Coyote Run to end at Boulder Run ... lower elevation and southern exposure meant more shrublands with Gambels oak and a few more wildflowers tucked in among the pickly pair.  And, more mule deer unaware or uninterested in our presence.

And, all hikes end with Paul's data (even if the photographer was a bit out of focus) ...

And this hike ended with a view of Bambi and Fritz sitting on their windswept hill ...