On the trail to Fern Falls

Rocky Mountain National Park — September 6, 2009

It’s the Sunday of Memorial Day weekend.  We’re expecting there to be quite a lot of people on the trails today, so we pick one that, hopefully won’t be so crowded that we’ll be unable to get a parking lot.  While there are shuttle buses for hikers, we’d prefer to be able to park and hike.

We get to the trail-head and the parking lot is full — no room for even a small car like ours.  Fortunately, there’s another small parking back up the road a little ways and there was an empty spot there when we went past.  Hopefully, no one has slipped into it — good, it’s still open.

Here’s a few photos from the hike:

(click on any of the following photos to view a larger image.)

Looking back towards trailhead

Looking back towards trailhead

Pool on Big Thompson

Pool on Big Thompson

Chipmunk

Chipmunk

Tansy Aster

Tansy Aster

Fern Falls (slight time exposure)

Fern Falls (slight time exposure)

Threatening clouds

Threatening clouds

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Commentary and images from the road

image and information from September 6, 2009

This post is being simultaneously published
on Exit78 and Haw Creek Out ‘n About

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Long’s Peak and Big Run from Black Cañon

Long's Peak and Big Run from Black Cañon
Photographer: Wiswall (probably Wiswall Brothers)

created between 1909 and 1932

National Photo Company Collection.
(Library of Congress)

http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3c00924

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Thanks for visiting…, and for the comments

Note: I’m including links to the most recent posts of the commenters on the days that they left the comments. This is from the CommentLuv plug-in and it didn’t seem to capture all of the most recent posts. though.Canton Lake

Answers to Questions:

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Cath Lawson asked, about National Parks – specifically Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain, Yosemite:

Which one do you reckon is best for seeing the most wildlife? The kids are keen to see bears and other critters – from a distance I hope. :)

Also – 12,000 ft is v high. Do you get altitude sickness? Is there anything you can take for it – or anything you can do to make it easier?

We’ve not visited Yosemite, but I understand there is quite a bit of wildlife there.  Overall, we’ve seen more wildlife in Yellowstone than any other park, but some people visit and don’t see many animals.  Bears are actually a very rare sight in any park, though we saw 4 this year back east.

12,000 feet is high and, yes, we did feel it.  However, it wasn’t as bad as one other time as this time for a couple of days we didn’t go above 8 to 9,000 feet.

It looks like Yellowstone and RMNP are doable in one trip – if you have enough time. Have you been to all the US national parks? Which is your favourite, or is it hard to choose?

We have not been to even a quarter of the national parks.  Our favorites, I think are Yellowstone and Grand Teton,  They are very close to each other yet offer very different experiences.  We may make a project out of seeing ALL of the national parks and monuments.

I haven’t seen a coyote before aside from on TV. Do they sound a lot like wolves?

They have more of a yip to their howl, I guess, and do it groups.

On Day Use:

…this is just a parking area for people who are visiting for the day right? It has to be the prettiest car park I ever saw.

Actually, it is parking, and picnicking, playground, fishing, and more.

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From Dot:

Do you sell your photos?  I’m thinking you could make this series into a book, with commentary.  Also, I know it’s your blog, but will you ever post photos of Karen’s quilts?

No, I don’t sell my photos, though I am thinking of really concentrating on my photography more and perhaps do some photobooks down the road — more for the memoraries and legacy than money.  Karen does post pictures of her quilts on her blog.

While the number of people who visit my blog is small compared to some, I do have some regular visitors, and some regular commenters. Responding to comments is something that I don’t do as well as I should — and I will work on that! —, so periodically, if I get behind on comment response, I will recognize those who have been nice enough to comment when they visit my blog.

Since we left for our September trip, I received comments from:

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Another trip to over 12,000 feet

Rocky Mountain National Park — September 5, 2009

We’re really not much for spending a lot of time in shops or arts and craft shows any more, so after Saturday morning in Estes Park, we decided to head back into the park again — up to Trail Ridge Road by way of the old Fall River Road.

(click on any of the following photos to view a larger image.)

Sure enough, a nice group of elk, bedded down for the day

Sure enough, a nice group of elk, bedded down for the day.

One of the many switchbacks on the one-way Fall River Road

One of the many switchbacks on the one-way Fall River Road.

Quite chilly, with 46 d with a 26mph wind speed for a 37 wind chill

Quite chilly, 46°F with a 26mph wind speed for a 37°F wind chill

On the way back down, headed to Estes Park

On the way back down, headed to Estes Park.

Soon after we were in the park, we saw sure signs of wildlife ahead.

Soon after we were in the park, we saw certain indicators of wildlife ahead.

On the way up, we saw much more fall color than just a few days before.

On the way up, we saw much more fall color than just a few days before.

By the time we were at the top, it was starting to spit rain with a little bit of frozen stuff mixed in.

At the top, it was spitting rain with a little bit of frozen stuff mixed in.

2009 09 05 105ed

Trail Ridge Road at about 12,000 feet above sea level

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Commentary and images from the road

image and information from September 5, 2009

This post is being simultaneously published
on Exit78 and Haw Creek Out ‘n About.

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Saturday morning in Estes Park – on a holiday weekend.

Estes Park — September 5, 2009

Estes Park has long been a tourist destination.  The Stanley Hotel opened in 1909 and was built at at a cost of half a million dollars.  The publicity from the hotel’s construction resulted in a boom for the fledgling resort industry.

My first visit to Estes Park was in 1957, on an camping trip with my grandparents and uncle.  I was 5 years old and don’t really remember much of the trip.  The next time I visited was in the early 90s with my wife and two daughters.

While the town doesn’t seem to have changed much since that visit, it underwent a major reconstruction after it was heavily damaged from flood waters caused by the 1982 collapse of a man-made dam in Rocky Mountain National Park.

We spent most of Saturday morning of Labor Day weekend exploring the arts and craft fair and the shops in town.  Besides ice cream, we each bought a hat and Karen got a new purse as an early birthday present.

(click on any of the following photos to view a larger image.)

Holiday weekend crowds We were surprised at the number of people who had dogs with them. Another interesting sculpture Stanley Hotel lobby.
Labor Day weekend arts and crafts fair Our Estes Park tradition - ice cream! One of several bronze sculptures we saw in town The Stanley Hotel

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Commentary and images from the road

image and information from September 5, 2009

This post is being simultaneously published on Exit78 and Haw Creek Out ‘n About.

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The Stanley Hotel, Estes Park — haunted?

The Stanley Hotel has long been a landmark in Estes Park, Colorado.  The hotel is a 138 room Georgian style structure which opened on July 4, 1909.  Many believe the hotel to be haunted.  Kitchen workers say they have heard a party going on in the adjacent ballroom - when it is empty and not in use.  Sometimes people in the lobby can hear someone playing the ballroom piano, but, when employees check, there's no one there.  Stephen Kings' third novel was the shining and was inspired on a weekend stay just before the hotel closed for an extended period.  King and his family lived in Loveland at the time and the stay was a get-away-from-the-kids weekend trip.  The Kings stayed in room 217 and, apparently, King found himself filled with dread" on a number of occasions.  We stayed at the hotel i September 2001 and didn't notice anything unusual.  This year, while drving near the hotel, I noticed the really great contrast of the bright white hotel against the dark sky, which made it a little bit eerie, given the "history."  I was able to get a few good shots, both outside and inside the hotel.  So, here's one photo where some think I may have captured a little something extra in the image.  What do you think?  Do you see anything unusual in the picture?
2009 09 05 067panoed-for blog

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Commentary and images from the road

image and information from September 5, 2009

This post is being simultaneously published on Exit78 and Haw Creek Out ‘n About.

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A Cloudy Day in May in the Smokies

great smoky mountains national park 5-6-09

Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Tennessee and North Carolina
May 6, 2009
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park images
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Haw Creek galleries

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Delta County Fair

Delta County Fair, Colorado, 1940

Delat County, Colorado
October 1940

Russell Lee, photographer

Farm Security Administration – Office of War Information Collection
(Library of Congress)

http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/fsac.1a34205

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It’s a mother-in-law warning device!

guess what this is

Mother-in-law bell
Bells of this type were stamped out of quarters and were common in the 1880’s.  They were worn by men and women during war dances and by an older woman to warn her son-in-law that she was approaching.  Older Navajo believed that a man could become blind if he looked at his mother-in-law.

from display of artifacts
in Far View Visitor Center
Mesa Verde National Park
September 12, 2009

Debo came closest with the guess, “wildlife warning bell,” except that the bell is to warn the wildlife — the son-in-law — instead of warning of the approach of wildlife.

I still don’t know whose blog post I was thinking of when I noticed this artifact in the display.  I deliberately took care to get a good picture so that I could share it with whoever had written the post, but now I can’t find it.

Oh well.

Perhaps it was just a blog comment that I had read somewhere.

Or maybe, just maybe, I’ve been reading blogs in my dreams.

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Commentary and images from the road

image and information from September 12, 2009

This post is being simultaneously published on Exit78 and Haw Creek Out ‘n About.

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A little more information — some hints, as it were.

guess what this is

In a previous post, I provided the following information:

I came across this little item during our recent travels. It has an interesting purpose.

What do you think it is? Include the interesting purpose, if you can.

I’ll provide the answer later in the week if no one gets it correct.

Some additional information:

  • I came across it in a National Park visitor center.
  • I took a photograph of it because it reminded me of a post someone had written on their blog about a relative — a post I cannot find right now.
  • It’s a 19th century artifact.
  • Debo and Dot have come closest so far

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Commentary and images from the road

image and information from September 12, 2009

This post is being simultaneously published on Exit78 and Haw Creek Out ‘n About.

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