Traveling~~Our other life

Wow! I haven't written anything on my blog for a LONG time! When I started this blog, I really wanted to make it a blog all about our travels. Steve & I have done many hikes this summer. We have been averaging about 2 hikes a week. I have been posting many of my pictures on Facebook, but that means only my Facebook friends see all the pictures.

We have been traveling and using the motorhome more this summer. We have always enjoyed spending time in the motorhome. This trip we have been in Ridgway State Park and then on to stay at McPhee reservoir by Dolores, CO. I always forget how much I like this part of Colorado. For those of you who didn't know me "back then", I lived in Durango, CO from 1976-1985. I still love SW Colorado. The San Juan Mountains, the La Platas, and ALL the hiking around Cortez, Dolores, Durango and Mancos! We love the mountain hikes, but we also love the desert hiking. This trip we have spent time hiking in the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument, west of Cortez.

The weather has been a little "dicey" for most of this trip. Today, finally, we saw blue sky and sunshine and didn't get rained on. Yesterday, Saturday, we started to hike up Sand Canyon, west of Cortez, and got caught in quite a rainstorm! Luckily, we were above the canyon, so didn't get caught in a flashflood! Lots of rain, lightening and thunder, though. We decided to head west to Hovenweep National Monument and ended up doing some shorter hikes out to the ruins! So beautiful! There are not many people out here right now, so we are enjoying some very beautiful hikes and are sometimes the only ones on the trail. Today we hiked down Sand Canyon from the North and went about 10.5 miles round trip. The weather was beautiful, blue sky, sunny and warm!

I am going to try and post some pictures of this trip. The first pictures are in Ridgway and then I will post some of around Dolores.

Life is good! Steve says this is our "other" life. We are loving the traveling, hiking, biking, and exploring the Four Corners area of Colorado, Utah, Arizona and New Mexico! Next month we are backpacking in Paria Canyon in Arizona!

More on Salt Creek.

Here are more Salt Creek photos.

More on the Salt Creek backpacking trip.

Adele with her backpack.

Our first campsite.

Steve with the drinking water filter.

Adele by a big pool.

Here are more Salt Creek pictures.

Backpacking in Salt Creek Canyon, Utah

Steve & I went on an awesome backpacking trip in Salt Creek Canyon. This canyon is in the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park. We hiked into the canyon on Saturday, May 14th and hiked back out on Tuesday, May 17th. We were out four nights and really had a great time hiking, and sleeping in our new tent, Big Agnes. It is actually a 3-man tent, but it was really nice to have enough room to have two sleeping pads, our sleeping bags and lots of our other "stuff" in the tent with us. We spent the first night about an hour from Peekaboo and then stayed two nights at Cottonwood camp. This camp had some beautiful big cottonwood trees that we pitched the tent under. We saw lots of ruins and pictographs. This canyon has a stream that runs through it most of the year. Everything was SO green and the flowers were gorgeous. We did see a few other people on the trail, but because they limit how many people can camp in the canyon, it was pretty quiet. We loved everything about the experience and are already planning our next backpacking trip.

Hall Ranch, Lyons, CO

Hall Ranch, Lyons, Colorado

Steve & I like to hike at Hall Ranch in Lyons. We can get to the trailhead in about 15 minutes from our house in Longmont. Many people hike, bike and ride their mountain bikes on the trails. Dogs are not allowed on the trails. There are signs posted at the trailhead to watch out for mountain lions. There are also rattlesnakes. Yesterday I did the loop trail throught the ranch. I always take my camera! I was really frustrated (and still am) because my camera doesn't seem to be working quite the way I like it to! I took a gorgeous picture of a blooming cactus and some really pretty wildflowers, before realizing that the camera wasn't working. I am going to have to figure out the problem. Hopefully I don't have to buy a new camera! Most of you know how manyy pictures I take!!! The hike was really nice! I did see two snakes! I also saw eagles and deer. I rarely hike by myself, but it was actually really nice. I ran into other hikers and many mountain bike riders. We were all out enjoying the nice Colorado Spring weather! I will post a few of the pictures that actually did turn out! So I really don't just hang out with my kids and grandkids! Hiking, traveling and taking pictures are high on my list of things I love to do!

Longs Peak, Colorado

Longs Peak, Colorado

Maybe this shouldn't be part of my adventures. Longs Peak has been a part of my life for a "long" time! I moved to Estes Park in 1985 and since that time have seen many "faces" of Longs Peak! Now that we live in Longmont, my views of Longs are quite different, but stil beautiful!

Brins Mesa, Sedona, AZ

Brins Mesa, Sedona AZ

Steve, Patti Kayne, and I hiked Brins Mesa in Sedona today! It was beautiful! The trail was muddy, because of the melting snow, but WOW! Red rocks, white snow, green trees, blue sky and pretty clouds! SO pretty! Yes, we love Colorado, but Arizona is right up there! We couldn't wear our shorts today, but by noon we were only wearing our T-shirts.

Black Canyon, AZ

Black Canyon, Mingus Mountain, AZ

Black Canyon, Mingus Mountain, AZ

On Friday we hiked with good friends, Ken and Cherie. We hiked in Black Canyon, Mingus Mountain. We ALWAYS call our hikes with Ken and Cherie "ADVENTURES". We love hiking with them. Most of our hikes with them are "off-trail", so they make for pretty interesting experiences.

West Clear Creek, AZ