Missed the Fall Colors

Dinosaur exhibit in Woodland Park, CO

This camping trip was planned months ago with the intention of landing during the peak of Fall color in the Colorado Rockies.  It is the time of year when the crisp, fresh, Fall air heightens your senses, and the scenery is almost magical. I was looking forward to hiking through the forest with golden aspen shimmering against a brilliant blue sky above, creating dappled shadows that dance on a thick carpet of bright yellow leaves along the trail.    Anyway, that's what it looked like in my head and what I experienced close to the same time last year. Unfortunately, I missed the peak color by at least a week, if not more, and trees were only just beginning to change.

Lake Granby Camping

Panoramic Views from Stillwater Campground

Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) made a nice escape from the summer heat this weekend - and all the better in the Airstream at a campground that overlooks an expansive mountain lake with a cool mist rising over the waters each morning.  Afternoons were spent hiking rain-fresh trails and then relaxing back at camp with a good book and a warm cup of coffee as early evening thunderstorms set in each day.  Sometimes I wish the weekend would never end!

Getting Ready for the Zombie Apocalypse

I'm not usually an impulse buyer, but I couldn't resist purchasing this nerdy camping gadget.   It is a camp stove and grill that literally runs on twigs, pine cones, and sticks, and it can recharge a cell phone using a built-in thermoelectric generator.   I can't wait to kick back in the Airstream, grill squirrel-burgers, and endlessly play Angry Birds and Farmville during the next zombie Apocalypse.

Duck, Duck, Moose!

We stayed close to home this weekend with a return trip to Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP).    The highlight of the weekend was an encounter with a friendly, photogenic moose that seemed to enjoy (or at least tolerate) lots of camera-happy tourists.  The monsoon rains started a little earlier than expected this year and caught us by surprise leaving us nearly rain-soaked on a couple outings.    No complaints here  though;  the rain was a welcome relief to the dry, tinder box conditions that have been plaguing the Colorado high country.

Pike's Peak or Bust

This weekend's Airstream outing landed us atop Pike's Peak for breathtaking views of Colorado scenery.  We boarded a bright red cog railway car in Manitou Springs and enjoyed the hour and 15 minute ride through a ponderosa pine forest, along mountain streams, past pristine mountain lakes, and across boulder fields inhabited by marmots and mountain goats.  The 14,115' destination provided a vantage point far above treeline where on a clear day you can see four states.  This was just one of several side adventures we took while camping at Mueller State Park in Divide, Colorado.

Rocky Mountain National Park

Campsite #120 nestled in the Aspen at Moraine Park Campground

 This was my first visit to Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) since the epic Colorado fire season last year.  I had heard that fires burned near the Moraine Park Campground where I was staying.  Fortunately, the campground was spared, but I didn't have to venture far to see some of the burn scars left by wildfires last year.  The destruction left by the fire makes me appreciate the beauty that remains all the more.

Camping on the Desert Plateau at Lake Pueblo State Park

Arkansas Point Campground on the South Shore

I couldn't resist the first siren song of summer, with an appealing forecast of bright skies and warm weekend temperatures.  So, I packed up the camper and headed to Lake Pueblo State Park (LPSP) in south-central Colorado, one of my favorite camping and mountain biking destinations.

Short Camping Trip in a Short Trailer

An "iffy" weather forecast and destination uncertainties delayed the launch of this weekend's camping trip.  At the last minute though, I decided to take a chance on a new destination.  So at noon on Saturday, I threw a  few items in an overnight bag and grabbed what was handy in the refrigerator for a hastily planned solo trip to the Northeast Plains of Colorado to Jackson Lake State Park.   Two and a half hours later I was setting up camp at a quiet site overlooking the 2500 acre reservoir.   It turned out to be a very pleasant and warm weekend, and a worthwhile trip, even though it was very short,  lasting just a little more than 24-hours, roundtrip.

Let the 2013 Camping Season Begin!

Night time at the camp site

Warm and dry days have provided very early Winter season  camping opportunities in the Colorado high country this year.  So, with a warm and dry holiday weekend forecast ahead, we dusted off the Bambi and headed back to Mueller State Park.  The days warmed quickly, and early afternoon outside activities only required a light jacket and hat.    Nights were filled with starry skies, and temperatures cooled down into the low 20s by morning.

Mueller State Park continues to be a favorite destination because of the natural beauty and the many camping amenities that the park offers.  It sits in the shadow of Pike's Peak to the east and has miles and miles of hiking trails across open vistas and through thick mixes of aspen and evergreen forest.  On a typical winter day, you can snow shoe, cross country ski and even sled.  This year, however, the snow fall has been dishearteningly low, but it just means it is easier to get around on the trails with a good pair of hiking boots and yak tracks.  Beautiful scenery abounds.

Autumn in the Colorado Rockies

I am hoping this wasn't the last camping trip of the season, but as days grow shorter and colder, it won't be long before the snow is flying in most of my favorite high-country, Colorado campgrounds.  However, I was able to squeeze in at least one more with a return visit to Mueller State Park to enjoy the turning of the aspen  and the  beauty that the change of seasons brings.

Labor Day at East Portal

Campsite at East Portal Reservoir Campground (Estes Park)

 Labor Day weekend took us back to Estes Park where we enjoyed a final summer outing at one of the prettiest places in Colorado.     Also, the fresh mountain air provided a brief escape from one of the worst allergy seasons I've ever experienced.  I stopped sneezing as soon as we arrived. (Yay!)

Shrinking the Airstream

It is always fun to learn new tricks.  So just for kicks, the last few days I've been experimenting with a digital imaging technique for "miniaturizing" a photo scene.  It is amazing how easily our brains are fooled by an optical illusion.  I've gone through some old and more recent photos and have tried to miniaturize my camper and a few other things.   Now I am going to see if I can make it work on my bills....

Summer camping at Mueller State Park

From prehistoric, fossilized redwood stumps to picturesque rolling, green landscapes, Mueller State Park is the perfect location for exploring the Pike's Peak, Colorado, region.  We have been anticipating a return trip to the park after visiting earlier in the year when the campground was covered in several inches of snow.  Turns out, it is even more beautiful in the summer time.

Stillwater Campground at Lake Granby, CO

Lake Granby, CO

You know it has been too hot and dry when rain is a welcomed guest on a camping trip.  Like much of the nation, Colorado is in the midst of an  unusually dry and hot season, and any precipitation is appreciated, even if it occurs in the middle of a hike.    Although mostly a sunny and pleasant weekend, we experienced downpours and a lightning storm that cut short our leisurely hike and turned it into an all out sprint to the car for cover.

Airstreaming in Buena Vista, Colorado

Extreme heat along the Front Range of Colorado and forest fires to the north and south gave us extra motivation to hitch up the Airstream Bambi and escape to Buena Vista, Colorado, for a weekend adventure.   This small town in the shadow of the Collegiate Peaks offers a plethora of activities for the outdoor enthusiast, such as fishing, horseback riding, cycling, hiking, and river rafting, to name a few.  Unfortunately there were only so many hours in the day, and we had to pick and choose.  Hoping to head back again soon to try out other activities.

Extended Weekend in Rocky Mountain National Park

We ventured into Rocky Mountain National Park for a 4-night, extended weekend trip at Moraine Park Campground.  Each day we were treated to dramatic skies, sometimes with ominous storm clouds and at other times with views that almost seemed painted.  It was a perfect backdrop for the Airstream.  I am fortunate and thankful to live close to a beautiful National Park with so many opportunities for camping, hiking, and enjoying the outdoors.

Fruita, CO, Car Show

Grills Gone Wild

Last weekend's trip to the Colorado National Monument also afforded a side trip to nearby Fruita, Colorado, for a town festival and car show.  Beautiful automobile restorations were shown off in the town square, and I snapped a few photos of my favorites.

Colorado National Monument

Airstream Camping at Colorado National Monument

It is easy to overuse adjectives when describing the Colorado National Monument: Amazing, Dramatic, Beautiful, Stunning, Serene, Soulful, Sacred.  This unique place is a treat for the eyes and nourishment to the soul.  Red rock canyons transform in color as the sun journeys overhead casting shifting shadows and shapes on the canyon walls.   You can literally dangle your legs over the edge of a cliff while surveying a panorama filled with red spires and gigantic monoliths that almost glow in the sunset - all within a few minutes walk from the Saddlehorn Campground.

Hissing faucet - De-winterizing Lesson Learned

Flushing out the anti-freeze

My kitchen faucet would only hiss and sputter after I flushed, filled, and sanitized the water system after finally de-winterizing a few days ago.   It was puzzling because the bathroom water supply was working normally.  After over an hour or so of fiddling with it - bypassing the hot water tank, connecting city water and also  trying the internal tank and pump, I called it quits for the night.

Spring Camping in Rocky Mountain National Park

View of Horseshoe Park in RMNP

This weekend trip took us to Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) where we camped in the Moraine Park Campground.  The unseasonably warm Spring has afforded some nice camping opportunities in places where snow and mud are sometimes more the norm this time of year.