We are off to Rocky Mountain National Park

Yes!!!  We are going to get there!  But, you know how it is . . . so many wonderful sites.  It started off with shooting the morning sunrise light at Dillon Reservoir. Then, it just got better.

As the morning wore on a bit the golds mellowed out but the blues were really nice.

We stopped at a pull out to look 'over the edge'.  We heard a train whistle and saw smoke.  MGOSH!!  Tom was ready to shoot.  I was not.  Whew!  At least one of us is thinking!

This is called the Georgetown Loop Railroad.  He got the photo of the train on the first bridge and before we could get back into the car he noticed that it was going to cross another, higher bridge just up the creek. Nice!

 

Back in the car and on the road again.  We stopped at another reservoir with a really big lake.  I have forgotten its name but the weather was memorable.  Tom went into the small grocery store and came back out for his camera.  "You just gotta see the inside," he said.  Here is what he saw.

If you walk around the grocery to the front side facing the lake . . .

I walked down to the Marina and looked across the lake.  Yep, we were going to get rained on again!  Just love it.

As I headed back to the car I got dive bombed by small birds that I thought looked an awful lot like swallows. In Colorado?  Hmmm . . . I looked up.

Every pullout or shot taken from the car just got us more and more excited about getting to Rocky Mountain National Park.  All we had heard was that it was better than better.  Better than this?

After a quick fast food lunch we agreed to stay the course and not stop unless the opportunity was really worth it!  We did pretty good.  

Shots of our first drive through of the Trail Ridge Road will be posted later, hopefully today.  Rocky Mountain National Forest was not on my bucket list.  What I might have missed.  We are going back again before we leave the area.

Missing all our friends.  Have heard from several of you and we appreciate your being with is in spirit.

Be well.  Shoot often.

A Stop at a Lake

From Leadville to Frisco there is a lake created by a small dam across Clinton Creek. It is simply gorgeous and will be even more so as the Aspen change to their fall golds. Enjoy.

It is fun to compare shots at the end of the day.  Same lake. Tom shot longer.  I shot wider. It can be only minutes between shots from a hundred feet in separation and the sky takes on a whole different look and the scene changes color!  Such fun.

 

 

I saw these flowers on the bank as I returned to the car.  Just a perfect way to end the shot!!

OMG . . . it is late.  Tom is sound asleep.  Headed there too.  Tomorrow is going to be another awesome day!

Leadville

What a fascinating history this town has.  My mom said she was getting out her "googler" to check it out. Leadville, like so many mining towns has made the transition from a booming population to one that caters to tourists.  One advantage Leadville has, however, is that it also attracts a fair amount of skiers.  Surrounded by some of Colorado's tallest mountains, it is making a bit of a comeback.  It sports two traffic lights, a Dollar Store and a Safeway.  No McDonald's yet.

Here are some of our shots that we hope give you a feel of the place.

 

 

 

 

The night we got in we went 'downtown' and found a farmer's market in full swing on the main little plaza. Bought 4 Colorado peaches.  Wowza!  But . . . not as good as the flat we got at CostCo in Phoenix for half the price and double the amount! But the photo was colorful!!!  Gotta look at the positive, right?

As I mentioned the ski business, here is one way to advertise your store!

Every old mining town seems to have a saloon and many churches.  Ditto in Leadville.

 

Finally, we checked the weather in Phoenix.  I would imagine that everyone living there is tired of the heat. Enough summer already!!  Here I found a sign in a store.  I thought of my friends.  I smiled.

Tom and I are having a great journey.  Tonight we are in Frisco, just next to Dillon.  

Stay well, shoot often.