Colorado - Sept. 2011 - B*I*N*G*O

Wednesday was a work day (and the hair on the back of my neck stands up as I type the word work).  Break the doghouse down for a trip to the dump station (I suspect no need to go over that again), clean the (dog)house, a visit to Frisco's laundromat (tiny, small and clean), and just putz around.  And after a day like that, there is only one thing to do when the sun goes down... B-I-N-G-O Baby!  Ass right.  If it's Wednesday night, it's BINGO somewhere.  That somewhere was Silverthorne Elks Lodge #2561.  After a tasty dinner of hot dogs, beans, and potato salad to prime us for an evening of high frivolity and angst as each of what seems to be a billion numbers as called by a silver haired, mullet sporting Elk.


We arrived with minutes to spare, before the first number is called.  We plunk down our $11 a piece for the 4 regular bingo cards for the evening.  What we are unaware of is that throughout the evening, other game cards are sold.  By the time my wallet is worn out from opening and closing all night long, we've spent another... well let's say we could have paid to get the mullet cut off.


With a total of 26 lonely hearts sitting with anticipation of winning the big money, the first number is called.  We get off to a slow start and the first few games close without a Heyne/Winholtz voice shouting above the others, that 5 letter jackpot name-O, that Old MacDonald called his dog.  But the night was ultimately dominated by the couple from the campground.  Miki won $30 and I BINGO-ed with another person for $100 ($50 a piece), so we walked out at the end of the evening with $80 minus the amount of a haircut.  A good days work.


Thursday we awoke to a light blanket of snow on the surrounding peaks, mainly above tree line.  This was after the first winter storm warning of the season was issued (last night) for parts of the Rockies.  Below 11,000 feet, it was just drizzly.  

So what do you do when it is a soggy, fall day in the mountains of Colorado?  Get in your four wheel drive vehicle and search for aspen turning yellow.  With the recent precipitation and cooler temps, we could see the aspen in the campground showing signs of turning.  So, we had to get high (so to speak).  Our choice for a quick altitude gain was Boreas (Bore-ays) Pass, just south of Breckenridge.  A fairly well maintained gravel road that will take you to about 11,400+ feet above Charleston, SC.  Mostly a narrow, 2 lane road that will not rearrange your innards, unless you are in a real hurry.  It didn't take long as we climbed above the condos, cabins, and lodges of Breckenridge, to find aspen in varying stages of yellows and oranges.

Hints of yellow.

A little more.

We came around a corner and booyah!

If the conditions are right, some will
go to orange after yellow before
turning brown and falling off.

We love the light colored bark of aspen.

Remnants of the rain.

The colors turned a few heads...

Low hanging clouds covered the peaks.  You can
make out a few ski runs at Breckenridge on the right.

On Boreas Pass, Miki gave the dogs a
break and we ate lunch.

You could say we got a BINGO this day as well with the discovery of the turning aspen, high above Breckenridge.  What do you say to that Old MacDonald?


My Zen from the road:  

Look forward to what's around the corner.

Cribbage Win Count:    Miki - 2    Wallie - 4