New Scenery, New Wildlife

Who says advertising doesn't work? (not advertisers)  It worked on us.  On a local channel we had viewed this restaurant numerous times, so what did we do on our last morning...we ate there!

Miki took this shadow of a man to breakfast!
(lower left corner!...me taking pic...get it?)

Moving day was yesterday (Wednesday, September 25) from Dillon to Longmont, CO.  We only had a few hours of travel time, so we were in no rush to break camp.  After eating breakfast, hitting the city recycling yard, and one last visit to Safeway, we packed it up.

Miki captured this aspen leaf on her last dog walk.

Going up into the mountains is not a big deal.  The truck does a very good job of pulling us and the doghouse up to wherever we have tried to go.  It's the DOWN that gets me.  As well as the truck pulls up, gravity pulls down!  I use to wonder what the big deal was about the big semi trucks and the big yellow warning signs about Steep Grade Ahead...Use Lower Gear...blah, blah, blah.  This is the third time coming down out of the mountains in Colorado into Denver.  It is not so much scary as stressful.  Yes, we have brakes, but I would not want to be going too fast and trying to stop...I will leave it at that.  Excuse me while I need to go change my pants, having just thought about it again...stress does funny things to people.

Our reservation for the next 4 nights is at St. Vrain State Park, on the east side of Longmont, practically sitting on I-25.  A relatively new gated community, about 25 minutes from Miki's conference.

The gate house and walking trail at St. Vrain State Park.

We are at the tip of the arrow.

The park, besides being a campground, is a wild bird sanctuary.  So far all I have seen are geese.  These are not the geese from behind our house in the park geese that will eat popcorn out of your hand geese.  These are more of the wild variety.  After observing them this morning, I saw some behaviors I should have shielded my eyes from, that our nice geese back home don't display in public.  No pictures here.  You're welcome.

Besides the steady drone of I-25, where the speed limit is 75 m.p.h., the campground is very peaceful looking and has trails for observing the many ponds in the park.  We woke up to dense fog that quickly burned off after last nights passing thunderstorms and after breakfast we went exploring.

There is a pond we overlook there somewhere.

The dogs took me around the pond for this photo.  Haven't seen the foothills yet.

Interruption... I just saw this lady walk by with her dog, she looks like the woman Hallmark used for the model of Maxine.  This might be autograph worthy.

Maxine is camping next door!

Back to regularly scheduled blog...

Miki packed up her day pack for her first day at the conference and headed out.  Me and the dogs are hanging out together today.  She has a long day, ending around 9 tonight, so she has the truck and I hope some No Doz.

Besides the geese, the ants are pretty impressive residents here.  The little ones create little architectural structures, while the bigger red ones (that scare me) seem to show signs of past work experience of working at a quarry, just piling stuff wherever.

Seems as though they place each grain of sand to code.

These little red devils appear to simply excavate and pile where convenient.

That is it for now, as I watch my neighbors pack up and head out (do they know something I don't?).  The geese seemed to have made themselves scarce, so it might be safe to go back out and see what other wild life wildlife abounds here at St. Vrain State Park (and Gentleman's Club).


My Zen from the Road:  Don't judge animals by their behavior.  If those animals are people, then judge away.


Bonus... Received an equally creative thank you from Grace's sister, Callie (see previous posting).  I would like to also share my equally creative response.

A college care package "Thank you."  Love it!

It is hard responding to a photo with a photo, but I am up to it.

Okay, this is the next contest.  What am I doing? (in the photo)
1st Prize... Knowing we are on the same wavelength!
2nd Prize... Your own ASL How-To textbook.