On the road again!

Meeker, CO International Sheepdog Trials:  Over 100 Sheepdogs and their handlers from all over the USA plus Canada, Africa, and Brazil came to the 27th annual classic Championship to compete.  We went up to Meeker for one day and watched several dogs herd a group of five sheep through three gates set up in a very large field, larger than a Polo field, then back to a small pen area.  The handler, all the while, gave instructions to the dog with whistle commands.  The Dog/Handler team had 13 minutes to complete the task for a score which the top dogs would proceed to semi fianls then fianls which would be held on the last day of this five-day event.  Quite a site to see.

Independence Pass:  Back about 1976, June and I spent a three week vacation in Colorado. One of our favorite places at the time was the area around Aspen, CO and the drive over Independence pass. In particular, there was a four wheel drive road along Lincoln Creek. When we were last there, there was a National Forrest camp with only six camp sites at the end of this 7 mile road.  We camped here for a five days, caught trout every day in the mountain lake, and bathed in the mountain stream.  We didn't do that this time, but we wanted to visit the place again ad found that there had been added several more camp sites and the road had been improved some and there was quite a bit of traffic.  What had been our secret place almost 40 years ago had apparently been discovered.


40 years ago, Lincoln Creek road wasn't even marked and the entrance was obscured by heavy growth.  We found it by accident when we noticed a small dirt path heading off the main road into the woods. Now there is a large sign, a bridge where once you had to drive across the creek thru the water.  Improved?

Rocky Mountain National Park - has been our location for the past five days. This is a wonderful park for scenery, and animal viewing, especially in the hour just before dark; that's when the elk and moose seem to come out of the mountains and woods into the meadows.  We stayed for two nights at Grand Lake, near the West entrance tot he park, then three nights near the East entrance in the city of Estes Park.  The drive thru the park may be one of the prettiest drive we have ever taken. Forty-Four miles at 35 MPH and in most places, that's too fast.  Pulling a 35 ft., 15,000 lb.  trailer up the West side of the mountains, starting at around 7500 ft., then climbing to just over 12,000 ft. on a narrow winding road is pretty exciting.  Following are some pics to give a sense of the this fabulous place.

We'll soon be on our way across country to Indiana & Ohio to spend some time with family, then we'll be in Florida at the end of October and in Zephyrhills November 1st where we'll spend the winter and do our planning for our 2014 travels......... Thanks for following us!  It's a great Country and we're blessed to be able to see so much of it together.