Friday, April 29, 2011

Way away.....

So I needed to escape a while... so I grabbed the pup, and the camera... swapped for the Kia... and took off for places unknown... to me anyways.

Looking pretty cloudy, a bit chilly too. That isn't enough to make me turn around.

2PM: Hit the road... got onto Rte 24, and made it to Wilkerson's Pass...

Long drive... but ahhhh so serene.
Got to Hartsel and looked for Buffalo, nada this trip. Last time we came here w/ our friends from Rhode Island there were Buffalo everywhere.

Fairplay... I found it. Not that it was difficult.
It's kinda crappy weather but the brief sun peeks through... won't be staying long me thinks.

South Park City
Recreated old town.

This attraction isn't open until Memorial Day, but I was able to capture this for you all by looking over the gate.

Drove down the side road to take these shots....
Sign...on top of the little local........

Hand Hotel.
Hmmmm Wonder what goes on in said hotel... how many singles....uh..nevermind. LOL




Cute little Country church next to S.P.City.



Starting to snow... so I head back.. and Whinoceros is now hopping like a bunny too.


BUT.. U-ey time to get these shots.......



All made from scrap metal... at some private property posted entryway... guess these enforce that request.
=}

Back home again in 4.5 hours.. and not too much gas used..... Cool.

See ya for my next adventure.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

Fairplay? It's snowing, No Fair!

I had a hunch at 6am I better check the weather on my mobile web... hmmm cloudy in Colorado Springs... ok, how bout Fairplay? Snow... and more snow.

Great :( .... what about the weather channel..... 10-20" of snow and mixed stuff. ARGHHHH

Night night...I am sleepin' in!

I did nothin' today except get some grocery's and watch some TV. I am falling asleep.

What's that outside? DO I SEE THE SUN????? Come'n Whinoceros...a.k.a Scamp.....

I head back to get that Bison shot from the previous "short trip"... still no luck...
ok, so I find a side road..... Hmmm

well looky here:
This is promising!

Ok, time to see how lost I can get now.. I am off 83N, on CO RD 82 aka E.Lorraine Rd. now...


Do I need to pee?  not that bad......



This is Spring Valley Church
It's amazing how much history is in Colorado..
abandoned proof of Gold prospecting, exploration... and land claim staking.
Water? Not a drop to drink.

I drove a bit more until I saw the clouds rolling in, and Scamp's hopping from seat to seat, 
time to head home...

The road to nowhere?


Maybe next week we'll make it to Fairplay... Spring has to stay put sooner or later. 

   Night all!

Friday, April 22, 2011

Short trip.....

Ok, so I don't plan well... in maps, supplies, or timing.
I left to go "explore" at 6pm tonight.  I had a destination, and I had a puppy... that's all I brought.

I drove up 83N towards Franktown... I had been there before. Its about a 45min - 1 hour trip, not too bad.

I actually saw some Bison... but the road 83 is a high speed road.. 65MPH so not too easy to stop. I said to myself, "Self... come back for this shot later tonight". Yeah right.

I hit Franktown.. and then drove around the area.. nada..zip.. no inspiration... only a whiny pup.
I did see a cool barn and Silo but no good angle to get a long zoom shot. Oh well. I came around and headed back and drove by this cool State Park which was closed.. but I did stop on the bridge and capture this shot:


 and a close up of Mr. Ed a ways down the road....





which annoyed Scamp (whiny puppy)..immensely!

Home to bed.. tomorrow's another day... FAIRPLAY, CO!

Sunday, April 17, 2011

This time I don't plan to get lost... it just...Happens!

I borrowed the Kia S.U.V this time... not chancing anything... green car (97 Tracer) is on strike.
Grabbed the camera case,  and got on the road at 9am Sunday (God, I will see ya NEXT week).
I headed out to Woodland Park, CO w/ the intentions to drive down to this cute little recreation spot called GREEN MNT FALLS. A place w/ a  (island) gazebo and ducks, kids playing and old timers fishing.
This is stop #1 for pictures... I like this gazebo.

After a short pit stop, its on the road again. Got gas in W. Park. Then decisions decisions....
Rte 67? Towards Camp Elim and such? or Rte 67 in opposite direction towards Cripple Creek? Windy roads w/ no guard rails to keep me from going off a cliff... not, uh uh, hayell no!
Wilkerson's Pass?  Hmmm maybe!

Rte 24 again.. towards the pass....I see SH 25! I pull another U-ey (see my previous blog about these) and I am on the cute lil road.

Dirt in some spots, but noone around. I take my time to drive this.. I have no time limit today. Its not a long "detour" as Its ends back on Rte 24. ok. cool!

Next sign..TARRYALL!  OK, Now this is calling to me... I pull another U-ey...me likes U-eys!!!!
Windy paved roads.. my faves!  Only...  Yup.... doesn't stay paved long... a few frost heaves** here and there.
I see a sweet couple of "overlooks" after a while... WHOA! NICE!
Complete w/ old abandoned shacks, and fences in distance, and windy Tarryall Creek! This was once a Gold prospecting spot... more on this history later.

I twist around bend after bend... and I am trying to decide...Turn around? Keep going? until I see this as I keep driving....

Good decision Keri!!! Now I know I must keep going!

Now the roads are all dirt and gravel.. I switch to 4WD and go!
Hours pass....still on windy dirt roads... and 2 reservoirs... civilization!
Keep going... and look what's up ahead at the end of the road..

SWEET!!!!!!

After I take in the sounds and a few pictures... I decide.. I've been on this road long enough...... BUT It's not done w/ me as it seems.
This is an old Ghost town by the way.. so I saw a few up close buildings from an old past lifetime.


Ahh. I am in heaven!... 
well, until I realize - I am NEVER LEAVING THIS DIRT ROAD!



I came across a crossroads eventually.. "Oh Great, Which way now Dorothy???
Dorothy: Now which way do we go?
Scarecrow: Pardon me, this way is a very nice way.
Scarecrow: [points other way] It's pleasant down that way, too.
Dorothy: That's funny. Wasn't he pointing the other way?
Scarecrow: [points both ways] Of course, some people do go both ways.

As I am literally praying for a sign of which way to go... an older couple pull up beside me.. (I'd have thrown myself  front of them to get them to stop) and they showed me the way home.

6 and 1/2 hours later.. I am home! Kia needs a Bath!

**Frost heaves- roads get buckled by ice forming on and in cracks of the road, and these expand.. creating ripples in paved streets.. damaging them.

Friday, April 15, 2011

Got lost for the second time in 10 days...


 Decided to Get lost again, seeing as I am so good at it. This time I had a destination...or so I thought. heh heh
I drove out to Black Forest and Got on Black Forest Rd to Vollmer. This is a scenic windy road, a place I taught my daughter how to drive (55mph no doubt). Well usually its a short drive back once I get back on Black Forest Rd... Usually.

Black Forest Rd is under construction, so there are detours. I am not used to following detours as I lived in a small country town in Massachusetts. If I saw a detour.. I'd try a different way home there. Hmmm so you'd like to think that's the case here. Not so! Ya know?
I followed the posted DETOUR... where it led me... as it was mocking me. I went down another dirt road.. pretty beat up from bad winters.. (aforementioned construction was not apparent here, for good reason.. only farmers and ranchers w/ BIG trucks and Tractors travel these roads). My poor car really hates me now...
I am foreseeing an S.U.V as my next vehicle me thinks.


I some how ended up on County Line Rd. CUTE! Its paved, smooth, headed in a straight line. Perfect!
My only problem.. I never seem to know when to turn around... and GO HOME. I like finding picture opportunities. I was in luck.

I found deer, watering holes, old wagons, old barns...... I like old things can ya tell?
I kept going, going, going.

"WELCOME TO PALMER LAKE" (insert David Spade high pitched "whaah?" here)

Ok, a quick call to my dad to figure out how I should get home, and I was now driving back to where I am used to. I hit Rte 105, and all sorts of neat roads... especially Roller Coaster RD.

Saw a cool "castle" that the owners have hidden off the road... and I tried to park in the center of the road to photograph... 2 seconds later as I pull into the driveway of the Castle... a car came whipping by me... I could have been creamed if I'd had lingered too long... Dumb move on my part.
Back to where I started.....
Oh... and said detour took me onto ANOTHER detour... stupid towns.

Another picture......


                                                            and I was home. What a drive!

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Got lost for the first time...

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This house just seemed like it belonged in the Final scene of Twister (w/ Helen Hunt / Bill Paxton).... No? 






Drove out to Ellicott...not intentionally. I am good at getting far from home. I am also good at slamming on my breaks, backing up or pulling a U-ey** to get a photo of something. This adobe "mansion" was off Rte 94 a bit, on a grooved dirt road that just about killed my car... my teeth were still chattering when I came home.
 My ideal road trip is a golden hour sunset, and windows down w/ temps at 70... and my CD's blasting so I can sing along... not as pretty as it sounds (no pun intended!)

**a U-ey is the New England slang term for a U-turn.