Sunday, July 31, 2011

Out and about on my Birthday!

I wanted to go and explore on my 37th Birthday, so I grabbed the Kia, and left puppy home this trip. Off I went at 7am.

Hit CR 77 from Rte 24 in Divide, towards Tarryall again, but now armed w/ a different exit... to Rte 285!

My 1st abandoned cabin of this trip.... I love these finds!



Looking at Platte River from above on CR77



Old Mine Shaft in Tarryall I believe.

These next few Homestead buildings were all around, and I forget where exactly some were located,
I can find out later if anyone asks me. Just enjoy for now.
 Derby Cabin 
w/ old Homestead Certificate copy.





Now... I left 77 and entered Jefferson on Rte 285....at about lunchtime, and saw this place...
This once was an old Train Depot for the D,SP and P Railroad.
Now its houses a realtor and other stuff... but its kinda cool!
Borrowed this from Google images.....
Jefferson Depot in 1937

Had a pretty good burger and fries from the little red caboose lunch stand next to the train depot... but $11 for a sandwich, fries and water? Yikes.

Now, I wanted to geocache my way around, and the previous night I spent 2 hours e-mailing myself coords for area caches, and I would pull em up when I came to the area.... Too Lazy.....to load em onto the GPSr..... my Bad....as I had no internet service out here!! GRRR!!!!!!

I knew I was within 2-9 feet at each location of a cool cache, but w/o the exact spot... I'd never find them.

Glad this was a photo trip not just a geocache one.
Next bad move I made was not studying the online maps better or using the truck GPS (my kid has it) so I went NORTH on 285, instead of south.... well... I did get a few nice shots in Bailey and Pine Junction, headed to Breckenridge, and I drove Kenosha Pass to 10,000+ altitude.



I finally got a map in a small country store in Pine Junction... and lady at counter told me also where I was supposed to be going... Grrrr.... I hate wasting my time when I know better.

Como, CO!
Now once this Train roundhouse was open to walk around and explore the windows... but since its now a registered landmark... its got ugly fences and gates w/ padlocks all around... kinda kills my shots....

Front side (top photo) and Back side (bottom photo)

Look, someone I am related too????




Now this part of the river is in Alma, CO and I went back to see some parts I missed last roadtrip on Sunday the 24th.
Not sure what the heck this was? a Steel tree w/ weird attachments in Southpark City / Fairplay, CO
Let me stop and think about that....

I went home, at 5:30pm and my family / friends all threw a BBQ and made it my birthday party, complete w/ burgers, hot dogs, chips, salads, whoopie pies w/ candles for me to blow out, and ended w/ a fire pit and s'mores.
That was the end to a wonderful day!!!! 

See ya on my most longest upcoming road trip in August.....to Douglas, WY and YELLOWSTONE!
That will be my last for 2011.


Sunday, July 24, 2011

Great Day for a train! Best Day Trip Ever!!!!

So, Next week is my Birthday... ughh 37! At least I am not turning 40 - YET!
My Folks wanted to treat me this week to a day up in Georgetown,CO. There is a cool silver town and train that loops around it.
Started out at 7am.... and got there about 9am-ish. Time to kill before the train departs... so we drive around.

 Great old Silver Plume Jail - Up Close of the door and sign, and the whole building.


Old Mine relic (sluice I think) - next to I-70 in front of the train station in Silver Plume.

  and this is cool... an old Mercantile Window....
 and lots of old dated buildings and houses.



So, we got on the train.. 10 am... all the way towards the back of the train, under a small covered car....

so I could take shots like this....
 and This!

Saw lots of waterfalls and river sides...
 and took these shots when we stopped at the Georgetown Devils Gate depot.
The Train engine was now in front of where we were.

Awesome Trip!

Now, Mom and I were starving, so we went into Georgetown to eat at a German place called THE EURO.
All German and Greek food...almost.
Mom had a Greek salad, and a very good big hotdog and fries.
Dad and I both ordered a burger and fries... and we sat creek side, ahhhhhhh!
I was soo stuffed.. best lil diner ever!
Drove around this cute lil town.
Next, Mom surprised me when she asked my dad to take us through the Eisenhower Tunnel. I have a thing about tunnels through Mountains....
and when we exited... this greeted us.....
OMG! I Love COLORADO!

I'd hate to use this in an emergency.......
40 degree angle approx. No Joke!

Now, we either could back track the way we came.....
OR... Go through Breckenridge, CO - Skier's Heaven....

Breckenridge! YES!


First had to head through Dillon, CO

Then into...
The Most Gorgeous Town I have ever been in!

 Ski lift gondola that actually goes OVER the highway!!


Then into Alma via the Hoosier Pass
 Mom at the summit of Hoosier Pass...

YES!!!


These were random in little town Alma, CO
Creepy House... and.....
Creepy Face in window of above photo of Creepy House!

Home by 5pm, after a pee break in Wilkerson's Pass Visitor Center, and a 20-25 minute stand still on Rte 67 when a horrific motorcycle accident occurred.. 2- 4 mile backups in either direction. We unfortunately had a front row view of the paramedics and crews working on the victim. Hope he's ok.....

Thanks to my Parent's for a Perfect day!!!!