Friends visit, and more

On last Fri evening, the 18th, we had a surprising dining experience, starting with our intentions of going to Southern Vittles for their shrimp night special. They were jammed, so moving right along, we stopped into the most recently opened "Saloon" in town called The Depot. It's bright and cheery inside with a lot of exterior glass and newly installed pine wall paneling and flooring. But what really grabbed our attention was the jukebox...looks like something out of Star Wars. Of course, it plays CD's, and on examination we found we hadn't the slightest idea how to operate it! How long has it been since either of us put money in a jukebox?
A young fellow, obviously with a personal interest in the success of the new enterprise, came over and showed E how it works, even put money into it and picked something E said we could dance to. And the price, only 3 for $1. We had some reminiscing about nickel and quarter jukebox days, danced our one dance, drank a beer and bid them goodbye. They were nice, but this is not a gray hair place.
Then dinner still remained open. Decided to try a place we've tried to go to several times--always was closed for a private party, or looked as if there were no customers--and we always just went on someplace else.
This time, we not only ate there, but had one of the best restaurant meals we've ever experienced. We were seated next to a fellow, alone, who told us right away what a great meal to expect. Turns out he lives in Tucson, said he writes for Arizona Highways magazine, has traveled all over the western states, and proclaimed, "You are eating at the best restaurant in the Western United States."
At the end of the meal, we wouldn't have argued the point. The food and service were both superb. So, if you ever come to L.C., save up your $$ (yes, it's expensive) for a great dining experience at Bruno's Alpine Grill!

On Sat. the 19th our friends Edmond & Carol Hovasse arrived for their 2 wk. stay in a cabin at Vickers Ranch. We had dinner together at the Pasta Factory (Crazy Angelo's restaurant), enjoyed Angelo's antics and a good genuine Italian meal, served under the careful eye of Angelo himself.
On Sunday we four got out early (9 am) to fish at the dock at the lake, with good success for a change. We two got our limit of 8, Ed & Carol got 6, and we called it a day when the sun got too brutal. That evening we cooked and ate 6 of our 8 at our trailer, our first real trout meal of the summer. Delicious!

Then...Monday was a day of rest, Tuesday we tried fishing again, off the bank, with no success. We blame it on the murky water resulting from the heavy rain during the evening and night.

Wednesday we took an ATV ride up Blue Creek Rd., despite the threatening weather when we departed. The sky looked a little menacing, but we decided to chance it, and break in our raingear if necessary.
This is the view behind us as we started up the mountain road.

These darlings tried very hard to get out of camera range before I could snap them...while riding on the ATV I keep the camera tucked inside a shirt, and to take a picture it means: push up the helmet visor off my eyes; pull out the camera; get the lens cover off and power on; find the object in the lcd screen; pull in the object with the zoom (15x); focus; snap! Sometimes objects disappear too fast, but these darlings, probably 30' away in the photo, lingered just long enough.
We chose to ride on up to the Big Blue trailhead, 6 mi., rather than attempt the 32 mi. roundtrip to Arrowhead Inn, a place we've never seen as yet. We keep saying we'll go...but never make it.
Weather still looked threatening, and we knew it would rain before long. Views like this are around every curve, so no matter what choice we made, we knew it would be enjoyable.
Discovery of maricopa lily wildflowers growing on a slope alongside our route was an unexpected bonus. We saw these growing last summer on Los Pinos road, but didn't suspect they would be here on this barren hillside as well. Unlike last year's find, where the plants and bloomheads hugged the ground, these plants were long and leggy, 6-10" high, with smaller bloomheads but the same amazing structure and coloration. Yes, they really are that color, purple/wine and brilliant chartreuse.
This pic is typical of midday skies here, as the later-to-be-rainclouds begin to gather up on the horizons.

The ubiquitous native columbine were scattered here and there, not the exuberant display that we see in American Basin at its peak, but charming nevertheless.
For my friend who wanted to see the yellow Goretex rain jacket, here it is....at the Big Blue Creek trailhead, our lunch stop and the terminus of today's journey. Rainpants, as well, the kind that zip up and down the legs so they can be put on over boots and clothing without falling on your axx in the process! If you're nimble.
Here's the intrepid ATV driver at the same spot, same yellow & black raingear. We had just enough rain to make it worthwhile putting it on. Actually, we'd never used it before, and we learned a few things about warmth and fasteners to make it a good practice for times of more dire need.
More trailhead. This is a beautiful, long valley (there's a lot more behind the photographer), and a popular spot for fly fishermen. Also there's a dry camping area just above this, would be a great place for rough camping and fishing expedition. You hear that, you family guys who fish??
E locates us on the Uncompahgre Wilderness map.

OK, I just like the picture.
Ditto.

On the way back down, E waits patiently for me to take more pics, and hopes we beat the serious rain!
We did, made it back to camp just as it started to pour.

Hot showers and a hot dinner later, we went to the weekly bingo game at the Armory. E won $5 and a tee shirt too small for either of us, it now belongs to camping neighbor Gwen, the tiniest gal in camp.

Back to L.C.

We had a good drive back to L.C. from Vail, took the route through Leadville, recognizing it would be slow and windy. And it was. For the first 2 hr. we averaged 25 mph. But it was lovely, different scenery, and worth doing it, once. We had lunch at Jan's in Buena Vista, a place we've frequented previously when we camped in and around the area some years back, and also on trips through the area back and forth in previous years. This time we had opportunity to inquire about Plain Jane, as she called herself. Back when we camped around the Collegiate Peaks area for several weeks, we danced at the Coyote Cafe at Johnson Village, @5 mi. so. of Buena Vista. She was a character...LOVED to dance, was alone at the time, wore tights and a loose top, had lots of uncontrolled long gray hair, and we enjoyed her immensely. In conversation we learned she had been an instructor in a Fred Astaire Dance Studio somewhere in the east (it showed), and when her husband died she moved "back home" to a property at the foot of Mt. Princeton.
At any rate, Edmund asked the ladies in the restaurant if they knew her, and they, of course, did, recognized her right away when we said "dance" and "Mt. Princeton" in the same sentence. She's still alive, but "not doing too well" according to these ladies. We place this lady now somewhere in her 90's, so not surprising if she's faded some. We cherish the memory of enjoying the sight of this long-legged, gray-haired, 80 something woman dancing to a rock band, alone, or with anyone who was willing, like they say, "as if no one were watching," in the Coyote Cafe in Johnston Village, CO.
Back at camp, we caught up on laundry, etc., on Tuesday we thoroughly examined the big arts and crafts fair (we're in the market for a Significant Piece on our big bedroom wall, and yes, Barb G., I'm still looking for the right piece for our livingroom table, having passed up several possibilities in Prague). After 2 times around the vendor displays, we ended up with a small, framed print of a bright red cardinal taking a bath. It's just so cute, couldn't resist. So we still stalk just the right pieces described. We topped it off with a dip of Mocha Almond Fudge icecream at the San Juan Soda Shop.
Yesterday we learned that a bear was in camp the night before, destroyed some hummingbird feeders and a seed feeder, was reportedly "about this tall, probably 300 lb." That was enough to propel me into insisting that the feeders hanging on our absent neighbor's rig, 2 ft. from our patio awning, be taken down immediately! So done. I could just see not only my flower pots full of geraniums and lobelia being toppled over, but also our awning being torn up. I slept much better as a result, and though we haven't heard any more bear stories, we know that once a bear finds a source of sweetness they return over and over again.

Today we did our first ATV ride to American Basin where we've seen such awesome wildflower displays. This was a bit early in the season, a few columbines were out along with other solitary early bloomers, but the profusion of blooms won't arrive for maybe a couple of weeks, hopefully while friends Ed & Carol Hovasse are here in their rented Vickers Ranch cabin.

This waterfall is always impressive, at any season, and to get a proper perspective, realize that those are full-grown fir trees you see.
This is one of the early, brave ones, a native columbine, Colorado's state flower.
The insects were hard at work on the few blooms available.
I was amazed at the color combination in this flower's structure. I should have been a botanist?!? That's what my botany teacher told me in my senior year of college when it was way too late to change majors. It certainly remains a major interest, 50-some years later.
The dandelion is in this picture just to demonstrate the size of these delicate small blooms, tiny is the word for them.

Perhaps my favorite pic of the day. I don't think we've ever seen quite so much snow on the mts. this late in the summer.

This gives a glimpse of the size of this basin, but still doesn't capture the sweep and grandeur.
Here we are at our lunch stop.
Another piece of awesome scope. That's our yellow ATV on the right.

We're high enough that just walking around, taking pics, and enjoying the scenery requires some huffing and puffing, but we love it!

Last day in Vail

The concert last evening was superb. We took the free bus to the transp. center and walked to the venue, the amphitheatre at Ford Park (Gerald and Betty, that is). We bought a bottle of wine, and included was a bucket of ice and glasses, found our very good seats and settled in the watch the crowd. Many people bring picnics (no alcohol), or buy food at the grill, and make themselves comfortable in their seats or the open grass area above the seating area. We sipped away on our Sauvignon Blanc, having had a snack of deli chicken at home, the weather was perfect, even a little warm. The Philadelphia Orchestra and the six singing artists brought the story of La Boheme alive (aided by a synopsis leaflet passed out to the crowd), and at the tragic death of Mimi at the end, the (lover) tenor's grief was palpable. Oh, yeah, you could say we enjoyed it!
We sought out pizza back in the heart of Vail Village, and again caught the free bus back to our condo, a very successful and satisfying evening.
Today we returned to the golf driving range for more exercise/practice and appreciation of the beauty of the place, as well. The flower beds are in prime showoff, and the mountains in the background still have a small amount of snow remaining.
The weather today is at its best, clear skies, warm sun and a good breeze blowing.


We were totally enthused with our golf practice, maybe we'll put more serious effort into playing sometime this summer?
On Tuesday evening we did what I call a "nostalgia tour", revisiting many of the places we enjoyed back in the days when we skied here, including one particular bar where the drinks are tall and strong..... and then did a NO NO, tried a restaurant that was advertising 30% off all food and wine, one we'd never heard of, it's very new. It was a disaster, so bad that they did not charge us for the food--Colo. lamb in E's case and prime rib in mine. The place is beautiful, but the meat was, even at 30% off, tough and poorly prepared. I suppose we were satisfied that we weren't charged. We've had so much very good food, one bad experience...oh, well. E just read their current ad to me out of the newspaper, and I wouldn't recognize anything about the description except the "elegant ambiance" part!
Somewhere during the evening I lost my favorite lipstick, so today after our golf outing we went back to Walmart. They'd restocked a little on the power bait, and guys, they had rainbow for $3.84, compared to $7 something in L.C.!!
So much for this vacation within a vacation, we'll eat out again tonight and pack up and leave in the morning. We plan to return on a different route, going south through Leadville on this return (we came up through Fairplay, Breckenridge, west to Vail, a faster route). It's been a good week.

Independence Day

Here's a look at the Lake City 4th of July...an old fashioned parade, followed by games in the park and band concert. The theme was "Go Green", and there was some effort by parade participants to follow the theme but the major decorative effort, as always, is good ol' red white and blue.
And these youngsters and midsters, complete with Gracie Schnauzer, are a typical sample.

Many modes of transportation were used, from dogs to goats, horses, bikes (check out this 3-person bicycle), trucks, and on foot. The Lake City Stinger Band's theme was cute: "Give a hoot, don't pollute!"

We loved this little guy and his hat, even though not decorated.

And how about Uncle Sam on stilts? Those are some LONG stilts!


As usual, HATS and decorated pets had a large presence, along with t shirts, of course.

This gal's hat decoration is strictly homemade; when I complimented her, she smiled and said, "I just whumped it up!"

These youngsters had a great view of the whole thing, remained in this prone position throughout the parade.

Edmund and I bought hats for this occasion back in January when we were in a hat store in Laughlin, NV. They were a big hit, and lots of fun. Don't have a picture of mine...guess who took all the pics?

The flag raising scene on the left is one of my favorites, and the "cowgirl" won my prize for the most fashion forward outfit of the day.

This says it all!
What would this blog be without some flower pics? The poppy beds are in their last days but still provide many brilliant displays all over town. The inflatable Uncle Sam sits in front of the local bank.


Joyce's shoes and Mary Lou's shirt presented a couple more fashion statements.



We're right now in Vail, CO, drove here right after the parade and have been enjoying a different kind of r & r. On Sat. we attended a wonderful cabaret performance at the Beaver Creek Vilar Performing Arts Center...a program called "I'll Be Seeing You--Love Songs of World War II", performed by Andrea Marcovicci. Both of us were wiping tears from our eyes more than once; we're both shameless romantics.

Tonight we're attending a concert performance of La Boheme by Puccini, featuring several vocalists and the Philadelphia Orchestra, the venue for this is the outdoor Ford Amphitheatre.

In between music events we've walked the Sunday Farmers Market, very interesting collection of vendors and products (I bought some "Ontario Maple Pepper" rub/seasoning) and have eaten and drank our way through Vail. Yesterday we both got haircuts & I got a manicure/pedicure at the giant Walmart Supercenter @ 5 mi. west of here. We've also bought and frozen about 10# of meat to take back with us, plus a lot of canned products. Prices were @ 30% less than in L.C. We went to the local golf club driving range yesterday afternoon and wore ourselves out trying to remember how to swing a golf club.

The week's passing very fast for us; we expected to go fishing but so far haven't made it, too many other possibilities await.