We checked the weather forecast and made a plan with friends to do an ATV ride up to Bristolhead, the craggy top overlooking the Rio Grande valley and even further to Creede, CO. This required us to basically have everything ready the night before, rise early, and depart the RV park at 8 am, since we faced a 45 min. drive to the departure point, up and over Slumgullion and Spring Creek Passes.
As we looked out our trailer back window, this is the sight that greeted us...4 "townies" chowing down on a bedraggled sapling growing out of the gravelbar on our side of Henson Creek. I've inserted captions to further explain. These critters have been decapitating my flowers, and everyone else's, all summer long.
We arrived at our staging area, 5 of us on 3 ATV 's, and since everyone but us had not yet seen Clear Creek Falls, we did a very short sidetrip, with the added benefit of a toilet, which we all appreciated.
Here's our next respite, men to the left, ladies to the right.
This gives a quick idea of again how immense this landscape is. That point you see is
below our destination.
We reached one point where I hoped to see a group of bighorn sheep....instead, as I wheeled around to return to the group I saw this group of 4 "humanoids" waiting for me at the top of the ridge.
Rest period's over, time to move on.
One view from the top of Bristolhead.
This is what was visible, 360 degrees, from up there.
Once again, "awesome" is inadequate.
It's not a glamorous sport, but very rewarding if you enjoy nature.
Looking down into one of the several canyons that fall below Bristolhead.
Even there, nature is queen.
Trees, flowers & other plants survive, even thrive, despite the harsh conditions.
It's difficult to absorb the wonder of it all.
Here's that little plateau again, from a different angle, it actually looks almost like a landing strip on top of that mesa.
A couple of weeks ago Edmund & I did a ride on the high meadow that lies between this spot and the valley you see below.
Up here, it's more windswept, rough, and even more impressive.
+of+IMG_0646.JPG)
These are female bighorn sheep, no rams in the group, that were grazing on the ridge and disappeared quickly when we approached.
Probably when we're 90 years old we'll look at this and laugh out loud!
As the storm clouds gathered (as anticipated), we made our retreat,
once again glad we did it, glad we
could do it, and with friends we hope to see again next summer.
As we looked out our trailer back window, this is the sight that greeted us...4 "townies" chowing down on a bedraggled sapling growing out of the gravelbar on our side of Henson Creek. I've inserted captions to further explain. These critters have been decapitating my flowers, and everyone else's, all summer long.
We arrived at our staging area, 5 of us on 3 ATV 's, and since everyone but us had not yet seen Clear Creek Falls, we did a very short sidetrip, with the added benefit of a toilet, which we all appreciated.
Here's our next respite, men to the left, ladies to the right.
This gives a quick idea of again how immense this landscape is. That point you see is below our destination.
We reached one point where I hoped to see a group of bighorn sheep....instead, as I wheeled around to return to the group I saw this group of 4 "humanoids" waiting for me at the top of the ridge.
Rest period's over, time to move on.
One view from the top of Bristolhead.
This is what was visible, 360 degrees, from up there.
Once again, "awesome" is inadequate.
It's not a glamorous sport, but very rewarding if you enjoy nature.
Looking down into one of the several canyons that fall below Bristolhead.
Even there, nature is queen.
Trees, flowers & other plants survive, even thrive, despite the harsh conditions.
It's difficult to absorb the wonder of it all.
Here's that little plateau again, from a different angle, it actually looks almost like a landing strip on top of that mesa.
A couple of weeks ago Edmund & I did a ride on the high meadow that lies between this spot and the valley you see below. 
Up here, it's more windswept, rough, and even more impressive.+of+IMG_0646.JPG)
These are female bighorn sheep, no rams in the group, that were grazing on the ridge and disappeared quickly when we approached.
Probably when we're 90 years old we'll look at this and laugh out loud!
As the storm clouds gathered (as anticipated), we made our retreat,
once again glad we did it, glad we could do it, and with friends we hope to see again next summer.
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