Rifle Falls ~

 Our last day didn't quite turn out as we'd planned, it ended up much better!  We started, as usual on weekends, with hot latte's!  Out to town - Bullocks - so I could purchase a sweater I'd looked at the day before :-)  We had lunch at the Daily Bread, where I enjoyed my first potato pancakes in forever!

We had reservations later in the afternoon, to ride the Gondola to the top of Iron Mountain & visit the caverns.  With plenty of time to spare, we decided to take Hwy 82 south from town, toward Basalt.

Mt. Sopris~

As with everywhere we went, towns that hadn't been much more than wide spots in the road, are now small cities.  The valley gradually infilling with homes & acreages.  It was tempting to go further, but we were looking forward to the gondola ride..  

The truck waits~

Returning to Glenwood on time, as we parked, we noticed the gondola moving slowly with lots of stops. Only a few of the cabs were occupied. Our tickets were refunded - the wind had come up enough - the ride was suspended for the day. With the afternoon free, we decided to drive on west to Rifle. We'd lived there when I worked on the Colony Oil Shale Project just outside Parachute.

Roan Cliffs~

It was a beautiful afternoon!  Rifle sits on the edge of the Piceance Basin, making it the go-to place when Oil Shale was being touted as an emerging energy source.  The fairgrounds had been  updated & the town itself had new stores & lots of new houses.  We didn't stop in town, our destination was one of our favorite spots on this side of the state - Rifle Falls State Park.

Rifle Falls

The entry fee to the state park was $10.  Since it was Super Bowl Sunday, we didn't expect many people.  The small parking area was almost full - but several cars were leaving as we parked. 

Trail Map~

There was plenty of snow on the ground.  We took the trail going past the falls & to the caverns, before looping back.  It was icy in the shade.  The dirt & rock inside the first cavern was powder dry.

Me in the first cave~

We continued on down the trail, with the footing more slippery as we went.

Along the edge of the cliffs~

I told Butch I was doing OK on the way down, but getting back up would be a trick.  After the last cavern, we decided to turn back.

The creek~

The water in this little creek was almost turquoise~  With a trout farm just north, a great place to fish I'm sure!

Going back up~

The climb back up, gave me & my injured leg a workout :-)  Butch offered an arm more than once!

An icy trail~

As the afternoon progressed, the temperature dropped & the trail changed from slushy to icy.  Once we made it back around to the cliff front, I couldn't resist climbing up to get a photo of the spray.

The Falls~

The falls have an amazing sound.  Possibly because of the caverns below.  We were the last vehicle in the parking lot.  Even the Ranger had left for the day.

Rifle Gap Reservoir~

Driving past the very low reservoir - the color of the water & sky were so intense.

Driving through the Grand Hogback toward Rifle~

The view above might be familiar to anyone living in CO during the early 1970's.  This is where the Valley Curtain was constructed. 

For old times sake, we had dinner at the Rivera before heading over to the pool.

Entrance to the Pool~

Our last night in town & last evening to enjoy the pool.  The weekend tourists were all gone, as was the line waiting to enter, due to Covid restrictions.  Staying at the Lodge - we had wrist bands allowing us unlimited access.

Looking up at the Lodge~

In earlier years, especially in the winter months, we'd come down after work & have the pool almost to ourselves.  (My leg had been tingling since our first soak.)  We soaked & enjoyed the beautiful evening, stars shining against a blue/black sky.  It would be hard to leave~  

Around Town - Glenwood Springs ~

 After spending late Friday evening soaking & watching snowflakes melt in the steam from the pool, we slept in a little on Sat.  The hour time difference helped!  Butch made us latte's & we enjoyed the view from our deck.

View~

There are plenty of good restaurants in town now.  We picked the Blue Bird Cafe for a late breakfast.  Just a little shopping was on my list of to-do's.  By the time we left the restaurant, the sun was out & the day was already warming into the 40's! 

 Bullock's is such a great western store!  The staff was so friendly, we caught up on all the local issues since we'd moved.  We left carrying bags of course!

Our idea of shopping nirvana :-)

We also found Fine Things.  The shop where we'd purchased our third set of wedding rings in 2008, was still in business!   We stopped in to say "hi" & admire the jeweler's latest works.  

We took a drive to the south end of town to find our old house - it took a while!  The neighborhood looked totally different.  Once we found the bridge across the Roaring Fork River,  I remembered the street.  Everything on both sides of the old road was built up in huge condominium projects.  I'm surprised this house & the two others on each side, haven't sold out to development.

Our old house~

After 40-years, it didn't look anything like it did when we lived here.

2-1981 Jentry flying down the hill!

The back yard was a big slope, right down to the river.  Butch packed the snow for the girls to have a sled run.  They almost ended up in the river!  He had to add a berm :-)

We stopped for an early dinner - deciding on Chinese - we have it so seldom at home.  The food was as good as ever.  It was nice & quiet, off the tourist track.

New pedestrian bridge & steps down to the park by the pool~

  Back at the Lodge, it was such a beautiful evening, we took a walk over the new pedestrian bridge.  A perfect place to view the pool.  

Glenwood Springs Hot Springs Pool~

Largest in the world, there had been changes since our last visit.  The bubble chairs were gone :-(  You can still put in a quarter to get bubbles, but the rails that held you in place have been removed.  The huge slide is gone too...  Replaced by a Sopris Splash Zone, open only in the warmer months.  The fountain is new, placed where the picnic area used to be.  There is a nicer park like area with grass now, that you can see in the photo of the pedestrian bridge.

The Lodge~

By staying at the Lodge, you pay a higher rate, but get unlimited access to the pool.  (Pool fee is $28. a visit.)  I had quite a discussion with the manager when we returned home.  She discounted our room & I received a promise of a nice upgrade next time we visit.  I'm going to confirm that in an email.  (Yes, Butch's skills come in handy in all circumstances.)

A fun day & the best part!  Heading back over to the pool!

Drive to Glenwood Springs, CO ~

 Both of us were looking forward to a trip back to Colorado.  (My home for twenty-five years.)  Butch & I lived in Glenwood Springs & Rifle before moving to Washington.  With a relatively early start, the weather couldn't have been better for most of the way.

The Archway, Kearney, NE 9:30 a.m.

Further on into NE, we ran into cloud cover, it almost looked like it was going to snow.

1:15 p.m.

Once we crossed into CO, the sun appeared! It was a beautiful afternoon, with temperatures in the 40's. As we started the climb up to the pass, the higher we went, the darker the clouds became.

2:35 p.m. Idaho Springs~

We stopped in Idaho Springs for gas & Butch's hot coffee.  We'd somehow managed to forget the thermos.  We both knew, if we ran into weather ahead, we could be held up for a while.

3:13 - into the snow~

We were making the climb up to Eisenhower tunnel when the snow hit.  Within minutes the roads were covered & getting slick.  The chain-up lane was full of truckers.  We'd had almost 30-minutes of slow-downs just to get to this point.  

3:28 p.m. Going into the tunnel~

We've driven this road in all kinds of weather & both knew if this side was bad, the far side would be worse.  

3:33 p.m. Snowplows were waiting to lead traffic down~

It was great to see the snowplows up ahead, clearing as we dropped in elevation from 11,000 to 8,000ft.

4:07 p.m. - almost a white-out

Past Vail, the snow was heavier than before.

4:11 p.m. 

The trees looked so beautiful - a real winter wonderland.  

4:28 p.m.  Traffic!

Neither of us could believe the traffic!  There must be an incredible amount of people who commute from one side to the other now...  Crazy...  We had two more slow-downs, before we started into Glenwood Canyon.

5:21 p.m.  We're in the canyon!

I'd actually forgotten all the tunnels! The rock in the canyon was beautiful with the light snow.
Within a few minutes, it was getting dark. Now, it would be under an hour, even in slow traffic & we'd reach town!

It was dark when we arrived.  We took our exit & were instantly at a traffic circle, that was anything but!  Lots of signs, but the way we were used to going had totally changed.  The traffic in town was non-stop, a late rush hour...  We took one wrong turn & ended up at the pool - turned around & finally found our way to the Lodge!  Sweet relief!  It had taken us just under twelve-hours to make the drive.  

We checked in, then drove around to the closest door to our room - 4th floor.  Normally, we would have liked that, but unloading in a heavy, wet snow was no fun.  We grabbed our swimsuits, robes & hurriedly returned to the truck.  We made it back to the pool in time for a much anticipated soak in the hot, therapy end of the pool!

Big Storm - Big Snow!

 It was forecast, but no one really expected to get the kind of storm that blew in!  Since it didn't arrive during the night, I think we were all lulled into thinking it wouldn't amount to much.  School was cancelled, but things were still quiet when Butch left for work.

Coming back from Council Bluffs~

By noon though, the snow had started & the wind was blowing.  Butch came home early & asked if I wanted to go to Council Bluffs for lunch & more paint.  I've been watching too many home improvement shows & decided I wanted an accent wall in the office.

Office accent walls~

Originally it was to be just one wall.  I liked it so much, we ended up doing the adjoining window wall too, which required more paint.  Our first time using Behr's matt finish.  Butch said it was too thick to roll & awful going on - but I love the finished look.  (We still have baseboard to do in this room.) 

Our weather vane pointing north~

We watched out the windows as the wind howled & snow came down non-stop.  It continued into the evening hours.  The wind blowing the snow into the windows sounded like they were being sandblasted.   With temperatures in the teens & the wind, the feels like temperature was in the single digits.

The Explorer is under there somewhere~

By this morning, the sun was out, but clouds were moving back in.  Omaha hadn't had this much snow in one day - for 45-years.  They were just shy twelve inches & I think our total was the same.  Butch had shoveled his way to the truck.  Eventually the City snow plow came by, moving all the snow off the street & piling it 3ft. high along the bottom of our driveway.  Then it froze of course.  I decided to go out & shovel...  I did a whole lot of that & hadn't made much progress as I saw a small skid steer coming up the street.  He stopped, dropped his blade & did most of our driveway!   

Driveway clear!

I was working on the strip next to the Explorer, where the wind had really drifted the snow, when I saw a little ATV Utility vehicle coming my way.  They pulled a snow blower out of the back & in no time, finished off the driveway next to the Explorer & even did the sidewalk out front!  Refusing payment - I told them I'd be more than happy to be put on their storm list & pay for the help next time.

Neighbor & his snow blower!

  By the time I came in, my toes were frozen, even through my warmest socks!  We have a chance of more snow tonight.  It's taken all day for the town to dig out, so I hope we've seen the end of the white stuff for a while!

Two-Miles on the Trail!

We were to have two more beautiful day's, before the cold & snow return.  Wednesday, I made my first visit to Silver City, since early last September.  Mari Jo & I sat in the sun by the shop, each wearing warm jackets.  The temperature was in the high 40's, but the brisk wind blowing off the snow made it feel much colder.  Mari Jo mentioned that a local volunteer keeps one side of the concrete portion of the trail plowed.  The other side is left with snow cover - for those who snowshoe or use ski's.  She had been walking her dog north from town.  Out the mile & back, for a two-mile round trip, weather permitting.

On our way north toward Mineola~

On my way home, I decided to cancel my PT appointment for Thursday.  With another day of sunshine & less wind, I put Nika in the car & drove again to Silver City.  I had no idea how far I would be able to walk, so I didn't ask Mari Jo to come along.  My goal was to make it to the end of the concrete.  A mile didn't seem like much.  My accomplishments on the Elliptical have improved from the first .25 mile.  Now, I can do two-miles in 35-min. at level one.  Nowhere near last winter's two-miles in 30 min. level five.  Patience has never been one of my virtues. 

Size discrepancy & a large knee - still~

The first  challenge was getting my tennis shoe on.  I've been wearing crocks since getting home, my foot won't fit into anything else.  Well, I jammed it in & left the laces as loose as I could.  

Nika looks north~

I was so happy to find the first of the benches!  I couldn't believe how tiring walking was!  Of course Nika wanted to pull & pull...  I'd forgotten her pinch collar.  So instead, I worked on having her walk beside me, rather than out front & corrected her each time she pulled.  I gave her slack whenever she was good.  (I told Doris Nika is the hardest horse I've ever had to train!  :-)

Our Goal!

I used each of the three benches along our way.  The mileage marker in town was 13-3/4 miles.  The last sign I saw - we were at 13-miles.  (The trail starts north in Council Bluffs, as do the mileage markers.)  By the time we reached the start of the limestone, I'd walked that mile!  

The way we'd come~

Thankfully, there was one last bench, just past the end of the concrete.  My leg was more than ready for another rest & I was already thinking about the mile walk back!

Nika enjoying the sunshine~

It was so nice to be out in the great wide-open again.  I love & have so missed the quiet of the countryside.  We spotted a muskrat crossing the trail & watched a Red-headed Woodpecker at work on a large snag.

Gorgeous day~

We sat for quite a while before heading back.  It was getting later in the afternoon.  As the sun moved further down, the temperature dropped & the wind had picked up. 

My footsteps in the limestone~

It seems unreal, how soft & slippery the trail gets.  Of course with the upcoming daytime highs of 27, it will be frozen solid again soon.

Almost back to town!

I've never fully appreciated before, just how far a mile is!  Riding a horse, or speeding along on Speedy, the miles seen to fly by.  On foot, on a very sore leg, a two-mile round-trip is a long way...  Sinking into the Explorer's comfy seat felt pretty good, at least until I had to get back out at home!  Good thing Butch wasn't there to see me gimp to the house!  

Eighteen-weeks into this recovery, the pain is still with me.  Strengthening my muscles & increasing my ROM are still my primary goals.  What's now become my good right leg (with the plate, screw & pins in the femur) has 143cm of flexibility.  My left knee is at 118.  Once my walking improves, Speedy will be on the trail next!  The long-range weather report is calling for a dryer than normal February through April.  Good for my plans to ride, not so good for the on-going drought.

January Blizzard~

 This blizzard hit like a freight train last night - winds gusting to well over 30-40+ mph & so loud it was a roar.  Our wind gauge is getting a workout.  The snow has been really fine, not even really flakes.  School was cancelled, Butch had a snow day :-)  When he went out to tackle shoveling - he said there was at least four inches on the walks.

It's a heavier, snow than we usually get too, but when the big gusts of wind hit it blows sideways.  Just more of a messy storm, the non-stop wind is getting old.  It also takes the 30° temperature feel like it's down in the teens.

Woods from the back deck~

I've gone out a couple times, but spent the afternoon in the kitchen.  Chicken & rice soup sure sounded good for our dinner!

Poor little tree frog :-(

Our poor little tree frog from Washington, is hiding from the cold!

Back Deck~

It seems no matter what - snow goes everywhere!  This one is so wet & sticky, it's too heavy for my blower.  Nika's outside, heated bed, had a puddle of water in the middle, so is drying now.  Usually, the snow doesn't blow so far in.

Nika~

As much as this particular Buhund likes the snow - today she prefers to be inside.  We'd just sat down with our latte's when she came in, looked at Butch, then over at the fireplace.  "Where's the heat?"  Butch got up & turned it on.  It's a good day to huddle indoors & pray the heat stays on!