Quite a good day.... my eldest went to his last day at Able, Gifted and Talented, this time at the University. I went to town to do some paper shuffling at the bank, as we are doing a SUMA order tomorrow. We have to pay the delivery person on the day, so any cheques we get have to be paid into the account beforehand.
A busy afternoon too, and in the evening the Friends of St Nicholas Fields AGM, which was preceeded by an intro to York in Transition by Barry and Edward which was good, once again seeing the stuff presented in another format.
Found that Scrabulous on Facebook is now back on... for non-US folks at least. This is good!
I took my eldest to one of his friends' house by bike where his mum took them both to the Gifted and Talented Summer School. I cycled his bike back via school where I watered the plants in the 'Green Thumbs' planters.
Later in the morning I cycled to town to pay in a cheque and give the Green Fest insurance documents to Baz who was at work as I am unable to attend the meeting tomorrow night, and he needs them for that meeting.
I came back via Country Fresh and picked up lots more compostables, then lunch, then garden.
Had a visit from Mike, who made the little film about the 'Big Freeze' http://www.vimeo.com/1397032 in which I have a speaking part (after the Freeze!)
and he had a tour of the garden and we chatted about future possible films including the Green Festival.
I enjoy using Facebook and have been playing Scrabble on it, as 'Scrabulous'. However I became aware that the owners of Scrabble have been upset at this online version, and yesterday, one of my US playing partners told me that the application had been deleted for US and Canadian users... and today it was removed from Facebook totally. However, there is a page for Scrabulous fans:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4772916593
and an online petition to ask Hasbro to allow Scrabulous to continue:
http://www.petitiononline.com/1927612/petition.html
So no online Scrabble tonight!
Later in the morning I cycled to town to pay in a cheque and give the Green Fest insurance documents to Baz who was at work as I am unable to attend the meeting tomorrow night, and he needs them for that meeting.
I came back via Country Fresh and picked up lots more compostables, then lunch, then garden.
Had a visit from Mike, who made the little film about the 'Big Freeze' http://www.vimeo.com/1397032 in which I have a speaking part (after the Freeze!)
and he had a tour of the garden and we chatted about future possible films including the Green Festival.
I enjoy using Facebook and have been playing Scrabble on it, as 'Scrabulous'. However I became aware that the owners of Scrabble have been upset at this online version, and yesterday, one of my US playing partners told me that the application had been deleted for US and Canadian users... and today it was removed from Facebook totally. However, there is a page for Scrabulous fans:
http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=4772916593
and an online petition to ask Hasbro to allow Scrabulous to continue:
http://www.petitiononline.com/1927612/petition.html
So no online Scrabble tonight!
Distance 6 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,996-11,980 ft
Elevation gain: 1,040 ft
Monkshood (Aconitum columbianum), Bistwort (Bistora bistortoides), unknown yellow aster, Aspen Daisy (Erigeron speciosus)
Mayflower Gulch near Copper Mountain is one of my favorite wildflower hikes and we usually go up at least once a year to check it out. It never seems to disappoint. This year was no exception. The fields were filled with many different species, the clouds were building, providing much needed shade to photograph the colorful ones, and the weather was sublime.
The cabins of the Boston Mine seen from the road to Gold Hill
Some of you may have already seen my winter Mayflower Gulch post. Summer or winter, Mayflower Gulch is a destination not to be missed. Don’t stay at the cabins of the Boston Mine however. Instead, be sure to head up the right towards Gold Hill. In the winter this is a bushwhack but in the summer you can follow a dirt road to the top. Most years there will be a slight scramble over the remaining snow cornice. This year was no exception.
The farther up Gold Hill you go, the farther back into the Gulch you can see. Here you can see the trail that heads there.
View from Gold Hill looking south
Many of the most beautiful wildflowers grow along the broad slope that borders this road. I like to shove my telephoto lens into the grasses and play with bringing into focus various layers of the flowers. There are so many, it is hard to choose.
View from Gold Hill looking southwest towards the Climax Mine retaining pond
The views from the ridge of Gold Hill are extraordinary. The green meadows to the south remind me of the Sound of Music. If you listen carefully, you can hear the opening strains of that musical and I swear Julie Andrews is about to come twirling out into the open.
View from Gold Hill looking southeast
Slightly southwest, you can see the giant retaining pond of the Climax Mine. While not a pretty wilderness sight, its colors do make a nice contrast to all verdant greens.
White Crowned Sparrow (Zontrichia leucohyrus) nests in the central mountains of Colorado. It feeds on the ground scratching backwards with both feet simultaneously.
On this trip we also decided to head up into the Gulch to the farther mine site. Alas, we were almost to the final structure when the storms that had been building decided to start rumbling. Since this area is very exposed, we decided to head out. There were many wildflowers along this route as well, particularly along the stream. If you have time, do both and you won’t be disappointed. Note that the mileage and elevation gain listed in this post does not include the trip to the upper mine.
Elevation: 10,996-11,980 ft
Elevation gain: 1,040 ft
Monkshood (Aconitum columbianum), Bistwort (Bistora bistortoides), unknown yellow aster, Aspen Daisy (Erigeron speciosus)
The cabins of the Boston Mine seen from the road to Gold HillSome of you may have already seen my winter Mayflower Gulch post. Summer or winter, Mayflower Gulch is a destination not to be missed. Don’t stay at the cabins of the Boston Mine however. Instead, be sure to head up the right towards Gold Hill. In the winter this is a bushwhack but in the summer you can follow a dirt road to the top. Most years there will be a slight scramble over the remaining snow cornice. This year was no exception.
The farther up Gold Hill you go, the farther back into the Gulch you can see. Here you can see the trail that heads there.
View from Gold Hill looking south
The views from the ridge of Gold Hill are extraordinary. The green meadows to the south remind me of the Sound of Music. If you listen carefully, you can hear the opening strains of that musical and I swear Julie Andrews is about to come twirling out into the open.
View from Gold Hill looking southeast
White Crowned Sparrow (Zontrichia leucohyrus) nests in the central mountains of Colorado. It feeds on the ground scratching backwards with both feet simultaneously.On this trip we also decided to head up into the Gulch to the farther mine site. Alas, we were almost to the final structure when the storms that had been building decided to start rumbling. Since this area is very exposed, we decided to head out. There were many wildflowers along this route as well, particularly along the stream. If you have time, do both and you won’t be disappointed. Note that the mileage and elevation gain listed in this post does not include the trip to the upper mine.
Quite a good day... I got up early and prepared to go to work at the Next Generation Club just up the road, got there for 9.15 and found I was upstairs, so couldn't take my bike in... so unloaded stuff and took it up in 3 loads... then the children started to arrive and enough came to do a good party. I did my usual routine, circus workshop followed by balloons, and it went very well. Finished on the dot of 11.30am, sorted out paperwork, loaded up and came home.
Our eldest had his second day at Manor School so things were peaceful, our youngest was happy and played on the computer for quite a long time. Gill also spent time looking for a family holiday on the internet.
I did some garden work, visited Country Fresh with 7 carrier bags of riddled mature compost, and was given a large pile of bananas to do whatever I wanted with...
Had a visit from an electrician to look at our electrical problem and Hugh came with a bootload of timber for me to cut up.
A good chat on Skype, although cam not working...
Our eldest had his second day at Manor School so things were peaceful, our youngest was happy and played on the computer for quite a long time. Gill also spent time looking for a family holiday on the internet.
I did some garden work, visited Country Fresh with 7 carrier bags of riddled mature compost, and was given a large pile of bananas to do whatever I wanted with...
Had a visit from an electrician to look at our electrical problem and Hugh came with a bootload of timber for me to cut up.
A good chat on Skype, although cam not working...
Gill took our eldest down towards school quite early this morning as he was being picked up by a friend who also has a 'gifted and talented' child who has been invited to attend a 4 day summer school for the aforesaid 'gifted and talented' year 6 children.
I had a slow start but at midday got up properly and did more work in the garden. I lit the stove (perhaps not understandable on such a hot day, but our boiler has broken) and after an hour had enough hot water to do all of yesterday's washing up. Our youngest spent quite a lot of the day singing to himself which was nice to hear..
Our boy came back very happy but tired. So glad he's had a good time.
I made tea for the family again after a quick trip to the supermarket and Country Fresh... baked butternut, potato, and stuffing lumps baked 'til crispy... with salad from the garden.
Did some compost riddling and then at 8 my buddy Phil arrived and we had drinks and chats and half an hour in the garden finishing off the riddling.
I had a slow start but at midday got up properly and did more work in the garden. I lit the stove (perhaps not understandable on such a hot day, but our boiler has broken) and after an hour had enough hot water to do all of yesterday's washing up. Our youngest spent quite a lot of the day singing to himself which was nice to hear..
Our boy came back very happy but tired. So glad he's had a good time.
I made tea for the family again after a quick trip to the supermarket and Country Fresh... baked butternut, potato, and stuffing lumps baked 'til crispy... with salad from the garden.
Did some compost riddling and then at 8 my buddy Phil arrived and we had drinks and chats and half an hour in the garden finishing off the riddling.
There are over 250 species of Penstemons. They are all tubular flowers with a three-lobed lower lip. This species is usually dark purple but I have also seen it be white. It grows in open areas and tundra. This specimen was next to a rail bed in sandy soil but I have been seeing them all summer in open meadows.
Distance: 5.5 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,940ft - 11,530 ft
Elevation gain: 590 ft
Hagerman Lake
Hagerman Tunnel near Leadville is easy hike with stupendous views, intriguing Colorado history, and a glimpse into an ice-encrusted abyss. The abyss, the tunnel itself, is a 2,161 ft cut into the Continental Divide. It was the highest tunnel in its day, and when you wander through the mass of granite debris blown out by the army of Italian workers and stand before its gaping maw, you can appreciate the technical feat involved.
The rail bed along the first mile
A bonus on this hike is the drive to the trailhead along the south side of Turquoise Lake, which has its own appeal. While you can’t rent boats on the lake, many people bring their own and cruise the blue waters in search of the scaley ones.
There were about five water crossings in the first mile.
Towards the western end of the lake, the road diverges and a gravel road splits off to the left. There is a nice brown sign that says Hagerman Pass, so this turn off is not difficult to miss. At this point you are already journeying back in time along the original rail bed. The road is a washboard but passable by non-4wd vehicles. About 3.8 miles up this road, there is a large parking lot on the right and a boarded up tunnel straight ahead. This is your milestone to head to the right up a much rougher road. On this trip, we had a Toyota 4 Runner and a Honda Civic. There were a few tense moments in the Civic but it made it one more mile up the road to another large parking lot. This is the beginning of the trail.
The scenery around Douglass City. You can see a smaller cabin in the distance.
The first mile of the trail follows the flat rail bed of the old narrow gauge railroad. Wildflowers abounded on the edges and slopes and occasional views of the Sawatch Mountains make it a pleasant if slightly monotonous diversion. Around 1.2 miles, you come to a steep decent that is the location of a long eroded train trestle. This first trestle was 1,100 ft long and 84 ft high. Take a moment to gaze down into canyon but don’t follow the trail downward. Instead, back track a few yards and you will see another trail heading up hill and back towards the way you just came. Don’t be deceived by the map that comes with your trail guide what shows this road heading off more to the left. This is the right trail and it will veer back to the left in a quarter of a mile where it crosses the rail bed again.
Opal Lake seen from the upper rail bed
This short trail is far rockier than the smooth rail bed and ascends steadily. After crossing the rail bed, it will arrive at the site of Douglass City, the camp that held the aforementioned Italians. The ruins of this city exist in a sequence of meadows strewn with granite rock and surrounded by high cliffs. We counted at least ten log cabins in this area.
Final approach to the tunnel
In the short distance between the tunnel and Douglass City, there is Opal Lake, a nice tarn to the left of the trail. It looked serene but the swarms of mosquitoes that greeted us made it significantly less so. If fact, we wanted to eat lunch at the tunnel but had to keep moving to avoid being sucked dry. The copious amount of Deet we were wearing was no deterrent to these rejects from a Japanese monster movie.
Hagerman Tunnel. The flat surface at the bottom is a thick layer of ice
So is Hagerman Tunnel a worthy destination? It is a rough-hewn hole in the mountain with a glacier for a floor. It drifts mysteriously to the right and out of view. It is horribly tempting to enter the tunnel but it is very dangerous to do so. Who knows how many crevasses exist in that glacier and how easily you could disappear into one. It is very unique and intriguing, so yes, it is a worthy destination. The views and wildflowers are added bonuses.
For the return trip, don’t go back through Douglass City but head north along the rail bed. This will pass pleasant Hagerman Lake. On this trip there were a crowd of backpackers lounging and fishing in its brown colored waters. We saw these folks when we were starting and there were more dogs than people and each dog had a pack in which he carried his own food. I need to get my dog a pack so she can carry our extra water!
Elephant Heads (Pedicularis groenlandica), which grow in moist meadows at moderate to high elevation. Also included are many-colored Paintbrush and a patchwork quilt of other species.
Close up of an Elephant Head
If you are in Leadville, put this hike on your list. It won’t help you train for Mt. Massive but it will be a pleasant diversion just bring the Deet and be emotionally prepared to keep moving.
Elevation: 10,940ft - 11,530 ft
Elevation gain: 590 ft
Hagerman Lake
The rail bed along the first mile
There were about five water crossings in the first mile.
The scenery around Douglass City. You can see a smaller cabin in the distance.
Opal Lake seen from the upper rail bed
Final approach to the tunnel
Hagerman Tunnel. The flat surface at the bottom is a thick layer of iceSo is Hagerman Tunnel a worthy destination? It is a rough-hewn hole in the mountain with a glacier for a floor. It drifts mysteriously to the right and out of view. It is horribly tempting to enter the tunnel but it is very dangerous to do so. Who knows how many crevasses exist in that glacier and how easily you could disappear into one. It is very unique and intriguing, so yes, it is a worthy destination. The views and wildflowers are added bonuses.
For the return trip, don’t go back through Douglass City but head north along the rail bed. This will pass pleasant Hagerman Lake. On this trip there were a crowd of backpackers lounging and fishing in its brown colored waters. We saw these folks when we were starting and there were more dogs than people and each dog had a pack in which he carried his own food. I need to get my dog a pack so she can carry our extra water!
Elephant Heads (Pedicularis groenlandica), which grow in moist meadows at moderate to high elevation. Also included are many-colored Paintbrush and a patchwork quilt of other species.
Close up of an Elephant Head
Once again a group of us are at the Leadville Hostel to hike, feed, and otherwise be entertained by the juxtaposition of toxic waste and stunning views that is Leadville.
As per usually Wild Bill made a scrumptious dinner fit to feed a peak bagger. Portion control is not my biggest virtue particularly where good food is concerned, so we took the dogs for a walk in the hills behind Leadville. It did not burn off dinner, it did make us feel better. The farther you wander the higher you go and the more stunning the views become.
A peaceful morning as our eldest was up early and Gill said yes to him playing on the computer, which meant that our youngest got a lie-in til 9 instead of being interfered with and awoken. So Gill and I had a relaxed hour or so before the youngest woke up and demanded breakfast.
I spent an hour after my breakfast cutting a hedge which was getting unruly, and putting it through the shredder. Then watched Countryfile which was an anniversary edition and very enjoyable, especially Jon Culshaw's impersonation of John Craven.
A busy afternoon and evening. Spent quite a lot of time in the garden dealing with unruly hedge and shredding most of the clippings... and collected a large trailer-full of stuff from Country not-so-fresh and mixed it in with the woody clippings and completely filled a tumbler....
At 2 I had a visit from Jennie whom I met on a train a few weeks ago when she was carrying an armful of mint, and invited her to come and visit. She came with her husband Juan and had a tour and a good chat, what lovely people! Then at 5, whilst I was making tea, my friend Grange came, and we had a really good evening, all enjoyed the nutloaf, spinach, flower/herb salad and potato salad that I made.
A good relaxed chat on Skype carefully avoiding contentious subject areas!
I spent an hour after my breakfast cutting a hedge which was getting unruly, and putting it through the shredder. Then watched Countryfile which was an anniversary edition and very enjoyable, especially Jon Culshaw's impersonation of John Craven.
A busy afternoon and evening. Spent quite a lot of time in the garden dealing with unruly hedge and shredding most of the clippings... and collected a large trailer-full of stuff from Country not-so-fresh and mixed it in with the woody clippings and completely filled a tumbler....
At 2 I had a visit from Jennie whom I met on a train a few weeks ago when she was carrying an armful of mint, and invited her to come and visit. She came with her husband Juan and had a tour and a good chat, what lovely people! Then at 5, whilst I was making tea, my friend Grange came, and we had a really good evening, all enjoyed the nutloaf, spinach, flower/herb salad and potato salad that I made.
A good relaxed chat on Skype carefully avoiding contentious subject areas!
Another busy day... set off for the Dunnington Playing Fields Fayre at about 10.30 to be at work by 11am... and the day was very hot, busy and I had no rest from 11 til 4. I did have a difficult situation when a woman put a chair fairly close to the circus activities and I asked her if she could move for her own safety... and she was quite rude to me but I kept my cool and again explained that the children participating in the activities could on occasion be dangerous, and she eventually walked off, calling me allsorts of names!
But the children enjoyed it... their parents did too, and the organisers were pleased with what I'd done. I had a pint of pear cider once I'd finished, and collected a couple of bags of aluminium cans out of bins, and received my cheque, getting back at 5pm. Gill had taken the boys down to the station as our visitor is booked onto the 5.44 to Leamington Spa, so I had a bit of P+Q which was good!
Folks came back, generally in good moods. Kids ate in the garden whilst I continued with some P+Q... I had home grown potato salad and home grown cucumber for tea, and a cheese sandwich... which wasn't home grown.
During the evening I deleted loads of emails out of my inbox, and complained to Facebook about someone who has posted a York Green Festival page which contains errors and has been put up without permission. I asked the guy to either change the content or to remove the page, and for a while he did take it down. However, it has reappeared with the same misinformation so I've complained.
But the children enjoyed it... their parents did too, and the organisers were pleased with what I'd done. I had a pint of pear cider once I'd finished, and collected a couple of bags of aluminium cans out of bins, and received my cheque, getting back at 5pm. Gill had taken the boys down to the station as our visitor is booked onto the 5.44 to Leamington Spa, so I had a bit of P+Q which was good!
Folks came back, generally in good moods. Kids ate in the garden whilst I continued with some P+Q... I had home grown potato salad and home grown cucumber for tea, and a cheese sandwich... which wasn't home grown.
During the evening I deleted loads of emails out of my inbox, and complained to Facebook about someone who has posted a York Green Festival page which contains errors and has been put up without permission. I asked the guy to either change the content or to remove the page, and for a while he did take it down. However, it has reappeared with the same misinformation so I've complained.
An early start as had a long cycle to work... a day's worth of Brownie camp near Market Weighton 20+ miles East of York. So by 7.30 I had loaded up my trailer with circus gear, unicycles balloons etc, and set off down the A1079 past Dunnington, past Kexby and Wilberfoss, Barmby Moor and Pocklington, and onto Market Weighton where I doubled back on myself for a short distance and then turned North to get to Goodmanham where the Brownies have a building where they go to have holidays. I got to Goodmanham at about 9.40, so 2 hours cycling... before getting changed and ready for a show, 10-11, workshop 11.15 til 12.30, a second workshop 1.50 til 3 and a balloon show 3.15 til 4.15...
The girls were very hardworking and several succeeded in some of the basics, although all had a lot of fun. I pretty swiftly got going after picking up my 'charity' fee and cycled quite fast home, taking just 1 hour 45 minutes.
The main feature of the A1079 is the huge volume of roadkill. I counted 3, possibly 4 hawks (ether sparrowhawks or kestrels), a large white owl, about 30 rabbits, 20 hedgehogs, a fox, 30+ pigeons and scores of smaller birds. The carnivorous birds must come to eat the other roadkill and get hit themselves. I didn't bring anything home for composting apart from the food the girls left uneaten at lunchtime and the burst balloons. Roadkill is just one more reason I dislike motor-vehicles, the annual toll must be enormous if this 20 mile stretch is anything to go by.
Anyway, got in and collapsed, knackered, and Gill provided a delicious tea. The boys had had a good day, playing with friends and Gill had catered for several visitors, including making a wonderful cake which went well with loganberries and ice-cream!
Enjoyed Tour De France on TV a lot this evening, amazed at their speed compared to my 11 or 12 mph crawl.....
The girls were very hardworking and several succeeded in some of the basics, although all had a lot of fun. I pretty swiftly got going after picking up my 'charity' fee and cycled quite fast home, taking just 1 hour 45 minutes.
The main feature of the A1079 is the huge volume of roadkill. I counted 3, possibly 4 hawks (ether sparrowhawks or kestrels), a large white owl, about 30 rabbits, 20 hedgehogs, a fox, 30+ pigeons and scores of smaller birds. The carnivorous birds must come to eat the other roadkill and get hit themselves. I didn't bring anything home for composting apart from the food the girls left uneaten at lunchtime and the burst balloons. Roadkill is just one more reason I dislike motor-vehicles, the annual toll must be enormous if this 20 mile stretch is anything to go by.
Anyway, got in and collapsed, knackered, and Gill provided a delicious tea. The boys had had a good day, playing with friends and Gill had catered for several visitors, including making a wonderful cake which went well with loganberries and ice-cream!
Enjoyed Tour De France on TV a lot this evening, amazed at their speed compared to my 11 or 12 mph crawl.....
A really good day... The boys were on good form as they had their visitor and behaviour is always better when they have visitors!
I took the paperwork from the Planning Panel down to town via Millers Yard, came back via Country Fresh, had lunch went to the allotment and did a lot of clearing up, pulling out nettles, digging potatoes etc.
Came back to make tea for Gill... fried onions on the stove and added some large waste tomatoes and thrown-away basil, and home-made sweet-pepper paprika to make a stewy thing. Also chopped down some flowering perpetual spinach spires, and cut off some leaves and small buds, chopped them up and stewed them on the stove. Then added some pasta to the tomato stew and served it up with the spinach and a little bit of cheese on top... Gill said it was the best meal she'd had for ages.
Later on, I wrote my paid blog on cycling... on panniers and trailers. Then had a quick bath and a chat on Skype with K who has had a good holiday, and was in a happy mood thankfully!
I took the paperwork from the Planning Panel down to town via Millers Yard, came back via Country Fresh, had lunch went to the allotment and did a lot of clearing up, pulling out nettles, digging potatoes etc.
Came back to make tea for Gill... fried onions on the stove and added some large waste tomatoes and thrown-away basil, and home-made sweet-pepper paprika to make a stewy thing. Also chopped down some flowering perpetual spinach spires, and cut off some leaves and small buds, chopped them up and stewed them on the stove. Then added some pasta to the tomato stew and served it up with the spinach and a little bit of cheese on top... Gill said it was the best meal she'd had for ages.
Later on, I wrote my paid blog on cycling... on panniers and trailers. Then had a quick bath and a chat on Skype with K who has had a good holiday, and was in a happy mood thankfully!
A good day, boys in a happy mood as their friends from Leamington Spa are here, and they were content to play by themselves. Ulrich went to Tadcaster to inspect a chicken farm, and it was interesting to hear from him about what issues he had to take into consideration about it becoming certified organic. It is going organic because of increased demand from consumers, which is great.
I went into town to pay my National Insurance and pay cheques in, came back with a sack of squished lemons from the lemonjuice stall, and several boxes of stuff from Country Fresh.
A peaceful lunch as the boys are completely engrossed in a board game called Dragonology.
After lunch I had an hour's circus skills play with them... something my boys never want to do with me, but as their guests were keen, both of mine joined in too, which was FANTASTIC!!! We did diabolo, devilstick, juggling and unicycle, and were still doing this when Ulrich came back from his organic chicken farm inspection at 3ish. I really enjoyed this time with them.
We all had tea together at 5.30 and at 6 Ulrich left with his youngest to drive back to Leamington, leaving his 11 year-old with us until Saturday when we'll put him on a train which he'll get off at Leamington Spa..
I had a meeting at 8pm, the embrio 'York in Transition' co-ordinating team. I chaired the meeting at the Stables project, and just managed to fit in a long agenda into the 2 hour slot. However, at the end, we couldn't lock up as the chap who offered us the venue didn't turn up himself (he's a keyholder) and we spent nearly an hour trying to find a way to get the place locked up! Had a nice chat to a chemist called Bryony though, which was good...
Home after 11, went on the computer but didn't get that much done...
I went into town to pay my National Insurance and pay cheques in, came back with a sack of squished lemons from the lemonjuice stall, and several boxes of stuff from Country Fresh.
A peaceful lunch as the boys are completely engrossed in a board game called Dragonology.
After lunch I had an hour's circus skills play with them... something my boys never want to do with me, but as their guests were keen, both of mine joined in too, which was FANTASTIC!!! We did diabolo, devilstick, juggling and unicycle, and were still doing this when Ulrich came back from his organic chicken farm inspection at 3ish. I really enjoyed this time with them.
We all had tea together at 5.30 and at 6 Ulrich left with his youngest to drive back to Leamington, leaving his 11 year-old with us until Saturday when we'll put him on a train which he'll get off at Leamington Spa..
I had a meeting at 8pm, the embrio 'York in Transition' co-ordinating team. I chaired the meeting at the Stables project, and just managed to fit in a long agenda into the 2 hour slot. However, at the end, we couldn't lock up as the chap who offered us the venue didn't turn up himself (he's a keyholder) and we spent nearly an hour trying to find a way to get the place locked up! Had a nice chat to a chemist called Bryony though, which was good...
Home after 11, went on the computer but didn't get that much done...
Distance: 9.2 miles
Elevation: 9,475 ft at Bear Lake, 10,675 feet at Lake Helene, 10,020 ft at Odessa Lake, 9,530 ft at Fern Lake, 8,800 ft at Fern Falls, 8,150 ft at Moraine Park.
Elevation Gain: 1,200 ft
Odessa Lake from the overlook
This classic shuttle hike in Rocky Mountain National Park is part breathtaking adventure and part death march. It starts at Bear Lake, goes up to Lake Helene, then down to Odessa Lake, Fern Lake, Fern Falls, the Pool, and then finally Moraine Park. The trip to Bear Lake and the return from Moraine Park is via the park’s shuttle bus, so you don’t have to worry about bringing extra cars.
The trip starts at Bear Lake
This route has all of the elevation gain up front. There is a 1,200 ft of elevation gain in the first 2.5 miles, with the steepest section being in the first 0.5 miles. At this point the trail splits off with the left heading towards Flat Top Mountain (a worthy hike), and the right heading towards Odessa Lake. This part of the trail is mostly in the trees. One of the guys on this particular trip mentioned he loved walking in the trees and seeing all the dappled sunlight. I am glad he was enjoying himself because I was falling asleep and wondering how far till the views. I am a spoiled Coloradoan for sure. I want to be dazzled by tundra and peaks.
You know you are close to the gorge when you reach this small lake on the right. Across from the lake you can see a rock field and Notch Top
You know you are getting close to the views when the trail breaks out of the trees in to a wide meadow. To the left you can look up and see the two distinctive rock piles on the Flat Top Mountain route. On this trip, this meadow was still blanketed in several feet of snow.
Specular views abound on the overlook reached via the social trail on the right
Shortly past this point is a small lake off to the right. This is a nice spot for a water break. At this stage I was beginning to perk up because I knew the views wer just ahead and what views they are. Odessa and Fern Lakes lay within Tourmaline Gorge, a majestic valley filled with peaks (Flat Top, Notch Top, and the Little Matterhorn), lakes (Helene, Odessa, Fern), and waterfalls (Grace, Fern, and Marguerite). In my opinion, this gorge is the most dramatic in the park. If all you did were to hike to this point, the trip would be worth it.
Lake Helene
Just before Lake Helene (on the left) is a social trail that feeds off to the right. This trail ascends to a small rock pile upon which is a broad shelf suitable for an alfresco dinner party for you and 10 of your closest friends. This lookout provides a 270-degree vista both up and down the gorge. Odessa Lake sits far below like an oasis among the pines. Grace falls is clearly visible part way up the slope of Notch Top. Upon Ptarmigan point, the snows still clung in a delicate cornice.
Grace Falls
If you can tear yourself away from the view on this lookout, do take the short trail to Lake Helene to the left of the main trail. You will find at the stream crossing a peak into the lake that seems flush with the eye. The trail does continue around the east side of the lake, which affords a close up of Grace Falls, almost wispy in the distance.
Trail down to Odessa Lake
At this point the trails descends sharply down through rock and skree, hugging the west side of the gorge. Around a third of the way down, there is a snow bank that remains late into the season. It was particularly thick on this trip and it we had to go off trail thirty feet or so to cut across it at a shallower angle. These sorts of snow banks are no fun when slippery from the sunlight. A pole eases the crossing. The trail does eventually return to the trees on the final approach to Odessa Lake.
Cross the snowbank with Notch Top in the background
The trail to the lake splits off and backtracks sharply from the trail down the gorge. The short trip to the lake is a scenic wonder in and of itself. It follows a bustling stream embraced by Chiming Bells with the Notch Top in the distance. The southern shore of the lake contains a wide, sandy “beach”, which is perfect for a group lunch. The view here is unparalleled. The far northern shore of Odessa Lake is marshy and glitters verdantly in the sunlight. When I am Odessa Lake, I am filled with calm and am always thankful this little piece of heaven is in my back yard and most importantly is far from the hordes of visitors that invade Glacier Gorge every summer. At this point in the journey, we had covered 4.1 official miles. I say official because the jaunt to the overlook, the walk around Lake Helene, and a stroll around part of Lake Odessa is not covered in the overall mileage.
The creek into Odessa Lake
It is only another 0.6 miles from Odessa to Fern Lake. The trip is mostly through the trees but it is here in the shade of boulders that the wildflowers seem to grow. On this trip the most common were Columbine Tansy Aster, and Indian Paintbrush. The best part of Fern Lake is the approach through a large boulder field. Fern Lake, while attractive to anglers, is less dramatic than Odessa primarily because it sits lower in the gorge and most of the peaks are partially obscured by trees. An attractive backcountry ranger cabin is here but alas they don’t serve ice cream from the porch. On this trip I would have paid handsomely for some ice cream for it was very hot and very buggy. I am not used to bugs in the Rockies but this years late snows have seemed to make them particularly numerous and voracious.
Odessa Lake viewed from the "beach"
For me, the journey from Fern Lake to Moraine Park is a death march. The trail is rocky, steep, buried in trees, and monotonous. It is 1.1 miles beyond the lake before you reach Fern Falls. For sanities sake, you’ll want to linger here a bit. Fern Falls is decent waterfall. It is tall and broad and is the primary destination for folks heading up the trail from Moraine Park.
Fern Lake
Another mile beyond the falls brings you to the Pool, which is a welcome break from the grind. It is a small gorge filled with churning water. Several large rocks surround it, suitable for baking in the sun on a cooler day. On this trip I had to stop myself from jumping head long into the ice-cold tumult.
Twin Flower (Linnea borealis) grows in cold woods and bogs. It blooms from June to August. At this point on the trail we were approaching Fern Falls and things were getting more moist
The last slog back to the Fern Lake trailhead is 1.7 miles. The terrain is very different here than higher up the gorge. Ferns abound, the creek is broad and wide next to the trail and there are some interesting boulders to walk through. Still, by this point, most adventurers are foot sore. The last time I did this trip, we were caught in a raging downpour. I would have gladly accepted such a dunking on this trip because it was indeed hot. I think Denver had reached a lofty 102 that day and the elevation of Moraine Park was not cutting the heat by much.
Fern Falls
The cars at the Fern Lake trailhead are a welcome site and do take a moment to sit on one of the benches and rest to prepare for the least fun part of the hike. It is another 0.7 miles up the dirt road to the shuttle point and after a long day, this trip can be more arduous than any difficult 14er. Fortunately, I was with a large group and we were discussing our post-hike food options, which put pep in my step and made the trip less trying that it otherwise would have been alone.
The Pool
In all honesty, I prefer to hike down to Odessa and back up to Bear Lake when I hike alone but most people prefer the shuttle because you get to see it all, and you don’t have to back track up hill. I have never done this shuttle going the other way, starting at Moraine Park and ending at Bear Lake. It certainly would be a better training hike that way, gaining 2,600 feet of elevation by the time you reach Lake Helene. One of these days I will do that. If you don’t mind trees, this shuttle hike will be glorious from start to finish. If you are finicky like me, then it will be a mixed bag. Everyone should do it at least once however. It is a quintessential Rocky Mountain National Park experience.
Elevation: 9,475 ft at Bear Lake, 10,675 feet at Lake Helene, 10,020 ft at Odessa Lake, 9,530 ft at Fern Lake, 8,800 ft at Fern Falls, 8,150 ft at Moraine Park.
Elevation Gain: 1,200 ft
This classic shuttle hike in Rocky Mountain National Park is part breathtaking adventure and part death march. It starts at Bear Lake, goes up to Lake Helene, then down to Odessa Lake, Fern Lake, Fern Falls, the Pool, and then finally Moraine Park. The trip to Bear Lake and the return from Moraine Park is via the park’s shuttle bus, so you don’t have to worry about bringing extra cars.
This route has all of the elevation gain up front. There is a 1,200 ft of elevation gain in the first 2.5 miles, with the steepest section being in the first 0.5 miles. At this point the trail splits off with the left heading towards Flat Top Mountain (a worthy hike), and the right heading towards Odessa Lake. This part of the trail is mostly in the trees. One of the guys on this particular trip mentioned he loved walking in the trees and seeing all the dappled sunlight. I am glad he was enjoying himself because I was falling asleep and wondering how far till the views. I am a spoiled Coloradoan for sure. I want to be dazzled by tundra and peaks.
You know you are getting close to the views when the trail breaks out of the trees in to a wide meadow. To the left you can look up and see the two distinctive rock piles on the Flat Top Mountain route. On this trip, this meadow was still blanketed in several feet of snow.
Shortly past this point is a small lake off to the right. This is a nice spot for a water break. At this stage I was beginning to perk up because I knew the views wer just ahead and what views they are. Odessa and Fern Lakes lay within Tourmaline Gorge, a majestic valley filled with peaks (Flat Top, Notch Top, and the Little Matterhorn), lakes (Helene, Odessa, Fern), and waterfalls (Grace, Fern, and Marguerite). In my opinion, this gorge is the most dramatic in the park. If all you did were to hike to this point, the trip would be worth it.
Just before Lake Helene (on the left) is a social trail that feeds off to the right. This trail ascends to a small rock pile upon which is a broad shelf suitable for an alfresco dinner party for you and 10 of your closest friends. This lookout provides a 270-degree vista both up and down the gorge. Odessa Lake sits far below like an oasis among the pines. Grace falls is clearly visible part way up the slope of Notch Top. Upon Ptarmigan point, the snows still clung in a delicate cornice.
If you can tear yourself away from the view on this lookout, do take the short trail to Lake Helene to the left of the main trail. You will find at the stream crossing a peak into the lake that seems flush with the eye. The trail does continue around the east side of the lake, which affords a close up of Grace Falls, almost wispy in the distance.
At this point the trails descends sharply down through rock and skree, hugging the west side of the gorge. Around a third of the way down, there is a snow bank that remains late into the season. It was particularly thick on this trip and it we had to go off trail thirty feet or so to cut across it at a shallower angle. These sorts of snow banks are no fun when slippery from the sunlight. A pole eases the crossing. The trail does eventually return to the trees on the final approach to Odessa Lake.
The trail to the lake splits off and backtracks sharply from the trail down the gorge. The short trip to the lake is a scenic wonder in and of itself. It follows a bustling stream embraced by Chiming Bells with the Notch Top in the distance. The southern shore of the lake contains a wide, sandy “beach”, which is perfect for a group lunch. The view here is unparalleled. The far northern shore of Odessa Lake is marshy and glitters verdantly in the sunlight. When I am Odessa Lake, I am filled with calm and am always thankful this little piece of heaven is in my back yard and most importantly is far from the hordes of visitors that invade Glacier Gorge every summer. At this point in the journey, we had covered 4.1 official miles. I say official because the jaunt to the overlook, the walk around Lake Helene, and a stroll around part of Lake Odessa is not covered in the overall mileage.
It is only another 0.6 miles from Odessa to Fern Lake. The trip is mostly through the trees but it is here in the shade of boulders that the wildflowers seem to grow. On this trip the most common were Columbine Tansy Aster, and Indian Paintbrush. The best part of Fern Lake is the approach through a large boulder field. Fern Lake, while attractive to anglers, is less dramatic than Odessa primarily because it sits lower in the gorge and most of the peaks are partially obscured by trees. An attractive backcountry ranger cabin is here but alas they don’t serve ice cream from the porch. On this trip I would have paid handsomely for some ice cream for it was very hot and very buggy. I am not used to bugs in the Rockies but this years late snows have seemed to make them particularly numerous and voracious.
For me, the journey from Fern Lake to Moraine Park is a death march. The trail is rocky, steep, buried in trees, and monotonous. It is 1.1 miles beyond the lake before you reach Fern Falls. For sanities sake, you’ll want to linger here a bit. Fern Falls is decent waterfall. It is tall and broad and is the primary destination for folks heading up the trail from Moraine Park.
Another mile beyond the falls brings you to the Pool, which is a welcome break from the grind. It is a small gorge filled with churning water. Several large rocks surround it, suitable for baking in the sun on a cooler day. On this trip I had to stop myself from jumping head long into the ice-cold tumult.
The last slog back to the Fern Lake trailhead is 1.7 miles. The terrain is very different here than higher up the gorge. Ferns abound, the creek is broad and wide next to the trail and there are some interesting boulders to walk through. Still, by this point, most adventurers are foot sore. The last time I did this trip, we were caught in a raging downpour. I would have gladly accepted such a dunking on this trip because it was indeed hot. I think Denver had reached a lofty 102 that day and the elevation of Moraine Park was not cutting the heat by much.
The cars at the Fern Lake trailhead are a welcome site and do take a moment to sit on one of the benches and rest to prepare for the least fun part of the hike. It is another 0.7 miles up the dirt road to the shuttle point and after a long day, this trip can be more arduous than any difficult 14er. Fortunately, I was with a large group and we were discussing our post-hike food options, which put pep in my step and made the trip less trying that it otherwise would have been alone.
In all honesty, I prefer to hike down to Odessa and back up to Bear Lake when I hike alone but most people prefer the shuttle because you get to see it all, and you don’t have to back track up hill. I have never done this shuttle going the other way, starting at Moraine Park and ending at Bear Lake. It certainly would be a better training hike that way, gaining 2,600 feet of elevation by the time you reach Lake Helene. One of these days I will do that. If you don’t mind trees, this shuttle hike will be glorious from start to finish. If you are finicky like me, then it will be a mixed bag. Everyone should do it at least once however. It is a quintessential Rocky Mountain National Park experience.
Gill got me up as there were rumblings of dissent and talk of not going to school. This all stemmed from asking our more complicated child if he'd like to have a 'leaving party or birthday party combined'? He has been saying for a while that he didn't want any party, but this morning, the last day of school, he said he did want to do something with friends.
So Gill asked him what he wanted to do. This was too much for him, and there were shouts and crying 'I don't know WHAT I want to do' 'so I won't bother'. So Gill made a few suggestions, including going out somewhere, seeing a film, playing in the garden, playing at the Outgang (playing fields in Heslington) and he then shouted that he didn't want to be given suggestions. So we just cannot 'win' with this child. Impossible. Anyway, we between us eventually got to a situation of agreeing that he would invite some of his friends to the Outgang tomorrow at midday. Gill quietly asked me if I thought I could do some Professor Fiddlesticks activities at his party, and although I hate his aggressive behaviour and churlishness, I still love him and want to help him have a good time... so I asked him if he'd like that, and apparently he would. But minutes later he was having another paddy about writing some little invites and he threw punches and yelled a lot. God knows what our neighbours think we're doing to him! I just don't want to reward this crap behaviour but I do want to be a nice Daddy.
I took them to school. I came home. We both had a cry. We are wondering where we have gone wrong and are absolutely dreading the summer holidays. We haven't booked a holiday as we cannot face an experience like last summer. And this just punishes our other boy who is mild mannered, quite chilled and relatively well behaved, and gets ignored when the other one takes all our attention. Parenting is soooooo difficult!
Before lunch went to the tax office and asked about a couple of queries in our accounts, and was asked to chat to someone on the phone for 'technical advice' and it all seemed quite simple. I'm going to submit my income tax stuff electronically this year, for the first time. And possibly the last as we are going to get an accountant to do it next time! To not have that hassle will be lovely!
Then went to the Hazel Court/James Street skip site with a load of cartons for recycling, some more batteries which surfaced, and some electrical stuff including low-energy lightbulbs for the 'weee' collection. Then to St Nicks where I bought two dalek compost bins which folks have returned, for a tenner each, one of which will go to a lady in Windmill Lane who asked if I could get her one. Both went on my cycle trailer no problem. Then came home and had lunch and phoned up the tax credit people and re-applied for that over the phone.
Then did some washing up and washed my walnuts which have been in brine for a few weeks, and left them to air-dry in a cardboard box. Next stop, getting pickling jars ready, and assorted herby/spicy vinegar. I might co-pickle them with some early nasturtium seeds.. or even flower buds (which is what capers are, so I don't see why I shouldn't give 'nasturtium capers' a go!)
Did emails and blog, got ready for my last day bringing two boys home from school!
As soon as I arrived at school and my occasionally horrible child came out, he said, 'Dad, forget about this morning' so I replied 'why, what happened this morning?' with a smile and he gave me a hug. I collected quite a bit more end-of-term recycling/reusables and then the boys said they wanted to go to the Outgang with all their friends, so I told them they could but when Ulrich said it was time to go, they must cycle home together and be careful using and crossing roads. An hour after I got home, Ulrich arrived with his eldest son and 10 mins later, both mine arrived home happily and safely. Ulrich and I picked a load of loganberries, raspberries, redcurrants and a few gooseberries and then he went to collect his youngest from another friend's house.
I went to the Hull Road Planning Panel meeting for 6.30 and we dealt with 4 applications, one of which was really difficult to deal with as it was changing a student house with 5 bedrooms int a 'House of Multiple Occupation' with 8 bedrooms, and we all felt it was a bit crowded... but couldn't object on any planning grounds we knew of. Interesting! Home for 7.45 and had pizza, home grown potato salad with chives and some olives donated by Ulrich.
So Gill asked him what he wanted to do. This was too much for him, and there were shouts and crying 'I don't know WHAT I want to do' 'so I won't bother'. So Gill made a few suggestions, including going out somewhere, seeing a film, playing in the garden, playing at the Outgang (playing fields in Heslington) and he then shouted that he didn't want to be given suggestions. So we just cannot 'win' with this child. Impossible. Anyway, we between us eventually got to a situation of agreeing that he would invite some of his friends to the Outgang tomorrow at midday. Gill quietly asked me if I thought I could do some Professor Fiddlesticks activities at his party, and although I hate his aggressive behaviour and churlishness, I still love him and want to help him have a good time... so I asked him if he'd like that, and apparently he would. But minutes later he was having another paddy about writing some little invites and he threw punches and yelled a lot. God knows what our neighbours think we're doing to him! I just don't want to reward this crap behaviour but I do want to be a nice Daddy.
I took them to school. I came home. We both had a cry. We are wondering where we have gone wrong and are absolutely dreading the summer holidays. We haven't booked a holiday as we cannot face an experience like last summer. And this just punishes our other boy who is mild mannered, quite chilled and relatively well behaved, and gets ignored when the other one takes all our attention. Parenting is soooooo difficult!
Before lunch went to the tax office and asked about a couple of queries in our accounts, and was asked to chat to someone on the phone for 'technical advice' and it all seemed quite simple. I'm going to submit my income tax stuff electronically this year, for the first time. And possibly the last as we are going to get an accountant to do it next time! To not have that hassle will be lovely!
Then went to the Hazel Court/James Street skip site with a load of cartons for recycling, some more batteries which surfaced, and some electrical stuff including low-energy lightbulbs for the 'weee' collection. Then to St Nicks where I bought two dalek compost bins which folks have returned, for a tenner each, one of which will go to a lady in Windmill Lane who asked if I could get her one. Both went on my cycle trailer no problem. Then came home and had lunch and phoned up the tax credit people and re-applied for that over the phone.
Then did some washing up and washed my walnuts which have been in brine for a few weeks, and left them to air-dry in a cardboard box. Next stop, getting pickling jars ready, and assorted herby/spicy vinegar. I might co-pickle them with some early nasturtium seeds.. or even flower buds (which is what capers are, so I don't see why I shouldn't give 'nasturtium capers' a go!)
Did emails and blog, got ready for my last day bringing two boys home from school!
As soon as I arrived at school and my occasionally horrible child came out, he said, 'Dad, forget about this morning' so I replied 'why, what happened this morning?' with a smile and he gave me a hug. I collected quite a bit more end-of-term recycling/reusables and then the boys said they wanted to go to the Outgang with all their friends, so I told them they could but when Ulrich said it was time to go, they must cycle home together and be careful using and crossing roads. An hour after I got home, Ulrich arrived with his eldest son and 10 mins later, both mine arrived home happily and safely. Ulrich and I picked a load of loganberries, raspberries, redcurrants and a few gooseberries and then he went to collect his youngest from another friend's house.
I went to the Hull Road Planning Panel meeting for 6.30 and we dealt with 4 applications, one of which was really difficult to deal with as it was changing a student house with 5 bedrooms int a 'House of Multiple Occupation' with 8 bedrooms, and we all felt it was a bit crowded... but couldn't object on any planning grounds we knew of. Interesting! Home for 7.45 and had pizza, home grown potato salad with chives and some olives donated by Ulrich.
There was the predicted difficulty this morning with our eldest as he hadn't done all of his independent learning project which has to be in this morning. One of the reasons was that last week Gill's sister Linda offered to help, by writing down what he dictated and then he could copy out what he had said.. basically an amanuensis for him. So last week he took this into school and he told us that he'd told them what he'd done and they'd told him off, so he'd thrown it in the bin. So this morning I took them into school and went and explained to his teacher about him not finishing this work, and they told me a different story. He'd not been told off... he'd started to copy out what Linda had written down, and been very slow, wasting time and getting distracted. The teacher had suggested that he might want to just take the basic facts from what had been written down, in order to speed up. He'd got angry and screwed up the sheets written by Linda, and then all weekend, refused to do the required work.
We are dreading the new school's heavy homework load. He will get into major trouble if he refuses to do it and might get expelled if he continues to behave like this. We are at a complete loss at what to do. It is not possible to force a child who doesn't want to work to do the work. If we push, or encourage, or cajole BLOG CENSORED There are no easy solutions but sharing this problem with blog readers makes me feel better even though it publicly reveals information about his private torment, and ours as parents....
Anyway, I told him that I'd spoken to his teacher and all he had to do today was to do a one-minute talk about his chosen subject (Marco Polo and Genghis Kahn) and I got a kiss from them both.
Came home with a headache and went to bed. Got up at 10.30 and tried to sort out my computer glitch... justabout successfully, although I still get an error message with sending emails, even though they are being sent! Weird...
Anyway, got on with the day, did lots of housework as Gill was working hard to finish the accounts.
I picked up the boys, they'd had a good day. School have hired a skip and I asked this time if I could recycle stuff from it, and got a 'yes', which was good. So I took a load of cardboard and some metal, and a bag-full of plastic bottles. There will be more tomorrow...
Quite a quiet evening... Ben came round to see the last remaining glitch on the computer and he instructed me how to take it off... and I gave him a Yorky check for Y45 to spend on LETS members' goods and services. I expect I'll see some of it for dried fruit! We also had a visit from our 'pet' electrician, Justin, who checked out our electrical problem and diagnosed what the solution would probably be, and offered us the name of a reputable and qualified Sparky who might be able to do the job.
Gill spent most of the evening making cakes but fell asleep after midnight and almost burnt a couple of them. Just been informed that two of them have been burnt, partly my fault as I thought she'd finished and let her snooze, rather than waking her up earlier. Never mind... she'll cut the edges off and they'll get used! I feel a trifle coming on, with loads of raspberries and loganberries....
We are dreading the new school's heavy homework load. He will get into major trouble if he refuses to do it and might get expelled if he continues to behave like this. We are at a complete loss at what to do. It is not possible to force a child who doesn't want to work to do the work. If we push, or encourage, or cajole BLOG CENSORED There are no easy solutions but sharing this problem with blog readers makes me feel better even though it publicly reveals information about his private torment, and ours as parents....
Anyway, I told him that I'd spoken to his teacher and all he had to do today was to do a one-minute talk about his chosen subject (Marco Polo and Genghis Kahn) and I got a kiss from them both.
Came home with a headache and went to bed. Got up at 10.30 and tried to sort out my computer glitch... justabout successfully, although I still get an error message with sending emails, even though they are being sent! Weird...
Anyway, got on with the day, did lots of housework as Gill was working hard to finish the accounts.
I picked up the boys, they'd had a good day. School have hired a skip and I asked this time if I could recycle stuff from it, and got a 'yes', which was good. So I took a load of cardboard and some metal, and a bag-full of plastic bottles. There will be more tomorrow...
Quite a quiet evening... Ben came round to see the last remaining glitch on the computer and he instructed me how to take it off... and I gave him a Yorky check for Y45 to spend on LETS members' goods and services. I expect I'll see some of it for dried fruit! We also had a visit from our 'pet' electrician, Justin, who checked out our electrical problem and diagnosed what the solution would probably be, and offered us the name of a reputable and qualified Sparky who might be able to do the job.
Gill spent most of the evening making cakes but fell asleep after midnight and almost burnt a couple of them. Just been informed that two of them have been burnt, partly my fault as I thought she'd finished and let her snooze, rather than waking her up earlier. Never mind... she'll cut the edges off and they'll get used! I feel a trifle coming on, with loads of raspberries and loganberries....
All of us have itches we really shouldn’t scratch. Vaporizing the slow driver in front of me or breaking into my neighbors wine cellar and binging on Bordeaux are itches that plague me repeatedly but that I manage (so far) to avoid scratching.
A Poison-ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) rash is another thing one should avoid scratching. Obviously, the best way to ease this temptation is to avoid having it in the first place. Hence this post. Poison-ivy infests the Mesa Trail this time of year and does not always stay neatly on the side of the trail but in several locations grows between the rocks in the middle of the trail. I have seen many hikers blissfully rubbing ankles with the leaves.
Poison-ivy has and oil called urushiol on the leaves that react most unpleasantly with human skin. Contact with the oil either through touching the plant or touching something has touched the plant (e.g. your dog, your clothes) can also transfer the oil. One should note that it is not just the leaves but also the vines and roots contain this oil.The rash caused by Poison-ivy can be a small itch or a big itch. It really depends upon your immune system. Some people get a small spot of oil on their skin and they will have a small itchy area. In others, this small exposure will cause a full body reaction. Still others seem to be immune. There are various pharmaceutical products out there to treat a Poison Ivy rash. Best to talk to your Pharmacist to determine the latest greatest. The rash can last from one to three weeks.
Poison-ivy has three green almond-shaped leaves that grow in a cluster, which is the source of the mnemonics “Leaves of three…let it be.” The leaves in our area are straight edges but I have seen pictures where the leaves are crenulated like Poison Oak (west coast), so don’t let that fool you. There is a definite sheen to the leaves that can make them shinny. In the fall the leaves can turn reddish. Note they do not make an appropriate Thanksgiving table display. The oil can remain active for years after the plant is dead so be cautious handling it.
Quite a relaxing morning... woke up dreaming of redcurrants and raspberries, weird! Anyway, lit the stove to get some hot water, as some of our electrics are not working and this means our 'instant' hot water (using gas) isn't working either... so had a bath before going to work in just one 5 gal pan of hot water, washed hair and got tidy. So then straight after lunch, as was just about to go, Gill's sister Jane and her husband Mike turned up, unexpectedly, after dropping off Linda at York station. I had to go anyway... to Mike's old Railway Institute Rugby Club on Hamilton Drive to do a party which was booked just a couple of days ago.
I only just got my bike in, and the group of about 17 six-year olds were in a lively mood,and it was quite a tough party to do. At one stage, half a dozen of them all went to the loo, one came back crying as he'd dropped the loo seat onto his hand... I had to ask them to quieten down perhaps 20 times, and not to talk through the show, and to please sit down, and to stop fighting... all in all it was one of the more difficult groups I'd had to deal with. However, at the end, the grateful parents told me that last year, they'd invited 33 children and the female entertainer they invited (no names given!) just couldn't cope at all so they were happy that I did manage to do my show, and all of the children participated in something. But I was happy that they only booked me for the one show, and at 3.15 I left in a hurry to get to my next appointment.
This was at Edward's house to discuss next Wednesday's 'York in Transition' Co-ordinating group meeting, and to get an agenda together. Peter turned up and we had quite a jolly and good-humoured meeting, sorting out a lot of issues and all 'getting up to speed'. Back home at about 6 after picking up a sack from Country Fresh.
Our eldest child had been to a leaving party and came back having had a good time. Gill asked me to go to the shops as our youngest had refused point-blank to go with Gill, and on the way back I found a good stash of aluminium cans in a skip plus some electrical wire which I brought home to strip of it's plastic insulation and ended up with quite a lot of recyclable copper wire. Will add this to the copper pipe I've accumulated bit by bit and small bits of lead, and will pay another visit to the metal merchants soon.
A quiet evening, Gill made tea (more broad beans!) and I refilled a compost heap with the turned compost and another load of potatoes which I hope will be ready in the autumn.
I only just got my bike in, and the group of about 17 six-year olds were in a lively mood,and it was quite a tough party to do. At one stage, half a dozen of them all went to the loo, one came back crying as he'd dropped the loo seat onto his hand... I had to ask them to quieten down perhaps 20 times, and not to talk through the show, and to please sit down, and to stop fighting... all in all it was one of the more difficult groups I'd had to deal with. However, at the end, the grateful parents told me that last year, they'd invited 33 children and the female entertainer they invited (no names given!) just couldn't cope at all so they were happy that I did manage to do my show, and all of the children participated in something. But I was happy that they only booked me for the one show, and at 3.15 I left in a hurry to get to my next appointment.
This was at Edward's house to discuss next Wednesday's 'York in Transition' Co-ordinating group meeting, and to get an agenda together. Peter turned up and we had quite a jolly and good-humoured meeting, sorting out a lot of issues and all 'getting up to speed'. Back home at about 6 after picking up a sack from Country Fresh.
Our eldest child had been to a leaving party and came back having had a good time. Gill asked me to go to the shops as our youngest had refused point-blank to go with Gill, and on the way back I found a good stash of aluminium cans in a skip plus some electrical wire which I brought home to strip of it's plastic insulation and ended up with quite a lot of recyclable copper wire. Will add this to the copper pipe I've accumulated bit by bit and small bits of lead, and will pay another visit to the metal merchants soon.
A quiet evening, Gill made tea (more broad beans!) and I refilled a compost heap with the turned compost and another load of potatoes which I hope will be ready in the autumn.
A relaxing day in some ways... firstly took my laptop around to Ben who has purchased a new screen and has offered to take the old one out and fit the new one. I paid him the £105 the new screen cost to buy and send, he wants Yorkys for the time it takes to do the work.
Then got my logsplitter out and split a large load of logs which I cut yesterday. Our youngest wanted to visit a friend so we rang up and he was with his grandparents, as parents away, and they were taking him to Eden Camp, and offered to take our boy too. Just before I left to take him to his friend's house, I got a phone call from Candy, who had asked a while ago if I could bring my chainsaw to do some of her logs, as her household has now got a woodstove... a Clearview of course, as they ARE the best! So I took the chainsaw and biodegradable oil with me, dropped off our little boy with his friend and went on to Fulford to do Candy's sawing, which took just half an hour. Good chats about carbon footprinting, which is what Candy does for a living, for businesses, I think. Eugene came back and he too was pleased with the chopped logs.
Back via the University waste logpile, loaded up an enormous one, and cut and split that when I got back. Visited Richard and bought veg, got compostables. Turned a sit and wait compost pile, using a builder's bag I found in a skip. Lots of small 'volunteer' potatoes in the pile, which I had for tea with some broad beans thrown out as the pods were discoloured!
Picked up our youngest.
In the evening, Ben came round with more-or-less mended computer... he put in a new hard drive as the old one was very slow and not working at all well, partly due to the knackered screen and my not being able to read instructions on it, and shutting down the computer whilst something was running, probably. However, still not able to send emails from Outlook Express, just able to receive... Frustrating. But the new shiny screen is lovely, despite a pixel not working.
Then got my logsplitter out and split a large load of logs which I cut yesterday. Our youngest wanted to visit a friend so we rang up and he was with his grandparents, as parents away, and they were taking him to Eden Camp, and offered to take our boy too. Just before I left to take him to his friend's house, I got a phone call from Candy, who had asked a while ago if I could bring my chainsaw to do some of her logs, as her household has now got a woodstove... a Clearview of course, as they ARE the best! So I took the chainsaw and biodegradable oil with me, dropped off our little boy with his friend and went on to Fulford to do Candy's sawing, which took just half an hour. Good chats about carbon footprinting, which is what Candy does for a living, for businesses, I think. Eugene came back and he too was pleased with the chopped logs.
Back via the University waste logpile, loaded up an enormous one, and cut and split that when I got back. Visited Richard and bought veg, got compostables. Turned a sit and wait compost pile, using a builder's bag I found in a skip. Lots of small 'volunteer' potatoes in the pile, which I had for tea with some broad beans thrown out as the pods were discoloured!
Picked up our youngest.
In the evening, Ben came round with more-or-less mended computer... he put in a new hard drive as the old one was very slow and not working at all well, partly due to the knackered screen and my not being able to read instructions on it, and shutting down the computer whilst something was running, probably. However, still not able to send emails from Outlook Express, just able to receive... Frustrating. But the new shiny screen is lovely, despite a pixel not working.
A funny old day...
I took the kids to school as my eldest was behaving as if he had a hangover... was actually as a result of being at a disco til 9pm and not getting to bed until 10ish. But, once on their bikes, they went into autopilot and zoomed down to school, no problem.
I had some phone conversations with assorted people from the council and the HSE about tarry sleepers in the school's Japanese Garden, and then went to St Nicks to turn the compost pile I constructed last week. It was really hot!
Nice chats with Catherine the head Rotter, who proudly showed me her new 'pet poo wormery' and to Ivana about activities over the summer for kids..
Lunch with Gill, did an hour's chainsawing, and went to school again to pick up our little darlings.
Was reminded that at 6 we'd been invited to Simon and Melody's 'Dr Who Party', so despite my not liking Dr Who, I took the boys down. However, before this I tried to download my emails and my computer just kept crashing. So when I got back from the party with two tired boys, I had a go getting onto my emails on Gill's laptop... and used the Tiscali webmail thing for the first time. Not the same as Outlook Express,but has different features like Blind Carbon Copy (which I don't think OE has?) but I find it not as easy and I cannot find all my inbox, so no deleting tonight! Also, Gill's laptop is really old and slow, very odd! But, hey, we are lucky to have been given it and it works, so no complaints!
The party cheered me up, I took the boys but Gill stayed at home to complete the accounts. Several people arrived whom I knew plus others whom I didn't know so well or at all, so there was lively conversation and good food, and I left with the boys at about 8.40pm. A good party, thank you to Melody and Simon.
I took the kids to school as my eldest was behaving as if he had a hangover... was actually as a result of being at a disco til 9pm and not getting to bed until 10ish. But, once on their bikes, they went into autopilot and zoomed down to school, no problem.
I had some phone conversations with assorted people from the council and the HSE about tarry sleepers in the school's Japanese Garden, and then went to St Nicks to turn the compost pile I constructed last week. It was really hot!
Nice chats with Catherine the head Rotter, who proudly showed me her new 'pet poo wormery' and to Ivana about activities over the summer for kids..
Lunch with Gill, did an hour's chainsawing, and went to school again to pick up our little darlings.
Was reminded that at 6 we'd been invited to Simon and Melody's 'Dr Who Party', so despite my not liking Dr Who, I took the boys down. However, before this I tried to download my emails and my computer just kept crashing. So when I got back from the party with two tired boys, I had a go getting onto my emails on Gill's laptop... and used the Tiscali webmail thing for the first time. Not the same as Outlook Express,but has different features like Blind Carbon Copy (which I don't think OE has?) but I find it not as easy and I cannot find all my inbox, so no deleting tonight! Also, Gill's laptop is really old and slow, very odd! But, hey, we are lucky to have been given it and it works, so no complaints!
The party cheered me up, I took the boys but Gill stayed at home to complete the accounts. Several people arrived whom I knew plus others whom I didn't know so well or at all, so there was lively conversation and good food, and I left with the boys at about 8.40pm. A good party, thank you to Melody and Simon.
Distance: 4 miles roundtripElevation: 11, 990-13,234 ft
Elevation Gain: 1,675 ft (net) 2,147 ft (cumulative)
(Left: View from the summit) Mt. Sniktau as a great introductory peak for anyone wanting to train for higher endeavors. It is close the Front Range so you don’t have to get up in the middle of the night and the trail is relatively short so you can get acclimatized gradually. In fact, I met a couple from Montreal on the trail for this exact purpose. I chose this hike because I have passed the trailhead many times and have just been curious about getting “up there”. The trip was delightful despite some pressure from the weather and I would recommend it to anyone fit enough to roam above tree line.
The trail starts on the west side of Loveland Pass. There is a large parking area there that was empty when we arrived at 7:45am but that was packed when we returned. You could tell there were many lowlanders marveling at the pass and wandering about the knolls right next to it.
Guidebooks will tell you there are two false summits on the way to the summit of Mt. Sniktau and this is technically true. When you look on a topographic map there are two obvious summits, one at 12,915 ft, one at 13,152 ft and the final one at 13,234 ft. On the ground, however there are many more knolls, bumps, and talus piles that make it difficult to determine how many “summits” one has traversed. The main thing to remember is that the final summit is not visible until you are on the second of the “official” false summits and that it is a large triangular hunk of rock. All the other knolls and summits are very rounded. You also have to descend 100 ft or so from the second “official” false summit before you can ascend the final summit. All the other milestones are generally upwards.
Looking up at the first summit from the beginning of the trail. The second summit is off to the left.
Farther up the initial pitch
(Right: Finally, on the ridgeline). From the first summit at 12,942 ft the trail is a very easy stroll across a wide ridge. You can see the second summit off to the northeast. A trail also goes off to the southeast towards Cupid Grizzly peaks. That looks like a nice trip as well. One of those large talus piles exists about half way across ridge towards Sniktau. We skirted its edge on the way up and went straight over it on the way back. It is easy enough to navigate. Talus always has the potential to twist an ankle so don’t be complacent even when the piles are small.The second official summit is deceiving. There is a large wind shelter there, a USGS stake in the ground, and a rock pinnacle. Without the ability to judge distance, we thought were on Sniktau and were looking at another 13er off to the left. This is wrong. While the second summit is above 13,000 ft it seems to be unnamed. We were also confused by the obvious deep decent from the second to the final summit. I know that for a 14,000 ft peak to be its own named peak there has to be at least 300 vertical feet between them. I do not know if the same rule applies to 13ers. I need to calibrate my sense of the vertical because I was thinking the decent to the ridge between these summits was greater than 300 feet when in reality is was closer to 110 ft.
Talus pile on ridge to the second summit
Alas, we did a high-five, took a few shots and left the summit quickly. Sometimes I hate Colorado’s weather. After all that work it is nice to hang out for a while and being chased off a summit by the weather is a real downer. After leaving the summit, the clouds did begin to break up a bit. This enabled us to slow down and enjoy the scenery. It was not until we had reached that 12,942 ft summit that things started to get really dark. It was here that we met the couple from Montreal. They were heading up and we pointed out the dark clouds and indicated it was tricky to continue. They chose to go on even and we were scurrying downwards. This is always risky. Storms in Colorado can build very quickly. They may or may not produce lightening but 1.5 hours up a treeless trail is a dangerous place to be. As it was we saw them on the summit long after we had returned to the car. The storms had been building and dissipating so hopefully they survived. I would not have started up with that level of darkness to the clouds. If I had been leading a group of people I would have also turned around at the second summit rather than take a chance. Risking your own life is one thing, risking others is quite another.
I really enjoyed Sniktau. Purists might think it is too short to be worthwhile. I for one want to do every trail and can find an occasion for every type of trail no matter the distance or elevation gain. Sniktau has great views and is really fun, which in itself makes it worthwhile. Had the weather been better, I would have taken that second trail that leads off towards the southeast from the first summit. That trail leads to another unnamed 13er. From peak there is a narrow ridge to Grizzly Peak.
I took the boys to school in the rain.
Had a fairly quiet day. I did go to town and get out the insurance cheque for the Green Festival, and sent it off. I popped in to the Kyi-Po shop for some soya ice cream which Gill likes, and then on the way home on the cycle track, got a trailer-full of logs.
I went to school at hometime to attend the End of Term Green Thumbs Gang party, and took my Fiddlesticks stuff to do a little show which was ok, not brilliant, but it added to the event.
I left early as I had an appointment with the Blood Donor folks and headed down to the Merchant Taylor's Hall and the Blood people took an armful. I like to give regularly, but last donated in March 07 as they lost my details off their computer and didn't invite me to donate... I thought they'd found something they didn't want in my blood and weren't inviting me back. But then last week I got the magazine they send out (so I was still on their system!) and I rang them to see if I was still wanted... and I was. Anyway, I'm usually quite quick with my bloodflow but this time I had a slow-down half-way through, but not enough for them to stop the donation, and I managed to fill my bag and left with a cuppa and 3 biccies in me.
On the way home I couldn't resist picking up another load of logs from the cycle track...
Had a fairly quiet day. I did go to town and get out the insurance cheque for the Green Festival, and sent it off. I popped in to the Kyi-Po shop for some soya ice cream which Gill likes, and then on the way home on the cycle track, got a trailer-full of logs.
I went to school at hometime to attend the End of Term Green Thumbs Gang party, and took my Fiddlesticks stuff to do a little show which was ok, not brilliant, but it added to the event.
I left early as I had an appointment with the Blood Donor folks and headed down to the Merchant Taylor's Hall and the Blood people took an armful. I like to give regularly, but last donated in March 07 as they lost my details off their computer and didn't invite me to donate... I thought they'd found something they didn't want in my blood and weren't inviting me back. But then last week I got the magazine they send out (so I was still on their system!) and I rang them to see if I was still wanted... and I was. Anyway, I'm usually quite quick with my bloodflow but this time I had a slow-down half-way through, but not enough for them to stop the donation, and I managed to fill my bag and left with a cuppa and 3 biccies in me.
On the way home I couldn't resist picking up another load of logs from the cycle track...
Distance: 7 miles RT to the lower lake
Elevation: 10,000-11,550 ft
Elevation Gain: 1, 550 ft
Summer has not arrived yet at Missouri Lakes. We could not even get to the upper lake because it was completely snow bound. I have seen numerous pictures of the lake at this time of the year and they are filled with campers. This year only the hardy had pitched their tents between the drifts. Still, Missouri Lakes was a spectacular destination and we can’t wait to go back. The trail has everything a hiker could desire, waterfalls, steep canyons, raging water, meadows, mountain vistas, and wildflowers. There is no way to get bored on this trail because it changes constantly.
Waterfall near the beginning of the trail
The trailhead to Missouri Lakes is in the Holy Cross Wilderness and is a good hours drive from Minturn up two dirt roads. While my sedan made the trip easily, it was slow and there were hordes of ATVers all along the road. Take the mileage you see in guide books with a grain of salt and follow the mileage markers that the forest service has installed. The turn off to the actual trailhead (the second dirt road) is around 8 miles in. There is a brown sign that says Missouri Creek. This is a large and obvious sign, which means you can ignore the many unmarked side roads.
The gorge
Initially, the trail starts off gradually, stays in the trees, and follows the creek. It will begin to ascend sharply after a half-mile or so until it comes to a large picturesque waterfall. Above this fall was a small lake. The creek and a dramatic gorge dominates the next portion of the trail. With the snowmelt in full force, it was easy to see how the water could carve such deep structures. The second major stream crossing takes you across a large bridge that straddles the gorge. The water was pouring through the gap in a stampede of water molecules in a sheer panic to descend to lower ground. The roar itself was almost deafening. Past this bridge, the trail travels up the gorge and in several places was underwater. A little more volume and the trail would have been impassible.
The creek bordering the trail
At the head of the gorge is a series of green meadows infested with Marsh Marigolds. Logs occasionally lead hikers above the bogs but there is no way to traverse this trail without getting your feet wet. From this point there is a longer pitch through trees, around rocks, and over drifts. Here we met with an Outward Bound adventure. One creek was so swollen that it covered the trail. Someone had placed several mid-sized tree trunks across the creek balanced on the shore and a large rock in the center. There was nothing to grab on to and the logs were not much wider than my boot. They certainly were not flat. Fortunately, we arrived at this point just as other hikers appeared on the far shore. With help they pulled us across. I cannot image trying to manage that crossing with a large, overloaded backpack. Had I been hiking alone, I probably would have talked myself out of the crossing. Fortunately, I was not alone and we made it across. The view at the lakes was well forth the effort.
One of the lush meadows
Missouri Lakes is a series of 14 separate lakes and ponds but with all the snow it was impossible to distinguish anything but the largest of the lower lakes. The clouds kept building and dissipating behind Savage Peak but we were able to lounge on a large rock for almost an hour. It was not until much later in the evening that we ran into the rain. In fact the drive back to Denver was a white knuckled affair of hurricane-like downpours. What is it lately with rainstorms and holiday weekends? We ran into the same thing coming back from the Black Canyon over Memorial Day.
The far side of the lower (we think) lake
While the trip to Missouri Lakes makes for a very long day trip it was by far one of the most scenic hikes I have yet to experience in Colorado.
Elevation: 10,000-11,550 ft
Elevation Gain: 1, 550 ft
Summer has not arrived yet at Missouri Lakes. We could not even get to the upper lake because it was completely snow bound. I have seen numerous pictures of the lake at this time of the year and they are filled with campers. This year only the hardy had pitched their tents between the drifts. Still, Missouri Lakes was a spectacular destination and we can’t wait to go back. The trail has everything a hiker could desire, waterfalls, steep canyons, raging water, meadows, mountain vistas, and wildflowers. There is no way to get bored on this trail because it changes constantly.
The trailhead to Missouri Lakes is in the Holy Cross Wilderness and is a good hours drive from Minturn up two dirt roads. While my sedan made the trip easily, it was slow and there were hordes of ATVers all along the road. Take the mileage you see in guide books with a grain of salt and follow the mileage markers that the forest service has installed. The turn off to the actual trailhead (the second dirt road) is around 8 miles in. There is a brown sign that says Missouri Creek. This is a large and obvious sign, which means you can ignore the many unmarked side roads.
Initially, the trail starts off gradually, stays in the trees, and follows the creek. It will begin to ascend sharply after a half-mile or so until it comes to a large picturesque waterfall. Above this fall was a small lake. The creek and a dramatic gorge dominates the next portion of the trail. With the snowmelt in full force, it was easy to see how the water could carve such deep structures. The second major stream crossing takes you across a large bridge that straddles the gorge. The water was pouring through the gap in a stampede of water molecules in a sheer panic to descend to lower ground. The roar itself was almost deafening. Past this bridge, the trail travels up the gorge and in several places was underwater. A little more volume and the trail would have been impassible.
At the head of the gorge is a series of green meadows infested with Marsh Marigolds. Logs occasionally lead hikers above the bogs but there is no way to traverse this trail without getting your feet wet. From this point there is a longer pitch through trees, around rocks, and over drifts. Here we met with an Outward Bound adventure. One creek was so swollen that it covered the trail. Someone had placed several mid-sized tree trunks across the creek balanced on the shore and a large rock in the center. There was nothing to grab on to and the logs were not much wider than my boot. They certainly were not flat. Fortunately, we arrived at this point just as other hikers appeared on the far shore. With help they pulled us across. I cannot image trying to manage that crossing with a large, overloaded backpack. Had I been hiking alone, I probably would have talked myself out of the crossing. Fortunately, I was not alone and we made it across. The view at the lakes was well forth the effort.
Missouri Lakes is a series of 14 separate lakes and ponds but with all the snow it was impossible to distinguish anything but the largest of the lower lakes. The clouds kept building and dissipating behind Savage Peak but we were able to lounge on a large rock for almost an hour. It was not until much later in the evening that we ran into the rain. In fact the drive back to Denver was a white knuckled affair of hurricane-like downpours. What is it lately with rainstorms and holiday weekends? We ran into the same thing coming back from the Black Canyon over Memorial Day.
While the trip to Missouri Lakes makes for a very long day trip it was by far one of the most scenic hikes I have yet to experience in Colorado.
