Girl's Day Out

Dahl Sheep

This was how our morning started... with a wildlife road block.

They were licking the salt off the road left by the plow trucks.  My friend Barb and I decided to take a 225 mile "colors" road trip around the mountains a couple of weeks ago.  We left Durango and headed north through Silverton, Ouray, Telluride, Dolores and home. 

Hay Harvest

We had to stop before Telluride to capture this photo.  How beautiful to see the last cutting of hay, fall colors and snowy mountains all in one picture.

Really?!

Ok, aside from the way over priced shops that made our jaws drop repeatedly, this may have been the most shocking sign of the day.  Really?  A lost sheep poster? 

Barb & Me

After lunch and more shops, it was time to hit the road again - But not without a parting shot! 

This was taken at the south end of Telluride (thank you kind stranger).

A great road trip - filled with beautiful colors, a smidgen of snow, good chatter, fun shopping (we did find a consignment store where we each scored a good deal!) and a delicious Mexican food lunch.  It all made for a nice girl's day out. 

Fall Hiking

After such wonderfully productive day yesterday, I decided to escape into the high country with my friend Steve today.

Steve at the top of La Plata Canyon.

Me at the trail head sign.

We hiked over to Taylor Lake and tried to cast a line but it was too windy.  We aren't even sure if there are fish there, in fact nobody I have spoken with knows if there are or are not.  Our mission was to try and to find out today.  The frost had already taken hold of this altitude as you can see by all the fall colors.  (11,660 ft)

We did see about a dozen of these...  What these are I am not sure.  I should have taken better photos of the ones that were "beached" on the water's edge.  I tried to research them but nothing looked quite the same.  To the best of my limited findings, I can say they are larval Tiger salamanders because they still have very obvious gills, small legs / feet and the only ones completely out of the water were dead.  The few that were swimming (or rather floating below the surface) in the shallows were very lethargic, perhaps from the cold temperatures.  Next time I am up there I need to better document these slimy little critters.

Double click to enlarge

After a failed fishing attempt (no thanks to the blustery winds), we walked the Colorado Trail to the Kennebec Notch.  The views were stunning.  Then back to the truck just in time for the hail!!

Behold the beauty that surrounds you!!

Flashbacks.....

Sam

Sam came to visit a few weeks back. She once lived here and worked at the Post Office with me but then received an amazing promotion and is now the Post Master in Creede. (I miss her dearly.) She brought her dogs and we went for a hike in the beautiful fall colors.

While we hiked we failed to take many pictures. Oh well. We had fun and so did all the dogs.

Congrats on the move Sam!!