Roadtrip to the Rockies: Flying J Ranch

Trail: Shadow Pine Loop and Junction House Trailhead
Distance: 4.1 miles
Elevation: 7,500- 8,700

I’ve driven by Flying J Ranch a few times though I have never stopped to check the place out.  Today, with Sheena, a pretty fit German Shephard, though at 8 slightly elderly, I thought it might be a nice place for a leisurely hike.

I parked in the main parking area to explore the 2.9 mile Shadow Pine Loop.  I was really hoping to complete four miles today, so I added on an out and back trail called Junction House which was an additional 1.2 mile roundtrip.  I think it would have been better to park at the Junction House Trailhead, so the out and back across a boardwalk through the meadow with a lovely view had a little more meaning than simply extra mileage.

Sheena and I hiked the Shadow Pine Loop (very appropriately named) counter clockwise and slowly gained about 1,200 feet in elevation as we strolled through the shade of the lodge pole pine forest.  The undulating dirt path seemed popular among the locals.  Many runners and friends with dogs appeared to be out for their Sunday morning exercise as the woodpeckers attacked the trees and birds chirped overhead.

I was pleasantly surprised by this Jeffco Open Space park.  This park would be great for trail running and for bringing out of town visitors to the mountains, as the elevation change is gradual.  In addition, the bathrooms in the parking area had flush toilets and were very nice!  The only downside would be that there wasn’t much of a water feature.  The path did criss-cross a small stream, though I think later in the summer it would be close to dry.  It was a beautiful day in the foothills!  ETB

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Roadtrip to the Rockies: Lizard Rock Trail

Trail: Lizard Rock
Distance: 4.6 miles (RT)
Elevation: 8,500-9,350

Today I took an overnight road-trip to our mountain cabin and I got my first hike in of the year in Colorado.  That’s hard to believe!  I don’t know where the time has gone.  Anyway, I decided on a hike called Lizard Rock.  The trailhead can be found at the Spruce Grove Campground off of Tarryall Road.  It was a much farther drive than I was expecting, especially for a 4.6 mile hike, but the drive was beautiful.

The road took me by old barns and farmland as well as a variety of turnout marked with history story boards.  On the way to the trailhead, I stopped at an early homestead called the Derby Cabin.  The tiny cabin was home to a cowboy, William Derby, his wife and two daughters.  When his young wife died at 23 years old, he left the valley.

Soon I reached the Spruce Grove Campground.  The parking at the trailhead was for hike-in campers, so I had to park in a small area just outside the campground for dayhikers.  Sheena, a German Shephard for which I’m caring, and I meandered through the campground to the trailhead where we began our hike.  The trail immediately crosses the creek over a sturdy bridge and turns to left by the creek’s bank.  The dirt path led us immediately to a short passage through the boulders.

From here, the trail slowly climbed 1,000 feet over the 2.3 miles to Lizard Rock.  Along the way, we passed by a few stands of aspens, some open spaces, a variety of rock formations and eventually a nice view of the meadow.  I’m not exactly sure which rock formation looked like the lizard, but I know I hiked far enough to see it and then some.

found the shade on the trail

The trail continues to Hankins Pass Trail which I believe I started up as the grade increased.  I wasn’t planning on going too far for my first hike of the year, so I found a nice place off the side of the trail in the shade of the pine forest to snack on a light lunch before heading back down while enjoying the early signs of summer as wildflowers were beginning to bloom.  I may have to come back to explore more of the connecting trails.  ETB

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mule packed for tizi mzik summit

Summiting Tizi Mzik in the High Atlas Mountains!

On our second day in the high atlas mountains, we devoured a breakfast of eggs and bread with lots of spreads including jams, butter, and honey.  Oh, I almost forgot, also tea (and coffee).  I’ve decided it would be very hard to be gluten free here.  Bread is served with every meal.  While I’m not gluten free, bread is not allowed in my food elimination diet.   With a long day ahead of us, however, both of us needed to eat more than a few eggs, so we dug into the basket.

TAKE A HIKE!

Treasures of Trinidad

Things to Do and Places to Eat in Trinidad, Cuba

Homestay

To continue with the Valentine’s Day theme from last night, our hosts’ two-year old son picked some flowers in the courtyard and proudly presented them to me at breakfast…so cute! We enjoyed our breakfast on the veranda outside our room which was decorated in pottery. The house was home to grandma, grandpa, mom, dad, and their little one. Our room may have been the largest we’ve stay in on the trip thus far. It included to queen size beds, a large wardrobe with many hangers, coat hooks, and even Cuban shampoo and shower gel, not to mention cups wrapped in plastic like a US hotel. Continue reading “Treasures of Trinidad” →

Amble Through Apex Park

I was so excited to see the forecast…no snow and temperatures warming to the mid-50’s in Denver.  As such, I planned a snowshoe with Tanya (and Ellie the dog) at Lake Isabelle in the Indian Peaks Wilderness.  Little did I know that the high in the area was only going to be 18 degrees.  And that doesn’t include any windchill above the treeline.  Fortunately, Tanya was open to adjusting the location.

Instead, we headed out to Apex Park, part of Jefferson County Open Space.  The 700 acre park provides 9.4 miles of multi-use trails.  We arrived at the parking area around 9:30.  We were the only car in the lot aside from one other that pulled in simultaneously.  It seemed odd that on this clear, sunny day only a few of us would be enjoying the trail, but at 9:30 it was still bitter cold at a mile high!

We grabbed a map, bundled up, and prepared for a hike around five-miles.  We hadn’t decided on which route to take, but we knew from perusing the map we connect a few loops to get in a decent walk for the day.  We started out Apex Trail where we quickly came to a trail junction.

Since much of Apex Trail caters to mountain bikers, we turned right onto Pick-N-Sledge Trail and gained close to 900 feet over the next 1.5 miles.  Depending on which side of the mountain slope we were on, we either trekked along an orange path lined by golden grasses or  a frozen path of snow.  While I doubt this is true, frozen ground feels harder than pavement!  At least we weren’t walking through slush.

From Pick-N-Sledge Trail we began to descend down Grubstake Trail.  In the shade of the forest, however, Ellie’s feet started getting cold, so we turned around and took a half-mile short cut on Bonanza.  From Bonanza we connected with Grubstake and soon retraced our steps back to the trailhead.

We found our steps along the frozen side of the slope to be beautiful.  The pine trees and succulents were covered in frost, like a sprinkler system went off while it was below freezing.  In places, we could see the shapes of the individual snowflakes.

While the landscape was pretty and the view of Golden was nice, what I think we liked the most was spotting a large herd of elk!  I was surprised to see them so close to town.  Usually, we are only blessed with deer sightings.  They were quite grand and certainly cautious of our hunting dog!  Overall, I think our jaunt turned out to be four miles…no big feat, but a nice way to spend a sunny day that eventually warmed up.  I suppose we’ll get out there and snowshoe at some point, but I’ll be headed to warmer weather first…Cuba!  ETB

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Dining in Dallas

What a nice weekend in Dallas celebrating my mom’s birthday a few weeks late.  We had the nicest time chilling out, watching football and eating out!

Friday night we went to Adelmo’s.  It is a long-time Italian restaurant in Dallas that used to be in a house in the Knox-Henderson area.  It recently relocated to Inwood Village.  The dinner and service were lovely.  While I can’t say the food was the best ever, it was an enjoyable, quiet evening.

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Saturday night we went to Fearings located in the Ritz-Carlton in uptown.  Dean Fearing himself came out to our table to say hello.  Fearings’ plates were absolutely mouth-watering good!  Almost all of us ordered the Lobster bisque which included a lobster pot sticker at the bottom of the bowl…delicious!

lobster bisque
lamb
fish
scallop and crab
peanut butter crunch bar
dessert to go…compliments of the cheg

The entrees were fantastic as well.  Three of our party ordered the Arctic Char and raved about it.  My lamb chops, though not cooked to the medium temperature requested, had phenomenal flavor.  Phil, my god-father, ordered the scallops and king crab, and he found them to be quite satisfying.  We ordered a few shared desserts too.  I didn’t try my mom’s peanut butter crunch bar, but it looked remarkable!  I just drooled over it.

Fair warning, both restaurants provided amuse-bouche between the appetizer and main course as well as after dessert, so if you don’t have a big appetite, a three-course meal isn’t necessary.  Of course, it is fun to indulge on special occasions.  Fearings even served a bite-size, gratis tomato bisque prior to our appetizer which was tasty too.  If I’m being picky, for a fancy place, the service could have slightly improved, but it certainly didn’t damper the occasion.

With Dallas being a test market for restaurants, it’s tough to beat the food here.  If the eatery isn’t good, it goes out of business in a year and another fills its place.  The food scene is something!

The flowers in the lobby of the Ritz were another spectacular scene and made a perfect back drop for our pictures.  It was sort of fun to dress up.  I don’t do that often, nor do I really want to regularly, but once in a while it is probably good to put on a little make up.  Not to sound obnoxious, but I think we all looked good!

Sunday, when we weren’t watching the football games, I was training for my Olympic distance Triathlon.  I’m not sure why I decided to compete in a triathlon, but one benefit is weighing what I did in high school!  Anyway, when possible I prefer a soft surface path rather than pavement for running, so I searched out a nature preserve.

The Oak Cliff Nature Preserve was definitely the most unique nature preserve I’ve visited.  I suggest taking a picture of the map at the trailhead which shows all the colored loops as there are many intersecting trails (some less traveled) without signs.  Having said that, there are many signs pointing in the direction of the loops in an open space so you can at least find them, it just might be hard to find the parking lot on one’s first visit.

I had to run for 40 minutes or 4 miles today, so I planned to connect the white loop, to the blue loop, to the purple loop.  I didn’t take much time reviewing the map because the damp air coupled with 20-mile per hour winds made we want to find the cover of the trees quickly.  I probably should have focused a bit harder as I never did connect all three trails and sometimes ended up on the same portion of a trail twice.  But all that really mattered was getting in the mileage.

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After the big thunder storm last night, I thought the trails might be somewhat muddy, but they really weren’t too bad.  I only had to watch out for tree roots and slick limestone at times.  I expected to have to look out for mountain bikers as it seemed like the nature preserve catered to them.  The description of each loop discussed bike jumps and technical portions of the trail.  Most nature preserves I’ve been to don’t even allow bikes, so it seemed odd to me.

Fortunately, I didn’t have to dodge any cyclists, and for that matter, I only saw about six people on the 7+ miles of trails the preserve offered.  The preserve must attract mountain bikers at some point, however.  Many trees are decorated with bike reflectors and there is a pump station for tires.  There is a variety of “art” (for lack of a better word) on the trails as well.

Anyway, I can’t say it was the most beautiful place I’ve been, especially in the winter, but there were a few different types of berries growing, birds flitting around, and a bush with lavender colored leaves that I have never before seen. It was definitely a nicer way to get in my miles rather than weaving around runners and cyclists on the Katy Trail or at White Rock Lake.

what type of bush is this?!?

The only thing that proved frustrating was to wonder which gadget I should believe.  My Fitbit claimed I ran just over five miles while MapMyHike calculated only 4 miles in 48 minutes!  As much as I’d like my Fitbit, which is set to automatically calculate the length of my stride, to be correct, I don’t think I averaged less than a 10-minute mile pace.  By the same token, I surely hope I ran better than a 12-minute mile!  I guess I’ll have to go to the track some-day soon.  All-in-all, it was a nice visit home, and it was nice to catch up with one of my best friends from my horse show days too.  ETB

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Jumping pic in the wadi rum desert

A 4×4 Drive Through the Wadi Rum Desert!

Touring the Wadi Rum Desert

Today we enjoyed a 4×4 Tour through the protected area of the Wadi Rum Desert.  Fayez attended to us and another family from France.  The family was lovely and lived the last ten years in China!  I would have never guessed that.  Eleanor, the oldest of the two girls recently graduated from the London School of Economics and currently resides in London, while Constance is finishing up school in Montreal.

The family travels often and their mom Beatrice has two French passports!  Who knew you could do that?!?  But it is accommodated for those who must send away for Visas frequently.  They said Iran is amazing.  For us US citizens, that’s a tough place to visit, but maybe one day.

GO FOR DRIVE

Henderson Mine…Second Attempt

Well, I’m 0-2 in trying to reach Henderson Mine in the winter…bummer! I went last spring with David, but we never found it despite being above treeline and walking around. This time, Diana, Jim and I made an attempt. I really thought we’d be able to reach it this time.

We started up Butler Gulch trail on packed snow through a forest of evergreens whose branches were adorned in snow. The sun poked through fast moving clouds as we climbed a somewhat steep grade. We followed the swithbacks at a slow steady pace until we started to leave the treeline.

The wind picked up dramatically and snow whipped across the trail stinging our faces. Our hands instantly turned cold despite heavy gloves and mittens, so we broke out hand warmers. We continued in the open space for only a short while more as we suddenly began sinking to our knees.

At this point, none of us wanted to sit down to strap on our snow shoes as we knew we’d only get colder, especially our hands and feet. In addition, our camelback hoses were freezing up. If we didn’t drink water about every five minutes, we were working hard to get ice out of our bite piece. The final straw for me was, one of the many off-leash dogs on the trail jumped up on me while getting ice and snow all over my camera lens. I tried in vain to remove the ice enough for clear photos, but that turned out to be an excercise in futility. It was time to turn around!

blowing snow

In the summer-time, we rarely ever turn around. We feel like there isn’t much of an excuse not to reach our destination (unless it is lightning). In the winter, however, we don’t mind trying another time. It isn’t worth getting hypothermia! Covered in four layers of clothes, none of us were particularly warm, and it seemed like we’d only get colder with thick, gray clouds enveloping the surrounding peaks.

I’m glad we threw in the towel as by the end of the hike, we walked through light snow. At least we got outside in the beautiful mountains and got some exercise. Our four to five mile hike felt like eight, but overall it was a very pretty scene. ETB

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A Day at Devil’s Backbone

I took the nicest hike with Ellie today.  I take care of her Mondays-Thursdays, so she sort feels like mine.  She loves humans, but isn’t quite as fond of other dogs.  Ellie is a Plott Hound, a breed of which I have never heard.  She is an extremely well behaved dog.

Unfortunately, my friends couldn’t join me this week.  They were headed out of town, have friends in town, renovating their house, and training a new puppy.  But it was good, because it gave me a chance to play around with my DSLR.  I haven’t used my good camera for over six months, as I don’t want to slow people down on hikes, though I have recently been inspired to practice as a friend asked me if I would photograph their wedding in Montana!

I feel so flattered and nervous at the same time.  I’ve never shot a wedding, nor do I spend too much time with people as my subjects.  Nature is my bread and butter.  Anyway, I’m very excited about it.

On to the hike…today I decided to visit Devil’s Backbone Open Space.  It is located near Loveland, just south of Fort Collins.  We don’t generally travel north for hiking unless we head a little west as well toward Rocky Mountain National Park.  I definitely was not familiar with the area.  The forecast called for a windy day.  As such, Ellie and I waited until 9am to drive the hour north to give the air temperature a chance to warm up.

Upon arrival at the open space, I studied the posted map.  There were a variety of trails that connected to one another.  I opted for a combination of three loops, Wild Loop, Hunter Loop, and Laughing Horse Loop.  The total mileage added up to 4.9 miles.

We started out on the red, sandstone path on the interpretive Wild Loop Trail.  Generally I’m not that fond of interpretive trails because they feel commercialized, but this trail felt different.  The uneven, rocky path along with a simple numbered posts and brochures available at the trailhead were very well done by Larimer County Open Lands Program.

The Devil’s Backbone is composed of gray-brown to tan Dakota Sandstones of the Lytle Formation which is between 100-115 years old.  It is home to a variety of nesting birds, including red-tailed hawks, prairie falcons, swallows, a pair of ravens, and a great horned owl.  Apparently, it is rare to find a pair of nesting ravens in this area.  Today, I saw hawks soaring in the cool breeze over the rock formation.

In fact, the cool breeze was most welcome.  It turned out to be very warm for a November day beneath clear, blue skies.  I made several water stops for Ellie, who seemed to always have her tongue swinging in the wind as she trotted along with me.

The rocks that create the Devil’s Backbone sure look like they would be fun to climb, though climbing isn’t allowed.  I was happy to find that the trail did lead us quite close to the keyhole so we could get a better look at the formation and the views to the west that include Long’s Peak, a 14er.  I can’ only imagine how pretty the view would have been if there was a bit more snow in the mountains, but as a non-skier, I’m not complaining about the unseasonably warm weather.The keyhole was formed by erosion of coarse-grained rocks that were weaker than the rocks around the hole.

From the key hole and rock formation, we continued on to Hunter Loop and then to Laughing Horse Loop over rolling prairie peppered with dormant bushes, golden praire grass, and cacti that had finished blooming.  I bet during the right season, the flowers and color along the trail would be lovely.  Since we were quietly strolling along the trail, we were blessed to spot a few deer!

I really enjoyed going at my own pace and testing out different settings on my camera. It has been a while since I hiked alone.  I think I did a substantially good job of wearing out Ellie as well.  It was quite a peaceful day!  ETB

websites: http://larimer.org/parks/bbone.cfm

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Beautiful Beaver Brook/Chavez Trail Loop

Beaver Brook/Chavez Trail
Fees: None
Website: http://www.gohikeco.com/2012/03/beaver-brookchavez-loop-genesee-park.htmlElevation: 8,605-10,744 feet (below treeline)
Distance: 3.9 miles
Elevation: 6,552 to 7,641ft

Today Tanya and I went for a hike in Genessee Park. What I love most about Genessee Park is how close it is to Denver, yet all the views are of the mountains and none are of the City. I feel like I have driven a few hours into the mountains instead of 30 minutes.

We opted for a short hike this week and tried out the 3.9 mile Beaver Brook/Chavez Trail Loop. I had read that the Chavez Trail was marked with braille signs for the blind, so I made the poor assumption that the path would relatively flat. It was not! I had brought along Toby, a beautiful Great Dane/Lab mix, and with his steady pull on the leash, I didn’t feel that safe climbing down the steep, rocky terrain, so I let him off the leash.

He went wild! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a dog go so bonkers on a trail. Generally, if they need to get some energy out, they run back and forth on the trail. Toby, however, ran in loops while going up and down the mountain (way off the trail). He leapt over fallen trees like a deer and splashed through the creek. Most of the time I could hear or see him, but sometimes I wondered if was coming back! Fortunately, there wasn’t in the parking lot on this chilly morning, so he had the freedom to run.

Speaking of chilly, when we driving up to the trail, my outside thermometer suggested it was 36 degrees outside. What?!? We didn’t gain that much altitude. Both of us were in denial thinking something was wrong with my car, but we didn’t even make it to the trailhead before we added layers, a hat, and gloves! It was our first cold morning of fall I think.

Our hike was absolutely lovely. We followed the path all the way down through the conifer forest to a quaint creek. We were happy to be hiking this trail at the end of the season as several places required creek crossings without a bridge. The water was low enough that we could walk across beaver dams and rocks without getting our feet wet.

Not long after we made it to the bottom of the canyon, we had to climb back up. This was good because I could finally put Toby on the leash (and get a little help ascending). It was warming up a bit, so we expected to see fellow hikers soon, and we did. We also saw a nice waterfall and enjoyed expansive views through the trees.

I was pleasantly surprised by the Beaver Brook/Chavez Trail Loop. For place to go near Denver, this hike might be one of the prettiest. I highly recommend it! ETB

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