American Basin

On Tuesday, we took our last day off work. (I know it is our last week, and this does seem a bit strange.) My cousin (Kristin) and her family were on their annual camping trip in Colorado. They have been camping near Lake City, Colorado for the past 10 years or so. We decided that we would drive to go see them and hang out for a day. (I usually tried to visit about once a year their place in Kansas City, so this would get in my yearly visit.) We left about 7:30am; it is about a three hour trip from our place. We met them in the quaint little town of Lake City about 11am. We hopped back in the car to head to the American Basin - one of the most beautiful places in the San Juan Mountain Range. It is a four wheel drive road there through the mountains. It had lots of snowmelt waterfalls cascading down the mountainsides. There were huge towering rockies all around us. It was beautiful. The road opens up into a basin with a river running through it. There are lots and lots of wildflowers! I obviously don't really know any of the names. I included some pictures though. I did not get a picture of the state flower of Colorado, the Columbine, that was all over the basin. The sky started clouding up as we were making lunch - mini raviolis and sauce, yum! I think my pictures would have turned out better had there been more blue skies. We hiked only a little ways because 1) Jeremy and I could hardly walk, and 2) time was growing short because we wanted to leave by 4ish. The picture on the right is my cousins family by one of the waterfalls we saw on our hike. On the way back down the four wheel drive road, we started noticing the mountains ahead of us looked like they were getting snow - in JULY! Then, we started seeing it where we were driving! Actually, it was hail and lots of it! Check out the picture to the left.... looks like a winter wonderland, huh? We actually got out of there about 5pm, a little later than we expected, but okay.

On the way back we stopped at the North Clear Creek Falls, which Jeremy has been wanting to see. It was pretty neat. I included a photo to the right. We were starving, so we stopped at Boogie's Restaurant in Del Norte. They were excellent burgers! and they were fast with our food, which is always good when you are starving. :) We made it home by 8:30pm; I did our chores for the week - lots of sweeping and mopping. Then, I headed to bed. One night behind on packing stuff, but I am sure we will catch up at some point - after the softball game or the going away party or supper with Mike and Gigi.... we'll see.