One with the Trees

It probably wouldn't have occurred to me to take this perspective, but Steve pointed it out. It ended up being a theme on Kyle's phone screen saver right away. The picture doesn't do it justice, that feeling that you are a little brother of the trees.

Pool Table

I was never clear about the Pool Table Mountain. The map I had didn't clearly point out which one it was. There were two candidates, ridges with tops that looked like they had been laid out with a ruler, straight as an arrow. I wonder now, when I look back at the pictures if the road wasn't on the pool table. It was flat and clear up there.

You look around when you're up there, and it's not clear if extensive areas were clear cut and logged out years ago (there are no stumps), or if a fire a really long time ago cleared it out, or if this is just an area where no trees grow.

Wagon Wheel Gap

This is what Wagon Wheel Gap looks like from above, on the Pool Table Road.

Mill Park

Must have been one of those mobile carnival things. There's no trace of it now. One thing those Carnies didn't understand: Location Location Location.

Pool Table Rodent

When travelling on Pool Table Road, you have to stop and pay a toll. This is the toll booth operator. Fortunately, he accepts a few cracker crumbs.

Pool Table Road

When you get to the top of the first series of switchbacks on Pool Table Road, there is a scenic overlook that gives a great view of the Rio Grande valley between Creede and Wagon Wheel Gap. This view is looking back toward Creede. When the La Garita and Creede calderas were first formed, they made a lake where Creede is now. Eventually, the rim of the caldera eroded away and the Rio Grande was able to flow out. This picture is looking through the gap in the rim of the lake that eventually opened up.

On top of Wheeler

Thinking that there must be a better view, we hiked around Wheeler to the top and went out to the edge up there.

While one view gives you a sense of how them material must have flowed when it was lava (or whatever it is that these eruptions brought, maybe hot dust), and the views of us on the edge are cool, the best views are from below.

Wheeler Geological Area

I had read about this area and heard it was a remote and unique place that was very hard to get to.

It's some kind of volcanic deposits from huge explosions 28 million years ago, which for some reason are only visible in this one tiny place.

It's hard to get to, and the journey is half the reward, but it's also unique and beautiful.

Wheeler Walk

This was on the path up to Wheeler Geological Area. The Aspens made a nice canopy over the trail, it was like being in a nature tube.

Disgruntled in Paradise

Few people are aware of the alternate hit by Jim-Bob Buffet, Disgruntled in Paradise.

I'm not sure if someone kicked this guy's cat or peed on his ice cream snow, but I do understand that he is not happy. He should move to a big city where he'll fit right in.

Cabin Cairn

Steve felt compelled to make a cairn next to the river down by the cabin. Kyle helped. I like it. It has a Dr. Suess kind of quality.

Coming in for a Landing

Our long shortcut down the unnamed road off the Bachelor Loop came out to a hill and a 45° path down to the highway next to the Airport. Just before we finished this leg, we all got out and walked so we could watch Steve go down the hill, as well as stand by to provide first aid. We were just above the airport and it felt like we were coming in for a landing.

Hobo Smackdown

On our long shortcut we spent a lot of time getting out and taking in the views.

Proving he's a chip off the old block, Kyle came up with possibly the most brilliant idea of his young life. He stated that they needed to come up with an event where hobos would fight each other for food money rewards. He called it the Hobo Smackdown. If he doesn't get a job as a rock musician in a band like Tenacious D, he should have no trouble having a successful career in Network Programming. I think the Hobo Smackdown can easily beat Dawg Bounty Hunter in all time ratings.

Creede from Above

Here's a view of Creede from our shortcut off the Bachelor Loop. The hill this was taken from is southwest of Creede, so you can see how it is nestled in the valley with the steep peaks on either side of the canyon beyond.

Project Baby Runway

Here's Andrea taking advantage of good light and backdrop to get some excellent photos for Zach's baby model portfolio. We missed getting him in the Bruno movie, but supermodel stardom is only a matter of time. His nickname can become Zachlander.

The Cool Long Shortcut

Coming down off the Bachelor Loop, we saw a side road that cut away toward the cabin, which would let us avoid going back through town. You might think this is a shorter route, but it turned out to be more hazardous, which took longer.

But it was also beautiful, with great overlook views of Creede and the Rio Grande valley, so we stopped to take multiple pictures.

Moose Sighting

We saw a cow moose and her calf on the Silver Thread the day before and then again on the Bachelor Loop. This one (calf not visible in the picture) looked almost black.

Photo by Andrea

Through the Looking Glass

Here's what Zach looked like backwards through my binoculars.

Mountain Baby Fashion

Mommy made Zach this fashionable hat, thus making him the height of Mountain Fashion.

Monumental

You've heard about the pyramid builders that anthropologists study when they find ruins in the jungle and speculate about the people that make them.

I got to witness some cairn-builders. Their primitive skills were on full display.

Dam Dangerous

Before getting kicked off the land after being informed it was private property, we couldn't resist getting a close-up look at this old dam. It was crumbling apart and breached at the bottom, but still standing. You wonder how it finally failed and why it didn't fall apart completely.

After getting home, I found a picture of people kayaking in the creek, with a caption that explained that they got through the hole in the base of the dam. Unbelievable. Actually, it does look kind of photoshopped. I wonder....

A Bridge Too Far

It doesn't say anything about unauthorized people.

Substitute Teething Ring

When Zach got fussy on the way back down Henson Creek, we had to find a way to pacify him. We used Steve's headband flashlight, which de-lighted Zach.

Collectibles

The perfect pine cone makes Andrea's fingers itchy.

UnReal Estate

Believe it or not, this sign is advertising an empty lot to the right of this drive, not the strange pieced together cabin you see behind the sign. And for your information, an empty lot in Capitol City Colorado, 120 feet by 140 feet with no utilities and no access via road in the winter is $80,000.

Capitol City

After going through Lake City, we went up Henson Creek to Capitol City. All that remains of this town that once had hundreds of houses is a couple of log cabins.

There is also the remnant of either a smelter or a brick kiln across the creek, but we did not go over there.

My theory is that when the mines played out and the people started to leave, that the remaining citizens saw in their houses an easy supply of firewood. Each year, more people would leave, and the remaining residents would survive the winter by burning their abandoned houses to stay warm. That is why one cabin remains, once he leaves, there's no one left to burn houses for wood.

North Clear Creek Falls, Very Photogenic

Another scenic overlook, and more photo ops at North Clear Creek Falls.

Silver Thread Scenic Byway

There is a great scenic overlook on 149 that gives you a view of Hermit Lakes and Hermit Peak.

Little Lion

It looks like the Little Lion is up for a little nap. Zach doesn't sleep all the time in the car, just most of the time.

Freemon's

No trip on 149 between Lake City and Creede is complete without a stop at Freemon's General Store to get some ice cream.

Day one

We started off our time in Creede Colorado with a little road trip. Here we are, going off to Lake City with Kyle and Zach.

On the way, we see a herd of Bighorn Sheep.

Super Kyle

Kyle finds that Zach's tiny bib makes an excellent mini-super hero cape. I believe the superpower you get from this cape is the ability to resist spit-up.

Great Sand Dunes

Tucked in the corner of the San Luis Valley up next to the Sangre de Cristo mountain range in Colorado are the highest sand dunes in the United States.

It's the strangest, most improbable sight, to see this little chunk of desert looking terrain in the Rocky Mountains.