Wanderin' the West

After missing last years Train Trip due to Covid, I was excited to get back down to the Southern end of the San Luis Valley for some camping and a fantastic ride on the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic Railroad ( my favorite!). We rode the train on Thursday, departing from Antonito, with a stop in Osier,- an old track maintenance town, for lunch ( highly recommend the meatloaf!) before returning back to the depot in Antonito. They weren’t running the busses this year due to Covid, so our normal trip from Chama, NM to Antonito, CO would have to wait a year. The rest of the long weekend was spent relaxing and chasing the train. One day we chased the Antonito train from Whiplash Curve to Osier and the other we chased the C&TS out of Chama to Osier using Apache Canyon ( with a fording of the Rio de Los Pinos River) to get to Osier. We couldn’t have asked for more perfect summer weather. The company was wonderful and the stars were out in force. I even had a little adventure on my way to camp after leaving work on Wednesday:). Here are some images from the trip. Enjoy!

After leaving work on Wednesday afternoon, I made my way to Antonito, but not without some excitement… For some reason I blew past my turn in San Luis, and didn’t notice it till I was a good half hour south of town (busy enjoying the views I guess). So on a whim, I took a detour though Mesita and the San Luis Hills. As I got close to Antonito, I came across fields full of Wild Iris. Excited, I pulled over to snap a few pics, only to slide off into the ditch ( shoulder was really soft). After a few failed attempts to extract myself, I called friends for help. After some time hanging out with the mosquitos, my friend Brian came down from camp and pulled me out. Funny thing was, I couldn’t us my new winch as there was nothing solid to anchor to. Finally rolled into camp around 8pm.

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Fields of Wild Iris outside Antonito, CO.

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If you look closely, you can see the swarms of mosquitos. Never seen so many!

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Morning light over Mogote Peak.

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I headed back up to the cabin this past Friday in hopes of befriending the loggers while they were working away on the property. Unfortunately I was to late in when I got up there as they were already done for the day. So instead spent some time wondering around where they are staging the logs to be loaded on to the trucks to be taken down to the mill in Canyon City. Later in the day, Two friends joined me that night at the cabin and after taking them for a drive to the wilderness boundary with Mt. Evans, we settled in for the evening next to the fireplace.

I had to send my 5DMK4 camera into the shop to get cleaned so I had to break out the 7D for this visit. Was fun shooting with the 7D again.

Staging area for the logs that are ready to be loaded onto the truck. They’ve been taking two fully loaded rigs a day down to the mills in Canyon City since they started.

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The last time I had been up to the cabin was in March, well before Cruise Moab. So I headed up to the property this past Thursday night (5/13). It felt great to get back up there. Especially knowing that the logging operations have begun on to the property. We got a major grant from the Jefferson County Conservation District for the logging operations and so far they have about 150 acres completed. Pretty exciting stuff.

I tried top get to the Wilderness Boundary for the sunset from the pond but got turned back due to snow (great to see snow this late in May!). So headed back to the pond to catch the sunset before ending the night at the cabin. A most relaxing evening!

Had to stop and check out some of the logging equipment that was at the property.

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Was having fun taking pics of the logging equipment. Might become a them for this summer:).

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Man oh man, what a great time out in the Utah desert this past week!! After missing last year since Covid-19 canceled Cruise Moab, it felt really, really good to be out in the desert with friends, even if Cruise Moab was a toned down version ( no Vendor night, Raffle/Dinner and only a 140 vehicles registered). We always head out early for a little “Pre-Cruise Moab wanderings”. This year we ended up down in Beef Basin ( a favorite of mine) before doing the Lockhart Basin trail back to Moab. I headed out early and was able to get one of my favorite campsites in the basin and have two nights of solitude. Perfect way to start the trip! Friends rolled in on Sunday afternoon. It was fun to show them some sports around Beef Basin for a few days before heading out to do Lockhart Basin back to Moab. Lockhart was a bit harder than I remember ( last time we ran it was in 2009), but still a fun trail. For Cruise Moab, I rode along this year to focus on taking pics, doing Seven Mile Rim on Thursday and Hells Revenge on Saturday. These are some of the pics I took throughout the week (took over 600 pics). Will be working on a full report soon.

Enjoy!

Beef Basin and the Henry Mountains in the distance. A great view to be welcomed back after a 12hr drive from Downtown Denver.

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Sunrise Saturday morning and my first full day back into Beef Basin. Didn’t see another soul the entire day:).

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This past Saturday, my Dad and I drove down to Sapinero (Blue Mesa Reservoir) and back to pick up my 4runner from my friends at Proffitt’s Resurrection Land Cruisers. There located in Orchard City, CO, just outside Delta. To make things easier, lately I’ve been meeting Jeremiah (owner and longtime friend) at there place above Sapinero, CO. Dad joined me again for the trek down and back. It was a most enjoyable day. The light through South Park, as with the last few trips, was wonderful. Monarch Pass is always a beautiful drive. I was excited to get the 4runner back, as the crew at Proffitt’s installed a dual ARB air compressor. Something I’ve always wanted. I’ll do a write up on the install later.

I’ve been working on a logo design, with help from my Dad over the past few months. After finally getting a design we liked, I ordered stickers. They showed up this week and I’m pretty excited how they turned out. Just in time for the annual Spring fling in Moab, UT (Cruise Moab). The few nice days of weather that Denver has had has me excited to get out to the desert and hide away for a few days!

Great light while driving through South Park this past Saturday.

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We stopped to take in the views of South Park (pulled off on a turn out near Camp of the Rockies)

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Great views from Monarch Pass.

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Felt good to have the 4runner back!

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New logo! Ordered a bunch of stickers, just in time for Cruise Moab 2021.

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ARB dual air compressor installed by Proffittt’s.

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Somehow, I made it to work this past Sunday. Always happy when the trains and shuttle buses are running on time. Sunday was when the blizzard of 2021 set in. I was the only production member to make it to work (three drivers kept me busy) that day. My manager Brad gave me a ride home after we shut things down early. Pena BLVRD had to be the worst I’ve ever seen it.

27+” at DIA.

Downtown: A good 12″.

Went for a walk around my apartment after getting home. Downtown can be so peaceful during these storms.

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Millennium Bridge in the distance.

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Have watched people take pics of these stairs ever since I’ve been downtown.

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17th Street.

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Union Station.

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16th and Wazee.

One of the benefits of being at work out at the airport (Denver International) by 5am is that I get to enjoy the sunrise while I’m working away. Definitely some good ones this past week, before the big winter storm set in. The few nice days we had has me itching to get out to the desert, though I still have some work to check off the to do list on the runner before hand ( truck is currently getting a dual ARB Compressor installed).

My favorite sunrises from this past work week

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Knowing I’d be driving down to Sapinero (and back) on Saturday, I headed up to the cabin this past Friday for a night. Felt good to get up there since it’s been a few weeks. The weather was perfect and a nice clear night to enjoy the Winter Moon. Originally planned to get a few pics of the runner with the new awning set up, but it was just to windy when I tried. So instead, just enjoyed the afternoon up at the property. Later that evening a friend from the club joined me for a few hours. A most relaxing night:).

Making fresh tracks to the pond and the Upper Meadows. I was enjoying it.

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Some great afternoon light at the pond. Rosedale and the Mt. Evans Wilderness in the distance.

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Evening setting in.

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Some great evening light from the Cabin. Looking North to Squaw Peak.

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Loved this scene but was a bit late on capturing the light.

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Aspens that we see from the Cabin.

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Some great clouds that evening.

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Home:).

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Some fine light on Evans the next morning. From here, it was a fun drive to my friends place in Sapinero ( and Back).

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Took advantage of the finally warmer weather yesterday to pick up and install the ARB awning I got from Slee Off Road. The install actually turned out to be a super easy job, thanks in part to the Eazi-Awn brackets I picked up from my pal Paul at Equipt Expidition Outfitter in Salt Lake. Proffitt’s Resurrection Land Cruisers powder coated the brackets for me.

All in all it took about an hour to install the awning. I haven’t had a chance to test it out, but sure there will be plenty of time as we head into the warmer months:).

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Mounting brackets for the roof rack from Eazi-Awn.

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Instructions and hardware. 10mm bolts.

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Ready to mount to the awning.

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Brackets mounted to the awning.

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Brackets set to the width of the roof rack.

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Tightening down the brackets on the roof rack.

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All finished. I’ll post images when I can with the awning folded out.

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Yesterday, my Dad joined me for a drive down to my friends place above Sapinero, CO. His shop, Proffitt’s Resurrection Land Cruisers is located in Orchard City, just outside of Delta. Coming from Denver, it helps with the drive getting the runner to Jeremiah and Chandra’s place above Sapinero.

After topping off the tank in Poncha Springs, we started the drive over Monarch Pass (11,312ft), not too long after coming upon a line of stopped vehicles. Turned out an avalanche had just closed the pass. So, Dad and I turned around, had lunch in a balmy 39deg Salida then headed back home.

I broke off from driving back with Dad in South Park, turning off on the road to Weston Pass. Winter weather was setting in so I didn’t get many pics, but it sure felt good to get the 4runner out. First time since Slee Off Road installed the winch.

The images I did get from yesterdays outing.

Finally feeling like Winter. Views from Weston Pass road.

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Felt good to get the 4runner out for a drive.

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