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Scree - June 25, 2011 - Mountain Trip, The Beginning

climbing the Loft

Colorado, 27JUN11

After a good night's rest, I piddled in the campsite for a couple of hours before getting underway. It had been very windy all night and continued into the morning. While heating water on the stove, I had to bulid a wind block or the flame would be blown out.

So looking across the landscape, Kansas is flat; but East Prairie, Missouri is flatter. There are small rises in the Kansas terrain, whereas in East Prairie it is flat.

Oh, the internet did not work in the rest area. I guess it worked, I just didn't have the patience to wait a couple of hours for a page to load.

After breakfast, I left for REI's flagship store in Denver. The shoes I wanted were out of stock; but I did find a few trinkets.

On to Mark's in Boulder. Traffic was crazy as I waited on Highway 36 for ever. There were two police officers with speed traps set; but the cars were all creeping because of the traffic. Maybe they were using a dummy in the car staging the fake officer to be using a radar gun. I guess a better use of the policeman's time would have been to find out why traffic was so backed up and how to ease the congestion.

I did stop at the REI in Boulder and got the shoes. I tried on several sizes and found a good fit. I hope they fit at least ...

It is hot in Boulder.

West Kansas 2140, 26JUN11

I woke up this morning at 4.30 and began the last minute packing. Checking the weather showed a large storm moving toward Nashville. I quickly completed by remaining chores and was on the road a little sooner than expected. I even almost left my phone!

After saying goodbye to Amy and Jake, the good dog, I headed west on Interstate 40 instead of northwest on 24. It added about 60 miles to my trip, arg, but, I did miss most of the weather.

All went well until Kansas City, and then construction slowed traffic until past Topeka and then again in the middle of Kansas.

I finally made it to the Kansas rest area at mile marker 7. They allow camping and overnight parking at the rest area. It is one of our favorite stops.

I took some photos on the trip, we'll see what they look like tomorrow morning! I'll try to post again and share a few more tidbits about the road.

Oh, Amy will join we in a week and a half. It was pretty lonely not having her along on the drive. She likes it as much as I do. She is a good partner.

Oh, I arrived 5 minutes before I predicted that I would. I'll try to be more accurate next time.

Mountain Trip, The Beginning 0800, 25JUN11

I am living in a busy house today. If I get everything done, I will leave in the morning for Boulder, Estes Park, and other parts of state of Colorado.

For almost a year we have been waiting for our annual trip to the mountains and now it is happening. Yikes, Yikes, Yikes. We will be back toward the end of the first week of August.

It has snowed quite a bit in the South Platte region of Colorado (north-east including the mountains). We think conditions will be like late spring instead of summer. The snow is melting fast but the creeks are overflowing and should make for some interesting crossings.

As for writing, I am going to leave this scree open and update it over the first couple of traveling days of the trip. Of course I have to have internet to update the site. After I settle into a routine, I hope to return to daily Journal entries.

Climbing 14ers

I saw this great little video on climbing a 14er. It has solid advice and is on the funny side. Maybe it will get you to come out and join me.

http://gamutnews.com/20110613/21999/video-video-climbing-your-first-14er.html