It all starts here

The USA Pro Challenge is soon to be happenning, and as the event draws near, we are seeing morre and more banners, flyers and other promotions for the race which is being billed as the "Tour de France" of Colorado. It is being estimated that there could be as many as 30,000 visitors to our little town over the week of the event. Surely, it is an event not to be missed!

Flow of the Florida

The Florida (pronounced flo-ree-da, not like the state) is flowing heavy near the Lemon Dam.

Be sure to visit Santa Fe Daily Photo to catch great photos of my native city

A morning stroll through the park

I meet my coworkers on a street across from this park in the early mornings, and I am always attracted to the green glow of the sunlight as it filters through the tree leaves and highlights the leaves of grass.

Free Lunch

This big ol' chipmunk is definitely taking advantage.

Reflections for Randy

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Flash Flood

A brief thunderstorm brought enough rain to overwhelm many of the storm drains around town. This one here is loaded with silt and debris, affecting the color of the river.

Mesa Market

A great place to stop for snacks and drink if you are on the outskirts of town. "Country Convenience" at it's finest

Such a beautiful morning

I was treated to this view as I made my way downtown for work.

Languid Stretches

North of Durango

View to the North

This is looking north from the summit of Engineer Mountain. The San Juans extend into the distance. Please click the photo to enlarge. This is the last post of my Engineer hike.

Summit

After two hours of hiking, we make it to the summit. 12968 ft / 3953 m

Negotiating the Crux

Here we are passing through the most difficult part of the climb. We had to stem up and out of a rock chimney and once out, we were greeted by this exposed flank of the mountain. Here is where Engineer really starts to take on the ccrumbly, rotten characteristics or the rock that are so typical of the San Juan Mountains. This traverse would normally be a walk in the park, but we were faced with many "souvenir" holds. Holds that come out into your hand as you grab them. For me, this just added a new level of excitement and really made me conscious of what I was doing.

Approaching the Crux

The trail is beginning to follow a natural cleavage in the rock, and the hardest part of the climb is just on the other side. To our left is the jagged and crumbly wall of stone and to our right is a few hundred feet of air.

Really getting up there

As we climb higher and our elevation grows, the view starts to open up around us. Looking Northwest toward Grizzly Peak (13, 738 ft).

Nearing the Base

Our view opens, and Engineer Mountain looms before us.

Wildflower season in the high country

A friend and I took a hike to the summit of Engineer Mountain yesterday and I was surprised that we happened to be in the middle of wildflower season in the high country. It was meadow after meadow of multi-hued flowers crowding the grasses

Mushrooms on the Lawn

This lawn on W. 2nd Ave. is crowded with Argaricus arvensis, also known as the Horse Mushroom. This is a sure sign that we have been receiving much needed rain.

Purple Asters

Growing in a field up north, near Purgatory.

Old Snag

Lizard Life