Not bad for the first solo trip.

[Sleepy Weasel]

Hannah needs no help finding boys. She's just really picky, and justifiably so. I doubt she will settle for any guy riding a scooter.

Ah, she doesn't go for that badboy type?

 

[cwdancer]

Elly, you are in! It will be first or second week of July, 2009.

Look forward to it.

BTW I enjoyed reading about your trip and seeing the pictures - GREAT JOB.

 

[Soozy]

Here are a few shots of the wildest part of the river run we took a few days ago. These are courtesy of Josh and Christine's business Whitewater Photography.

Hannah and Heather took a hike up to Vaile Falls. Here are their pics.

There is a girl in this picture.

I took a ride up to Leadville in response to Elzi's question about the headwaters of the Arkansas River.

Here are the headwaters. But really there is a reservoir that releases water through the summer to keep the river at a flow good enough for rafting. All the companies pay a fee for this. The only folks who can demand water be released are the old time ranchers from the 1800's who have water rights. Seems the fee goes to them. On August 17 this flow will stop for the year and the flow will drop from around 1400cfs to 300.

The views on the ride were so very pretty.

That evening the girls roasted corn on the cob, potatoes, and brats. Dessert was fresh strawberries and whipped cream over angel food cake. Mikey and Joe joined us. All of the leftovers lasted only seconds when the girls carried them to the river guide's camp fire.

The girls and I drove to Crested Butte to try and catch a concert, but it rained and was canceled. Here are some of the sights along the drive. We stopped at the continental divide and hiked up to the peak.

[Zoom zoom.... (we loved riding that road...saw a few bikes too)

At the top. Walked thru some snow to get here. I was slipping so sorry no pictures of the snow.

This is a 360 degree series of the view at the top.

The ride through the Gunnison National Forest was beautiful.

The rain didn't stop us from wandering around Crested Butte and shooting some of the sites. This town is named for this mountain.

There are flowers everywhere! The poppies are the size of saucers.

These were fun. Look out! You might get eaten!!

Oh No!! Where did they go?

They went to The Lobar on Elk Street(I call it Deep Elkum). Yum...world class sushi.

Here is the inside of my cool little tent.

Hannah and Heather left today. Hannah will be back Sunday with Joe's daughter, Jennifer.

Can you believe this was only 7 bucks?

 

[ed29]

Ahhhhhh... those pictures from the mountain top make my eyes water...


I want to be up there.

You are taking wonderful pictures on your adventure.

 

[TexasShadow]

I'm envious. You are having such a great time, and with your daughter, too. (haven't seen Tanaya in four years......). The stories and photos are absolutely fabulous! I'm tempted to call in work -"I quit!!!"- and load up the Sherpa to join you

Thanks a bundle for the present: the source of the Arkansas. I have a fascination with rivers; they are so rich in history. What you related (regulated H2O release), fees and water rights is similar to the Klamath in Oregon. Except that people actually died in fights over it a couple years ago. The Arkansas has captivated me for several reasons, but your photos and stories centered around it near the headwaters is so neat. What a difference from the river I saw near Russelville, Arkansas! So wild.......as it should be.

I'm sorely tempted to ride up there sometime for a rafting run. Haven't done that in years; way overdue. Next July, aye? Hmmmm.........

And Gunnison!!!! Oh, man. I've been wanting to go there for years........ Awesome photos. Thanks for sharing them all.

 

[KenH]

Ah, she doesn't go for that badboy type?

Naw, she is more for the intelligent, polite type that actually rides his Harley through the trailer convention and over to Burger Box on Friday night.

 

[dfwscotty]

Listen!

Hear that??


It's Colorado calling!!!!


Awesome tour guide and pics Soozy!

 

[Gilk51]

Well,

Lousy pictures, lousy story, uninteresting, dull, boring...

MAN! do I want to be up there!

Retract the above - GREAT stories and pictures - just wish I was there...

 

[Soozy]

So a few more stories for you all.

I was sitting with Deeda, the sweat lodge shaman, at her camp watching hummingbirds. I did not have my camera with me so please accept this eyewitness account.

A tiny Rufus hummingbird was protecting a feeder Deeda put up. I was checking out Deeda's bird books trying to ID that bird from an early post. She was quietly watching behind my head and whispered to be still. A female broadtailed hummingbird came around my head and and went to Deeda to hover about 6 inches from her face for many seconds, then flitted away to perch on a branch. Deeda got up and took the feeder away from the Rufus and set it on the table next to my arm. The female came down off her branch to feed.

I have seen cats, dogs, sheep, and horses remind you that it is dinner time, but this was a wild hummingbird.

The bird in my early post was a Western Tanniger.

 

[Soozy]

I was driven out of camp early this morning due to hunger.

This hog rolled in while I was enjoying breakfast.

It's a Whizzer!

This day was made for a longer river run. Joe collected the daughters of a couple of the local doctors for the run. We met a local guide who was taking his sister, mother, and the mom's significant other down the river on the same run in a small raft called an Adrenaline. Well named!

Here are the cute girls for all you fellows reading this. And here are my brother's lats for all you girls.

More river scenes.

Here is a very interesting waterfront home.

It is built on the support of a long ago washed out bridge.

More river shots.

Here is the crew of the day still smiling and sharing chocolate and beer.

The ride turned cold after the last shot due to rain. We had most of the tough parts of the river ahead. We were also floating in the middle of a Noah's Ark group run. We went through Zoom Flume fine and soaked as usual. Our Adrenaline group flipped early in Zoom Flume. Now we had 4 swimmers, 4 paddles, and an empty raft coming through an area where swimming is not good. There were three rafts down stream...Joe's and 2 Noah's. Without a word spoken they formed a wall to catch people and gear. I was fumbling for the throw bag as the first raft missed the first swimmer. The second raft grabbed her and a paddle and handed the paddle to me as they floated by to take our swimmer to an eddy. The woman's boyfriend who was also swimming, became upset (an absolute no no) and tried to swim to her when she missed her first rescue chance. So it took more to get him out. Noah's guides got both of these folks out. The boat eddied itself out, and the guide and his sis made it to an eddy on their own.

A swim can beat even the best swimmer up and sap ALL energy in seconds. The mom broke her hand when it went between two rocks and she kept sweeping down stream.

The very next boat had a first responder on board. He assessed her condition and got dry clothes for her before sending the crew on to the next take out. All were in good spirits when they got warmed up in their car.

My boat crew was frozen with 4 miles to go and two of the wildest parts of the river. We fortified ourselves with cheese crackers and heath bars and pulled every piece of clothing we had out of the dry bags. I had the greatest resources(yes...body fat) so I gave Joe my long johns and splash pants and he gave all of his to the girls. I used my Olympia motorcycle jacket liner as a splash jacket. It worked GREAT! I wished I had duct tape to seal the sleeve around my wrist.

We had a fabulous time through Sidel and Twin Falls and made our take out before dark.

Still smiling!

We grabbed Mexican food on the ride back to camp. I put on warm clothes and went to bed. Even in my bed and dry clothes, 30 minutes later my buttcheeks were still icy.

hahahaha! Maybe that is why I am divorced.

 

[Soozy]

I left out this great picture....Smokin' Indian Rock

Every year a guide has to climb up there and place an 11 to 15 foot fence post in the rock to be the cigarette for the next year.

 

[Curtis]

Here is Jimmers shop up the road. He is the Curtis of the Rockies. He wanted to show off his newest machine...I will call it a smasher thingy. He was making the ends of metal rods into aspen leaves by smushing them just so and then just so. He built the shop himself.

Now that's my kind of guy. Good thing I'm not with you on this Adventure, I'd probably not come home.

I am so proud to have been able to contribute to your preparation for this Adventure. I had a great time getting to know you while we fought your tires on. Enjoyed every minute!

Have a great time and a safe ride home!

Miss Melissa and I are headed out that way tomorrow, but since she doesn't ride I'm going to have to trailer my KLR if I want to be able to enjoy the scenery from my bike seat. She'll ge to shop, I'll get to ride. A Win, Win!

We're probably not going to get up into Colorado much. I was hoping to kick around in North New Mexico as much as possible.

Curtis

 

[Soozy]

I enjoyed it, too!! Riding on the new tires made the bike feel new. I know now what the difference is between squirrely ride and solid ride.

 

[Hemibee]

Can you believe this was only 7 bucks?

Where's the grits? For a whole $7.00 you would at least expect some grits with your meal.

 

[Soozy]

Hey those big square chunks are Colorado grits. Made from potatoes.

 

[Soozy]

I have spent the last three days on the river and snapped a couple more shots of it for you. I wanted a do over on Smokin' Chief Rock because the last one was so blurry.

The lighting was in my favor this time!

Yesterday's crew...Doc Neidle, his son David, and his daughter Emma.

Oh yeah, Doc you are gonna have fun!

Lewis, Clarke, and another Clarke. Wow...a good hair day?

That is right Doc, you may not pee on the bush.

Yes, IN the river! That is the rule. We PROMISE we won't look.

Water can actually drill through a rock.

We hit a rock that ejected the good Doc who was sitting beside me in the back of the boat. I saw a leg flying up and grabbed it to pin him to the boat. He had so much water flowing over him, I could not pull him back in. Joe reached back and grabbed a hand and yanked him back in. Because he was hanging off the boat with water running UP his face, he will never need his sinuses cleaned out again. We had put him in the back minutes before the small swim because he was too wet and cold. Irony. Here he is switching to warm dry clothes.

I did a ride up to the continental divide and took some fun pictures along the way.

SNOW.

Here is the bike at the divide.

Remember Zoom-Zoom from an earlier post? What do you think this means?

I met Blue at the divide. He is so beautiful! His owner said he is a cross between a boxer and a husky.

I met these nice folks and Tess beside Chalk Creek. We helped each other with pictures.

Chalk Creek flows violently. It makes it's way to the Arkansas and turns about a third of the water white for a way.

And of course I must include shots of curvy roads.

Remember this?

I've been upgraded thanks to the local sign man, Stan.

 

[ABlueCollarWoman]

OOhhhh Soozy... how I love this!

 

[Gilk51]

I guess she was not offended by the gift of the original sticker...


Is Sooz ever coming home or will she torment us with pictures forever?

 

[primate]

Is Sooz ever coming home or will she torment us with pictures forever? [/QUOTE]

I'm just glad I get to ride vicariously through these ride reports...20 mile straight line to work in a line of cars, 20 mile sraight line home in a blast oven.

 

[Sleepy Weasel]

I've been upgraded thanks to the local sign man, Stan.

I suppose I don't really have to enforce that trademark.

You're going to need to change that Scooter Trash sticker to read "Hardcore Scooter Trash!®"

 

[ed29]

I've been upgraded thanks to the local sign man, Stan.

Soozy, the new sticker is great!

 

[Soozy]

I suppose I don't really have to enforce that trademark.

Uh oh.....

What do I owe you for the privilege of displaying this? Half my kingdom up to the cost of ice cream.

 

[Sleepy Weasel]

Uh oh.....

What do I owe you for the privilege of displaying this? Half my kingdom up to the cost of ice cream.

I'd take you up on ice cream, but my latest trip to the Dr says my cholesterol & triglycerides are way out of hand.

So I guess you're off the hook.

 

[KenH]

Keep on, Hard Core Scooter Trash.!

 

[IDR]

Is Sooz ever coming home ?

I hope not for a while. This is the most entertaining ride report ever.
Life is good and your living a great part of it.