Sun, Sept 15 - US550 Leaving Silverton :(

I am posting this while we are driving south on 287 in Texas (more "thru the windshield" shots).  Had annual, routine maintenance done in Amarillo yesterday.  We had planned on doing that in Albuquerque and arrived at the Freightliner facility at 6:30 a.m. only to learn they would not "get to it until sometime late in the afternoon."  We called Amarillo Truck from the road and they got us right in when we arrived.  Once they were finished, it was beginning to storm, so we stayed in Amarillo for the night. 

The Colorado mountains bid us farewell with a new dusting of snow;

gonna miss those cool temps:

 We stopped at Molas Pass to check the tow bar and make sure everything was working properly and ran into Larry & Cathy, out taking pictures: 

Gotta work on this one; won't flip???

 Big change in landscape once we cross into New Mexico:

 

 Hot Air Balloons on the outskirts of Albuquerque:

Friday, Sept 13 - KENDALL MTN; DEER PARK

Friday = Breakfast at Brown Bear with the gang.  Then, we all went up Kendall Mountain in search of Aspens turning gold.  They have been slow this year.  Maybe because of all the rain?? 

All we found were small patches of trees "trying" to turn gold:

 

 Thru the windshield:

 

 

 "Hank" leading some of the ladies up the trail.

It was cold today!!

 Hank, doing a "happy dance"

 

If you look closely, you can see the train coming into town.

Our RVs are in the center:

 Heading over to Deer Park:

 

 

 

 Bow Season is open; Muzzle load starts tomorrow.  There were lots of hunters setting up camp so we tried to scare this deer away:

All she did was turn around and look at us, then continue to graze:

 

 

Back into town, we saw a helicopter land & talk with the local sheriff.  We later found out that they were searching DEER PARK  (where we had just been) for a 61 year old hiker that has been missing since Tuesday.  Nights have been really cold, so we all hope he is okay and found soon.  

 

 

Sunday, Sept 8 - GEORGIA & PROSPECTOR GULCHES

Yesterday we went to the annual quilt show.  Lots of quilts, wall hangings and other projects for sale (many made by women in the RV park).  All of Sig's Christmas things were already sold.  I did see a queen size quilt I loved - $965 - I passed.   Rains came later and rained all night.

Sunday meant green chili soup at Handlebars.  We had burgers & soup for lunch then decided to try Georgia Gulch again and see if the wash-out and slides had been repaired.  Not yet.  So, we turned around and went to Prospector Gulch, with a ride across the Shrine Road before returning to the RVs just before it started pouring . . . again.

 Following Charles & Jane along a ledge road:

 

 

 Charles & Jane coming down from the top:

 Collapsing Mine:

Trying the "Panoramic" setting:

 Aspens are trying to turn gold:

Some of Jim's panoramic shots: