Home safe and sound at last!!!

We made it in 24hrs and 30 minutes with stops included. Not too bad for a team of six with only two legal drivers! We'll post a synopsis later, as of right now we have to get everything cleaned up and get some rest. It sure feels weird to be home. The humidity is incredible!

Where are we?

in Birmingham...stay tuned.

Headed home

We hit the road about 10am Mountain time today. We've just crossed the border into Oklahoma, and boy oh boy is the Southern route is so much flatter and more boring than the Northern route through Kansas. The stretch through Texas was extremely flat.

For the first time the whole trip I'm letting Jenny take the wheel. Ironman has to sleep every now and then:-). I'm sure I'll be up doing a lot of night driving.

Don't be surprised if our posts through the night get a bit delirious. Jenny has already consumed the first RedBull. I'm trying to wait it out until the wee hours of the AM.

Over and out...

A man down...

Well folks, we are drawing near to the end of our trip, and unfortunately Ella has gotten a stomach bug, or Salmonella from the latest Tomato outbreak. We aren't sure as of yet, but she is definitely not herself, feverish, and definitely a loss to the full power of the Starks' clan.

Even so, we've had some good times here in Santa Fe. It is a cultural experience being among the adobe architecture, incredible churches, and unbelievable art.

The older kids and I hit the streets yesterday and today in search of cool stuff to take home with us. The Plaza provided incredible jewelery to choose from for Jenny. We visited the Loretto Chapel which houses the "Miraculous Staircase". Google it to learn more, as this thing is extremely impressive and somewhat impossible from a spiritual and engineering perspective.

Everyone in Santa Fe seemed excited to learn we had traveled all the way from SC to visit their town. They are an extremely nice bunch of folks, and have plenty of stories to tell.

We have really learned to like the culture, especially the fact that they have kivas (fireplaces) everywhere you turn including our hotel room. They are really nice at night as it gets cooler.

Santa Fe is yet another town we expect to spend more time in next time around. These folks understand the real American culture. If you want to relax with a smile on your face, this is the place.

So folks, this is where our story begins to come to a close. We're headed east tomorrow, and seriously are going to miss this trip and our adventures. We'll continue the story on our way home, and we'll try our hardest to maintain our enthusiasm that we've exhibited throughout our trip.

We are leaving Santa Fe manana, and are targeting to hit Greenville by noon on Saturday. It will be a marathon drive for sure, with much good music, discussion, contemplation, and serious nostalgia. We are very thankful for being able to have the ability to take a trip of this magnitude, and will never regret it.

Give us your positive thoughts and prayers as we head back towards home, and keep in mind that a trip like this is possible for you all. Forget the gas prices, forget your work schedule, forget watering the grass, and just get out there and do it. Life isn't worth living without it...

Thanks for staying in tune with us, and until next time we go in peace...

Ironman

Eureka!!! There is gold in them there hills...

The Starks' clan hit the road early this morning and joined Outlaw Tours group out of Durango to take us up to Silverton in a van, transfer over to some sort of SUV and hit the back country, then return to Silverton eat lunch and take the Narrow Guage Rail back down to Durango.

Our guide, we'll refer to as John as that is is his real name, turned out to be from NC. He was super groovy, knew all the good facts about the area, and still had that good ole' Southern sense of humor. He drove us up to Silverton while explaining the area (very rich in mining history), and then we tranferred the clan over to probably the coolest, most reliable, utilitarian vehicle available. You all know I love anything with wheels, so bear with me a second. It is a Swedish Army vehicle called a Pinzgaur (pictured). This was the 6X6 version, meaning it could tackle pretty much any terrain. It only has a four cylinder 87 hp 133 ft/lb of torque engine, and believe me that is all that it needed. We had it loaded down with twelve people, and it didn't falter once (except when John forgot to turn the magnetos back on to start it one time). I've already been on the internet looking for one:-). If only there was a use for one back home. I could certain haul the Starks' clan.

We headed up into the old abandoned ore mining country out of Silverton. There is a ton of history concerning mining in the area up until the 70's, and there are actually a couple of companies that are revitalizing a couple of mines for further excavation. It was a nasty, arduous occupation, and the conditions in these mountains were extreme. Some of the old ghost towns (one of the most famous being "Eureka") that we visited almost looked like they were abandoned yesterday as cars were left there, and things looked somewhat normal. It was really an odd feeling standing in these deserted towns that once provided work and home for thousands of people. The environment was certainly harsh as you can see. Again, we have it pretty easy in our nice cush "day jobs".

We then headed back into Silverton, got some grub at Grumpy's (best service and food in Silverton) and headed to the train station.

Luckily we arrived early, only to learn that our train had broken down coming up the mountain. The train that was currently set to leave in a matter of seconds had available seats so we hopped aboard. It was a good thing, as we wouldn't have been able to board our train for three to four more hours. Whew, so off we went up and over some of the most beautiful land that I believe exists. The locomotive is one of the original trains that carried the ore from Silverton to Durango for smelting. The feat of actually building this railroad through the rugid terrain baffles me. There were times where you could look down and not see anything but the bottom of a huge canyon, and the train was literaly hanging from the side of the mountain. So here we were riding on a railway built in the early 1900's behind a locomotive of the same era. It just doesn't get any better.

If you ever choose to take the train, only take it one way as it is at least a three hour trip. It turns out to be pretty long. We passed the train we were supposed to be on, and we felt pretty sorry for the folks as they had been on the rails for five hours. Apparently, they were able to bring another locomotive up to pull them on up the mountain. They are probably still headed back down the mountain as I write this.

All in all this was another awesome day that I would recommend to anyone. If anything, we now know which SUV will fit the Starks' clan for some "real" back country exploring.

Again, this internet connection is not allowing me to post the blog pics, so go here for the full day's pictures.

So we pack up the tent (Starks' Mahal) tomorrow, and head to Santa Fe tomorrow for some fun and relaxation before we make the trek back to the East Coast. We are staying on the Plaza in a really swanky place so that we can recharge the batteries for our 24 hour straight trip back home. That's right folks, Jenny and I are going to marathon that sucker. Don't worry, we can do it. Remember, we are the parents of four children, and have learned not to sleep:-).

I hate mosquitos...

The Anasazi could have ruled us...

The Starks' spent the whole day today at Mesa Verde exploring the old Indian ruins as much as we possibly could. This is yet another place that really needs two days to explore completely, as we were only able to see a fraction of the park.

We awoke to a chilly start (35 degrees for those of you suffering the heat back on the East Coast). For the first time ever, I was the only one that wasn't freezing my tail off. I'm usually the one waking up claiming that I'm selling the tent, sleeping bag, thermarest, and everything else nearby on Ebay due to being cold all night. I found the secret formula this time:-).

The Anasazi Indians (preferred name "Ancestral Pebloans") were cliff dwellers that apparently entered time around 1200 B.C. Without going into a total history lesson, lets just understand that these people were well ahead of their time. Essentially, they inhabited some very high cliffs, built massive communities out of sandstone and mud, and farmed corn and cotton on the top of the mesas. Keep in mind that the annual rainful around here is null. These folks were hardcore, as they had to be able to climb slick sandstone rock from ashes to dust. I think they may be my distant ancestors, as I like climbing on rocks:-). They lived slept six folks to a six feet by six feet room. That's it, we are downsizing! That makes our tent look huge! We are really surprised at how far advanced, and how much they accomplished in their time. Heck, we can't even get a ten mile stretch of highway resurfaced without costing millions and taking ten years. Take a look at the pictures here, and just remember that these folks did this all making their own tools, no wheel, and very little water. We were blown away, and I honestly believe that they could have ruled the world. Little is known about why they left their habitat, but it obviously had to be a sound reason. I personally think that it is an Alien conspriacy, and I guarantee you that some of you that have already visited secretly believe so as well:-). If you get the chance to visit Mesa Verde, don't pass it up. It is definitely a history lesson.

The kids received their "Junior Ranger" badges today as they researched and answered all of the questions required by the real Park Rangers. We had an argument in the car on the way back concerning their "legitimacy". I think Bennett won, and he is now officially a Ranger. I'm not standing in his way:-).

Folks, this is absolutely the best vacation that we could have ever planned for, and the time with the family has been invaluable. We are having a blast, and already planning for our next year's trip out west. There are places within the places we have visited that we plan on exploring further next time.

Tomorrow, we've decided to relax and let someone else "tour" us around. We are taking a trip with a group up to Silverton for a Jeep tour, and then back down the "narrow guage railway" to Durango (The first time all vacation that I really don't have to drive:-). It should be an insane trip as all have been before.

All Aboard!!!....

Million dollar highway? Ahhhh, now I see...

Sorry no pics posted, but this Internet connection won't publish them. Go HERE to see our full pics from today. They are the Ouray/Silverton/Durango ones.

Today began with a hike to town for breakfast in Ouray. Once we were full, we walked out of town up the hill to Cascade falls. It was a beautiful morning (little bit cloudy), and the falls were incredibly powerful. We approached them as close as possible, but inevitably were soaked by the time we got close. Totally worth the climb up the hill.

We then ran on back down the hill, packed up the Odyssey (best car we've ever owned) and headed up the "Million Dollar Hwy". This is when it really got interesting. This stretch from Ouray through Silverton to Durango is extremely impressive. The road is typically is a small sliver hanging off the side of the mountain without any sort of protection or guard rails. The reason being, the plows have to be able to shovel the snow off the side in the winter, as there isn't anywhere else it can go. This region gets a ton of snow, and they've had a record snowfall this year. We saw snow falling today at the higher elevations.

So where did it get it's name? Well, there are a ton of silver, gold, you name, it mineral ore mines along the route. There were well over a million dollars of ton-age hauled across this pass when the mines were hitting their strides back in the late 1800's to mid 1900's. Therefore, someone coined it the "million dollar highway". It is really neat to see the old mining operations, as well as the push to reclaim the land from the damage the mining has done. Many deposits are left outside of the mines as they strip the ore leaving "sores" on the mountain sides. There are groups dedicated to cleaning these up and planting new vegetation to bring the mountain back to its 'near' original state. It sort of stinks to see history covered up, but then again this area is most beautiful in it's natural state. The drive is very interesting to say the least. It was one of the best of this trip.

We paid a visit to Silverton, which I rate a close second to visit in comparison to Ouray. I would say stay in Ouray, visit Silverton. The town is another old western mining town that has survived through the years on tourism. It has a ton of character, and will be the terminus of our train trip from Durango a couple of days from now. We walked around for a couple of hours, and gained some 'culture' from not only the visitors but also the locals. We ate at a Cantina (Ramaro's I think) that was 'ok', but not exactly what we were expecting. Live and learn. All in all, I really hope this town survives. It appears it is a struggle as many of the old properties are for sale. Tough times due to low tourism is my belief. It would be a shame for it to become a ghost town.

On to Durango, and to the campsite that we are currently posting from. We are at a nice little spot on the river in Lightner Creek Campground (free WiFi all over the campground). No clouds in the sky, no rain in the forecast. I wonder if I'm really camping. All of the kids are in the tent, and Jenny is looking kind of scared as to how much they may have torn up in the tent. She refuses to go inside:-). The tent is dry, and the kids are glad to be outdoors. We will be here the next few nights, and have some full days ahead.

We will be hitting Mesa Verde tomorrow, and then on to the Narrow Guage railway to Silverton with a Jeep tour thrown in around Silverton.

For any of you that may be planning to head out this direction, I strongly suggest you spend some time in the lower half including Ouray, Silverton, and Durango.

Don't forget, all pictures can be viewed here.

Until tomorrow...

That's it, we're moving to CO...

Don't get me wrong, we loved Moab and the surrounding National Parks, but returning to CO was almost better than coming home!

We traveled some beautiful country between Moab and Ouray (pronounced your-a) today. Upon hitting the outskirts of Ouray our jaws dropped. It reminds me somewhat of Crested Butte. This is one of the most breath-taking places that I've ever been. They don't call it "Little Switzerland" for nothing. The surrounding mountains are severe, and have beautiful waterfalls flowing from them. The town is an old mining town and most of the old buildings still exist. The best part? Park your car at the hotel and walk anywhere that you need to go. I can get used to this. Catherine and I just walked up to the old grocery store, picked up some milk, and walked back. And... we never felt like we were going to be hit by some crazed driver trying to get home from work while talking on the cell phone. Whatever happened to that small town sense of community? Again, I could get used to this. There is a house for sale a block from town. Anybody want a nice home in a nice established neighborhood in Greenville? It is fully furnished:-). Family, I guarantee that you wouldn't mind coming to visit us on the Holidays:-).

The area is surrounded by natural hot springs. Our hotel, the Box Canyon Inn and Suites has many wooden hot tubs that are fed by these mineral rich hot springs (pictured). The water never has to be treated, and they actually let it cool a bit (101 to 108 degrees, as it comes from the ground at 138 degrees) before pumping it into the tubs. It is an absolutely incredible feeling being in the water, and you could swear that you feel healthier. There are many that argue that they have healing powers. I don't care what the truth is, they are definitely relaxing.

This is definitely a town that will be on our "have to visit again" list for next year's trip.

Today when we arrived at check in I sat in the car with the kids while Jenny went in. While the kids and I stared at the surrounding beauty, I happened to comment about the name given to Ouray, "Little Switzerland". Maddie chimed right in and said, "It's close Daddy, but Switzerland has no cars". I said, "really Maddie, how do you figure"? She responded, "Switzerland doesn't have roads, it would be kind of silly to have cars". I'm pretty sure she isn't 100% correct on that, but it sounds good to me:-). The Swiss are probably better without the cars anyways...

We are going to have a hard time leaving this beautiful place tomorrow, but on to Durango to hit the Narrow Gauge railroad up to Silverton, as well as take a trip out to Mesa Verde and visit the Indian Ruins. We'll be camping three nights, so I expect rain and lots of it:-).

Oh, and we've been playing the license plate game the whole trip. All we have left are Vermont, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island. We saw Hawaii twice today, so beat that:-).

Since we've crossed the paths of so many Germans on this trip, Guten Tag!....

"We had came so far"...

The title is a quote from one of the teachers (pretty sure she was the English teacher:-) that used to teach with Jenny when she was in the public school system, and I happened to find it fitting for this point in our blog. We have reached the mid-point of our voyage, and I must say it feels like that "we had came so far":-). We are rounding second base in Moab, and headed back Eastwards tomorrow. If the last half is as good as the first, we might not come back!

The weather today was better than you could ever imagine. The pics do not depict how blue the sky is, and how red the rocks are. This place is an explosion of colors right now. Apparently the rocks have a brighter tint of red to them after a good rain according to the locals. Oh, and the total lack of humidity will help you dry out an eight man tent in less than 20 minutes. The tent is ready for camping once again!

We spent today in Arches National Park a mile outside of Moab, UT. It is the one of the most impressive places that I've been able to spend time in the past few years. We of course hit all of the famous arches including Windows, Turret, Keyhole, Delicate, and Landscape. But, we also hiked to a couple more that I had not seen before due to a suggestion from a good friend. Pine Tree and Tunnel Arch were a quick hike, but two of our favorites to see. We also made a quick hike around Balanced Rock, and it never ceases to amaze me that the thing is still standing, although it will probably be unmoved for thousands of years.

Jenny's favorite arch, Delicate was a hot dry hike for the kids, and although they sprinted out to it, they were dragging their tails coming back. It of course only took them a few minutes to recharge, and they are currently bouncing off of the hotel room walls.

We also visited the old Thomas Wolfe Ranch (near Delicate Arch trail head) where good ole Tom lived with not only his oldest son, but eventually his daughter, her husband and their children (two or so) in about a 24 square foot cabin back in the early 1900's (pictured). It is completely surreal when you think of them living this far out in the desert, with meager supplies, and very little covered space. After spending a little time around the area you begin to understand how it could be appealing. The land is absolutely incredible, and the silence is definitely bliss. At one point, we made the kids sit there and be absolutely quiet and still. The silence was so deafening and peaceful. We become so incredibly used to all sorts of background noise in the "day to day" that we don't have a clue what absolute silence is. I like it...

On a side note, take my advice to ensure that you have free windshield replacement coverage on your insurance policy if you ever come to Moab. I've suffered two broken windshields in my lifetime, and both of them were due to small rocks in Moab:-).

It is a good thing that we are leaving Moab tomorrow, as this place is the Mecca for folks who like anything with wheels and lots of horse power. Mostly high dollar jeeps, motorcycles, and ATV's are seen as you drive through town. I have never left here not wanting another form of vehicle, and this trip is no different!

And don't forget, you can see all of our pictures from this trip here.

We are headed Southeast to Ouray, CO tomorrow and are planning on a trip out to Slick Rock before leaving town to see some of the big behemoth jeeps on the rocks.

None of us have ever visited Ouray, so we are really excited to see new territory. It is called "Little Switzerland", and from what I've heard lives up to the name.

Peace out...

Rain? Who's afraid of a little rain?

OK folks, I have a serious problem with rain. It is now understood that when I camp, there is a 90% chance of rain. The rain that we received in Loma last night is pure evidence of this thought, as it never rains in the desert.

We awoke this morning with the "pitter pat" of rain on the tent fly. It had rained(poured) all night long. We stayed dry in our humble abode. Maddie once again looked at me from her sleeping bag and said, "see Daddy, isn't this so peaceful". She was right, until it came time to pack up and move further Westward. That is when the "bad words" from Daddy began. To keep a long story short, we are currently trying to dry out a soaked tent, fly, and footprint in our hotel room in Moab.

Again, nothing could stand in our way of adventure and discoveries. We had a phenomenal day of exploration, even with the "rain gods" fighting back against our previous attempt to "smite them in the noses".

First we made an impromptu trip through Colorado National Monument Park. This was a place that I unfortunately had passed up many times before. Jenny read some very good reviews online previous to our trip, and made the recommendation so that we could let the storms clear before heading into Moab. We were suprisingly amazed at what an awesome place it was. There were extreme canyons as well as many vast overlooks. The pictures don't do it justice.

As the storms began to break up over UT, we headed west on I-70 towards the Scenic Byway into Moab. As soon as we turned off 70, the sky opened up and the sun felt so unbelievably good. Keep in mind we still had 40 lbs of wet tent packed into the rear of the van:-). The drive through the Scenic Byway was incredible as usual. For those of you that have driven it, you will remember passing the Dewey Suspension Bridge (http://www.takemytrip.com/colo/34a.htm), which used to be the longest wooden suspension bridge west of the Mississippi that allowed for motorized vehicles. Unfortunately, a fire that was allowed to get away from a nearby camp consumed the wooden structure of the bridge and left only the suspension cables. This is an absolute travesty, as the bridge was what I've often considered a welcome sign to the Moab area. We pushed on, and enjoyed the awesome colors that the sun purged from the walls of the canyon as we followed the overflowing CO River towards Moab. Again, that stretch of highway can not be fully described and pictures do not do it justice.

Upon hitting Moab, we decided to grab lunch to go and head straight to Canyonlands National Park. Canyonlands is not for the "height weiry" sort of folk. I've never been to the Grand Canyon, and I'm sure that it is deeper, but I really don't know that I can be more impressed by the extreme depth and distance in which you can see the contours in Canyonlands. We hiked out to Mesa Arch and took some family photos, as well as watched a German tourist try to walk over the arch. All I could think is I hope his shoe laces are "gootentight" or he might be meeting a quick demise. Luckily he stopped short and went on about his "lively" way.

We then moved up to the "Grand Point View" where you really think that you can see all the way to China. Many good pictures were taken, as the sun was hitting it all just right. After Maddie and Bennett scared us by running too close to the edge, we decided it was time to call it a great day and go find our hotel. I can remember when things like falling 4000 ft. didn't scare me. Wasn't that just yesterday?

So, here we all six sit (or in the case of the kids, sleep) in our hotel, with a wet tent, waiting for the sun to rise on our next unbelievable adventure tomorrow.

Tomorrow we head into Arches National Park, one of my most favorite places to be. Again, I'm glad that Jenny and the kids can be here for this adventure, as I've been waiting to share this place for awhile. Will we hike the "dangerous" hike to see the Delicate Arch?

Tune in tomorrow...

Oh, I'm really getting used to this not showering thing. Showers are overrated. What's that Jenny? I have to sleep in the car again?

Bed weather cont'd.... Sitting in a tent in the rain...

So here all six of us sit, in a tent, in Loma, CO. Go figure, I have wireless Broadband access from Verizon Wireless out in the middle of the desert (cheap plug). On that note, how in the heck does it rain in the middle of the desert? Well, it just means that I brought a tent and planned to camp. Never fails, it rains everytime I camp.

Even so, we had a blast today. It all started with a trip to Jenny's old summer fling, Camp Cheley (www.cheley.com). She was a camper and a camp counselor there for many years. It is located in the high hills of Estes Park, and I was blown away when we drove up the drive to the front office. We met up with Brooke Cheley, who is about to become part owner handed down from several generations. Jenny was a camper and counselor with her years past. After walking around the place for about an hour, I figured out why this is such a special place to Jenny. I can only hope to be able to send our kids there in the near future.

We then coralled the kids and headed westward over Trail Ridge Road and down into Granby eventually hitting I-70 West. As we headed through Loveland Pass, we realized the weather was turning pretty sour. Rain and high winds from the West brought much concern to us about our night's camping trip in Loma. Upon discussion with the family (Maddie), we decided that we were going to smite the 'rain gods' in the nose and camp anyway....

We drove through Glenwood Canyon, a ton of ski slopes with tons of snow still left on them, and the most beautiful "high desert" that you could ever see. I can not explain how pretty the "Book Cliffs" (pictured) are each and everytime that we see them. If you haven't driven I-70 West of Denver, it is one of the best drives that you can possibly plan for.

So here we all six sit, in the tent, in the rain, with cold Fat Tire, in Loma at Highline Lake State Park campground. Bennett is singing a song he made up, "I love the trip, all the day..." so on and so forth. Ironbaby is telling the rain, "to stop making noise, you are too loud". Catherine won't come off of her sleeping pad because she is afraid that the lightening might be able to travel through her to the ground. Maddie thinks the rain is "peaceful". Jenny finally has come to the realization that we need to move out west. I am wondering how in the world I ended up with such a great family, and an unbelievably caring wife.

We are currently praying for better weather tomorrow, as we head into Moab, UT. The drive from here to Moab is probably the most beautiful drive that I've ever completed. We are a bit concerned as the Colorado River was cresting it's banks today, and this drive follows it into Moab. Wish us luck!

I will lift mine eyes upon the hills....

Bad weather = Another good day in Estes...

Today the weather was a bit spotty with high winds, on and off rain, and a pretty good temperature drop. Even so, we made a pretty good day out of it.

We originally headed out to the Indian Peaks which is about 40 minutes out from our cabin. It was a beautiful drive out Hwy 7 and then 72. By the time we got there, the kids were antsy to get hiking, and Jenny and I were a bit concerned about the weather. The forecast was iffy at best. We drove up to the trail head, and wouldn't you know it we were three days too early for the park to open. We tucked our tails and headed back towards Estes.

Upon return to Estes we noticed that the temp had dropped significantly, the cloud cover was thick over the range, and the wind had the flags standing out straight. It was time to regroup and determine where our adventure was to be today. As soon as I heard Miley Cyrus on the "boob tube", I decided it was time to get out of the cabin no matter what. We decided to head back into RMNP and do some short hikes so that we could bail quickly in the event of a bad one.

We headed back up to the Bear Lake trail head, and hiked up to Alberta Falls which was a quick, but extremely fun hike. Not too many tourists, but enough to give Jenny and I something to joke about on the ride home. The hike was a good quick one, but definitely got the heart rate up. Bennett began feeling sick at the top, so Maddie, Ella, and I booked it back to our trail head, and met Jenny, Catherine, and Bennett back at an intersecting trail head that was much closer. Bennett just had an upset stomach and all is good now.

We then headed over to Sprague Lake for a leisurely hike around it's 1/2 mile perimeter. We let Ella hike this one out of the pack as she was itching to be like the big kids. She had a blast, and stopped to take in anything that appeared in the least amount interesting. It is funny how us adults let all of the simple stuff go by. Kids definitely bring you back to reality, and its a good thing.

After another fine dinner at Ed's Cantina downtown Estes, we headed back to the cabin and packed up for our trip to Fruita, CO tomorrow. We will be camping in Highline State Lake State Park. It looks like the weather should be good tomorrow, but you never know what this part of the country might bring. I love how nature builds in a degree to ensure your plans remain flexible...

Until tomorrow...

p.s. Check out the last pic. I have a little "Ironbaby" in the making:-)

Bear Lake and beyond...

As the smarter half of me just pointed out, I failed to mention or picture Ella in the last post.
As you can see in our pictures posted at the following link, she was definitely there: http://picasaweb.google.com/brystarks
She had an absolute blast, and loves to ride in the pack on my back. I'm almost afraid that she will get too big before she wants to stop riding in the pack.

So on to our next adventure....

After lunch we headed back into the park and cruised over the the Bear Lake area. This area is very well known, and unfortunately gets a bad rep due to the number of tourists that migrate to this central area in the peak season. We can't be confused as tourists because we've both visited here several times right? Anyhow, we were pleased to find the trail head parking lot only 1/3rd full. The real shock came when we hit the trail.

Upon hiking up to Bear Lake, Jenny noted an abnormal amount of snow surrounding the lake, and indicated we might not be able to hike up to our planned destination, Lake Haiyaha. Of course I wasn't willing to ask a Ranger about the danger (I know it rhymes, hehe), as they would just tell us that we shouldn't try it due to taking four children under nine along. So, I said we would be crazy not to do it. Off we went...

The hike was absolutely phenomenal. It was a bit slow going due to the snow (many times the trail absolutely disappeared and it isn't blazed), but it turned out to be one of my most favorite hikes. The kids had an absolute blast. Jenny and I instructed them on the "proper snow technique" and they only got the "cold butt award" a few times. There were some really sketchy sections that required focus and skill, and they all passed them like true veterans. We are so proud!

Ella hung in there riding the whole way in the pack telling me all along that I was "hiking with my girlfriend". Any of you that know me know that she has me wrapped around her little finger. She is definitely following a true lineage of folks that like to hang out outdoors, and it is easy to see. For that matter, it is hard to keep any of our kids inside, as well as keep shoes on them:-).

We ultimately were able to hit Bear Lake, Nymph Lake, and Dream Lake due to the snow fall and timing. That left us one lake shy of hitting our destination, but suffice it to say it was an awesome day.

We are getting all rested up tonight, and have another awesome hike planned tomorrow in the Indian Peaks just outside of RMNP.

Until tomorrow, we leave you in peace...

Anybody up for some snow?

I'm going to have to break up today into two separate posts, as there is way to much to show and talk about.

First off, you can view all of our trip pictures here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/brystarks
They will be separated out into different folders as we go.

Today we hit Rocky Mountain National Park just NW of Estes Park. We hit Trail Ridge road in the AM, and then hiked in the Bear Lake area in the PM. I'll go into the Trail Ridge adventure in this post, and then post separately for the afternoon adventure.

As you can see in the pictures, we were blown away by the amount of snow that still existed in the park this far into the summer. It made for a really cool and interesting hike.

We started by hiking a small section up off of Trail Ridge called Tundra Communities. It wasn't a long hike, but we wanted to see how we and the kids would react to altitude, and this proved to be a great test as the hike started at 12100 ft. and I would guess we probably gained a couple hundred feet. The big challenge was the snow. It was very slick and deep in places. We kept the kids hydrated as best as possible, and they didn't show signs of fatigue until we returned to the trail head. The coolest part came when we reached the summit and began bouldering on a large outcropping of rock. I was extremely surprised and proud when Catherine, Maddie, and Bennett would not allow me to leave them behind. This was somewhat of a "non-roped" technical climb to the top, but they came up like mountain goats. As you can see from the pics, they were all happy kids. I couldn't have been more proud to be sitting on top of the world with my family. As most of my friends know, I love to find an outcropping of rocks and see just how far I can climb.

Seeing Jenny back in her element today really hit home. She is a wealth of knowledge about this area, and I'm amazed at what she has conquered out here in the past. A true mountain woman indeed. I can't wait to share more time in the mountains with her. Maybe I should stop introducing her as my "first wife"?

After our hike, we headed back down and grabbed some grub at the Trail Head restaurant just outside the park. We were all pretty tired, but knew we needed to push on.

So back up the mountain we went...

Rocky Mountain high..

This morning we awoke early, fed the troops, and let Liesl and Chris get back to their weekend.

We went and visited with Jenny's family (pictured) for awhile and had a wonderful lunch. It was really good to see them. We received an interesting history lesson from Uncle Harry about the difference between a true Cajun and an Acadian. It was funny, but I may get in trouble for repeating it on the world wide web.

After that we pointed the Odyssey towards Estes Park. The view of the Rockies was phenomenal today. Jenny has been having flashbacks all day today as this is the first time she has been back in twelve years. I even caught her shedding a tear while watching the kids playing near the Big Thompson river in town. I'm so glad to be visiting Estes again, and it is so much more special with Jenny and the kids this trip.

The first mountain picture is of Long's Peak from our cabin (center). Jenny has been on the summit of all of the ones pictured, and I must say she is a true "Ironwoman" for doing so.

We ate an awesome dinner at Ed's Cantina tonight, and sipped our draft Fat Tire with a sense of nostalgia. It is awesome to be back in Estes...

For my ADV riding pals out there, the last pic is of a really cool Supermotard downtown Estes. There are some insane bikes up here, and I can't wait for our 40 year old B-Day trip. (Jenny just hit me on that note).

Hope you all are well, and can't wait to post some good pics from Rocky Mountain National tommorrow.