On the road Eastward

SALINAS, KS - - We bid goodbye to the Manitou Springs / Old Colorado City area with an early (6:30am) breakfast at a local OCC hangout.  The coffee was hot and plentiful; the eggs and homefries just right and our wait person was the same guy we made a connection with our last time there in  2019.  Small world, given the Covid-19 upheaval of the past18 months.  However, we need to be back in OB by Oct. 15 and we still have people / places to visit so it's sort-of hustle toward Florida.
 

Colorado's Garden of the Gods

MANITOU SPRINGS, CO - - On our last trip to this area in 2019 we visited Garden of the Gods only once.  This year it was early morning light, double visit time.  Of all the photos I took, the top vista tells the story best although the color of the red rock in early morning light is not really 'red' enough. In the center of the pic - - in the distance - - is Pikes Peak showing the results of yesterday's snow (at 14,000+ and before the strong sun melts it).

     Big horn sheep are another attraction of GoG as they show up when they want in various groups.  Naturally, these guys picked an area to graze in where traffic can't stop...so this is a slowly 'rolling by' shot. And the beauty shot is colorful leaves, a blue sky and fleecy clouds.

     The park's land mass is huge covering the natural beauty which caused a rich businessman in the late 1800's to donate it to the city.  Google GoG for more information on the interesting background.
 

Wild Turkey(s)

 MANITOU SPRINGS, CO - - Attacked!!  In the motel parking lot.  Is no where safe??  I'm mostly joking as these two male  "wild turkeys" apparently have been around for a couple years and they beg for food in a number of locations.  Sort of like the squirrels and chipmunks who inhabit a lot of campgrounds. Actually, the really aggressive one chased / followed me half of the paeking before this confrontation.

Duck, duck, goose

LEADVILLE, CO - - The title above: Duck duck goose does not refer to a youngster's nursery rhyme or a beer drinking game or some erotic behavior  after a toke or two.  No, it's the password for the internet at a favorite coffee spot in Estes Park.  To back up their esoteric choice Coffee on the Rocks has a small pond which is home to scores of ducks and a few geese.  Why not...the patrons feed them so why leave.  The male (top) and female mallard species decided to pose for a photo in hopes that we had some corn kernels. 

Bugle boy

 ESTES PARK, CO - - This bull elk is sounding the alarm to his harem that another...younger..bull is nosing around.  This group was just a small part of the over 60 elk hanging out on the public golf course in downtown Estes Park.  Yesterday, Friday, we spent half an day in Rocky Mountain NP looking for elk.  No luck.  Today, on an short walk from the campground it was elk, elk, elk.   
 

Pronghorn family gathering

 

ESTES PARK, CO - - There are a few places in WY and CO where you can see pronghorn (members of the antelope family).  And, when you do, it's usually one or two; if you get lucky maybe three.  In Wyoming, heading for Cheyenne,  a lot of ranchers are still working on getting in another crop of forage to feed their cattle.  Juicy, moist vegetation is like a magnet to the antelope clan.  The top shot shows a group of nine with seven female and one old and one young buck wandering around...perhaps after already eating their fill.  In the bottom photo, about 14 pronghorn are hanging out probably waiting for the massive irrigation system to start misting...nothing like an afternoon shower to make your day.

Big Sky Country

Sheridan, WY - - Rolling east on I-90 heading toward Bozeman, MT we were driving along in a sunny patch. However, you could see two storms drowning areas off to the right. Behind us, the situation was similar.  (Side note:  This is a pretty desolate stretch with a speed limit of 80mph).  In Big Sky Country the cloud formations and vistas seem to stretch usually as far as the next mountain range.
 

It's frosty out there

 WEST GLACIER, MT - - The creeping colors of Fall are enhanced by a covering of frost among the vegetation on the trail to Peigan Pass.  We had a good plan for Thursday:  Leave the campground early and get to Logan Pass (the top (6,640') of the Going-to-the sun-road) and secure a parking spot.  We got there at 8am, but it seems a whole lot of other folks had the same idea...but left earlier.  So we headed down the East side and found a parking spot at Syeah Bend and then out on a hike we'd done before. It was just after 8 and, at about 6,000ft elevation, frost was everywhere.  We calculated it was 30-32 degrees.  The hike went good and it was cold and clear the rest of the day.

Right to the door delivery

WEST GLACIER, MT - - Fancy a train ride with nearly to-the-front-door service??  The Issac Walton Lodge in Essex, MT has just that from Amtrack.  Of course, the train doesn't stop if there's no one to get off.  Heading east, you can get there for a late breakfast at a scheduled 8:50am;  the western version will stop about 12 hours later.  Fancy sleeping in your own train car??  No problem.  There are even a couple which have observation decks added so the guests can watch the rails.

     We didn't arrive early to catch amtrak but we did get a great view of one of the numerous BNSF freight trains rolling through.  Note the five engines in the lead.  The blue Great Northern engine is a display.

Need a boost???

WEST GLACIER, MT - - A huckleberry bear claw and coffee...Polebridge Mercantile style...can jump-start breakfast. lunch or dinner.  We're at Glacier Campground right outside Glacier NP, one of our favorite places to stay on our almost yearly wandering away from OB.  And Polebridge Mercantile is always one of our first stops.  PM is an off-the-grid location which is famous for its baked goods and the relaxed lifestyle for those who live /work there. 

     Forest fires in Montana are a normal occurance, mainly started by lightning strikes.  Recently a strike and the resulting blaze got close enough that "stand by for evacuation" orders were issued to the folks in Polebridge.   Luckily, the order was never needed.  So our Friday jaunt over some rutted / washboard dirt road sections tro get there were rewarded.

 

New work at the shipyard

The harbor tug 'Crowley Guide'

ANACORTES, WA - - The latest work order at the Dakota Industries shipyard is the harbor tug Crowley Guide, based in San Francisco.  The tug is in for a hull cleaning and general maintenance. Look closely and you can see the nick and scrapes from hard work that the cleaning reveals.

     This "harbor class" tug was built in 1998 specifically for ship assist and escort duties.  At just over 300' in length, the Guide is powered by two Cat diesel engines producing 4,800HP