Horsetooth Mountain Park, Fort Collins, Colorado

Long before the mountain bikers discovered this open space area west of Fort Collins, I was out there grinding up the trails in boots and trail runners. In the 31 years I lived in Fort Collins; I spent a lot of those days wandering around these foothills. I can honestly say, it never got old to be there.

The Native Americans thought the rock resembled the heart of an evil giant. The early trappers and traders had less of an imagination. They thought the granite chunk looked like a horse's tooth. The name Horsetooth began appearing on early maps and the moniker stuck.

The mountain is part of the City of Fort Collins logo. (Those lawn destroying, pooping Canadian Geese share the symbol too). 

At 7,260 feet it's only 70' shorter than Mount Kosciusko in Australia. The tallest peak in the land of Vegemite. 

It's a great place to have in one's backyard.

BTW: Late responders are still welcome to my soirée this Sunday. I'll admit this sociable hermit is a bit nervous about seeing all these human flashes from my past at one time. 

Cheers from the Choice City,

Jeff

White Rim Trail, Canyonlands National Park...

There's a reason I submit my body to the bumps and grinds of five days of mountain biking the White Rim Trail. Simply said, it's beautiful with big sky views. This vast region possesses an almost terrifyingly silence. That is when there aren't any motorized dirt bikes or 4X4 vehicles nearby. This was my fifth go around. It won't be my last.

I'll need more "Granny" gears the next time though. I believe the hills got steeper and rockier since the early 90's. It's just not possible I've aged a lot since then. 

This jewel of a park is celebrating its 50th anniversary. Come by and say "Congratulations!" I fear the tide is turning and it won't be the same in a few more years. Canyonlands is finding itself on humanities radar screen. The secret is getting out. 

I'm now in back in Colorado. What a two month road trip, it's been. 

Good night from Grand Junction

The White Rim Trail, Canyonlands National Park...

Lovers of nature and wild places have the Cold War to thank for providing future generations with this 100 mile 4X4/mountain bike route. It was in the 1950's when the Atomic Energy Commission was searching high and low and in between for uranium to manufacture nuclear weapons. After all, as a nation we didn't feel safe unless we could destroy most of the life on the planet a few times. (The cockroaches would have been kings). 

Lucky for all of us, it never came to that. The yellow element wasn't found in enough abundance to warrant mining operations. The views were spared.

In 1964, LBJ (in a moment when he wasn't abusing his pet beagles) signed into law the creation of Canyonlands National Park. Good for him. 

In the early 90's. I rode the trail for the first time. I took a nasty header where I punctured my thigh. There was an ER doc on that trip with a stitch kit. He sutured me in the middle of the desert. Guess what general anesthesia was used? 

A few shots of tequila with limes and salt of course!

I'm heading in mañana for the fourth time.

Wish me luck.