Screaming Eagles

This past weekend was an extended weekend for myself. I took Thursday and Friday off from work and went to Washington, D.C. Thursday was basically a travel day. On Friday, I met Carter and my real brother at the Washington Zoo. We saw lions, tigers, and bears. And climbing orangutans too. After lunch, Carter and my brother went back to Maryland where they were staying, while I went to the National Museum of Natural History. The first exhibit I wandered into was the mammal’s exhibit. This wasn’t very exciting, I had already seen a bunch of mammals this morning, and they were alive. I got worried that this museum would not be any good, but I soon found fossils and other cool stuff. The museum was well worth the visit.





Teeth









Bones







After spending several hours at the Natural History Museum, I went wandering around the National Mall taking photos. I worked my way up to the Capitol and then turned around walked to the World War II Memorial, which is between the Lincoln Memorial and the Washington Monument.




Thick Traffic in front of the Capitol








Washington Monument







Lincoln Memorial from the World War II Memorial





Saturday started out by meeting up with several crazies from North Carolina at my hotel. We then went to World War II Memorial where we met up with Jim, Stacy, Carter, and Cara. We all took in a world wind tour of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Lincoln Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, Thomas Jefferson Memorial, and the F.D.R. Memorial.







Carter and Cara at the Lincoln Memorial







Korean War Veterans Memorial









Washington Monument and the White House from the Thomas Jefferson Memorial







Stacy and the kids went back to Maryland after all of that. The rest of us visited the outside of the Washington Monument and White House. We then went to the National Air and Space Museum and did a quick tour of some of the exhibits.




Me with the North Carolina Crazies





After some goofing off in the National Mall in front of the Capital, we worked our way to RFK Stadium. We were going to a tailgate party for that US National Team soccer game versus Cuba that evening. All you can eat and drink for $8. They even had good beer for back east too. The Screaming Eagles put on the tailgate party, which is the supporters group for DC United. The Rapids supporter's group needs to learn a thing or two from them. Here is a set of photos of the tailgate party by the Screaming Eagles. This photo and this photo in their set will have some interest for some.




American Outlaws







Next up was the game. Carter and Stacy rejoined us for the game. The U.S. took care of business for the most part. They won 6-1. Landon Donovan scored to the delight of Carter. Jozy Altidore, Freddy Adu, and José Torres got into the game to the delight of the U.S. Supporters. It was nice to see new blood get into the game. Best of all, the U.S. have qualified for the next round of qualification with two games to spare.




Game Time!






Sunday was spent traveling back to Colorado and then crashing on the couch watching Georgia football on tape and the Rapids in the evening. I was too tired to do anything else. Busy weekend and 6:30 A.M. flight can wear you out. I will put up some more photos on one of my bonus picture sites at a later date. I got a few good shots. I need to decide what I want to put up.

Cheers,

-MM

Turn Of The Century

Ouch! My Bulldogs got whooped Saturday night. I was worried about the mistakes they had been making. I knew they wouldn’t be able to get away with it if Alabama was on top of their game. And of course, Alabama was ready and then some. I did like the Dawgs spirit in the 2nd half. At least that was positive. With a few more weekends of upsets, the Dawgs can get back in it with their schedule if they fix their mistakes. They still control their own destiny in the SEC. So I’m hoping for a rematch in the SEC championship game. But that is a long ways away.

The Rapids gave me solace after the Dawgs game. The replay of the Rapids game started right after the Dawgs game so I was able to watch it without knowing the score. The Rapids beat New York on the road 5-4. Wild game, there were 7 goals in the first half. Looks like the Rapids new coach has gotten thing sorted out. They are 3-0-1 in their last 4 games.

On Sunday, I hiked off my football frustrations. I climbed another 14er. This time it was Mt. Sherman, which has an elevation of 14,036 Ft. Mt. Sherman is located between Fairplay and Leadville. I got on the trail at about 8:00 A.M. The trail starting out is a 4-wheel drive road. If I had a high clearance vehicle, I could have driven to a trailhead further up the mountain. As it was, I estimate my hike to the top was only about 3.5 miles. The trail passes lots of old mines. I reached the top at about 10:00 A.M. I actually had it to myself for about 10 minutes. There were not that many people hiking this 14er compared to the other 14ers I’ve done. It is an easy hike for a 14er as well.

Mt. Sherman is straight ahead. Hilltop Mine is on the left.

The ridge that leads to the top of Mt. Sherman

Me on top of Mt. Sherman

Mt. Elbert is visible to the right of me and the yellow trees. Mt. Massive is on the right. It is in the shadows of the clouds.

View of Mt. Democrat, Mt. Cameron, Mt. Bross, Mt. Lincoln, Torreys Peak, Grays Peak, and possibly Quandary Peak

View towards Leadville and Mt. Massive

One of the buildings at Hilltop Mine

Some fall color along Fourmile Road, which is at least 11 miles long.

There is a Wow factor to the fall color in the South Park and Kenosha Pass area. I went through Kenosha Pass at about 1:00 P.M. on the way back, and there were cars parked everywhere. People were checking out the colors. It was pretty spectacular there. Too many people for me though.

By the way, this is my 100th post. Cheers,

-MM

Volume 3

Last Saturday was my 2-year anniversary of becoming a Colorado resident. I spent it by knocking off a 14er and watching football. In the morning I drove up to Guanella Pass and hiked up Mt. Bierstadt. The weather was perfect. There was snow on the ground, but it wasn’t that cold for the elevation. The day was sunny, and there was no wind. I was in short sleeves on the way down. Guanella Pass has an elevation of 11,669 feet, and Mt. Bierstadt is at an elevation of 14,060 feet. It is 3 miles up, and the first mile is easy. The hike felt longer, but it was ridiculously easier than Longs Peak. There were quite a few people going up. I got to the summit a little after 10:00 A.M. The top has a great view of Mt. Evans and surrounding area. Here are the pictures from the hike.

Mt. Bierstadt in the morning

Looking back towards Guenella Pass

The slopes of Mt. Bierstadt

Mt. Evans & Abyss Lake from Mt. Bierstadt

Me on Mt. Bierstadt with Mt. Evans behind me

Artsy shot to the southeast from the slopes of Mt. Bierstadt

The Sawtooth - the ridge that connects Mt. Bierstadt to Mt. Evans.

The evening was spent watching the Bulldogs and the Rapids. The Bulldogs got the job done, but they will need to play a lot better this coming Saturday when Alabama comes to Athens. The Rapids tied the Revolution. The Rapids would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. It doesn’t, but they are back in contention so I happy about that. I also watched a little bit of the Noles game. Sorry Pops, Wake Forest is a little better than the Noles previous opponents.

I see that the Dolphins won a game on Sunday. I’m thrilled that they didn’t wait till the end of the season like last year. Anyway, volume three of life in Colorado is off to a good start. I’m looking forward to what’s to come.

-MM

Fire

On Saturday morning, I went for hike on Green Mountain in Lakewood. The mountain is about 10 minutes from my place. I've been there before. There was a fire on the northeast side of Green Mountain during the first week of August. I hiked past the edge of the burn area at the top of the mountain. The Burn smell is still there, but the new growth has taken a hold already. It is actually green in the burn area. The mountain is usually only green in the spring.


The burn area on Green Mountain near the top.





After the hike it was college football time. I watched my Bulldogs beat South Carolina 14-7. After the game, I was watching ESPN and their so-called analysts were shocked that the game was close. The Georgia-South Carolina game is almost always close and low scoring. South Carolina won last year. I guess ESPN didn't get the memo. I knew it was going to be close, and I am quite happy with the win.

On Sunday, I went to the Colorado Rapids soccer game vs. the Chicago Fire. Former US National team star Brian McBride plays for the Fire now. It was cool getting to see him play. Former Mexican National team star Cuauhtemoc Blanco also plays for the Fire. There were quite a few Mexican fans to see him. Overall the crowd was disappointing. The Broncos and Rockies were in town and playing at the same time. I guess they took away some of the fans. It looked like there were quite a few no-shows. The good news is the Rapids won 2-0. They are a tiebreaker out of a playoff spot now. A couple of weeks ago they were dead last in the league.



Brian McBride (Fire) and Cory Gibbs (Rapids)

Rain

Ah, Labor Day Weekend and the start of College Football. I watched my Bulldogs Saturday morning. It went about as expected for a first game. Unfortunately, they lost one of their starting defensive linemen for the season due to a knee injury. After the game I went down to Pagosa Springs to try and find Flat Feet. Flat Feet is hiking a section of the Continental Divide Trail from Grand Lake, CO to Grants, NM. I hiked with him back in July when he was starting out. I found out where Flat Feet was staying in Pagosa Springs and met him there.

Sunday morning I took Flat Feet and another hiker to the trailhead at Wolf Creek Pass. I hiked with them out of Wolf Creek Pass. The trail out the pass was well maintained and wasn't too steep. However, the weather was not cooperating. It was raining off and on. It was an all day rain instead of the usual afternoon showers. It seems like every time I go to Wolf Creek Pass, it rains. Once we got about 3.5 to 4 miles in, the trail became less obvious. We hit a stretch for a mile to a mile and half where we were not sure where the trail was. However, we were sure that we were in the area of the trail. We eventually found the trail again. The rest of the day was spent walking around blow downs in the rain. We only did about 8-10 miles. We got a late start. It also didn't help that we had to wander around looking for the trail. I spent the rest of the day in my tent while it rained.


Flat Feet hiking along the Continental Divide Trail above the Wolf Creek Ski Area.



On Monday morning, I packed up a wet tent, left Flat Feet, and went back to my car. It was not raining when I packed up, although the trees were raining with the wind. The mountains were in the clouds still, and there was the occasional misty rain shower. I took a shortcut on the way back that followed some old roads to the Wolf Creek Ski Area. I then had to do a 1/2-mile walk up the highway to my car. It was worth it. My feet were soaked and ready to get out of the boots. It wasn't the greatest of hikes, but that’s how it goes sometimes...

-MM

Walk To The Water

I went for a hike this weekend. I know, that is no big surprise. However, it has been over two and half weeks since my last hike. That is a long non-hiking stretch for me especially considering that I don’t have any injuries at the moment to slow me down. I went the Arapaho Lakes in the James Peak Wilderness. The trailhead is at the East Portal for the Moffat Tunnel. I’ve been to that trailhead several times. I actually attempted this hike last November, but I had to call an audible due to the snow. I made it to the lakes this time. The hike was steeper than I expected. I was wishing I hadn’t taken two and half weeks off from hiking. The effort was worth it though. Here are some pictures of the Arapaho Lakes.





One of the Arapaho Lakes with the Continental Divide behind it










Me and one of the Arapaho Lakes.









The Arapho Lakes









Same lakes, different view

Epilogue

I have finally gotten around to posting the fifth and final post of a two-week vacation I took with my family. I blogged my self-out with the four previous posts. The Longs Peak hike was definitely the climax of the vacation for me. A couple of people have wanted to know if I would hike Longs Peak again. Immediately after the hike my answer would probably have been no. But now after reflection, I would say it is possible. It would have to be a situation where somebody asked me to go up with them. I don't see myself as the person who would initiate another hike up Longs. There are too many other mountains in Colorado that I have not climbed yet.

Tuesday, August the 5th was an easy day. The whole family went to Bear Lake. We did the half-mile trail around the lake. I think that was the slowest half-mile that I have ever walked. We then hiked to Nymph Lake. The rest of the day was hanging out at the Inn if I remember right.





Bear Lake









Fire weed, Bear Lake, & Longs Peak











Carter and his squirrel at Nymph Lake









On Wednesday, August the 6th we went Sprague Lake. Everybody did the short hike around the lake. Afterwards we went Hidden Valley Picnic Area so that Carter and Cara could watch the ground squirrels perform again. The afternoon was spent eating and beer tasting. That evening it looked like there may be a dusting of snow on Longs Peak.




Sprague Lake













Where's my "other" brother?













Everybody






The next day Jim, Stacy, Carter, and Cara flew home. I got up early and took them to the airport. I went home after that. My parents made it to my place by mid-afternoon on Thursday. We went for a drive on Friday. We went up Fall River Road. Then we drove over to Breckinridge and drove over Boreas Pass. My parents took off on Saturday. Since then, I've mainly been sitting around not doing too much. I've watched a bit of the Olympics. Usually the morning soccer and whatever I can stay up for at night. NBC wants me to feel like I live on the East Coast again. They don't show the coverage Live even though it still says it is live. They delay the coverage an hour. One of Michael Phelps races got spoiled because of that. I have written NBC saying that they should continue using this logic and delay Sunday Night Football in the West as well. I haven't heard back from them. This weekend was a wash in Denver. It rained all day Friday and Saturday. It was more rain then the three previous months combined. There were reports of snow in the mountains above 10,000 feet. I am not sure how much. I didn't make to the mountains this weekend.

That's all for now. Until next time,

MM

Long Long Way To Go

This is Part 4 of a vacation I have been taking with my family over the last two weeks. I’m home now and working on catching up on my blog. My brother and his family flew back to North Carolina on Thursday. My parents left this morning (Saturday) to drive to Buffalo to see GG. This post goes back to Monday, August the 4th. It involved the portion of this vacation I was looking forward to the most. I was also somewhat worried about it. My brother and I would attempt to climb Longs Peak on this day.

Longs Peak has an elevation of 14,259 feet. Park rangers confirmed the elevation. There were different sources that had it a few feet shorter. Longs Peak is the northern most 14er in Colorado. It can be see from Denver, and it dominates the surrounding mountains. It is the most popular 14er in Colorado. It is also an extremely tough mountain to climb. There is only one non-technical route up the mountain, and it is a Class 3 climb. Class 3 is the hardest climb one can do without ropes and other equipment. The route is called the Keyhole Route, and it is 15 or 16 miles depending upon the source.

Our day started by waking up around 1:00 A.M. We got on the trail at about 2:00 A.M. I got maybe 2.5 hours of sleep and my brother got maybe 3 hours. The thrill of the hike seemed to get us going. Fatigue from a lack of sleep didn’t seem to be a problem. We started out at an elevation of about 9,400 feet. I was in the lead with my headlamp, and my brother followed. We passed quite a few people early in the hike. We made good time getting to the Boulder Field. The Boulder Field is at 12,750 feet and is about 6 miles into the trip. From the Boulder Field we worked our way up to the Keyhole. The Keyhole is a break in the rock ridge that allows one to access Longs’ west side. It got light enough that I was able to turn off my headlamp during this portion of the hike. At the Keyhole we were able look down on Glacier Gorge. Jim and I hiked up Glacier Gorge two days earlier. It was a cool new perspective of the gorge.

Jim above Glacier Gorge shortly after going through the Keyhole

From the Keyhole, the route contours and scrambles over rocks around the mountain to a place called the Trough. The Trough is a steep climb from 13,300 feet to 13,850 feet over loose rocks and gravel. You have to be careful not send rocks down on somebody below you.

Me looking up at the Trough.

Me on top of Longs Peak

At the end of the Trough, we had to get around a rock called a chockstone. We had to pause to figure out how to get around it. Once around the chockstone, we were at a section called the Narrows. The Narrows contours around the south side of Longs Peak. While the route is narrow as in its namesake, it was a nice breather after the Trough. After getting by the Narrows, we started up the Homestretch. The Homestretch was steep! There are basically two parallel cracks in the rock slab that you use to pull yourself up the mountain. It was tough. The altitude didn’t help. Once we got to the top of the Homestretch, we were within 100 feet of the top. We made it to the top at about 8:00 A.M. It took 6 hours to get up. We were 3rd and 4th persons to reach the summit on August 4th. A whole bunch of other hikers reached the summit right after us. The top is a large rocky flat area. There is probably room for a couple of football fields up there.

Slim Jim on top of Longs Peak

Slim Jim & Mighty Mike on Longs Peak

Looking down on the Boulder Field and the Keyhole

The high altitude did not bother me as much as it did climbing 14ers last year. I was able to eat something on top without getting nauseous. After about 45 minutes on top, we decided it was time to go down. While the Homestretch was tough getting up, it was quite scary going down. I always find that it is tougher getting down something than going up. We made it though. There was a constant stream of people going up as were going down. I hope they got down before any weather hit Longs. I wouldn’t want to be on this mountain when it is wet.

I'm on the left. I'm going down the Homestretch while others are going up.

Jim looking down the Trough

That's me working my way through the Boulder Field with the Keyhole behind me.

We got back too my car at 1:35 P.M. It was a wonderful experience. It is the toughest mountain that I have ever climbed. I’m glad I did it.

Stay tuned for the 5th and final part of this vacation series...

High Enough

This is Part 3 of a vacation I have been taking with my family. On Friday, August the 1st, we made are way from Glenwood Springs to Rocky Mountain National Park and Estes Park. Once again Carter found out that 2 hours does not go by in 10 minutes. When we got to Milner Pass in Rocky Mountain National Park, we found a spot of snow that was within walking distance for Carter and Cara. I threw snowballs at Carter.




Cara - The trail to the snowfield is behind her.

On Saturday, August the 2nd, Jim and I went for hike while everyone else took it easy. I think there may have been some shopping going on. Anyway, Jim and I hiked up Glacier Gorge past Mills Lake and Black Lake. We had our eye on Longs Peak. The mosquitoes were bad in some of the marshlands above tree line. The scenery was magnificent though. We got a bit dehydrated on the hike. Something we took note of for a future hike.



View of Longs Peak from Mills Lake










Black Lake











Columbine in Glacier Gorge







Buddy Salute with The Spearhead on the right










My brother poking out of the snow









On Sunday the 3rd, the whole family went on the scenic ride up the Old Fall River Road. I had never been on that road before. It was pretty cool. We stopped at the Alpine Visitor Center at the top of the road. Nana thinks the Gift Shop is the Visitor Center. Everybody but Pops did a short hike up the hill at Visitor Center. I guess 12,000 feet is too high for Pops despite being above 14,000 feet a week earlier. On the way back to our accommodations, we stopped off at another snowfield. I had to tackle Carter in the snow. We had a picnic lunch at Hidden Valley. The ground squirrels put on a floorshow that Carter and Cara loved.



Carter at a snowfield along Trail Ridge Road











The floorshow at Hidden Valley









Stayed tuned for Part 4…