We shall see

We got lucky with the snow and really didn't get much.  Maybe a little over an inch.  Saturday morning I went out and knocked the snow off the lilac and berry plants.   It was below freezing and the lilac is just about to bloom, so hopefully, this cold snap didn't zap all the blooms.

Today the sun is out and the snow is all gone, just that quick.  The lilac looks ok, but we will see in the following days.   The berry plants look ok.  

That's all the big news I have.  For the most part we just worked around the house all weekend and did a few trips out to forage.

Bring it on!

Supposed to wake to snow on the ground tomorrow.  Can you believe that shit, April 28th and we could get 3 to 4 inches of snow?  I am praying that my berry bushes make it through the cold temperatures.  Maybe I will get off my fat ass and go hike in the snow.

I was just outside and I counted four hummingbirds.   They are so cool.  Buzzing around and hitting the feeders.  We have two feeders, one at each end of the porch.  We are getting a light sprinkle, but no snow yet.

Sitting here with the TV on and on mute.  I have the stereo on and have my phone playing music.   INXS just came up on the playlist, Never Tear Us Apart.  Next, I am on Youtube checking out a few videos and had a really hard time picking one as they are all so good.  But here you go!

That's all I have for now.  The week flew by, and am so glad it is Friday.  Ready to chill for a bit.  I need it.

Canyon City

It was a great weekend around our house.  On Saturday Candy, Clark, Kirsten and I headed down to Canyon City and then over to Florence.

Our first stop was in Canyon City for a little Frisbee golf.   We parked and unloaded.  No one was around, so Pebbles was off the leash.  Everyone did pretty decently, but we all need practice.  Candy had the shot of the day, she sunk a 30-yard putt.  Go, Candy!

The creek was full of some type of growth, that made it look like it was a nice grassy area.  Pebbles see's this and figures she will just walk on it.  Well, she tried and sunk about a foot into the water.  She was surprised.  But once in she was loving it.  Afterward, she was just a nut running circles around all of us.

Our next stop was Florence for some lunch and to check out the Steampunk festival.  As you can see from the picture above it was actually pretty cold out on Saturday.   When we were leaving the springs it was raining.  It was dry on Canyon City and Florence, but overcast and cool.

We found a parking spot just outside the restaurant in Florence.  We stopped in and had a bite for lunch.   Clark snapped a picture of me with my hat on.   You can see I am sitting by myself, maybe they were afraid to be seen with me.  LOL

After lunch, we got Pebbles out of the truck and walked over to the park to check out the festival.   It was OK.  I am guessing maybe 25 vendors, a couple of food vendors and a beer garden.  I did see some cool stuff and got a few idea's for some new projects.

Today was much nicer than yesterday.   I headed out about 9:30 and went and picked up a few things at the shop and filled a couple of gas cans.   I mowed, weeded and then blew all the grass off the patio.  Starting to look pretty good around here.  Things are starting to blossom and bloom.  The brown spots in the yard are starting to sprout grass.

Then it was time to detail the truck.  With Pebbles being with us yesterday, she left plenty of hair in the truck for me.  Headed to the car wash and vacuumed and washed the truck up.  Once I got it home I washed it again, but just hitting the grille and just behind the fenders and any other spots that I saw needed some love.  Cleaned the rims and sprayed the tires.  She looks brand new.

I already have my pack loaded and am looking at hauling it to work tomorrow.   I need to get some distance in and get used to the pack so I can make our big hike.

That sounds like fun

Looking forward to tomorrow, we have plans with Clark and Kirsten.  Our plan is to head down to Canyon City, play Frisbee golf and then stop in Florence to check out the Steampunk and Wine festival.  Should be a good time.  I already have the frisbee's, camera and my steampunk hat and goggles sitting on the table so I don't forget them.

Then on the way home, we thought we would stop by the trail head for the Beaver Creek Wilderness Area and see what information we can gather from the signage and do some looking around.  This is where we will start our hike up to Skaguay and then to Cripple Creek. 

It's Hummingbird time.  Earlier in the week, Candy said she heard a Hummingbird flying in the backyard.  They are easy to identify by the whirling sound they make when flying.  We made up some sugar water, filled the feeders and hung them in the backyard, same place as the years before.  Tonight we have two of them flying around in the yard and hitting the feeders.  They are so cool.  One of my favorites.

The cat is tripping out.  He doesn't know what to think or even what to do when they come flying in.  This is the first night I have seen them and he is already all over it.  The cat has is the eye's in the sky when I just stepped outside he was in his crouching tiger position with his eye's fixed on the hummingbird as it whirled around.  This should make for some good laughs because I don't think the cat stands a chance against the Hummingbirds.

Joke Time

Hold your horses, the joke is coming.  I got out and walked to work this morning.  It was a great morning to be out.  I opted for the smaller pack today.   Maybe I will carry the big one tomorrow.  On the way home this evening I called Candy to see if she wanted to meet me for dinner.  We met up at the roadhouse and then I road home with her.

Ok the Joke:

Guys walks up to a girl and says would you like to dance.  The girl replies no.  Guy, says, I didn't ask you to dance, I said you look fat in those pants.

Should I be worried?

I have doing some research on our idea to hike from the Beaver Creek Wilderness Area to Skaguay Reservoir and on to Cripple Creek.  From what I am reading, I am not finding a lot of people who have made the trip.  Seems most hike down from the reservoir and then back up.

Those that have done the down/up say it is very difficult, no trail to follow.  You will get wet as you will need to cross the creek several times and will have to navigate large boulders and more.  Not only that you will most likely come a across black bear.   

Check these out:

http://www.coloradofishing.net/ft_skaguay.htm
http://gazette.com/the-power-of-beaver-creek/article/37887
http://fredlocke.insulators.info/Hunts/CD342.htm

Making it Happen

I mentioned that Clark and I are planning a big hike and I need to get after it and get my ass ready for this.   Well, it has been a good week so far.

On Monday I carried my camping pack to work and back.  Was able to get 5.7/miles logged.  The pack weighs about 30 pounds, so add that to the weight of my fat ass, that is a wide load.

I walked to and from work again today.  I opted for my smaller pack today.  Figure I will carry the big one every other day.  Candy and Pebbles accompanied me half the way.  Pebbles was happy to be out as it had been a couple of weeks.

Guess I should open up a spreadsheet to track my distance and what I am eating.  If I can keep after this for a week, then I will get that going, for now, it is just get out!

For Monday and Tuesday, I have walked 10. 9/miles.  I feel better and already to seem to have a little more energy.  Still, haven't kicked this cough, but getting closer.

I have been doing a little research for this upcoming hike that Clark and I have planned.   First off, I am super excited that he and I are going to do this together.  It will be a challenge and something neither one of will forget and a great story going forward if we make it happen.  We have to make it happen.

Our thought is to hike from Canyon City, CO to Cripple Creek, CO along Phantom Canyon Rd.  It is not a very often used road, it is pretty rough with washboards, rocks, and holes.  By car or truck, you have to move pretty slow, so it makes it a good hiking road.  You don't have to eat the dust of too many cars passing you by.

I also found another route that sounds a little more challenging. Hiking through the  Beaver Creek wilderness study area up to Skaguay Reservoir and then over to Cripple Creek.  This link is all I have been able to find: 

http://www.coloradofishing.net/ft_skaguay.htm

They talk about the Bears and the other wildlife, that sounds a little scary, but I am sure we will be OK.

This weekend I am head down to Florence, CO for the Steampunk festival.  Thinking we will visit the trail head in Beaver Creek and see if has more information about the route.   I have a couple of maps that should show this trail, but I have to find them.  Going to look now.

So true!

This looks like fun

Not sure what to expect but I am looking forward to heading down to Florence to check this out.    

Now I've done it.

I sat down, logged in, checked a few work items and then opened the blog to start my post.  Now I have forgotten what I was going to put to paper.  Must mean I am getting old. Ha

Today I turned the sprinklers on.   I have only found one issue so far and I think it was in a place I fixed last year, so I must have not done a very good job.   Guess that will give me something to do tomorrow.

I did get out and walked this morning, not far just a little over three miles.   Then I screwed with the sprinklers for a while and then headed to the shop.    I took the vette keys with me and dug it out and dusted it off.  Took it for spin and then headed back to the house.  Picked up Candy and we drove the vette over to Sonic to get a drink.

Worked in the yard and was able to get a bag filled with leaves from last year.  The Berry bushes are all starting to sprout so hopefully we will have a big crop this year.

I scheduled June 1st and 2nd off work.  Clark and I are going to do a big hike.   Going to have to start walking and taking my pack with me as I am in no shape to do 32+ miles.  Hopefully getting this on the calendar will get me off my ass and back on the trails.

Fun Stuff

Both Candy and I are dealing with sinus crap now.  Lucky for me, I was supposed to travel next week and my trip got cancelled.   The meeting was rescheduled for a couple of weeks out.

I really need to get off my ass and walk everyday this week.   I am sure it would make me feel better.  Looks like the weather should be nice all week.

I did get a few things done around the house this weekend.   We haven't driven the Toyota for a while and two weeks ago I tried to start it and the battery was dead.   Brought the charger over and got it started.  Have been driving it around on our errands that we had to run.

When we were out in Kansas I picked up some metal that my dad had collected for me.   He came across a really nice ornate metal banister.  He also had several other items for me.

I got creative on Saturday and built a bird bath.   I mocked it up and then welded it all together.   Then I just cleaned up the bowl and then primed it and painted it.   It came out really nice.  This morning a robin was in it.  At first I thought it was a bluebird as the water and blue paint reflects.

Even though I am feeling like crap, I just couldn't sit around all day.  I headed back over to the shop and today I made up some new solar lighting holders.   I had four lights left from my chandelier project and needed to use them up.

I took four of the banister rods and cleaned them up and gave them a quick spray of paint.   Then I just added the lights to the top.  The yard looks pretty awesome as they all tie together

Go fly a Kite

Couple of weeks ago we went out an played some Frisbee golf.  Had a great time and then we ended up doing some kite flying.  It was a nice weekend.

Arts and Crafts

A couple of weeks ago I saw this video come through on Facebook where someone had taken an old chandelier and then used some solar step lighting to make an outdoor hanging chandelier.   Hell seeing what they did I was like, I can do that.

We happen to be in Florence and I came across two old chandelier's in the a junk store.   I bought both of them, one had three lights and one had five.

I took them both apart and then painted them up to match the solar lights I picked up.   Put them back together and then added the lighting.   These are pretty cool.

The Rock Show

I had to travel to LA this week.   Had meetings and on Tuesday got the chance to go out to a Hockey Game with a couple of friends.  It was NHL, we saw the Anaheim Ducks play the Calgary Flames.   Not a big fan of Hockey but we had a great time.

I got home late Wednesday evening and did't get much sleep.  On Thursday night, Clark and I went to a concert.   I had a great time, it was an awesome show.  We saw five bands: Breaking the Cycle, The Missing Letters, Devils Run, Caleb Johnson and Adelitas Way. 

I was going for Adelitas Way as I am a big fan.  All the other bands were pretty awesome.  It was small venue with about 300 people.  We had the chance to hang out with the bands after the show and we snapped a picture of Rick DeJesus, the lead singer of Adelitas Way.

Here are a few video's you may enjoy of them, they are a few of my favorites.

Guess I have some catching up to do.  Been offline for a bit and haven't shared any updates.  Not even sure where to start.   Let's see I did make a trip to NJ where I worked out of our office from 3/20 to 3/22.  I was supposed to be in town all week, but my meetings ended early so I headed home.

I managed to pick up a bug on the evening of 3/21 and I am still fighting it today, almost two weeks later.  Heavy cough with sinus pressure.   Been taking medicine, but they don't seem to help.

Headed back to work tomorrow.  I was off last week on PTO and we spent the week in Wichita KS. working on the house.   I can say that we are finally finished with all the work and it is ready to be rented out.  It didn't help that I was sick this week and I had so much to get done.   We did it though.