Hiking in Douglas CountyYesterday was a great day! I went with my family to a childhood hangout of mine, Morrison, Colorado and did our family's favorite activity, hiking! I decided I would use my blog to show some of you the area of the country I live in, and, if not for selfish pride reasons, make you a little jealous. We really lucked out, as this week is the beginning of peak aspen week, when the aspens are the most "golden" in their annual desidous decadence. Morrison, elevation 8,000 ft above sea level, did not even have as gold aspens as other areas of Colorado at higher elevations, but it was still awe-inspiring. If you have ever seen the aspens changing in Colorado, you will testify that it is about as close to heaven on earth as we can get. And seeing the golden aspens in Colorado is like a pilgramidge to Mecca. On some occasions, it seems that the whole Denver Metro area is going to the mountains, to catch a glimpse of the trees dropping their treaure.
We started the day by heading to Tiny Town, a tourist trap really, but a neat place. It is located in Morrison and is a whole little town made out of minature houses, building, even a minstrue train that, if you want to pull your legs up to your chest for the fifteen minute ride, takes you on a loop around the minature town, through tunnels and even past a gold mine. Its not nearly as exciting as it was when I was five and felt the awe of power rage through me as I tore through the town knowing that my massive size would fill any of the small buildings and if the peasants awoke my wrath, I could simply pulverize their house. Now it is just fun to see other ego-maniac kids run around with the same sense of power, and to watch them look for the mianture mine on the mountain and ask if they can go get some gold.
A Tiny Town Train, going through the town crossing
Next, it was to The Douglas County Open Space, which was technically closed, but we climed the fence anyways. Hey I figure, if they really want to keep us out, post a guard there or something. We hiked for about two hours, up to the top of a ridge where you could see Double Header Peak, a large mountain where family used to live. The aspens here were just starting to change, so not anything incredible, but still some gold every once and a while. We hiked through gullies and crossed little streams, all covered by shade of pines that whistled in the wind and leaves the gently flapped on one another in the breeze.
Some aspens in the Douglas County Open Space. You can barely see the trail we hiked in the bottom left hand corner.
In the background is Double Heade Peak, in Douglas county.
Me in an old creek bed
Me gettin' back to previously unknown hill-billy roots. "Jesse! Where yu' at' boy?"
After about two hours of hiking, we headed up to Grunella Pass, to see if we could catch sunset. Grunella Pass is above the timberline, so the "tundra" looks a lot different. No vegetation beyond tall bushes, and lots of rocks...big rocks! There was more golden aspens here as we were traveling into higher altitude. As we headed up the pass we encountered some Colorado wildlife. A fox was walking along side the road and when we stopped to take a picture, my first one did not turn out. I said I wanted to take one more, and as if on cue, the fox sat down and looked at me, as if posing, until I was done and had my camera away. We also saw some deer on the way up.
Some Coloradan wildlife on the way up Grunella Pass
We hiked down Beirstadt Trail to a little swampy pond and got this picture of the surrounding mountains. My sister fell as we were racing down the not-exactly-rubber-track-quality-path and was absoultly covered in dust. We got to the pond and took in how quiet it was. The sounds of the wind in valley was the only thing audible, and you had to just sit there and take in how different this natural world was from our own lives.
The boardwalk section over a "mountain marsh" on Bierstadt Trail
Then we ended our day with a Colorado classic. We went to Idaho Springs for this wonderful Colorado original. Those of you who are from Colorado know what I am talking about. Thats right. The hoeny, the drawnon napkins, the old mainstreet store front, and a view of the waterwhell. The only place where you eat honey on your pizza, the only place where cant eat moe than two pieces of pizza, the only place to get the orignal IBC. Oh yes, Beau Jo's. And remember people, its not a pizza you are devouring, it is a Colorado Mountain Pizza Pie. Eating a Beau Jo's was just about as spritual as seeing the aspens. Well maybe not, but after 5 hours of hiking, it was sure an answer to my pleading stomach!
The one. The only. The original. Beau Jo's.
This it folks. The five pound Mountain Pizza Pie. What more can I say?
That was my day. When we got home at about 10 p.m. all of us collapsed into bed. I was eagar to blog about this, but just had to wait until I got some rest. Now, I have pictures, leftovers from Beau Jo's and searing pains all up and down my legs! I hoep you enjoyed your lesson in Colorado geography and gastronomy!
