Rocky Mountain High

 Over the 4th of July, Evan, Brad and I drove up to Durango, Colorado and met Ian and Annie there for a vacation in the San Juan Mountains.

 We started out with a day at Mesa Verde.  We hadn't been there in 25 years and it was much more interesting than I remember.

 We climbed the ladders at the Balcony House tour.

 Here we are at the Balcony House overlooking the valley below.

 Looking at the ruins.

 On this particular tour, we had to climb through small tunnels.

 A classic jump shot overlooking the ruins.

 We took our rafts up to Durango and floated down the Animas River.  Here we are shown with the Silverton/Durango train in the background, returning from Silverton.

 Ian, Annie and Evan were in one of the rafts. . .

 until Ian fell out of the raft on the rapids.

 Next we drove up the Million Dollar Highway to Silverton, an old silver mining town. . .really lovely views.

 Then we had lunch at the Switzerland of America, Ouray, Colorado.  We really loved being surrounded by the mountains.

 Then it was on to Montrose where we went through the very complete and fabulous Russell Stover Factory Outlet store.

 Then it was onto Paonia where we stayed at the Living Farm B and B on Grand Street.

 Here we are with the owner, Lynn Gillespie, at the B and B.  Since this B and B was not quite ready to open, we almost didn't stay there.  But all of the other B and B's were full so Lynn said we could stay there and be the first guests ever at her B and B - as long as we didn't mind that a few things were not completed yet (e.g. no draperies on the windows).

 It was the Cherry Festival in Paonia and the mayor of this city of about 1500 people rode by on his bike.  We talked a bit about city politics in our respective cities.

 We all went cherry picking in a local orchard.

 Next we drove up to Marble, about an hour away.  This is a city of about 24 year-round residents.  This picture is of the marble quarry on the hillside where the Lincoln Memorial and the tomb of the Unknown Soldier were quarried from.

 Then we stopped for a quick lunch on the Crystal River.

 Finally, before we headed to Utah for a friend's homecoming from her mission, we stopped to hike Hanging Lake in Glenwood Canyon.  Evan did a great job in his walking cast - over 1 1/2 miles one way with  a 1000 foot elevation gain.

Finally, we went to the Hole in the Rock above Hanging Lake to watch the water coming out of the rock.