One column deadline met, one more to go; then it starts all over again next month. I think it's the finality of the name "deadline" more than anything that makes me anxious. Makes me wonder about its origin...did they use to kill writers if their work was a tad late?
The lead photo was taken on Dallas Divide. Designer Ralph Loren owns most of the land on the south side of the highway 62 between Ridgway and the Divide—nearly 17,000 pristine and beautiful acres of wilderness at the foot of Mount Sneffels—all part of his sprawling Double R L Ranch. The Double R L is a real working cattle ranch with real tobacco spitting cowboys. My days as a Maintenance Man there were fraught with working out in the cold and snow with numb hands and feet. It was the best of times; it was the worst of times (sigh).
The next two photos are the last from my Dallas Divide/Last Dollar Road excursion; I really got carried away by the surly weather and fall color :)
Below is a Denver Digital Library photo of the Denver and Rio Grande train that ran from the old townsite of Dallas to Telluride from the late 1800's to the mid 1900's...right past the old ranch house in the lead photo.
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| Note the big snowplow on the front of the steam engine... |
I rushed back to Ridgway and picked Bobbie up from her Arts Council meeting, all animated by the Glory of fall and the western legacies that abound in our neck of the woods. We were headed home to work on loading up Goldie, but just outside Lovely Ouray Sue Bee hung a left on County Road 14. Darn that girl, anyway :) Another mud trek ensued, but worth every car wash quarter as it climbed up past Lake Lenore and into some nice stands of aspen and spruce. The road was untracked...ours and ours alone.
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| Heading back down... |
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| Somewhere in the clouds White House Mountain hides away... |
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| It's a tad brisk with the Moonroof open...but necessary for the vertical views |
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| Heading back to The Crevice... |
Just another day in Paradise... it sure beats Margaritaville.
OH! Post Card Heaven!!! I just don't know how you do it so incredibly consistently! Amazes me. Then again it may have a bit (just a little bit) to do with the subject matter. So...I know you paint...have you ever tried to sell postcards? I would buy them.
ReplyDeleteI've always believed that there are certain places where a person could shoot blindfolded and there wouldn't be a bad picture in the bunch.
DeleteRe: postcards. Print media is a cutthroat competitive business these days of internet and Made in China. It would be tough...
thanks
The photos remind me why I'm heading south. Thanks for the reminder.
ReplyDeleteWe know you prefer Hawaiian over Flannel shirts, Wandrin Lloyd. But a little snow and brisk weather once or twice a year is a nice "balance."
Deletethanks
Reminds me a lot of jaunts we used to do in the Jeep in the mountains of northern Utah. Pure heaven. Thanks for the lovely postcard reminders. Keep 'em comin'!
ReplyDeleteI think snow enhances Ms Autumn's wardrobe :))
Deletethanks G.
Jaw Dropping Gorgeous feast for the eyes!
ReplyDeleteWait, there's desert coming...
DeleteWhen we visit such beautiful places as Colorado, I always wonder if people who live there take them for granted. Obviously you don't. Your pictures are breathtakingly beautiful!
ReplyDeleteAs a "transplant" I've often thought the majority of Natives take Colorado for granted. They should have to spend a summer in Missouri... that would fix 'em.
DeleteI'm curious. What make is that red truck in your new banner photo? At first, I thought it was an International, but after taking a second look, I'm not so sure. I hope you noticed.
ReplyDeletephil,
Deletehere is a link to a "cherry" International Harvester Pickup like in my header...an early 50's model
http://www.pbase.com/rpdoody/image/94272401
It was back in the days when they tried to change up the grill every year and that year was a step aside from the traditional I. H. "look." Good eye, tho...I had to look close.
I believe some came out in the late fall 1949 /1950/1951/1952 after that the grill changed
DeleteI can hear the mud in the wheel wells..... We really enjoyed our drive on the Last Dollar Road but were thankful it was mostly dry. I wondered why you gave up the position at the Double RL Ranch.
ReplyDeleteyes...I was thinking the whole time how much it was going to cost me to get that mud out of the wheel wells :))
DeleteThe job on the double RL was six days a week and long hours. They paid well, tho...and employees had hunting privileges, PLUS, we each were gifted a half beef all processed and wrapped every Christmas. And when the Laurens were in town with their entourage and NYC guests I got to raid the cookshack for leftovers :)) Believe it or not, they had fresh bagels flown in from NYC twice a week. Guess ours weren't good enough...
Such a dramatic contrast, how could you not. May be seeing similar in Flagstaff.
ReplyDeleteStorm's a commin' again...look out!
DeleteGracious! F. G.
ReplyDeleteMARK== better than Margaritaville??????????????????---Is that a poke at your Florida friends??? Right now Margaritavelle looks mighty good! The answer is both locations! Walden creek rv steve
ReplyDeleteMe? Make fun of Margaritaville? Never :))
DeleteEnjoy your Colorado Company :) and say Hi; We miss her already.