Restablecer búsqueda
Coronavirus Pandemic
  • Two to Travel
mar. 2020 – may. 2021

Coronavirus Pandemic

Una aventura de 408 días de Two to Travel Leer más
SeguirResumenCalendarioCompartirCompartirLista de deseos
Más recientes primero
  • Inicio del viaje
    21 de marzo de 2020
    Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    Love this view from our deck — Colorado Springs, CO.Running the "pallet maze" @ Costco — Colorado Springs, CO.Provisioning completed — Colorado Springs, CO.

    SQD1: Do the 5 ... A PSA

    21 de marzo de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 32 °F

    SQD1 ... self-quarantine day 1.

    I’m home ... Mui will quarantine himself in about 5 minutes ... he just got back from his final provisioning run.

    The good news ... he managed the find most of what was on his shopping list. Essentials ...✔️ He reports that everywhere he went, people were keeping their distance from each other and following instructions from those in charge of keeping things calm and quiet. Costco even has a “pallet maze” to keep order amongst the shoppers as they wait to enter the store.

    It’s been a quiet day here in the neighborhood. The sun is shining ... there’s snow on the ground ... but our driveway is clear and so are the roads. Every once in a while I see people walk by ... getting some fresh air ... that’s a good thing. I got my fresh air on the deck today ... will begin a walking routine tomorrow.

    The antelope came by for a visit ... staying on the plains, but easily visible to the naked eye. I guess they too got the message about social-distancing.

    All in all ... a good day.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy ... and “Do the 5!” What are those you ask? See the screenshot I took below.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    Disinfecting the travel bags that have been in quarantine in the garage since Friday — COS, CO.Almost done unpacking — Colorado Springs, CO.Blueberry sauce ... it has many uses — Colorado Springs, CO.We like our artichokes with plenty of rice, peas, and carrots — Colorado Springs, CO.The arroyo being graded to reduce the risk of soil collapse — Colorado Springs, CO.

    SQD3: Find the Humor

    23 de marzo de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 52 °F

    Self-quarantine day 3.

    Another quiet evening yesterday ... episodes of another series we watch caught up on ... another good night's rest. Up and at 'em around 5:00a ... a tad before my usual time, but it was nice to get some chores out of the way early so I could add some fun stuff to my day ... like writing.

    The two remaining bags from our overseas jaunt have been in quarantine in the garage since our arrival Friday. Yesterday, Mui disinfected the bags ... today we brought them into the house. The contents are unpacked and put away. Yay!

    While I was putting a ✔︎ next to our last travel-tasker on the to-do list, Mui was busy in the kitchen. First, he turned some blueberries into blueberry sauce. We'll use the sauce to flavor our breakfast yogurt ... and should he take it into his mind to make a cheesecake, the sauce will be ready to use as a topping 🤪. As well, he cranked up the slow cooker to make some shredded beef and also cooked up a batch of artichokes using a Turkish recipe for a dish that is served at room temperature.

    (P.S. If you'd like to try your hand at making the artichoke dish, google recipes for Turkish style artichokes or zeytinyağlı enginar.)

    Chores completed by mid-morning, we went out for a walk around the neighborhood. Saw only two other couples the entire time we were out. Despite the full sunshine, there was a stiff breeze that added a chill factor. Bundled up, we enjoyed the fresh air anyway. The temp is expected to get up into 70F by the middle of the week, but high winds continue to be in the forecast, so we'll see just how much time we'll be able to spend outdoors.

    I've mentioned before that there is an arroyo — a dry creek bed — running in front of our subdivision. When we came back from Europe last November, we noticed kids playing in the eroded crevices in the arroyo. The ground being unstable, this was a dangerous situation that we reported to the community managers. They told us at the time that the arroyo was going to be graded to reduce the risk of any soil collapses.

    Surprise ... the work started in our absence. So now we can watch the machines at work ... free entertainment, if you will. Kidding aside, we're glad the developer is taking care of what is a potentially dangerous area to make the community safer for everyone.

    All in all ... a good day.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy. And, as the pandemic rages, try to find the humor. I'm not saying to take the coronavirus lightly. Far from it ... we all need to take the circumstances we find ourselves in very seriously. But our mindset and mental health are an important element in the fight against the virus. It's OK to laugh a bit ... it's essential.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    Mountain Bluebird — Colorado Springs, CO.
    Portioning shredded beef for freezing — Colorado Springs, CO.Cauliflower popcorn with garlic yogurt sauce ... our lunch today — Colorado Springs, CO.

    SQD4: The Peace of Wild Things

    24 de marzo de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F

    Self-quarantine day 4.

    Alexa is playing some Tchaikovsky for me as I write and take care of things at my desk. So much better than listening to the ever-worsening news about the coronavirus and its effects worldwide.

    When we returned to the US, Mui and I made a pact to ration our exposure to the pandemic news. We watch the news for an hour each in the morning, at noon, and in the evening. That's it. Just enough to be apprised of the latest updates.

    It's been another routine day at home. Bodies totally adjusted to MDT now, we were up early as usual. I like this because it means that we can take care of our daily batch of chores pretty early before turning our attention to doing fun things.

    It wasn't until later in the morning that the wind picked up, so it was truly delightful to be sitting out on the deck between chores ... enjoying the warmth of the sun shining bright. I'm glad we decided to settle here in Colorado where the promise of 300 days of sunshine continues to hold true.

    We took a long walk in the neighborhood today. Our destination was a house being constructed on a nearby street to see if we could spy a couple of barn owls that have taken up residence in the eaves. Alas, no luck today, but we'll keep checking.

    All in all ... a good day.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy. And find peace where you can ... including in wild things.

    I'll admit that I stole the idea for this from a fellow-blogger — yes, I still think of myself as a blogger even though I am now using FindPenguins. Reading Laurel's post on "Raven & Chickadee" (https://ravenandchickadee.com/), I was filled with a sense of peace. No wood drakes or great herons around here, but the antelope were on the plains across from the house again this morning. And we did spot a mountain bluebird in the neighborhood. Seeing wildlife always brings a smile to our faces ... something we all need more than ever before.

    The Peace of Wild Things ... by Wendell Berry

    When despair for the world grows in me
    and I wake in the night at the least sound
    in fear of what my life and my children’s lives may be,
    I go and lie down where the wood drake
    rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
    I come into the peace of wild things
    who do not tax their lives with forethought
    of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
    And I feel above me the day-blind stars
    waiting with their light. For a time
    I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    One monitor for photos ... another for the words that will jog my memory as I process images.

    SQD5: Unplug

    25 de marzo de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    Self-quarantine day 5.

    I don't have anything much to report about today that is different from yesterday.

    Up early ... today's chore-list was checked off by 9:15a. Shortly thereafter we set off for our walk to get some exercise and fresh air ... hoping to get out and back before the winds picked up. We missed the worst of the gusts, which have been blowing at up to 50 mph at times.

    I've begun to process and upload into my SmugMug galleries some of the thousands of photos that I've backburnered in recent years. We've been traveling so extensively that I simply have not had time to deal with them. I enjoy armchair-traveling — reading about the exploits of others — when we're not doing so ourselves. Processing the photos will be another way of traveling virtually during this health crisis we're dealing with around the world.

    All in all ... a good day.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy. And remember to unplug from all the news we're being bombarded with about the coronavirus pandemic. You'll feel so much better for doing so.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    Do your part ... stay home and social distance ... it will make a difference.

    SQD6: Stay @ Home

    26 de marzo de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ 🌬 64 °F

    Self-quarantine day 6.

    Another routine day for me. A few chores taken care of early in the day, I found time to relax afterward in the sun on the deck ... until it became too hot and I had to seek some shade. Yes, our sun here in Colorado Springs is quite powerful even when the temp is only in the high 60s. A corner of our deck was protected from the wind — which has been gusting up to nearly 50 mph. It was the perfect place to read for a while.

    Mui, on the other hand, broke quarantine today to replenish some of our foodstuff and other supplies. Why? Because Governor Polis has imposed a stay-at-home order statewide ... for the next two weeks. It went into effect this morning. People are still allowed to go out to shop for essentials, but the order will probably exacerbate the stockpiling we've already seen. Best to get ahead of it Mui figured.

    Anyway, he lucked out by going shopping bright and early. Costco was open at 7:30a — half an hour before the designated shopping hours for those who are 60+. No lines. The shelves fully stocked ... even TP, paper towels, disinfectant wipes, rubber gloves, and all those other nearly-impossible to find items aplenty. The purchase of such things is limited to one per account ... sad that Costco employees actually have to monitor this, but it is what it is I guess. The bonus — we have fresh halibut to add to our menu!

    A stop at the commissary for small toiletry items. A quick in-and-out at Sprouts for fresh goods. All shopping accomplished with a touchless credit card ... and no close contact with anyone. Now we’re topped off again for the stay-at-home order which is essentially adding another week to our self-quarantine period.

    So what does the order mean for us? Nothing much really. I checked the order on the web and what’s outlined is no different from what we’ve been doing to keep any social interactions at a distance. We’re still allowed to engage in “solitary” outdoor activities. For the next week or so, we will continue to get our exercise with neighborhood walks. After that, we’ll start looking at trails and pathways in nearby parks to add a bit of variety.

    All in all ... a good day.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy. And stay home. At present, that doesn’t mean being cooped indoors 24/7. Rather it means keeping social distance to do your part in inhibiting the spread of the coronavirus. If you don’t think you can make a difference, just check out the video I’ve included in this footprint.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    The sun is shining ... Pike's Peak is out — Colorado Springs, CO.
    The grading work in the arroyo is underway — Colorado Springs, CO.Ours in the house that is facing this way across the arroyo — Colorado Springs, CO.Time to be counted — Colorado Springs, CO.

    SQD7: Sit Down & Be Counted

    27 de marzo de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 57 °F

    Self-quarantine day 7.
    Stay @ home order day 2.

    With snow expected this evening, the temperature was predicted to dip drastically as the day progressed. So, this morning I put aside my chores to sit out on the deck while the sun was still out ... making the cool temp bearable. The quiet peace of the morning was broken by birds chirping ... mostly unseen in the trees and vegetation.

    Eventually chores beckoned. Mui and I set out to put checkmarks by those items on today’s list as quickly as possible. Then time to get some exercise. Although there was a rather stiff breeze, the 🌞 won the battle.

    We walked up to the neighborhood lake (a retention pond, really) where we found quite a few families out getting some fresh air. There was plenty of distance between each group, so we joined in to walk partway around the lake before taking a detour that found us walking on the far side of the arroyo. Not another person around ... perfect. The walk gave us a chance to see the grading work that’s been undertaken to reduce the impact of erosion on the sides of the arroyo.

    Lunch today was some of the fresh halibut Mui picked up from Costco yesterday. I had hoped that we might be able to eat al fresco on the deck. No can do ... the temp by then was down to 48F with some hefty wind gusts that made it bone-chillingly cold. As I write this now just before 6:00p, the temp is already down to 35F. The snowflakes that the wind was tossing about are no more, but the smell of snow is in the air ... the mountains that are visible from my home office have disappeared from view. Methinks we’ll get some white stuff overnight. How much? That’s TBD.

    Our 2020 census invitation came in the mail yesterday. So, today Mui and I sat down to complete the census online. The letter said it would take about 10 minutes ... 5 minutes is all it took for us to answer a few household questions and a couple more personal questions.

    All in all ... a good day.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy. And sit down and be counted. The official census date is just four days away and according to the update I received today, only 30.2% of households have responded thus far.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    Just a dusting of snow on the walking path in the neighborhood — Colorado Springs, CO.
    I never tire of this view ... even with snow on the ground — Colorado Springs, CO.2@ 7:56a ... this is the accumulation from the overnight snowstorm — Colorado Springs, CO.11:26a ... the snow is all gone from the deck — Colorado Springs, CO.

    SQD8: Halfway Through

    28 de marzo de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 39 °F

    Self-quarantine day 8.
    Stay @ home order day 3.

    Yesterday marked 14 days for our potential coronavirus exposure for going through BCN to get to Turkey at the end of the TransAtlantic cruise. We remain healthy. I wasn’t worried, because at the time most of the cases were in Madrid. It wasn’t until days after we flew out of the Barcelona airport that the virus began growing exponentially in Spain.

    I discount any exposure while we were in Turkey for a week. Not only did we practice social distancing, but COVID-19 cases didn’t start exploding until after our departure. And even now, the number is only a small fraction of what we’re seeing in the US.

    But then we traveled two days to get from IST to DEN — with an overnight in BOS. The virus was already exploding in the US by then. So, we will continue to self-quarantine for another week. That will give us two weeks from our departure from Turkey.

    Plus we'll adhere to the Colorado stay at home order for a week after that. But we'll be able to look for solitary hiking opportunities outside the neighborhood during that time frame ... a change of pace is good for our mental health.

    All in all ... a good day.

    After blizzard-like conditions overnight with strong winds that blew most of the powder snow elsewhere around the neighborhood, we got very little accumulation. Where surfaces get the sun, the snow has already evaporated. It’s a bit chilly at 37F, but we’re expecting to get into the high 40F range this afternoon. We’ll delay today’s exercise outing until later in the day.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy. And here’s a link to a video a doctor put together on how to bring your groceries into your house. I think similar precautions can be applied to most anything ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&a…

    ON THE FAMILY FRONT

    The short story ... all's well with both our families in Turkey, and my brother, who lives in Kansas City, MO. The Turkish government took the pandemic very seriously and instituted fairly stringent precautions very early on to slow down the spread. While the number of cases is growing, it’s at a far slower pace than here in the US.

    Mom has been quarantining herself since we flew from Spain to Turkey in mid-March. The local health clinic has been checking on her daily by phone to ensure she's well. She is now cleared from any possibility of exposure from the trip to return her to her home in Turkey. Alrighty, time to go out for some exercise.

    But there is a wrinkle. She has to adhere to the stay-at-home order for 65+ that was instituted by the government last week. Absolutely no going out for any reason. Hefty fines for not following the order.

    The good news? The health care worker told her that if she stays home for another 10 days that she will give mom a permission slip that will allow her to go out for exercise and such ... with appropriate social distancing measures taken when doing so. In the meantime, it's a good thing she has a penthouse condo where she can spend time on the terrace ... when weather permits.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    2Armchair travaling and a cup of tea on a sunny morning — Colorado Springs, CO.
    Source of my armchair trip ... my journal of our very first trip to Alaska — Colorado Springs, CO.Yummy banana nut muffins were the result of Mui's baking efforts — Colorado Springs, CO.Love seeing Pike's Peak when we go out walking — Colorado Springs, CO.Such a glorious day ... a glorious mountain — Colorado Springs, CO.Electric box murals by Amy Spring — Colorado Springs, CO.2Mui keeping company with Mr Jumbo, who is reading ...... a good-news letter from the World Poultry Council — Colorado Springs, CO.

    SQD9: Quiet Is Good

    29 de marzo de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 50 °F

    Self-quarantine day 9.
    Stay @ home order day 4.

    All's quiet on the homefront. Nothing exciting to report … and that’s a good thing these days.

    After breakfast, Mui set up a corner on the deck for me to enjoy the sunny morning. I sat out for a while, enjoying a couple of cups of tea while doing a bit of armchair traveling. He had it on his mind to disinfect his shopping from Thursday and organize everything on the pantry shelves ... so I let him do that 😉

    Mui also baked some banana nut muffins today ... got to make the best use of those bananas that were a little too ripe to otherwise eat. We're going to have to either buy another muffin tin or he's going to have to cut his recipe in half. The muffins that came out of the oven today are oversized ... "Just like the ones as Starbuck's," Mui said. We'll be splitting one for tea ... the rest, we'll freeze for future consumption.

    Today’s exercise walk took us around a different part of the neighborhood ... variety is a good thing. We encountered no more than 10 people in the time we were out ... all maintaining the appropriate social distance even as we exchanged greetings for a good and healthy day. Alas, I've since read on our neighborhood board that some people still don't think that the precautions for stopping the spread of the virus are necessary. I pray they don't find out first hand just how wrong they are.

    All in all ... a good day.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy. And follow the recommended precautions to flatten the pandemic curve.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    With nowhere to go, the luggage is all in the travel storage room under the staircase.

    SQD10: Nothing Exciting

    30 de marzo de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 52 °F

    Self-quarantine day 10.
    Stay @ home order day 5.

    A rare overcast day in Colorado Springs ... though the sun did peek out occasionally as it is doing now. As unexciting as the weather was, so was our day. A typically routine day.

    We had some travel odds and ends lying around, so after breakfast, I went downstairs to what I call the travel storage room ... located under the staircase. All are put away now ... the luggage back where it belongs.

    After our morning walk up to and around the neighborhood lake, we each set about doing our own thing.

    For Mui, that involved a bit of work in the kitchen.

    I sat at my desk and processed photos from our 2017 voyage around the world ... 14 days down ... 166 more days to go. The advantage of coming back to the thousands of photos from that adventure now is that my emotional attachment to them is not as strong and I am finding it easier to toss a lot more of them in the virtual trash bin.

    That's it ... hey, I did say it was a routine day ;-)

    All in all ... a good day.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    An early morning bike ride to get some cardio exercise — Colorado Springs, CO.
    Getting the gas line ready for when we order our new grill — Colorado Springs, CO.Washy washy ... it's the order of the day.

    SQD11: Routine is Good

    31 de marzo de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 66 °F

    Self-quarantine day 11.
    Stay @ home order day 6.

    Routine is good ... but it does make for boring journal entries. There's really nothing to write about that anyone would be interested in. Yet, time is flying rapidly ... three more days before our SQ days are over 🤞🏻. Not that we plan to rush out and socialize ... no, we'll be keeping our distance physically. Thank goodness there are "online" means of keeping in touch with family and friends.

    We had a gorgeous day here in Colorado Springs today. Just terrific. Blue skies — sunshine. Even though the high today was only around 66F — and that wasn't reached until around 5:00p — it felt much, much warmer in the sun ... even in the early hours of the morning. T-shirt weather for sure while I was sitting on the deck at 9:00a, enjoying my morning tea. Mui went biking ... and later in the day, we went for a neighborhood walk to enjoy the delightful weather further.

    We know this weather won't last, however. Colorado's spring is finicky. So we'll make the most of it while we can. Indoor chores can wait for when we have those blah days and have to stay indoors.

    All in all ... a good day.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy. And here's a cute washy washy reminder video I’ve attached to this footprint.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    1A whale shark swimming around in Indonesia ... thanks for the chance to armchair-travel, Sue.

    SQD12: April Fools

    1 de abril de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 66 °F

    Self-quarantine day 12.
    Stay @ home order day 7.

    I wish this whole pandemic thing was just a stupid prank being played on us for April Fools. That when we wake up tomorrow there will be no coronavirus. That everyone who has been stricken with it will be well. That everything will be back to normal. Yeah right ... that's not going to be the case, is it? So let's continue to take all the precautions necessary to reduce the spread and flatten the curve. It's all we can do.

    Today we had some federal forms to complete. And they required signatures to be notarized. One would think that the requirement to do so would have been waived. After all, we're all either encouraged to or are under orders to stay at home. No such luck.

    So we called our bank to see if there was a drive-through notary option we could take advantage of. No ... lobby service was required. The good news, to limit the number of people in the bank at any given time, an appointment was required. Alrighty then ... 2:00p it shall be.

    There were indeed very few people inside the bank ... one of only three branches in the area with lobby service for the foreseeable future. It took all of five minutes to get the necessary notarization done ... our sanitized driver's licenses in a sanitized baggie ... the notary using fresh-out-of-the-box gloves to touch everything ... us using our own pens to sign the papers ... she using her own pen to complete her notary journal ... all three of keeping our distance.

    A quick stop at the post office to use the automated system to get the necessary postage to send off the form. And our outing was completed.

    I have to say that I was disappointed to see all the cars on the roads ... and in the parking lots at the various malls we passed. No way all those people were out to do "essential work." In our community, we've been isolated from the goings-on in the rest of Colorado Springs. I guess not everyone is staying at home like they should.

    Believe me we would have postponed our outing if we could have ... but that wasn't in the cards. You bet, however, that now that we've got the documents in the mail, we'll be back to our stay-at-home routine.

    All in all ... a good day.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    Early morning view ... can barely see the machines that are grading the land.
    Mui took my hint & made mini cheesecakes ... yes, that's the blueberry sauce from a few weeks ago.

    SQD13: Brrrr! ... Otherwise, All's Well

    2 de abril de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ 🌧 37 °F

    Self-quarantine day 13.
    Stay @ home order day 8.

    Did I describe Colorado's spring weather as finicky in a previous footprint? Yes, I did ... and it is oh so true.

    The forecasted 53F must have been reached before we even rolled out of bed this morning. The temp has been going down steadily all day ... I just checked Weather Underground for our neighborhood and it's down to 21F now. Snowflakes are floating on the air ... nothing sticking ... not yet.

    Yesterday, Governor Polis extended the stay-at-home for Coloradans to the end of April. It's needed IMHO. And we need more people to take it seriously and stay home except when they absolutely have to go out for unavoidable errands, doctor's visits, and such.

    As the stay-at-home order is being extended, we are nearing the end of our self-quarantine. Just one more day left.

    Our days are well and truly settling into a routine. A few chores ... some fun stuff. Before we know it, the evening hours are approaching. Dinner and a couple of shows on TV pretty much wrap things up. Thank goodness for Netflix ... we're binge-watching "The Crown." What can I say ... need fluff entertainment these days.

    All in all ... a good day.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy, One more SQ post tomorrow, and then I will only write if I have something exciting or different to report.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    This is the scenery we woke up to this morning — Colorado Springs, CO.
    Blowing away some of the snow in the driveway — Colorado Springs, CO.Never mind ... this will do a faster job of clearing the snow — Colorado Springs, CO.2Armchair Traveling ... Sunset in San Diego, California on 21 January 2017.

    SQD14: And We Remain Healthy!

    3 de abril de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 27 °F

    Self-quarantine day 14 ... the last day.
    Stay @ home order day 9.

    It's over ... the SQ, that is. We'll still social distance for the foreseeable future, but it feels good to know that we didn't pick up anything during the two days it took us to get from İzmir to Colorado Springs. Now to remain as healthy as we are the moment 🙏🏻

    To be frank, we didn't have any reason to suspect that we'd come into contact with the dreaded coronavirus while we were traveling. We kept our distance from others. We had "safe" seats on the long-haul flights. We sanitized our seats and anything that we might touch around us using disinfectant wipes. We washed our hands frequently in the lavatory ... disinfecting as an added precaution when we returned to our seats. In other words, we practiced safety measures throughout our time in airports ... on airplanes ... and even in our room at the Hilton @ Logan Airport in Boston. Glad that our efforts were not for naught.

    Woke up to a winter wonderland today. The forecasted snow started late yesterday and continued through the night ... blanketing the area with fluffy white stuff.

    We didn't think we'd gotten three inches of accumulation. So, we figured the snow clearing crew would be a no-show. With that in mind, after breakfast, Mui went out to clear the driveway. He had barely started blowing the accumulation away from the garage door when the crew showed up. Yay! Minutes later, the driveway was down to bare concrete. Any patches that remain will be taken care of by the sun and warming temps.

    There wasn't much in the way of chores today. So, Mui installed my new keyboard tray. It tilts and swivels, allowing me to work more ergonomically ... that's a good thing since I am at my desk quite a bit more these days ... working towards catching up on photo processing and writing projects.

    In fact, today's processing took me to San Diego, California. The date was 21 January 2017. We had a terrific day — visiting the USS Midway Museum ... having a yummy meal at Sally's Fish House ... enjoying a colorful sunset ... and watching San Diego recede amid twinkling lights as we left after nightfall to begin our TransPacific crossing. Love armchair traveling when I can't travel for real.

    I've attached one of the photos I processed from our day in San Diego. Once I get a few more days of photos uploaded, I'll share the link here for those interested in reliving our RTW voyage with us.

    All in all ... a good day.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy. I'll write again when I have something interesting ... or just to catch up.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    A delightful day for a walk on the New Santa Fe Regional Trail — Colorado Springs, CO.
    The cadet area at USAFA ... with the Chapel peeking out in the distance — Colorado Springs, CO.Love seeing Pike's Peak anytime ... anywhere — Colorado Springs, CO.Oh look, we walked 47 miles in two hours 😜 — Colorado Springs, CO.A miniature lemon bar for dessert — Colorado Springs, CO.Preparing to juice some of the tangerines — Colorado Springs, CO.Online grocery shopping ... we'll see how it works out — Colorado Springs, CO.

    Change of Scenery

    5 de abril de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 55 °F

    Stay @ home order day 11.

    We have a couple of great weather days to take advantage of before the next forecasted snow falls in Colorado Springs. So, we decided that we were due a change of scenery.

    The plan was to drive over to the Air Force Academy (USAFA) and walk around one of the lakes on base. No can do ... the grounds are apparently closed during the pandemic to all but those on official business. Alrighty ... we’ll switch plans.

    A quick drive from USAFA’s south gate to the north gate took us to the New Santa Fe Regional Trail. The parking lot is outside the base, so no problems accessing the dirt path that runs parallel to USAFA. I have no idea how long the trail is ... though we did pass a marker indicating we were at milepost 47. In any event, we were out for about two hours.

    The path is fairly level, but the area is at around 7,000 feet elevation. So we took it easy, enjoying the fantastic weather and the amazing scenery ... including Pike’s Peak peeking out from behind the nearby mountain range. I don’t know if we reached the day’s projected high of 66F while we were walking, but it sure was warm enough to shed my jacket shortly after we got started. We weren’t alone on the trail. There were other walkers and quite a few bikers ... but none that we saw except in passing.

    After our walk, we drove back home for a quiet afternoon. I had hoped to sit out on the deck, but there was a stiff breeze coming off the plains. OK ... plenty to do indoors, anyway. I went to my office to process photos. Mui went to his desk to do some grocery shopping ... on the Sprouts website. We do a lot of online shopping, but this is the first time he’s using a delivery service for groceries. We’ll see how it works out.

    All in all ... a good day.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    Mui doing a virtual health check conference ... Colorado Springs, CO.

    Virtual Health Check ... Virtual Travel

    6 de abril de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 63 °F

    Stay @ home order day 12.

    Mui saw the doctor today ... virtually.

    No, don’t worry ... it’s not COVID-19 related. His allergies have kicked into full gear these past few days ... possibly turning into a sinus infection. His “wet” cough has been the worst of his problems as the tickle in his throat wakes him throughout the night ... which means he doesn’t get a good night’s rest.

    He’s battled this respiratory issue all his life, so he knows the symptoms well. He emailed his primary care physician over the weekend. She responded Saturday with the suggestion he change his antihistamine and set up a virtual urgent care appointment ... just in case. Dotting all the i’s and crossing the t’s ... that’s a good thing.

    We picked up the recommended antihistamine yesterday ... and scheduled the virtual care appointment this morning. The process on the UC Health portal was easy peasy — select a time (there were plenty to choose from); complete a questionnaire that includes a description of symptoms and recent travel history; click the submit button to confirm.

    The appointment itself was a video conference. An admin person called 15 minutes before the designated time to confirm Mui’s identity and help him start the conference. Then a nurse practitioner took over. She listened to Mui’s concerns and agreed that his symptoms were not COVID-19 related (whew), and prescribed additional meds to help him get over the crud.

    By the way, she agreed with what we’ve been hearing on the news ... that the next two weeks are going to be the worst we’ve seen yet on the coronavirus front. So — stay home everyone and do your part to flatten the curve. That’s what we will be doing.

    If you enjoy armchair traveling, and you need something to entertain yourself while you’re home, here’s a link to the photos I have processed from our 2017 voyage around the world: http://2totravelrtw180.blogspot.com/p/our-rtw-i…. This link will take you to my blog page with a list of our ports of call. Where I have created online galleries, the name of the port is clickable and will take you to the appropriate gallery.

    So far, I’ve processed photos for 30 days of our 180-day adventure. Yeah ... I’ve got a long ways to go yet. But hey, I have plenty of time these days to get caught up.

    Oh, and if you want to see photos from our days at sea and some of our activities on board, you can click this link: https://eenusa.smugmug.com/RTW-2017/Voyage/Days….

    All in all ... a good day.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    The stages of preparing the orange peel for dipping in chocolate.
    All we have at home to make the chocolate dipping sauce is a bag of Dove chocolates.Ta Da! Yummy treats.

    Testing a New Treat Recipe

    7 de abril de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 59 °F

    Stay @ home order day 13.

    Gorgeous day here in Colorado Springs.

    We were really tempted to go to one of the nearby parks for a hike. But we had multiple deliveries coming ... with no scheduled time frame. So, we stayed home and made the most of the sunny, blue-sky day — with temps reaching up into 72F — on our own deck. Mui even set up an umbrella to give us a bit of relief from the sun.

    Mui was in and out of the house, working on a recipe he recently found for chocolate dipped orange peel strips. Yummy!!! One of my favorite treats. The result ... delicious ... although we didn’t have enough chocolate in the house this time to entirely coat each orange peel strip. You can bet that will change when he makes the recipe again.

    (His recipe is in Turkish, but you can Google chocolate dipped orange peel and come up with quite a number of recipes online should you suddenly have a yen to make your own treats.)    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    The clouds are no match for the winds battering the plains — Colorado Springs, CO.
    The only birthday candle in the house is bigger than the cake ;-) — Colorado Springs, CO.Screenshot from Bocelli's Music for Hope Concert — Milan, Italy.Perspective of our house from inside the arroyo on one of our neighborhood walks — Colorado Springs.The grill has found it's way to the deck ... now to start using it — Colorado Springs, CO.Big box = no chaise lounge assembly required? Colorado Springs, CO.The walk in closet gets a do-over.

    All Continues to Be Well

    15 de abril de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 41 °F

    Stay @ home order day 21.

    It's been a week since I last wrote. We're well and truly into our routine. Nothing exciting to write about. Just wanted to let those few who are reading that all's well.

    We've had a couple of nice days that allowed us to enjoy the outdoors this past week with long walks around the neighborhood and on the plains on the far side of our arroyo. Al fresco meals on the deck added variety.

    We're in the midst of furnishing the deck so that we can spend more time out there as the weather improves. The grill Mui ordered arrived last week ... putting it together was not unlike a Lego project ;-) But we managed quite well. The chaise lounges arrived yesterday ... currently in quarantine in the garage. We'll get them unpacked and moved to the deck by the weekend. No reason to hurry before then since we have a second snow event forecasted for tomorrow ... this on the heels of the one that just about blew us away this past Sunday.

    Another project we've tackled is my walk-in closet. The doors we ordered from Ikea for our old cabinets have been installed ... as has the jewelry armoire. I'm using the "one bite of the elephant" method to reorganize the shelves and hanging clothes. It will take some time to finish the project ... but I'm in no hurry. It’s good to mix and match hobbies with chores ... adds variety to our days.

    Some know that I celebrated my birthday on Saturday. It was a quiet day ... but that is no different from our usual b'day celebrations. The highlight of my birthday weekend was Andrea Bocelli's live concert from the Duomo in Milan ... so uplifting! His rendition of "Amazing Grace" brought tears to my eyes ... just as it did when we saw him perform live in DC. I had to look up when we went to Bocelli’s Christmas concert and was surprised to see that it was 15 years ago ... WOW! Time sure flies.

    I can't think of anything else to write about. So, I'll end as I've been doing since the coronavirus became such a big part of our lives ... stay safe ... stay healthy.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    Bobcat in a tree ... Colorado Springs, CO.
    Bobcat in a tree ... Colorado Springs, CO.What's that in the tree? Why it's a bobcat — Colorado Springs, CO.

    Bobcat Surprise

    18 de abril de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 57 °F

    Stay @ home order day #24.

    What started out as a nice enough walk around the neighborhood to get some fresh air and exercise turned into a delightful one when we spotted a bobcat in a tree. That's a first for us.

    The bobcat remained in position — not moving a muscle — long enough for us to watch it for a while. When we returned 45 minutes later to check on it and get a couple of photos, he was still in the same position. We wondered if it might be stuck in the "V" of some branches.

    The question was answered when Mui stopped by after lunch to check on it. As Mui watched, the bobcat jumped down to a lower branch but made no move to leave the tree. At least it wasn't stuck or hurt. Maybe just biding its time until nightfall to leave.

    We've notified the sheriff's office ... they will check on it.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    Collage of photos from the Thunderbird flyover ... bottom left is my photo.
    Social distancing at the 2020 Graduation Ceremony at USAFA — Colorado Springs, CO.

    Thunderbirds Salute

    18 de abril de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 50 °F

    Stay @ home day #24 (cont’d).

    The Thunderbirds — the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron — was in Colorado Springs today to honor the Class of 2020 at the US Air Force Graduation Ceremony.

    The squadron didn't perform its usual aerial acrobatics ... just did a flyover. But one that was appreciated by the graduates who had a most untraditional ceremony that was held in the cadet area near the USAFA Chapel instead of the Falcon Stadium. No cheering audience ... the soon-to-be second lieutenants all seated in a manner appropriate to the social distancing rules that govern our days during the pandemic. No hugging in celebration ... instead, they threw their caps in the air and donned face masks. Definitely a more solemn occasion this year.

    After the graduation ceremony, the Thunderbirds did not immediately high tail it back to Nellis AFB, Nevada ... their home base. Instead, they flew north and then made their way south, overflying Colorado's medical facilities along a previously determined flight pattern. It was their way of saluting essential front-line workers who are working tirelessly — and selflessly — during the COVID-19 pandemic.

    We had a great spot from which to watch the Thunderbirds fly over "our" hospital. I didn't get any decent photos, but I'm keeping them anyway to remember this most special flyover.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    A juvenile hawk comes a-callin' ... I'm thinking a Cooper's hawk — Colorado Springs, CO.
    A simple sewing project helps to pass some time during the stay at home order days.Getting started on building a side table to use on our deck — Colorado Springs, CO.Almost done with the table ... just need some braces and a can of paint to finish up.A glass of lavender wine (St Kathryn Cellars from Costco) to accompany lunch on the deck.

    We Enter a New Stage in Colorado

    27 de abril de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 70 °F

    The stay at home order for Colorado concluded yesterday. It lasted 32 days ... 14 of which we were self-quarantining post-trip anyway.

    Today we began a new phase — "safer at home." What this means is that the state is slowly taking steps towards re-opening the economy. Personally, I think it's too early for us to be doing so, but no one asked my opinion. At least Colorado seems to be taking steps a bit more slowly than some of the other states are doing.

    This new phase won't be making much of a change in our lives. We'll continue to social-distance. For the next few weeks at least, we'll also limit our forays to within 10 miles from our home base as requested.

    It's not much of a hardship for us to take these precautionary measures. We have plenty of projects to do at home. Some small ... like sewing hook tabs on washcloths. Some requiring a bit more effort ... like building a small side table to use between the two chaise lounges on the deck. In a week or so, Mui will start planting flowers for us to enjoy on our deck.

    I'm still taking bites out of the elephant that is also known as organizing the walk-in-closet. A few knitting projects give my hands something to do when we sit down to watch TV at night. And, of course, processing travel photos is still at the forefront of my hobby taskers ... as is cleaning up the stash of photos on my iPhone.

    Spring has well and truly sprung in Colorado Springs. That doesn't mean that we might not still get winter-like weather in the next few weeks. I'm OK with that. We are in the mountains of Colorado after all. Nature is starting to green up nicely. The fountain at the entrance to the community is spouting high and the landscapers turned on the irrigation system today, so we'll see plants and lawns coming alive before long.

    We're making the most of the warmer temps. While we yearn to go hiking, we'll do our share in the pandemic fight by curbing our enthusiasm to visit nearby parks for a bit longer and make do with neighborhood walks.

    Having the deck is a delight and we're using it as much as we can between doing chores at home. Quiet mornings sitting on the deck with a cup of tea and my iPad is my favorite time of the day ... enjoying the birds chirping in the trees and the sound of the frogs croaking in the tiny pond that has developed in the arroyo.

    We're expecting the temps to rise into the mid-80s for a few days later this week, so there's definitely more deck time in our immediate future. And al fresco meals, of course ... with "wine-time" moved to lunch since it's still a bit too cool to eat dinner outdoors.

    All in all ... we're doing well. And so our families and friends. Stay safe ... stay healthy.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    A Say's Phoebe comes a-callin' — Colorado Springs. CO.
    Time to plant some flowers for color on our deck — Colorado Springs, CO.The last sunrise of April is a brilliant one — Colorado Springs, CO.Getting the RV ready for the camping season — Colorado Springs, CO.First hot meal in the RV ... cooked at the sticks and bricks and eaten in our driveway!Sunset colors over the arroyo — Colorado Springs, CO.Geraniums awash in dew — Colorado Springs, CO.The geraniums Mui planted are coming along nicely — Colorado Springs, CO.The arroyo erosion mitigation is complete ... the soil seeded — Colorado Springs, CO.

    Safer @ Home Continues

    2 de mayo de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 59 °F

    Wow! It's been two weeks since I last posted. When we were off gallivanting, I always complained about how fast time was flying by. It seems that life's pace is no different even when we are at home and doing nothing particularly exciting. I honestly have no idea where the days have been going.

    Colorado's Safer @ Home stage during the COVID-19 pandemic continues. Not much has changed in our lives as the state opens ... at a slower pace than some of the other states ... at a faster pace than yet others. We continue to social distance, going out in public for essentials such as grocery shopping. Our daily walks have kept us within our community But that is about to change.

    It all started when USAFA (Air Force Academy) announced over the weekend that the famcamp on the installation would be opening on May 11. First thing Monday morning, we made a reservation for later this month. Then, last night, the Governor of Colorado announced that the campgrounds at the state parks would be opening as well. Today, we made reservations at three of the campgrounds that are in reasonable proximity to us. These are all for short stays. You could say that we are dipping our toes back into the RVing world ... slowly ... before we start planning a longer trip.

    Except for that bit of exciting-to-us news, we continue to work on projects around the house. We had a few summer-like days before the weather chilled for a week or so. It's warming up again, and with the change, our itch to get out further afield is growing. Hope to do so for a nice long hike tomorrow ... 🤞🏻

    Stay safe ... stay healthy.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    View of the Paint Mines from the Overlook — Calhan, CO.
    Paint Mines Interpretive Park — Calhan, CO.Paint Mines Interpretive Park — Calhan, CO.Golden Banners decorate some of the formations @ the Paint Mines — Calhan, CO.Paint Mines Interpretive Park — Calhan, CO.Paint Mines Interpretive Park — Calhan, CO.Paint Mines Interpretive Park — Calhan, CO.Paint Mines Interpretive Park — Calhan, CO.Paint Mines Interpretive Park — Calhan, CO.Video of the formations @ the Paint Mines Interpretive Park — Calhan, CO.

    Paint Mines Interpretive Park

    13 de mayo de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ⛅ 73 °F

    Today we “broke out of our neighborhood boundaries” and went off to do a hike at a park located about 30 miles from the house. At least that was the plan when we set out to enjoy a day forecasted to have summer-like temps.

    We made it to our destination — the Paint Mines Interpretive Park in Calhan — without a hitch. But then we got so engrossed in the colorful formations that we nixed the idea of the hike to play around the spires and hoodoos instead.

    The Paint Mines are named for the colorful clay deposits that were collected by American Indians to make paint. Archaeologists believe that humans inhabited the area for nearly 9,000 years ... the earliest being the Paleoindians who are believed to have descended from the people who migrated to North America over the Bering Land Bridge.

    We arrived at the park around 10:00a to find the first parking lot packed. WOW! This on a weekday! That worked in our favor. Turns out the second lot, which leads to the overlook, is the one that is closest to the formations. There was only one other car in this parking lot when we started off, but by the time we returned 2+ hours later, it too was packed.

    The good news? There are enough nooks and crannies at Paint Mines to allow for social-distancing from the people we encountered on the trails. Quite a large number were families with small kids. And that brings me to the bad news. Despite signage indicating that climbing the formations is prohibited due to their fragile nature, parents were allowing the kids to clamber all over them. Worse ... there were a number of adults doing so as well ... some with their dogs in tow (also not allowed).

    Regardless of the disappointing behavior of fellow-visitors, Mui and I wandered the trails, walking deeper and deeper into the formations to search out the pinks, magentas, purples, and yellows that make the park such a brilliant place to visit. An al fresco lunch at a picnic table overlooking the formations wrapped up our visit to the Paint Mines.

    Now that I have my photos, next time we go I’ll leave the camera behind so we don’t get distracted from hiking the rest of the park.

    (More photos are in my online gallery: https://eenusa.smugmug.com/North-America-US-Can…)    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    Mui built a cabinet to hide the gas hook-up and installed a conduit to hide the hose.
    Inside the cabinet ... we also have a power extension cord and a shelf for storage.2The work is done ... time to relax!1We installed solar shades made locally in Denver to cut down on the glare from the morning sun.1First meal after the shades were installed was breakfast a few days ago ... under 60F, but comfy.2The dining set was purchased from a neighbor moving away last year ... all of $75! Excellent buy.The umbrella provides plenty of shade until the sun moves off the deck shortly after noon.We bought these Sunbrella loungers through Costco ... a little pricey, but comfortable and durable.The arroyo and plains view we get to enjoy from our deck ... though not always with a rainbow.

    Happy Memorial Day!

    23 de mayo de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☁️ 75 °F

    Hope everyone has properly social-distanced-plans to enjoy this holiday weekend. We’ll be staying home since we purposefully-planned our first camping trip with the Phoenix Cruiser for after the holiday long-weekend. We brought the rig home again yesterday and got things put away in the cabinets and drawers, so we’re ready to roll on Tuesday morning.

    As it turns out, we’re supposed to get a couple of soakers tomorrow and Monday, so it’s better that we are at home. We have a nice deck ... chirping birds ... an arroyo and plains view that is greening up with each passing minute ... and antelopes roaming about. Plus the annual Miller moth infestation/migration is about done ... thank goodness! So, we have all we really need to enjoy the holiday weekend at home.

    Since today has the best weather of the long-weekend forecast, we’re making the most of our deck, which we recently finished furnishing with a dining area and a lounging area. The flowers — petunias, geraniums, and lavender — are coming along nicely ... as are the herbs. We enjoy the pops of color ... as do passers-by who have been generous in their compliments.

    Have fun ... stay safe ... stay healthy.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    Cliff swallows nesting in the eaves of a house in the neighborhood — Colorado Springs, CO.
    Cliff swallows in action — Colorado Springs, CO.Starting a second row of nests! — Colorado Springs, CO.This side of the house is further from the mud source ... just a few nests here so far — COS, CO.House finch serenading us from our roof — Colorado Springs, CO.Mourning dove strolling in the backyard — Colorado Springs, CO.Goldfinch and a female house finch (I think) at the neighbor's feeder — Colorado Springs, CO.Brewer's Blackbird — Colorado Springs, CO.House Finch — Colorado Springs, CO.Black-billed magpie ... doesn't seem too concerned that he's a bit big for the feeder! — COS, CO.

    Invasion of the Swallows

    6 de junio de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ 🌧 72 °F

    After a short camping getaway to USAFA's Peregrine Pines famcamp last week (footprints posted to the FP trip at this link: https://findpenguins.com/8pccjefaitoru/trip/t2t…), we're back to our routine at home ... until next week when we will take off for another short jaunt in the Cruiser.

    Spring vaulted into summer this week with unseasonable daytime temps of 90F+ around Colorado Springs. In fact, yesterday we broke the all-time high temp record with 94F. Friends who live in states with traditionally higher temps are probably shrugging their shoulders at these numbers ;-) Luckily for us, between the lack of humidity and the near-constant breeze, the high temps were bearable. That said, we're happy to see the forecast calling for temps in the 70-80F range again next week.

    It's lovely to see the landscape greening up ... helped along by some beneficial afternoon and evening rains we've gotten on and off these past few weeks. The worst of the storms stay in the mountains or on the plains way off to the east of us. This is our first spring/summer in the new house, so all of the changes are new and delightful to us.

    The slight draught in the area seems to have delayed the wildflowers ... which, in turn, has made the annual Miller moth migration from the plains to the mountains the worst it has been in a couple of years. We had a few weeks where opening doors and windows meant letting in a number of moths no matter how quick we were. Mui became quite adept at using the vacuum to get rid of the moths that insisted on remaining indoors with us instead of outside where they belong.

    The moths are now history. In their stead, we have an abundance of birds coming through the area. As the wetlands in the neighborhood get better established, we're seeing more and more birds arriving ... and staying for a while. The mountain bluebirds that were the first to arrive have disappeared. House finches, goldfinches, blackbirds — both red-winged and Brewer's — and mourning doves and black-billed magpies are the most readily identifiable ones around here at present.

    The numbers of these birds, however, are no match for the cliff swallows that have invaded the neighborhood. They are flitting about everywhere, busily building nests. There are two houses at the end of the walking path that are absolutely inundated. The eaves on all sides are filled with nests the swallows build from the mud they collect from the wetlands across from these two houses.

    I love birds ... but I sure am glad we have no readily available sources of mud anywhere near our house, so we have escaped the invasion intact. We're more than happy to wander down the path to enjoy our swallow-watching.

    Stay safe ... stay healthy.    Leer más

    Ver traducción
  • Two to TravelTwo to TravelCoronavirus Pandemic
    I'm not the only one enjoying the view @ Lake Park — Green Mountain Falls, CO.
    Canada goose gosling seeking a treat @ Lake Park — Green Mountain Falls, CO.1Yes, we could use 4x4 assist going up Hondo Street — Green Mountain Falls, CO.2Oh oh ... boulders and rocks to climb over and around — Catamount Falls Trail ... GMF, CO.1First waterfall — Catamount Falls Trail, GMF, CO.1The second waterfall gets a video — Catamount Falls Trail, GMF, CO.2That's about how wide the trail is all the way up — Catamount Falls Trail, GMF, CO.Trees, trees everywhere — Catamount Falls Trail, GMF, CO.2Wildflowers galore ... Colorado Columbine (top L and R) is the state flower.1

    Hiking the Catamount Falls Trail

    24 de junio de 2020, Estados Unidos ⋅ ☀️ 73 °F

    It’s not that we’ve been sitting around doing nothing as COVID-19 continues to plague the country. No, we’ve actually taken the RV out for a couple of short camping trips these past several weeks. But those stories belong as footprints in another trip. With nothing exciting to write about otherwise, this mock-trip has remained idle ... until today.

    (By the way, if interested, here’s the link to our Phoenix Cruiser stories ... https://findpenguins.com/8pccjefaitoru/trip/5e0….)

    With our next camping trip not scheduled until the first week in July, yesterday we decided to drive into the mountains to escape the heat in Colorado Springs and go hiking. I’d been reading about various trails that go to waterfalls, so we picked one of them for today’s outing. Boy, was it a doozy!

    The trailhead for Catamount Falls Trail (CFT) is in Green Mountain Falls, a statutory town in El Paso and Teller Counties. The 2010 census puts the population at 640 people ... I’d be surprised if it is much more than that now. It’s only about 30 miles from where we live in Colorado Springs ... an easy drive up the mountain via US Highway 24.

    The instructions for CFT say that there is no parking at the trailhead and directs hikers to leave their vehicles at Lake Park in Green Mountain Falls. So that’s where we started our day. The park, with its gazebo on an island attached to the shoreline by a bridge, was quite photogenic. So, before setting off for the trail, I went for a walk around the lake. Mui, in the meantime, went in search for more specific directions to the trailhead since there were no maps available in the box near the parking lot. By 9:30a, we were on our way.

    AllTrails lists CFT as a moderate, 6.4-mile out and back trail. Per AllTrail’s guidelines, that’s the total distance, not one way. But to get to the trailhead, one must walk up about ½-mile on Hondo Avenue. When I say up, I mean UP! At the beginning of the dirt road, vehicles are advised to engage 4x4 assist. Believe me, we could have used that assist ourselves as we walked up the steep grade of the road! All along the road were signs making it clear that hikers were not allowed to park anywhere, so it was good that we had followed instructions and left the car in the park.

    I’m going to take issue with the moderate rating for CFT. Not because of the distance. Nor because of the 1,702-feet elevation gain over about 3 miles. No, the issue is all the rocks — boulders in some places — and the roots strewn all along the trail. Going up wasn’t so bad, because we could see where to put our feet between the rocks to get a solid footing on the very narrow dirt path that had a steep drop off on one side. Coming down ... well, that was no fun ... even if it did only take us half as long to get back down to the trailhead.

    CFT ends at the Catamount Reservoir. We didn’t make it that far. I’m guessing we were about ½-mile from that goal when I called uncle. Not only was going up two more hills something I was not looking forward to, but also the afternoon storm clouds were making an early appearance and I didn’t think it would be smart to get caught in a thunderstorm. As it turned out, we were barely in the car and driving away from Green Mountain Falls when big rain drops started plopping down on the windshield.

    So, was the hike worth it? Yesterday, as tired and achy as we were from being on the trail for 4½ hours, hopping over and around the rocks on a steepish grade, I probably would have questioned our decision to hike the CFT. Today, all rested up and with no aches or pains from our efforts, I’d say that it was worth it. We saw two small waterfalls ... made it all the way to the meadow ... had a nice snack-break along a creek ... and got a bit more acclimated to high-altitude hiking. All good!

    As for not getting all the way to the reservoir? Well, we’ll just have to drive up to it and then maybe hike that part of the trail in reverse.

    Oh, by the way ... post-hike, we rewarded ourselves with some red velvet gelato 😋 I think we found a gelateria in Colorado Springs that is to our liking.    Leer más

    Ver traducción