Day 1 Hagerman Pass

Good News !!   We're back down to where the oxygen is plentiful and the WiFi is Fast !!!  

It was a wonderful week at All 4 Fun.   About 400 Jeeps and 800 adventurers were in attendance.    Leadville rolls out the welcome mat as this is a big boost to their economy.   

This is the view from our front window......a very large gravel pit about 5 miles out of town.   RV's congregated around the edges and tents and smaller campers headed for the pine trees.    A very large event tent was off to the right.....evening music and entertainment along with all of the free beer you cared to consume.    They had activities for the kids and Friday was devoted to Vendor Day.....all the tricks and toys you could ever want....including Jeep jewelry.      Dry camping was a non-event and we even came home with surplus water.   They did offer pumping out services on Wed but I think we would have done OK without.    We had excellent cell service and Direct TV and only ate out one night!    It never got hot and jeans and sweatshirts were the fashions of the event.     

This is Michael, trying out the course for the races later that evening.....he didn't win.   Later in the week they made obstacles out of large boulders and a mini mountain to climb.   

 Each day, there was a choice of 12-15 trail rides to go on.   They ranged from the mild but scenic to one called Carnage Canyon.    We stayed in the middle.      Our first choice on Monday wasn't offered so we opted for Hagerman Pass.   This follows a railroad bed built in 1885, linking Aspen to Leadville. It was the highest standard grade railroad in the country.   The line only operated for 6 years.   Remnants of the trestles and tunnels are still visible.

We lined up at 9 am , with a Wagonmaster in the lead and a Tail Gunner at the rear.    Depending on the number of Jeeps (or other 4x4 vehicles), it can be a slow drive.

 Lizzie, at 15, has been driving in this event for the past several years.   She stayed up with us when

 Alex and Becca left the next day.

 Looking down on Turquoise Lake as we climbed.    It was an overcast day with occasional drizzle.

 Our group shot at the top of the pass at 11,925 ft.   Alex seems to think it's warm out.

 On most trips, there are streams to ford.....some were quite deep and can be impassable in the spring.

 This is a mushroom.   They were quite plentiful and some were very red with white dots.....I expected to see little fairies sitting on them.    I haven't looked up their name yet.   And don't know if they'd make a good lunch or a good poison.

 We stopped for lunch along the lake.    Most, if not all, of the jeeps have CB radios and the Lead will point out things of interest, people comment and the Tail Gunner announces when we've all caught up. Sometimes it's interesting, sometimes it's very quiet and sometimes it's just tedious chatter from those who like to hear themselves.    We did stop for photo ops and for the all important 10-31.......potty break.   Men to the left, ladies to the right.    I don't know if there are snakes at 11,000 ft but I kept my eyes to the ground on my walk to privacy.     We always had a stop before we climbed above treeline !

 We decided to take a different route back to camp and headed over the mountains to Eagle...west of Vail.

 The entire day, we spotted no wildlife, unless this large bunch of bovine counts as wild.   Actually, this one didn't look too friendly.

 If there is mud, Alex has to make sure it ends up all over the car..........

 We drove thru aspen groves....would be a beautiful drive in the fall.

There were wildflowers everywhere.....fields and fields of them.    I will post some impressive pictures as the week goes on.

This was our one night out.....At Tennessee Pass Cafe in Leadville....note the tin on the walls.   A unique menu was a nice surprise.