Summer ended.  Fall is taking over.  The leaves are changing colour and temperatures are dropping.  A lot.  This past weekend seemed more like winter than fall with several inches of snow on the ground.  Jen and I decided to see how the high country was taking in the change of season.  Our destination was Mt Audubon, Strelka in tow, or more correctly, towing us up the mountain.  That is, until it got so bitterly cold that she tucked her tail way in between her legs and made it clear to us that she wasn’t having too much fun post holing snow drifts 3-4 times higher than herself.  At that time we turned around, and we quickly warmed up as we descended and found more shelter lower on the mountain and finally in between the trees again.  It may be fall, but it sure feels like winter in the mountains.

More photos here.

Jen and I have taken to a new angle of bike riding: Downhilling.  As in lift served gravity powered riding.  We have already gone up to Keystone and Winter Park a couple of times and have had a blast.  This past Saturday good friends Dave and Don joined us and despite how hard it is to stop whenever your are having fun descending on a bike, I actually did so and got a little footage.

Flash is needed to view this video.

Good times!

For our summer vacation this year we decided to stay in Colorado - much like last year - driving around from one mountain town to the next, mountain bikes in tow.  This years destinations were Crested Butte, Telluride and Durango.  And if there was anything we learned this year, its that Colorado has so much to offer; enough for several more summer vacations like this!

Many more pictures in the photo section, and Jen did a great write up on her blog.

I have wanted to go up in the high country for a while and with the snow finally starting to disappear at and above tree limit Jen and I decided to check out the Kingston Peak and James Peak area.  And what a treat it was.  We were greeted with amazing views all around.  Our ride started at around 10,000 ft of elevation and climbed to above 12,000 ft.  Beautiful day.  Beautiful views.  Wow.  The tundra has got to be one of my favourite places to be…

More photos here.

Last weekend when Jen’s sister Vicki and her family visited we went horseback riding.  I have been riding before, but this time was the very first time I actually felt in control of the horse,  and she - her name was Rawhide - knew it!  Good times.  It still amazes me how steep terrain horses can go up and down…

More pictures here.