Connie in Ouray

 I just drove down and up Camp Bird Road, and it is teeth-rattling, deep potholes, washboard ruts, still some snow and ice.  Nastiness.  I mentioned in my last blog about our potholes on MFL and the need for gravel.  There's just not enough excess gravel to fill them up, and Mr. Pothole would know.  He was out yesterday trying to get some drainage from the biggest one, which didn't work very well. I walked with Dempsey on the Uncompaghre Trailway Saturday - always awesome views. The Cimarrons   Hope springs eternal that we get some snow this week:

 Mike and I went up the trail this morning, snow melting fast, but definite bear tracks in the big meadow and probable tracks on the back trail.  Dustin reports possible bear spotting in their driveway.  There were also deer parts, two leg bones and two vertebrae scattered in different areas of the trail.  We were able to veer Dempsey away.  I understand theoretically that everyone has to eat.  I just don't like coming face to face with it. Our snow total is now 119, with an additional two inches last Saturday.  We're about a foot shy of past years, but we still have April to catch up.  I don't have a lot of hope. Dustin has a torn ACL and will have surgery in Gunnison in about 10 days.  He's hoping to be all well for hiking season.  I can't remember if I reported that Larry Krafft had knee replacement last November and is doing well.  And, of course, I'm fully recovered from my foot surgery last September.   Mineral Farms...

 I left Ouray early yesterday afternoon trying to outrun the incoming snowstorm, and what a great decision that was!  Mike reports that as of this morning, MFL had gotten 9.5 inches of snow - yay!  As I write this, I'm in Las Vegas with my sisters, one of whom lives here, to celebrate March Madness.   Our total for the season is now 117 inches.  

 Three inches of new snow overnight, perfect snowshoeing condition, except for the occasional wind gust. Mike and I were in the courthouse yesterday regarding a parking ticket - $150! - which we set for trial in June because the prosecutor, whose name was never disclosed, was rude to Mike.   A story for another day.  It's the first time I had been in the building, and I would encourage everyone to take a look. It's really beautiful, but the best part is the main hallway, where there are a lot of old photos on the walls. stenciling around the ceiling in the courtroom old, old world seats

 We got another 2.5 inches of snow while I was in Colorado Springs, which puts us at 101 inches.  There is snow in the forecast Thursday, Friday, Saturday and again next week.  Fingers crossed. The Ice Park is slowing down as temperatures fluctuate but mostly above freezing, even at night.  I figure we have another six weeks before the "summer" visitors descend.

 Eight and half inches yesterday, total for the season now 98.5, and I am so happy!  It's amazing how snow will just make my day.  We are under a winter storm watch from tonight five p.m. until Friday 11:00 p.m., two full days.  Ouray forecast doesn't show that much snow but could be anywhere from one to 20 inches.  Fun with snow  I'm heading to Colorado Springs tomorrow for a few days to catch up with sons, a former neighbor, and my cousin.  Mike will be the official measurer while I'm gone.  I appear to be skirting storms left and right. I forgot to mention last blog that Camp Bird Road above us is closed due to a serious rockfall in the narrows.  It's 200 yards past the winter gate closing the road.  The sign when we turn off 550 onto 361 says all forms of travel are prohibited.   From what I can discern, the rockfall not only damaged the road, but it damaged the underlying infrastrure, and the threat of more rockfall is hug...