Busy, busy, busy

 Summer is in full swing in Ouray   Climbers are taking advantaage of the Via Ferrata.  The four-wheelers are lined up in the big parking lot at 550 and Camp Bird Road, and the restaurants and shops are full...and it's only very early June.

Mike and I were at the hot springs yesterday afternoon - wow, lots of people - and I noticed for the first time that there is a climbing wall for kids and then they can fall back into the pool.  It's so entertaining to watch.  One of the slides is open now.  

Barb (3) and I hiked up Veenstra's trail and then picked up the Sutton Mine Trail Thursday afternoon.  It was such a gorgeous afternoon!  It was a little upsetting to see that the clothesline had been taken down and put back up on the building, not nearly as fun.  The two washed-out gullies proved to be tricky as always, but Barb is an intrepid hiker and took off to find the best way up and down.  I helped Teddy the sheltie with a couple of butt pushes, but Mirabella and Dempsey, having longer legs, didn't have as much trouble. 

That evening, Barb, Mike, and I went to the first Mountain Music concert in Felllin Park.  Barb called it the happiest place on earth, children running around, people talking and listening to music, lots of dancers, a beer/margarita/wine tent and food trucks.  We all had green chile nachos, and, oh, my, they were delicious.  I'm already sorry that we can't go next week because it's a group we've heard before, and they are excellent.

Yesterday morning, Mike and I hiked up Veenstra's trail in the morning, him with the chainsaw and me with the battery (heavy!), and we took care of the two small and one medium-sized trees that had fallen across the path.  We then went up and took care of the large tree that had fallen on the upper part of Sutton Mine Trail.  Mike has learned so much from the year he has been working with the Ouray Trail Group, and it was fun to see that in action.  

Look how much the cactus flowers grew in just two days!