This is a continuation of our catch up blog. We moved from Estes Park to Woodland Park, Co. on Tuesday August 30th. While Allan took the RV to have the new inverter installed, Yancy, Brian and I drove to Garden of the Gods and Manatou Springs before heading for Diamond Campground. This is our site.
While walking in the campground we noticed this raven up in a tree. If you will look closely, there is a sock hanging on the tree beside him. We thought he had stolen it from someone in the campground. Later, we learned that it was a squirrel
who was the culprit. In fact, he has a collection of rags, socks and gloves from people who had either left articles outside or left one of their basement doors open.
We also have several deer, fox and bear who visit our campground regularly. I have included a picture of one of the deer.
I was unable to get a picture of the fox. He kept on the move and everything was a blur. The bear only visited at night or early in the morning. He was a huge bear from what the workers in the office told us. He turned the dumpster over while we were there. It took two men and a front end loader to set it back up. This brought memories of our encounter with a bear in the State Park in Vermont where we camp hosted. We always had to clean up after him.
This is a picture Allan took in Woodland Park of Elk antlers.
While in this area we visited so many places and took so many pictures. One of our stops found us at the Colorado Wolf and wildlife Center. This center was started for educational purposes. They have lots of groups especially for kids from surrounding schools to take their tours. Some of their funding comes from allowing people to have personal tours inside the enclosures and close encounters with the wolves. This can include kisses from the animals. It is a ritual of acceptance into the pack. They have wolves, coyotes and foxes.
Our tour ended in our group howling which the packs returned their vocal singing.
Here is a buck that we saw as we drove down one of the many roads along with several beautiful wild flowers.
We drove to Victor and Cripple Creek, both old mining towns.
We visited Mueller State Park and saw several deer, but Brian was really hoping to see a bear. One had been sighted there several days in a row, but he was not out while we were there. They had a nice trail around a small pond with numerous informative signs and hands on displays particularly for children. Here is one on scat of different animals.
Red Rock Park was a very nice and heavily used walking area that we visited. At one time it was a mining area. There were signs warning to watch out for mountain lion. Colorado people do a lot of walking and hiking, many with their dogs.
We visited Cheyenne Canyon which is west of Colorado Springs. This contained some windy roads, but very beautiful too. Because we wanted to do some more excursions that day we did not go on the one way narrow dirt road that continued up the mountain.
On our way to Eleven Mile Canyon we spotted this old dugout and older farm house.
Eleven Mile Canyon is a very narrow canyon with a narrow road going through it. It is beautiful. A bear had been sighted here, too, but no bear for us to see.
On our way back home just before dark Allan got a picture of a huge herd of elk.
We all had several packed days with beautiful sights to see. We took Brian and Yancy back to the airport in Denver. After dropping them off we saw two prong horn bucks fighting or playing. This is the only two we have seen on this trip to the West.
I belong to Ancestry.com and found a cousin whom Allan and I visited in Castle Rock several days after Yancy and Brian left. It was so good to find another living relative who shared lots of information with me. I was able to share some with her also.
I hope this gets us caught up with our travels. Thanks for hanging in there with us.
No comments:
Post a Comment