more Colorado road scenes

Eagle Ranch north of Wolcott, CO

Ice fog on Hwy 131

back in New Mexico - Black Mesa

Steamboat

not a lot of snow this year

Our cancellation watch list request with ER came through for 4 nights in Steamboat before we had an inkling of how poor the snow conditions would end up being in early January. Although touting a 24" base, which is not much, it was hard to believe the resort had that much snow, but they had a lot of runs open. Conditions were icy and rocky but we managed to ski two days and one card playing spa day before packing it in and driving home a day early. Fortunately nobody was injured. Maybe next year the champagne powder will return.

oops, wrong turn onto an icy mogul run

lots of wheel chairs all lined up at the base

the boys on top of High Noon

Eva at the picnic table overlooking the valley

goofing around in the locker room

Coloado road trip

Oldest church in Colorado, dedicated in 1863, near Antonito

It is always a fun drive on our way up to Colorado. This year I put my new iPhone and Hipstamatic app to use.

Gator farm is for sale

Golden Burro in Leadville

Leadville, flourished during the mining boom; highest incorporated city in the US

Bob times two

Early season snow in Taos

this is a lot of snow for early December

new lunch option at the Whistlestop Cafe

While Colorado and other western ski resorts struggled with lack of snow this winter, Taos and New Mexico just kept getting more and more snow all season. This was a good year to have invested in a season pass.

iPhone photos from Shidoni

Shidoni, an art gallery including 8 acres of sculpture gardens and bronze art foundry, is situated in the village of Tesuque, north of Santa Fe, along the Rio Tesuque on a former apple orchard. There are multiple indoor art galleries, sculpture gardens, and a foundry where you can watch 2000 degree molten bronze being poured into ceramic shell molds. 

I found that I could get some interesting photos using my iPhone and trying out different camera and editing apps. Here's a selection from today's visit.

Dixon

Embudo Valley

bronze horse by Siri Hollander

It was a beautiful fall weekend, with the cottonwood trees in full color - a perfect time to drive up to the Dixon Studio Tour. Excited by my new iPhone and the Hipstamatic app I kind of went overboard on photos around town am posting a few here, all taken using the John S lens and Kodot film.

The Dixon Studio Tour has been an annual major art event since 1982. Dixon, nestled in the Embudo Valley in Northern New Mexico where the Rio Embudo flows into the Rio Grande, has been long known for its rich Native American and Hispanic heritage, productive farm lands and pastoral beauty. During the last 30+ years many artists moved to the valley to pursue their artistic talent and a simpler way of life.

Twenty-eight years ago two of these artists decided that there was a need for more connection with the buying public in a more intimate setting than the craft fairs and the galleries provided. The first year was a great success as have been all of the following years. People have loved to come to the little village of Dixon and wander among the orchards and visit the open studios and local businesses featuring a full spectrum of contemporary and traditional fine art and crafts.

The Dixon Studio Tour is a cooperative effort with the various artists performing all of the jobs from preparing the map to painting signs as well as coordinating the whole event. The local community has also been included with the formation of "The Mercado" which takes place at the public school and features many home grown and homemade local products. A recent addition, the "Collected Works" show, features an outstanding piece of work by each of the artists on the tour. The show opens with a public reception at 7:00 p.m. the night before the tour and continues throughout the weekend.

no studio, no problem - just bring your truck to town

re-purposed fence

lunch at Zuly's

Hipstamatic goes to the Santa Fe Railyard

John S lens

Salvador 84 lens

Salvador 84 lens

Winsor Trail - mostly downhill

Judy, Barbara, David, Brad, Irma and Gail, accompanied by Sassy, Annabelle, Benny, Luke, Habib and Tiger

Our final group hike of the year before the weather turned attracted seven people and six dogs of varying sizes, from Barbara's little dogs Annabelle and Benny to Irma's ever growing German shepherd, Habib. There was a bit of logistics involved as we needed to leave cars at different trailheads so everyone had options, but we got it all organized. It was a beautiful fall day and for much of the hike we were walking on a carpet of yellow aspen leaves.







possible options for this hike:

1. Ski area to Chamisa trail head - 8.8 miles - start 10,200' - Chamisa junction 7,920' - up to saddle 8,320' - Hyde Park Rd. trail head 7,920'

2. Ski area to Borrego/Bear Wallow trail head via the Bear Wallow trail - 7 miles - start 10,200', Bear Wallow junction 8,240', Hyde Park Rd. trail head 8,900'

3. Ski area to Borrego/Bear Wallow trail head via the Borrego trail - 6 miles  -  start 10,200', Borrego junction 8,560', Hyde Park Rd. trail head 8,900'

4. Ski area to Big Tesuque campground - 4.7 miles - start 10,200', Big Tesuque junction 9,140', Big Tesuque campground 9,600'

Annabelle got lots of attention

through the meadows

crossing the creek

back up the Borrego trail