JEEPING IN THE MOUNTAINS

Yesterday afternoon, we jumped in our little jeep with Marley and headed up Transfer Trail.  This is a rough and very BUMPY 4 wheel road that crawls up on top overlooking Glenwood.  You do have one beautiful view to reward your bone jarring ride.  Further up the trail, we came into my most favorite area of old growth Aspen Trees.

This one was amazing.  Normally the Aspens grow straight up, with some waves and bends.  But this tree has been really through some wild growing.  If only the tree could talk! ...If you click on the picture you can get a closer look at the knots it has produced! Makes you wonder how that happened, doesn't it?  Growing up in western Colorado, we always called these tree Quakes.  I was nearly an adult, before I learned Aspen trees was it's more common name.  Quakes was the more local name when I was a kid.  The name refers to the way the leaves quake in the wind.  Someday I would love to spend a summer tromping through old growth Quake trees and take pictures of all the unusal ones... that would make a great picture book, wouldn't it?  I have always loved unique growing trees of any kind.  The quirky ones that seem to stand out in the crowd.  Hugely jealous, prehaps.

While driving through this stand, I spotted this heart tree and had to make Dan stop so I could jump out and take it's picture. I wish now I would of hugged this tree. Must do that next time I am up there.  Because this tree really had a message for me I later found out.  The next day I  loaded it into photoshop and "carved" these words onto the tree...  A little reminder about the afternoon I spent in the mountains with my sweetheart!

While we were bouncing along, I was noticing the carvings in the trees.  The oldest year I saw carved was 1976.. but am certain there are much older years if you took the time to really look around. 

  You can see how fall is nearly over in these woods.  All the leaves are nearly down and later we even ran into snow on the ground on the other side of this mtn. 

Marley loves to go jeeping..  he stands most of the way, just loving the air, the ride and the view!

On the way down, lower elavation, I did find a stand of trees with their bright yellow leaves.  It was starting to cloud up, so the blue sky is nearly blocked out by the clouds. 

A fun afternoon.  An artfull day in the mountains.

ta