Hubbard Mesa

TIME has gotten away from me! All day I thought it was Wednesday but it's not! YIKES so I had to spend a day of preparation for travel...I needed one rear tire so got that purchased and put on...had to get an oil change, and they did a 202 point check...omg yeah I'm teasing but really?? I frowned when I got the bill!! Even if they do put a pink carnation on your dashboard for that price I expected a bag of fresh Colorado grown produce!!  And it comes with a free car wash...but my van won't fit...in hindsight I should've gone to Walmart to get the oil changed! Not many choices of places to go close by.  Regular mechanics don't have time to deal with oil changes (come back on Saturday) so I guess you pay for the immediate service.  Back home I get the same service for $34.  Today it was $94.  I'm pretty sure my oil change guy would laugh if I asked him for a carnation!  He started his small business back before I closed mine, and he has been very successful just changing oil! An industrious guy or gal could make a good living here doing the same thing. 

this mornings full moon 

 sooooo I had to wash it myself...and dust the inside, and change the air filter (they don't open clam shells) and prepare the inside for the next leg of this sojourn...if I stay much longer I may NOT want to go home..it's just so splendid here... I gotta go home AT SOME POINT!

another smoky haze sunrise

Lately the sun and moon have looked like this is a changing planet, hey you know what... it IS! This Earth is constantly evolving and when our sun goes Super Nova we will be no more!

morning's sunrise with the smokey haze 

Yesterday was such a busy day for me.  I got up early and headed over to Hubbard Mesa.  There's tons of roads to explore there...

                                             the road soon turns to gravel and dirt

I took the right fork in the road....the burning question is what's up on the left fork??

I believe you could get lost here really easy....the views are sweet and the trees are too, twisted Junipers, Cedars, and some Pinyon Pine too...

If you look for the Juniper Titmouse look low, all the ones I've seen so far are always down low or on the ground...

Hard to spot these little drab (but gorgeous) birds in this sun-burnt landscape...

It's not all drab tho...the fall wildflowers are blooming...

checkered skipper

I found at least one Oasis! Amazing it seems to have no source but water plants are established...

Stupid people drive their 4 wheelers thru this water...*sigh* don't they realize animals depend on this spot?

Birds were all around it too...saw many more Vesper Sparrows, a few Say's Phoebe, Rock Wrens, and one Yellow Rumped Warbler  I snapped a shot of him but he was too well hidden so I scraped it. 

vesper sparrow

rock wren

say's phoebe

I checked Fravet Reservoir on my way out the waterfowl are soooo far on the other side and there is only one viewing area...I saw again Mallards, Ring Necked Ducks, Pied Billed Grebes, Gadwall, and American Coot. 

mallards n coots in this shot

None lifers but I was able to add all of these except Mallard that was already on it to my Garfield County List, as the Hubbard Mesa is only 10 mins away from the house! Cool Beans.  

 You can camp out on Hubbard Mesa... if you don't mind lots of broken glass all around your feet, why do people have to be that way??  I'm kinda down on ATV'rs at this point. 

Next Post we finally made it up to Maroon Bells Wilderness Area. 

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

Rifle Arch Trail Hike

So Thursday morning we were up early again, and little sis and her husband brought us biscuits from McDonald's for breakfast, and took over the nanny sitting so off we went! Lucky for us it was partly cloudy, for this hike is in completely different terrain.  We leave the town of Rifle, and head about 7 miles up highway 13...

the roan plateau in morning light

...and to the trailhead...mostly out in the open but up in the higher elevation juniper/cedar/pinyon forest.  This one  is not long either....2.4 miles round trip.  

right away we scared 2 coyotes that we assumed were trying to snag a dove as there was a flock on the ground...we spooked the doves and the coyotes 

The trail crosses this thorn scrub meadow and then takes an uphill turn I turned around here and snapped the shot of the meadow we just crossed.  

ribbon of road

that's the trail down there....we just hiked on, that thin ribbon in the dirt...and the highway beyond where we drove in 

Sis enjoys the view

on top of the hill there is a nice view to the West....

part of the Roan Plateau...then the trail heads downhill and across another thorn scrub open area...

and as you look ahead more trees come into view and another uphill...the arch comes into view a little...

Can you see it yet?

taking a little rest

passed two gray flycatcher, 

AND a new bird for me, a horrible photo of the what I know as the Plain Titmouse, only to find out they were split way back in 1996..LoL so here it is the Juniper Titmouse. (the other is called the Oak Titmouse)  I think plain is the word, but sure looked good to me!

# 407!

Here is the arch! It's quite large...

there's a large boulder field right under the arch so we got a little closer and called that good...

this is a full sized tree on top there...

and from the ridge on the way back....

almost can see the parking lot...

Another fun day in paradise!! Best part Being with my SIS! ;O)

PEACE

Eleanor Roosevelt: You must do the thing you think you can not.