500 Miles to Hooper, UT

Saturday we loaded up The Grumpus and began the 500-mile drive to Hooper, Utah (north of Salt Lake City)



West on I-70...



...through Glenwood Canyon above the Colorado River...





...always lots of cows and horses...





Our first stop was Parachute, CO - population 1,290



On through western Colorado





All sorts of fun in Colorado...







Bye Colorado





Eastern Utah has very little except interesting rock formations - and fun billboards







We made a stop in Helper, UT. It was once a railway town but seems a bit down on it's luck - although they are all set for Christmas (or never take decorations down)













Then it's over Soldier Summit Pass



Hudson still was in Grumpus mode







We will always remember this wind farm - it was where we pulled over last August when we got an offer on our house (from the people who eventually bought it)



This to me this is Utah - beautiful, except where the people are (and ugly houses, though it works fine for them)



Next is the 800 miles to Redmond

Final Week in Breckenridge

Sadly we have left Breckenridge after 50 days. We had a great time and the last week (or two) was especially excellent

On October 25th we had a snow storm and celebrated our 7th anniversary



On our final Saturday (Maureen's birthday) we went to our neighbours (who also own our house) and had a fun night of beers and shots. Earlier that day we had run the Blue Lakes one last time. It's a tough run - 4.2-miles round trip with maybe 900' of elevation gain













This is a Pika. It lives in the scree



One of the Blue Lakes almost ready for skating







The next day we went for a walk on a County Road in Alma - County Roads don't seem to ever be paved. Included were some old mining areas (although this looks pretty new)







So Mosquito Gulch - it is the destination for the Fairplay World Championship Pack-Burro Race. 29-miles and several thousand feet of elevation - both you and your burro. Maybe that will be my big race next year



Alma folk getting ready for Halloween...



We also saw a black fox outside our house. Supposedly rare



We also ran McCullough Gulch Road two final times. Such a good run for Hudson to be off-leash











No idea whose tracks these are - if anyone knows we'd love to know



Our last day - Friday - we went to Boulder one last time. This is a mining area along I-70



And - obviously - a pumpkin painted on the rocks by a waterfall across from Idaho Springs



Next up are the usual random pics from our 1,300 mile drive back to Redmond, WA