 | In July we took a two week trip to Colorado. There is a large section of this CD with a more detailed description of our trip off the main menu under Cowboy Frank > Vacation. Here are a few teaser photos from our summer vacation. The famous Windows Arch in Arches National Park, Utah. This is the same arch that can now be seen on Utah's license tags. |
 | Frank at Canyon Lands National Park in southern Utah. The canyon looks as if God cut it with a laser. |
 | We drove quickly to get in front of the train going from Durango to Silverton in Colorado. |
 | The engine approaches..... |
 | And then it is gone...all too quickly. Back in 1990, we took the spectacular ride on this same train. Not enough time on this trip though. Maybe next time. |
 | The Climax Molybdenum (mo-lyb'-den-um) mine. This mineral melts at 4,730 degrees Fahrenheit, giving steel superior hot and cold strength, added wear resistance, and tensile strength for today's demanding technologies |
 | The view eastward from the road heading up Independence Pass. |
 | In the alpine meadows of Independence Pass we found a myriad of small, but beautiful flowers. Here we see an alpine version of an Anemone while just to its right we see a blue Aster of some sort. |
 | Another of the small flowering plants of the meadow, we aren't sure, but this looks like a Jacob's Ladder. If you know the correct name of this beautiful plant, please let us know. |
 | At the top crossing the Continental Divide for the 3rd time this trip. |
 | In southwest Colorado we find Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Monument. |
 | Volcanic flows were cut down by the Gunnison river as the entire region rose, this is called the Gunnison uplift area. |
 | The river seen below is frequently a raging torrent. |
 | A final look into the depths of the canyon. |
 | North of Denver we visited Rocky Mountain National Park. We stopped for a picnic lunch at one of the many beautiful mountain lakes along the drive. |
 | Near the top of the Continental Divide again the peaks of Rocky Mountain National Park still covered with snow in mid July. |
 | The tundra above 11,000 feet is the favorite grazing grounds for Rocky Mountain Elk. |
 | A ground squirrel begs for food. It is prohibited to feed the wild life in a National Park, but some people do it anyway. The animals that become dependent on handouts frequently die of starvation when winter arrives because they are unable to fend for themselves. |
 | A young bird sits atop a roadside stone at Farview Curve. |