I'm headed to the Rockies

“Yeah! I leave the 21st for my annual trip to Rocky Mountain National Park. I’ll be in Omaha to pick up a friend, spend the next night in Cheyenne, and then four nights in the Rockies backpacking up to Lost Lake. I didn’t know if I could get the sites I wanted, but it was no problem. Maybe the fact that part of the North Fork Trail is still snowbound has something to do with it. :) The ranger suggested that I bring snowshoes for the last few miles. He also said this year the Park suggests (but doesn’t require) a bear canister. I’ve always just hung my food or used the existing bear boxes in RMNP (none along this trail) but have considered buying the Bear Vault. Anyone have suggestions on either shoes or canisters? Sounds like an excuse to buy new gear!”

“T Mac.... I hope ya have a good time. Take a camera, Iwould like to see sum pic's”

“The Rockies only have Black Bears, correct?”

“BKT - I'm taking 3 memory cards for my camera. There'll be a lot of pictures.

Stove - I think so.”

“I was lucky enought to go last August. The trails were all clear of snow, just a few big packs of it on the sheltered mountain sides.

Just so dang beautiful!
Wish I was going with you!
Working for a living sucks!”

“Have fun T Mac!

Oh and SURE you have three memory cards. I mean, if they're only 8 MB, well.......... LOL! I want to get a 256 one to have in addition to my 128 (and I ruined another 128; it got a crease in it somehow)

Cheyenne??? DON'T BUY OUT SIERRA TRADING POST!!!

And T Mac, keep in thinking about that northwestern Nebraska trip. The lorax says he has that weekend off, which means Fri-Sat-Sun, I presume. If all works out and he goes, you guys could hook up somewhere. Also, am chatting with a gal from Omaha on "the other side" about her maybe going. HEY!! And you've got a friend in Omaha too! hmmmmmmm...

Have a great time!!! :-)”

“lizs: I've got two 64 meg and a 16 meg. If I shoot on 2 MP mode, I should have enough. I've thought about the big cards like you mentioned, but dang that's a lot of dough. :)

STP has already hired extra help in prepartion for my visit. :) I just wish they had better snowshoes available now. Nothing good at the moment.

I'd meet you guys for the Nebraska trip, but I have to have Chris (my Omaha friend) back to his wife and kids by Thursday. I can't go from Estes to Omaha back to Chadron then home w/o going crazy, er well, crazier than I already am.


Stove: just charge more for your stoves and you can take more time off.”

“I forgot... that's right... You would be coming back from your trip then. Dang!

As far as camera cards, I was just trying to buy a 256K one. I get e-mails from ZDNet, which had a link to www.eCost.com. They had a Sandisk FAST 256K one for around $56 -- which is what I originally paid for my 128K ones!!

I had a friend try to order online (right now my debit card is AWOL) and she said it said they were sold out. So I don't know if it's a loss leader deal, or what. But keep your eyes open and I think you can find some semi-cheap cards out there.”

“STELLAR!!!my photos

I had such a great time on this trip. The flowers were THE most wonderful that I ever saw.

I wish I was going back this year, but it looks like the annual pilgramigaes are over. The age of teleconferencing has come upon me and my trip to HQ has been canceled...bummer.

Enjoy!!! that trail is magnificant. The Big Thompson is teeming with trout, so, get a liscence and pack a rod and catch fish!”

“good pics, stikmon! I like the Glacier Cave.”

“That entire trip was one of my best. Nothing happened to me to scare or challenge me though. In comparrison to most of my trip, it was rather tame.”

“Stikmon: I remember those pictures, but didn't realize it was the same trail. Now I'm looking forward to it even more.”

“and get your excitment up. Sonja and I had a great time dayhiking up to the top of Mt Dunraven. thats how we stumbled onto the glacier cave. It was an amazing hike with spectacular views to the back side of Mummy Mt. which I was able to see from the other side the following year with Stalker when I did the Long Lake hike.

Yeah...those were great hikes indeed, but my best was last year when I did my Wild Basin hike. I'm hoping that technology fails, and we'll be called in to Denver for those meetings and I get to have another adventure at company expense!”

“There were bear reports last year in the National forest section of this particular hike before entering into the NP...so, be forwarned...hang food well, and far away from your tent and practice safe and smart cooking ediquete...and take someone with you that is much slower in the running arena...just in case you know.”

“Stik: The ranger mentioned the bears and said I should consider a bear canister. Haven't decided on that yet. I've always just hung my food.

I've got the slow trail partner thing covered. He outweighs me by maybe 100 pounds and is very slow on the trail. Only catch is having to explain to his wife and two little ones why I returned and he didn't. :)”

“WOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO

So... two weeks ago my girlfriend and I spent nine days "vacationing" near Rocky Mountain National Park and then in Denver. Well, I put quotes around vacationing because only part was camping and sight-seeing. The rest of the time was for us to chase interviews and look at houses and apartments. After an exhausting week, I wound up with 4 good leads on work (and I accepted an offer from my first choice) and we found a nice apartment in southern Denver. We talked it over and agreed this is what we both want, so last week I put in my notice and yesterday my girl put in hers. August 4th will mark our last day as Illini before we start the long, long, LONG process of driving and moving to Denver.

I know it'll be worth it, as this is something I've wanted since I was maybe 14. I have been blessed with a great job opportunity and a nice apartment, not to mention a one-in-a-trillion girl...

Farewell, Illinois humidity. Hello, Colorado snow! :):)

Here's some pictures from our week:

http://community.webshots.com/album/399148683xfmlBo”

“Oh Man!!

Awesome - send me an email man if you need any help or logistics and such.

I'll give you my phone number and all too.

We're starting to get a nice little club developed out here!”

“Congrats, T-Mac!! Couldn't happen to a nicer guy.

(Yep, more people to bum places to stay with in Colorado. heheheee)”

“North of Gunnison...

Simply Nirvana...Once you see the state, you will never wanna leave....Denver is to large for me, but I loved the central part of the state.”

“Cool TMac! I am moving out there about the same time you are, but from Tennessee. One of those moving trucks you see on the road just might be me....”

“Wooooo Hooooo...sounds WONDERFUL!!!!!!...and awesome pics!!!!!”

“about a year ago there were zero TT'rs in Colorado - now:

Roam
Adventurist (x 2)
Bison
EddieS
Embear (soon)
T Mac (soon)

Who's Next?”

“We should start a TT cult.”

“Hell yeah!”

“Its a TT invasion - do you suppose the state will pass a law restricting further moves? :)

Thanks, Div & lizs.

Roam - you have mail.

Troll - I figure to spend some time in and near Gunnison, so thanks for the tip.

Embear - good luck with your move. If you're apartment hunting, stay patient. We found one for 650/month that fit our needs as well as the one for 1300, but only after we saw more tours than I care to remember.”

“Yeah, I finally found one last week after looking for 3 days. Move in Aug 5.”

“Cool T Mac, I'll reply once I get home.”

“Good luck, T Mac.

Enjoyed your pictures after the first few commercials. Viewing that snow made me feel better about the Florida humidity.”

“That is fantastic, TMac!!!!!! I am so happy for you!!! So much has changed since I met you last December!”

“Man, the Dam Store is right down the road from our apartment!”

“and its the Best Store by a Dam Sight too!”

“Totally green with envy. Sounds awesome. Good luck.”

“Ha ha! I think the only time i ever heard my grandma swear was when we passed that store. lol”

“HA! I can hear it now...where is that Dam store?”

“Near the Damn Dam of course!”

“Adventurist - you have a sweet view! I remember as a kid passing through that area and my younger brother was thrilled he could say "the dam store" over and over. Sure, sometimes it sounded like he added the letter 'n' to the end of dam, but oh well.

NS - Sierra pays me quite well for mixing in advertisements!

Ruby - thanks. I trust your life is on a similar upswing. You'd better get my $5 for Nigal's mag before I leave. :)
last edited: 7/19/05 2:29:12 PM”

“They have damn dams in CO too.”

“T Mac.. we'll have to get out and hike when you get out here!”

“Yes LZ..and they break too!”

“hey, i wanna go too!”

““about a year ago there were zero TT'rs in Colorado - now:

Roam
Adventurist (x 2)
Bison
EddieS
Embear (soon)
T Mac (soon)

Who's Next?”

Uh huh, now all the TT'ers who are ZEROS are in Colorado!”

“jealous!”

“(tiny font)

YES”

“so move man! can't you see???? this is where all the cool kids are hangin' out.”

“Hey dipstick, I've gotta hang in with my university job until my 15 year old finishes here.


Bwaaaaaaahahahahahahahaha!!!”

“Just got back from a week in the Winds.

http://community.webshots.com/user/Utahgriz”

“Almost Heaven
Rocky Mountains
Uncompahgre Plateau
Colorado River ...”

“Just south of Gunnison is a town called Lake City. The first time I went there I almost never left. I hiked up the Big Blue Creek to Uncompaghre peak last year and it was a heck of a good trip. I would suggest it to everyone.”

“griz, sweet pics!! again, i love the sunset photos!

squirrelbait. have you hiked the area of the black canyon of the gunnison? that is beautiful, too.”

“Kewl Beans on the move, T Mac!”